About seven and a half hours have passed since the first volume concluded, and Tomozaki is still at his new life goal of becoming a stud muffin. Things start getting a hair hectic when convicted sex offender Minami Nanami goes head-to-head against his mentor and grandmaster for the title of student counsel president. He joins up with Mimimi in what can only be described as a reenactment of Pickett’s Charge.
A Story Told in Threes:
The plot, like the sternum, comes in three parts: birthday present shopping, the election, and the fallout from the election. Acts I and II are largely independent of each other, but since the shopping trip works to serve Tomozaki’s overall goals, you don’t get the sense that the characters are twiddling their thumbs until the main plot kicks in.
Here Come the Girls:
The page count isn’t that different from the debut book, and it’s probably because we’re past the opening act stuff and Hinami takes on a backseat role as a minor antagonist, but the supporting heroines get more time in the spotlight. One such girl was in exactly one scene in the first volume but returns more prominently for this go-around, and anything that gives characters more stage time rather than vaudeville hooking them off gets a standing ovation from me.
A Climax with No Edge:
A sticking issue for me had to be the climax. It wasn’t bad, but there was no point to it, and by “point,” I mean a sharp tip that would hurt if you slammed your hand on it. The first volume’s third act reached a fever pitch when Tomozaki delivered an impassioned speech, but this volume just has Mimimi-mi Mi-mimi venting about her personal frustrations to her friend, who nods at intervals to make it seem like she hasn’t been distracted by the butterflies passing by.
The Verdict:
I can’t decide if this volume is better or worse than the first. I just know that I want more. Love affairs are on a slow boil, but that’s fine, since that makes for a more convincing romance than the girl being a prize the hero wins for getting to the end of the plot without dying.
CCC Yabbering 