Last Quarter, Vol. 2

下弦の月 [Kagen no Tsuki] #2

by Ai Yazawa

Mizuki is trapped in a crumbling mansion, bereft of memories except for the time she spent with Adam. Hotaru and her friends have been working from her fragmentary recollections to discover what happened. Will Mizuki be reunited with Adam?

Genres: Manga, Comics, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Supernatural, Shojo, Romance

Kindle Edition

First published September 17, 2004

About the author

Ai Yazawa (Japanese: 矢沢あい, Yazawa Ai) is a Japanese manga author and illustrator. Her pen name comes from singer Eikichi Yazawa, of whom she is a fan.
Yazawa started her comics career in 1985. She specialises in shojo manga (girls' comics). Most of her works have been serialised in the magazines 'Ribon', 'Cookie' and 'Zipper'.
Yazawa's stories focus on young, often rebellious women and their relationships. The characters are always very stylish, and Yazawa herself is known for her sense of fashion. (She even attended a fashion school for some time after high school.)
Among her most famous manga are Tenshi Nanka Ja Nai (I'm No Angel, 1992–1995), Neighborhood Story (1995-1998), Paradise Kiss (1999-2004), and Nana (2000-2009), the latter awarded a Shogakukan Manga Award in 2003. Some of these works have been adapted into anime and live action movies.

Reviews

[Bobby Underwood]

“Many problems of the human heart can’t be contained by reason. When we figured that out, it was too late.”


The above quote is a moment from the second and final volume of this English-language edition version of Ai Yazawa’s wonderful manga masterpiece, Last Quarter. It is about love and death, and the world between. At it’s bare bones it is about a group of middle-school kids attempting to solve the mystery of a young woman who may or may not be a ghost, and help her move forward. But it ends up being so much more.

I won’t rehash too much of the first marvelous volume, and try to limit spoilers here, but if you’re reading this, I will assume you’ve either read, or read about, the first volume, so be forewarned.

The transition from 17 year old Mizuki falling in love with a drug-addicted guitar player and rock star, and the vague tragedy that ensued, to middle-schooler Hotaru and her friends has already been made in the first volume of Last Quarter. Hotaru has a deep connection to the girl who doesn’t remember her name or how she came to be trapped in the mansion, because Hotaru met her while looking for her cat, at the fence between our world and that which lies on the other side.

After enlisting the help of her best friend Sae, and boys Tetsu (hilarious) and his friend Miura to help her, Hotaru discovers she is the only one who can actually see and speak with Mizuki. The inevitable conclusion is of course drawn by everyone, and the group of four band together to discover who the young woman is, so they can help her move on.

As I stated in my review for volume one of Last Quarter, while the story sounds rather scary or tawdry when written out in black and white, and the juxtaposition between the two worlds too stark to meld, Ai Yazawa does a remarkable job with narrative and illustrations in making this a lovely, compelling read. In the end the manga ponders weighty spiritual questions, yet arrives there with tenderness and humor, making Last Quarter quite remarkable.

Once the kids discover who the girl they’ve named Eve is — because her rock star obsession was named Adam — this story is only just beginning. A revelation about a band called Evil Eye, a girl other than Mizuki, and an error in judgement in regard to what’s really going on make the final volume of Last Quarter a real page turner.


“I don’t want to just drive her out. I want to help her get safely into Heaven.”


It’s extremely rare to run across a story this beautiful that is as laugh-filled and charming. Each of the kids has their own distinct personality and backstory over the course of the narrative thanks to Yazawa. Some charming middle-school crushes and friendships are also explored along the way.

The interactions of the sweet Hotaru and her friends is in turns heartfelt and charming in Last Quarter; it is also, quite often, laugh out loud funny. Yet there is something tender and touching about it all, because Yazawa has given life to the children, making them seem real and easily identifiable to the reader. Perhaps due to the children being funny and real, the more serious and mysterious aspects seem real as well. Mizuki’s family comes more into play in the second volume, especially Mizuki’s boyfriend Tomoki. A moment of betrayal and indiscretion in the past takes on emotional hues of understanding and regret.

What happens to the lost? Is there a way back if we love enough, and want to come back? Ai Yazawa explores these questions in such a compelling and fun way that it sometimes masks just how brilliantly it has been accomplished in this manga. Moreover, Yazawa was brave enough as a writer to risk making Mizuki’s story anti-climactic; Yazawa shows us, rather than tells us, what happens in the lives of Hotaru and her friends post-mystery.

This story, while incredibly entertaining, is also a journey. Yazawa smartly — yet surprisingly — allows the reader to enjoy the destination once we arrive, which only endears us more to Last Quarter, giving us closure to Mitsuki’s story, and Adam’s.

I was tempted to quote lyrics from the song, Last Quarter, which end the story, but I don’t want to spoil anyone’s enjoyment of the florid and lovely finish to this very special story. Anyone who reads Ai Yazawa’s Last Quarter will most likely be returning to it at some point, as I will. Highly recommended!

[Laura A. Grace]

YOUTUBE VIDEO REVIEW: https://youtu.be/tNomvK5-YEA

"Somehow we got so caught up in putting the pieces together that we missed something crucial. Many problems of the human heart can't be contained by reason."

It's been several days since I read this volume, and I still have been thinking about it and the impact it had on me personally.

I'm not quite sure of what to say, but if the first volume was all mystery-solving, this second volume was the pieces coming together, but the impact on the characters not being what they expected it would be. There were so many times I found myself emotional, and I confess that one line near the end made me cry because it was the perfect way to wrap up this story.

While I felt Hotaru was the main female lead in volume one, in this volume, it focuses so much more on Mizuki. The way her life spoke to me in that I am far more loved than I even realize (and I don't mean that in a boastful way!) really hit me when it had been such a rough day when reading this. When she started realizing why she wasn't with Adam, it hit my heart hard, and I couldn't help but feel divided in her getting her memories back, but also what that would mean for the new friendships she's made.

And speaking of, these kids were AMAZING characters! I loved seeing them grow, learn, grieve, celebrate, and ultimately come together as a friendship that will not be easily broken. They are some of the most compelling characters I have read, and I am sad that my time with them is over because of how much I came to care for all of them.

This is a series I would highly recommend to those looking for a supernatural mystery that isn't what it seems and completely captivates you with the heartfelt storytelling. I read this series by way of my library, but it's one I wouldn't personally mind owning!

[vin .ᐟ (hiatus)]

beautiful

[DianaRose]

while the initial volume was confusing, the plot was better executed in this second and final volume, although everything was not necessarily resolved. of course, ai yazawa’s art remains beautiful

this was a depressing paranormal romance with suicidal thoughts/behaviors and abuse of drugs.

[Irene ➰]

4.7/5

Tralasciando che il primo volume l'ho reso in quanto arrivato distrutto (grazie amazon lol), questa serie mi ha presa tantissimo sin da subito.

Lo stile di disegno della Yazawa si riconosce al primo sguardo, stile che apprezzo tantissimo e sempre perfetto e centrato per le storie che vuole raccontare.

Nonostante i soli due volumi, è una mini serie che resta impressa.
La storia è piuttosto particolare e unica nel suo genere, forse un pochino confusionaria, ma il concetto dietro non è sicuramente tra i più semplici da esprimere e penso che nella narrazione l'autrice abbia fatto più che un buon lavoro. Se si presta particolare attenzione in determinati passaggi narrativi, non si hanno problemi a connettere i pezzi strada facendo e a seguire il racconto senza grosse difficoltà.

Quello che mi è piaciuto maggiormente è sicuramente il cast di personaggi, bello vario e ben strutturato.
La connessione che si crea tra di loro nel momento del bisogno e la loro determinazione ad arrivare ad ogni costo al loro obiettivo è sicuramente ammirevole. Questi piccoli protagonisti ce la metteranno davvero tutta per scoprire la verità che si cela dietro questo apparente mistero.

L'edizione poi è proprio un gioiellino. Dovrebbe essere però trattata con più cura da chi la recapita, essendo la copertina piuttosto semplice da graffiare o togliere la patinatura che ha al di sopra...

Bello e commovente, con dei piccoli grandi protagonisti.

[Rod Brown]

The conclusion of this supernatural tale about a wayward soul is drawn out a bit too much with angst and other emoting, but it works well enough and kept me engaged through to its (anticlimactic) ending.

Ai Yazawa's work is always worth a look.


FOR REFERENCE:

Contents: Act 8. Life -- Act 9. Remember -- Act 10. True -- Act 11. Sayaka -- Act 12. Fault -- Act 13. Wish -- Act 14. Heaven -- Act 15. Over -- Act [16]. Last Quarter -- Illustration Gallery

[Kimmy ♡]

I never turn down an Ai Yazawa manga or a story of a girl in between life and death.

This last volume and conclusion to the story were heartbreakingly beautiful, eerie, and so, so bittersweet. Ai Yazawa's talent to weave fated encounters into the raw, everyday life always leaves me breathless. I took this volume out of the library as soon as I could get my hands on it. This is one of those forgotten classics, and I'm extremely grateful they're being translated now.

Without spoiling anything, I'll say I loved how she used moon phases to open portals for the departed... don't we all wish we could get or give those who left us a second chance like this?

What I would give to listen to Evil Eye's Last Quarter song as Ai Yazawa imagined it... I'm on a mission to find the movie adaptation.

[Rlee]

Stunning art. Her stories make my heart hurt. Will be keeping this in my collection and carrying on to read the rest of her works as they are published.

[Emerson]

Oh this ending had me crying lmao

Genuinely loved this ending and the journey this short series took me on. I really enjoyed the framing of the narrative and the characters as well.

[librariSAM]

I once again have no words. So, I’ll just put this quote:

“Are there any words in the world with enough power or hope to make her stay? Do those words even exist?”

[Michy Santos]

While characters were underbaked and the ending was slightly anticlimactic, I still enjoyed reading this more than Neighborhood Story overall. Makes me wonder what path Ai Yazawa would’ve taken if she had explored more of this genre over drama and romance-heavy works such as ParaKiss and Nana later on

[ashli ⊂((・x・))⊃]

i read vol. 1 in october around halloween and finished vol. 2 today, a few days before valentine’s day — the perfect reading benchmarks, i think, for a story all about time passing and resetting. in the phases of the moon, in falling in love, reincarnation…

anyway ai yazawa’s art is pretty and stylish as always, and last quarter plays w the same ideas she revisits in more popular manga like nana (music, fashion, young love, loneliness, subverting japanese societal expectations, etc.) that’s why i rec her books and anime to gals who otherwise (fairly) associate anime with ugly ex bfs. yazawa keeps it universally appealing and heart-exploding.

this one is unique because it’s also a patrick swayze-type ghost story, with sex appeal & friendship and just enough mystery to keep it achingly spooky. it’s cozy like if someone as fashionable as greta gerwig directed a phantom of the opera adaptation. i’d describe this type of soft paranormal romance as “early morning supernatural.”

rly enjoyed this! 🕸️👻👻👻👻👻☁️🌤️🌨️

[Marta]

Kagen no Tsuki 下弦の月 (1998)

Atmosfere misteriose, insolite per la Yazawa ma apprezzabili; i volumi tengono la tensione fino alla fine e, anche se la tematica è soprannaturale, sono credibili e coerenti tra loro. Il gruppo di ragazzini protagonisti è ben caratterizzato e non stucchevole. Sono curiosa di vedere il film con Adam interpretato da Hyde, una scelta strana visto che nel manga il musicista è un occidentale, avranno modificato la trama?

[Stefania]

5/5 meritatissimo, opera inquietante che però continua a mantenere come tema principale della narrazione la musica che per tutta la lettura ho immaginato come malinconica e triste come l'intera storia narrata.
anche se il finale lo si subodora dal primo volume, il modo in cui il colpo di scena viene intavolato è scioccante per il lettore che ovviamente piange fino all'ultima pagina.
recommended ma 18 euro sono tanti, panini fatevela addosso.

[Yukino]

SERIE ULTIMI RAGGI DI LUNA vol. 2

Dopo un brutto incidente, Mizuki ha cominciato a vedere i fantasmi! Anzi, ne vede solo uno: quello di Eve. Per aiutarla, la piccola Mizuki decide di improvvisarsi detective insieme a un gruppo di bambini suoi amici.

Anche se mi aspettavo qualcosa di diverso, devo dire che mi è piaciuto lo stesso. Storia dolceamara.
Conclusione che mi ha lasciato un pò con l'amaro in bocca, ma molto dolce.

[Anna Tramma]

"qualunque prova ti attenda nel corso della tua vita, io veglierò su di te senza staccare un attimo lo sguardo. Nelle notti in cui le tenebre ti circondano e non riesci a dormire, guarda verso il cielo, e pensa che da qualche parte in questo vasto mondo, ci sono persone che ti amano, persone che hanno bisogno di te. Ci sono. Perché nessuno su questa terra può vivere da solo."

[Rummanah (Books in the Spotlight)]

A really cool premise let down by the lack of character and plot development. I didn’t feel the romance or the drama. I actually felt bad for the band of middle schoolers who wasted their time trying to solve a “mystery”. What a let down.

[Imge]

(4.5) I’m such a sucker for ai yazawa’s storytelling and art style!! Seriously, it’s always a pleasure to read her work. This one’s got mystery, supernatural vibes, and that unexpected twists. Can’t believe last quarter is still so underrated

[Federico]

[Ultimi Raggi di Luna, Volume 2 - Ai Yazawa → ☆☆☆]

[Ece]

ay bu kadından böyle biş beklmezdim asla bu nee çok iiii

[Aaron Meyer]

What a great story, and the art was as usual beautiful.

[-moonprismpower-]

Bittersweet ending. But made perfect sense.
Can’t really say too much without spoiling so I’ll just leave it that.

[laurau]

”Are there any words in the world… with enough power or hope to make her stay?”

[Francesca Danja]

Stessa recensione del primo vale anche per il secondo volume

[Maya]

Ai Yazawa speaks directly to my soul 🌙

[Katja]

Loved it so much.

[Amaya Munoz]

She can’t write anything bad….the story is so beautifully done and the way she writes betrayals are just beautiful!!

[Princess]

4.85 stars definitely loved it more than the first volume

[Risa Koizumi solo manga e fumetti]

La mia recensione completa qui: https://fioridiciliegio.blogfree.net/...

[Elisa Lizard]

L'ultimo quarto di luna è l'ultima possibilità di scegliere il proprio destino.
In questo racconto dalle note paranormali, Ai Yazawa ci narra una storia di destini che si incrociano.
La giovane Mizuki Mochizuki, in seguito a svariati eventi, viene investita e finisce in un mondo vuoto, delimitato da una sola cancellata in cui incontra una bambina con una gatta, che poco dopo sparisce.
Ma questo non è il loro unico incontro.
La ragazza e la bambina sono portate a condividere i loro destini per diverso tempo.
In un mondo paranormale che è difficile a credersi, è tessuta una realtà molto più plausibile di quel che si crede.
Una realtà che, tuttavia, non si riesce ad accettare.
Mizuki vuole scappare. Non è completamente sé stessa, non è felice della sua vita. In lei, un'anima triste e infelice a cui la vita ha voltato le spalle troppo presto; colei che prenderà il sopravvento del suo corpo a partire dal suo diciassettesimo compleanno. Sulle note di una melodia a suon di chitarra, Mizuki sarà destinata a fare un incontro che le cambierà l'esistenza e la porterà a vivere in un mondo vuoto e introspettivo, in cui niente può ferirla ma nemmeno stimolarla. E questo è il prezzo che ha da pagare per aver voltato lei stessa le spalle alla vita.
Ma a questo punto la bambina, Hotaru, avrà un ruolo importantissimo nel mostrare a Mizuki l'importanza di essere sé stessa e non qualcun altra. Sulle note dell'ultimo quarto di luna, si racconta una storia che alimenta e mette alla prova la fiducia, in sé stessi e nelle persone a cui si tiene; una storia di coraggio e forza d'animo; una storia che mette in evidenza le conseguenze di vivere in contesti disfunzionali e la perdita di sé stessi; la voglia di fuggire e distaccarsi in un mondo ovattato e assente come modo di proteggere la propria anima fragile.
Ultimi raggi di luna è una storia di motivazione e di speranza, una lode alla vita e a tutte le sue sfaccettature, dalla gioia al dolore, nella sua contraddizione. E nei suoi estremi, tutto quello che c'è dentro. Ma anche un apprezzamento alla
morte, che vien descritta non solo
come una banale realtà che è divisa di
netto dalla vita: nonostante quella
cancellata, la vita e la morte si
amalgamano in un tutt'uno.
Coesistono pacificamente e mettono
alla prova la volontà dell'anima. Non vi
è una "fine", ma più un flusso continuo
che cambia o rimane uguale, in base
alle proprie decisioni.
Nel momento, dunque, in cui si vien
messi davanti alla scelta tra la dolce
illusione della pace e la dura realtà
quotidiana, cosa si è più propensi a
scegliere?