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Library Wars: Love & War #2
Library Wars: Love & War, Vol. 2
When the director of the Kanto Library Base gets sick, a temporary replacement is assigned, according to regulations. But Iku and her roommate Asako discover a trail of missing books that leads back to the temporary director. Has he betrayed everything the Library Forces stand for and handed books over to the enemy?!
200 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 5, 2008
30 people are currently reading
617 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 220 reviews
September 20, 2024
Updated Review 9/19/24: When I was reading this volume, I couldn't help but think, "Is there as good of a shoujo action series as this one?!" (And the answer is yes, *looks at Queen's Quality* but I was caught up in the moment! LOL!)
I forgot how fast the action takes place and that it completely grips you from start to finish! The battle was INTENSE and LOVED the growth in the characters that came out of it! I had even forgotten about the subtle mystery (is that the right word?) that's in this series!
Fully loving being back in this series!!
Original Review 4/8/18: 4.5 stars
I enjoyed this one a lot more then book one. A lot more humor and of course a little more romance. Iku seemed a little more emotional (like unexpectedly one minute to the next), but it was fun watching her be in the position she's trained for.
Also, the whole battle (and everything surrounding it) between the MBC and the Library Forces was extremely interesting. Probably one of the biggest highlights of the book.
Definitely looking forward to reading more and not nearly as leery as I was when originally starting this volume.
I forgot how fast the action takes place and that it completely grips you from start to finish! The battle was INTENSE and LOVED the growth in the characters that came out of it! I had even forgotten about the subtle mystery (is that the right word?) that's in this series!
Fully loving being back in this series!!
Original Review 4/8/18: 4.5 stars
I enjoyed this one a lot more then book one. A lot more humor and of course a little more romance. Iku seemed a little more emotional (like unexpectedly one minute to the next), but it was fun watching her be in the position she's trained for.
Also, the whole battle (and everything surrounding it) between the MBC and the Library Forces was extremely interesting. Probably one of the biggest highlights of the book.
Definitely looking forward to reading more and not nearly as leery as I was when originally starting this volume.
January 24, 2016
"So you're implying that criminals don't deserve to be protected by the law? That the rules ought to be compromised on a case-by-case basis?"
Summary
The story continued on from the second volume, and had two major stories.
Story/plot
I enjoyed this volume even more than the first! The first major story in this volume was really action packed and exciting. It was also quite complex and has set up for a great story line to progress in further volumes. It also got quite deep and tackled the idea that the law should be a right to everyone and should not be only a human right for those who are not criminals. I really liked this. It gets readers thinking. Then I loved the transition into a more drama filled story that was heavily focused on relationships. I liked that this volume had both action and romance at a pretty even amount. It made this volume really interesting right from page one to the last page. The bonus stories at the end were also really cute and silly. I liked where the story went with Hikaru's character. It was funny but also provided us to another snippet of this complex character. What I loved most about this volume was the 'Dojo fan club'. I love that he is so heavily and passionately admired, it's very cute.
Art style
The art work in this volume blew me away in some scenes. The battle scenes were incredibly well drawn. I loved the variety of difficult angles that Kiiro Yumi was pulling off! It takes skill to do that, and when it is done well it really adds to the story and atmosphere. I think the artwork improved a lot, not that there was actually much room for improvement since the art in the first volume was also amazing. Yumi has facial expressions down pat! I am always feeling like I'm in tune with the characters because the expressions are always spot on. The way the eyes are drawn are also beautiful and help me respond emotionally to the story.
Characters
~ Kasahara ~
I absolutely love her character. She's just really fun to read about. She's interesting and always acts in rash and exciting ways. I feel like I am always rooting for her with whatever she does! I like that she knows where her loyalties lie which are always governed by her strong sense of justice. I also love a person who can speak their mind but will always try to be kind whilst doing so. She is also funny, like when she makes mean but not intended to be harmful comments to Dojo, and when she freaks out about silly things. I also like that she isn't perfect so that she is relate able.
~ Dojo ~
I also really like his character as well. I feel like he is going through some emotional battles which will continue progressing with each chapter. I like that his hard and determined exterior is different to the emotions and thoughts running through his head. He makes this story very interesting! I also really like how he helps mentor Kasahara because he can see the huge potential she has, she just needs a patient and dedicated helper to help her blossom. The respect he has for her is great, and it's always nice to read a story where the leading male has respect for the leading female and therefore treats her with respect. "He's always so nice to me when the chips are down. I always cause trouble. He never gives up on me."
~ Hikaru ~
I think this character is so interesting! He had a strange progression in this volume and it was funny but also intriguing. I love every scene he had in this volume. What I loved is how unpredictable he is. I feel like with most of the characters there is a pattern, but with him it's a bit all over the place. But in a way that feels true to his character and not like Yumi has no sense of this character. I feel like she knows him well and is making sure his complexity is being shown.
~ Side characters ~
I felt like there was only a reasonable amount of focus on one side character, the rest were very minor and only popped up now and then. But I feel like this volume had a very well planned out story and so there just was no room for side characters to do much. Shibazaki was given quite a bit of time, and I really like her character. She is mature, intelligent and dedicated. I hope she is continued to be given lots of time because she is quite refreshing since she is very feminine when majority of the characters are male, apart from Kasahara who is a bit of a tomboy. Not that there is a problem with that, but it is nice to have a feminine character among that. Commander Inamine is also an interesting character that I would love to see more of in further volumes.
Conclusion
This volume was super fun and I cannot wait to read the next one!
"Your honesty and sense of justice. They'll become your strength in the future!"
Summary
The story continued on from the second volume, and had two major stories.
Story/plot
I enjoyed this volume even more than the first! The first major story in this volume was really action packed and exciting. It was also quite complex and has set up for a great story line to progress in further volumes. It also got quite deep and tackled the idea that the law should be a right to everyone and should not be only a human right for those who are not criminals. I really liked this. It gets readers thinking. Then I loved the transition into a more drama filled story that was heavily focused on relationships. I liked that this volume had both action and romance at a pretty even amount. It made this volume really interesting right from page one to the last page. The bonus stories at the end were also really cute and silly. I liked where the story went with Hikaru's character. It was funny but also provided us to another snippet of this complex character. What I loved most about this volume was the 'Dojo fan club'. I love that he is so heavily and passionately admired, it's very cute.
Art style
The art work in this volume blew me away in some scenes. The battle scenes were incredibly well drawn. I loved the variety of difficult angles that Kiiro Yumi was pulling off! It takes skill to do that, and when it is done well it really adds to the story and atmosphere. I think the artwork improved a lot, not that there was actually much room for improvement since the art in the first volume was also amazing. Yumi has facial expressions down pat! I am always feeling like I'm in tune with the characters because the expressions are always spot on. The way the eyes are drawn are also beautiful and help me respond emotionally to the story.
Characters
~ Kasahara ~
I absolutely love her character. She's just really fun to read about. She's interesting and always acts in rash and exciting ways. I feel like I am always rooting for her with whatever she does! I like that she knows where her loyalties lie which are always governed by her strong sense of justice. I also love a person who can speak their mind but will always try to be kind whilst doing so. She is also funny, like when she makes mean but not intended to be harmful comments to Dojo, and when she freaks out about silly things. I also like that she isn't perfect so that she is relate able.
~ Dojo ~
I also really like his character as well. I feel like he is going through some emotional battles which will continue progressing with each chapter. I like that his hard and determined exterior is different to the emotions and thoughts running through his head. He makes this story very interesting! I also really like how he helps mentor Kasahara because he can see the huge potential she has, she just needs a patient and dedicated helper to help her blossom. The respect he has for her is great, and it's always nice to read a story where the leading male has respect for the leading female and therefore treats her with respect. "He's always so nice to me when the chips are down. I always cause trouble. He never gives up on me."
~ Hikaru ~
I think this character is so interesting! He had a strange progression in this volume and it was funny but also intriguing. I love every scene he had in this volume. What I loved is how unpredictable he is. I feel like with most of the characters there is a pattern, but with him it's a bit all over the place. But in a way that feels true to his character and not like Yumi has no sense of this character. I feel like she knows him well and is making sure his complexity is being shown.
~ Side characters ~
I felt like there was only a reasonable amount of focus on one side character, the rest were very minor and only popped up now and then. But I feel like this volume had a very well planned out story and so there just was no room for side characters to do much. Shibazaki was given quite a bit of time, and I really like her character. She is mature, intelligent and dedicated. I hope she is continued to be given lots of time because she is quite refreshing since she is very feminine when majority of the characters are male, apart from Kasahara who is a bit of a tomboy. Not that there is a problem with that, but it is nice to have a feminine character among that. Commander Inamine is also an interesting character that I would love to see more of in further volumes.
Conclusion
This volume was super fun and I cannot wait to read the next one!
"Your honesty and sense of justice. They'll become your strength in the future!"
October 9, 2024
October 2024
Enjoying this almost more than I did my first foray into the series. Once again: addictive fun.
October 2020
4.5 stars rounded up to 5. I've now read it more than once and notice something new each time. Addictive fun.
Recommend: Why oh why don't more of my friends like manga?
April 17, 2022
I want to be Iku Kasahara when I grow up 💕 Her sincerity, her passion, her courage, I love her so much
Also the other characters are great and the story is good but like...Iku 💕💕💕
Also the other characters are great and the story is good but like...Iku 💕💕💕
January 17, 2018
"So you're implying that criminals don't deserve to be protected by the law? That the rules ought to be compromised on a case-by-case basis?"
THERE we go.
THERE we go.
January 10, 2024
I am continuing to enjoy this series! We have a little love triangle but I was happy that it got wrapped up fast. And Dojo! Love him!!
October 5, 2010
Better than v.1. The plot is going more into the characters and they seem a lot more interesting than before. Don't get me wrong they ARE pretty much all stereotypes (you can find the heroine, hot best friend, rival, femboy, and love interest in Carcaptor Sakura, too and they're all a lot cuter! :-) ) But it's very fun, and the story doesn't disappoint with the shojo expectations.
The artwork is fine, the characters are all distinguishable and the background scenes are there (a lot of close up face shots too). Sometimes under the guise of "authenticity" word bubbles are not moved or changed (so artwork doesn't need to be touched up- times are tough all over) thus, sometimes, the English is squished into the word bubbles. Or because lettering is just the same computer font you don't know until a couple of panels later who really said/thought what.
The artwork is fine, the characters are all distinguishable and the background scenes are there (a lot of close up face shots too). Sometimes under the guise of "authenticity" word bubbles are not moved or changed (so artwork doesn't need to be touched up- times are tough all over) thus, sometimes, the English is squished into the word bubbles. Or because lettering is just the same computer font you don't know until a couple of panels later who really said/thought what.
May 8, 2011
This was a great continuation to the first volume. The laws of this world are explained a bit more, and some history given as to what led to this society's ways. Plus there is more history given on the 2 main characters, which makes me like them both even more. Their history is too cute, and the constant hints at their past meeting known to one and forgotten by the other makes for a cute tension.
Can't wait to read the next installment! I think I might even buy this series instead of getting them from the library!
Can't wait to read the next installment! I think I might even buy this series instead of getting them from the library!
March 6, 2021
Re-read 2021: Confessions, raids, library, books, lots of exciting moments, some romantic moments that had me rooting (I mean, this is a re-read so I know what will happen but I still root hard!) Haha. I really enjoyed this one and I flew through it. Happy that Dojo is a bit less over the top though at times his mood swings get a bit too much.
I cannot wait to continue re-reading this series.
I cannot wait to continue re-reading this series.
January 26, 2018
"So you're implying that criminals don't deserve to be protected by the law? That the rules ought to be compromised on a case-by-case basis?"
Yeah that little sentence right there should sum it up for you. This volume goes deeper into the plot and I'm really loving it. The art is getting better and the characters are really coming into their own. Wonderful! It's such a good series and to me, more than ever, the plot is relevant to today with people who want certain books not even published.
Yeah that little sentence right there should sum it up for you. This volume goes deeper into the plot and I'm really loving it. The art is getting better and the characters are really coming into their own. Wonderful! It's such a good series and to me, more than ever, the plot is relevant to today with people who want certain books not even published.
October 1, 2021
3/5
I'm liking the dynamic between Iku and Tatzuka. Their relationship development is progressing very naturally. I'm looking forward to seeing their friendship continue to grow as they learn to rely on each other more.
The sexual tension is higher in this one, and it was sort of pathetic at times (especially since I've pretty much guessed ). Kind of cheesy, but I laughed out loud more than once and that's always fun!
I'm liking the dynamic between Iku and Tatzuka. Their relationship development is progressing very naturally. I'm looking forward to seeing their friendship continue to grow as they learn to rely on each other more.
The sexual tension is higher in this one, and it was sort of pathetic at times (especially since I've pretty much guessed ). Kind of cheesy, but I laughed out loud more than once and that's always fun!
April 6, 2025
☆☆ YouTube | Tumblr | Instagram | Storygraph ☆☆
Locked IN! -- Reviewing the Books I Read In March || 19 books!
Listen, it’s ridiculous, but I’m so here for it. I was also sweating a love triangle would be the driving thing in this, but that got resolved pretty quick.
Locked IN! -- Reviewing the Books I Read In March || 19 books!
Listen, it’s ridiculous, but I’m so here for it. I was also sweating a love triangle would be the driving thing in this, but that got resolved pretty quick.
May 28, 2024
Listen I already knew that I was gonna love short king Dojo and Iku together. But then they pulled out him saying “good girl” to her and suddenly this manga took a turn and I am eating it up. 5 stars just for the screenshot I took of that page.
December 17, 2017
I wasn't so keen on this volume. The heroine just seems realllllllly dumb in this one. I'm hoping that it gets better in the next volume.
January 26, 2019
4.5 stars
I love the same things I loved in the first volume: the illustrations, the characters, the humour, and the budding romance!
I love the same things I loved in the first volume: the illustrations, the characters, the humour, and the budding romance!
January 28, 2019
Naiivi tarina, huonosti rakennettu dystopiamaailma ja kliseistä romantiikkaa. Sarjakuva parantaa hieman ensimmäisestä osasta, vaan en taida jaksaa tätä enempää lukea.
October 20, 2020
This series is really funny and interesting this far, I like it a lot. It's sad that people never talk bout it.
November 25, 2024
i love shoujo 😭
December 23, 2017
they don't rush the story just because it's a manga. nice job.
March 10, 2019
Library Wars vol 1:★★★★
Library Wars vol 2:★★★
Library Wars vol 2:★★★
November 21, 2019
Saat bongkaran obralan komik untuk sumbangan, menemukan seri ini. Langsung tertarik dengan judulnya, Library. Kemudian kata War makin menambah penasaran. Walau tak lengkap, sebaiknya amankan dulu saja he he he.
Seru juga mengetahui ada Undang-undang No. 31, Perpustakaan Memiliki Kebebasan Menyajikan Materi. Buku yang dilarang beredar bisa diaelamatkan dengan UU tersebut.
Seandainya benaran ada, bakalan melamar jadi pasukan saya.
Seru juga mengetahui ada Undang-undang No. 31, Perpustakaan Memiliki Kebebasan Menyajikan Materi. Buku yang dilarang beredar bisa diaelamatkan dengan UU tersebut.
Seandainya benaran ada, bakalan melamar jadi pasukan saya.
January 1, 2023
BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 4/5
Cute! Also interesting because it covers the government banning books and the library having a force to protect readers and materials.
Cute! Also interesting because it covers the government banning books and the library having a force to protect readers and materials.
March 4, 2017
I am really enjoying this Manga! The story line is fast paced, entertaining and.... filled with books! I am excited to continue this series...:)
March 23, 2014
Synopsis:
When the director of the Kanto Library Base gets sick, a temporary replacement is assigned, according to regulations. But Iku and her roommate, Asako, discover a trail of missing books that lead back to the temporary director. Has he betrayed everything the Library Forces stand for and handed books over to the enemy?!
My Thoughts:
I enjoyed this one more than v.1. Iku can still seriously screw up, but she really showed her mettle when the MBC raided the library. That whole thing made me understand why the Library trains their people so hard. The MBC was actually shooting at them and rappelling from the building. It was a pretty dangerous situation. All because the school board and MBC wanted some books removed from the library. It isn't until afterward that we find out why.
When that reason is revealed, we find out why the school board was willing to work with the MBC in order to raid the Library like that. The media goes into a frenzy over it, too. Mostly, against the library because Commander Inamine is unwilling to reveal the reading habits of a boy accused of murder. The police and others would like to blame it on the books, saying they were of a graphic nature. Iku being Iku, gets mad when the media badmouths the Commander and the Library, saying he wants to get back at the police for not preventing the Hino Nightmare that he is a survivor of. It isn't anything like that at all, of course. The man is merely upholding the law.
Iku nearly loses it in front of the media, but is once again saved by Dojo. Still, she was holding up pretty well until they started in on the Commander. He even lets her cry it out on his shoulder. That's when she realizes that she wants to catch up to him professionally some day. I'm still wondering if he's her hero that helped her in the past, but I guess it'll be a little while before we get anything concrete on that.
In this volume, we also get a sort of romance storyline when Tezuka asks Iku out. This flusters her to no end. Shibazaki thinks it's great entertainment. She even goes out of her way to tell Dojo about it. Then when he says he doesn't care, she asks if he's interested in her and to her surprise (at least, I think she was surprised), he turns her down. Why? I can never tell how he feels about Iku, but he definitely seems flustered whenever Shibazaki flirts with him. It turns out that Tezuka asking Iku out had a couple of reasons behind it. Through quite a bit of this volume, he was down because Dojo, Komaki and Genda tell him that he should get along with Iku. It also seems that she earned a bit of his respect during the raid as well. Plus, they both have a goal of catching up to Dojo. Despite all of that, they still haven't resolved a thing. I think they could be good friends if they actually try, though.
When the director of the Kanto Library Base gets sick, a temporary replacement is assigned, according to regulations. But Iku and her roommate, Asako, discover a trail of missing books that lead back to the temporary director. Has he betrayed everything the Library Forces stand for and handed books over to the enemy?!
My Thoughts:
I enjoyed this one more than v.1. Iku can still seriously screw up, but she really showed her mettle when the MBC raided the library. That whole thing made me understand why the Library trains their people so hard. The MBC was actually shooting at them and rappelling from the building. It was a pretty dangerous situation. All because the school board and MBC wanted some books removed from the library. It isn't until afterward that we find out why.
When that reason is revealed, we find out why the school board was willing to work with the MBC in order to raid the Library like that. The media goes into a frenzy over it, too. Mostly, against the library because Commander Inamine is unwilling to reveal the reading habits of a boy accused of murder. The police and others would like to blame it on the books, saying they were of a graphic nature. Iku being Iku, gets mad when the media badmouths the Commander and the Library, saying he wants to get back at the police for not preventing the Hino Nightmare that he is a survivor of. It isn't anything like that at all, of course. The man is merely upholding the law.
Iku nearly loses it in front of the media, but is once again saved by Dojo. Still, she was holding up pretty well until they started in on the Commander. He even lets her cry it out on his shoulder. That's when she realizes that she wants to catch up to him professionally some day. I'm still wondering if he's her hero that helped her in the past, but I guess it'll be a little while before we get anything concrete on that.
In this volume, we also get a sort of romance storyline when Tezuka asks Iku out. This flusters her to no end. Shibazaki thinks it's great entertainment. She even goes out of her way to tell Dojo about it. Then when he says he doesn't care, she asks if he's interested in her and to her surprise (at least, I think she was surprised), he turns her down. Why? I can never tell how he feels about Iku, but he definitely seems flustered whenever Shibazaki flirts with him. It turns out that Tezuka asking Iku out had a couple of reasons behind it. Through quite a bit of this volume, he was down because Dojo, Komaki and Genda tell him that he should get along with Iku. It also seems that she earned a bit of his respect during the raid as well. Plus, they both have a goal of catching up to Dojo. Despite all of that, they still haven't resolved a thing. I think they could be good friends if they actually try, though.
November 8, 2020
More of the same...which isn't a bad thing.
EDIT: This may surprise you, but...I was rather late to the party when it came to manga. My introduction to anime was watching Pokémon on Kids' WB. I was never much into Dragon Ball Z as a kid; well into my adult years, I purchased a box set--on VHS, at that!--of that show at a garage sale, and gave up not even halfway into it...so, I know I wasn't missing anything. After a while, I stopped watching the "pocket monster" anime, but I was really into Yu-Gi-Oh! in high school; I've been having fun with it again in recent years thanks to the iTunes store and Hulu. Though some of my friends were into Japanese media, others of them hated it, and what I heard about it made me kind of hesitant to get into it, such as the "Electric Hero Porygon" incident in Japan, or an old neighborhood friend who told me, "Kids in Japan watch cartoons with naked women or graphic violence because that's the only kind of cartoons they have." I later found out he was mistaken.
While cartoons--whether in animated or printed format--from the land of the rising sun can be morally offensive, so can American ones. (South Park, anyone?) Some manga and anime can be really good; you just have to be careful and pay attention to the ratings and such. This is one of them; I had fun with this second volume, especially since it involves a library, one of my favorite places to be. Let's hope that the series continues the trend sent by the first two entries.
EDIT: This may surprise you, but...I was rather late to the party when it came to manga. My introduction to anime was watching Pokémon on Kids' WB. I was never much into Dragon Ball Z as a kid; well into my adult years, I purchased a box set--on VHS, at that!--of that show at a garage sale, and gave up not even halfway into it...so, I know I wasn't missing anything. After a while, I stopped watching the "pocket monster" anime, but I was really into Yu-Gi-Oh! in high school; I've been having fun with it again in recent years thanks to the iTunes store and Hulu. Though some of my friends were into Japanese media, others of them hated it, and what I heard about it made me kind of hesitant to get into it, such as the "Electric Hero Porygon" incident in Japan, or an old neighborhood friend who told me, "Kids in Japan watch cartoons with naked women or graphic violence because that's the only kind of cartoons they have." I later found out he was mistaken.
While cartoons--whether in animated or printed format--from the land of the rising sun can be morally offensive, so can American ones. (South Park, anyone?) Some manga and anime can be really good; you just have to be careful and pay attention to the ratings and such. This is one of them; I had fun with this second volume, especially since it involves a library, one of my favorite places to be. Let's hope that the series continues the trend sent by the first two entries.
June 8, 2025
This volume was a huge improvement from the previous one, which makes sense since with the first one, you’re still getting a feel for the characters and the world that they’re in.
The scariest part about this world that Kiiro Yumi has created is that it’s not some dystopian fantasy. I said this about Vol. 1 as well, but I truly believe that this is something that, unfortunately, could easily occur in any country with a corrupt government (and many countries have corrupt governments, that’s just the reality of the world). To have libraries be the last line of defence in a way for uncensored materials, and then even that be infiltrated by those that are pro-censorship, is probably the worst thing that I can imagine, and from what I remember about this series, it only gets worse. The fact that one of the laws in the Library Freedom Act is “Libraries have the freedom to circulate materials in their collections” is so apocalyptic to me. I mean, honestly, all the articles are just things that I could never fathom, and that’s absolutely me speaking from a place of immense privilege of having access to libraries and a lack of censorship where I live (to a certain degree at least).
I hate that even Iku wasn’t spared from the Shojo female lead curse of being completely clueless about most situations. Thank god it was Shibazaki who found she knew nothing about the Hino Nightmare, Dojo would’ve flipped the fuck out (and rightfully so). Gotta admire her work ethic though, it’s refreshing to see how quick she is to correct her mistakes and learn from them, because it shows a significant amount of growth when you compare it to her attitude in Vol. 1.
Actually, I wouldn’t say Iku has grown on me as a character, because she’s always been very dear to me; I wouldn’t have criticized her the way that I had in Vol. 1 otherwise. Flaws make for a complex character, and Iku wouldn’t be as compelling as she is if she wasn’t an arrogant hothead with a hero complex and an inability to stop seeing everything in black and white. It makes her such a frustrating main character at times, but when you combine that with her empathetic nature, it’s incredibly difficult not to be endeared by her. We see this when she’s researching the Hino Nightmare and her biggest takeaway from that is how it affected Commander Inamine. Every tragedy is personal to her. This is so cheesy, but Iku at her core is a good person, and that’s how she sees the world around. Yes, it’s an incredibly naive point of view that I personally don’t agree with, but it’s the best part of her as the heroine of this story.
Another crucial part of this series, and this volume specifically, is Iku and Tezuka’s dynamic with not only each other, but with Dojo as well.
Their beef will never stop being funny to me, especially because Tezuka insists that she’s such a child, but by being antagonistic towards her, he also ends up behaving like a brat when that is just not his character at all. (Like in that scene where Dojo says as an instructor, he has a responsibility to his subordinates… but then he had to be all Dojo about it and say, “Especially when they’re as potentially dangerous as you two are!” And you see Tezuka flinch when Dojo says “you two” because he hates that he and Iku are seen as equals or even similar in Dojo’s eyes.)
I remember it taking a long time for them to genuinely be friend, but I like seeing their development nonetheless, which mostly stems from Tezuka growing to understand and respect Iku, and her returning that respect because respect is always something that should go both ways. A significant shift in their dynamic was clear when Iku asked Tezuka to back her up so she could get the pack, and her trusting him is what led Tezuka to actually trust her judgment for the first time ever. (“Don’t get shot!” -Tezuka has such a way with words, real comforting.)
“I know we are both trying to reach the same shoulders.” - The TezukaxIkuxDojo dynamic is much more interesting the way it was written than it would’ve been if the author went the typical love triangle route. Their bonus manga was especially funny because Iku is simultaneously a part of The Dojo Fan Club and his biggest hater.
I also love that scene with the three of them when they’re all cleaning because it emphasizes how Iku’s gut reaction is to save anyone she can, and Dojo’s is to always save Iku. Same with when Iku puts herself in harm's way as usual to get the books back, and Dojo steps in because there is not a single ounce of self-preservation in Iku Kasahara.
Other moments that stuck out to me:
-Shibazaki is truly the smartest of them all, she doesn’t spare anyone. She barely knows Tezuka, and shut him down impressively. Dojo is technically her superior in a way, and yet she’s absolutely fucking with him and she’s actually my hero for that.(It’s a cage match between me and Iku for who loves Shibazaki the most.) She fully clocked the vibes between Iku and Dojo from day one and made it her mission to get them together in her own devious way.
-I love Iku and Dojo really are perfect for each other, because they’ll say or do something nice, and then cut the other person’s ego down in half. “I… forgot you even existed, Instructor Dojo” was an insane thing to say after the man just saved your life, Iku.
-I’m obviously a fake fan because I completely forgot that Tezuka asks Iku out after that scene where they’re involved in an attack. (“WHAT KIND OF JOKE IS THAT, SPIKY?” would’ve been my reaction too, Iku was so real for that, he really caught her off guard.)
-Moments that further establish how, like I said before, Iku always sees everything as black and white, and is definitely not one to read between the lines.
=>Like with the Board of Education backing the library because like Komaki said, they have the same end goal even though they have opposing intentions.
=>Her getting confronted by the media is a nightmare for everyone, that girl has never met a filter in her entire life.
-Iku’s reaction to finding out that Dojo turned Shibazaki was priceless. “What man says no to that? She is gorgeous! Unbelievable.” - Same Iku, same. (I genuinely believe this lowered Iku’s opinion of Dojo, like, she was offended for Shibazaki.)
-The little bonus sides of Iku’s secret admirer are always a fun treat!
The scariest part about this world that Kiiro Yumi has created is that it’s not some dystopian fantasy. I said this about Vol. 1 as well, but I truly believe that this is something that, unfortunately, could easily occur in any country with a corrupt government (and many countries have corrupt governments, that’s just the reality of the world). To have libraries be the last line of defence in a way for uncensored materials, and then even that be infiltrated by those that are pro-censorship, is probably the worst thing that I can imagine, and from what I remember about this series, it only gets worse. The fact that one of the laws in the Library Freedom Act is “Libraries have the freedom to circulate materials in their collections” is so apocalyptic to me. I mean, honestly, all the articles are just things that I could never fathom, and that’s absolutely me speaking from a place of immense privilege of having access to libraries and a lack of censorship where I live (to a certain degree at least).
I hate that even Iku wasn’t spared from the Shojo female lead curse of being completely clueless about most situations. Thank god it was Shibazaki who found she knew nothing about the Hino Nightmare, Dojo would’ve flipped the fuck out (and rightfully so). Gotta admire her work ethic though, it’s refreshing to see how quick she is to correct her mistakes and learn from them, because it shows a significant amount of growth when you compare it to her attitude in Vol. 1.
Actually, I wouldn’t say Iku has grown on me as a character, because she’s always been very dear to me; I wouldn’t have criticized her the way that I had in Vol. 1 otherwise. Flaws make for a complex character, and Iku wouldn’t be as compelling as she is if she wasn’t an arrogant hothead with a hero complex and an inability to stop seeing everything in black and white. It makes her such a frustrating main character at times, but when you combine that with her empathetic nature, it’s incredibly difficult not to be endeared by her. We see this when she’s researching the Hino Nightmare and her biggest takeaway from that is how it affected Commander Inamine. Every tragedy is personal to her. This is so cheesy, but Iku at her core is a good person, and that’s how she sees the world around. Yes, it’s an incredibly naive point of view that I personally don’t agree with, but it’s the best part of her as the heroine of this story.
Another crucial part of this series, and this volume specifically, is Iku and Tezuka’s dynamic with not only each other, but with Dojo as well.
Their beef will never stop being funny to me, especially because Tezuka insists that she’s such a child, but by being antagonistic towards her, he also ends up behaving like a brat when that is just not his character at all. (Like in that scene where Dojo says as an instructor, he has a responsibility to his subordinates… but then he had to be all Dojo about it and say, “Especially when they’re as potentially dangerous as you two are!” And you see Tezuka flinch when Dojo says “you two” because he hates that he and Iku are seen as equals or even similar in Dojo’s eyes.)
I remember it taking a long time for them to genuinely be friend, but I like seeing their development nonetheless, which mostly stems from Tezuka growing to understand and respect Iku, and her returning that respect because respect is always something that should go both ways. A significant shift in their dynamic was clear when Iku asked Tezuka to back her up so she could get the pack, and her trusting him is what led Tezuka to actually trust her judgment for the first time ever. (“Don’t get shot!” -
“I know we are both trying to reach the same shoulders.” - The TezukaxIkuxDojo dynamic is much more interesting the way it was written than it would’ve been if the author went the typical love triangle route. Their bonus manga was especially funny because Iku is simultaneously a part of The Dojo Fan Club and his biggest hater.
I also love that scene with the three of them when they’re all cleaning because it emphasizes how Iku’s gut reaction is to save anyone she can, and Dojo’s is to always save Iku. Same with when Iku puts herself in harm's way as usual to get the books back, and Dojo steps in because there is not a single ounce of self-preservation in Iku Kasahara.
Other moments that stuck out to me:
-Shibazaki is truly the smartest of them all, she doesn’t spare anyone. She barely knows Tezuka, and shut him down impressively. Dojo is technically her superior in a way, and yet she’s absolutely fucking with him and she’s actually my hero for that.
-I love Iku and Dojo really are perfect for each other, because they’ll say or do something nice, and then cut the other person’s ego down in half. “I… forgot you even existed, Instructor Dojo” was an insane thing to say after the man just saved your life, Iku.
-I’m obviously a fake fan because I completely forgot that Tezuka asks Iku out after that scene where they’re involved in an attack. (“WHAT KIND OF JOKE IS THAT, SPIKY?” would’ve been my reaction too, Iku was so real for that, he really caught her off guard.)
-Moments that further establish how, like I said before, Iku always sees everything as black and white, and is definitely not one to read between the lines.
=>Like with the Board of Education backing the library because like Komaki said, they have the same end goal even though they have opposing intentions.
=>Her getting confronted by the media is a nightmare for everyone, that girl has never met a filter in her entire life.
-Iku’s reaction to finding out that Dojo turned Shibazaki was priceless. “What man says no to that? She is gorgeous! Unbelievable.” - Same Iku, same. (I genuinely believe this lowered Iku’s opinion of Dojo, like, she was offended for Shibazaki.)
-The little bonus sides of Iku’s secret admirer are always a fun treat!
April 1, 2022
Things certainly got more intense in this volume! I couldn’t stop turning the pages because I needed to know what would happen! We really get a (slightly) clearer picture of what’s going on between the MBC and the libraries as well as all the politics that I agree with Iku on in being very frustrating and totally unfair!
In regards to all that and Iku’s reaction to it, I know some people might have criticized her for it, but I found her reaction real and refreshing as I also do the same thing when I get so angry over something I just start crying. So I really loved her vulnerability and how Dojo was just there for her without any condemnation and just cared—that was super sweet and nice of him. 🥰 Also, I forgot to mention this in my review of Volume One, but I strangely like Iku and Dojo’s height difference? I don’t know why, but I really do, haha!
And, um, Tezuka…where the heck did you get your people skills?!?! Because they totally suck! You DO NOT ask out someone you seemingly hate!!!! 🤦🏼♀️😂 What a dummy…
I’m super excited to continue and am really growing attached to these characters. My babies. 🥰🥰🥰
Content: mild swearing; violence, blood, and gun fights (nothing over PG-13); girls take a bath (nothing is shown beyond if they were wearing bikinis)
In regards to all that and Iku’s reaction to it, I know some people might have criticized her for it, but I found her reaction real and refreshing as I also do the same thing when I get so angry over something I just start crying. So I really loved her vulnerability and how Dojo was just there for her without any condemnation and just cared—that was super sweet and nice of him. 🥰 Also, I forgot to mention this in my review of Volume One, but I strangely like Iku and Dojo’s height difference? I don’t know why, but I really do, haha!
And, um, Tezuka…where the heck did you get your people skills?!?! Because they totally suck! You DO NOT ask out someone you seemingly hate!!!! 🤦🏼♀️😂 What a dummy…
I’m super excited to continue and am really growing attached to these characters. My babies. 🥰🥰🥰
Content: mild swearing; violence, blood, and gun fights (nothing over PG-13); girls take a bath (nothing is shown beyond if they were wearing bikinis)
June 23, 2012
I'm surprised that I liked this volume as much as I did, because I was actually pretty disappointed in the first volume. There is good mix of romance and action and we start to learn more about the characters' personalities. My biggest problem with the series is that the two primary male character look too much alike and they are easily confused in action scenes. I wish that the novels this series was based on were available in English, as I feel like the characters have a lot of potential that could be better fleshed out in novel form.
March 22, 2020
This volume was so precious! It had them actually shooting guns which was quite interesting. I guess I just have trouble imagining a society where we ACTUALLY SHOOT AND KILL people because of literature. I mean it COULD happen, but it feels strange and extreme to me. That aside, It doesnt distract me from the amazing beautiful romance that is blossoming in this story and i cannot wait to read more!
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