This one was another great addition to the series. I feel like we are finally taking steps to progressing in the romance plotline of the story. The characters are admitting their faults slowly and trying to better themselves, which this story does a really good job discussing. I think it is pretty common for stories to have characters who don't grow or admit fault in certain situations, so it is always nice to see.
This gets very cutely gay this time out, as people are finally starting to get the notion that they might like other people. We’re not exactly there just yet, but it’s not hard to think that Saki’s upcoming recital might be a climactic moment of sorts.
Kanon, however, is the one whose cool is being lost on the regular this volume. Saki definitely has her moments, but this is Kanon coming to terms with what we, the yuri-loving reader, have known for ages regarding the both of them.
It was really sweet to see Kanon meeting up with her former friend, Ayano, to bake cream puffs. Their mended friendship and how they both learned from the experience was executed well, even if Kanon still has trauma from how she acted.
This is a small thing, but I appreciated the way the baking turned out. Not just the way Ayano slices through the nonsense of the story, or Saki’s music lesson goes to some places of longing at the same time, but also that Kanon experiences some success with her baking rather than being strictly terrible at it.
These two silly geese spend so much time dancing around one another, that recital invitation is such a huge issue that shouldn’t be one (but believably so!), and then there’s a great segue into the nature of love because the older girl who taught Saki piano is coming to that recital.
This is a well done chunk of story because it isn’t a miscommunication; Kanon flat-out asks about this other person. But she doesn’t like the answer. Now that’s good writing, seriously. It’s downright refreshing compared to how many series would handle it.
Kanon speaks with the writing teacher at the school and I really appreciated the translation notes for this and the way it tackled the original text. There’s care in this story from all sides.
The final chapters basically involve Kanon going crazy trying to work out her feelings, plus Saki accidentally doing things that are making Kanon catch feelings so hard. It’s not original, but I always love moments like these, so whatever.
It’s a good volume. I don’t think it manages the highs of the previous, even though it brings its cast together all over the place. They use Rinne really well too, but we don’t see her new friend once and that was a shame because that storyline added a lot to the last volume.
4.5 stars - still, I think this is quietly super good stuff and, even without a wow moment, it manages to be a delightful progression and good time all around. I’ll let it have a full 5 stars because it’s so well written and enjoyable.
Mira, no sé dónde termina este y dónde empieza el vol 9, pero Kanon está sobreviviendo a puro gay panic y no me puede hacer más feliz. FINALMENTE LE TOCÓ A ELLA Y NO SOLO A SAKI!! Y siguiendo la tónica de que no sé donde termina, pero en caso de que sí sea de este volumen me rompió cuando Kanon quería llamarla después del concierto, quería escuchar su voz, solo quería hablar con ella pero por ser sorda obviamente no puede y que nunca había deseado escuchar tanto como en ese momento y conchetumare que me dolió 😭
4. Kanon willing to show off her hearing aids more <:]
5. Ayano the shipper lmao
AYANO: ‘Kanon said she wanted to… KANON: ‘OI!’ AYANO: ‘…make these for you.’ KANON: [brows furrowed and blushing] ‘AYANO!!’
6. SHES SO RED
# CHAPTER 30 REVIEW I really liked that Kimi Ni Todoke-esque chapter but that cliffhanger...? It feels like a repeat but in the worst way. The lazy way that most stories use it. A miscommunication that only happens because a character walks away at a very inconvenient time. Hmmm. I mean, it kind of makes sense? But I didn't know Kanon had a crush on Saki that much to get jealous so it feels like it came out of nowhere. But maybe Kanon doesn't realise the extent of her crush either? And that's the point? Maybe if she becomes aware of the extent of her feelings for Saki next chapter it'll be okay. I think that's why it's sending me red flags. Plus, we just had this conflict with regards to the hearing loss subject. Now, we're getting the same conflict again right after but for a false love triangle? Totally haven't seen that one before... nope.
Agh, anyway. I don't know. i'm worried the next chapter is gonna fall into some cliche themes which is frustrating because this chapter had a unique take on it by making it related to Kanon's hearing loss when she and Saki want Kanon to go to Saki's piano recital! Sigh, we'll see
7/10
NOTES 1. Tanabe exploding with excitement for Saki’s piano recital <:]
2. Oh wait my dumbass forgot Kanon can’t enjoy the piano recital. There’s no speaker to provide vibrations T-T
3. AW AND RINNE GIVING SAKI ADVICE THE CHARACTER GROWTH AAAAA
4. Rinne is so real! An not getting an invite is lonely!
RINNE: [via phone call] ‘Aren’t you forgetting the most important thing, though?’ SAKI: ‘Fweh?’ RINNE: [via phone call] ‘What do you want?’
5. Ah and we get Kanon’s POV—noice but also nahhh she figured it out and is blaming herself <:[
KANON’S MUM: ‘If you say that you really want to go see it, won’t that be fine?’
6. Ah, from me to you is the theme of this chapter :)
7. WHAT DID THE MUM SAY?
8. THEY SKIPPED CLASS TOGETHER CAUSE THEY BOTH FORGOT TO DO THEIR MATHS HOMEWORK AW
KANON: ‘I want to see you playing up on stage, Saki.’
9. LESGOO
KANON: ‘Gimme a pamphlet!’ SAKI: ‘Why not get one from your mum?’ KANON: ‘I want you to give me one.’
10. This is flirting
KANON: [thinking] ‘She seems happier about her than me coming~~’
11. NAH KANON. IT’S SO OVER. SHE’S GOT A CRUSH ON SAKI
# CHAPTER 31 REVIEW Gay panic funny hehe
7/10
NOTES 1. Okay, Saki explained who her piano teacher was. That’s good. I think we cleared the cliche! :D
KANON: [nervous] ‘So is it the same?’ MIURA-SENSEI: [judging] ‘I don’t think so.’
2. LMAO THIS PANEL
MIURA-SENSEI: ‘I’ve had a lot of people come to me for advice about it.’ KANON: ‘…?’ [weary] ‘What sort of people?’ MIURA-SENSEI: [beat] ‘I’ll answer because you asked, okay?’ KANON: ‘Please do.’ MIURA-SENSEI: ‘People who are in love. Just like now.’
3. AHAHAHA
KANON: ‘You’re wrong about me, got it?!’ MIURA-SENSEI: ‘Eeh… Experience is the best teacher.’ KANON: ‘MIURA-SENSEI!’
4. LMAOOOOOO
KANON: [buries her face in her palms] ‘He’s so wrong.’
5. THIS CHAPTER XD
KANON: [thinking] ‘WHY DO I THINK OF SAKI AT EVERY CHANCE I GET?!’
6. LMAOOOO SHE’S SO SMITTEN. SHE SMACKED HER HEAD ON THE DESK AHJWKHAGLKAHWG
RINNE: ‘That’s why you’ve been so spacey. Pff.’ KANON: ‘RINNE?!’
7. The gay denial/panic is hilarious
8. Rinne just outed Saki for communicating with her about the recital XD
KANON: ‘I don’t know how much distance I should put between me and my friends… or how to act around them.’
9. It’s crazy because I kind of buy Kanon’s denial because 1. she’s probably never been close to anyone before 2. she socially isolated herself for YEARS
RINNE: ‘I also look up to how she goes about interacting with everyone~’ KANON: [thinking] ‘Looking up to … …I probably do want to become like Saki.’
10. DAMN RINNE
11. This chapter was so funny. Glad we skipped the whole love triangle direction I thought it was going in :P
# CHAPTER 32 REVIEW Kanon's becoming more smitten by the day!
7/10
NOTES 1. I just realised i read chapter 33 and thought it was 32 MY BAD. GOING BACK
2. NAH SAKI SAVED KANON FROM BEING BY MIURA’S CAR HELP
3. AW SAKI TOOK HARUKA TOO THE HAIRDRESSERS WITH HER
4. Lesbian af
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
kanon my love you are UNDER SPELLS (in denial) ALSO WE GOT TO SEE KANON SORT OF JEALOUS, I CANT WAIT FOR HER TO THROW UP AND DIE BCS UMEHARA SENSEI AND SAKI'S INTERACTIONS NEXT VOLUME.
rinne and saki have the world's most adorable relationship, i love how much they rely on each other to understand kanon.
MIURA SENSEI MY FINE, FINEEEEEEEEE MAN I'VE MISSED YOU SM 💔
SAKI WAS SO STUNNING AT THE ENDDDDDDDDDDDDD, made me realize that we only see things from her pov and that's why kanon is gorgeous all the time, i can't wait for kanon to fall in love w her more so that we see more sparkly saki 😋
(Aviso: lectura hecha en ejemplar en español, publicado en México. La presente nota se modificará cuando se dé de alta en GR la edición correspondiente).
I think the thing I liked the most about this volume is that it really highlights how far Saki and Kanon have progressed as characters since the beginning of this story. Most of this volume was more focused on Kanon as it seems she is finally slowly but surely coming to terms with how she feels about Saki. I also love how Kanons deafness is portrayed throughout the series. The Yuri part of this Yuri seems to finally be happening and I’m here for it.