So, wow. This was actually really, really good. Like, I'd say it's been the best volume in the series so far. There was a lot of drama, and a lot of serious issues were treated. The main topic I find that appears in all of Yazawa's works is desire -what we dream of, what we want to become in life. Dreams make you grow, define you, make you strong and ultimately drive all human actions, and may even destruct you in the end.
Here we get to know Mikako's deepest thoughts about how important becoming a fashion desinger is to her, contrasting with Mariko's or Tsutomu's lack of this (Tsutomu's biggest ambition is being by Mikako's side so far, and Mariko doesn't even know hwat she wants to do with her life). Also, the special chapter about the student representative who actually wanted to be a writer really moved me. So that's the issue: desire and how you manage to accomplish it, how you fight for it or how you even realize what your main goal in life is, the way to fulfill yourself as a human being, and I think this is also very present in Parakiss os NANA.
Then the next conflict. Now Miwako has won the contest (she really deserved, that wedding gown was simply amazing), what will she do? Will so go off to London in that scholarship to become a fashion designer or will she stay by her lover and lifetime-friend's side? I'm looking forward to reading the next (and last!) volume. Definitely, to be one of the earliest works by Yazawa, it does have all the ingredients of her latest works; it's just great.