Takane & Hana, Vol. 4

高嶺と花 [Takane to Hana] #4

by Yuki Shiwasu

After her older sister refuses to go to an arranged marriage meeting with Takane Saibara, the heir to a vast business fortune, high schooler Hana Nonomura agrees to be her stand-in to save face for the family. But when these two utter opposites pair up, get ready for some sparks to fly!

Summer’s out, but Takane is so busy with work that he doesn’t have much time to spend with Hana! Enter Takane’s new assistant, Eiji Kirigasaki, an efficient helper who gains Takane’s trust and allows Takane to have more free time. Despite all the support he’s providing, however, Kirigasaki might have an ulterior motive that could lead to Takane’s downfall!

Genres: Manga, Romance, Shojo, Young Adult, Contemporary, Graphic Novels, Comics

200 pages, Paperback

First published March 18, 2016

About the author

Name (in native language) : 師走ゆき

Associated Names:
СИВАСУ Юки
师走ゆき

Reviews

[Dani ❤️ Perspective of a Writer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Check out more manga and graphic novel reviews @ Perspective of a Writer...

Hana is pressed into a marriage meeting with Takane, a scion of a business empire, impersonating her sister to save her father's job! Ready to put that fiasco behind her Hana is shocked that Takane actually seems interested in her! She is exasperated by his immaturity but intrigued despite herself at the fun she has as they try to outwit one another...

Takane and Hana are a couple that I adore... I'm in for the long haul to see them get together and overcome the odds against them... So I was really happy for a new character to make an appearance who is working for a villain! YEAH! That's what I'm saying... It's gotten so exciting in Takane & Hana vol 4 that I'm on tenderhooks about what it going to happen next... We knew that they had the deck stacked against them just because of their age difference and his position in society but now Hana could be a serious weakness for Takane.

I really loved how the other characters came to play this volume as well. We have Nicola who is a bit of a voice of reason and a bit of a friend calling it how it is. I LOVE that... And we have Souma who is stirring feelings in Takane that he rarely feels! Hahahah that was so fun the last episode and it gets funny when the class cafe comes into the story. I'm LOVING the other characters, they really enrich the entire story...

The art is so playful in Takane & Hana vol 4 too! I wasn't expecting that. I've always loved the little comedic moments that are spotlight in tiny little frames but this time they really popped the story too. And the backgrounds were used to really good effect to give us a sense about the new character and what his role in the story will be... The art may appear typical shoujo manga art but Yuki Shiwasu really uses great skill to highlight what makes Takane and Hana so unique!

I quite enjoyed the plot... It was such a large range while also transitioning beautifully... GAH that was so writerly of me, right?! The story felt so natural... not overly trope filled while still hitting those points you love in a shoujo manga... And the first gifts were so adorable and how it came about GAHHHH! Loved it, so cute! And The relationship milestones that were touched on... loving the direction of the story and can't wait to read volume 5!!

Takane & Hana vol 4 really upped the ante for this shoujo manga... Takane is doing unexpected things and Hana is starting to see him as more than she ever expected! Giiiiiiii it is so super fun and exciting and makes me fangirl all over this series... And the art just takes it up a notch as Yuki Shiwasu plays around with what in any other hands would be stereotypical. MUST READ Takane & Hana vol 5 as soon as possible!!!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Authenticity
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Tension
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Plot
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Art

Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review. It has not influenced my opinions.

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You can find this review and many others on my book blog @ Perspective of a Writer. See my manga and graphic novel reviews in a special feature called Saturday Morning Cartoons...

[Victoria ✮⋆˙ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is so fun and silly, i really enjoyed this volume and all the tropes in it(matching keychains, maid costumes, school festival) it was really fun!

[Laura A. Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great volume!

Takane continues to be a hoot and feel I laughed more now then I have in previous volumes! LOL! Interestingly enough though, this volume also some more…serious(?) developments with some potential BIG consequences. However with that, this is the volume where we see Hana really start to face her feelings. Maybe not in a huge way, but while I feel there have been small moments of her questioning her feelings and moments where we KNOW she definitely likes Takane before now, she could not brush off what she was feeling in this one. It was wonderful to see even if it made me feel a little apprehensive due to again the potential consequences that could unfold.

Definitely looking forward to reading more of this series! (Oh! I forgot to mention Nicola! I really really love his character! Him and Hana have such a great friendship and so glad we see more of him! <3)

[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, I believe I'm done with this series now. The stories have devolved into a series of shojo cliches (scary walk, matching souvenirs, sparklers, school cultural festival, maid cafe cosplay) while nothing has been done to mitigate the creepiness of a twenty-something businessman dating a 16-year-old high school student.

[**Sognatrice di libri** · Rating 4 out of 5]

Questo manga è davvero pazzesco farebbe passare il mal umore a chiunque per quanto è divertente.

[Emmy Rayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was again an entertaining read. I'm loving the progression of Takane and Hana's relationship because at the end of the day you can tell they really like each other despite everything. Another character I've grown to love is Nicola Luciano I really like him and his dynamic with Takane and Hana he adds so much to the story. I can't wait for what will happen next in volume five. I wonder what's enstore now.

[Jillian -always aspiring- · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gotta admit that the first volume had me questioning the potential of an “age-gap” romance (the main reason it took me forever to read past volume 1), but this series makes the relationship work because on levels of maturity the main pair is evenly matched since Takane is a spoiled rich guy while Hana is a cynic. I don’t find the interactions between them creepy at all (as someone who witnessed the devolving of Bunny Drop and THAT progression), but just be aware that the series is much more comic than dramatic.

[haven ⋄ f (hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 - Ahhhh. That was good.

This ended differently than all the rest did, which was fairly surprising. Instead of a cliffhanger, it faded out. It did suit the final scene, so it worked.

Art style is still good and consistent in the right places (hair is getting longer etc). Story is good but not quite as funny as the last few. Characters are still going through change and another was introduced.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm enjoying this series, but sometimes I feel that there are too many panels and words (?) - that's such a weird way to put it. It just feels very busy at times compared to what's happening. Another way to put it is that it feels heavier than it is (density of the panels vs. the light-heartedness of the content).

[Raven · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need to find the rest of these in english. I swear. I do.

This was amazing. I love these two together. I forgive the creepiness of the situation they are absolutely perfect for one another. When is Vol 5 coming out in Canada?

[María Belén · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un romance muy inocente pero con un toque humor sarcastico.

[frau.meln · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aufmachung

Gefühlt hat dieser Manga unfassbar viel Text. Geschrieben ist es gut und gespickt mit Stichelein und Sarkasmus. Die Wortgefechte, die die Protagonisten austragen sind wirklich unterhaltsam.

Der Zeichenstil könnte wirklich toll sein, wenn er denn mehr detaillierte Zeichnungen erhielte. Leider sind die Chibis der Mangaka nicht so meins, aber das ist bestimmt Geschmackssache.



Protagonisten

Takane ist ein arroganter Schnösel. Und obwohl er beruflich ein hohes Tier und sehr erwachsen ist, so kann man das privat von ihm nicht behaupten. Für ihn zählt nur eins: Hauptsache Luxus.

Hana ist Oberschülerin und rotzfrech. Außerdem kann sie kontern, Hola die Waldfee.

Fazit
Auch bei Band 4 schreitet die Story voran und dreht sich gleichzeitig im Kreis. Eigentlich muss man ja fast sagen, dass das irgendwie auch ein Talent ist.
Doch trotzdem ist es oftmals ziemlich witzig und gefällt mir irgendwie. Dennoch fehlt mir immer noch dieses besondere. Mit jedem Band erhoffe ich mir zutiefst, dass es da in der Richtung mal intensiver wird, immerhin hat Hana sich bereits in Band 1 einen Kuss gestohlen und seit dem bleibt man als Leser unsicher, wohin das alles führen soll.

[Pflanzis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ich liebe die Dynamik zwischen den beiden. <3 Nach dem Urlaub scheinen sie sich ein kleines Stückchen näher gekommen zu sein und Hana ist nicht länger bereit das Omiai so ohne weiteres abzubrechen, wie sie es vorher getan hätte.

[Marilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a cute Manga

[Brandi (Brandi Janee's Bookshelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

**4.5 stars**

[Knigoqdec · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ииии секретарят, който ще работи до смърт и е супер верен, се качи на сцената! Появи се и "лошият" чичо.
Също така мина и бункасаят... Хм, сега вече ми е по-трудно да позная какво следва, много отдавна не съм попадала на стандартно шоджо и съм забравила вече стъпките.

Мачо Дарума-та е епик уин!

[Olive · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the last chapters in this one 🥰❤

[Rereader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm going to make this quick-this was a fun volume! I was pleased that the comedy remained strong and I really enjoyed Mr. Kirigasaki's character. Straight-faced, super logical characters can be pretty hit or miss, but I quite enjoyed Mr. Kirigasaki and look forward to his character in future volumes. There is still the whole "I'm not telling you the truth because of blah blah blah" which I was able to overlook because the comedy scenes that followed were wonderful and Takane, as usually, stole the spotlight. Readers are finally introduced to some of the other members of the Takaba family, who of course don't like Takane and want to dethrone him because this is a romance manga featuring a wealthy character and that's par for the course. I will say, I am interested to learn more about Takane's past, so that's a plus coming from such a generic conflict. All in all, a good volume, I enjoyed, hope the series stays strong!

[Fiona · Rating 4 out of 5]

This manga series always makes me laugh so much at the ridiculousness of it all. Love it

[April Soos · Rating 5 out of 5]

The ending of this volume was perfection.

[Ren (A Bookish Balance) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75/5 stars

Review of volumes 1-5.

Takane and Hana follows a 16-year-old girl named Hana Nonomura who attends an arranged marriage meeting to Takane Saibara, 26-year-old heir of a successful business group, in her adult older sister’s place. After a very unsuccessful meeting, Takane continues to want to see Hana, much to her dismay. Thus begins their unlikely relationship.

Starting with the positives, Takane and Hana’s strength really lies with its main characters. Hana is not your average shoujo protagonist in that she’s feisty, can be smart when she puts in the effort, and she doesn’t put up with anyone’s nonsense. Takane has an incredibly overinflated ego, and has trouble getting closer to others. Together they make for a very amusing dynamic, with both characters often reluctant to express the dearer sentiments they have towards each other. Their interest in each other, while often hard to define, is also really believable and the sweet moments the two sometimes share and the way in which their relationship slowly begins to change make them relatively easy to root for. As well, while I’m not a fan of age gap romances, I think this is an instance where it’s well handled in the sense that the characters are very aware of the age gap and it isn’t ever something that is brushed aside. I like that the characters often talk about it and their awareness gives me the impression that there are boundaries they won’t be crossing.

I also love how this series has gone about with its rivals. Okamon is extremely likeable, he’s incredibly sweet and kind to Hana and he gives the impression that he’s a character who really cares for others. Once he realizes Hana isn’t playing around with Takane he tries his best to look out for her. So far, from what I think is respect for Hana, he hasn’t pushed his own feelings onto Hana and I admire his character for this. I also really liked Shiwasu’s take on Hana’s rival. The two communicated really well and I appreciated that they cared about Takane more than they cared about a rivalry.

The art is another strong point of the series. The character designs are cute and with enough variation that I don’t ever confuse two different characters. Shiwasu uses her art effectively with her story, in that facial expressions are well placed, and chibis heighten comedic moments. While it’s not my favourite art, I definitely enjoy looking at it.

Now for the negatives. I’ve gone back and forth over my decision as to whether or not I wanted to see this series through to the end, but I’ve ultimately decided to stop after five volumes. While Takane and Hana undeniably has its charms and cute moments it really rubs me the wrong way how Hana is always expecting the worst from Takane. While I’m sure this is an aspect that will change over time, and while Takane’s past transgressions are what led her to this mindset, its still not something I enjoy reading and would rather see a romance in which the main characters are kinder to each other.

Also, while I do feel somewhat invested in Takane and Hana’s relationship, I’m apathetic towards Hana’s and Takane’s respective friends (with the exception of Okamon). I find that when the focus of the story shifts to side characters I often lose interest. They just aren’t as well fleshed out as our main protagonists and feel very flat in comparison.

At this point I don’t think this series has quite hit its stride, it doesn’t quite feel like slice-of-life in that it tries to have story arcs, but overall it doesn’t feel cohesive enough that I’d say there’s really a story going on either. Obviously I can’t say whether this improves over time, but it is an aspect I didn’t particularly enjoy.

Lastly, and this is a pretty big deal breaker for me when it comes to romantic comedies, I found that the jokes didn’t work for me. They’re cute enough to get a smile out of me, but it bothers me that I find the extra/bonus 4-koma funnier than the jokes that appear in the actual story. This is a matter of preference, and I have heard from others that this series is hilarious, so could very much just be me. Given the popularity of this series I do think its worthwhile to check it out to see if it does work for you, it just didn’t for me personally.

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[Luana · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5

Prosegue la strana frequentazione tra Takane e Hana, il cui rapporto, tra un battibecco e un altro, si sta piano piano evolvendo. Ovviamente, nessuno dei due si lancerà mai in dichiarazioni smielate, però è evidente che questi disadattati si sono proprio trovati: abituato a donne che lo adulano e che lo riempiono di complimenti fasulli (con gli occhi puntati principalmente sui suoi soldi), Takane vede in Hana una ventata di aria fresca, una persona capace di rispondere a tono a tutte le sue uscite boriose, che non si fa problemi a prenderlo in giro. Fondamentalmente, una persona non interessata a prestigio e denaro, ma a Takane stesso, alla sua personalità e ai suoi progetti. Certo, gestire un soggetto così non è facile, ma la piccola Hana non è certo una che si fa intimidire troppo facilmente.
A complicare la situazione, ci sono parenti gelosi del successo di Takane - giovane, ma davvero abile negli affari e dedito al lavoro -, alla ricerca di punti deboli con cui mettere al tappeto il nostro protagonista. Ed è così che entra in scena Eiji Kirigasaki, nuovo assistente di Takane, in realtà chiamato a fare la spia per conto dello zio (o almeno credo) del ragazzo: uomo serio e competente, ma che non le manda a dire (sempre con molta educazione), Kirigasaki finirà per conquistarsi il rispetto del suo superiore, finendo a sua volta per apprezzare il carattere tenace non solo di Takane, ma anche di Hana, rifiutandosi così di rivelare la natura del loro rapporto.
Il volume si chiude con uno degli eventi che non possono mai mancare in una manga di questo tipo, ovvero il festival culturale della scuola: e ovviamente Takane ne approfitterà per creare un po' di scompiglio nel maid café organizzato dalla classe di Hana.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Today’s post is on Takane & Hana, Vol. 4 by Yuki Shiwasu. It is 200 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover has Takane and Hana on it lighty glaring at each other. As it is the fourth in the series you need to have read the first three volumes. The intended reader is someone who likes over the top characters, humor, and coming of age stories. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in the volume. The story is told from third person close of mostly Hana but sometimes from other characters as plot needs. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- It’s summer, but Takane is so busy with work that he doesn’t have much time to spend with Hana! Enter Takane’s new assistant Eiji Kirigasaki, an efficient helper who gains Takane’s trust and allows Takane to have more free time. Despite all the support he’s giving, however, Kirigasaki might have an ulterior motive that could lead to Takane’s downfall!


Review- We finish with the beach story and move into a more serious story about Takane’s uncle wanting to take him down. He is jealous of how favored Takane is by his grandfather, so Takane’s uncle sends a spy into Takane’s office. The spy is his new assistant but because Takane is really good at his job Eiji doesn’t have anything other than Hana to bring to the uncle. And Eiji doesn’t want to do that as Takane has impressed Eiji. But Hana is more in the background in this volume and I was fine with that as we got to see more of what Takane has had to overcome to get where he is now. I am curious about what his uncle is going to do now.


I give this volume a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.

[Thamy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This manga has definitely kept me interested. But this wasn't that good a volume.

This time, the characters are back from their little vacations and Hana prepares for the school event. Takane says he's going but, meanwhile, someone starts investigating the two of them. Will Hana give up on their relationship, whatever you may call it?

I think this volume was basically what the manga had avoided all along: being 100% cliche. Most of the jokes also fell in the category. It was still entertaining but it has been better before and you start wondering if the author has lost her touch.

On the bright side, whatever had gotten on my nerves here went by fast enough and it's already over. So I'm hopeful about the next volume. Especially because this felt like those silly fillers you see in animes before that important arc. Just guessing, since the cliffhanger gave me nothing to think that.

That said, I'm still falling in love with all the characters. Luciano and Okamoto's relationship in special piques my interest. Not in a boys-love way, though I wouldn't mind, but I can't help thinking where this will lead. And Hana's friends! There was this joke when Takane sees them in one of the final chapters in the volume, I hope you'll laugh as hard as I did.

So, yes, still fun. Also, I still haven't gotten tired of how undefined Hana and Takane's "arrangement" is. I love it, to be honest. Let's hope for a better volume 5 now!

Honest review based on an ARC provided by Edelweiss. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.

[Mandy Sickle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured the series over the course of a couple of months. Took a little longer than I hoped because a few of them decided to take forever from Amazon. Hana ends up roped into taking her older sisters place in a marriage match never expecting that anything would come from it. Instead a we get a very sweet comical whirlwind romance between her and Takane. 

I ended up reading the first one and instantly ordering the rest of them it's such a cute series kind of a enemies to lover romance between them. I loved Hana she's an adorable character and I think because of her I'm going to do bubblegum pink hair next. Each manga has the pair growing as characters. Takane had a lot of growing to do but he get's there eventually. 

The artwork is as equally lovely as the story. I was captivated right from the start and fell in love with Hana and Takane's story. This is one of my favorite series that I'm so glad I purchased the set. They will always have a special place on my bookshelf and I know they will get some re-reads as I wasn't ready to say goodbye just yet. I plan to read the authors other manga as I loved this one so much. Highly recommend a perfect sweet romance. 

[Joti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Takane gets a new secretary, this guy named Kirigasaki, who's a very efficient worker but he's actually been sent to spy on Takane & he finds out that he's seeing Hana, his miai partner & asks Hana to break it off because she'd become a weakness to him in the future & it would be better for Takane if they split up. She contemplates it & is worried & Takane knows something's up and she returns to Kirigasaki & tells him no. Takane finds out about how Kirigasaki is spying on him & makes him work really hard but they work things out & he confronts Hana about the issue. In the meantime, Hana's cultural festival is coming up and her class is putting on a maid cafe AHAHAH & Takane wants to come & he does, to get served by Hana. His friend Luciano also comes & they cause a huge commotion.
It's pretty funny but at the same time, there's a bit of a change in their feelings. There's still aggression & their sarcasm, but a little change is there, too.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ugh!! These guys are so cute!! If you are looking for a hate to love age gap romance and you are brand new to manga I recommend you pick this up. The characters have really grown in this volume especially Takane but they still maintain their humor and banter. I had one qualm with this volume however, though im not sure it's the authors fault or if it's a formatting issue but between the end of chapter 20 to the start of chapter 21 there was a random page that showed how Hana was feeling about Takane and it was really nice but it felt like it was just tacked on without any context. And also I think they should have waiting for further volumes before they did the "maid" trope but that's totally just my opinion. Because of these points, I have to give this manga a 4 out of 5 stars I definitely recommend this series for anyone who loves humor and romance.

[Lena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Questi due mi faranno morire di stenti, già lo so.
La Shiwasu non sembra intenta a regalare gioie tra loro due, per lo meno non a breve.
Adoro le loro frecciatine, i loro momenti comici e quelli un po' più seri e più romantici. Nessuno dei due sembra prendersi troppo sul serio ma, sicuramente, nel momento del bisogno l'uno c'è per l'altra e viceversa.
Spero che andando avanti la serie prenda delle sfumature un po' più mature, nemmeno troppo in realtà, giusto il minimo necessario, per non far venire a noia il rapporto tra i due che al momento sembra essere la formula vincente.

[Katt Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love how they can keep hitting all the tropes and still feel like they're doing something fresh. In this particular volume we manage to finish up the school festival/maid cafe storyline which still made things cute and interesting. I love how Takane thinks he's so sophisticated all the time and really does enjoy these experiences as if they're something new. We also jump into what feels like your typical trope-y Christmas story - only to serve up another (former) love interest and a bit of competition for Hana who suddenly realizes just what emotions she's starting to feel toward Takane.