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オセロ [Othello] #5
Othello, Volume 5
TAKING MATTERS TO NEW HEIGHTS
Master manipulator Megumi Hino–Hino-chan–is enraged by her failure to bring down timid Yaya Higuchi and her alter ego, the confident and boisterous Nana. So Hino-chan decides to take the ultimate revenge. Using the singing contract that Yaya desperately wishes to null and void as a means to her mean-spirited ends, Hano-chan makes her an offer. She will rip it up . . . if Yaya agrees to play a little game with her. If Yaya can catch Hino-chan and steal the contract, Hino will cancel the agreement and return the application fee. Sounds simple, yes? But there’s a little hitch. Yaya must chase Hino while skydiving!
Master manipulator Megumi Hino–Hino-chan–is enraged by her failure to bring down timid Yaya Higuchi and her alter ego, the confident and boisterous Nana. So Hino-chan decides to take the ultimate revenge. Using the singing contract that Yaya desperately wishes to null and void as a means to her mean-spirited ends, Hano-chan makes her an offer. She will rip it up . . . if Yaya agrees to play a little game with her. If Yaya can catch Hino-chan and steal the contract, Hino will cancel the agreement and return the application fee. Sounds simple, yes? But there’s a little hitch. Yaya must chase Hino while skydiving!
192 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
February 15, 2020
2020 Read #183
Reread in 2020
Aaaaaand this is where I recognize where the story started to lose me in the first place back when I read it in 2005. It is just utterly ridiculous! But it is still somehow entertaining because of the ridiculousness.
Reread in 2020
Aaaaaand this is where I recognize where the story started to lose me in the first place back when I read it in 2005. It is just utterly ridiculous! But it is still somehow entertaining because of the ridiculousness.
June 7, 2018
Summary:
While Hano-chan is plotting how to best her enemy Nana, Yaya is just now becoming vaguely aware of the presence of Nana, who she still thinks is another person, but knows she is connected to somehow. Yaya does not yet fully comprehend just how connected she really is as Yaya and Nana are one and the same due to a split personality disorder. As Yaya becomes more and more aware of Nana, Yaya's stress increases and her headaches and memory failure become more frequent which in turn, gives Nana the opportunity to take over more often in order to protect Yaya's feeble mind. Moriyama tries to comfort poor Yaya, but there is only so much he can do when Nana takes over. How much longer can Nana and Moriyama protect Yaya from the truth?!
My Thoughts:
This volume was my least favorite out of the series. The events that took place just all felt so unrelated or disconnected to the previous chapters compared to the other volumes. First there is a skydiving chase, then there is a story about sexual harassment, and finally, the story connects back to Yaya wanting to reach her dream of becoming a singer. I felt like this volume really took away the focus from some of the main themes the series was originally going for.
Besides not being well connected, I also really felt like some of the stories in this volume were really contrived or unbelievable and I'm a fantasy reader, so when I say something is "unbelievable", it means it's really way over the top or ridiculous. A race in the sky while skydiving?! Factually, (and you can check to see if I'm wrong) I believe it only takes seconds, maybe a minute to skydive, how is there even time to have all that drama, the conversations, time for the characters to pass out and for Nana to still get the contract? I just felt like couldn't they have come up with a way that was just as interesting but a bit more realistic?
The whole scene with sexual harassment just really felt thrown in and did not fit in with the overall story. I understand that Yaya was being taking advantage of, which is why Nana needed to take over. I don't know about in Japanese culture, but in Western culture, being taken advantage of in a sexual way and being taken advantage of because someone is too "nice" or "quiet" are two very very different things. Now I give the author kudos for having the balls to write a scene like this because I think young girls need that message early on to stand up for themselves to predators because it is scary and hard to do, but the scene itself truly just did not fit in with the overall plot.
Despite all that being said, I actually really liked the end chapter "An Odd Relationship" because it connects back to an overarching theme of Yaya wanting to accomplish her goals as a talented singer. But of course, this requires Yaya to come out of her shell a little in order to open up to singing in front of others (because usually she only sings in front of others as Nana). This is where we get a little taste of the real Yaya starting to become more confident in herself even without Nana. I liked this because again, the scene with Moriyama and Yaya singing together connects to this overarching theme found in previous volumes and I also believe that Yaya having a dream to strive for makes her a more realistic and believable character despite having this split personality. What's even more interesting is that we meet a new character who acts just like Nana, who Yaya aspires to be but doesn't realize she already is. This character seems really cool like Nana, and is obviously someone Yaya looks up to, but is she going to cause problems for Yaya as she has a very close bond with Moriyama? Guess we'll find out in Volume 6!
While Hano-chan is plotting how to best her enemy Nana, Yaya is just now becoming vaguely aware of the presence of Nana, who she still thinks is another person, but knows she is connected to somehow. Yaya does not yet fully comprehend just how connected she really is as Yaya and Nana are one and the same due to a split personality disorder. As Yaya becomes more and more aware of Nana, Yaya's stress increases and her headaches and memory failure become more frequent which in turn, gives Nana the opportunity to take over more often in order to protect Yaya's feeble mind. Moriyama tries to comfort poor Yaya, but there is only so much he can do when Nana takes over. How much longer can Nana and Moriyama protect Yaya from the truth?!
My Thoughts:
This volume was my least favorite out of the series. The events that took place just all felt so unrelated or disconnected to the previous chapters compared to the other volumes. First there is a skydiving chase, then there is a story about sexual harassment, and finally, the story connects back to Yaya wanting to reach her dream of becoming a singer. I felt like this volume really took away the focus from some of the main themes the series was originally going for.
Besides not being well connected, I also really felt like some of the stories in this volume were really contrived or unbelievable and I'm a fantasy reader, so when I say something is "unbelievable", it means it's really way over the top or ridiculous. A race in the sky while skydiving?! Factually, (and you can check to see if I'm wrong) I believe it only takes seconds, maybe a minute to skydive, how is there even time to have all that drama, the conversations, time for the characters to pass out and for Nana to still get the contract? I just felt like couldn't they have come up with a way that was just as interesting but a bit more realistic?
The whole scene with sexual harassment just really felt thrown in and did not fit in with the overall story. I understand that Yaya was being taking advantage of, which is why Nana needed to take over. I don't know about in Japanese culture, but in Western culture, being taken advantage of in a sexual way and being taken advantage of because someone is too "nice" or "quiet" are two very very different things. Now I give the author kudos for having the balls to write a scene like this because I think young girls need that message early on to stand up for themselves to predators because it is scary and hard to do, but the scene itself truly just did not fit in with the overall plot.
Despite all that being said, I actually really liked the end chapter "An Odd Relationship" because it connects back to an overarching theme of Yaya wanting to accomplish her goals as a talented singer. But of course, this requires Yaya to come out of her shell a little in order to open up to singing in front of others (because usually she only sings in front of others as Nana). This is where we get a little taste of the real Yaya starting to become more confident in herself even without Nana. I liked this because again, the scene with Moriyama and Yaya singing together connects to this overarching theme found in previous volumes and I also believe that Yaya having a dream to strive for makes her a more realistic and believable character despite having this split personality. What's even more interesting is that we meet a new character who acts just like Nana, who Yaya aspires to be but doesn't realize she already is. This character seems really cool like Nana, and is obviously someone Yaya looks up to, but is she going to cause problems for Yaya as she has a very close bond with Moriyama? Guess we'll find out in Volume 6!
March 23, 2024
Le azioni di Nana sono da sempre volutamente esagerate per mettere in risalto la sua personalità furente e vendicatrice, ma in questo volume sono proprio al limite del credibile. Una volta archiviata l'assurda gara di paracadutismo e le molestie in treno, il manga torna ad essere veramente interessante. Questa nuova misteriosa ragazza non sembra una cattiva persona, ma di certo qualcosa combinerà pure lei. Quale sarà il suo rapporto con Moriyama?
October 3, 2017
This series does need some suspension of disbelief but I still enjoyed this instalment.
November 24, 2018
Yeah! Nana kicks butt!!
September 14, 2011
♥ Nana ♥!!!! Haha, love her!
Awww! Moriyama and Yaya are soooooooooo cute!!
But enough about that. I really am enjoying this series. I love that the characters invoke certain feelings from the readers. The storyline is unique in itself... it has the typical love story you find in mangas, but with the added addition of the main character having two personalities and how it's dealt with with not only her love interest but the other characters in the story.
Just two more volumes to go! I'm sad it's almost over!
Awww! Moriyama and Yaya are soooooooooo cute!!
But enough about that. I really am enjoying this series. I love that the characters invoke certain feelings from the readers. The storyline is unique in itself... it has the typical love story you find in mangas, but with the added addition of the main character having two personalities and how it's dealt with with not only her love interest but the other characters in the story.
Just two more volumes to go! I'm sad it's almost over!
September 12, 2012
Poor shy Yaya is a bully magnet who can't stand up for herself. Luckily(?) hiding inside her is the boisterous Nana who will do 'justice' on her behalf.
In this volume Hano-chan kicks her evil up a gear with a sky-diving tag match and Nana faces down a serial train molester.
I recommend this book/series for fans of shojo manga.
In this volume Hano-chan kicks her evil up a gear with a sky-diving tag match and Nana faces down a serial train molester.
I recommend this book/series for fans of shojo manga.
February 7, 2013
(2.5) this vol required A LOT of suspension of disbelief. i couldn't quite manage it with the skydiving episode (AN INSTRUCTOR WOULD NEVER DO THAT) and the groping episode was clumsy. the only thing that redeemed the vol was the singing on the bridge. that was pretty awesome.
December 28, 2008
The best volume so far. The battle in mid-air was excellent! ^_^
Read
February 23, 2009that good things happen to good people
Read
August 5, 2011Hilarious. Nana is a hoot! "Justice is done!"
June 8, 2013
OK, I'd call this a 3.5 actually. I liked it better than the last volume. Yep, going to keep reading!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews