meganbmoore | manga: Kaze Hikaru Vol 9-11 (Reply)

I’m positive that I’ve read the arc where Ito Kashitaro shows up and falls for both Sei and Hijikata before, right down to Hijikata ordering Okita to kill Ito, and Ito losing the match because he couldn't hit Hijikata's pretty face. Has that played out similarly in other Shinsengumi stories, or did I somehow read that part at some point in the past, and completely forget about it?

Also, I feel weird typing “Ito” because, when I do, I always think of the heroine of W Juliet.

Actually, I’m kind of disappointed that the “multiple men going after Sei” thing is coming up again, especially when the group was dueling over who would get her, though I found Okita and Saito’s duel amusing. I’m starting to worry about Saito, though. I’m not sure he’ll survive having to share a room with her.

I find it amusing that Okita always seems to attract the same kind of temperamental person (Sei really is turning into a younger Hijikata, isn’t she?) though I’m not really big on how Sei is so much like the girl who killed herself over him.

I liked the serious bits in this volume, especially the jokers who were willing to commit seppuku over Kondo’s mistress tricking him, and Yamanagi’s storyarc. I find it interesting how it’s always something different that led to his committing seppuku, but how everyone always tries to help him get out of it. And I’m glad that Mabo stopped Akesato from killing herself after Yamanagi died, at least partly because I thought she was going to. Sadly, I suspect we won’t be seeing much more of her.