Age Rating: Older Teen
Genre: Historical/Romance
Price: $8.99
With increased responsibility, the Shinsengumi must do some major reorganizing. Soji, Nakakura and Saito are named troop captains. Despite Sei's desire to be placed in Soji's group, Yamanami assigns her to be his personal attendant, as he wants to keep her out of harm's way. Sei works diligently at her assigned duties, but will she be able to hold herself back when Soji and his men face danger?
Returning to the main story after the break last volume, Sei continues to struggle with her feelings for Soji, which either he doesn't realize or won't acknowledge she has. A reorganization of the Shinsengumi takes Sei out of harms way, which makes Soji happy, but makes Sei miserable.
It's hard to feel sorry for Sei. She spends a lot of this volume crying, mostly over Soji, who apparently has no intention of ever returning her feelings. Especially when there are others around her who are more than will to return her love. She's wasting her time and she knows it, but love isn't something that can be tossed away, so I can't blame her. I'm just not a hopeless romantic. Soji's actions don't help any either.
Separated from Soji now, Sei becomes becomes the target of many of the other men's desires. In a declaration of love, they vow to fight, if she/he won't choose one of them. Saito, promises to participate to keep Sei safe, but Soji finds out and declares to the men that Sei is his...but he was only acting, "like" Saito. Again and again, Soji seems to lead Sei on, only to let her drop like a rock. I can understand a guy being clueless for a while, but this is really taking things too far. Even after getting the explanation as to why Soji is the way he is toward girls, it doesn't excuse his conduct. I found him down right annoying by the end, all the more because he knows she's really a girl.
A reminder of the importance of honor in Japanese society tempers some of Soji and Sei's actions. This reminder comes by way of Nakakura, who thinks Captain Kondo is bringing disgrace on the Shinsengumi. He believes Kondo is being deceived by a woman he keeps in the village. She is sheltering her lover and helping him with the money Kondo gives her. Nakakura is willing to risk seppukku to force Kondo to kill the woman and regain honor to the Shinsengumi. The matter is resolved without anyone getting gutted, but is a reminder that the Japanese saw honor and loyalty in a different way. Kondo knows what his mistress is doing, but takes comfort in her feelings of loyalty to her lover. In the same vein, we can see Sei's desire to stay near Soji, even if she can't be his lover or wife, as loyalty to him, just as Soji's loyalty to Kondo keeps him from acknowledging his feelings for Sei as a girl. It might make his stray from the path he's chosen. While I can see all this and understand it, my 21 century feminist side still gets annoyed.
The hopelessly romantic will enjoy this volume, with not only Sei and Soji's actions, but also with the other characters who also know Sei's secret; Saito who would like to take Sei for himself, and Yamanami, who would like to see Sei and Soji get together. Anyone looking for action or drama will have to wait for the next volume (hopefully).
7