A few days ago (Friday?) I went to the post office to pick up my copy of Betsuma 9. Couldn’t wait to get home because I was so looking forward to the 4th and last part of Aruko’s omnibus yomikiri series Sayonara Taiyou and the 2nd installment of Kamio Youko’s new series after finishing Hana yori dango, Cat Street. I have a feeling this is going to be a long series again because this chapter takes a lot of time of introducing the main characters even further. There aren’t many new things revealed about Keito’s life but the small episodes of her childhood in this chapter are very touching again. And we’re also introduced to a completely new character, Harasawa Taiyou, whom Keito went to elementary school with and who dreams of becoming a Seria A football player. We also get to know a bit more about the light-haired boy, Rei, the guy Keito slapped in the first chapter ^^;
But as far as a bigger story development goes, well there’s not much new stuff in this chapter. Keito still hasn’t decided whether to attend this free school and at one part of this chapter she even says that offer was kind of pointless because she’s too old to start school anyway – but of course we know she’s gonna end up there sooner or later ^_~
I’m very satisfied with the story so far (in fact, it’s one of my favourite series in Betsuma at the moment). Cat Street is told in a very mature, sometimes nostalgic and sad kind of way which makes this exactly my kind of story. I like the well-balanced plot pacing, it’s not too rushed and everyone gets a good deal of character introduction/development. Keito is a so-not-perfect heroine which makes her very likeable and you know she’s going to have to learn so much from a social point of view, it’s going to be interesting to watch her grow as a person as the series progresses.