Hana-Kimi:
For You In Full Blossom volume 4
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(quoted from the back of Hana-Kimi volume 4)
CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN
All-male Osaka High School is holding its annual war of the dorms, and for the students, there is no escape!
Unfortunately, even though she'd be happy to just compete in the 500-meter relay, Mizuki is forced to enter the Cross-Dressing Pageant... and pretend to be a boy pretending to be a girl! Worse still, a rival dorm targets Mizuki as a threat to their athletic supremacy! Can dorm chief Minami Nanba make winners out of his class while dealing with his own secret traumas? Plus a bonus story, "The Thirsty Moon"!
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Hana-Kimi volume 4 contains:
Hana-Kimi Chapter 17
Hana-Kimi Chapter 18
Hana-Kimi Chapter 19
Hana-Kimi Chapter 20
The Thirsty Moon
Bonus: Everyday Life
About the Author
Previews
Storyline:
Hana-Kimi volume 4 does not cover serious issues like rape and such in this volume. Instead, it focuses more on the "battle of the dorms" which was hilarious (and strange) at times. Although this volume doesn't have the intensity of the last volume, it does manage to do a pretty good job at keeping the reader's attention and giving out quite a few laughs throughout the volume.
Artwork:
This volume manages to keep the same feel as the previous volumes. With the same detailed character designs and the slightly lacking backgrounds, this volume doesn't change the artwork a bit. The art definetly helps to create a sense of uniqueness for the series which really makes the strengths of the art stand out even more.
Characters/Character Development:
Although this volume doesn't give as much spotlight to Mizuki and Sano, it does shine some new light onto some of the older characters. For instance, Nakao, the boy who bullied Mizuki back in volume 2, has accepted Mizuki as a friend and they cross-dress during the festival together. Characters such as Nanba, Io, Nakatsu, and Dr. Umeda also get some more air time in this volume which help develop their characters, too. Even better, characters from competing dorms show up in this volume and they help lengthen the strong cast of characters.
Summary (Warning: May Contain Spoilers)
In chapter 17, Mizuki goes through her usual introduction explaining she is a girl in a all boys high school cross-dressing as a guy. After a brief explanation Nanba, the dorm leader, announces that the battle of the dorms is taking place and will include an athletic competition, a culture presentation, and then a cross-dressing pagent. Nanba is quickly interupted by Megumi Tennoji, leader of rival dorm #1, who claims that his dorm is going to win this year no matter what. Nanba quickly silences Tennoji and afterwords Mizuki wins the right to be in a chicken fight (I have no idea what that is), 500 meter dash, and is forced to join the cross-dressing pageant. That night, dorm 2 (Mizuki's dorm) gets wasted and Mizuki finds out about Kujo, a member of dorm one, and how he is insanely strong. At the end of the chapter, Tennoji is talking to some of his dorm members and states that if Mizuki is as good at track at everyone says they need to take him (her) out.
In chapter 18, the first day of the competition is held. Dorm 2 wins their fair share of events and stay in a steady second place (out of 3 dorms). That is, until Mizuki takes up the 500 meter dash and quickly destroys the competition. After that, dorm 2 quickly moves up to a close second in the battle of the dorms and that is when Tennoji tells Kujo to take out Mizuki during the chicken fight. At the end of the chapter Kujo fouls Mizuki and nails her right in the face.
In chapter 19, Mizuki, Sano, and Nakatsu are brought into Dr. Umeda's care. Thankfully, Mizuki is all right because her two friends protected her and the first day of the competition ends with Dorm 1 in first place, Dorm 2 in a close second, and Dorm 3 in last. The next day for the culture festival the members of dorm 2 decide that they should open a cafeteria and have all the waiters cross-dress. Nakao and Mizuki are quickly signed up, and unexpectedly Sano and Nakatsu are also volunteered. After Nakatsu goes crazy seeing Mizuki actually dressed as a girl, Mizuki spots Sano who looks surprisingly beautiful in drag. At the end of the chapter Mizuki overhears Nanba talking to a young woman and finding out that he loved her once but she dumped him; then, unexpectedly, he hugs Mizuki to seek comfort.
In chapter 20, after Nanba apologizes for hugging Mizuki she heads back to the cafe to help Nakao with the remaining customers. After finishing up the days work dorm 2 finds out that dorm 3 had a huge comeback that day and was now in first place, leaving them all the way in last. After a couple of scenes where Nanba is hunting down some guy, the chapter ends with Mizuki realizing that Kujo is trying to hurt her.
Extras:
First off, "The Thirsty Moon" was actually a good short story! Usually, short stories take up space in mangas, and while I can't deny this as the case for Hana-Kimi 4, this story is actually interesting. Sadly, the short comic strip about the author's everyday life is kind of dull and has no real point. The extras also include a one page description of volume 5 and author commentaries in between chapters.
Content Warnings:
-Language: No
-Violence: Yes
-Nudity: Slightly
-Sexual Situations: Yes
Overall:
Hana-Kimi definitely continues strong with volume 4, but sadly it only felt like half of a volume. With the battle of the dorms taking up two volumes, volume 4 only felt halfway done which was kind of disapointing. Thankfully, some of the side characters got some time to share the spotlight this volume, and the artwork is still as strong as ever.
+ The new addition of characters really help add new depth into the series.
- Sano and Mizuki don't get as much time to help push the series forward and after such a memorable last volume, Hana-Kimi 4 just doesn't look as good.
Score: 8/10
