Blue Flag Vol. 2by Wolfen MoondaughterReviews may contain information that could be considered 'spoilers'. Readers should proceed at their own risk. Publisher
Credits Grade: 8 First, Toma agrees to be captain of the cheer squad for their last Sports Festival -- but only if Taichi and Futaba agree to be Vice Captains. Are they up to the task? After, it's time for the kids to start thinking about their futures, but Taichi has no clue what he wants -- and might be too busy worrying about everyone else, especially Toma. All the while, the four friends grow closer (yes, even dour Masumi, in her own way), cheering each other on ... no matter how awkward things get.Frustratingly, the volume doesn't pick up where the previous left off, so we got cheated of the rest of the conversation between Toma and Masumi! Still, I guess we know what's important: that Toma knows Masumi is gay, like him. (Unimportantly, I'm baffled by everyone wanting Toma to lead the cheer squad -- wouldn't you want your best athlete to be in every event possible, not just one or two and then cheering everyone else most of the day?) And the Sports Festival arc, which takes up the first half of the book, is a little dull, though there are some good character moments. As far as Taichi, Toma, and Futaba are concerned, the focus in this volume is more on building friendship than romance -- and really, that's for the best, I think. We still get a string sense of how they care for each other, and what Taichi and Futaba's insecurities are. I love how we're frequently shown the fish keychains they all bought! And I love how Toma keeps trying to bring them all together -- Masumi too. I also appreciate the scenes with just Toma and Taichi, rebuilding their relationship, revealing how close they once were. And there's a great sequence between Taichi and Masumi, finally building a bridge between them (too bad Taichi is so clueless) -- and also revealing a defining moment of Taichi's past, in turn leading to a pivotal moment in their present. What a cliffhanger, even more so than with the first volume! Written: July 12, 2020
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