Title: いちご１００％ (Strawberry 100%) Vol. 9
Artist/Author: 河下水希 (Mizuki Kawashita)
Book Size/Pages: Small B-6, 193pp., w/furigana
Original Serialization: Weekly Shonen JUMP Vol 36, '03 - Vol 4, '04
Rating: 4/4

This is my favorite series currently in publication and this issue is the latest, having been just released early this month (my other favorite, Narue no Sekai is also out now too). Such a shame that I don't subscribe to JUMP, but weeklies are expensive. In light of their new drama cd, the cd makes the story even better as I finally have their voices in my head.

This volume mostly concerns Tsukasa, although it has a bit of Yui at the beginning. Satsuki and Aya are pretty much side characters for now, but that'll probably change as Junpei's wavering emotions change too. You gotta love romantic comedies where the guy just can't choose.

There are two pages of bonus 4 panel comics at the back of the book and a summary page at the beginning.

72. 最後の夜 (The Last Night): At the end of last book, Yui ran away from home to Junpei's place. Junpei told her dad that he'd return her, but they end up staying a night at a hotel.

73. 唯の味方 (Yui's Hero): At the hotel, Yui confesses to Junpei about how she didn't want her parents to move away from the neighborhood 6 years ago and that she likes him. Rather than staying the night, Yui gets a call from her mom to return immediately as something terrible has happened, but it's a ploy. As soon as Junpei appears, Yui's dad for not bringing her home. When he comes around, Yui resolves to live by herself and not stay at Junpei's place anymore.

74. 水着で個人指導 (Private Lesson in Bathing Suits): Having been away from work due to Yui, he tries to make up to his boss. His boss says he has to get Tsukasa into a bikini for him. So Junpei asks Tsukasa if she wants to go swimming and they go to his boss's pool. However, Junpei can't swim, so he gets rescued by Tsukasa.

75. 誰よりも甘い男 (The Sweetest Man): On the street, Junpei is bothered by a few thugs and is saved by a tall and very handsome man who is especially nice to him. At home, he gets invited to Tsukasa's house to try out some of her new cake and also to have her help him on his homework (as she's the smarter one). At her house, Tsukasa gets a visitor who turns out to be none other than the tall, nice man.

76. 迷える子羊と拾う神 (The Mislead-able Lamb and the Pick-Up God): Junpei has his suspicious about their relationship but it all comes crashing down when he sees them embrace. He runs out of her house and meets Aya on the road. They talk for a bit, which makes him feel better (it's nice having a selection of girls, isn't it?)

77. 抱擁 (Embrace): The next day, Tsukasa is wondering why he just ran out. They meet by the bakery where she works and she explains to him that she had a knee-jerk reaction to seeing a roach in the kitchen and that the guy was her tutor.

78. 誕生日アゲイン (Birthday Again): It's Junpei's birthday and he manages to triple book himself with three of the girls, Aya, Tsukasa, and Satsuki. But in the end, they have a gathering of the drama club team at a karaoke bar where Hiroshi, Junpei's friend, reveals some costumes for the girls to wear on this special occasion.

79. BIRTHDAY PANIC: The girls dress into their black leather, Charlie's Angel styled outfit and sing the night away until an explosion in the first floor restaurant occurs. They have a minor panic, but are saved by firemen who see them in the outfits.

80. 思いでの校舎で (At the School Building of Memories): That night, Tsukasa invites out Junpei at midnight. They go back to their old middle school where they first met and Tsukasa sneaks in the school and asks Junpei to send the night with her in the nurses's office.

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