Title: こいこい７ (Koi Koi 7) Vol. 3 LE
Artist/Author: もりしげ (Morishige)
Book Size/Pages: B-6, 178pp., w/furigana
First Printing: 4/25/04
Rating: 3/4

The mystery of the new Asuka is revealed, so that's another subplot finished. While I like the story overall so far, I think it needs to still a little too fragmented. With the various characters involved, it seems like it should be a little more epic than episodic.

Limited edition comes with Hanaukyo Maid Tai volume 9 and matching covers. In the package, there's a mechanical pencil, a bandana, and a special box for the two issues and goodies. The book also includes a pullout of the cover image.

12. 五光会、沈黙 (Goko Club, Silence): Miyabi is on the verge of defeat as her body is falling apart. Fortunately, the other members of Koi Koi 7 find her in time. Hifumi attacks this new Yayoi Asuka and makes her run away, but not before it's revealed that she's also a robotic creation.

13. 五光会まで何マイル？ (How Many Miles to the Goko Club?): At the Goku festival, Yayoi and Tetsuro meet the other Asuka in the haunted house activity. Asuka tells them that she's the Asuka who made a promise to Tetsuro and had to get her body created just so she could keep that promise.

14. 嗚呼、栄冠はミヤ様に輝く (Aa, the Crown Shines Towards Miya): Asuka finally breaks down and Tetsuro asks Kano, the teacher and people who can repair the Koi Koi 7, if she could help repair Asuka too. Before the festival is over, Asuka emerges without any of her memories and participates with the gang at the fireside dance.

15. 常夏　五光会 (Everlasting Summer, Goko Club): It's summer vacation and the new Asuka, who Sakuya just calls as Eye-Patch girl, moves in with them. Tetsuro receives some mail from Miya who's vacation at the beach and from his father. Yayoi mentions the she would also like to receive some mail. Tetsuro tries to find out more about Hifumi's past, but Hifumi implores that he doesn't ask about her former life. The next day, the girls all get cards in the mail from Tetsuro. Miya also receives one.

16. 五光会のいない８月 (August Without the Goko Club): There's a thief in the farm that Hifumi attends to. With the help of Yayoi and Tetsuro, they catch the culprit, Sakuya. In repairing the field from Hifumi's attack, Tetsuro unearths a box which Hifumi recognizes as a time capsule she and Akio buried in the past.

17. 五光の湯だよ、全員集合！！ (Goko's Bath, Everyone's There!!): Eye-patch messes up the bath at the dorm, so the girls and Tetsuro go to a public bath. There, they cause a ruckus and destory the place. Afterwards, they go light some fireworks.

Title: 花右京メイド隊 (Hanaukyo Maid Tai) Vol. 9
Artist/Author: もりしげ (Morishige)
Book Size/Pages: Small B-6, 192pp., w/furigana
First Printing: 1/5/04
Rating: 3/4

The volume starts off very early with a little hint at some deeper story about Mariel, but quickly returns to its usually fan-service-y, wacky, disparate story mode. Grace is turning into one of my favorite characters, especially with her wit and cunning as shown in chapter 57. Of course, Ikuyo is still up there, but she doesn't do much in this book.

Limited edition comes with Koi Koi 7 and matching covers along with a box for the new manga, bandana, and a mechanical pencil.

54. マリエル (Mariel): Mariel awakens from a nightmare and has a fever. Taro makes her stay in bed and takes care of her until she's well.

55. マリエルさーん　温泉ですよー！！ (Mariel, Hot Springs!): Upon hearing that Mariel has been sick, Shizuka sends Jia to take the Taro and the maids on a mini-vacation to the hot springs. Ikuyo and Mariel take a lot of pictures and of course, there's some mixed bathing in the springs.

56. マリエルさーん　観光ですよー！！ (Mariel, Sightseeing!): They visit some places near by and Taro gets to spend some private time with Grace and Mariel before heading home.

57. にゃーん　にゃーん　にゃーん (Nyan, Nyan, Nyan): Ikuyo overlooks Grace's computer and sees that she has a screen up with something that suggests there are pictures of Mariel that kids under 18 shouldn't view. This perks her curiosity and so she, Taro, and Ryuka sneak into the computer room and break into the computer. All they find are innocent pictures of her, but there's a button labeled "top secret" which Ikuyo presses and it reveals embarassing pictures of the three infiltrators.

58. 夜さ来い (Yosakoi [Festival]): It's Christmas and Ryuka wants to give something special to Taro. Her plan is to pop out naked out of a cake for Taro, but her underling maids fail and instead of presenting just to Taro, everyone sees her in the nude.

59. 八島がんばる! (Do Your Best, Yashima!): Konoe lets Yashima back into the defense group on the condition that she helps Taro. It just happens that Taro and Mariel are also training with the group just to see what it's like. Yashima helps them out, but is more happy that she's part of the gang again. At the very end, Konoe tells her that unfocused people aren't worthy of wearing the defense maid uniform and Yashima takes this advice to heart.