Title: いちご１００％ (Strawberry 100%) Vol. 11
Artist/Author: 河下水希 (Mizuki Kawashita)
Book Size/Pages: Small B-6, 191pp., w/furigana
Original Serialization: Weekly Shonen JUMP Vol 4/5, '04 - Vol 14, '04
First Printing: 5/5/04
Rating: 3/4

Tally for this volume, by number of chapters: Aya 2.5, Tsukasa 1.5, Satsuki, 1, Yui 1, and the rest has Junpei making a fool of himself as always. A lot of short stories, but no major plot advancements. I thought Satsuki might have had one, but that was a fake. I'm (still) hedging my money that Junpei is going to choose Tsukasa at the end, whenever that is.

Bonus is just a helpful summary, similar to the ones included in previous volumes.

90. サンタクロースがいっぱい (Filled With Santas): Hiroshi gets an idea to sell Christmas cakes from the theater that Junpei works at and recruits Aya, Chinami, Yui, and Satsuki to be skimpily dressed Santas to attract customers. The plan works too well and there's almost a riot. The girls run off and hide while the customers chase after. After a few attempts to break down the door, the building starts to creak and everyone runs away thinking it'll collapse. It does, but Tsukasa who works at the nearby cake store isn't too happy about this and gives Junpei a pie to the face.

91. 触ってみる？ (Wanna Feel?): Junpei and his rival in love (for Aya), Amachi, spot Aya on the way to the store in a kimono. They get invited over to her house where they see Aya's collegiate cousin, Haruka, who looks very much like her but is a lot more brazen and have an interesting day with the usual misunderstanding when Aya catches Haruka and Junpei in an awkward position (he had just fallen down and Haruka was on top asking if he was alright).

92. ナンバー１ (Number 1): On her birthday, Aya receives presents from Amachi and Junpei. Amachi manages to give it to her first and is an expensive watch. Junpei just gives her a DVD of his favorite movie and she treasures that more than the expensive item.

93. さつきタイムリミット！！ (Satsuki's Deadline): Junpei's parents argue about dinner and Junpei sarcastically makes the suggestion that they divorce. The next day, Satsuki tells him that her parents are divorcing and she'll have to move away. She tells everyone at school, all of whom shed tears for her as they prepare to part. However, her parents decide not to at the last minute and so Satsuki shows up at school the next day. Everyone's surprised and jokingly demand that she return their tears.

94. 届く気持ち、届かない想い (Conveyed Feelings, Unconveyed Thoughts): It's Valentine's and everyone gives chocolates to Junpei. Even Yui brings chocolates from her school where the girls there are giving to Junpei. The only person missing is Tsukasa who's tried calling and hasn't been able to reach him.

95. SWEET GIRL BITTER LOVE: Junpei bumps into Aya as he's trying to find Tsukasa after work. Aya tells him that she wants to go the same college he's going to. That night, he finds Tsukasa who gives him chocolates and tells him that she's going to Paris after graduating to study culinary arts in sweets.

96. 恋愛射程距離 (Range of Love): Tsukasa and Junpei talk it over. He comes home to a chocolate-craving Yui, who's staying the night. The next day, Satsuki mentions that she wants to be a wife. Junpei tells Hiroshi about what Aya hold him, and he tells him not to think about it and party. He's arranged a karaoke party with a few friends and some first year girls from the all girls school that Tsukasa attends. There's one girl missing though.

97. 遅れて来た女 (Late-Arriving Girl): That one girl is none other than Yui. One of the other guys is a little rough on Yui so Junpei steps in. Hiroshi explains that they're brothers and sisters. A little later, Junpei's boss brings Tsukasa in and catch Junpei in a bad position as one of the first year girls is encroaching on him.

98. このままずっと (Always Like This): Yui, Okusa, Junpei, and Tsukasa go on a double date. Junpei and Tsukasa eventually become alone and ride the ferris wheel together. Tsukasa tells him that she wants to be like this forever, and her wish is then granted. The electricity stops while they're on the ride.

Title: 夏色の砂時計 (Hourglass of Summer Colors) Vol. 2 LE
Volume: 2/2
Catalog No.: KSXA-24804
Release Date: 7/23/04
Rating: 3/4

Much like the first volume, they crammed a lot of story into only 30 minutes. People who haven't played the game will be more lost than ever. While watching the series, I must have anticipated a couple of lines. I think it's because I've been watching too much of this genre that I pretty much know what the characters will say before they say it.

Despite the brevity, I liked Regen a lot better in the anime than the game. She seems to be a little more affectionate than what I remember, but then again, I didn't choose Regen's route.

Limited edition comes with a Regen card, post card, and a drama CD which concludes the story from last time. In the drama CD, Kotaro saves Mana, but Regen tells him that history has turned for the worse and that Kaho will still die and and Kotaro will die with under Takeshinosuke's blade. Takeshinosuke comes after Kotaro because of what has happened to the then-Tomo-chan. Kotaro prevents Tomo-chan from being taken by the stalker. He writes a letter to Kaho, but it gets intercepted by the evil father. Kotaro arrives on the 31st just a bit too late, but in this story, the father saves Kaho from certain death.

2. その永遠の１秒に (One Second in Eternity): Despite having saved Mana, Kaho's future is still unchanged. Kotaro solves the mystery of Tomo-chan's stalker (rather quickly) but she still has the accident. He tries to tell her father, but gets his lights knocked out of him. So he resorts to giving Ai a letter to hand to Kaho. However, on the 31st of August, Ai admits that she didn't get the letter because she has a crush on him and wanted to split the two of them up. In a surprise change, Ai is the one who saves Kaho from the speeding car instead of Kaho's father (as it was in the game). Regen leaves, but not before giving Kotaro a kiss. Some time later, a girl who looks a lot like Regen shows up as a regular citizen.

Title: 千葉紗子：melody (Saeko Chiba)
Vocals: 千葉紗子 (Saeko Chiba)
Release Date: 3/26/03
Catalog No.: LACA-5160
Rating: 3/4

Turning back the hands of time for a bit... I finally was able to pick up her first CD soon (from Jungle) after I got the second album.

In general, the songs included here were above average. Nothing really stands out for me unlike a few tracks from her second album. If I really had to choose, I'd say that track 2 and 9 are my favorites so far, but it's on a lesser level of "favoritism." From the liner notes, Yuki Kajiura was also heavily involved in each track on this CD and her influences definitely show.

First edition comes in a digipack. It comes with liner notes and a little booklet where she documents the production her CD. There's also a little coupon included to redeem for a DVD full of her promotional videos. Too bad it's long expired.

Title: 彼氏彼女の事情 (His and Her Circumstances) Vol. 13
Artist/Author: 津田雅美 (Masami Tsuda)
Book Size/Pages: Small B-6, 187pp., w/furigana
Original Serialization: Monthly LALA 10/01-2/02
First Printing: 5/10/02
Rating: 2/4

Arima has some emotional issues. Yes, we already knew that. Please stop dwelling on it for so long.

Bonus is a short Tsuda dairy.

59. ACT59 そして時は流れ (And Then, Time Passes): Kano, a freshman, introduces her sister Yukino along with her friends. The seniors then talk about what they're going to do after graduation. Arima and Maho are planning on med school, Rika in the garment industry, Aya take a break from work to go to college, Tsubasa aspires to be Kazuma's wife, and Tsubaki and Takefumi will skip college.

60. ACT60 "I": Arima is pretty popular among the girls, even those at other high schools. He scores pretty high in the national prep exams, much to Yukino's jealously. He also does an television interview with a news program for his accomplishments in the inter-high school competition. He later tells Yukino that his true self is when he's with her, not when he's on TV.

61. ACT61 Perfect World: Everyone's proud of Arima, especially his parents. Classmates are even honored to receive his broken mechanical pencils. However, as he's talking to Yukino, he remembers his abused childhood. When he unexpected arrives at a relative's wedding, he boasts a bit to his cousins who used to abuse him.

62. 足音 (Footsteps): Arima's parents ask whether he wants to be a doctor because he feels obligated to or whether he wants to as it's a serious decision. His cousins arrive at school to try and apologize to him, but Arima doesn't accept and they leave sneering. At the Miyazawa house, he arrives and the father tells him that he's gonna record the interview when it's aired. Arima takes note that Pero Pero is a huge dog now.

63. 君を離れ (Separating You): Arima and Yukino play hooky, Arima has issues again and is afraid to tell Yukino. The interview airs and some lady claims Arima is her child.