Just when I thought that Suzuka had turned the curve and evolved into a good show, it takes a giant step backwards.   With volume four of the series the characters start acting stupid again which makes them hard to relate to.  Instead of a romantic drama its turning into a soap opera, with all of the illogical acts and contrived plots which that genre is famous for.

Series Background:

Yamato Akitsuki has traveled to Tokyo from his home town of Hiroshima in order to attend a prestigious high school.  The day before classes begin he's checking out the campus when he sees Suzuka Asahina practicing the high jump.  She's graceful and elegant, and the shy Yamato instantly becomes enamored of the athlete, even though he knows he'll probably never see her again.

While staying in Tokyo, Yamato is living in an all girl's dorm that is owned and operated by his aunt.  Also living in the dorm are Yuka Saotome, a gorgeous college student who loves to drink until she passes out, and Megumi Matsumoto, a grad student who tries to contain Yuka but usually ends up drunk herself.  Yuka becomes amorous (usually towards Yamato) while inebriated, and Megumi becomes surly and rants about how men are pigs and that all they want to do is look at her ample breasts.  One of the other girls living in the dorm turns out to be (you'll never believe this) Suzaka.  She's in the room right next to Yamato's in fact.

Also going to Aoba High are Yamato's friend and experienced lady's man Yasunobu Hattori, and a quiet, lovely young lady, Honoka Sakurai.  Yamato and Honoka met years ago when they were kids and the meeting left quite an impression on the young girl.  When she sees Yamato again, she instantly falls for him.  The only problem is that Yamato's too blinded by Suzuka to notice that Honoka's always hitting on him.

Eventually Honoka screws up her courage, corners Yamato and kisses him.  This comes as a shock, but a welcome one, and realizes how wonderful Honoka really is.  The only problem is that he still thinks about Suzuka way too much.

This volume:

At the end of the last volume Suzuka and Yamato were stuck in Hiroshima after a track meet when they both missed the train.  After having no luck getting another train or bus back to Tokyo, Yamato calls his father and asks him to pick them up.  (It only took him about an hour to remember his family lives in Hiroshima.)  Yamato is inexplicably worried that Honoka won't like the fact that Suzuka is spending the night at his family's house, (after all they do live right next door to each other.  If they wanted to fool around, they don't have to travel to Hiroshima to do it) so he doesn't tell her that they've decided to stay an extra day.

While there the two students go for a walk in the early evening to a bridge where thousands of fireflies live.  Yamato reveals that they are at the same spot where he first told a girl that he liked her, and was rejected.  Suzuka cajoles the boy into telling her what he said to the girl, and after a heart-felt confession of love, she looks deep into his eyes and tells him that she really likes him, and that she wants them to start dating.  Yamato is stunned.  When he confessed his love to Suzuka a month or so ago he was totally shot down.  Before he can say anything Suzuka starts laughing and gloating about the fact that she really fooled him.  What a bitch.

Returning to Tokyo, Honoka meets Yamato at the station since she really missed him.   To celebrate his return she arrives at his house that evening with groceries and cooks him dinner.  After a great meal Yamato isn't sure what to do.  Suzuka is still in his thoughts, but he's wondering if Honoka's willingness to be alone with him means something.  So...he tries to rape her.  Yep, that Yamato's one swift guy.  He throws her roughly onto his bed and climbs on top of her while she's pleading for him to stop.  He does after a minute, and she runs out of his room crying.  Later he goes by her house and apologizes, and she accepts.  Things seem to be patched up.

The volume wraps up with Yamato trying to find Honoka the right birthday present.  He takes Suzuka out to look with him (after lying to his girlfriend where he'll be) and eventually buys her a necklace.

This volume made me remember why I didn't like the first couple of volumes.  Suzuka's a bitch, and Yamato's an idiot.  I can understand being attracted to someone who doesn't like you, but Suzuka's reaction goes past indifference.  She's out and out cruel to the poor guy, but he still pines for her.  In heaven's name why?  What could he possibly be attracted to.  On to of that, he's got a wonderful girlfriend already.  Honoka is nice and caring and while that may grow old after a while, I can't see Yamato not enjoying dating her for a while at least.  He seems to look at it as more of a chore than anything.

The whole "I'm with Honoka but I really love Suzuka" thing is getting old fast and makes the anime feel more like a soap opera than anything else.  The fact that Yamato is apparently as dumb as a box of rocks makes it even worse.  Is there really any teenager on the planet who thinks that the way to a women's heart is through sexual assault?  Give me a break.

The next four episodes are contained on this disc which comes in a clear keepcase with a reversible cover.  There is no insert.

Audio:

Ya know what the hardest part of writing a review is?  Coming up with a new and different way of saying that the audio (or video) was okay but nothing to write home about.  That's the case with this disc.  There are stereo soundtracks in English and Japanese, and while I enjoyed the Japanese a bit more they are both fine.  (Some of the English female voices were a bit whiney for my tastes.)  There were no dropouts or distortion.  Sutitles are available in English.

Video:

This show comes with a 4:3 image that is solid and looks fine.  There is some aliasing, mainly in the background, but the lines are tight and the colors are bright and even.  Like the audio, this is an average looking disc that doesn't really wow the viewer but doesn't do anything wrong either.

Extras:

Also included on this disc is another edition of the Aoda High School Year Book, a reel of stills from the show that lasts slightly less than a minute, and a textless opening and closing.

Final Thoughts:

While the last two volumes were interesting and engaging, the show takes a nose dive with this volume.  For a character driven show, there is a surprising lack of likeable characters.  Suzaka is just plain mean to Yamato, and Yamato in turn doesn't seem to mind.  These two aren't even dating and they already need counseling.  The events in this volume made the show hard to enjoy, so don't expect too much.  If you liked the previous volumes, this might be a good rental, but nothing more.