Customer Reviews

Ai Yori Aoshi, Vol. 16

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Ai Yori Aoshi's had a good run here in the US; so far, 16 of the 17 volumes have been released with the 17th scheduled for an October release stateside. Volume 16, however, could have done with a few improvements to spice up an almost-dead storyline, but overall it continued author Kou Fumizuki's string of producing high-quality manga.

Basically, volume 16 can be summed up like this: Somehow, Miyabi's relationship with the Sakuraba family got severed, and now Kaoru and the other tenants have one day to pack up all their stuff and leave the boarding house. Not only that, but everyone's true feelings for Kaoru are revealed- and pretty much everyone's fallen head over heels for him, including the shy Taeko Minazuki (we kinda had an idea before, but this is the first time she's come out and admitted she's in love with him). Meanwhile, as the real Kaoru is speeding to Aoi's rescue, the fake Kaoru is continuing to try to woo Aoi into marrying him instead of Kaoru (the real one). And that's about where it ends...

Compared to the more recent volumes, volume 16 kinda falls short. It was interesting to finally see the boarders come to grips with their love for Kaoru, but I wish the Aoi/real Kaoru plotline would have been fleshed out a bit more; the real Kaoru does end up getting to the Sakuraba residence, but nothing much more is said about that plotline. Overall, though, Fumizuki continues the Ai Yori Aoshi tradition quite nicely, and I will be very sad when this little emotional thrill ride comes to an end.