Shortcake Cake Graphic Novel Volume 6 cover image

To attend Nekochiya High School, Ten Serizawa, a high school freshman, takes a two-hour commute through the mountains, both ways.  Ten's friend, Ageha Haruno, suggests that she move into the boarding house where Ageha stays.  If she does move in, Ten will have to contend with three high school boys who, to varying degrees, are attracted to her.

Shortcake Cake, Vol. 6 (Chapters 30 to 35) opens just after Chiaki Kasadera kissed Ten.  He knows that she has a crush on fellow housemate, Riku Mizuhara, but he says he won't give up.  Later, Ageha's birthday party provides Ten and Riku with the opportunity to go shopping together... alone.  Ten hopes that Riku feels about her the way she feels about him.  But didn't she already reject him?!

[This volume includes bonus manga and chapter-page illustrations.]

THE LOWDOWN:  The Shortcake Cake manga continues to be the reading equivalent of a warm cup of cocoa.  Lately, that cocoa has turned just a teensy bit bitter.

Shortcake Cake Graphic Novel Volume 6 is mostly a Ten and Riku volume.  The puppy love dates are cute, but the Ten-Chiaki-Riku love triangle remains a complication.  Speaking of which, I would not call Shortcake Cake a complex high school shojo romance, but there is something about it that is endearing.  Emi Louie-Nishikawa's quiet translation is pitch perfect, and so is Inori Fukuda Trant's unobtrusive lettering.  I'm ready for another slice.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of high school shojo romance will want to read the “Shojo Beat” title, Shortcake Cake.

A-
7.5 out of 10