Takane & Hana: Volume 4 manga review

Takane & Hana Graphic Novel Volume 4 cover image

Hana Nonomura, a 16-year-old high school student, meets the man who is supposed to be her sister's husband.  Why?  Her 23-year-old sister, Yukari, refuses to go to an arranged marriage meeting with 26-year-old Takane Saibara, the heir to a vast business fortune.  Hana and Yukari's father works for the company owned by Takane's family.  Fearing that he might lose his job because of Yukari's refusal, he convinces Hana to be Yukari's stand-in and save face for their family.

As Takane & Hana, Vol. 4 (Chapters 16 to 21) opens, Hana and her friends wrap up their summer vacation trip to a tropical resort... with Takane in tow.  On the last night, the group decides to take a “courage test” to an allegedly haunted shrine near the resort.  When Hana & Takane end up alone, what will happen – fear or romance?  At work, Takane gets a new assistant, Eiji Kirigasaki, who is fastidious and skilled, but Kirigasaki was forced on Takane.  Why?

THE LOWDOWN:  The Takane & Hana manga remains a high school shojo romance scenario in a familiar vein.  A regular girl is forced to deal with a rich guy, and hilarity ensures with these star-crossed lovers.

Takane & Hana Graphic Novel Volume 4 offers more of the same.  Creator Yuki Shiwasu introduced a new threat to Hana and Takane's romance, one that manages to feel like a real threat.  However, this threat allows Shiwasu to show some character development and growth in Hana.  I did not find Vol. 3 to be a particularly strong entry in the series.  Vol. 4 is a pick-up from the previous volume.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of teen shojo manga will want to read the Shojo Beat title, Takane & Hana.

B+
7 out of 10