W Juliet, Vol. 14

March 15, 2007
Tall, tomboyish Ito Miura has always been cast as the male lead in the drama club productions. New transfer student Makoto Amano attracts attention with her statuesque beauty and dramatic talent. The two quickly become best friends, and Ito discovers Makoto's secretshe's a he. Makoto's father wants him, his only son, to inherit the family martial arts dojo. His father set an ultimatum: if Makoto can get through the last two years of high school as a girl, he can become an actor. If he's discovered, he has to follow the future his father laid out for him. In this final volume, Makoto and Ito face graduation and their future together. Makoto will no longer have to disguise himself, but after years of deceiving Ito's family, can he be accepted as Ito's boyfriend? Hugely entertaining, this series packs in the action and physical comedy. Despite the wacky gender-bending scenario, this old-fashioned shojo romance emphasizes hard work, strong convictions, and the importance of family. It balances humor with quiet, reflective scenes. Rated ages 13+, it contains slapstick martial arts fighting, mild language, and kissing. Readers of Yoko Kamio's Boys over Flowers (LJ Xpress Reviews, 12/19/06) will enjoy this. Highly recommended for teen collections.June Shimonishi, Torrance P.L., CA

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