Otomen Volume 7 Manga Summary
This is for nazurahchan, since I promised to have this done for her ages ago and am criminally late with it. ): I bet that the translation is already out by now, but… Please don’t hate me. I’ll try to make it up to you somehow! DX
From where we last left off from the previous volume, Asuka in disguise was just about to get attacked by the rock star George’s band members, when he is saved by a man in a violet coat.
Asuka realizes this is the very same person who helped him at the filming of the “Beauty Samurai” show he did with Tounomine in Volume 6, the man who may or may not be his father. Watch out, Asuka! Your papa is kind of being a creepy stalker!
Anyway, after the man runs off, George proposes a sort of competition between his band and Hanamasa’s to see who is better at Rock n’ Roll. However, when the real Hanamasa hears about it, he is distraught and says that he can’t compete with George because…
George is actually his brother! :O
In desperation, Hanamasa’s band members ask Asuka to take his place again. He is reluctant at first, but they explain that Hanamasa probably won’t be singing from now on. One of the band members, Goshirakawa -the scariest one with the black cloth over his head- goes on to say that Hanamasa has always been self conscious of his voice, which is why he sings in a rock band and not the pop songs he loves. Asuka, as an otomen hiding his true hobbies, understands and accepts, but only after convincing Hanamasa to come to the concert.
Hanamasa: Before the rock star makeover. Isn’t he adorable?
At the live performance, George immediately realizes that Asuka isn’t really his brother, but before he can call him out, Asuka starts to sing the Fra*Fra song again. But Hanamasa and George both yell for him to stop, which results in George demanding to know why Hanamasa doesn’t want to sing the song he wrote.
As Asuka tries to process that bit of information, Hanamasa admits that he always thought his voice wasn’t fitting for such a pretty song, since he couldn’t reach high notes as well anymore.
Then Goshirakawa interrupts and reveals that Fra*Fra was supposed to have Hanamasa (his real name is Kamei Hanamasa) as the singer and George (his real name is Kamei Hanamaru) behind the music and guitar. But when Hanamasa explains that he honestly did want to sing that song, George insists that how he thinks his voice sounds doesn’t matter. “It’s no good if it’s not you!” he says, not-so manly tears streaming down his cheeks.
But we get to see what Hanamaru looks like without the sunglasses and gangster hair, so I’m not complaining. XD
So Asuka gives Hanamasa the microphone and Hanamaru’s band mates give him his guitar to perform together. But not before this little bit of dialogue between the brothers:
Hanamasa: As always, you’re such a cry baby, Nii-chan.
Hanamaru: Idi-… Shut up.
LOL. I love these brothers.
And, by the way, the concert is a huge success. Also, on a random note, Hanamaru needs to put his hair down more often, me thinks.
The next chapter begins with Tachibana telling the others a horror story about a boy on a gasshaku (which is apparently an intensive training trip Japanese sports team do from time to time) who is harassed by a female ghost. Obviously, it scares Asuka so badly that he leaves the room -while still managing to keep his manly facade- and he remembers when he was little his mother abandoned him in a haunted house.
“You’re a boy, aren’t you?” she had said as he screamed in terror, “Since you’re a boy you’ll be fine!”
As a result, Asuka dreads the gasshaku his Kendo club is having…
Until he realizes that Ryou will be there as well, as the manager, who helps oversee the training. (Tachibana actually told her she should, but she went willingly.)
However, he starts noticing disembodied voices and then -when he’s in the bath- he sees a dark shadow in the water. Something shatters and Ryou runs in, having heard the noise.
On a very naked Asuka. (He gets so embarrassed. It’s so adorable.)
That night, the club members are preparing to sleep when they talk about the same horror story Tachibana was telling earlier. Apparently, the manager of a different Kendo club several decades ago was dating the captain but I guess he played some horrible prank on her (I don’t really understand that part) and she ended up hanging herself.
Asuka is horrified, because that couple’s situation is a lot like him and Ryou, just as horrible things start happening.
The Kendo equipment is ruined. Then Asuka hears voices telling him to die. He feels something smothering when he sleeps. Things fall dangerously close to where he’s standing. And, finally, someone -or something- shoves him from the top of the stairs.
Fortunately, he only suffers light injuries, but finally he decides to find out what is really going on. Ryou offers to go with him to confront the ghost as well, but Asuka just smiles and says that he’s the one the ghost is after, so it’s better if he goes alone. Never mind the fact that he’s scared out of his mind.
However, instead of a ghost, he stumbles across Tachibana instead! It turns out that Tachibana was just playing a trick on him (he was hoping Ryou was coming with him and wanted to scare them so they would hug as reference for his manga), much to Asuka’s irritation. But when he asks Tachibana how he did those things in the bath and knocking him off the stairs, they realize that something else is responsible.
…And that’s when they meet the ghost.
This part is actually terrifying to me -because Kanno-sensei draws it just like it would be in a horror manga- but instead of freaking out like Tachibana and I would, Asuka manages to find his composure and asks to speak with the ghost.
The ghost -Yoriko- is surprised and starts musing to herself that no one has ever asked to speak with her before. Even when she dating the Kendo captain -his name was Masato-, he would never tell her whether he really loved her. When she did ask him, he just said, “Even if I don’t say so, you should understand!”
“I don’t understand!” she wails, as Asuka and Tachibana stare at her in a confused sort of fear.
When Asuka eventually finds his voice and asks her if that’s the reason she killed herself, she says that the truth is a car hit her after her argument with Masato. But the frustration and hurt of not being able to understand someone she loved made her remain as a ghost.
Tears well up in her eyes and Asuka has this heartbreakingly sympathetic look on his face before admitting that he understands how she feels. For himself personally, there are times when he wonders what Ryou really feels for him. Even though he confessed that he loves her and asked to date her, that uncertainty eats at him sometimes.
Yoriko is surprised but then she smiles and looks more like the girl she used to be before she died. “I’m glad I was able to talk to you,” she says. She starts to disappear and apologizes for doing all those horrible things to Asuka.
Just before she disappears for good, though, Asuka realizes something and asks her what her name is.
When she tells him, he says, “…Yoriko-san, I think that Masato-san… truly… really loved you.”
Then Asuka pulls away from of the shrubbery by the shed, where “Yoriko, I love you. - Masato” is engraved.
After that, Asuka parts ways with Tachibana and finds Ryou sleeping in the entryway, waiting for him. And he realizes, even though she doesn’t really tell him how she really feels… At the same time, she doesn’t have to.
In the next part, Tachibana reluctantly caves in to holding an autograph signing for his fans. And, as he is going over his fan letters, when he notices one from a Sakurai Shizuka.
She was his first love, when Tachibana was still awkward and dorky. (Where are his glasses?)
Thinking about her makes him feel nostalgic and a little depressed, so Asuka starts to worry about him.
At the signing, Tachibana freaks out when he realizes Asuka is there. But then he meets his first love and he’s so nervous that all he can ask is, “Your name…?”
As she walks away, Asuka comes up with a bag of cute things he made for his favorite mangaka. Tachibana’s editors comments that it’s rare for a young man to be interested in shoujo manga, but Asuka replies that he’s a big fan. He then goes on to say that, while he does want an autograph, he’d like to get one for his friend, who is also a fan of the series. “Lately that friend hasn’t been feeling well,” he says. “And to cheer him up…”
Tachibana interrupts, asking the name of that friend…
And Asuka replies, “Tachibana Juuta.”
Suddenly, Tachibana asks Asuka, “If you have a first love but was never able to tell her how you really felt… But you meet her again and, even though you have to hide your real self, do you think you should just forget it?”
Asuka pauses for a moment before replying, “…I… don’t really understand, but… If it were me…”
“I wouldn’t want a love I would regret.”
Tachibana immediately gets up from his seat, shouting, “Thanks, Asuka-chan!” as he runs off. Asuka stares after him in surprise before looking at the sign card and thoughtfully says how it looks just like Tachibana’s signature.
When Tachibana finally catches up with Shizuka, he is about to finally confess his feelings, but…
…She already has a boyfriend.
He stands there, thinking about how he always wanted to tell her how he really felt. How he became a mangaka, all thanks to her. And he tells himself, “That’s enough.”
However, before she leaves, Tachibana notes that in her fan letter, she mentioned her first love. “…Do you still remember his name…?” he asks.
“Of course,” she replies with a smile. “Tachibana Juuta-kun!”
“He was my first love!”
And Tachibana smiles back, thinking, “I loved you.”
The last chapter starts with Tachibana taking Asuka to a bakery he discovered. The owner looks like a yakuza, with slicked back hair and shades. Asuka is stunned speechless by him, but then he brings out the most adorable cake ever.
The cake of cuteness.
And, still as intimidating as ever, the man says that the name of the cake is…
The rest of the chapter includes Tachibana asking Asuka how his relationship is with Ryou. And then Tachibana ends up spreading a rumor that Asuka is moving to America. The entire school is devastated (even Tounomine comes and says, “If you leave… I’ll never forgive you!” With a blush and everything. It was strangely adorable.), but then it’s revealed that it’s not really true.
Ryou has been quiet all this time, but when she gets this scary look on her face, which surprises Asuka.
But then she pats his head and says…
“Thank goodness that was a lie!”
…But then Tachibana overhears some of girls talking and learns that Ryou is actually the one who has to move away soon.
…To be continued in Volume 8!
Again, sorry for how late this is nazurahchan. I hope you enjoyed it and that it kind of made sense. LOL. Just ask me if it doesn’t.
From where we last left off from the previous volume, Asuka in disguise was just about to get attacked by the rock star George’s band members, when he is saved by a man in a violet coat.
Asuka realizes this is the very same person who helped him at the filming of the “Beauty Samurai” show he did with Tounomine in Volume 6, the man who may or may not be his father. Watch out, Asuka! Your papa is kind of being a creepy stalker!
Anyway, after the man runs off, George proposes a sort of competition between his band and Hanamasa’s to see who is better at Rock n’ Roll. However, when the real Hanamasa hears about it, he is distraught and says that he can’t compete with George because…
George is actually his brother! :O
In desperation, Hanamasa’s band members ask Asuka to take his place again. He is reluctant at first, but they explain that Hanamasa probably won’t be singing from now on. One of the band members, Goshirakawa -the scariest one with the black cloth over his head- goes on to say that Hanamasa has always been self conscious of his voice, which is why he sings in a rock band and not the pop songs he loves. Asuka, as an otomen hiding his true hobbies, understands and accepts, but only after convincing Hanamasa to come to the concert.
Hanamasa: Before the rock star makeover. Isn’t he adorable?
At the live performance, George immediately realizes that Asuka isn’t really his brother, but before he can call him out, Asuka starts to sing the Fra*Fra song again. But Hanamasa and George both yell for him to stop, which results in George demanding to know why Hanamasa doesn’t want to sing the song he wrote.
As Asuka tries to process that bit of information, Hanamasa admits that he always thought his voice wasn’t fitting for such a pretty song, since he couldn’t reach high notes as well anymore.
Then Goshirakawa interrupts and reveals that Fra*Fra was supposed to have Hanamasa (his real name is Kamei Hanamasa) as the singer and George (his real name is Kamei Hanamaru) behind the music and guitar. But when Hanamasa explains that he honestly did want to sing that song, George insists that how he thinks his voice sounds doesn’t matter. “It’s no good if it’s not you!” he says, not-so manly tears streaming down his cheeks.
But we get to see what Hanamaru looks like without the sunglasses and gangster hair, so I’m not complaining. XD
So Asuka gives Hanamasa the microphone and Hanamaru’s band mates give him his guitar to perform together. But not before this little bit of dialogue between the brothers:
Hanamasa: As always, you’re such a cry baby, Nii-chan.
Hanamaru: Idi-… Shut up.
LOL. I love these brothers.
And, by the way, the concert is a huge success. Also, on a random note, Hanamaru needs to put his hair down more often, me thinks.
The next chapter begins with Tachibana telling the others a horror story about a boy on a gasshaku (which is apparently an intensive training trip Japanese sports team do from time to time) who is harassed by a female ghost. Obviously, it scares Asuka so badly that he leaves the room -while still managing to keep his manly facade- and he remembers when he was little his mother abandoned him in a haunted house.
“You’re a boy, aren’t you?” she had said as he screamed in terror, “Since you’re a boy you’ll be fine!”
As a result, Asuka dreads the gasshaku his Kendo club is having…
Until he realizes that Ryou will be there as well, as the manager, who helps oversee the training. (Tachibana actually told her she should, but she went willingly.)
However, he starts noticing disembodied voices and then -when he’s in the bath- he sees a dark shadow in the water. Something shatters and Ryou runs in, having heard the noise.
On a very naked Asuka. (He gets so embarrassed. It’s so adorable.)
That night, the club members are preparing to sleep when they talk about the same horror story Tachibana was telling earlier. Apparently, the manager of a different Kendo club several decades ago was dating the captain but I guess he played some horrible prank on her (I don’t really understand that part) and she ended up hanging herself.
Asuka is horrified, because that couple’s situation is a lot like him and Ryou, just as horrible things start happening.
The Kendo equipment is ruined. Then Asuka hears voices telling him to die. He feels something smothering when he sleeps. Things fall dangerously close to where he’s standing. And, finally, someone -or something- shoves him from the top of the stairs.
Fortunately, he only suffers light injuries, but finally he decides to find out what is really going on. Ryou offers to go with him to confront the ghost as well, but Asuka just smiles and says that he’s the one the ghost is after, so it’s better if he goes alone. Never mind the fact that he’s scared out of his mind.
However, instead of a ghost, he stumbles across Tachibana instead! It turns out that Tachibana was just playing a trick on him (he was hoping Ryou was coming with him and wanted to scare them so they would hug as reference for his manga), much to Asuka’s irritation. But when he asks Tachibana how he did those things in the bath and knocking him off the stairs, they realize that something else is responsible.
…And that’s when they meet the ghost.
This part is actually terrifying to me -because Kanno-sensei draws it just like it would be in a horror manga- but instead of freaking out like Tachibana and I would, Asuka manages to find his composure and asks to speak with the ghost.
The ghost -Yoriko- is surprised and starts musing to herself that no one has ever asked to speak with her before. Even when she dating the Kendo captain -his name was Masato-, he would never tell her whether he really loved her. When she did ask him, he just said, “Even if I don’t say so, you should understand!”
“I don’t understand!” she wails, as Asuka and Tachibana stare at her in a confused sort of fear.
When Asuka eventually finds his voice and asks her if that’s the reason she killed herself, she says that the truth is a car hit her after her argument with Masato. But the frustration and hurt of not being able to understand someone she loved made her remain as a ghost.
Tears well up in her eyes and Asuka has this heartbreakingly sympathetic look on his face before admitting that he understands how she feels. For himself personally, there are times when he wonders what Ryou really feels for him. Even though he confessed that he loves her and asked to date her, that uncertainty eats at him sometimes.
Yoriko is surprised but then she smiles and looks more like the girl she used to be before she died. “I’m glad I was able to talk to you,” she says. She starts to disappear and apologizes for doing all those horrible things to Asuka.
Just before she disappears for good, though, Asuka realizes something and asks her what her name is.
When she tells him, he says, “…Yoriko-san, I think that Masato-san… truly… really loved you.”
Then Asuka pulls away from of the shrubbery by the shed, where “Yoriko, I love you. - Masato” is engraved.
After that, Asuka parts ways with Tachibana and finds Ryou sleeping in the entryway, waiting for him. And he realizes, even though she doesn’t really tell him how she really feels… At the same time, she doesn’t have to.
In the next part, Tachibana reluctantly caves in to holding an autograph signing for his fans. And, as he is going over his fan letters, when he notices one from a Sakurai Shizuka.
She was his first love, when Tachibana was still awkward and dorky. (Where are his glasses?)
Thinking about her makes him feel nostalgic and a little depressed, so Asuka starts to worry about him.
At the signing, Tachibana freaks out when he realizes Asuka is there. But then he meets his first love and he’s so nervous that all he can ask is, “Your name…?”
As she walks away, Asuka comes up with a bag of cute things he made for his favorite mangaka. Tachibana’s editors comments that it’s rare for a young man to be interested in shoujo manga, but Asuka replies that he’s a big fan. He then goes on to say that, while he does want an autograph, he’d like to get one for his friend, who is also a fan of the series. “Lately that friend hasn’t been feeling well,” he says. “And to cheer him up…”
Tachibana interrupts, asking the name of that friend…
And Asuka replies, “Tachibana Juuta.”
Suddenly, Tachibana asks Asuka, “If you have a first love but was never able to tell her how you really felt… But you meet her again and, even though you have to hide your real self, do you think you should just forget it?”
Asuka pauses for a moment before replying, “…I… don’t really understand, but… If it were me…”
“I wouldn’t want a love I would regret.”
Tachibana immediately gets up from his seat, shouting, “Thanks, Asuka-chan!” as he runs off. Asuka stares after him in surprise before looking at the sign card and thoughtfully says how it looks just like Tachibana’s signature.
When Tachibana finally catches up with Shizuka, he is about to finally confess his feelings, but…
…She already has a boyfriend.
He stands there, thinking about how he always wanted to tell her how he really felt. How he became a mangaka, all thanks to her. And he tells himself, “That’s enough.”
However, before she leaves, Tachibana notes that in her fan letter, she mentioned her first love. “…Do you still remember his name…?” he asks.
“Of course,” she replies with a smile. “Tachibana Juuta-kun!”
“He was my first love!”
And Tachibana smiles back, thinking, “I loved you.”
The last chapter starts with Tachibana taking Asuka to a bakery he discovered. The owner looks like a yakuza, with slicked back hair and shades. Asuka is stunned speechless by him, but then he brings out the most adorable cake ever.
The cake of cuteness.
And, still as intimidating as ever, the man says that the name of the cake is…
The rest of the chapter includes Tachibana asking Asuka how his relationship is with Ryou. And then Tachibana ends up spreading a rumor that Asuka is moving to America. The entire school is devastated (even Tounomine comes and says, “If you leave… I’ll never forgive you!” With a blush and everything. It was strangely adorable.), but then it’s revealed that it’s not really true.
Ryou has been quiet all this time, but when she gets this scary look on her face, which surprises Asuka.
But then she pats his head and says…
“Thank goodness that was a lie!”
…But then Tachibana overhears some of girls talking and learns that Ryou is actually the one who has to move away soon.
…To be continued in Volume 8!
Again, sorry for how late this is nazurahchan. I hope you enjoyed it and that it kind of made sense. LOL. Just ask me if it doesn’t.