Nov 10, 2009

Arakure Volume 7 (Chp 34 - 38) -- Words Can't do Justice

Words can't do Arakure volume 7 justice, so I'm not even going to try to write a summary in detail.  It really is a volume you should buy.

Chapter 34

Kazuya likes Miho and intends to confess to her, but Miho likes Rakuto.  Kazuya now hates Rakuto.  Meanwhile the teachers are pressuring Rakuto and Sachie to choose a career path. Back to Kazuya:  he decides to find Rakuto's weakness and expose it.  In passing, Rakuto congratulates Takaya (Sachie's class president and the son of the police detective) for winning the  election and becoming the next Student Body President.  Kazuya hears a rumor about Rakuto's past.  It is said that Rakuto was known as "Buddha Raku," the leader of a Kanto area street gang in junior high."  Instead of it being a bad thing, the girls think Rakuto's even cooler because of it.  The truth behind it is that Rakuto was in a street gang, he moved up quickly through the ranks to become the leader.  As the leader he told his members the gang life would lead them nowhere and told them to follow his example into the light and become good and responsible citizens. Consequently, he left the gang, thereby leaving a strong impression on the some of the gang members, one of them being Takaya.

In the career center (or someplace akin to that), Sachie and Takaya are doing some research.  Sachie asks Takaya whether he's going to follow in his father's footsteps and become a cop.  Takaya says he went through a rebellious phase, but that neither that nor his father's legacy affect him.  He then throws the question back at Sachie, asking her whether she intends to take over her "family business."  Kazuya locks Sachie and Takaya in the career center, thinking that Rakuto's in there, so Rakuto can't go and recieve Miho's confession.  Rakuto meets up with Miho, but nothing happens because Rakuto recieves a text message from Sachie, telling him she's locked in the career center with Takaya.  Rakuto comes and grabs Sachie away.  Sachie tells him to let her go and that Takaya didn't lock them in.  Takaya notes Sachies stubborness and the fact that Rakuto caved in.  Takaya says Rakuto has changed and Rakuto replies that he and Sachie can't both be stubborn.  With great admiration, Takaya confesses to Rakuto and is met with swift rejection.

As the chapter comes to a close, the teachers decide to do a home visit because Rakuto still hasn't filled in his career survey.


Chapter 35

The teachers decide Rakuto must go to a top university because he's too smart not to and they need a source of pride for the school.  Rakuto's teacher comes over to the Clan house for a home visit.  The Yakuza try their best to act like a normal responsible family.  The teacher thinks the household is too noisy and disorganized for Rakuto to concentrate on his studies.  However, the clan gets together to defend themselves and express their love for Rakuto.  The teacher relents.  After the teacher is gone, Sachie tells Rakuto that she's glad he wasn't taken away and she wants him to graduate safely and go to college.


Chapter 36

During her grocery shopping trip, Sachie wins a pair of tickets to a theme park.  Azuma and Rakuto both want to go with Sachie, so they take a compatibility test with Sachie to determine who will go.  Azuma gets 86% and Rakuto gets 3%.  Regardless of the test, Sachie buys an extra ticket so the three of them can go.  The guys vie to get paired with Sachie on the rides, however, Sachie chooses rides they can all go on together. During a break, Sachie goes to get drinks.  While alone together, Azuma makes a bargain with Rakuto.  Azuma wants to ride the Flower Gondola (there's a love superstition associated with the ride) and is willing to give up on the other rides for that one.  The two argue about the love compatibility scores and Sachie overhears.  She says she's going to double check, but when she returns she has checked Azuma and Rakuto's capatability, which happens to be 100%  While Sachie is doing this, Rakuto notices his name is spelled incorrectly on form displaying his compatibility with Sachie.  Sachie comes bounding back and Rakuto is completely frustrated.  He corners Sachie and asks her to consider why he and Azuma are in bad moods.  Clueless Sachie responds, "Because you both wanted to come here!" and then explains that she's been intentionally picking rides they can all do together.  Rakuto is saddened because he now thinks Sachie only sees him as a friend.  Sachie, further misinterpreting matters and sends Rakuto and Azuma onto the Flower Gondola together so they can improve their relationship.  There they complain that it is like they've been dating each other all day.  While they are on the ride, Sachie goes and gets another compatibility reading and this time it's for her and Rakuto.  It's 99%.  Sachie doesn't appear to be fully aware of why she's done this.


Chapter 37 - 38

This begins the awful and way too long Midori story arc.  Basically, Sachie interrupts Midori's act of bravery.  Midori challenges Sachie and the prize is Rakuto.  Midori also happens to be a Yakuza Princess.  Midori wins, so Rakuto has to be Midori's personal butler and Sachie has to be a chambermaid to replace Midori's caretaker, Kotarou, who is ill.  It ends with the elevator scene that is replayed in chp 39.

---- End Volume 7 ----