Manga Review: Jiu Jiu, Volume 4, by Touya Tobina

Rating (Out of 5): ~4.5

Publisher: VIZ Media (Shojo Beat)

Volumes: 5

Spoilers?: Some, nothing major.

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Werewolves at the door...and in the houseBorn into a family of “Hunters,” Takamichi’s destiny is to pursue and slay demons. When her twin brother is killed, she is saved from despair by a pair of Jiu Jiu—shape-shifting familiars—in the form of two wolf pups named Snow and Night. Now Takamichi is in high school and an active Hunter. Snow and Night can’t wait to attend school in their human form to “protect” her. But are they ready to go off leash...?

Takamichi's Jiu Jiu Obedience Training Goals

1. Play nice with your new temporary masters. But retain your loyalty.

2. Resist plots to eliminate your services...permanently.

3. At night, the Sickle Weasels come.

Reads R to L (Japanese Style) for teen plus audiences.

Review:

Ohhhh, this series. This series is just one of my absolute favorites. The last volume just came out and I cannot wait to get my hands on it. I am going to read that book so hard, and fangirl so much…

Anyway. In this volume, Takamichi, Mika, and Seijuro are forced to swap jiu jiu for a short period of time. Takamichi gets Ripple and White, while Seijuro gets Night and Mika gets Snow. This is a rather big learning experience for all of them. Takamichi learns, through Ripple and White, about both Mik and Seijuro, as well as how she really feels about Snow and Night and how hard it is to be without them. Night is forced to deal with Seijuro, which is hard given how jealous he is about Seijuro being Takamichi’s fiancé. And Snow learns more about himself by being with Mika, particularly in ways of growing up and getting stronger.

Takamichi starts sewing little plushy Snow and Night’s, and sleeping with them, pretty much ignoring that it means she misses them. And then she’s brought to the realization that Snow and Night are in love with her, and comes to the conclusion that she’s in love with them both as well. Only, in a rather hilarious plot, after she asks her classmates about couples and dating and love, including while birthday present shopping with them. Then she gets thrown for a loop when the question of sex is thrown into the mix, because she can’t fathom having sex with anyone. And then she finally gets to see them and freaks out, avoiding them, before finally giving them their presents.

Then they all get their own jiu jiu back (yay!), and Seijuro is told to stay at Takamichi’s house for a while, so as to get closer to her. And throughout all this, it seems like some serious stuff is going down. The family heads are planning something bad, including killing people (although I won’t spoil who), and they’ve got ideas/reasons for Takamichi and Siejuro getting married. Then, there’s something about Takayuki’s death…

It’s all leading up to the next, and final, volume. I’m very excited, and really hope to get my hands on it as soon as I can.