Manga Review: Maid-sama!, Volume 11 & 12, by Hiro Fujiawara

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: November 2016

Volumes: 18.

Spoilers?: Light.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository.

Volume: 1&2. 9&10. 13&14.

Goodreads Synopsis:

A 2-in-1 edition of the romantic-comedy series where chaos ensues when the student council president’s secret—that she works at a maid café—is discovered by the school’s #1 hottie!

As if being student council president of a predominantly male high school isn’t hard enough, Misaki Ayuzawa has a major secret—she works at a maid café after school! How is she supposed to keep her image of being ultrasmart, strong and overachieving intact once school heartthrob Takumi Usui discovers her double life?!

Misaki and Takumi go on a double date with Sakura and Kuga to the hot springs! However, Misaki is still shaken up after learning about Takumi’s past. So what kinds of challenges await her when she unearths even more information about his family?

Review:

So much happens in each book, since there's two volumes. I don't know what to focus on.

There's some light stuff, like Misaki and Usui helping out Sakura with her misunderstood rockstar boyfriend. Aoi gets to make the maids costumes for the first time, and that turns out very pretty. We get a couple moments of sexual tension around Yukimura, and how anyone could possibly not see the possibilities between him and Kanou is beyond me. This is one of the only not-actually gay couples that gets to me. I mean, come on.

Aside from that, there's an ongoing tension between Misaki and Usui. They're not labeling their relationship—Usui believes it could lead to bad things from his family that he's still hiding from her, but she's too embarrassed to tell him how she feels. It's nice to see her realizing how she reacts to him and accepting that she might want to react differently and be more honest with him. Then we meet Usui's brother, and his ninja stalker bodyguard, who's honestly fantastic.

There were also a couple extra chapters, one where we get the characters in an opposite-gender world that's quite fun; I like Usui as a girl. Then we see the idiot trio in a realistic chapter about their friendship, which is also nice.

I can't wait to start the next one. I love the depth we're getting to the characters.

A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!