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A review by absentminded_reader
Ao Haru Ride, Vol. 8 by Io Sakisaka
4.0
Back in Stride –
After the disappointment of the previous volume, Sakisaka has hit her narrative stride again. I wouldn't be surprised if her editors announced the extension of her story's run, causing her to make a sudden shift in narrative so the story didn't wrap up too quickly. However, I have no evidence to suggest that is what happened.
Regardless, this volume was excellent. Narumi & Kikuchi have been woven into the narrative now. The conflicts they create bring out weaknesses in Futaba & Kou that need to be dealt with. Although this entire story is about that process, this volume featured new levels of introspection in both main characters.
Also of note was the art. There were many excellent examples of Sakisaka's skill, but some pages stood out to me. On page 11, Sakisaka utilized white space & creative borders to turn the same patch of screentone into both a background and a shadow over Futaba. On its facing page, page 12, Kou's hair and school jacket were rendered with the same ambient screentone, giving Kou a dreamy, atmospheric feel. This was a decorative touch that was completely unnecessary, but which became vital for establishing mood. Page 14 was another highlight. It featured a series of moment to moment transitions that froze time, heightened tension, then resolved with a surprise. Exemplary sequential art.
After the disappointment of the previous volume, Sakisaka has hit her narrative stride again. I wouldn't be surprised if her editors announced the extension of her story's run, causing her to make a sudden shift in narrative so the story didn't wrap up too quickly. However, I have no evidence to suggest that is what happened.
Regardless, this volume was excellent. Narumi & Kikuchi have been woven into the narrative now. The conflicts they create bring out weaknesses in Futaba & Kou that need to be dealt with. Although this entire story is about that process, this volume featured new levels of introspection in both main characters.
Also of note was the art. There were many excellent examples of Sakisaka's skill, but some pages stood out to me. On page 11, Sakisaka utilized white space & creative borders to turn the same patch of screentone into both a background and a shadow over Futaba. On its facing page, page 12, Kou's hair and school jacket were rendered with the same ambient screentone, giving Kou a dreamy, atmospheric feel. This was a decorative touch that was completely unnecessary, but which became vital for establishing mood. Page 14 was another highlight. It featured a series of moment to moment transitions that froze time, heightened tension, then resolved with a surprise. Exemplary sequential art.