This older teen shojo series tells the story of Tominaga Sei,  a young woman who has been dressing as a boy in order to belong to the Bushi  warriors.  She entered to avenge the death of her father and brother.  She continues to stay so she can fight alongside Okita Soji, where she feels she belongs.  They have become very close and important to each other. Soji knows her secret identity, but his longstanding decision never to marry or involve himself with women ( In his words, “I am Bushi.     I have something more important than a woman or love.” ) keeps him from seeing Sei’s true heart. 

In volume 16, the one thread throughout this book is an exploration of marriage, its forms and meaning.  The story quickly drew me in.  Highranking Harada Sanosuke wants to marry outside of his class to a merchant’s daughter. Many struggle with the status quo, dealing with the class from which they came . The possibilities of serving the Bakufu is what they have worked hard for.  Except for love, there is more reasons for Sanosuke not to marry .  It won’t just affect him.  Inserted throughout the story are little narrations explaining the concepts foreign to us as modern readers.  Here was a good example.  We can’t see it through our 21st century eyes.  We need to understand how they saw it, and this is well done.  Figuring out the conclusion  to this marriage was one of the highlights in the saga.

The character Dr. Matsumoto really plays an important role.  He knew Sei’s father and he knows more about Sei’s past than even she does.  He keeps her secret and acts as a real mentor for her. We learn a lot about Sei’s father and the reasons for his behaviors.   We also see the sacrifice that her parents made for love and greater purposes; something mirrored in Sei herself and also in Soji.

Even though she is portraying a guy, there are some things you just can’t hide well.  Sei is diagnosed with “feminintitis”, and it’s driving Saito Hajime crazy.  It is haunting his dreams, actually in a good way but he doesn’t like it.  He seems to have a problem being confused by, or attracted to,  genderbending people.   

The book ends as Sei dresses one last time as a woman to expel any lingering regrets to giving up that side of herself. Soji spots her and tries to find out who she is.  Have they discovered each other’s hearts? Ahh!  This is where it is so difficult to wait for the next volume to come out.

Overall

This enjoyable series can be picked up at this point, but I’d recommend a quick background search.  There is a brief synopsis up to this point, but I found a little more on the characters was very helpful to my understanding and thus enjoyment of the story.  If you have read up to this point, there is no way you can miss this one.

Kaze Hikaru Volume 16 is brilliantly set in the 1860’s period of the Shinsengumi.  I don’t think it would be successful in any other setting.   I suppose “a woman dressed as a man in order to get around society’s rules in order  to achieve what they feel is their destiny or right”  is a fairly common story but I still thoroughly enjoyed the plot concept.

The historical setting is a highlight for me.  To explore through the characters’ lives is especially thoughtprovoking when the setting challenges us to a different norm and rules of society. It expresses how these past customs are still underlying societies today and often explain the differences between the eastern and western cultures.

Living in the 21st century we can relate to Sei, the pull of two worlds and how we express love.  It is a struggle with the difficulties of a lower position staying home or the strength of pride in being out in the trenches, making your way out in the world despite what you long to do, it is about staying true to what you have declared or determined you are destined to do.

I completely enjoyed the artwork.  Not only is the drawing well done and expressive, the concept of the layouts was also very energetic and added tremendously to the character of the book. I found this manga a to be quite engaging.

ComicsOnline gives Kaze Hikaru Volume 16 4 out of 5 buckets of cold water.