Coming off the cliffhanger ending of volume 6, a volume that’s filled with short stories seems like a disappointment compared to reading the conclusion to the Cultural Festival arc. While this isn’t quite what Tomozaki fans wanted, volume 6.5 gives readers new perspectives on past events and further develops certain character’s backstories. Volume 6.5 contains ten short stories which expand the Tomozaki universe, some being filler and some giving the reader vital context in relation to the main story. Each story has a different setting, most taking place in-between an earlier volume, but some taking place back in middle school. Of course, many of these stories revolve around Tomozaki himself, as he’s the main character, but he has minimal narration in this volume. Instead, we get to read the narration of Hinami, Mimimi, and Fuka, among others.
Perhaps the most interesting story in this volume is the first one, which is about the time Hinami had a boyfriend in middle school. Taking place around three years before Tomozaki begins, Hinami is already in her current mindset when it comes to academics, athletics, and anything else she has an interest in. While she isn’t at the level she wants to be at, she’s steadily improving, having the third-highest score in her class (up six positions since her third-semester finals score), and being talented enough to play as a starter on the varsity basketball team. She gets asked out by an older boy who’s a starter on the men’s basketball team, incurring the envy and wrath of other girls on the women’s basketball team. What’s interesting about this story is not Hinami having a boyfriend, but what she thinks about having a boyfriend. From the get-go, being in a relationship was never about ‘love’ for her. Unlike the often melodramatic relationships that middle schoolers have, it was all strictly business to Hinami. For someone who’s in middle school, Hinami is oddly calculating and mature (not in a good way) about her relationship. Of course, we should expect this, knowing Hinami. The question is never “Do I want to be with this guy?” to her, it’s “What utility does he have for me?”. This story doesn’t answer the question of what made Hinami start social-climbing, but it does give answers to why she doesn’t have a boyfriend in the main volumes, what she thinks about most of her classmates, and even what kind of guy she would be potentially interested in. Personally, I would’ve been more interested in her ‘origin story’, what made her decide to become the Aoi Hinami we know today, but that would probably be too important of a plot point to drop in a ‘.5’ volume.
Other interesting plot-relevant stories include chapter four, which is about how Fuka came to love Michael Andi’s books. It gives insight into what drew her to his books, her struggles to make friends in middle school, and what drew her to approach Tomozaki in the library. The story is pretty self-explanatory, but it does give good context to explain why Fuka, normally a reserved girl, approached Tomozaki uncharacteristically in volume 1. The next chapter is a supplementary of the previous story, containing Fuka’s diary entries from around volume 1 of the light novel. Chapter seven, which focuses on Mimimi’s future goals. Taking place after she and other second years (other than Hinami) quit the track team, Mimimi is directionless. She was never the best in the track team (thanks to Hinami) and failed at her attempt to be the student council president (again, thanks to Hinami), but at least then she had something to strive towards. Now, she’s struggling to find any goals beyond what any typical high schooler has. She also struggles with knowing that she’s just an ordinary person, not having the drive that Hinami has to ‘be the best’. She often compares herself to others, rather than focusing on if she has improved in what she’s interested in. From her point of view, it’s hard to realize that Hinami’s able to do this due to having psychopathic traits (traits found in many ‘GOAT’ athletes and strongman politicians), traits that often lead to success, but lack in empathy, compassion, and general emotion. What Mimimi lacks in drive she makes up for in being a real person.
Other stories of note include two on Izumi and Shuji’s relationship; one taking place during the camping trip during volume 3, and the other taking place a few months after they start dating. There’s also one focusing on Mizusawa working part-time at a bar during summer break. These stories are more filler than anything, but they’re still interesting reads.
A side volume filled with short stories is not what most people wanted, especially with how volume 6 ended. Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait until December for volume 7, but you can’t rush a good translation. For those who are disappointed though, there IS a story in this volume that is a continuation of an important part of the last volume — I won’t give away what it’s about or where it is though. That’s on you, the reader and fan of the Tomozaki series, to find. Compared to the last few volumes, volume 6.5 is the most mediocre out of all of them. It’s not bad per se, but it’s nothing compared to the main volumes. It’s like comparing a seasonal anime and an OVA that comes with the blu-rays. It’s not fair in a sense, but I can’t give a volume a special rating scale just because it’s a ‘half volume’. Volume 6.5 won’t scratch that itch that Tomozaki fans have after reading volume 6, but it does add some depth to everyone’s favorite characters and contain some entertaining stories.
