The true highlight of this third volume of Neighborhood Story is the building up to and the culmination of the school festival: lots of emotions run wild with so many characters we come to love on the pages. Mikako focused on the fashion show exhibit, having worked out her problems with her teammates due to her not being able to stay on task, be on time, and place a bigger priority on the work. Different members of the friend group float around on campus, some proudly exhibiting their talent and dedication while some bow out, still trying to figure out their own paths and what they want to do in life. It is an emotional sequence of pages that could ring true for adolescence anywhere and everywhere: being confronted on what paths you may or may not take after high-school and the troubling insecurity of not being one hundred percent certain. Some young adults may feel ready to grab the baton and move forward while others may feel like the background characters or sidekicks to dreams of their friends or lovers or peers.

Pages from manga of characters running off and away from others help move along the branching story lines of the b-side romances and what comes of them. Pages of Tsutomu in a crowd looking lonely and isolated, taking photos reveals just how much of an outsider he feels. Finally seeing the hard work put in by the fashion show is a treat: from performances to some teens we’ve known for volumes taking the stage and showing their best. The fashion show exhibiting where Mikako finally makes her appearance goes down as one of my favorite manga pages of all time of this confident, teenage girl overcoming her doubts and shining something like an ethereal being.

In my heart, I was reminded of being a teenager reading ParaKiss aka Paradise Kiss, Ai Yazawa’s other work set in the same universe (gentle reminder that ParaKiss is the sequel) and feeling so seen. This volume of Neighborhood Story has really worked to move full circle in reminding me of why Shojo still means so much to me with an author whom I’ve been reading since I was the age of the teenagers in this work of hers. As I said in my review of the previous volume, this manga series feels timeless with much of what the teens go through and their struggles still so relevant which still strike me as impressive on the mangaka’s end this is a series was first published in the 90’s, there are a few things that date the story (The pagers that a few teens have that make an appearance, the usage of film cameras not DSLRs, etc)

https://blacknerdproblems.com/review-neighborhood-story-vol-3/

I would not be reading the third volume of Neighborhood Story if all it had going for it was its technicolor end-of-the-bubble-era (but they don't know it) slice of life story centered around kids in a high school for the arts. I won't give this quote context because then it would be a spoiler, but this line in the third volume sums up what makes Neighborhood Story great: "Students at this school have their own dreams and goals and they act like it's the most natural thing in the world even though it's incredibly rare to know what you want to do at our age. Do you have any idea what it's like to be surrounded by people like that when you've lost your way and are terrified of being left behind? Do you understand the desperation of wanting to catch up to everyone else?"

There is so much to unpack in volume three of "Neighborhood Story". The first half of this volume our beloved group of friends go on a mini vacation. As expected, drama was on a high. I think it is safe to say that Mariko is my least favorite character from this series. She is very selfish, and I don't see much character development happening with her. Now, the second half of this volume was so good. I felt like I was watching some of our characters grow more into themselves while also coming to realizations about their life and the people who are in them. By the time I got to the end I was a bit sad that it was over. I want to know what happens next!

This digital ARC was obtainable via NetGalley for an honest review.

Another great volume of this manga! This volume mostly covered Mikako and friends through their summer break and fall fashion show. Similar to the other volumes, the main focus was on their aspirations and relationships with one another. As with the last two volumes, I think the author did a great job at making each character really fleshed out and authentically teenagers. I continue to enjoy reading this and am positively surprised at least once each volume, this is a really fresh shoujo which is interesting considering it's a much older title. I look forward to seeing how this series wraps up and would definitely recommend it to a friend!

Thank you to Netgalley and Viz Media for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!