You know the 5 Stages of Death? Well, Coming Out also has certain stages. 1) First, you have to admit to yourself you are /fillintheblank/. 2) Then you admit it to someone close to you. Just one person, because your sure it's going to turn them against you. 3) Then you admit it to someone else - sometimes a perfect stranger, because that's safer than family or friends. 4) The biggest hurdle is vocalizing it to your family. If that stage is not horrible (and for many people it is,) you start becoming more comfortable with the whole thing, until the final stage 5) Acceptance. For that to happen you have to accept yourself. It's a bonus if the people around you accept you too, but it's most important that you accept yourself.In Aoi Hana Volume 5, Fumi has made it past the third stage. And really, she's not sure how she got there. But it's okay, because she's well on her way to accepting herself. And she's also already incredibly strong, although she doesn't yet realize it.
It's once again time for the Drama Club to put on their play and emotions are running very high. Despite themselves, last year's first-years are turning into rather mature second-years that are admired by the new students. Kyouko stuns people with her performance in Mishima Yukio's Rokumeikan
. (The link is to the collection of plays in which Rokumeikan is included.) Even Akira, who comes down with sudden nerves, finds herself caught up in the moment and shines on stage.Haruka learns that Fumi, too, is a lover of women, and we follow a flashback when she learned of her sister and Hinako's relationship. When Fumi meets Haruka's sister, she is keenly aware - and a little jealous - of their comfort level with each other.
Even Mogi's clandestine relationship with Akira's brother is noted.
Everyone is growing up.
I only wish I had "met" Fumi when I was young. I could have used a media representation like her.
With vacation planned and old flames coming back into the story, Volume 6 promises to be full of fireworks - can't wait!
Ratings:
Art - 8
Characters - 9
Story - 9
Yuri - 5
Loser FanBoy - 1
Overall - 9
Does *anyone* like Chizu? The more we see of her, the less I like her.