It’s been two years since J-Novel Club released Kokoro Connect, which has finally reached to its climax. Sadly, the popular series bids farewell to its readers with the last installment. Let’s see how this much-loved series ended its two years journey.
In this Volume of Kokoro Connect the writer ties all loose ends that were left untouched in the previous one. It starts with a lighter tone where Nagase suggests that the members of The Cultural Research Club should gather at Taichi’s place. Although they have been to one another’s places, they were visiting to Taichi’s place for the first time. Obviously, the protagonists is not looking forward to it as he doesn’t want to end up embarrassed because of his sister’s interference.
Taichi avaids telling his sister about his friends gathering at his place and wishes for her sister to have plans with her friends but unluckily that is not the case and ends up doing what Taichi was nervous about. Despite of Taichi’s attempts to stop her from doing anything embarrassing, she cause a lot of chaos and bombards them with plethora of questions in order to confirm if her brother has good and trustworthy friends.
In another short story of this Volume, the former class president Fujishima Maiko organizes a ‘Couples’ Battle Royale’ all over the school, which may possibly lead to some progression in her love life. The contest has participants who paired up to win flowers the contests and the last pair standing is the winner. As it was up to the students how they choose to compete, the contest take some hilarious turn of events involving the main cast which makes it even more interesting.
The first two parts of the Volume were relatively light-hearted compared to the other two which were a little more emotional, as they emphasize on the future of the Club as well as the cast after their graduation. It’s even more thoughtful in case of Nagase who is the most clueless about the future among others.
The Volume 11 could not be better than this as we bid our farewell to this interesting characters. It gives us a chance to see them doing some hilarious things for the last time along with some indication about the future and how they all reached to a fairly satisfying climax of their own. It’s good to have short stories rather than longer ones.
It’s satisfying to the extent that it feels like the author Sadanatsu Anda could not have done it any better and delivered everything the way she wanted to, not leaving any lose ends. Unlike many other light novels, this is surprisingly ends well making me satisfied as it was neither rushed nor incomplete. It doesn’t even feel short and ended perfectly.
Kokoro Connect gave us both positive and negative feelings throughout the series and there were time when we were displeased but it ended the way we can’t complain and simply praise it with utter satisfaction. But despite of those disappointments and issues that we had in the series, I would highly recommend it to anyone who hasn’t read it. It’s the best thing to read for someone who like to read slice of life/drama because despite of many ups and downs, you will end up loving it in the end.
Volume 11 of Kokoro Connect is brought to West by J-Novel Club. Molly Lee has translated the English Version and hs doe a great job. This release also includes colored pages, which makes the shenanigans of the characters even livelier. The illustration, is as usual on point thanks to Shiromizakana who has captured the world of Anda gorgeously.
All in all, Kokoro Connect ends in the best way possible and if you are attached to these characters as much as I am then there is no way you will be left dissatisfied. There might be some sadness as we won’t be seeing them more but overall it leaves you completely satisfied in the end.
