Nicholas has felt worthless his whole life, with a famous father who knows nothing about him. He wants to make his mark, be remembered, show his father he is deserving of his love and admiration. However, all of this need is being filtered into a perceived rivalry with Seiji. Seiji is hiding something, there is some reason he decided to forgo a spot at the top tier Exon Academy in favour of Kings Row (a team that loses often). What really happened between him and Jesse? Also, Seiji is so focused he has no ability to socialize, be a teen, or a teammate. It is only through Nicholas's constant attention and pushing that Seiji begins to loosen up and become more aware of those around him. This makes both him and Nicholas better fencers. There is a lot of comedy in these graphic novels, but also a lot of heart. There are sometimes too many characters to keep track of and the story moves a tad slowly, but the main characters are diverse, memorable, loveable, and determined to be the best they can. The fourth volume was all about coming together as a team and supporting on another. Knowing each other's strengths and weaknesses and using them to their advantage over other teams. It was a powerful bonding moment between Nicholas and Seiji, one that hopefully pushes the momentum of their story. Already, Seiji seems willing to help train Nicholas. The illustrations are done well, cute and colourful for the comedic moments, and brooding for the serious moments. The art style is very reminiscent of manga, with characters sometimes shown with kawaii faces when they are highlighting a characters soft side, or their ability to make other characters fall in love with them (often in the case of Aiden's cheering squad). But the illustrations are also blunt and the colours subdued when the matches begin, pushing the reader to focus only on those participating in the fencing match. This is a very fun graphic novel series, and it truly makes the sport of fencing more approachable and easier to understand. I am excited to continue on with Nicholas and Seiji's story. Originally published: Vol. 2: November 15, 2019; Vol. 3: August 20, 2019; Vol. 4: June 30, 2020
Author: C. S. Pacat Illustrator: Johanna the Mad Paperback: Vol.2: 112 Pages, ISBN 1684152976; Vol. 3: 112, ISBN 1684153344; Vol. 4: 112, ISBN 168415538X Publisher: BOOM! Box Genres: Graphic Novel, LGBTQ, Sports Acquired From: Waterloo Public Library
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