This section is devoted to the five original volumes of Sotsugyou M manga that were produced.  These were never put into English, so there is only the 1996-7 Japanese editions by Asuka Comics. I don't have much time to attempt scanlations, translations or anything of that nature, sadly. I like translating, because it gives me practice with my Japanese. But I probably won't find the time to be able to translate all five volumes of the original and all four of the PLUS manga. (If people have special requests from reading summaries, though, I might try...) What I have done for the time being is the occasional translation/scanlation of odd chapters or sections directly just to give people the idea. Sotsugyou M needs more love, after all :D

This page is the next best thing to a translation, as it gives a summary of what each of the chapters are about. So there are lots of spoilers.

For the most part, Arai Tougo seems to be the central character although the manga is about all of them (Arai simply has the greatest number of appearances). The connection between Sotsugyou M and E.M.U is really clear since the first chapter of the manga (and the volume) is titled Boku-tachi no Kotae and the lyrics from the song's chorus appear at the end of the first chapter. There are also fun little references through which makes the connection clear - read on to see what I mean ;)


第１巻Volume One: Boku-tachi no Kotae
Chapter One: Boku-tachi no Kotae
This is really, I suppose, the introduction to the Sotsugyou boys in their Seiryuu Academy world. In this chapter the boys meet Takagi Shimon for the first time...he's a transfer student who shows up in a Rolls Royce and right away he and Arai Tougo clash horns. (It later transpires that Takagi is as bright as Nakamoto and is only one mark behind him in the class test listings, in which Nakamoto ranks top).
Arai is a really, really bad boy. He skips out on class, and he takes his phonecalls in class. His grades suck and he's constantly being threatened with failing and not graduating. He also flirts with the female teacher Shimizu-sensei, who is driven to tears over his behaviour. Takagi on the other hand is extremely sophisticated - he doesn't want to do gym because he's "allergic", he's into perfume...and well, yeah. You get the picture.

Mikimaro is really cute. He wants to be friends with everyone and even tries to lure the studious Nakamoto out of his room to join them playing games. Nakamoto has to sneak out to feed his cat friends, however (which seems to be a secret although Arai discovers it and finds it highly amusing). When Arai gets back to school late after a night on the town, and Nakamoto (his roommate) is fast asleep, Takagi surprisingly lets him into his room for the night and they have a vaguely civil conversation. Arai discovers Takagi plays guitar, and is kinda interested by it. Meanwhile Mikimaro has stumbled on Nakamoto playing the piano (note, piano, even though in E.M.U Hayashi-san obviously plays guitar...) Nakamoto is adamant he doesn't want to play for anyone else, and Mikimaro heads off for a meeting with one of the teachers. However, the teacher (erm) propositions him and Mikimaro is a bit (understatement) panicked. His screams are heard by all of the other four, who come rushing to his rescue (Mikimaro is especially happy that Nakamoto came because Nakamoto is so withdrawn from the rest of them). Arai beats up the teacher and leaves him semi-conscious on the floor. And he and Takagi have another disagreement. Meanwhile Yuusuke has written a love-letter (we presume to Shimizu-sensei) which he wants Nakamoto to proof-read. And Nakamoto does...rather brutally. Mikimaro tries to keep the peace...bless his little heart. At this point there is no "M" exactly. But the basic vibe is there. The chapter ends with the lines to the E.M.U song Boku-tachi no Kotae.

Chapter Two: Burning Generation
This chapter is mostly about Arai and Yuusuke. Yuusuke has a major major crush on their teacher Shimizu-sensei whose younger brother he happens to coach in little league baseball (the brother, Hiroshi, is something of a brat - rather like a mild version of the sheep-boy from Furuba). In any case, Yuusuke drags a (very hungover) Arai out of bed in order to get him to help out (apparently it was a promise...though Arai is none too amused...especially when he finds out Yuusuke wants him to help out on the one day of the week they have off, Sunday. Arai's also having difficulty with a girl that he's involved in - or rather, he's telling the girl to leave him alone and she's a bit ticked off by it. I can't remember her name off the top of my head...if it's even written in the chapter.

The baseball kids are unsure about Arai - and Arai is not pleased at being called the new 'Coach' but the kids (Hiroshi) wind him up to such a degree that he proves he was once a good pitcher and that he knows what he's about. Most of the kids accept him then. Hiroshi doesn't. And then Shimizu-sensei turns up and the true motivation for Yuusuke's interest becomes clear. :)

They all head off to eat, and during this time Arai (in his usual, off-hand kind of way) gives Hiroshi some baseball advice which Hiroshi doesn't take too well. However, when Hiroshi is later practicing at home, he remembers it and tries it out - and it works.

For some random reason, Mikimaro, Takagi and Nakamoto are also invited to the game, which the Seiryuu juniors win thanks to Arai's advice to Hiroshi (who didn't see that coming). However in the middle of the game, Arai is confronted by his girlfriend (can we call her that? Maybe we can) who's a little bit annoyed. He drags her off for a chat - though we don't entirely know what they chatted about, and Arai isn't really sharing the information. Shimizu-sensei invites Arai and Yuusuke back to her house for tea and when they get there, Arai realises Shimizu-sensei has a man involved because there are two cups in the cupboard and an ashtray/the smell of smoke even though Shimizu-sensei doesn't smoke. She asks him about the girl who came and Yuusuke says jokingly that it's Arai's "wife". Arai is not amused. Shimizu-sensei tells him he should take marriage more seriously and understand how a girl feels but Arai tells her he's only 17 and doesn't want to be bothered with that stuff just yet. He also turns the tables on Shimizu-sensei and asks her whether or not she's married. He points out that it's clear she has a lover. Yep, Yuusuke loves this...

From this point, Yuusuke asks Takagi's advice in buying Shimizu-sensei a birthday present (and to the eavesdropping Mikimaro it seems that Yuusuke and Arai have had a fight). Takagi is surprised. Meanwhile Arai confronts Shimizu-sensei in private, and criticises her for playing with Yuusuke's feelings. Shimizu counters it by reminding him of his treatment of "his" girl. When Arai discovers that Yuusuke is planning to take her flowers for her birthday he tries to stop his friend, but to no avail. Shimizu-sensei seems to have plenty to cry out on Yuusuke's shoulder though (much to Hiroshi's dismay!), even as she admits there is a man in her life.
Meanwhile, that girl is still hanging around...and Arai proves he's not really wanting rid of her because when he sees her talking to Takagi he decides to shout - rather loudly - that Takagi is gay. And yep...Takagi and Arai are fighting again ^_^.

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第２巻Volume Two: Boku-tachi no Jikan
Chapter Three: All Systems Go!
This chapter is really about Arai and somewhat about Takagi. Arai's father is coming home and Arai's none too pleased that he wants to meet up. He even pretends to Nakamoto that his dad is an ex-con (which poor Nakamoto falls for, being the serious guy that he is!). Though Arai's playing around, it's clear that his opinion of his father is not a really good one. Arai Yoshiki is a fashion designer who looks like a girl with a stuck on moustache and his idea of father-child interaction is a bit strange. Arai is resentful towards him because he's always away and that he broke a lot of promises because of his work when he was small. They're very different people - Yoshiki even says at one point that their lives seem to have nothing to do with one another.

Yoshiki appears at the school but does not come to see Arai. Instead he has scouted Takagi as a model - which is a cause for some anger on Arai's part when he realises what has happened. (He's indignant that his father came to the school to speak to them about Takagi, but didn't bother to meet with him).

Takagi, for his part, has skipped off from school on that particular day because it seems to be the anniversary of his mother's death and he wants to visit her grave. We already know that Takagi's mother was English (her name seems to be something like Sarah Foster although the gravestone is not 100% clear). We also now discover that Takagi doesn't know his father's name...and that he's being 'fostered' by a friend of his mother's, Mitsuse Junichirou. However his mother's connection to this man is also a little bit oblique. (The answer to Mitsuse Junichirou's role in Takagi's life is explained in more detail in Volume 2, Chapter 5 of the M+ manga.)

When Yoshiki picks Takagi up at the school, Mikimaro oversees it - but decides it's better not to tell Arai because of Arai and Takagi's occasionally dodgy relationship. (This whole scene in the classroom is actually hilariously funny. Not only do the boys have classmates who apparently have the surnames "Okiayu" and "Ishikawa" (!), when the teacher asks where Takagi is, Yuusuke expresses the opinion that he's gone to the toilet. Mikimaro disputes this (since Takagi has been gone for a LONG time) and a loud discussion ensues about reading manga in the toilet and how it's a good way to kill time. The teacher is unamused...lol!

When Arai heads off to visit his father, his pals (minus Takagi) decide to come along (Yuusuke wants to see Arai's pretty sisters...). They're met and picked up by a girl called Sayaka who kisses Arai. Her connection to him seems to be old friend, however, not current lover. A dispute between them winds up with Arai stopping the car and making his companions walk to the Arai home (which is an impressive property). When Arai discovers Takagi is in his front room, another row ensues in which Arai walks out. For some reason this doesn't seem to concern his parents, who sit down to dinner with the remaining confused students. Arai winds up in the local park, mulling things over bitterly, and even Sayaka's company is unwelcome :P

The main thrust of the story involves Arai and his father and their botched relationship. Yoshiki wants Arai to take part in the fashion show he is organising along with Takagi and (so it transpires), Yuusuke and the others. Arai angrily refuses, but when he discovers that despite his absenteeism his father has always kept a photo of his son in his watch, he changes his mind and decides he might play along. He also goes to make peace with Takagi - these two are amusing in that they fight like cat and dog in public, but Takagi has no problem letting Arai into his room and even in telling him all about his own lack of a father and loss of his mother.

However, Yoshiki has something up his sleeve yet. It transpires that he wants Takagi to wear women's clothing, and Nakamoto also (minus the glasses, which Nakamoto protests he can't see without, and with contact lenses...poor boy!). Mikimaro gets put into some odd costume too, and only Yuusuke and Arai seem to escape fairly unscathed. Arai teases Takagi about what a pretty girl he makes, and makes a good deal out of the resultant magazine articles that ask who the 'mysterious woman' was in the shoot. Takagi is unamused. Erm...they're fighting again? But in the final analysis, Arai decides that maybe there's some common ground he can find with his father - and that even though he's away again (he pretends not to be at all interested in that fact), the next time he comes home he might well be able to welcome him properly. (Aww.).

Chapter Four: Play A Waiting Game
This chapter focuses mostly on Nakamoto (yay!). And Yuusuke is hardly in it (Is it wrong to be happy about that, too?)
It's Summer Holiday at the Seiryuu Academy and the boys are getting ready for different types of summer break. Yuusuke is going home to his family's hotel. Takagi's mysterious guardian has given him the key to a hotel room - although despite his asking, Mitsuse will still not tell him all he wants to know (not until he's 20...but the manga will end before then, surely...??).

Meanwhile Nakamoto has collapsed with a fever. His would-be nurses are Mikimaro and Arai - yes, Arai - who both seem to be staying at the school for summer break. Nakamoto's fever is a case of Summer Flu, but he is quite sick, and so his home is contacted. His stepmother - Kyouko - dutifully arrives to see him, but Nakamoto is asleep and unaware of her visit. It must be said that Nakamoto's stepmother is very young and very pretty. And strangely enough she seems to already know Takagi in some way (a fact which Arai decides is better kept from Nakamoto at the moment).

 Kyouko leaves. Outside, Kyouko meets with Takagi and asks him into her car. They talk and it becomes clear they are somehow acquainted in the past.
Takagi is then dropped at his hotel where he is apparently 'working' - in his hotel room, he appears to be stripping naked so that he can be measured for some clothing. No comment :P He still seems to be working for Yoshiki, even despite the drag scenario. And you get the feeling he's not so worried now about the dressing like a woman idea. He's a weird one..he really is.

 Mikimaro and Arai head out to buy food so that Arai (!) can cook for Nakamoto. (It's so very funny seeing Arai in such a protective role, LOL). He and Mikimaro discuss Takagi's knowing Kyouko and Mikimaro admits that he's heard they were old acquaintances. Even...possibly...more than that. Arai is more determined than ever that Nakamoto should not know, and Mikimaro agrees to keep his mouth shut.

Arai and Mikimaro return to the dorm and Nakamoto is just rousing up. He is surprised to discover that Arai has been taking care of him - he actually says that he'd had an impression of Arai as a cold person, but in fact he's really quite kind. Arai's a bit perturbed by this - he has an image to consider! Arai's cooked what seems to be risotto, and it reminds Nakamoto of risotto made by Kyouko. Conveniently Kyouko turns up at that moment, and is glad to see Nakamoto (she calls him Shou-san, I think she might be the only character to ever use his first name so liberally) is awake. She asks him to come home with her, but he refuses. He says he's staying at the school and Kyouko says he didn't come home for winter or spring holidays either. Nakamoto is firm, however...and Kyouko leaves, alone. Arai asks Nakamoto why he won't go home and Nakamoto says that he has to take care of the cats. Arai is not fooled.

The next morning Nakamoto is better, so Mikimaro convinces him and Arai both to go to see a movie. Afterwards, Arai decides he's off to Roppongi to (er) drink and hang out at a club there. He doesn't really want Mikimaro and Nakamoto with him, and Nakamoto is none to keen to go - but Mikimaro has other ideas and they all wind up at the club together. Mikimaro is distracted by some girls who introduce him to sake (they think he's cute because he looks so young...sake and Mikimaro are a bad mix). Nakamoto and Arai are left to discuss why Arai finds this kind of thing 'fun'.

At this point, Takagi enters. With Kyouko. And they both see Arai, who also sees them and is a little bit ticked. Then Mikimaro, very drunk by this time, also sees them and yells out their names from across the club. And Nakamoto sees them. And...it's the last straw. He yells at them that he's had enough, and storms out. Kyouko runs after him, and although he doesn't want to be stopped, she brings him down by throwing her shoe at him (!). (At least I'm pretty sure that's what happens...).

Meanwhile back in the club, a furious Arai has challenged Takagi and is getting pretty rough with him, demanding to know what's going on. He accuses Takagi of being Kyouko's lover, but Takagi denies this and says they're just old friends and that Kyouko had asked his advice on how to patch up her sketchy relationship with Nakamoto.

Meanwhile, outside, Nakamoto and Kyouko are talking for the first time. For some random reason Nakamoto tells her some story about cats and kittens when he was four, and then defending a girl in the playground from bullies which wound him up in trouble. Kyouko tells him that she'd only been looking for Takagi's advice on how to stop Nakamoto hating her. Nakamoto is taken aback and says he doesn't hate her. Kyouko points out that if that's the case, whyt won't he come home? They continue to talk for a while, and then Nakamoto agrees that he will come home after all.

Back in the dorm, the next day, Mikimaro is in Arai and Nakamoto's room, very hungover. He can't remember any of the previous day. Arai and Nakamoto are also both there. Arai teases him somewhat about it, telling him he was a lot of trouble for them, but Nakamoto said it all ended up all right and that he's going to go home later on and see how things are. Arai then decides he's going to take off home. Mikimaro wants to go with him/wants him to stay, but Arai is already gone. Mikimaro is left to Nakamoto's tender mercies.

We don't see Nakamoto's father in any of this. The strict doctor has not yet entered the building (lol).

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第３巻Volume Three: Boku-tachi no RIZUMU
Chapter  Five: Magical Summer Days
I'm still recovering from the weirdness of this chapter. :S It's still the summer holidays (or at least, towards the end of). Nakamoto has gone home. Mikimaro is nowhere in evidence. Arai is persuaded by one of his dad's workers to come and bring a file to the studio in order to help her out. He reluctantly agrees, and just as he's about to leave Yuusuke turns up. Turns out he's back from his holiday in Kanazawa and he's come back with a driving licence and a car. Oh dear. :P He's very proud of this fact and he wants to drive Arai out to cruise for girls. But Arai has to do his favour, so instead they head off towards the studio in Yuusuke's car. They get there safely enough and Arai delivers the file to his father's colleague. They also find Takagi there, and Yuusuke decides to drive him home too - much to Arai's displeasure. Arai decides to leg it - but then realises his phone is still in Yuusuke's car, so he has to go with them.

This is where the problems and the weirdness begin. Noone should ever let Yuusuke drive a car in the first place, so it's hardly any surprise when they become lost. Arai asks for a map and Yuusuke cheerfully gives him one...except it's of Kanazawa and so it's not a lot of use! They wind up in an unfamiliar area, and Yuusuke's car suddenly stops working. They can't get it started, and Takagi suggests they use Arai's phone to call the Japanese breakdown service J.A.F. Arai tries, but his phone battery seems to have also died.

It's getting dark by this time so they're a bit unsure of what to do. Then, through the trees they see a strange, big house. Takagi says they probably have a phone, so they go to the door to ask for help and are greeted by a young woman called Yuria. She invites them in, and introduces them to her brother Reiya. (Both names are written in katakana, so it's possible that they're intended to be foreigners settled in the area.). They are extremely formal and polite, and invite the boys to have dinner with them. Yuusuke can always find room for food, so they stop for the meal. By this time it's ten o' clock and they wind up staying the night.

In the night, Arai is woken by the sound of someone in his room. He pounces on them and pins them down, discovering that it's the younger brother Reiya. Reiya seems to be suddenly interested in Arai - in a romantic sense - which freaks Arai out completely. Reiya demands to know if Arai hates him, and Arai is totally befuddled. Once Reiya falls asleep, Arai takes his chance to escape from the room. He discovers Takagi is also up, and they discuss the problem for a while, before Arai swipes Takagi's bed and goes to sleep in it.

The next morning, the boys make to leave - except Takagi (maybe he's getting his revenge for the night before) asks if Arai can stop with them a little longer. Arai is furious, but Takagi and Yuusuke leave him behind, heading back towards Yuusuke's car. Yuusuke has no idea what's going on at this point. (And the reader has probably about as much idea as he does, to be honest). They find themselves in an upmarket neighbourhood which Takagi identifies as being near Nakamoto's home. They go to Nakamoto and discover that Mikimaro is there - he's spent the night after falling asleep doing homework under Nakamoto's tuition. Takagi tells them what happened (brief interlude here where Yuusuke meets Kyouko for the first time and thinks she's Nakamoto's sister, not his mother - again, Nakamoto's father is nowhere in evidence). Yuusuke is sort of confused and sort of horrified that they've abandoned Arai in all of this.

They all have a long discussion about deja-vu and past lives and past subconscious memories that may have been lurking deep within Reiya. The four of them head back to the house to find that Arai is being monopolised by Reiya who now thinks he's some girl called Katherine and that Arai is some guy called Julian. Nakamoto hypnotises Reiya and asks him who he thinks he is. Reiya then tells some long story about being a girl from 1416 whose beau disappeared during a war and didn't come back to marry her. It transpires that she thinks Arai is this guy, so then Nakamoto hypnotises Arai for his side of the story, and finds out that the guy Julian (Wtf, is Julian a mediaeval name now?!) fell in love with another and didn't come back. In order to rid Reiya of Katherine's 'spirit', the boys decide to act out a wedding for Katherine and Julian, with Takagi as the priest. Arai is not happy about the idea, especially when he's expected to kiss Reiya (he objects to kissing a boy!) and Mikimaro is a bit jealous of the whole thing (just how much does he like Arai anyway...?)

It seems to have the desired effect, however. And then they discover Yuusuke's car broke down because it had run out of petrol...was it just a coincidence that they ended up at the strange estate, or was it something more...?

Chapter Six: Sure Chigai RABURINSU ("Labyrinth")
This chapter belongs almost entirely to Takagi, although it begins with Mikimaro walking back to the dorms after curfew and worrying about how he's going to get in. He encounters Takagi on the same errand back (although he's scared at first that Takagi is some stranger who wants to attack him) and Takagi (ever the pragmatist) tells him that he left his window open and that you can get to his room by climbing the tree (Arai's done it several times already). Mikimaro is scared of climbing, so Takagi reluctantly helps him up (some disturbing comments from Mikimaro here about Takagi's scent. Erm. Yes.)

On entering the room, Mikimaro discovers Takagi's guitar and starts peering through his photo albums. One is of a group of people and Takagi tells him its the band he used to be a part of - "Cassandra". Mikimaro asks about them and Takagi says that he left them two years ago and went on to other things.

The next day Mikimaro discovers an article in a magazine about a band called Cassandra and shows Takagi. It turns out to be the same band and it makes Takagi somewhat nostalgic for his music days. He heads down to the music room and plays the piano, where Nakamoto catches him and asks him about the song. Takagi explains that it's called 'Labyrinth'.

(Note, there is a song on one of the SotsugyouM music CDs by this name, sung by all five seiyuu. The first line of this song is "Sure Chigau Yume" Transl: "Conflicting Dreams" or "Dreams That Pass One Another By" - which is, we presume, the connection to the chapter title!)

Takagi also tells Nakamoto that he wrote it for his band Cassandra when he was still a member. It transpires that he left the band over an argument regarding that song and its arrangement. Nakamoto tells him it's a good song and asks if he wants to meet with his former bandmates. Takagi admits he does, and that night he heads off to crash their gig and reunite himself with his old friends.

Although it turns out they're not too happy to see him. They're stressed out and angry with him still for leaving the way he did. Hiroshi - the band leader who Takagi refers to as "the only person who really understood me" is particularly harsh, telling him not to come back again. Takagi is hurt, but leaves, and heads back to the dorm.

Meanwhile, Nakamoto is trying to study and Arai is watching TV, loudly (it's the chart show). Nakamoto complains about the volume, Arai complains that Nakamoto's studying when it's twelve o' clock at night...and tries to forcibly make him come watch the TV. As he does so, Cassandra's name is mentioned and Arai asks if that was the band Takagi was involved in. Nakamoto says it is. Then they announce the band's debut song as "Labyrinth" and Nakamoto is both startled and angry - that's Takagi's song!

In his own room, Takagi has come out of the shower to hear the same thing, and he too is upset about the use of the song he wrote when they treated him so harshly.

By the next day, Nakamoto and Arai - both indignant - have gathered Mikimaro and Yuusuke (oh, please, someone hit Yuusuke with a mallet!) and are trying to explain the situation (Yuusuke does a lot of yelling about it when he realises what's happened, although I will say his heart is in the right place). Takagi also has a visitor - Yuka, Hiroshi's wife, who has come to talk to him about Hiroshi, the Labyrinth situation and the stress her husband is under. It transpires that she's pregnant and she's worried about her husband and the band and everything there. She asks Takagi for help - saying that it needs him to clear up the confusion over the song. In the midst of this, Yuusuke and companions interrupt (mostly it's Yuusuke doing a lot more indignant shouting about the song and stuff, even as the others try to drag him away - there's a time and a place for everything, and Yuusuke never seems to realise it!). Once they're alone again, Yuka comments how Takagi's changed and Takagi is surprised. Yuka says that even when he was with the band, he was always very solitary and alone. But here he has friends who'll come stick up for him and it's made him different. Takagi disagrees with her, but when he reflects on it, he realises that maybe she has a point.

Takagi returns to his room, making the decision to go speak to the band one more time. This time though he takes his guitar with him, because he wants to settle things. Meanwhile the band are arguing - again - and the subject of who wrote Labyrinth comes up. In the midst of all this debating, Takagi appears. He gets a frosty reception, but one of the band members (I think his name was Kouji) says that he wants to hear from Takagi what the truth is about the Labyrinth song. Takagi answers the question by playing the song for them. It is the same song, but the chords are different. It becomes apparent that although Takagi wrote the melody and the original chords, Hiroshi amended the harmonies and so it was indeed a co-written song. (This is the point Takagi seems to have gone to make, although he doesn't really clarify that until he's there with his guitar). He also says that he's grateful to Hiroshi for their friendship in the past, and that he wants the band to go on and do great things. But he's no longer a part of it.

Takagi returns to the school and explains to the other boys what he's done and why. Yuusuke doesn't get it...but Yuusuke doesn't get anything except where the next meal is coming from. Unconsciously the five of them seem to have begun to hang out together and Takagi realises it properly for the first time. So, when a month later he gets mail (a cd single of Labyrinth, with his name alongside Hiroshi's as songwriter and tickets to Cassandra's live performance), he knows just who to share the tickets with. Conveniently, there are five of them. Aww. Takagi's finally learnt to appreciate his friends ;) And maybe - just maybe - he's not so alone any more!

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第４巻Volume Four: Boku-tachi no Himitsu
Well, they weren't kidding when they titled this volume "Our Secrets"! A lot of those are coming out of the woodwork in this book. Unlike the earlier volumes, there are shorter chapters in this book and more of them. So let's begin...

Chapter  Seven: Bokura wa Muteki ni Koi o Suru [Translation]
This chapter is mostly about Arai and somewhat about Mikimaro. It starts off with Mikimaro wanting to head off after Arai into the wilderness and Arai telling him he's just a kid and can't come. Mikimaro, disgruntled, winds up with Yuusuke, Takagi and Nakamoto (yes, they're a friends unit now...cool ne) and Mikimaro's old camera. Yuusuke wants to take photos, in particular to give to someone called "Mao" whose photo he's received. (More about Mao later...heh). During their conversations, Mikimaro admits that he has feelings for Arai (and there it is...the shounen-ai we've all been waiting for steps out of the closet for all to see..!).Arai turns up to join them at this point, and they have some discussion about the photo club, which Arai used to be a member of. Arai says he quit it, however - for no particular reason...and that's that. Takagi says he's into photography too, and Mikimaro suggests that he and Arai are alike, which makes them both angry - and yell at each other (some more...!!)

Mikimaro gets back the photos and they're all looking at them. There's some old ones mixed in and one is of a smily Arai from their first year at the school and they comment at how different he looks. Discussion turns back to the photo club and Mikimaro finds a photo of someone else - a 'senpai' (ie, older student) called Kawazoe (surname) who used to be the vice captain of the Photo Club. Mikimaro is struck by the odd expression on Arai's face when he sees that picture...and they discuss this guy for a while, although Arai doesn't say very much about it.

Later on, Arai is skipping out of a meeting with his teacher (with an angry Shimizu-sensei behind him!) when he runs into someone. That someone turns out to be Kawazoe whose work has brought him back from New York (apparently that's where he's living now). He's come to see Arai, too - and when I say to see Arai, I mean that in a serious, shounen-ai sense. They slip off and talk for a while, Kawazoe saying how he came specifically because he wanted to see Arai and Arai saying that he was a kid the last time they met but now he's not. Kawazoe tells him that he hopes to see something of him. And there is a kiss. Arai does not push Kawazoe away - in fact, he seems quite happy about the whole incident.

Unfortunately for him it's been overseen by Mikimaro, who is not only extremely jealous and upset, but unsure what to do about his new 'secret'. The next day in class he's distracted (and Yuusuke, being the tactless sod he is) demands to know what's up with him. Someone (I can't remember who) also mentions Kawazoe being back in the area, and asking whether or not Arai has met up with him (it might be Nakamoto...). Arai says that he hasn't seen him at all, which gets Mikimaro gawking at him. At this point Mikimaro (trying to be as inconspicuous as possible, evidently) starts saying how he knows nothing, saw nothing, etc. Then he yells out that he has to get to English class and runs off down the hall with Yuusuke shouting after him and basic confusion from his other friends.

Except Arai, who realises (it's not that hard to realise) what Mikimaro must've seen. He drags the boy off to somewhere and demands to know what he saw. Mikimaro is very apologetic about it, and out of the blue Arai asks him if he likes him. Mikimaro admits he does. Arai asks if he wants to be kissed and Mikimaro says yes. Arai laughs and tells him not to be an idiot. Mikimaro is cross that Arai was joking. But he does a (very unlike Mikimaro) thing and attempts to cut a deal - if Arai kisses him, he won't tell anyone the secret. Arai isn't buying however - he knows that Mikimaro won't tell and he more or less says so. He tells Mikimaro "It's our secret." And Mikimaro...being Mikimaro...agrees.

Meanwhile, Yuusuke's met up with his photo-date - the "girl" who turns out...to be...a boy (snort).

The section ends there - a little bit up in the air somehow...^_^. Considering how much Arai objected to kissing Reiya (because he was a guy) in the previous volume...

Chapter Eight: Natural Hour
This chapter is mostly Nakamoto's - again it's a short chapter, and a bit random.

The boys are having a substitute teacher for two weeks. He happens to be an insane nutjob whose only focus is studying and making the students focus on that, too. He catches Mikimaro reading manga (Graduation Fighter M - hehe) in class, wakes up Yuusuke (who's sleeping in class) and yells at Arai for being late. He also seems to have done something to interfere with Takagi's modelling. It's also interesting that Nakamoto's name is on the list of 'problem students' that the sub teacher receives when he takes Shimizu-sensei's notes...presumably because of who he's begun to associate with ;)

Later he encounters Nakamoto playing the piano, and they talk. It seems they are somewhat acquainted from the past (what a surprise!). The teacher suggests that the reason Nakamoto's name has a check by it is because of his rooming with Arai, and suggests that he should change rooms in order to be able to better concentrate. Nakamoto vetoes this though, saying that he's misunderstood the boys and that it's not like that.

The M guys are quite naturally indignant at this guy who's suddenly walked in and read them the riot act...they're determined to do something about him.

However, Nakamoto says - quite wisely - that they shouldn't do anything rash. Instead he says that this teacher - whose name is Saegusa Chihiro - is a lot like him in many ways - focused only on work. The interesting thing is that Nakamoto says that it's how he was 'before'. He also volunteers to talk to Saegusa and try and make him see things from their point of view. And so he does.

The next day, Nakamoto is feeding his kitties when he's interrupted by Saegusa. Saegusa expresses surprise at the cat companions and Nakamoto explains that he often feeds them. Saegusa asks him to come with him and Nakamoto goes - they wind up at a pier where there are a lot of feral cats...it seems that Saegusa is more on Nakamoto's wavelength than even he imagined! However there is trouble when one of the cats gets too near the edge of the pier and Nakamoto, in trying to protect the animal winds up falling in the water. He can't swim, and Saegusa has to save him.

Meanwhile that dolt Yuusuke and Mikimaro are out with Yuusuke's old camera and they are following Nakamoto and Saegusa. They wind up at Saegusa's home, where Saegusa has taken Nakamoto since the near-drowning. Nakamoto is unconscious and still cold, so Saegusa takes off his own top and (erm) it appears he uses what I call the Yuugi method of body temperature regulation (ie lies on top of him). Guess who's spying through the window with his camera...yeah, Yuusuke. Who immediately jumps to all the wrong conclusions about what he's seen...(what a surprise!).

Unaware of the interest they've generated, Nakamoto wakes up to find himself in a strange place and Saegusa is with him. He remembers the incident and Saegusa and he talk for a while about various things (including the way they are and what happened). They're running late for class, and they head off there together (where Saegusa gets stick from Arai and Takagi for his lateness, and Yuusuke is trying to convince everyone of what he saw - although his crappy old camera has wrecked the photos and nothing can be seen. Nakamoto says that they just talked, nothing else...and that was all.

The section ends here, with much shouting from the classroom!

(For anyone who cares, the kitty that Nakamoto fell in trying to save was fine!)

Chapter Nine: Eien no Michisuu
This chapter's about Mikimaro. He's fed up of everyone treating him like a kid and he wants to change his appearance and his style so he's more like an adult and people will take him seriously. Even though Yuusuke tells him there's no need, he's determined. So he drags Arai out with him to look for a brand new style. Nakamoto also seems to be tagging along - although the reasons for him doing so are unclear. They don't seem to mind him being there, but when Arai asks him why he is, he goes all shy, blushes and makes an excuse then takes off. This sparks the curiosity of the others, who follow him and discover that he's buying a present...

(But it is not revealed who the present is for, although they discuss the idea of it being for some girl...my guess is its for his stepmother Kyouko, but I may be biased by other sources)

Mikimaro, meanwhile, is determined to become 'cooler'. He discusses changing his hair so it's like Arai's, and Arai is not pleased when he finds he's been tricked into coming clothes shopping with his friend. Mikimaro isn't paying much attention to anything Arai says (particularly about how he's fine how he is and part of the reason he gets treated like a kid is because he won't listen to reason!) He insists on buying clothes that are too big for him, just because they happen to be in a cooler style :S

As they're walking along, they see a bill hoarding advertising some of Arai Yoshiki's fashions and featuring Takagi. Mikimaro comments on it and even Arai admits it's cool. But at this point Arai seems to get through to Mikimaro at last, making him realise that it's fine to be the way he is, because it's just part of him. And Mikimaro seems to cheer up - probably because it's Arai telling him so, I guess - and decides that maybe he's not going to change his look after all.

But then he remembers his oversize clothing and Arai says he'll grow into it. In about 20 years time...(!)

Chapter Ten: Kirameku Toki No Tame Ni
This chapter is about Yuusuke. They keep getting simpler to describe :S

The basketball team - of which he is the captain - have lost a game and it's because of a mistake Yuusuke made. Turns out he's not been focusing on practice or even going at all lately, probably because he';s been hanging out with the M boys rather than putting the hours in in the gym. He takes it really hard, shutting himself away in his room and not really responding to the others when they try and prise out of him what's wrong.

The next day he seems to have cheered up, but when he goes to meet with the basketball club it turns out they're livid with him. One of his team-mates - whose name I can't remember, but perhaps he's the guy from the OVA - challenges his commitment and they demand he stand down as captain. Basically they tell him to get lost, because it's his fault the game was lost. (A bit harsh but you get the feeling that the other guy's desire to best Yuusuke is somewhat at the root of it). Yuusuke is gutted, and retreats to his room once more. He doesn't even come out to eat, which makes his friends realise something is badly wrong.

However, Yuusuke's not as weak as all that and although he's been ditched on, he's also determined. He returns to the gym, practicing day after day until he's back to his usual form. Then he demands that the other guy (the one who ousted him) face him one on one in a 'first to three baskets' competition. The stakes are high - Yuusuke says that if he doesn't win, then he'll give up on basketball completely. But if he does - he wants to be reinstated. The challenge is accepted and the boys begin.

However, when it reaches two-two, one of the older members of the team steps in and prevents it going any further. He says that Yuusuke has proven he's back to his best and that he's put in the work - he's the 'old' Yuusuke again and that means they want him back. The other guy doesn't take it so well, although Yuusuke is really happy to be back among the pack.

Meanwhile, Mikimaro and the M boys are discussing the fact that Yuusuke's been off practicing and not hanging with them of late. But (I think it's Nakamoto, maybe it's Arai) points out that Yuusuke's still part of their set-up and it doesn't matter if he's spending some time away.

Chapter Eleven: Memorial Collection Volume 1 (Nyuugakushiki)
This is volume one but there doesn't seem to be a volume 2..heh. Oh well.

This is basically the boys remembering their first day (principally their actual arrival) at the school. (Or in Takagi's case, at his old school. Poor Takagi...).

It begins with Yuusuke tidying his room. This is enough to give anyone palpitations in shock and Mikimaro is no exception *lol* but Yuusuke says that the weather is rubbish and he's got nothing else to do so he might as well do that. (Maybe he's sick. Who knows?)

In the midst of the sorting they find an old picture of Yuusuke from the first year and it sparks discussion about their first days at the Seiryuu Academy. Yuusuke's recollection is first. He's there with his mother and he seems to be trying to avoid her attention *lol*. She's concerned that he makes a good impression because the people and the students associated with this school are very different from the people back home. I think she hopes her son might end up a little more refined than he is - although Mikimaro says quite bluntly that Yuusuke's just the same as ever.

Mikimaro's memory is next. He's brought to school by his mother and he really does not want to be there. There are tears and he begs to be taken home. His mother tells him there's just no way that's going to happen and seems to be despairing of him somewhat. In fact, maybe she would have given in, eventually. However at that moment a car pulls up and someone gets out. He's smartly dressed in something that isn't school uniform and he has a determined, rebellious look on his face. Yes, it's Arai. And Mikimaro is suddenly intrigued enough by his new school fellow to stop his complaining. (It's really been going on that long...LOL)

On a roll now, Mikimaro and Yuusuke head along the hall to Arai and Nakamoto's room to ask what they remember about their first day at the Seiryuu Academy. Nakamoto is surprised and says it wasn't that important a thing for him. He does recollect that he was there alone (he's so CUTE as a first year!) because his father was away working (as he generally seems to be) and he had to find his own feet. The impression is that he was kinda isolated in a sense because everyone else had family with them to say goodbye and he didn't. (Aww...hugs Nakamoto...)

Arai is studiously ignoring this conversation, lounging on his bed and reading what looks like some kind of manga. However Mikimaro isn't taking the hint that he wants to be left alone and pounces on him for his recollections of the first day. He asks why it was Arai didn't wear school uniform that day and Arai says simply that it's a case of his having not been ready yet - nothing important. However we then get a memory flashback for Arai having a yelling match (another one) with his mother about going to the Academy in the first place. He's sneaking out and his mother has caught him, telling him that day is the day he's going to be fitted for his uniform. Arai tells her like hell is he going to pander to his father's bright ideas, and that he's going out. Consequently it seems he won - and no uniform was bought that day. (However he did still get dumped on the Academy, so it wasn't a complete victory!)

At that point, Takagi pokes his head around the door to ask if he can borrow one of Nakamoto's books and he's surprised to see the little gathering of people. He asks what's going on and they explain, though Nakamoto says it's different for Takagi because he was a transfer student and only arrived at the start of that year. Mikimaro then asks Takagi about his first day at his old school, and Takagi remembers being somewhere with his mother (she's very pretty) and being surrounded by the parents of other kids as they enter the school. The other parents are being really unpleasant about him and his mother because he's mixed race and not purely Japanese...and also because the identity of his father is not known...his mother is not married. They make some horrible comments about how their children will have to associate with him. At one point Takagi's mother asks him if something is the matter and even though he's heard all of the things people have said, he tells her no - that he's fine. All of this seems to be a memory rather than something he tells the others, because Mikimaro is still trying to get information out of him once the flashback is over. (This in a sense gives a good insight into why Takagi is as enigmatic and solitary as sometimes he is...although he's more and more part of the gang since he's been accepted by the M boys in a way he hasn't been accepted before.).

Takagi then changes the subject back to his original purpose - asking about a book and reminding the others that there are exams tomorrow. This creates major panic - particularly for Yuusuke, who realises by tidying all his books he now doesn't know where anything he needs is - and he had forgotten about the tests in any case. (Yes, that's more like Yuusuke...)

The chapter ends with Mikimaro reflecting that it was fate that they all met up the way they did even though they came from such different worlds and with such different points of view.

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第５巻Volume Five: Boku-tachi no Kizuna
This plot is also more or less covered in the second M Ni Makasero Drama CD.
Chapter Twelve:
Yuusuke's old schoolfriend Kana is in town, and Yuusuke is dreading seeing her - as children he remembers her being someone who cried a lot, wore glasses and pretty much got in his way. He begs Arai's help to deal with her, and reluctantly Arai agrees. Little to either of them know, however, that Arai has already met Kana by accident the previous day, helping her to find her hotel after she became lost in the busy Tokyo city.

Kana, it turns out, has grown into an extremely pretty young lady, and Yuusuke realises that he doesn't want Arai's interference any further. The trouble is, Kana's developed a crush on Arai based on their first encounter and she doesn't want Yuusuke interfering!

Arai takes Kana to dinner, which is gatecrashed by Yuusuke, among other things. In the end, Kana tells Arai how she feels, threatening not to go home but to stay in Tokyo, and Arai - realising that he's puttng Yuusuke in a bad situation by continuing to play with Kana's feelings. With the help of one of his father's modelling people (who is also an old friend of his), he lies to Kana, convincing her that he and this woman are having an affair and that they are even having a baby together. Hurt by this, Kana turns to Yuusuke for reassurance, which Yuusuke gladly provides. It is Yuusuke who takes Kana to catch her train home in the end - with her telling him to "wait for me."