True love is a fickle mistress, especially when she’s trying to kill you. She can come at you fast, hit hard, laugh it off, feel sorry about it, only to come back to hit you again. Rita has had a whirlwind of hotties come by to fight for her head, but never for her heart, and now she, Doug, and Hana are fighting for their lives, still unaware of the real reason behind Kindergarten Noir’s purpose, until a mysterious girl from another class comes along and raises more questions than answers. Will the charade be revealed, or will our poor heroes be hopscotching their way into an early grave? One thing’s for sure, this writer could use a naptime.
“I Just Wanted To Be Loved”
Natasha, a child prodigy in the art of the Assassin, just wanted one thing in life: “A toy that wouldn’t break.” After years of slaughtering other hitmen, she believed she found that “toy” in Rita, also known as “The Witch”. She found her at the kindergarten, and played with her new toy to her heart’s content. It wasn’t until it was too late that Natasha had realized, this truly was an unbreakable toy; never ceasing, never slowing down, never dropping that tender smile. The love of the hunt was only outweighed by her arrant need to protect the children. Only by her defeat did Natasha feel a sense of belonging and peace, imagining what it would be like to be one of the teachers at Kindergarten Noir.
“I Will Protect Everything”
For a moment, Rita felt what Natasha was going through in the end. It was like letting go of a kindred spirit, yearning to be loved. Much like Rita and her search for someone to love, it was not meant to be. So, the question is, why not fall for Doug in the moments after “losing” Natasha? In that moment, it was clear that Rita did, in fact, feel something for Natasha, and when she died, it was like a couple breaking up. Rita was in disbelief that it was happening, so she was, in a way, adrift in the moments: the pain of losing someone she loved and the acceptance of being The Witch, which drove Natasha and all the others away. Accepting Doug’s hand was all she could do thereafter, all the while coming to terms with who she was on the inside.
A Girl and Her Whistle
The mystery girl in question is Lyla. Just an overbearing abundance of cuteness, fast on her feet, and not really getting into trouble unless you count sneaking out of the school only to reappear outside, making her an easy target and a hassle for the teachers. WOW, those eyes sure do look familiar! That’s weird.
Digging Deeper Into the Sandbox
The mystery behind the true purpose of the school is getting ever closer, but it cannot get any further at the same time. Luke, being a former detective, expresses his concerns about the school becoming more apparent, similar to Doug and his untrusting nature. They confront Principal Erina about it, but staying true to her covert self, some secrets are better left unsaid. First, it was the non-stop attacks by assassins; now it’s a high-profile student with unknown origins. Erina sure knows how to keep a lid on it when the answers are right in front of you.
Family Ties
Leo. You can hear the joy in his heart when reuniting with his own sister, welcoming her with a hail of gunfire no less. A striking resemblance in both looks and profession, he immediately brings up the Lyla case right before leaving off with a cliffhanger, leaving the reader wanting more.
Final Thoughts
This volume finally went a little more in-depth with a villain longer than expected. Natasha had so many layers to her, and showed some legitimate emotion, but unfortunately, she was cut short before really being brought into the manga further. She definitely should’ve lived to at least have a shot at Rita, pun intended, and expand the ever-growing love circle with her, Doug, and Hana. Leo looks exactly like Rita, if they reveal them to be twins, we wouldn’t be surprised at all. But the main feature of their likeness stems from the eyes: a large, black circle, a white center with a light oval tint at the bottom. Hey, you know who else has that same distinct eye design? Lyla. Gee, what’s that about?
Read the last volume’s review here and keep up with Kindergarten Wars on MANGA Plus.
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