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Volume Summary: Lucifer returns triumphant to Japan after a chart-topping trip to America, but now Sakuya has to face what might be the toughest audience of his life: Aine's family. Rocking out onstage to a capacity crowd is one thing; convincing the buttoned-down parents of your bride-to-be that your intentions are true is another.
For Sakuya, Aine, and the rest of Lucifer, the music biz has been one life-or-death struggle after another, but how will they close this tale of sex, music, and all things shojo? And what could they possibly do for an encore?
Review: It has been a long, lustful, tearful ride, but we've reached the end of the heated shojo series Sensual Phrase. I'd been told that this wasn't really a final volume, but a prequel like thing like the Mars extra volume. In case anyone else was told that story, let me first say that it is not really true. This volume wraps up the series quite nicely. The volume starts out with Lucifer back in Japan for the first time since Sakuya and Aine exchanged their vows. The newly weds head off for a visit to Aine's parents, which is nice. We get to see a much better side of Aine's family than some of their earlier appearances. Then we jump a few years ahead, to see one more wedding as we find out where everyone ended up romantically and career-wise for a sweet wrap up.
I have loved this series from start to end, and have already read it through completely two times (not counting numerous rereads while waiting for new volumes). When I first started reading it, I figured it would be a smutty mindless love story that focused mostly on sex, sex, and more sex. While the series certainly kept up the heat in almost every volume, it also was an awesome story following the ups and downs of Aine and Sakuya's romance, as well as of Lucifer. Aine goes from a somewhat repressed, shy high school to become woman enough to find her own dreams of being a music producer, and to become a wife and mother. Sakuya learns how to love and to stop seeing it as a weakness, and what it really means to be a man. Lucifer the band also grows up, going from just a hot local act to a worldwide phenomenon.
Of course, the series has its draw backs as well. Sometimes the series gets a little wacky, like the hypnotism thing with Jesus. Aine gets pounced by way to many other guys from Sakuya's half-brother to the leader of Jesus, even her ex. Almost all of them try to rape her in one way or another, which is kind of tiresome. At the same time, when she really is raped, it is all the more shocking because you go into the scene expecting her to be saved yet again. The aftermath was handled extremely well, with the healing process not being rushed or taking only one volume to happen.
The side stories spattering the series about the other Lucifer band members love lives is also very interesting, with Atsuro and his forbidden love with his stepsister (which I was happy to see get covered so well), the incredibly hot Yuki with his young wife by an arranged marriage, and Towa with his make up artist lover. Only poor Santa gets the short end of the stick, stuck in permanent singlehood. :P
Suffice to say, this is a great series and one well worth reading. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to dramatic, sometimes overly dramatic love story.
Can't forget to mention, this volume has two extra love stories unrelated to the series: Riding Shotgun and Summer Days Seventeen. In Riding Shotgun, high schooler Mami confesses her love to the seemingly geeky Koji Sawai, only to learn that he isn't what he seems and that her confession will change him in ways he never imagined. I really liked this one, and thought it would have made a great short series. Summer Days Seventeen has indecisive Mai somehow stuck alone on a trip with three guys she doesn't know, only to learn that saying what she wants is the only way to find love. This one is a little different, with Masato probably being the most interesting character with the things he does with regards to the main couple. Kinda fun, but still weird.
Rating: A+
Overall Series Rating: A-
