Krystallina: Hachiken and friends’ days at Ezo Ag are slowly coming to an end. Mikage and some others are studying their brains out. Others are finalizing their plans. Club members prepare to retire and leave the second-year students in charge. But senior year wouldn’t be senior year without a few special memories!
Of course, as you can tell from the cover of Silver Spoon volume 13, the “special memories” includes another pizza party. Or rather, pizza test party. Hachiken and the gang try to find the best combination for German pizza in both taste and cost efficiency. But while the taste test has the usual Ezo Ag fun, I have to admit I actually forgot it was coming. That’s because the manga opens with Hachiken and the Equestrian Club trying to make the national competition. Hachiken is very nervous that he’s going to be the team’s weakest link, and it’s not like he can ride his friend(?) Chestnut.
Hachiken’s reaction to his race was the most annoying part of the volume, but I guess that was the point since even kind, patient Mikage was getting irritated with him. The competition itself was really enjoyable since it was possible Hachiken could turn out to be a total flop or a hidden ace. And will the mental games played by an opponent work? Well, not if the Ezo Ag team can do anything about it! Plus, while Hachiken has gained new appreciation for Ayame (good Hachiken!), it was a surprise appearance by his father that stole the show.
Meanwhile, Okawa and Hachiken are still making plans for their company, and we also see Komaba working hard. I was surprised Komaba was featured so heavily considering there’s already a lot going on, but the author navigates the different character storylines and concerns so well. We see the former Ezo Ag student throwing himself into his job, and Hachiken has been trying to get Komaba to keep in contact more with his friends. We see perhaps the biggest progress on that front at the very end, and it’s a great way to set up the next volume. Although Hachiken’s and Mikage’s biggest test coming up should be enough of a hook!
With challenges just around the corner (along with the series finale), the manga keeps its educational aspects, silly comedy, and character development going strong. No matter what you like best about Silver Spoon, chances are you’ll see a perfect example of that here.
Krystallina’s rating: 5 out of 5
Justin: Hiromu Arakawa’s mix of humor and storytelling shine a ton in Silver Spoon Volume 13. We go from:
- The Ezo Ag Equestrian Crew competing to earn a spot at Gotemba, which is the “Koshien for horses”
- To the Silver Spoon crew (complete with an anime business card) kicking off their business with a pizza test party at Ezo Ag
- To the Equestrian crew’s competition at Gotemba…going SWIMMINGLY
- To Komaba, who has been working different jobs for at least a couple volumes now but even moreso with intensity in this one, eventually reaching out to Hachiken for something.
And yet, I’ll never be able to forget how Hachiken’s parents accidentally see him and Mikage having a real romantic heart-to-heart and Hachiken’s dad responds, and full quote:
“The arena’s big. We’re lost. Where’s the exit?”
What a volume to have this happen…and for his parents to not say anything more!
So yes, Hachiken has a lot happen to him emotionally and physically in this volume, as he competes alongside the Equestrian Crew and helps them earn a spot at Gotemba. Well, really, Mikage helps them earn a spot at Gotemba, which means not only preparing for that, but also finding a new meat to try while there to help grow his business with Ookawa. Before that comes the pizza test party which was a joke — there was a lot of pizza and the types of cheese (from gorgonzola to blue cheese) that the students got to try and rate while I had to not, you know, desire pizza at that very moment. Considering they did pizza before this shouldn’t still be entertaining, but excellently drawn pizza, the toppings used, and the students eating it results in me just wishing I could’ve ordered pizza on the spot. But it does represent where Hachiken’s at, and hey, it doesn’t hurt to resort back to something that was a massive success.
However, as successful as the pizza taste-testing was, the trip to Gotemba was an all-around bummer. It would be because of Hachiken letting not only the pressure of competing at a prominent event get to him but thinking of other things besides the horse also contributed to a moment that he…he can try to erase, but we’ll all remember. Still though, you wouldn’t think a school could be eliminated off the draw, but that’s basically what happens thanks to him.
While we do go through events with Hachiken with this volume, we also focus on the rest of the cast as well, from Mikage, who has grown considerably due to her studies while also wondering if Hachiken dates stupid girls, to Komaba, who got encouragement from his mom to do what he wants, and what that is will involve money and Hachiken. We also get an update on Ayame, who, apparently, can’t even be saved by Hachiken’s brother Shingo. More of the cast of characters begin to discuss their future, while also starting to retire from their clubs as they graduate school. So yes, the end for Silver Spoon will be near.
And I for sure will be sad. I’m also curious as to how this will end. Will Hachiken finally be able to reconcile with his parents (specifically his dad) with his new business? Will he finally (officially) get together with Mikage and come up with a way to convince her dad not to kill him? How will Komaba factor into it? What will happen to the rest of the Ezo Ag Equestrian Club? So many questions, and all of that should be at least addressed in the next couple volumes.
And maybe by then Hachiken will let his awful performance at Gotemba go…
Justin’s rating: 5 out of 5