Third year student Ayane Kujou takes on a new little sister in the second volume of Yuriko Hara’s Cocoon Entwined, showing us an aspect of Hoshimiya Girls’ Academy that might just leave the younger students’ hearts fluttering.
This second volume contains chapters eight through to fifteen.
Front cover of the second volume of Cocoon Entwined, featuring Haruka Miyata & Ayane Kujou
Elegant and poised, the Hoshimiya Academy third-years are every girl’s role models. While a lucky few train under them to attain matchless beauty, the rest are left starstruck in their wake. What could be the secret behind their alluring perfection?
The central theme of Cocoon Entwined is hair, and that continues to be the case in this second volume. I have to say, I’ve never come across any other mangaka who depicts hair like Yuriko Hara does. All the girls in this series have long, flowing hair, and Hara doesn’t shy away from having an entire page dedicated to showing that off.
As for the story, this volume puts the focus on third-year student Ayane Kujou, and the first-year student she chooses as her younger sister: Haruka Miyata. The whole sister thing brings to mind the Schwestern system from miman’s Yuri is My Job! manga. That has a vastly different tone from Cocoon Entwined, though.
Still has a similar situation in which the chosen sister appears to be developing feelings for her older sister, though.
Seems that Ayane Kujou thinks quite highly of her own beauty, but there is one girl that does make her doubt herself: the enigmatic Hoshimiya. One girl will be weaved into the history of Hoshimiya Academy, and it is unclear whether that honour will go to Kujou or Hoshimiya.
The focus on Kujou also includes a flashback to her first year at the academy, which was when she first encountered Hoshimiya. Besides that, we also get a bit more from Youko Yokozawa and Hana Saeki. Yokozawa is determined to grow closer to Saeki, and tries acting on those feelings.
Cocoon Entwined‘s second volume continues the tone the first volume set, providing a rather fascinating story. Well, that, and plenty of long, lustrous hair. Taking care of their hair seems to play a key role in the girls’ beauty. Of course, the girls’ hair also happens to be a very important aspect of Hoshimiya Girls’ Academy.
As far as yuri manga goes, Cocoon Entwined feels a little bit familiar (the whole sisters thing) whilst having a concept that is unique (the hair). A bit of an odd one, but definitely worth looking into.
Rory Muses 