Customer Reviews

Yotsuba&!, Vol. 7

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book continues the high quality of this series, and I do not think I have laughed as hard in a while as I did at multiple points in this book. This isn't any dramatic adventure, it's just a nice slice-of-life story that is appropriate for all ages. This is a great choice to read to wind down or relax. I could throw a bunch more superlatives in, but I'll just say again that I really enjoyed it.

This volume is just as good as the rest. Yotsuba gets into more adventures, including a cooking session with the neighbors and her first solo shopping errand (poor Dad doesn't get to eat). Yanda's back with more tricks up his sleeve, there's confusion regarding where milk comes from, and Yotsuba decorates a cake her own special way with Pocky and other unconventional toppings. The grand finale is a trip to the farm where the green-haired pixie doesn't know whether to befriend or punch the sheep. "Who put milk in the cow?" Enjoy everything ...

The new publisher of Yotsuba has changed the style of the translation, and having different fonts makes the page a little busy. But since Yotsuba is a slow paced situation comedy at its core everything still works. The art, expressions and story are still great.

The last volume (Volume 6) dealt with more "practical" items and was very touching. And you need that every once in a while to keep the story grounded. But I have more fun when the story veers off into Yotsuba's own little world, and this volume delivers in several places. Her way of almost attacking the world and people around her with her enthusiasm works so well. This volume is back to more of what I love most about the series and it's the best so far. I can't say any more without giving things away, but everyone reading this laughed out loud at least once.

Cute little Yotsuba's small adventures continue in Volume 7. This time the green-haired, five-year-old girl with four pigtails makes a cake, goes on an errand (to buy food at a convenience store), visits a ranch and have a scuffle with sheep. Also she becomes an "e-mail" and brings a message to her Daddy (with an emoticon, of course).

As in the six volumes before, each episode is sweet and funny, deftly told with creator Kiyohiko Azuma's smart storytelling. By seamlessly incorporating a small child's perspective into familiar daily life experiences, he has created something unique, deceptively simple entertainment which is often insightful. Artwork is as lovely as ever. The facial expression of Yotsuba encountering her mortal enemy (you know who), drawn with very simple and expressive lines, is something that would make you smile.

From the sixth volume of the series, Yotsuba's world begins to expand slowly, with new places for her to visit. After her hilarious (and in a sense realistic) milk delivery to Fuka's school in Volume 6, Yotsuba in Volume 7 travels to the ranch and sees sheep and cows. Probably this is the best episode of the volume.

My small complaint is the name of Fuka's friend nicknamed Miss Stake that sounds a bit awkward. In the original version she is simply called "Shimau." Also, on p. 190, it seems "Jumbo" refers to the cows as "these guys," but actually he is talking about Yotsuba herself as "laidback" but will "put up a fight."

The strange-looking "stuffed animal" in Fuka's room (on p.17) is Chiyo's father, one of the characters from the same creator's previous comic "Azumanga Daioh," a must for any comic fans.

I am a big fan of the Yotsuba&! series, and this is one of the funniest volumes! One of the stories is about Yotsuba, her dad, Yanda, and Jumbo going to a ranch...
I extremely recomend it if you enjoy slice-of-life/comedy manga.

I love the Yotsuba manga collection. Every volume is better than the one before. I can only hope they are able to make this into an anime series one day.

While I think this volume was a little weaker than previous ones, it's still quite enjoyable. If you've liked the series up till now, you'll definitely want to get this volume as well.