Yotsuba&! (2007)

[よつばと!]

Volume 7

Author/Artist: Kiyohiko Azuma
Publisher: Dengeki Comics

Synopsis:
Yotsuba goes on a trip to visit a ranch.

Story/Characters:
The main feature of this volume is the ranch trip. It's pretty interesting (and I can only imagine the novelty value for born-and-bred urbanites). We get more of the Yotsuba-Yanda rivalry, which never fails to entertain and a new character, Fuuka's friend Shimau. Shimau is fairly nondescript, but she does have her moments in the cake-baking chapter. The chapter where Yotsuba is sent to the conbini on her own to go shopping is also pretty good. Azuma continues to deliver one of the most satisfying slice-of-life stories around.

Art:
I say it so many times I feel like a broken record. I suppose to shake things up, I'll note Azuma's consistency in his art. Take Rumiko Takahashi, for instance. I have most of her published work spanning the nearly 40 years of her career and you can see her considerable evolution as an artist over the years, but Azuma is remarkably stable. He's hit a high bar and stayed there. I will say that the ranch scenes stand out in particular.

Conclusion:
Fans of the series know what to expect. This volume doesn't disappoint on any count. Add it to your collection.

Rating:
Own It