YOTSUBA&!, Volume 6

Cute, but nowhere near as amusing as the first two or three volumes of this series. It's always sad when this happens.

Also, it seems like maybe this volume was put out by a different publisher than the others in the series that I've read so far, and that is not a good thing. Instead of straight translations, various sound effects and honorifics are left in Japanese and footnoted to death. I'm sure some fans are interested in that kind of accuracy, but I just find it irritating to be pulled out of story repeatedly for explanations, usually of things that are fairly obvious.

Yotsuba also made a number of cutesy speaking errors -- not vocabulary, but grammar -- the likes of which I had never seen before in this series and hope never to show more see again.

I'll read on, but with lowered expectations. show less

Every time I read a volume of Yotsuba&!, that volume is my number-one top favorite of the series. This one, the sixth, is no exception. I've read it twice since it arrived on my doorstep today, plus I read it two or three times before I had my own copy — like the rest of the series, it holds up quite well to rereads.

In this volume, Yotsuba gets her very first bicycle. She is five years old and a bicycle is SUPER exciting, so the bike provides a theme for the following chapters. But that's not the only thing we see as we follow her through the days. The book starts with a chapter where she learns about recycling, sort of. She doesn't quite understand the concept, and the result is pretty hilarious. Another story aspect is milk, that show more is, the expensive and very tasty milk that her dad buys and which she takes to the neighbors' for sharing - but Fuuka doesn't get to have any, so Yotsuba plays deliveryman and takes it to Fuuka's school the next morning. I don't really know how she found the school, since it's a good deal farther from home than she's ever been on her own before, but she managed, and the adventure of getting there is worth reading. Finally, there's a bit of a story about building a new bookshelf with Jumbo, which features Yotsuba's arch-nemesis Yanda.

One thing I like that I noticed for the first time in the chapters about the bicycle, but not so much at other points in the series, is the way Yotsuba is starting to get into trouble for her behavior, which in a young child is cute and funny, but in an older one is a bit obnoxious or dangerous. It's not serious trouble - she's only five years old, after all - but she learns the meaning of "grounded" in this volume, and there's an amusing series of panels where the entire house is covered with "post-it notes" that make quite obvious all the things she gets scolded for ("do not run!" "close the door!", for example, and also a five-year-old's humor: "poop goes here").

As usual, there's nothing serious or dramatic going on in this book, unless it only seems that way to a kid. What we have in Yostuba&! volume 6 is more great story with careful attention to detail and lots and lots of awesome visual storytelling.

I probably wouldn't recommend anyone start with this volume. It feels like it requires too much knowledge of Yotsuba's past adventures to really understand what some of the subtext is, though since I am familiar with the rest of the series, I might be underestimating it. show less

The "Recycling" segment is really funny, but the "Friday" segment is hilarious. It made me realize that I under-use sticky notes. And the Bookcase segment? Made me realize that I need Yotsuba to help build me three or four. Whether playing "telephone" or tumbling off her bike and down a hill, Yotsuba has gumption and optimism, and the series leaves you with the taste of eclair on your tongue.

I'm now fully at easy with the Yotsuba&! series after having read the previous five volumes. I know the characters and look forward to meeting them again in each new volume.

In this volume. Yotsuba talks her dad into buying her a bicycle, although she doesn't listen to him very well and takes off on her own throughout her neighborhood. I also wondered about another chapter in which Yotsuba's dad is helping her use a power tool (a drill). Maybe we American parents overprotect our children, but I'd be more wary of givng a five-year-old free range of the nerighborhood without much oversight and teaching her use of a power tool. Even some adults can't handle these two things. Nevertheless, I do like the look into the "slice of life" the show more Yotsuba&! series and this book provides and wonder if this is an accurate look into the world of a young Japanese child.

I look forward to reading the next volume... show less

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Title: Yotsuba&! Vol. 6
Series: Yotsuba&! #6
Author: Kiyohiko Azuma
Rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Manga
Pages: 208
Words: 8K

Synopsis:

Chapter List:

Yotsuba & Recycling

Yotsuba & The Bicycle

Yotsuba & Pottering Around

Yotsuba & Friday

Yotsuba & Milk

Yotsuba & Delivering

Yotsuba & The Bookshelf

My Thoughts:

My reading of Yotsuba has taken on a ritualistic aspect in my life. While these posts go up for Manga Monday, I read them the Saturday before. I wake up, show more peruse wordpress and deal with the various notifications and new posts. Then I start up Calibre, grab a Pina Colada Bang and sit down on the couch. I open my “Manga” review template in OpenOffice and begin reading.

I fill out each chapter heading in the template as I come to them in the manga and decide which picture I want to include. All the while I'm sipping on cold Bang and reading the antics of Yotsuba. It is soothing, relaxing and something I look forward too. Because I don't do these every Monday the ritual doesn't become over used and I can't accidentally unleash Unspeakable Cosmic Horrors on an unsuspecting world. Of course, maybe a Yotsuba inspired Cosmic Horror wouldn't be so bad?

Anyway, this volume centers around Yotsuba getting her first bicycle and her adventures. Some good, some bad. Yanda, the Arch Enemy, makes another appearance and Yotsuba enjoys eating her hamburger in his face while he has to make do with instant ramen.

NO PICTURE BECAUSE LIBRARYTHING SUCKS.

One of the strengths of this manga are the supporting characters. I put this picture of her dad to show what kind of home life Yotsuba is growing up in. He's super laid back and just is himself. At the same time he's a very careful father. He's one of the safety bungees that Yotsuba can bounce off of without ever knowing how close to danger she ever came. It is what you want in a parent.

★★★★★ show less

At long last, the next volume of Yotsuba& has been released under a new publisher, after the demise of ADV Manga. Yotsuba&, Volume 6 continues the slice of life hijinks of Yotsuba with her child like innocence and fun of life, with hilarious results.

Compared to the volumes released under ADV Manga, Yen Press seems to release a higher quality publication on better quality paper with a more faithful translation, as some of the puns are explained in their Japanese context (as opposed to ADV Manga, which would try to 'Americanize' it and write themselves into a corner when that same pun comes back at a later volume under a different context). Although the simple cover art had me worried at first, once I started reading the volume, I found show more the story to be as engaging as before.

Overall, it's good to see this series continued, as it would have been a shame to see it relegated to publication limbo. For those who are not familiar with the series, it's probably best to start from the beginning, though due to the slice of life nature of this series, it doesn't hurt to try this volume first. You just won't get as much of the humor out of it, as opposed to having read everything before.

I can't wait for the next volume to be published. show less

Children's manga. Might actually appeal more to adults but as one of the few selections that are appropriate for all ages, this is in the kid section.