Over the summer, I read this manga called, Yotsuba&!. The manga is by Kiyohiko Azuma. Since it's a manga, it's in multiple issues. One of them I read was issue 12. In short, it's about a 5 year old adoptive girl, named Yotsuba, living with her father that adopted her and her crazy "slice of life" antics. Reading this manga, it's very childish, but in a very good way. Since it's mainly about a little child. It brings a strange sense of nostalgia as it reminds me of when I was a younger kid. And I love it.
For instance, most of the stories are mainly about her little antics as a naïve and curious child. From painting the kitchen sky blue to learning about how to tie a knot, her bubbly personality is what makes these seemly unimportant things, seem so hilarious and funny. The fact that she is so naïve to the world around her, makes all of the little adventures she has much more entertaining to watch. If you took a child that is much more older, such as a 13 year old; the antic that Yotsuba does, would seem much more boring since at that age. Since at that age, it's common knowledge that you're not to be as naïve or oblivious to the world as a 5 year old and that's the magic in Yotsuba. It brings out a strange sense of nostalgia that I just love as it reminds me of my younger days.
Also, I don't just love Yotsuba. I also really love the rest of the characters and how supportive and kind they are to her. For example, her adoptive father, through out the issue, you see how much he loves Yotsuba. For example, in one chapter, Yotsuba and her dad and some friends go on a camping trip. Once all the children are about to sleep, Yotsuba is the only one who can't sleep and so she asks her father to pat her on her chest as he would usually do to fall asleep. But what I loved the most about this part is the fact that he didn't complain even though she was yelling to him in a very obnoxious way. I don't what it was, but there was something about this moment that made me vey emotional. Also, her father's friend, who she calls, "Jumbo" due to the fact he's so tall, also is very kind to Yotsuba. Often getting her little treats like cake and new picture books and playing around with her little games. It's these small interactions that just make this much more heart warming.
In the end, Yotsuba is a really good manga. On it's surface, it seems like a simple, cutesy book meant to be overly cute. But when you slow down and analyze it a bit more; you then see it's so much more. From the naïve nature of Yotsuba herself to the way other adults interact with her, it just makes the story seem much more alive and realistic.... Or I'm just looking way too deep into a story about 5 year old, green haired girl.
For instance, most of the stories are mainly about her little antics as a naïve and curious child. From painting the kitchen sky blue to learning about how to tie a knot, her bubbly personality is what makes these seemly unimportant things, seem so hilarious and funny. The fact that she is so naïve to the world around her, makes all of the little adventures she has much more entertaining to watch. If you took a child that is much more older, such as a 13 year old; the antic that Yotsuba does, would seem much more boring since at that age. Since at that age, it's common knowledge that you're not to be as naïve or oblivious to the world as a 5 year old and that's the magic in Yotsuba. It brings out a strange sense of nostalgia that I just love as it reminds me of my younger days.
Also, I don't just love Yotsuba. I also really love the rest of the characters and how supportive and kind they are to her. For example, her adoptive father, through out the issue, you see how much he loves Yotsuba. For example, in one chapter, Yotsuba and her dad and some friends go on a camping trip. Once all the children are about to sleep, Yotsuba is the only one who can't sleep and so she asks her father to pat her on her chest as he would usually do to fall asleep. But what I loved the most about this part is the fact that he didn't complain even though she was yelling to him in a very obnoxious way. I don't what it was, but there was something about this moment that made me vey emotional. Also, her father's friend, who she calls, "Jumbo" due to the fact he's so tall, also is very kind to Yotsuba. Often getting her little treats like cake and new picture books and playing around with her little games. It's these small interactions that just make this much more heart warming.
In the end, Yotsuba is a really good manga. On it's surface, it seems like a simple, cutesy book meant to be overly cute. But when you slow down and analyze it a bit more; you then see it's so much more. From the naïve nature of Yotsuba herself to the way other adults interact with her, it just makes the story seem much more alive and realistic.... Or I'm just looking way too deep into a story about 5 year old, green haired girl.
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