Yotsuba&! Manga Volume 5 Review

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Yotsuba, Yotsuba, Yotsuba. ^_^

Things get started in volume 5 with Yotsuba meeting the cardboard robot “Danbo” (Miura inside) while visiting Ena. I know this chapter caused great controversy as Yen Press went with the the actual naming of the robot, “Danbo,” whereas ADV had decided to rename it to “Cardbo” in an attempt at a lame joke. Personally, I prefer “Danbo” and Yen Press explains things so no problem there. Now, if “Danbo” makes a return, I’ll know the gag behind the name and all will be well.

Next, Yotsuba’s father brings grapes over to the Ayase home to thank them for their kindness to Yotsuba. However, she ends up eating the grapes after helping the Ayase family with their cleaning. Because fruit is so expensive in Japan, it is considered a great gift to give. So it was funny to me that Yotsuba is bragging to her father at the end of the story about how she ate a lot of grapes. Of course, it was amusing seeing her help with the cleaning. ^_^

The next story has Yotsuba introduced to Yanda (Yasuda), an acquaintance of her father’s who enjoys bickering with Yotsuba. I can’t help but love this antagonistic attitude between them. Yanda enjoys acting like a kid and getting down on Yotsuba’s level to engage in verbal skirmishes and practical jokes.

Jumbo and Koiwai take Yotsuba, Ena, Fuuka, and Miura to do some stargazing. We get a pseudo camping experience here with them bringing a tiny portable stove to heat the water for their instant ramen. I loved experiencing this through Yotsuba’s eyes and how she hadn’t forgotten her experiences with Yanda. ^_^

Next, Koiwai and Yotsuba have to run some errands in the rain. Again, we experience the simple pleasures of splashing water puddles as Yotsuba and her father walk to the video store. I liked how Koiwai decided to buy Yotsuba a rain jacket and hat so that she could enjoy being in the rain without having to carry an umbrella. The story ended with Yotsuba convincing her father to get taiyaki. I would have enjoyed seeing Yotsuba experience this fish-shaped pastry but Azuma-sensei didn’t go there. Oh well.

After hearing her father speak of the beach, Yotsuba thinks they are going and invited Ena and Fuuka over to go with them. She cries when she learns he had no such plans, but Koiwai has a change of heart and the foursome spend the afternoon at the beach until Yotsuba is worn completely out. This story is a long one but full of fun as is the whole manga. I think the moment that stood out for me was Yotsuba making a hole in the sand which fills with water and she sits in it. I recall my father doing that for me when I was about four, calling the resulting hole with water a mini-ocean. I was so amazed that even though no water had been poured into the hole, it had water in it. *lol* Good times.

As always, this volume of the manga is filled with the simple pleasures and joys of being a child. I’m still in awe of Azuma-sensei for managing to pull this off so well in addition to capturing the adult side of the experience. Yen Press deserves high praise for not going with a domestic approach on the adaptation and for including notes throughout the manga. For me, it shows how the Japanese childhood experiences and the American ones can be very similar. I like that.