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The Yotsuba manga is an oddity in the industry because this is a very popular series that has never gotten a manga adaptation, which is a weird phenomenon. While series such as Vagabond haven't been adapted because of how difficult it is to do justice to Takehiko Inoue's art, the Yotsuba manga remains one of those weird circumstances in the medium where success didn't equal an adaptation.
The Yotsuba manga is often viewed as the Holy Grail of slice-of-life series in the medium for its genius in its simplicity and execution. The series covers Yotsuba Koiwai's childhood while offering a glimpse of what it means to be a kid and have that love and innocence for life.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the Yotsuba manga.
All the details about the Yotsuba manga
Where to read
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Unfortunately, despite the popularity and quality of the Yotsuba manga, there are no specific platforms or apps where people can read the series online. Of course, several fans have translated the manga independently, but these are fan translations, which are not legal and could cause potential problems along the way.
On the other hand, there are several physical of the series on Amazon, which could be another way to go for people. This is very good since the platform has the 15 volumes of the series and could be a fine way to start with the manga.
What to expect
Author Kiyohiko Azuma had been outdoing himself with Yotsuba manga after a few years of trying to do slice-of-life series and not getting a hit, and the most interesting part is that this series' plot is almost non-existent. The mangaka found himself crafting a phenomenal story by just focusing on a little girl, Yotsuba Koiwai, going through regular adventures in her childhood.
Most of Yotsuba's adventures and experiences are accompanied by her adoptive father, Yousuke Koiwai, as they are trying to adapt to a new town. The series has a strong comedic approach and shows a lot of Yotsuba's innocence, which makes sense when considering her age and the fact that she is in a new town and trying to adjust to a new environment.
As mentioned earlier, the bulk of the series is very episodic, and readers can pick up a random chapter and wouldn't have any problems keeping up with the plot. In fact, even some of the events of the series take place in a couple of days in a row, which shows how author Kiyohiko Azuma has structured this manga.
There is also not a lot of progression in terms of Yotsuba's age. Most of the series takes place in a short period, although it doesn't feel like that for the reader. Overall, it is a simple and straightforward slice-of-life manga with a lot of heart and a main character that is both endearing and a reminder of kids' innocence and passion for life.
Final thoughts
The Yotsuba manga works because it has a lot of heart and doesn't try to be anything other than celebrating a young girl's childhood and love for life. It's one of those manga series whose premise could be very simple, but the way it is created lives on in people's minds.
