Yozakura Quartet Volume 23

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY 25 FEB 2008

Quartet is about three girls with magical powers who are in charge of governing and protecting their town, and a human boy. There are adventures and there is action. Unfortunately, both are rather disjointed. Yasuda works hard to introduce the reader to the characters and to give her girls individual narratives that expand upon their characteristics. However, there isn't a clear theme or story line as anchor. Ultimately, it's a somber look at magical girl manga. The happiness and overzealous cuteness typical of this genre is absent. And while the school-girl skirts may fly up from time to time, there are no gratuitous panty-shots (save one at the end), replacing sexy-cute with an elegant, sophisticated sexiness. Yasuda's character designs are the most engaging. Hime, who acts as mayor, keeps a lookout on the town from telephone poles and carries a big lacrosse stick. Kotoha has the power to materialize objects that she imagines and then verbalizes. Ao has cat ears and can read people's minds. It's nothing spectacular or original, but the subtlety with which Yasuda presents them is refreshing.