Magical Task Force Asuka #7

Volume 7 of Magical Task Force Asuka puts the series' sharp tonal contrast front and center: Asuka herself stands in a frilly orange magical-girl dress while casually brandishing a rocket launcher and a handgun, rubble and military hardware scattered across the pastoral field behind her. That mix of whimsy and heavy weaponry perfectly captures what writer Makoto Fukami and artist Seigo Tokiya have built — a story that never lets its heroine fully escape the battlefield, no matter how cute the costume. If you've been following Asuka's journey, this 2019 Pika Édition volume looks ready to keep the tension between both worlds very much alive.