One of the most popular shojo sub-genres in anime is the magical girl sub-genre, featuring the likes of Sailor Moon, Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Revolutionary Girl Utena, Pretty Cure, and more. While prominent in anime and manga, there are also some magical girl team-ups in comics, including Flavor Girls, created by Loïc Locatelli-Kournwsky, the French comic creator behind Persephone.

The first series featuring the Flavor Girls was published through Archaia, one of BOOM! Studios' several imprints. Flavor Girls #1 by Locatelli-Kournwsky and Eros de Santiago hit shelves on July 13th, 2022, and that series ended on a cliffhanger with #3 on September 14th, 2022.

Over two years later, the magical girl team is back in action with Flavor Girls: Return to the Mothership by Locatelli-Kournwsky and Angel De Santiago, which, at the time of writing, has two issues out and a third on the way. Flavor Girls could go toe to toe with some of the best magical girl anime series out there, and it certainly is a comic series that shojo readers do not want to miss out on.

The Flavor Girls Are a Magical Girls Team with a Sci-Fi Twist

BOOM! Studios Delivers Its Version of Sailor Moon

The new Flavor Girls series takes place in the future as an alien mothership enters Earth's atmosphere, and upon investigation, it launches the first of many attacks against humanity. While humanity has been on the ropes for over a decade, there is finally hope thanks to the magical girl team known as the Flavor Girls, and their forces grow with the addition of Sara, a prospective UN intern turned superhero.

One of the series' biggest strengths is how each character stands on their own, and they all have their strengths and flaws.

Made up of four magical girls, each Flavor Girl has a distinct design inspired by fruits and vegetables as well as a distinct personality. One of the series' biggest strengths is how each character stands on their own, and they all have their strengths and flaws, making these magical warriors feel more relatable. Sara, for instance, feels insecure about her role as a Flavor Girl, especially as the newest member, but she also shows great potential and serves as a comedic-yet-relatable point-of-view character.

Flavor Girls Stands Out for Its Character Relationships and Artwork

An Expressive Style in the Adventure Time Tradition

Along with these women standing strong on their own, the team dynamic is engaging, as are their friendships. While some , like Camille, eagerly welcome Sara, others, like V, are more reserved at first. These characters are given space to grow together and better understand one another, so these relationships feel more genuine. What also stands out in this series is the artwork. Instead of copying art styles similar to past magical girl anime, Locatelli-Kournwsky has an expressive, adorable style that feels akin to comics like Lumberjanes and cartoons like Adventure Time, one of Cartoon Network's best shows.

This style lends itself to the more comedic expressions of Locatelli-Kournwsky's characters, and it also delivers a beautiful blend of fantasy and technology, creating a unique world and threat in Flavor Girls. What further elevates this gorgeous art are the soft, pastel colors by de Santiago which would make Steven Universe envious, so this is also the perfect series for fans who miss Steven Universe.

The Flavor Girls Are Finally Back In Periodicals, Tying Up Loose Ends

After Two Years, Flavor Girls Returns to Comic Shops

The first Flavor Girls series' greatest strength is how it builds up the team. Even though they suffer a loss in the end, there is still faith that the Flavor Girls can come out on top in the end. This teamwork, along with the series' fantastical lore, makes the end of the original series feel incomplete, especially with the last issue teasing that this "conclusion" is only a temporary end.

It took over two years for Flavor Girls to finally return to shelves, this time with a new series, Flavor Girls: Return to the Mothership. Locatelli-Kournwsky is back in full force with gorgeous artwork and a dynamic team. This time, the new series sees the Flavor Girls uncover even more mysterious lore while fighting their cosmic foes.

For fans of series like Sailor Moon or She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, Flavor Girls is the perfect series to check out. While this series can be considered all-ages - and it is an excellent introductory comic for pre-teens and teens - it is also a comic that will appeal to older readers who feel nostalgic for '90s anime like Sailor Moon and the magical girl genre.

Flavor Girls: Return to the Mothership #3 is available February 12th, 2025 from BOOM! Studios.