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This will probably be an unpopular opinion here, but I for one wish that Raita gave his female characters a little more body definition and tone. (If not in general, then at least within the Magical Girls series).
Mind you, I am *not* saying he should make his girls "muscular", god forbid. I don't want him to change his character's body types, silhouettes, shapes, sizes, gross contours, or anything of the sort. Actually, perhaps what I should really say is that I wish he retained the kind of muscle tone he gave to Sasaki in the very first chapter of Magical Girls (pic related). The Magical Girls are supposed to be amazing athletes (the description for Sasaki confirms explicitly she has spectacular physical abilities). I think it's no coincidence that he drew Sasaki that way at first, although evidently the descriptions were written later for the digital compilation reissues.
Firstly, I simply find it to be an elegant and pleasing contrast to see signs of fitness and athletic ability on an otherwise slight, feminine frame and insecure/unconfident personality, and I appreciate the extra care and attention that goes into finely and tastefully fleshing out the details of a character's body.
It makes the first chapter(s) of the series feel intimate in a special way that I miss in later installments. Perhaps it's a consequence of artistic laziness creeping in masquerading as an evolution in style (of which the apogee, or should I say nadir, would be the quality of some of those later color illustrations that some posters here are critical of).
I find that the prominence of sinewy lines on Sasaki's body in that first chapter serve to accentuate and reinforce her bodily tension during those sex scenes in a very erotic and tasteful way.
Later installments feature bodies that look a lot cleaner, softer, and more glamorous, perhaps, which is nice in its own way, but also ubiquitous in other artists' works.
