Dec 30, 2017
Storytelling in a 4-Koma is tricky to pull-off. One may think, with the format being dominated by Comedy, that the primary goal of a 4-Koma is to make the reader laugh. In that respect, Acchi Kocchi enjoys lukewarm success. The series, fails, however, in a pivotal way: it spreads itself too thin.
Story
Acchi Kocchi follows the misadventures of a group of highschool students. Within the halls of their classrooms, the characters get into all sorts of mischief. The tone is warm, although the premise is quite conventional.
The series' weakness is in its lack of focus. Its central romance lacks the progression and tugging-of-heartstrings present
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in series like Tomo-chan wa Onnanoko, while its comedy lacks the creative punch of Kill Me Baby. The end result is a series with nice moments suffocated by tired humor.
Art
Art in the series is simplistic, but appropriate for the series. Some standout designs are Tsumiki, the female protagonist with a catlike aesthetic, and Mayoi, her crazy best friend. The stubby characters add a visual flair to the comedy. It doesn't impress, but it complements.
Character
Most of the cast of Acchi Kocchi checks boxes but little else. You have the resident tricksters, the innocent girl, the ojou-sama, and other comedy staples. The characters struggle to distinguish themselves from their crowded archetypes and feel more like props than characters. Some of the later characters feel like straight-up wastes of space, representing a few traits that would be better represented in pre-existing characters.
If there is a selling point to the series, it would be the relationship between Io and Tsumiki. Whenever these two are involved, its as if the series itself gets a second wind. That being said, the series oscillates between teasing romantic progress and throwing out jokes, resulting in inconsistent satisfaction on all fronts.
Enjoyment
There was a time when I enjoyed Acchi Kocchi. It was when I just getting into 4-Koma manga. The series successfully skims the surface of 4-Koma-style Romance, Comedy and Drama, making it a good introduction to the format. After reading other, more focused series, however, I found that Acchi Kocchi had lost much of its charm.
Overall
Acchi Kocchi provides a comprehensive introduction to the 4-Koma format, but struggles to distinguish itself from its competitors. The end result is a jack-of-all-trades manga that leaves few veterans satisfied.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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