Azumanga Daiou The Animation

Based on the wildly popular 4koma manga by Kiyohiko Azuma, AzuDai follows the ordinary lives of six ordinary high school girls. Sounds interesting, right? No? Well......it is.

Azumanga Daioh follows the adventures of Chiyo, Osaka, Tomo, Yomi, Kagura, and Sakaki. There is very little plot besides "The Girls Go To School", but that really isn't an issue. This series is about its characters, and the characters are great. Chiyo is a ten-year-old genius that skipped several grades to get into high school. Despite this possibly being a series in and of itself, she's mostly there to look cute (and she does so stupendously). Tomo is a ... loudmouthed spaz and general agent of chaos that constantly stirs stuff up. Yomi is the snarky straight man to Tomo and is constantly worried about her weight (for no apparent reason). Kagura is a typical sports-obsessed jock, but is actually a very sweet girl. Osaka is a spacey girl. That's about it. A lot of the show's humor comes from Osaka's odd perspectives and non-sequiturs. Sakaki is a tall, athletic girl who only wants to surround herself with cute things. Unfortunately for her, cats hate her, and she intimidates everyone around her. The series also follows the girls' teachers: Yukari-sensei and Nyamo-sensei (who are, essentially, adult Tomo and Yomi, respectively) and Kimura-sensei. Kimura-sensei is an Ephebophiliac (HE LIKES HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS, THAT'S WHY!). Yeah. [size=85]Also, there's Kaori, who has a lesbian crush on Sakaki, but I'll speak more on her later.[/size]

Luckily, a lot of the charm is the manga is retained. And that is, how easy it is to relate to the characters and events. Who hasn't had a frustrating bout of hiccups, or had to work on a class project, or went to an amusement park with friends? The characters are likeable (even Kimura), and Mr. Azuma's humor shines through enough that the series doesn't go too long without a laugh.

Mr. Azuma has a way of taking the everyday laughs that we all enjoy and putting them to paper extremely well. Unfortunately for the anime adaptation, the series works best that way. On paper. While the gag-a-day routine works excellently in what amounts to a Japanese newspaper comic, it sometimes doesn't translate well to the Small Screen. For example, many jokes in the manga rely on beat panels. This translates to a lot of awkward silences throughout the series which quickly becomes monotonous, especially since this delivery is very hit-and-miss. Two or three panels of silence is a lot easier to tolerate than thirty seconds of characters staring at each other. Another problem is that while repetitive panels in a comic are fine, using the same animation over and over is much more noticeable and much more grating in a cartoon. J.C. Staff (the production studio) cut as many corners as they could, and it shows.

Another problem is the character focus. Sakaki gets WAY too much screen time. The joke that cats like to bite her gets old really quick. And the joke that she practically orgasms in the presence of cute...anything comes up way too often. Maybe if she was more two-dimensional, her screentime would be justified. But it isn't. Another character with too much screen time is Kaori. In the manga, she only shows up rarely. In the anime, she practically becomes a main character. Again, if she had some more varied jokes, it would be tolerable, but she doesn't. She is a lesbian. ISN'T THAT FUNNY? The creators of this anime seem to think so.

And then, here I am, at the granddaddy of all of this show's problems: CHIYO'S "FATHER". They guy shows up everywhere. Every time he is on screen, it is a Big-Lipped Alligator Moment. He's creepy, and despite the Nightmare Fuel that is the scenes where he interacts with Sakaki in her dreams, the show keeps trying to convince us that he's cute. He isn't.

There are other problems, but most of them are just nitpicking.

In short, this is a good series. It is funny without being crude, and touching without being sappy. It just pales in comparison to the masterpiece that is the original manga.

FINAL SCORES:
Animation: 4/10
Plot/Writing: 9/10
Music: 6/10
Voice Acting: 7/10

FINAL SCORE: 7/10

The cute girls doing cute things shows have persisted heavily since the early 2000s but the show that started it all, was Azumanga Daioh back in 2002. Since I've never addressed this in any previous reviews I thought I would do so now. I honestly don't really have anything against this type of show. Most of the time these shows are generally harmless, albeit mostly forgettable and while I would prefer to have an anime with a stronger narrative and characters, these shows don't really bother me at all. However, there are a few shows from this genre that I do actually like and Azumanga ... Daioh is certainly one of them. I adore this little series and all its characters, easily becoming one of my favorite anime of this nature.

As previously stated, Azumanga Daioh was amongst the first of its kind, which then started a boom in moe shows, fueled mostly by studio Kyoto, and even after ten years, this show still holds up. Narratively speaking, its pretty straightforward although there is an actual sense of progression in this show since it follows the lives of a bunch of high school girls as they make their way through three years of school, eventually ending with them graduating and going over to college. While the plot progression is as basic as they come, there is, at the very least, some sense of the passing of time unlike other shows of this nature and the ending, as a result, does come across as genuinely heartwarming and even emotional to a certain degree. The ending in particular was one of my favourite things about this show. As someone who is about to graduate from college after spending the last seven years of my education with near enough the same people, the show struck me on an emotional level which I do appreciate since it was able to invoke such an emotion in me.

While the plot is nothing to write home about, it's the characters that stand out in this show and the interactions they have between themselves. Each of the characters have a distinct dynamic and personality that plays off each other rather well, but at the same time each one has more layers of personality underneath the surface layer which helps set up a variety of jokes since the character's reactions and thoughts on events that have transpired will change and alternate, keeping the comedy relatively fresh and interesting, even when the show does decide to repeat some gags from time to time.

The show even uses surrealist comedy, in regards to Chiyo's father, whom we never see, but is interpreted as a strange talking cat by the rest of the cast in dream sequences. These scenes never failed to make me laugh or crack a smile and most of the time it is down to the show's sense of timing and pacing of joke delivery.

As previously stated, each character is given distinct personalities and are definitely the driving force behind this anime. Out of everyone, Osaka was perhaps my favorite just because of her accent and line delivery. She certainly could be classed as one of the 'slow' characters but her random tangents and thoughts make her surprisingly lovable and likeable. And this pretty much sums up everyone as a whole too; likeable. I found the entire cast to be both fun and enjoyable to watch, and since the cast is relatively large, it allows for a lot of variety in jokes and scenarios which work in the shows favour. While the comedy is pretty strong, there were a few moments that I found myself kind of bored or uninterested in what was going on, but thankfully these moments were few and far in between.

The art and animation are both fine and do their intended job. It's not terrible, nor is it the greatest in the world either so there really is not all too much to discuss in regards to this area. The music however is something I really enjoyed and all of the songs are really catchy, upbeat and reflect the tone of the show perfectly, adding onto the comedy and the relaxing feeling of this anime. The opening and ending song are both also great as well, especially the opening which becomes funnier after you watch more and more of the anime.

In conclusion, Azumanga Diaoh is a show with good comedy and one in which I would recommend for an easy, lighthearted watch. It's not a show that is going to change the medium but it certainly will keep you entertained on a boring Sunday afternoon and the manga is pretty great too!

Ok, first reaction to watching this... most likely like most of your reactions were. I was just sitting in Anime Club at school one day when someone put this on. I was sitting there watching, thinking... "Stupid teacher... 10 year old girl in high school...". Then, out of the blue... ♪Cooking is so fuun! Cooking is so fuun! Now it's time to take a break and see what we have done!♪. I was drinking water at the time and I started choking on it. I started laughing so hard that I mean it when I say ROFL. I fell on the floor. So did half ... of my class. The rest were hitting their heads on their desks. I thought it was the most random thing I'd ever seen. I later bought the episodes and watched the entire thing. It's still one of my favorite animes to this date.

Story wise, nothing much. Complete random nonsense. That's what was good about it. There was no major plot, it was the perfect comedy. Randomness every episode. Near the end of the show they start talking about college entrance exams, so I guess that could count as a minor story, but it was pure genius. No story whatsoever. Usually I hate those kinds of animes, ones without good stories, or ones without any story at all, but this is one of the few I love.

Artwork, for it's time, really good. I think it was made somewhere around 2002 or 2003, so good quality artwork for it's time. All the characters are cool looking, my personal favorite is Kagura.

Sound, Chiyo's voice was high pitched and annoying. Just like a 10 year old should be, so good for Jessica Boone. Kagura's voice is also why I love her. There's just something about it that makes me all happy 'n stuff. And Tomo, her voice matches her personality to the max. Super Hyperactive and clueless. One of the great things about this show, the good voice acting.

Characters were all perfect. I liked all of them (Kagura Kagura KAGURAAAA), and Osaka still makes me laugh my head off. She's so clueless it's painful. Sakaki is one of the best, cause animals are awesome, and she thinks so too. The big yet gentle animal lover in the show. Chiyo, the braniac, gets the best grades in class. She's only 10 people... do better. Tomo, her hyperactivity is what makes her funny. All the characters are unique, funny, and I love them all (Kagura Kagura KAGURAAAA).

I enjoyed the series completely, and everyone I've showed it to has laughed their heads off along with me. I recommend this to everyone, no matter what your genre. Hopefully this review helped.

Anyone who likes light hearted comedy about school escapades will definitely enjoy Azumanga Daioh.

There\'s six girls in total: Sakaki, (the shy girl who has a secret love for cats), Chiyo (The genius who skipped __ grades), Kasuga aka osaka (the random one), Tomi (Loose cannon) Yomi, (Smart, and has her own set of problems), and Kagura (The sports fanatic). Each and every one of these girls go to the same school, but are very different in terms of personality, and their look on school. Each girl is completely different from the other which makes this such an interesting anime to watch.

Throughout the entire series ... you see all of these six girls friendship strengthen and mature, and you get so involved in the things that happen within each episode. Being the new student in high school, exams, sports events, culture events, basically things that happen in school and what you do to volunteer in them are all in this anime. It really just epitomises what you do in school which is why it is so enjoyable to watch. The random chats you have with friends, the good and bad things that happen between friends, all the experiences that you go through in high school is pretty much displayed.

My opinion is, it\'s a great series full of cheer and high spirits, and a series that you definitely don\'t want to end!

Azumanga Daioh is widely pointed to as the first high school slice of life anime. At the very least, it's thought to have been genre defining, especially when it comes to slice of life shows that follow the lives of "cute girls," which there have been dozens of since Azumanga's debut. I'm no anime encyclopedia, so I can't confirm the accuracy of these notions, (I know there are many older manga that would today be considered slice of life, at the very least), but I'm fine with accepting them and considering Azumanga's merit with that in mind.

There are anime critics out there who think of ... Azumanga as being sort of middle of the road in terms of quality compared to some of the high school slice of life anime that have followed it. However, while I have yet to watch and compare some of the more popular slice of life Azumanga has allegedly influenced, like Nichijou, K-on!, and so on, I've seen a few; namely Hidamari Sketch, Lucky Star, Ichigo Mashimaro. Comparisons aside, Azumanga is just a great show, but stacked against some of the slice of life I've seen, and looking at its role in the context of popular anime as a whole, there are certain qualities in the material that I think are indispensable and worth reexamining, if not reintroducing more broadly into anime today.

There are moments, I think, where Azuma or at least the anime staff) knows that the audience might be expecting a little fanservice, and he defiantly chooses not to go there, like when Kagura shows Osaka her tanlines in class, and the camera pulls way out to show Yomi's reaction, rather than showing skin or introducing any element of eroticism to the scene. Maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration, but there are at least moments throughout the show where even my weeb brain has been apparently conditioned to expect a pantsu shot or something to appear, like when the girls are bent over the edge of the pool, preparing to dive at the start of the swimming race, and I am always relieved when the camera is focused somewhere else, or a joke doesn't go somewhere lewd when it easily could. I often thought of this as the show's active resistance of fanservice while watching it, but perhaps it's not something so dramatic as that. Either way, I guess I didn't even fully realize how fucked up my brain had become as an anime fan until watching this 100% wholesome show.

Regardless of how you look at it, even though it's a light hearted comedy, I think the way this series, written by a male author, quite frankly and with sympathy and understanding, considers how these young girls think about their bodies as they're experiencing adolescence, and negotiate their existence in a world where their bodies are at times given undue focus, is worth noting. From Sakaki and Yomi's struggles with their self-images, to Kimura's constant, creepy fetishization of the rest of the cast (especially Kaori, poor kid).

Kimura is an important character for this show as a concrete example of how aware Azuma-san of how certain male anime fans think of young girls, and what some of them might be expecting as viewers/readers of his series. He's also a type of character that I don't think really exists elsewhere in anime. A pervert, and a lolicon at that, who the rest of the characters are actually freaked out by, and not in a "maybe this guy's not so bad after all" kind of way. As much as they TRY to sympathize with him, or see his good traits, he always just makes them uncomfortable in the end.

At the very least, other comedies of Azumanga's type that I've seen are a little bit more shy when approaching this type of subject matter, if they get into it at all. I think it's good to include, since the show is, after all, really about the girls.

Another thing that I like about Azumanga is that the characters don't seem to live in a cute girl paradise bubble of some kind. The question of their growth into adults is something actively considered in the series, and how their individual abilities and personalities will serve them after they graduate and enter the real world. That's part of what's so bittersweet about their graduation. We are sad to see them leave behind not only their relationships with each other, but this carefree time in their lives, and we hope for the best for them. Perhaps we are a little bit more worried about some of them (Osaka T_T please be ok) than others. We know Chiyo is rich in addition to being a genius, so she's pretty much set. Yet there is a feeling of vicarious happiness and pride that one feels at seeing them each make it past the finish line despite the unique, individual challenges they each faced as high school girls. I bring this up because some other slice of life shows, like Hidamari Sketch or, from what I've heard, K-On!, kind of treat real life social and economic circumstances as inconvenient details that disrupt the utopian fantasies the shows are trying to present of girlhood and friendship; though the elimination of those details kind of undercuts the light emotional drama, and bittersweet feelings of transience and loss that these series could offer.

All that aside, if we take this to be the first popular example of a slice of life show, then a question arises: How are we supposed to watch a show like this?

Azumanga was created before the dawn of show-binging as it exists today. While that's true of all anime that was created before widespread accessible online streaming, I think it's especially good to keep in mind when watching Azumanga, or perhaps slice of life more broadly. Both the show and the manga were created with the expectation that they would be consumed in small doses. That's not to say you can't binge watch the show, and that you wouldn't enjoy doing so. But there are no cliffhangers, there are no serious conflicts that need to be resolved. The aim of the show, to me, is to simply bring the viewer into its world for a moment. To make us consider and appreciate the funny, joyous, and charming moments and people that exist in life. If you're running through the series quickly in one or two sittings, just like in life, your appreciation for these moments will become dulled by the apparent "monotony" at times.

I found myself wishing that there were a few less "Sakaki trying to pet cats" gags in the early-middle of the show, for example. If I broke up my viewings a bit more though, I doubt I would have even noticed, and perhaps some of those moments would have stuck out to me more. Despite some great episodes in that part of the series, I found it feeling a bit samey at times. But of course it would feel that way. It's a high school slice of life where the same events (mostly) happen every year.

Later slice of life shows seem to in part solve this "problem" by introducing more of the crazy gags and surreal moments that Azumanga was first notable for. I think Azumanga really accomplishes what it's meant to though, if the viewer is willing to take the experience of watching it a bit slower. That said, there are still episodes that clearly stand out from the rest, like the new years dream episode, which is the episode where the series really puts its cards on the table with some of the strangest and most memorable gags (chiyo-chan flying, tomo bopping yomi on the head repeatedly for almost a minute, the introduction of chiyo-chichi); and the final four episodes, which are far more emotional than the rest.

Azumanga Daioh is a revolutionary, comedy genius. This show is possibly one of the funniest show I've ever seen, nearly every joke and gag always have the perfect delivery and had the right timing and always hits where it's at its most effective. The humor is just so in-line with the popular shitpost memes that is so big nowadays, it literally ages like fine wine. Not to mention this jokes are accompanied by top tier voice actings and the right character animations every time (which gives really big acoustic energy btw) which makes it even more hysterical.

Of course, not only comedy genius, Azumanga is also ... a brilliant slice of life, with its well-established characters that is surprisingly so human that you could really connect with them. They're also topped off by the fact they're so full of colorful personalities, which makes you love em even more. I could not get enough of how much of a dumbass Osaka is, how hyperactive and loud Tomo is, Sakaki's cool demeanor accompanied by her extremely soft side, Chiyo's intelligence accompanied by her childlike nature and innocence, Kagura's tomboy nature, Kaori being so down bad, and Yomi, the only one to put a sense of normalcy into the show, and even some of the teachers and unmentioned side characters. They're all contributing to make this show so endearing, not to mention endearingly funny too. You can't help but fell in love with these characters.

The way it builds up and progresses, you feel like you really get to see this characters grow, and other than being hilarious as hell, I think that's also the best part about Azumanga Daioh. The series really makes you feel like you're making a friend, you're watching that friend grows, and eventually say goodbye to them as they need to move up in life, and go to college after you both graduated. I think it's amazing that this series could that exact feelings.


Favorite Episodes (in no particular order):
Yamamayaa
Graduation Ceremony
Culture Fest, Second Year
School Trip

I really don’t think I can really say much about Azumanga Daioh that hasn’t already been said. Fortunately, unlike Mari-mite, it is well known and well loved, which it definitely deserves.

[Note- I wrote a Mari-mite review right before this one so it was still on my mind...these reviews were originally intended for my blog]

This show is rather genius in its simplicity. It’s just a simply drawn show that is simply about a group of high school friends from when they enter high school to when they graduate from it. The characters are great and their personalities all play a part in making the show very ... funny. I admit that I find Chiyo and Tomo to be grating sometimes…but considering how often they get beaten up with great comedic justice; it evens out in the end. My favorites are Kagura, Osaka, Kaorin, and Sakaki. Kagura is just lot of fun, Osaka is bizarrely odd, Kaorin is a poor beleaguered lesbian fangirl, and Sakaki is the cool girl who longs to be cute.

The opening and closing songs are delightfully weird and catchy and will stay with you long after you finish watching the show. The BGM is also enjoyable in its strangeness.

I can’t give this anime enough praise, it is by far my favorite comedy anime series and it even manages to make me tear up at the end because I hate to see them go after graduation. For the two of you out there that haven't seen this anime yet: you need to rectify that immediately. This should be required watching for all fans of anime.

Azumanga Daioh just makes me happy and that feeling in and of itself is the reason I love anime so much.

Recommended for: EVERYONE!

Not recommended for: People who hate awesome and hilarious things (maybe emo kids?)

Some say this anime is the best of all slice of life and some (JUST) RESPOND to this hype by expressing their Hatred forAzumanga...

This is not fair you cannot JUST LABEL it with Extremely Overrated or something like this...you watch it with bias and expressing all bias for your own wish to torture all heart of this anime's lovers.

And how can anyone said it's characters are cliche? Maybe you were drunk while watching it or something? I do agree that Tomoyo and Koyomi is cliche for many slice of life comedy (Tomo along with Minami Kana and Matsuoka Miu will bring Hyperactive Girl's Destruction for ... sure) But dudes , How can you say Osaka and Sasaki cliche!? Osaka is one of the most unique character in this universe! I find no one else like her...No! Mataro in Zetsubou sensei is not even 2% close to Osaka. Osaka has her own trait if you really watch this anime without bias. Many who've known her well do not even label her as Dumb or something...She may look like air-head one but she's clever in her own way...This is what other anime do not have.Plus Osaka even did some morbid thing (Intentionally or unintentionally)

Sasaki is also worth mention.Her characteristic smack those who like to label people by their own look. Yes she is tough girl who is good at sport.But she has her secret side for her love of cute things especially cats! she is cliche!? Hell no!

And if you just want to watch "OH BLOODY HILARIOUS FOR EVERY (SPLIT) SECOND BIT" just walk away. Slice of Life is not comedy itself from the start. But you know Azumanga did well in how it's story is so similar to daily life but yet more funny and more interesting without making you feeling like faraway spectator.You'll feel so close to them as if "OH! I've ever been imagine crazy thing to sleep like Osaka when I was in classroom (But not just crazy and funny as hers)" or "The scene which Tomo put the chair to make sleeping Chiyo knock against make me think of what my friend , who is not as hyperactive as Tomo, did"

This is what Slice of life should be...and this is why so many people worship Azumanga.You must admit the truth that Azumanga left so many impression for 2000's Slice of Life that it eventually become a "Standard" for other 2000's Slice of life anime...so it's very common when you heard people said "It's not funny as Azumanga"

However! I liked Ichigo Mashimaro & Minami-ke which is NOT similar to Azumanga.They both have different style of story-telling , soundtrack using etc. I love Matsuoka Miu and think she's 3 times more hilarious than Tomo. And Princess Chiaki-sama in Minami-ke is also my favourite.

But...Azumanga is my first love for Slice of life anime! How can I resist the feeling. Even if there are anime that is thousands times more hilarious than Azumanga , I'll still confidently express how I love Azumanga. As I said before Slice of life is not only about comedy!

Sorry for my bad english because I do not live in english-using country.
(You may tease me "Coppora! Coppora!" as you wish.)
And very sorry for review like this because there is no "re-review" in this site.

An authentic, quirky, and nostalgic slice of life anime.

Now, I wouldn't necessarily "recommend" Azumanga Daioh. For viewers who are fatigued of high school settings and slice of life anime, this won't change anyone's mind about the genre. If you had a chance to watch, great; if not, that's ok too.

But as a 90's kid, this was the Napoleon Dynamite of anime for me. It was the first time I was exposed to such enigmatic dispositions in an anime. The beginning is slow and the part of the "problem" throughout the series is its lack of a compelling plot. But the story picks up when Chiyo ... shows up, and to me, a true slice of life anime was never really about epiphanies and emotional maturing--it's simply about putting a group of characters in a setting and see if it generates entertainment. In that regards, it does what it's supposed to do. I personally thought it handles the mannerisms of an awkward character really well that doesn't seem forced or ...well awkward-- especially compared to more current slice of life.

Azumanga does stand out in parts. It has an adorable OP and soundtrack (if I had to compare, it resembles Oreimo's OST) and, like FMP fumoffu, Azumanga imo is good at presenting some of the more memorable, iconic, and funny scenes and dialogues for a SOL.

Ultimately, my score's an 8.5; I can't give a 9 or a 10 especially because this anime doesn't stand the test of time in modern culture as people (at least Western audiences) now find appeal in more compelling plot and stories. Also, like Napoleon Dynamite, I think the humor commits so that only certain people will find it funny. It worked on me and it's a series that has a high personal re-watch value. I consider Azumanga Daioh as one of the OG's when it comes to its pertaining genre.

Despite being very much a period piece for the early 2000s, Azumanga Daioh has a real timeless quality to it. I started watching this series for the first time in 2020, nearly 20 years after its first air date, so this review will look at Azumanga from a different angle.

Watching it now at my age, Azumanga definitely strikes the theme of nostalgia really well. The changes in the decades to come are subtler the nearer they are in time to us, but those of us who grew up in that particular moment of time are able to notice the changes more than others. It's why ... I never understood 80s or 90s nostalgia but 00s nostalgia, a theme yet to be tapped by mainstream popular culture, resonates with me like nothing other. And since Azumanga itself takes place in and was made in the early 2000s, it paints a picture of this bygone time period exceptionally well, watching it in this current era.

Back nearly 6 years ago, before I was into CGDCT, I had the chance to borrow the entire manga tankoubon from a friend and at the time I never thought much of it. And while my tastes in anime have matured over these years, watching Azumanga for the first time still felt like an incredible experience thanks in no small part to the animation and voicework elevating it all. They really lend a lot of life into the anime and makes for a very pleasant watch.

The show is very fond of long drawn out pauses, either for comedic purposes or for iyashikei-ness. It lends the show a very laid-back feel and does make one feel very relaxed in the whole thing. Even at its most frantic moments, the pacing is still nice and easy which makes the show very easygoing and peaceful.

As time goes on and as the CGDCT genre develops, a lot of the standard character archetypes get dropped off entirely; I can tell you someone like Yomi, the always angry straight-faced one of the bunch, can no longer be seen in such shows, while a sensei-chan like Yukari-sensei you no longer see outside of offbeat wacky comedies. And of course, Osaka, cute as a button, herself is entirely unique to Azumanga. Just having her onscreen is a joy to behold for her strange and occasionally surprisingly astute observations is the defining feature of the show. Despite this, being one of the more popular and contemporary CGDCT shows, you can see Azumanga's influence on other shows going forward. Character archetypes, tropes, cliches, whatever you call them, a good chunk of what you'll see in this you'd probably already seen a hundred times in a dozen shows made a decade later, but that doesn't mean it isn't endearing. Azumanga's execution still manages to tie everything neatly together and can still make an impression on me nearly 20 years later, and on several occasions beating contemporary new 20s shows.

I honestly wished the show got on for a bit longer. But who knows. With the current resurgence of older franchises, maybe even Yotsuba will get an anime adaptation one day.

9/10

Azumanga Daioh is an excellent slice-of-life comedy anime, and I would strongly recommend it to anyone who likes slice of life, comedy, and adjacent genres. If you like shows like Lucky Star and Nichijou, then this is a must watch. However, slice of life haters may find it boring and unfunny.

Visuals: 7/10
The visuals are a mixed bag. While distinctive, they are also simplistic. The simple art style and animation honestly fits the series pretty well, but they are unremarkable compared to 9/10 or 10/10 visuals found in other shows. There are also some funny moments enhanced by the animation and art style.

Music: 7/10
The ... opening is top-tier, the ending is unremarkable, and the background music sets the right tone but does not stand out. The music certainly wasn't bad, but compared to a similar show like Lucky Star, whose BGMs and OP are iconic, Azumanga's music is good but not great.

Voice Acting: 9/10
Every second of voice acting is expressive, talented, and fits the scene and characters perfectly. While not everyone will agree, I think that the voice acting is one of the strong points of the show. (I watched the JP audio with EN subs, so I can't speak to the English dub.)

Story/Worldbuilding: 6/10
Like any other slice of life anime, the story is not the main focus of the show. There is no real ongoing plot. However, there are interesting details sprinkled throughout the show, even though the story does not develop over time. These details are more gags or trivia than actual worldbuilding, but they still contribute to the overall viewing experience in a positive way.

Writing/Characters: 9/10
The characters and comedy skits/funny moments are definitely the best part of the show for me, as I ended up watching it because of various clips and memes online. The comedy writing can definitely seem strange or stupid to some, but it aligned well with my sense of humor. I would especially recommend this show for people who like surrealist humor and memes. The characters are also distinctive and you get to know them well over the course of 26 episodes. However, some may get tired of repetitive humor or "stock/generic characters." This is a fair criticism, but it is also important to note that Azumanga Daioh inspired several subsequent shows that reinforced these very character tropes, so the show should be judged in context. Also, here are the Top 5 Azus ranked: Osaka, Chiyo, Sakaki, Yukari, Chiyo-Dad. If you disagree, you are wrong.

Creativity: 8.5/10
The writing and direction of the comedy sketches is generally pretty creative, with surreal humor and several iconic moments that are still being talked about over 20 years later. However, the plot/humor can feel repetitive at times, so keep this in mind going in to the show.

Entertainment: 10/10
While it's not for everyone, I found Azumanga Daioh to be highly entertaining, funny, and original. It really manages to get you absorbed into its world, with all of its eccentricities like a flying lemon-shaped cat, a 12-year old high schooler with detachable pigtails, a post-lobotomy, living :D emoji who has inspired a whole series of memes, a girl who loves cats and yet always gets bitten by them, and an open-mouthed high school teacher with questionable interests, just to name a few. Goodbye Everynyan and thanks for reading my review!

Listen. Azumanga Daioh is what I watch to stay sane. I aggressively love this anime and how carefree and immature it can be, it's like a big bowl of mashed potatoes - warm, filling and incredibly monotonous, but I love it.

Azumanga Daioh is a very pleasant view of the lives of little funny characters that have their funny interactions and relationships in funny picturesque ways that often feel like listening in on a genuine conversation in school between longtime friends. There is never conflict any more dire than someone forgetting their lunch, characters never argue to the point of breaking apart and in general nothing ... changes save for the girls going from their first year of school to second and then third. This light approach to continuity means that no matter where you start, or how long it has been since you last watched an episode, you can always hop in and enjoy yourself. Highlights definitely are when events like the trip to Okinawa, or Christmas comes, and the typical school setting is broken up for a change. In these episodes, the art and animation can shine somewhat more than usual.

The animation is lovely! Character designs, while often very similar each have their distinct features that identify them. If it's a girl with medium brown hair it's Osaka, if it's a girl with long brown hair and glasses it's Yomi and so on! Ok I will be honest most of the characters look very much the same but it really does fit the theme of ordinary ass girls in their ordinary ass life at school, and anyways I was able able to tell them all apart within a few episodes. Backgrounds are nothing too special, again the monotony of school environments is broken up with the impressiveish Okinawan sights.

it has a nice opening, I like the cats, Osaka is the best character in both Japanese and English dubs and I have watched this too many times please someone help me forget this series

I got into Azumanga Daioh through a friend of mine that I met through the Nyan Neko Sugar Girls fanbase. I personally enjoy it and can relate to most of the characters in one way or another. Though it isn't perfect. I love slice of life animes but if you're a shonen fan you probably won't like it. What I do like about it is it's very realistic which many animes I see don't really do all that often. Also it's a very influential anime on like all of anime and the fanbase. (it needs to be longer I guess so I'm just gonna do ... my rating on the characters)
Yukari Sensei: 10/10 - VERY RELATABLE I love how she's a lazy fuck (me too) who plays video games and lives with her mother but still has lesson plans for the kids and has nice outfits. voice can be annoying sometimes (same)
Nyamo: 8/10 - Good harmony with Yukari. Didn't do all that much but when she was there she was cool. I like how she's lady-likeish and has actual manners but wears pants (not saying gals can't wear pants I wear them everyday it's just not too feminine)
Chiyo Chan: 8.5/10 - she's pretty cool. she's a little bratty and her voice is annoying at sometimes but she's chiyo
Osaka (Ayumu Kasuga): 10/10 - Osaka is an amazing character man. She's really goofy but not in the Tomo way, speaking of which
Tomo Takino: 9/10 - TOMO!!! I can relate to Tomo a lott for a lot of different reasons but that's just me. She has a lot of spunk and energy and those characters are always fun!
Yomi: 8/10 - Kind of boring and looks like a secretary but she's pretty so eh. She keeps the other gals levelheaded so that's always a good
Sakaki: 10/10 - SAKAKI IS AWESOME she's pretty, likes cats, and is determined which is awesome.
Kagura: 8/10 - she's a little dumb but she has the spirit.
Kaorin: 7/10 - I feel really bad for her cause of Kimura mannn, also I wish she got character development uyghkfijflok
Kimura: 4/10 - man I really hope that reddit post about his pedo thing being an ACT was true. (basically it was for the gals to get used to creeps in the real world and to make them confident ig and he couldn't do it to osaka cause she reminded him of his wife) he ruined most of kaorins high school years >:(((
Chiyo Chichi: 100/10 - nya

Where Azumanga Daioh shines is through it's characters. From tall, quiet and animal loving Sakaki, to loose-cannon "wild cat" Tomo, 10 year old genius Chiyo, bubble-headed and loveably awkward Osaka, quick-tempered and weight-sensitive Yomi, and athletic and outwardly competitive Kagura there's an unusual personality for everyone to love! The interesting thing is they somehow manage to be the best of friends, and there's nothing funnier and more entertaining than watching their antics as they race through high school with the "help" of their teachers. Still, they all accomplish their goals, say goodbye, and go off to college... They grow up so fast, ... a must watch for anyone interested in a slice of life anime.

I started Azumanga Daioh with a sort of mild reluctance. Going into the series, I believed that I would be watching a poorly done crack anime that would fall on it's face in the first episode, despite the hype that the series was given. At first, I believed that I was right. Soon, however, the series spoke for itself and showed me that first impressions can be deceiving.

When I first dove into Azumanga Daioh, I fell in love with the characters. Each character was unique and drove beyond the normal thoughts of high school girls, or teachers, and went straight for original and strange. Certainly ... Chiyo could first be seen as a Mary-Sue, but it's later seen that she has several weaknesses that make her a believable and straight forward character. Other characters, like Tomo, show their weaknesses at the beginning, but slowly show their strengths over time, which is a bit surreal, but I liked the appeal that the characters had because of that.

Unfortunately, the characters were the only thing I loved unconditionally. From there, everything else kind of lacked. Although I did like the story, and it was easy to follow, I didn't really like how some of the characters interacted through the story. Also, many plot points were made just for humor, not for character development. Speaking of, there wasn't a lot of development in the characters through the story, which is understandable, but it's still high school. A lot of growing and developing happens during high school, and there wasn't a lot of that.

Even the art had strange occurrences sometimes. Normally art wouldn't deter me from anything, but the animals just looked to weird, especially the cats. They would grin and I would get reminded of a dark horror movie with a killer that was given sharp teeth and a cat costume to murder in. I felt they were too creepy for the show and it often took away from some scenes with Sakaki. Another art problem was with some of the expressions that Osaka gave. Osaka's expressions changed, but some looked strange and gave questionable impressions through the series.

Finally, there's the music. I'm not sure what it was about the music, but I didn't like it. At all. Sometimes the music would mask the drama in a scene, or something like that, and become a distraction for me. Plus, the same tune being changed over and over again with no real change in the mood of the music is just irritating and gave the repetitive expression in anime that I dread watching, or listening to.

Overall, the show is cute and very character heavy. It's unique and interesting, but the lack of plot and change in music makes me turn away from the series again and again. It was good, but I don't think that I'll watch the entire series again. Azumanga Daioh just doesn't offer enough for me to dive into it a second time.

I first saw an Azumanga Daioh clip hovering on Youtube about a month ago. I was intrigued, to say the least. At first, I put it off due to the poor animation quality and, quite frankly, the lackluster character design. But then I started watching it.

I got hooked.

Azumanga Daioh is one of the best quintessential Slife of Life animes I have ever seen bar none. It has comedy, sad moments, character building, friendship bonding, and everything in between.

I would also like to say, Osaka is one of the best characters in any anime. Why was she made like that I have no clue. ... What did Osaka do I also have no clue. But the fact of the matter is Osaka is an amazing, funny character and I continued the show *just* for her.

For people who are saying that Azumanga Daioh is a boring anime, I see your point. However, I do not see it that way. Not one moment was I bored. I was either laughing or waiting to see what happened next. I am a big fan of the Slice of Life genre so it makes sense.

The Music: The intro is meh, I'd give it a 4/10 it definitely shows its age. Keep in mind it is an anime older than most people on TikTok.

The Animation: Also shows its age. A 4/10. It is old, 4:3 aspect ratio, and the character designs, how should I put it, are lackluster.

Why did I give it a 9/10?
The comedy. It is rivaling that only of Nichijou. I loved the comedy. If we had an Osaka-centred show in this day and age that would be an easy 10/10 no joke. Not only that, this anime has aged sooo well. Like 20 years and not only is the comedy relevant, it has literally transgressed mere human thought and has evolved into a being that cannot be described with words.

Why you should watch it: Fans of Nichijou and other Slife of Life comedies rejoice for this is an amazing anime. It is funny, not 500 episodes, and quirky. I think you will either find it super boring or love it till you die. I feel like a lot of people would push towards the latter.

Final Score: 9/10

damn it I'm updating it to a 10 just cuz of osaka
final score: 10/10
Thanks!
-CyanCheetah

I was fortunate enough to have Azumanga Daioh be my first slice of life anime I've ever watched. The kicker? I watched it over a decade past its original release date. So when it comes to my scoring of it's art and sound design, I've adjusted accordingly.

Everything about this anime is hilarious and adorable. The characters are all pretty unique, they each have their own archetype forming a diverse, yet cohesive group. The humor is silly and a lot of times relatable.

I've watched the anime back in... ~2013 and rewatched it last year.

It's just THAT good.

This anime has gotten me hooked on the "slice ... of life" genre.

Azumanga Daioh is a really funny anime that you should watch if your into slice of life or comedy.

The story is pretty okay but the characters and funny moments are amazing. I found myself laughing on every episode and not once did I think an episode was unfunny or boring.

The artstyle of Azumanga Daioh is pretty good, even when using recycled animations from previous scenes its still nice to look at.

I also really like the ost of Azumanga Daioh. It can go from calming to chaotic.

I love Azumanga Daioh and would love to rewatch it again someday. Definitely worth watching.

I'd say this is the show that got me into anime not televised on Adult Swim or Toonami. I owe the discovery of this to my little sister.

This show perfectly sums up the comedic slice of life anime genre for me, at least as it pertains to high school girls. We're introduced to several high school girls, all with very distinct personalities, and how they came to be friends or interact with each other. Osaka has a slow start, but keep watching the show, there's a reason she's one of the most popular characters! It isn't just the main crew that brings laughs, the ... teachers are well written and hands-on (especially Kimura lol) with the main characters. I'd say the characters and their personalities really make the show, it's definitely where the most love went into.

The music is elegantly simple and very catchy, it's a soundtrack that doesn't get in the way, but doesn't come off useless. On the subject of audio, one of the biggest strengths of this anime is the voice acting. Arguably one of the best dubs out there, you can focus on enjoying the show without HAVING to spend time reading the subs. The visual gags and expressiveness of the characters is not missed since the dub enables you to focus more on the animation.

The stories have a loose connection to one another, but don't really follow a hard story arc. There's references to past episodes, but you could pick up the series anywhere and not be completely lost. I'd recommend seeing the whole series in order, but it's not the end of the world to skip around some if they aren't all available. You might not catch some of the best references (Father hats and Yukarimobile) if you skip though.

Some of the characters get more love than others do, partly due to focus on their characters. Kaorin starts as a main character and then becomes more of a side character. The emphasis on her single obsession in the show makes her a bit one-dimensional, but I feel with more time she could have been a better developed character. Yomi is a fantastic character that just doesn't get enough screen time in my opinion. Outside of her dysfunctional friendship with Tomo, we don't get much of her. She can seem like one of the more grumpy or witchy characters just because we are often seeing her at her worst, since Tomo really gets on her nerves. While Sakaki is a nice character, she gets more attention than I think she is due. She has consistency with her shy and quirky personality, but can be dull at times unless she's interacting with another character in a comedic way. Tomo definitely grows on you and is great when interacting with other characters. She may be annoying at first, but you'll come to love her antics in time. Chiyo is the prodigy child that would be classified as the "straight man" in western comedies. She doesn't really cut up and tends to be the butt of the jokes or pranks from others. Her being younger and more tightly wound than the others does make for some comedic moments, but she really needs another character to give her something to work with. I saved the best for last with Osaka, she's by far one of the most comedic and lovable characters in the series. You could honestly make the whole thing about her and you'd have a great series. She has a slow start, but as the episodes progress she will have ROFL in no time (Go Team Sea Slug!!). She gets a fair amount of screen time considering what she brings to the table, plus you just never know what Osaka is going to say next.

Yukari is their homeroom teacher and is chock full of personality. The first 5 minutes of episode 1 set the tone for Yukari in the entire series. While adults may be silent or non-existent in many animes, she is most assuredly in the fray. Her snarky, unapologetic brand of tough love for the students is evident in nearly every interaction ("Of course, I'm flying to Neptuuuuune!"). The show would most definitely be missing something if she was not involved, I would almost peg her as a main character given how involved and well-written she is. Kurosawa is another teacher and is friends with Yukari. They get along but bicker on occasion, Yukari is also quite competitive with her, desiring to be regarded as a "cool teacher" like Kurosawa (also called Nyamo by Yukari). Mr. Kimura is without a doubt the creepiest and most unpredictable of the teachers. A classical lit. teacher, he admits readily that the reason he started teaching is because "[he] loves high school girls!". His unhealthy infatuation with Kaorin comes to a head many times and is nothing short of hysterical. Kimura is full of surprises himself, there is more to him than meets the eye.


All in all, if you like witty and random SoL comedies about school, this will be up your alley. I didn't really take to the genre until I saw this anime. It's very quotable, re-watchable, and can just plain put you a good mood. It's a shame there weren't more episodes, but I feel this anime went for quality over quantity. Still, it would have been nice to see just ONE MORE Summer break or Culture Festival episode!!

Azumanga Daoih is the sequel to the hit American show Seinfield, although even less happens in it. The story is not complex. It's basically just random stuff that happens during the high school days of a bunch of Japanese schoolgirls. Then they graduate and the show is over.

The art is nice. There isn't any mindblowing animation, but that's ok. There are a lot of panning and still shots. Most of the time these are played for comedy, but sometimes they are played for tragedy. The girls are cute, and that's really all that matters. Pretty sure Kimura was the art director for this show.

The music ... works, and so do the sound effects. There just isn't much to say about them. The one that stood out to me was the one they used to censor Nyamo's birds and the bees talk. I like it.

The characters are the best. Chiyo is a young prodigy who is both highly intelligent and mildly dumb. She is cute. Tomo is annoying, but necessary. She is cute. Yomi isn't annoying, but she is unnecessary. She is still cute though. Osaka is the best. And Sakaki too. You'll understand my mad ramblings when you watch the show.

I really enjoyed this show, even though it could be a little slow sometimes. None of the jokes really land, but somehow that makes it even better. You will be enthralled, mainly because the only times you will watch it are when you don't have anything better to do. That's what this show is: a time killer. And it's a good one.

Overall it's nice and pleasant with just a tinge of humor and sadness. Gud.