Azumanga Daiou The Animation

Azumanga Daioh was a slice of life comedy by Azuma Kiyohiko that ran from early '99 to mid '02. In April of '02 the anime adaptation started airing. It was handled by J.C. Staff. We talked about them last week with Wolf Guy. They were also responsible for Shakugan no Shana, Nodame Cantabile & Toradora among others. Let's just hope that this one is better than the last anime I reviewed from them.

Story:

The basic premise for the series is that we have a bunch of quirky girls attending high school and getting into all kinds of shenanigans. A first for the anime I've reviewed, I ... know. Each episode is divided into segments and each segment features a different humorous scenario involving our main cast.

Yes, Azumanga Daioh has a very common, very basic slice of life comedy premise. However, to its credit, it does a superb job at executing that premise. It features quite a few fun, cute and charming scenes. Almost every single joke in the series is really funny. The jokes that fail all revolve around the same character, Kimura. His entire shtick is that he's creepy and behaves in alarming ways that would get any teacher fired from a reputable school. A lot of his gags are both predictable and just aren't funny.

Characters:

The cast isn't particularly complex. They all have pretty basic archetypes that they rarely deviate from. However, the series absolutely excels at highlighting the quirks of the various characters and giving strong interactions among the main cast that allow them to play off of one another in ways that are absolutely hilarious and a good deal of fun. Which is another problem with Kimura as a character. With the rest of the cast, they can surprise you in their interactions. With him, the other characters get creeped out and/or angry and that's pretty much it.

Kimura aside, the cast in this is really endearing. Ayumu is surprisingly adorable. Tomo is always fun. Sakaki, Kaorin, Kagura, Chiyo, Yomi, Yukari & Nyamo are all just great. You could put any two or more of them together and come out with a funny moment. Which the series does take advantage of quite a bit.

Art:

The series tends to gravitate towards simple backgrounds and animal designs. However, to its credit, the artwork features a lot of strong visual gags the characters are nicely designed and the art style, though fairly simple, does really suit the series.

Sound:

The vocal cast in this is really good. Matsuoka Yuki, Asakawa Yuu, Nogawa Sakura, Kaneda Tomoko, Higuchi Chieko, Hiramatsu Akiko, Kuwashima Houko, Hisakawa Aya &Tanaka Rie are all not only strong actresses but also perfectly suited to their roles. Which is also true for Ishii Kouji, he really conveys Kimura's unpleasantness perfectly. The music from Kurihara Masaki is really nicely done. It complements the series really well.

Ho-yay:

There's certainly some. Kaorin has a really obvious crush on Sakaki. Kagura also seems to have one at times. I think she has the same definition of rival that Greta does. Although Kaorin would definitely be a better match for Sakaki. Do your best, Kaorin, Deutschland is rooting for you. There are also certain moments where Tomo and Yomi come across as more than friends. Although there aren't many of those.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, Azumanga Daioh: The Animation is pretty delightful. If not for Kimura, it would probably be among the best comedic anime I've reviewed. His presence does hurt the series somewhat, but not too badly. All in all, it's a lot of fun and I do recommend it. My final rating is going to stand at a solid 8/10. Next week I'll look at Green Legend Ran.

"Azumanga Daioh" or in American "Amazing Diary" is all about a girl with an outstanding imagination with the aspiration to become the worlds best "Mangaka" or in American "Mangaka".

With general premises aside 'Amazing Diary' is episodic and all about our main Heroine [I won't spoil her name] coming up with new and innovative ideas on what to write about in her diary for future revisions to become the next best selling Manga varying from genres of Action/Romance, Fantasy/Romance, Slice of Life/Romance, and even Romance/Romance!

The characters are very relatable and much fun to watch! The soundtrack was amazing my absolute favorite! 10/10 Would recommend!

it's a story about growing up without growing up, about everything and the same time nothing embodied in schoolgirl personas :) being critical about it means you have no heart, being all emotional about it... well, this anime does the trick :] you cry, you laugh and most of the time you cant tell reason why. there is nothing special about it in any field, but together all those mediocre pieces just make perfect match to make exceptional anime.

so. STORY - there is no story as such - just life episode of girls who happened to be in same class and all "adventures" ... and developement they took together and separetely. to score non-existent thing is not possible, so 4/0
ART - it's even hard to tell apart main characters, but well - it doesnt matter much in this case :D what is needed is drawn - everything elde to you imagination. yep - this anime is a test how spoiled you're are :P 6/10
SOUND - OP still drilling its melody in my head and other sounds... eto, not that i heard them. voices totally matches characters and thus makes mood just right. 9/10
CHARACTER - thats what makes this anime. letting any detail slip will be too much of a spoiler, just to know - no developement, just life as it is - each perfect with their flows and expertise. 10/10
ENJOYMENT - i got to see in it other things that is close to my heart, but even without that this anime is bundle of enjoyment X of 10. where x is any number higher that 10, but it doesnt matter

so overall : simple maths (4/0+6/10+9/10+10/10+X/10) should be around 9 - if you arent sure how to get results like that, you should really learn from class 3 girls :P

A friend introduced the idea of moving away from the mainstream Western cartoons onto the Japanese anime series. I was not convinced to even bother until I saw a fragment of Azumanga Daioh, the infamous "Oh, mai gawh!" scene.

After having finished the first episode, I felt that anime can be easily to pick up and appreciate. For this reason, I think Azumanga Daioh is an excellent entry-level anime for people 'afraid' of the differences between Western cartoons.

The intro theme song is catchy, corny and absolutely has no message or meaning whatsoever, which makes it special in its own right. The art style is simple and ... calm, no flashy colours or general hyperactivity. In films, series and video games, I like familiarity, and Azumanga Daioh often uses recurring music cues which greatly add to that familiarity. Same applies to the characters, each of them having their distinct talents or lacks thereof.

There wasn't much story to Azumanga Daioh, and most of the episodic themes were forgettable, however, the characters, and especially "Osaka" were not.

Azumanga daioh is one of those rare gems that comes out of Japan, (at least for us westerners) because the Japanese have a very specific type of humour which for us westerners is often a bit incomprehensible or sounds lame, but that's a cultural difference more than anything else. I found that when i moved from South Africa to England that the jokes and comedians in South Africa where lost on the British.

But every now and then something comes out of a country which is universally hilarious and azumanga daioh is one of these gems of comedic genius and I'll tell you for why! it's ... because azumanga doesn't focus on humour that relates particularly to Japanese customs or ways of life, and in the rare occasions where they do it cleverly crafts its characters so that their mannerisms are what creates the humour rather than the cultural reference. In this respect anyone can find it funny, because its humour comes from the souls and personalities of its characters.

story: 10

Azumanga is based on a 4 panel comic, so it's set up as a series of small stories which revolved around specific characters. The stories aren't profound or new their just every day happenings in the lives of the 6 schoolgirls and their 2 teachers, and it's here that everyone can relate to the story because it's just an easily recognisable environment rather than just something the Japanese people would recognise.

But overall the stories are simple and don't linger and every second of every story is important and there are no throw away moments throughout the show, but perhaps one of the greatest achievements of this show is its pauses. Pauses are part of the basics of comedic because a well orchestrated pause can intensify the effect of the punchline, however, pause for too long and the punchline can suffer, you could say that there's a goldilocks zone when it comes to pausing. Azumanga's pauses are flawlessly executed and the effect is a punchline that leaves you in stitches, or sometimes there isn't really a punchline but rather the characters give you an expression then repeat what the other character has just said. either way the result is high class hilarity.

art: 10

Some people would think the art is a bit too childish but i beg to differ, it's all well and good to say that art should look modern and sophisticated but the simple art style of azumanga is by no means poor, in fact it is perfect for this particular type of show. The art in Azumanga allows the characters expressions to b exaggerated and the movements can be quite minimalistic which also adds to the comic way the characters express themselves. The art is almost as fundamental to the comedy as the characters themselves.

sound: 9

The sound is very good if not repetitive, but this doesn't damage the show at all in fact it fits the show like a glove and is as minimalist as the art in its execution. The sound effects are exaggerated and sudden which also helps carry the humour of a particular scene.

character: 10

Here is where the humour comes from in full force. The characters in this anime are brilliant with the child genius, the hyperactive one, the tall cool beauty with a fluffy personality, the weight obsessed glasses girl, the jock, and the air headed southerner. All have distinctly unique personalities which play off each other so well that you'll be laughing till you lose your voice. All that being said, the queen of comedy in this show is by far, Ayumu AKA Osaka who has the best seiyuu I have ever heard and her voice and mannerisms fit so well that you'll miss her if it switches to a different character. She literally steals the show as soon as she's introduced, and has some classic one liners that will floor the audience particularly when related her obsession with sea slugs.
one thing that I found interesting is that she is ditzy but isn't incredibly stupid and she often talks to others about things she's noticed about the way words are said or written in Japanese only to follow the silence with a particularly stupid remark. This plays with the audiences expectations quite nicely as it makes the audience think woah, that's not that dumb how odd, then when she remarks in a stupid way we are brought back to reality realising ah, yeah she's still dim.


enjoyment: 10

Only people with no personality or life experience or emotions could possibly not find this the funniest anime they have ever seen, because this anime could keep you laughing no matter how many times you watch it through.

overall 10

World class humour, and sure to be a classic for decades.

Azumanga Daioh

I remember first reading about this anime in the magazine Newtype USA (sadly no longer published) and this was before the explosion of high school anime popularity so I thought it would be a nice break from the action packed shonen animes I was watching at the time, so I was forcing myself to watch it. Man, I was in for a big surprise! I at first impressions were ok... 10 year old in high school... teacher is more immature than the students... but then it happened COOKING IS SO FUN! COOKING IS FUN! LETS NOW ITS TIME TO CHECK TO SEE WHAT WE ... HAVE DONE! I knew I was in for something special, but it went beyond my expectations.

The “plot” is about everyday adventures of 6 high school girls and some of their fellow teachers from their freshman year to the end of their senior graduation. Wackiness ensues.
The girls are a unique cast that many high school anime copy for years to come. Chiyo a 10 year old genius that skipped several grades who now attends high school.
Tomo is the hyper one who has difficulty shuting up and does annoying things just to see the reaction out of the others. Osaka is the “clueless” one who wonders random things that nobody cares about. In one episode she is questioned with riddles and got everyone right, so I can't really say shes dumb. Sakaki is the athletic shy one who always wanted a cat, but every cat wants to bite her instead. Kagura is the athletic jock who is Sakaki's “rival” who tries to out preform her at sports. Yomi, is the short tempered one with the glasses, who puts up with tomo's wackiness the most. She tries to put herself on bizarre diets just to be skinny. Osaka is my favorite character, as her cluelessness somehow works in every situation.

The animation, for what it is, is good at what its trying to accomplish. The animation itself is simple but effective to bring across the light hearted humor and situations. If it was to heavy detailed then the humor would not come off as funny. This anime was based off a 4 panel a day manga series similar to newspaper comics. Many 4 panel mangas do not translate well into an anime but azumanga daioh is one of the exceptions.

In short, azumanga daioh is one of the best high school animes out there and set the standard for many future series. If you like high school anime, or even hate them I still recommend azumanga daioh.

I hope this review helps!

Although there's no real plot to follow, I've come to really appreciate more of what this anime represents. My initial reaction was one of total befuddlement, but by episode 7 (yeah, it took me that long), I realized it was an expression of youthful imagination and chaotic creativity that's inherent in that age group. This just shows that it's been too long since I was in school. (Geez...I feel old...)

The pacing is almost totally random, as is most of what makes up this anime, but it all seems to have a purpose: to give a glimpse into the minds of girls that age, albeit a ... bit exaggerated for comedic effect. I will admit that this is my first look at "Slice of Life" style anime, but I'm familiar with the "anything goes" style from seeing FLCL countless times.

Even with the randomness of it all, I've grown quite fond of the characters (save for a couple, but they're just as necessary I think). Chiyo is the daughter any father would pray to have. Her youthful innocence really tugs at the heart. Osaka, though I wouldn't call her my favorite, really reminds me of how I used to be at that age. My heart, though, really goes out to Sakaki. She loves animals (well, anything cute, really). Unfortunately, her biggest love is cats, yet they don't appear to feel the same. Chiyo's dog seems to be ok with her, but no cat will have any part of her (unless they tear it off with claws or teeth). Being a cat person myself, I can understand her pain.

Tomo is irritating, but she's a necessary character...she balances Sakaki's calm and quiet presence and EVERYONE has known someone just like her in school.

My only real advice is this: try to remember your times in junior and early senior high school (for those of us more than a couple years past graduation, at least). If you can put yourself into that mindset, watching this series is a joy. Try to think too hard or maintain an adult's perspective, you're likely to lose a few brain cells. I didn't realize that when I started this, so I'm speaking from experience. Just sayin'...

Good, clean fun with a chaotic, youthful energy. Very much recommended for the young at heart and the chaotically-minded.

KAWAII!!!!!!!!!!!! o.O

Azumanga Daioh is definitely one of the best comedy, slice of life anime out there. I loved this anime and it's one of my top 10 favourite anime.

Story: 7/10
Like most slice of life anime, this anime doesn't really have a major plot. It's pretty much just another slice of life, comedy anime. If you're not into that then you may find this anime kind of boring and fair enough. I really enjoyed watching these characters and their day to day lives (hence the name slice of life).

Art: 8/10
The animation isn't perfect but this anime did come out in 2002 and it's pretty good for its ... time. I got used to it and came to appreciate it and find the characters cute (especially Osaka).

Sound: 10/10
The sound was very good. The opening, ending, voice acting and background sounds were all spot on and nice to listen to. The opening makes absolutely no sense whatsoever but is still very catchy. I have it stuck in my head while writing this review.

Characters: 10/10
The main characters are Sakaki, Kagura, Chiyo, Tomo, Yomi and Ayumu, whose nickname is Osaka because she's from Osaka. There are several other background characters too, some more recurring than others. The characters all have their own unique personalities and while watching this anime I came to like them all quite quickly. The characters help make this anime very relaxing and hilarious at the same time. It's also very cute and charming.

Enjoyment: 10/10
Azumanga Daioh is my 6th favourite out of 50+ anime I've watched, which is obviously very high. Azumanga Daioh is a very cute, charming relaxing and funny anime and I enjoyed every minute of it. It made me happy and also made me laugh every episode. Even when it's not making you laugh, it''ll still be fun to watch. It's not bland or boring like some anime that will leave you with nothing when not making you laugh, if they even manage to make you laugh. Azumanga Daioh is one of my favourite anime and I loved it.

Overall: 10/10
This anime is a masterpiece. If you're into slice of life, comedy anime than this is the anime for you. You might not like it, everyone is different, but you most likely will. This anime is very popular. I love this anime and have even re-watched parts of it. It's definitely one of those anime that I'll never forget about and I'll always love, even in 50 years from now or even 100. If you're not into slice of life then you may not like this anime very much but i think it's still worth trying.

"OH MY GAH!", "AMERICA YA :D", "Sata Andagi"

These are the famous words of the great Ayumu "Osaka" Kasuga, and these lines alone are enough to describe the tenor behind the show Azumanga Daioh: The Animation, a slice-of-life show with repetitive running gags yet it somehow manages to grab the hearts of its viewers.

Plot:
As a show in the slice-of-life genre, there is no story. Azumanga Daioh however features a school life setting in which characters live the many unique adventures of life. This show will walk you through the wonderful, fun days of high school life, packed with silly interactions, fun, and serious academic moments.

This show ... made me remember the fun and carefree days I had with my peers during my high school days. Hanging out, going on trips, having silly conversations with friends, and even studying together are all experiences that I dearly miss. As this show has proved, time goes by fast when you're having fun, so before it's too late, all I can say is to learn a thing or two from this show and make the most of high school so that you'll have no regrets moving forward.

Characters:
Typical slice-of-life comedies feature characters from which comedic timing is used around them. Azumanga Daioh, however, approaches this genre differently, in that it constructs its comedic timing based solely on each character's characteristics and personality. In other words, Azumanga Daioh's characters make up the overall riotous of the show.

This is a classical move in the anime space and the likeness of such is determined by one's personal preferences. I have personally found this specific use of characters to be no small feat, but due to how the comedic-aspect of this show is accomplished, I found it to be quickly repetitive. Make no mistake, as repetitive is not in the context of "it's the same type of thing over and over again", but in one that considers the standard nature of each character and is slightly distinct.

Viewers are introduced to six main characters:

Ayumu "Osaka" Kasuga - A transfer student from Osaka, Japan, hence the name "Osaka". Diagnosed with stage 4 silliness disease, she is a girl with a unique perspective of the world.

Sakaki - A shy woman who is often found in a pensive state; reflecting in deep or serious thought commonly in animals. Despite that, she cherishes her peers incredibly, making her my personal favourite.

Chiyo Mihama - An adorable, intelligent "child prodigy", having skipped five grades to the first year in Japanese high school. She is of appealing, innocent, lovable, and frankly, perfect nature. She is my personal 2nd favourite.

Tomo Takino - She's just a silly goose with some form of ADHD, often letting her intrusive thoughts win.

Koyomi "Yomi" Mizuhara - The most mature and serious of the group, but also characterized by many as the "most punished" of the show; having to constantly hinder Tomo's antics, sings horribly, fails her college entrance exams, struggles to maintain her diet, and after a plan was made to go to an amusement park, she gets bedridden despite researching and being all excited.

Kagura - Similar in a sense to Tomo in terms of energetic demeanor and is more geared towards athletics. Unlike Tomo however, she is able to control her exhilarative nature and maintain her focus.

Overall, every character has their own unique role in exhibiting comedy in this show, and are all very likable.

Except Kimura. You're an opp if you like Kimura.

Visuals:
The animation and art that was present in this show were of a simple and clean nature. Make no mistake as this is not a drawback, but a feature that only enhances the comedic aspect of this show.

The characters are drawn in a cutesy fashion, something I very much like. In addition to that, the facial expressions at times are so stupid yet sure to make you laugh.

Sound:
The OP is very nice and catchy, whereas the ED was something I unfortunately couldn't get into.

Every soundtrack used in Azumanga Daioh is appropriately used and complements every situation very nicely. There are some soundtracks used in the show that have multiple variants that make you go "wait this sounds familiar", giving it a feeling of familiarity yet distinctiveness. Additionally, sound effects are great and are only an enhancement to the comedic timing of the show.

Concluding Statement:
Overall, I give this show a 9/10.

Azumanga Daioh may not be for everyone. If you're not into slice-of-life, character-driven comedy, or monotonous running gags, this show may not be your cup of tea, and that's okay. But for those who do enjoy one of these things, this show will be sure to make you go "OH MY GAH!" and relive the hilarious chaos of high school friendships filled with endearing quirks and unforgettable memories.

I want to pet a kitty now.

Story:
The story is very loose, but it actually is there. We follow a class in high school all the way from year one to their graduation. We get to see recurring events like the sports festival or the summer vacation, but in general, Azumanga Daioh focusses on the everyday happenings of the girls. This is basic slice of life formula, a genre that this show did not invent, but it popularized it. Despite its bizarreness (and despite Tomo) the pacing is rather slow, which plays into the overall good feeling Azumanga Daioh is spreading.
8/10

Art:
Well, the animation is absolutely okay, ... there is not much I can nitpick about. What could be considered mediocre however is the general character design. Everybody seems to have the same face (which is pretty normal for a simplistic artstyle) and they look weird when shown from the side. Also, big breasts look weird as well, as if they were artificial or something. It doesn't really hurt the viewing experience, but it is noticeable.
5/10

Sound:
I am not sure why the opening gained such a cult status. Yes, it's catchy, but I also find it pretty annoying. The ending song is better, transmitting the relaxed atmosphere of Azumanga Daioh. The background music from the anime itself is surprisingly good, helping to create the mood, be it creepy, tranquil or insane. I think I even heard a little surf rock at one point.
8/10

Characters:
Everybody knows Osaka, no matter if you've actually seen Azumanga Daioh or not. I think this is a good example of how memorable the characters are. Everybody is well designed, has hidden depths (or a hidden abyss) and the combinations between all of them creates the entertainment provided. One could argue that some are too much over the top (Tomo, Yukari) or getting too much focus (Sakaki), but I found them to work as they're supposed to just the way they are.
9/10

Enjoyment:
The episodic nature of Azumanga Daioh makes it (in my opinion) a little hard to watch too much at once, something I noticed in other episodic anime I've seen and that I like too. The entertainment factor however is always high enough to make you want to watch more and by the end of the show, if you don't get a little teary-eyed when the girls graduate, you officially have no heart.
8/10

Overall:
7.6/10

a story about a group of high school girls and their teachers, so your thinking, yeah thats been done before... but not like this. A unique story about the lives of 6 high school girls and their adventures with their not so average home room teacher (think women version of GTO), none of them is alike and the story is very touching in that each one of these girls pulls you in with their unique personality. There are some unbeatable crack up moments where their stupidity goes beyond hilarious. However the story is kinda slow at the start where everyone is introduced and there are ... some really really weird moments where the plot isnt going anywhere but it really picks up after a couple of intro episodes. Funny, cute, touching and one you wont forget, well worth a try if you've watched school rumble, GTO, midori days and into high school comedy anime

Azumanga Daioh is a delightful change from the flowery, glittery, incredibly feminine artwork of Fushigi Yuugi ("Miaka!" "Oh Tamahome!" "My darling Miaka!" "My Tamahome!" It's enough to make you want to throw up...)

Story: Not a great story, to be quite honest. There's no plot line, and it largely details just the daily lives of six somewhat ordinary high school girls. Then again, that's probably why this kind of anime is so appealing; 99% of the people watching it can relate it in some way to their school lives.

With that said though, there is a bit of plot towards the end of the series ... featuring one of my (personally) favorite character, which really brings the story into a bit of a "cliffhanger." I put quotes with that because it's not really a plot twist. It feels more like something you'd forget and then reminisce upon later.

The thing that makes the story for this series: it's just plain funny. I don't think I've laughed more in my life. And I don't mean crude humor like you would find in some of the more modern live action movies (like Kill Bill or something, which, by the way, is a GREAT movie.) And I don't mean completely random humor like Excel Saga. When I say humor, I mean things like if one of your friends steals your food from you from right under your nose. Or is someone walks into a stop sign on their way home from school. It's stuff like that, things you'd probably see walking around with your friends, that make this anime hysterical.


Art: If there's something I have to say I appreciate, it's the art. After being harassed by friends to read Fushigi Yuugi (which I found appalling, by the way,) it was nice to not see flowers, glitter, overly flowing hair (my ultimate pet peeve) and overly detailed, overly glitzed-up eyes. I will admit it's not the best artwork in the world; I sometimes feel it doesn't have some of the detail that I'd like to see. But making up for lack of detail is a clean, crisp quality, which I can really appreciate after all that uber-shojo. I love some of the background in the series as well, particularly all the ones involving the beach.


Sound: This is the one thing that bugs me. Sound plays a big part in an anime, whether it be long awkward pauses or just the right kind of music to emphasize the moment. Sound effects? Great. Music? Not bad. But what annoys me so much is the fact that there are long awkward pauses absolutely littered through the entire thing. Sure, they're always in conjunction with the scene (seeing as there's a lot of awkward moments between the characters) but the pauses can be just -too- long. That and the annoying scene with Kaorin and Sakaki... yeah, if you watch it, you'll see what I mean.


Character: If anything, the quality of the characters in this anime make up 99% of why it's so good. Each of the girls have some kind of quirk to them, and the fact that the story line is able to make all of this so visible is just SO well done. I don't know how many times I sat there with my friends running around trying to figure which one we were (apparently I'm somewhat of a Yomi and Osaka, don't ask.) Hell, I've even picked up Osaka's chopstick thing (and made my brother almost spew egg drop soup out of his nose.) If anything, watch this anime just for the characters, even if you think it's boring because there's no plot. The characters will just make you laugh out loud. Heck, just watch it for Osaka, she's a completely kick.


Enjoyment: I thoroughly enjoyed this series, though it did get a little slow and occasionally repetitive. The great thing about it is just the length of it: 26 great episodes. On top of that, you get the option of not having to watch the episodes in order, at least in the first half of the series. You can start with episode 1, hop around for the first half of the series, and then watch the last half in order (due to the aforementioned plot.)

Overall: I have to say this is one of my favorite animes. Watching it just reminds me of when I was in high school with my friends, acting like absolute nut jobs, walking home together, tormenting each other on the bus, all these memories! Great anime to watch with your buddies, or a great anime to watch by yourself if you need a good laugh.

Hands down the funniest anime I've watched. Something about the characters in this show really works and there's no points where I feel like any of them are unnecessary or irrelevant.

Osaka and Chiyo are a great comedic pairing, and Tomo is a delight whenever she's on screen. Yomi works as a straight man to most of the antics, while Sakaki is easily my favorite. Her running gag and simple desire to just be near cats (while they hate her) is my favorite part of the entire show. Kagura's pretty great, like her a lot too.

Best characters are, however, the teachers. Either one. They steal the ... scenes they're in.

Yes, that includes Kimura.

Azumanga is in many ways a compact compilation of the fun, awkward, silly, eventful, and uneventful moments that one typically experiences in their high school years. While Azumanga might not have much to offer in the way of revolutionary material, what makes it the slice of life that stands the test of time is the well-written refining and presentation of a high school comedy that looks, sounds, and feels more organic than others of its genre. The characters aren't cliche, and although many of the characters are simple in nature, they still convey a sense of well roundness in their behavior, with one notable exception ... where I often cringed at the predictability and awkwardness.


I can't see the series in terms of plot per se, but rather moments, vignettes, or snapshots into the high school experience. The experiences we get to glimpse into are surprisingly funny, enjoyable, and most importantly, entertaining.

There's something magical about the simplicity of Azumanga Daioh and the joy it brings. It's charming, funny, and it has a nostalgic feel of reliving your own crazy high school days.

School animes are a dime a dozen, and there's no doubt that they've been done to death. You can argue that Azumanga Daioh doesn't bring anything uniquely new to the genre, and that is not entirely false. The important thing is what it DOES bring. Characters that are strong enough to carry the series through to the end, and a good sense of humor and fun that never feels forced.

The happiness of this ... series is infectious. I could start an episode in a bad mood after a bad day and find myself laughing and smiling at the end of the episode. In that alone I feel like the series is wonderful, it's what you want out of an anime of this nature.

If you're looking for an anime to watch just to have a genuine good time with, something that will brighten your mood and maybe even give you a few flashbacks to your own crazy high school escapades then look no further than Azumanga Daioh!

Azumanga Daioh is a fun little series about the lives of various high school girls. Upon first glance it appears slightly childish and unoriginal but after watching the first few minutes I was hooked on it's quirky, offbeat sense of humour. It's not dark or serious and it's not anything groundbreaking but it made me laugh.

Watching the antics of high school characters in anime has rarely been as enjoyable as it has been while watching Azumanga Daioh. The 2002 anime, directed by Hiroshi Nishikori, wasn’t quite a side-splitter from start to finish but it was a thoroughly entertaining experience. It seems so many comedy shows made in the years since have failed to take lessons from this series in how to create fun yet grounded characters, snappy jokes and fun scenarios. Romping around with boundless charm to the tune of a lovely soundtrack and bringing to the table a super-likeable cast, Azumanga Daioh is certain to bring out a smile ... in the sourest person at some point.

Based on the four-panel (or 4-koma) comic by Kiyohiko Azuma, Azumanga Daioh follows a group of girls through their high school years. The show has virtually no complications to speak of and instead follows the group in their daily lives, only rarely jumping into surreal or outlandish territory. Everyone is bound to find one member of Azumanga Daioh’s eclectic cast funny. Osaka will be a hit-or-miss character for some thanks to her slow-witted nature. Some of the things that come out of her mouth are absolutely hilarious while others are just plain weird. There always remains a certain charm to her stupidity. I think typical genki character Tomo steals the show, with her wild verbal and physical antics often causing the rest of the cast plenty of grief. Her long-time bespectacled friend Yomi is probably the most normal of the bunch, someone often left to question how she’s been able to put up with Tomo for such a period of time. Pigtailed Chiyo is the ten-year-old prodigy who is the smart character but at the same time a punching bag for the show’s many visual gags. Sakaki is tall, quiet and mysterious, hiding her softer side from her classmates while keeping a cool air about her. Kagura is a tad dense, much like Tomo and Osaka, but with the athletic ability to make up for it. Everyone in this main cast brings something different to the table and because of that there’s variety in the jokes. There’s a little something for everyone in their delivery as well, whether it be some exceptionally well-timed jokes in the dialogue or a raft of great visual gags. Do all of them hit the mark? Definitely not, but the strike rate is high – more so as the series progresses.

Azumanga Daioh takes its sweet time building up its characters and bringing out their personality. The opening third or so of Azumanga Daioh feels a little laborious. There’s a sense of déjà vu with the jokes and it becomes a bit of a patience tester. On the other hand, this build up makes the later episodes somewhat of a payoff. The jokes work not just because they’re funnier and get some variation (they do increase in quality, in my opinion), but because you’re accustomed to the way the characters all react with each other. What may have once felt random, loud or annoying is now something that brings out a smile. The shenanigans of homeroom teachers Yukari and Nyamo are more amusing, Yomi and Tomo’s bickering becomes endearing and Osaka’s outrageous dialogue and decision making gets better and better. They’re a whacky bunch who thrive, from a comical point of view, when we get to know them a bit better. The exaggerated expressions from JC Staff still hold up well even 14 years down the track. The light hearted soundtrack is a perfect suit for the show and the main theme (Shin Gakki) will be stuck in your head for a while. The soundtrack has an ambling quality to it that makes you feel like you’re taking a Sunday morning stroll. Everything about the presentation is calming.

You can’t deny Azumanga Daioh is an anime with a tonne of heart. It covers all the aspects of your standard high school setting, from academics to athletics, while making it relatable and funny at the same time. When something finishes and it can that little sense of emptiness then you know it must have done something right. This managed to do just that, which I never would have believed if you told me at the start that that’s how it would feel. Even though I could only manage a few episodes at a time initially, by the time all 26 had flown by I was left wanting more. If you can endure that slow start, then it will eventually deliver you a colourful cast of characters you’ll come to love. Azumanga Daioh comes highly recommended to lovers of all types of comedy.

Azumanga Daioh is a plain and simple, slice-of-life comedy that depicts the lives of a group of high school friends and their wacky antics through high school. The story admittedly has been done many times, and may feel very slow-paced to some viewers- but Azumanga Daioh is still extremely enjoyable. What Azumanga does best is using randomness humorously. Few other shows pull off random gags well enough to be humorous- but this show has a particular mastery of the unexpected. Oddball characters like Kasuga Ayumu (better known as Osaka) and Chiyo’s Otou-san are especially memorable for the unpredictable yet amusing things they say and do. ... The show keeps a good balance between happy, mellow, and sad moments, but the storyline flows well enough so that the change in mood doesn’t make the anime feel disconnected or disjointed in any way.

Azumanga’s animation is really nothing too special. The palette of colors is almost always bright and cheery, the lines and shading relatively simplistic. However, Azumanga Daioh does a great job of portraying the story through the simple animation style. Occasionally the animators resort to using typical anime face faults or chibis to tell the story. Although some hardcore anime fans might shy away from such cheap animation tactics, which normally detract from a good show, I think the animators made great use of them in the most ridiculous of situations.

The music matches the storyline perfectly. Both the OP and ED, “Soramimi Cake” and “Rasberry Heaven” respectively, are both sung by the group Oranges and Lemons. The theme songs are bouncy and whimsical in melody and rhythm. I rarely skipped the OP and ED sequences; I think I even found them somewhat addicting. The soundtrack, like the art, is relatively simplistic. I don’t think I would listen to it regularly outside of the anime itself. The music did grow on me though, especially how well it was paired with the specific moods of different scenes.

The characters are definitely the main driving point of Azumanga Daioh. The show is filled with unique characters, each with their own memorable, “offbeat” personalities. Tomo’s unrelenting enthusiasm, Saki’s fondness for animals, Kimura-sensei’s obsession with teenage girls- this show’s great and amazingly varied cast of characters characters set it apart from most school animes. Sometimes the character interactions get a little predictable, like how Yomi always scolds and yells at Tomo when she’s annoyed. Still, watching the characters go through everyday life is never boring, and I grew to like nearly all the characters by the end of the show.

Azumanga Daioh, from my point of view, is a highly recommended watch, especially for those who like comedy and slice-of-life shows. Many of the show’s aspects are admittedly very simple, such as the art style and the background music. Although the characters do get older and change slightly over time, Azumanga does not have a particularly deep storyline, nor are events in episodes strongly related to each other. The show primarily focuses on the interactions of the characters. However, therein lies Azumanga Daioh’s charm as silly but lovable slice-of-life comedy.

This is one of my favorite animes. The awkwardness, randomness humor was hilarious. Each character has something quirky about them, each one of these traits is emphasized to make a hilarious story. A huge plus to this anime is that the makers used animations to imply certain situations, or to just make them funnier. A must see!

T: I've been meaning to ask you...
NK: Yeah? What is it?

T: You've watched Azumanga Daioh a few times. How much do you like it?
NK: I like the series a lot. It has a charm to it that drives me to rewatch it every so often.

T: Japanese or English?
NK: Japanese. The English voice acting is far below par, especially Osaka's voice. Can't stand it.

T: Is there really a plot? I've never noticed one...
NK: There is one, despite it being sort of hidden. It's really just a story of growth in strange surroundings, for example, Chiyo-chan being in a high ... school. Each character seems to have their own mini-plot, though it's really about how the group grows together as a whole. The friendships they form.

T: Speaking of characters, who's your favorite?
NK: Oy...They're all so well done it's sometimes hard for me to choose. I usually choose Sakaki-san as my favorite in the series, though Tomo and Osaka are both viable choices for me.

T: Any particular reason why you choose Sakaki-san?
NK: Her story intrigued me the most. The fact that she obsesses over cute things even though everyone else views her as an adult is quite funny at times, especially when she tries to hide it.

T: Why not the other two? Is there something wrong with them?
NK: I wouldn't say something was wrong with them, no. Tomo's just your average hyper character. She never really changes during the entire series. Osaka doesn't change much either, though she is a funnier character than Tomo, as her airheadedness constantly creates interesting conversations. In fact, I could probably say that Osaka and Sakaki-san are tied.

T: And the other characters?
NK: Don't get me wrong, I like all of the characters in the series, including Yukari-sensei, Nyamo and Kaorin. I wasn't drawn to them quite as much, though.

T: Any favorite episodes?
NK: Is all of them a choice?

T: Um...no.
NK: Drat. All right. Hmm...Episode 2, the episode where Osaka gets the hiccups, is pretty funny, though the scenes may seem a bit drawn out. Episodes 4 and 5 are also pretty funny, giving us a better look at Yukari-sensei and Nyamo's friendship. 5 is also the first episode with the Yukari-mobile, a constant running joke in the series. The two episodes depicting the cultural festival, 7 and 16, are also pretty good, as well as the final sports festival, episode 23. Episode 24 would probably be my favorite if I could only pick one, though I won't explain why. That would be giving away a spoiler, in my opinion.

T: I see. What about the music?
NK: The themes aren't too impressive, though the opening theme is somewhat catchy. My favorite song from the series, "Saa, Hajimari You", is heard a lot during the series. It has sort of a marching beat to it. Sticks in my head every once in a while.

T: What about the art style?
NK: I don't usually make a big fuss over art, but I feel like Azumanga Daioh has some of the best art in an anime. It's cute, especially when Chiyo-chan gets excited about something, and all of the expressions are done so well, you could probably watch without subtitles and still figure out what's going on. I also love the way cats are drawn in the series. Just saying.

T: So, would you recommend this anime?
NK: Yes. I think most people who watch anime would enjoy this one. If you're one of those people who searches for a good plot, look elsewhere, as that's not the point here. Anyone looking for good characters or a good slice of life anime, search no further.