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Let me just say this about Oresama Teacher - don't read it if you're in a library. Don't read it at one am when you're supposed to be in bed. Don't read it in the computer lab during class.

No. If you're going to read Oresama Teacher, do it somewhere secluded where you can laugh your ass off like an idiot without getting in trouble.

Although the plot can sometimes feel just a wee bit confused and you sometimes want to hit yourself at how dense the characters (really just one) can be, this is definitely not a manga you want to miss reading. ... Everything about Oresama Teacher is just so unexpectedly and unpredictably funny that I can't stop myself from laughing even now.

Sadistic teachers, masochistic delinquents, lame disguises, ridiculous misunderstandings - it has it all, and all of it is knee-slapping, floor banging, gut bustingly hilarious.

Not only that, but the characters are endearing and likeable, even the "bad guys." They refuse to be just pawns in a slapstick comedy, and rightly so, because when you aren't crying with laughter, you're rooting for the characters as they develop and go about their lives.

So, make sure no one's around to see you snorting milk out of your nose and put on a diaper (or risk pissing in your favorite undies). Oresama Teacher is one hell of a ride, and it's definitely worth the dry cleaning bill.

Many times in my life, someone has asked me, "What's your favorite manga?"

It's a difficult question, isn't it? There are so many stories and pieces of art, each one different from the last. There are lots of manga that I have enjoyed, yet none in particular ever seemed to come to mind. I found myself wondering, at the end of each series, "Why isn't this good enough to be my favorite?"

Coelacanth is the answer.

Reading this manga, you begin to realize how artful and complex a story can be -- and, in turn, how life can be this way too. Although the ... plot should be ridiculous and unbelievable, anyone who has ever felt emptiness in themselves will find it eerily familiar and relatable.

But it's more than that human sadness that makes this particular story come alive. Each moment is powerful and unexpected, shocking and heart breaking, without ever once becoming a predictable cliche. The storytelling is masterful and the art is flawless. The characters are layered and well developed, full of doubt, hate, pain, and love.

For me, the most striking character isn't even one with a name. It's Hisano's hallucination, a sheep born from the despair in her heart. As someone who has suffered with serious depression in the past, this sheep affected me particularly. By the end of the story, I was asking myself why I had never seen sheep before.

But regardless of your experiences or happiness, Coelacanth will definitely hit home and touch you in a painful, beautiful, hopeful way. And, like me, you may walk away finally having an answer.

"What's your favorite manga?"

Coelacanth. No contest.