Jul 11, 2009
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.
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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.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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