Hina in Hinamatsuri is a powerful esper who essentially forces Nitta the yakuza to take her in. The two together find themselves among a memorable cast and ridiculous circumstances that make you wonder "how are they gonna worm out of it this time?"
Hinamatsuri was a joy ride from start to finish and I've, like countless others, found myself laughing out in public much to my dismay. Setting crippling social standings aside, Hinamatsuri is an excellent example of comedy manga done right. The reason why it this series is so successful is due to comedy's essential mantra: "write characters and the jokes will come naturally".
Every character from Nitta & Hina to the rest of the spectacular cast (my favourite is Hitomi) has their moment to shine. Every chapter finds the cast in an absurd scenario and therefore requiring equally or more absurd solutions which lead to more hilarious scenarios. It's the chemistry between the writing of the characters and how they interact with each situation that makes Hinamatsuri so charming.
Nonetheless, due to Hinamatsuri's thrill ride nature, there was little time to stop for scenery. Many of the more emotional and serious tones are outright shafted for a cheap gag, ruining the mood. The early section regarding Anzu's character development, in my opinion, was a great way to establish not only character development but creating a "heart" in the series. There is very little of heart in the series as it is traded in favor of jokes and a quick laugh. Furthermore, the ending climax felt slightly underwhelming in the grand scheme of things with a few things feeling like it was rushed in a last minute frenzy.
Ultimately, with a greater power comes a greater responsibility--and it's frankly the characters' lack of responsibility that makes for the most entertaining circumstances. Despite its lacking in some more heart in its heartfelt moments, no one can argue the charm and the familial sense of home that the series has going for it. It is an excellent series that despite the somewhat lack-lustre climax, felt phenomenal in respect to the journey since chapter 1. Hinamatsuri is a first-class manga in its own right and you'll find yourself right at home if you give it a chance.
