This is a genuinly fun series. With few deep, hidden meanings, it's a series that wears it's heart on its sleeve. The character's feelings, intentions, and goals are all shown very clearly and honestly. So while the characters are rich and varried, they aren't very complicated. But then, we ARE dealing with a cast made up of idiots after all. For one reason or another, all of these characters get poor grades, whether they can't read kanji, had the misfortune of being sick on the day of placement tests, refuse to focus on school, or they're just plain stupid.
And because of their stupidity, they get placed in the lowest ranked class, with the worst teacher and the worst equipment. In the meantime, the smartest students get the best facilities. Now here's the twist, it does not have to stay this way. If the students in the worst class can beat the best class, then they can swap rooms and equipment. And how do they beat them, with futuristic chibi avatars whose strength is measured by their GPA. Simple right? Okay, not really, but trust me, you catch on and get used to it quick.
And this is where we get into what is the strongest point in this series, it's plot. It's something unique, that has never been done before, and adds a whole new dimension (literally) to the school-genre. While it's completely farfetched and ridiculous, it's still a fun and interesting premise for a comedy. And then there are multiple layers of subplots that keep things interesting when classes aren't battling it out for supremacy. Love triangles, squares, and one sided relationships are a staple of the series, all of which end in hilarity. The characters themselves are also a joy to watch, and I can't really praise this aspect of the show highly enough. While a few of them are simply archetypes cranked out in anime over and over, they play off each other in a way that makes it feel like you're seeing them for the first time. And of course, some of the characters are very unique. Hideyoshi...just, Hideyoshi, the bishonen boy who is repeatedly mistaken for a girl, to the point that the rest of the student body believes he is a woman, and Hideyoshi himself is in denial.
One aspect I really enjoyed about this series is the question: Are grades all that matters? Is there a way to get ahead in life, and maybe even ahead of the average joe, when you don't do well in school? It's a question that a lot of kids and young adults ask themselves, especially when they see their classmates showered with awards and scholarships, when they have to struggle (for whatever reason) to maintain a decent average grade. Is this all there really is to life? This is a question the main cast repeatedly puts to the test, and shows that even idiots can surprise you.
The art is very cute, typical moe, a bit reminicent of Higurashi (minus the blood). These characters are adorable, and so are their chibi avatars. The backgrounds are rich, and add to the overall humour, especially when contrasting classrooms. The animation is a bit choppy, but then, precise and graceful movements are not really required for idiots, and it's all for comedic effect. It also has a good range, and often parodies other styles, such as BL, shonen, and even a little horror. This are usually only done for a split second as a sight gag, but it's still pretty good art. The only downside is that these are often recycled from other episodes, rather than drawing more or different frames.
The sound I find is where the series suffers. For a show that is so original and unique, the sound is simply generic. Nothing new or exciting, just generic. It does not take away from the overall enjoyment, but it doesn't really add to it either. The music is generic for a comedy, and the sound effects are generic for one as well. Nothing spectacular, but not bad either. The voices are wonderfully melodramatic (keep in mind that the characters are idiots) and are able to blow the silliest things out of proportion or say the silliest things in completely serious ways. The English dub is also a joy to listen to. (The line "I don't want to be your dounut!" was stuck in my head for weeks.) Overall though, it's just...there. And after being spoiled by characters and plot, the sound drags it down.
Overall: Watch this series! It is so much fun, a perfect pick me up. And a little fun for the blithering moron in all of us.
Warnings: Jokes about homosexuality, sex, and breast size, skimpy outfits (nothing is shown), cursing, cartoon violence, and explosive nosebleeds. You also may laugh so much you burst a lung or two.
