Visuals: 7/10
The visuals are a mixed bag. While distinctive, they are also simplistic. The simple art style and animation honestly fits the series pretty well, but they are unremarkable compared to 9/10 or 10/10 visuals found in other shows. There are also some funny moments enhanced by the animation and art style.
Music: 7/10
The opening is top-tier, the ending is unremarkable, and the background music sets the right tone but does not stand out. The music certainly wasn't bad, but compared to a similar show like Lucky Star, whose BGMs and OP are iconic, Azumanga's music is good but not great.
Voice Acting: 9/10
Every second of voice acting is expressive, talented, and fits the scene and characters perfectly. While not everyone will agree, I think that the voice acting is one of the strong points of the show. (I watched the JP audio with EN subs, so I can't speak to the English dub.)
Story/Worldbuilding: 6/10
Like any other slice of life anime, the story is not the main focus of the show. There is no real ongoing plot. However, there are interesting details sprinkled throughout the show, even though the story does not develop over time. These details are more gags or trivia than actual worldbuilding, but they still contribute to the overall viewing experience in a positive way.
Writing/Characters: 9/10
The characters and comedy skits/funny moments are definitely the best part of the show for me, as I ended up watching it because of various clips and memes online. The comedy writing can definitely seem strange or stupid to some, but it aligned well with my sense of humor. I would especially recommend this show for people who like surrealist humor and memes. The characters are also distinctive and you get to know them well over the course of 26 episodes. However, some may get tired of repetitive humor or "stock/generic characters." This is a fair criticism, but it is also important to note that Azumanga Daioh inspired several subsequent shows that reinforced these very character tropes, so the show should be judged in context. Also, here are the Top 5 Azus ranked: Osaka, Chiyo, Sakaki, Yukari, Chiyo-Dad. If you disagree, you are wrong.
Creativity: 8.5/10
The writing and direction of the comedy sketches is generally pretty creative, with surreal humor and several iconic moments that are still being talked about over 20 years later. However, the plot/humor can feel repetitive at times, so keep this in mind going in to the show.
Entertainment: 10/10
While it's not for everyone, I found Azumanga Daioh to be highly entertaining, funny, and original. It really manages to get you absorbed into its world, with all of its eccentricities like a flying lemon-shaped cat, a 12-year old high schooler with detachable pigtails, a post-lobotomy, living :D emoji who has inspired a whole series of memes, a girl who loves cats and yet always gets bitten by them, and an open-mouthed high school teacher with questionable interests, just to name a few. Goodbye Everynyan and thanks for reading my review!
