This is not fair you cannot JUST LABEL it with Extremely Overrated or something like this...you watch it with bias and expressing all bias for your own wish to torture all heart of this anime's lovers.
And how can anyone said it's characters are cliche? Maybe you were drunk while watching it or something? I do agree that Tomoyo and Koyomi is cliche for many slice of life comedy (Tomo along with Minami Kana and Matsuoka Miu will bring Hyperactive Girl's Destruction for sure) But dudes , How can you say Osaka and Sasaki cliche!? Osaka is one of the most unique character in this universe! I find no one else like her...No! Mataro in Zetsubou sensei is not even 2% close to Osaka. Osaka has her own trait if you really watch this anime without bias. Many who've known her well do not even label her as Dumb or something...She may look like air-head one but she's clever in her own way...This is what other anime do not have.Plus Osaka even did some morbid thing (Intentionally or unintentionally)
Sasaki is also worth mention.Her characteristic smack those who like to label people by their own look. Yes she is tough girl who is good at sport.But she has her secret side for her love of cute things especially cats! she is cliche!? Hell no!
And if you just want to watch "OH BLOODY HILARIOUS FOR EVERY (SPLIT) SECOND BIT" just walk away. Slice of Life is not comedy itself from the start. But you know Azumanga did well in how it's story is so similar to daily life but yet more funny and more interesting without making you feeling like faraway spectator.You'll feel so close to them as if "OH! I've ever been imagine crazy thing to sleep like Osaka when I was in classroom (But not just crazy and funny as hers)" or "The scene which Tomo put the chair to make sleeping Chiyo knock against make me think of what my friend , who is not as hyperactive as Tomo, did"
This is what Slice of life should be...and this is why so many people worship Azumanga.You must admit the truth that Azumanga left so many impression for 2000's Slice of Life that it eventually become a "Standard" for other 2000's Slice of life anime...so it's very common when you heard people said "It's not funny as Azumanga"
However! I liked Ichigo Mashimaro & Minami-ke which is NOT similar to Azumanga.They both have different style of story-telling , soundtrack using etc. I love Matsuoka Miu and think she's 3 times more hilarious than Tomo. And Princess Chiaki-sama in Minami-ke is also my favourite.
But...Azumanga is my first love for Slice of life anime! How can I resist the feeling. Even if there are anime that is thousands times more hilarious than Azumanga , I'll still confidently express how I love Azumanga. As I said before Slice of life is not only about comedy!
Sorry for my bad english because I do not live in english-using country.
(You may tease me "Coppora! Coppora!" as you wish.)
And very sorry for review like this because there is no "re-review" in this site.
