Alternate Title: “Great King Azumanga” (あずまんが大王)
Creator: Kiyohiko Azuma
Publisher: MediaWorks
Shogakukan (re-release)
English Publisher: ADV Manga (former)
Yen Press (current)
Volumes: 4
Demographic: Shonen
Genres: comedy, slice of life
Related Content: Azumanga Daioh! (anime)
Azumanga Web Daioh! (ONA - original net animation)
Azumanga Daioh – The Very Short Movie
(Sample preview of the anime)
Azumanga Daioh: Supplementary Lessons (extra chapters)
Summary:
Azumanga Daioh is a very charming down-to-earth comedy about a group of six ordinary high school girls and their extremely eccentric teachers. In an unnamed Japanese high school, the child prodigy, Chiyo, struggles to fit in with classmates five years older than her; quiet and often misunderstood, the athletic Sakaki tries to befriend cute animals that seem to hate her; “Osaka” spends most of her time spacing out and blurting out strange ideas; Yomi is constantly annoyed my her hyperactive best friend, Tomo – whose lack of common sense often astounds the others; and the sporty Kagura continues to carry out a one-sided rivalry with Sakaki. Meanwhile, their highly immature homeroom teacher, Ms. Yukari, and her (polar opposite) friend, Ms. Minamo the P.E. teacher, make the students’ lives more interesting with their often childish behavior and unorthodox teaching methods.
Review:
When I first picked up this four-panel style manga series (equivalent to the comics in the Sunday paper) I was amused by its many subtle, witty jokes. However, I was also somewhat disturbed by the creepiness of the vaguely pedophilic teacher that would pop up from time to time (everyone hates him), as well as the trippy surrealistic scenes found in various panels throughout the story. Still, I quickly learned to love the manga’s random spurts of absurdity and awkwardness, accepting these running gags for what they are – innocent, well-timed running jokes. Much to my surprise, each individual strip actually formed a strong, character-driven plot when compiled into four volumes. The way in which Azuma wrote Azumanga Daioh, the reader can never really get bored of the everyday lives of his quirky, highly expressive characters (whose antics often make up for the lack of background art and fine detail).
Though moe four-panel manga is largely aimed at teenage and adult male fans, Azumanga Daioh is a series that can be enjoyed my both males and females alike, regardless of their manga preference (or lack thereof). It presents a kind of humor that lacks the crudeness often found in comedy aimed at young adults nowadays, but that can still keep the reader entertained without seeming dry or overly sarcastic. Essentially, Azumanga Daioh is a story about enjoying one’s youth, the simple life, and the wonderful relationship between close friends. Any high school graduate is sure to feel nostalgic at some point when reading this adorable manga. I definitely recommend picking it up!
Rating: «««
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