So, for the first time, I am reviewing a manga! And for my first manga review for this blog, I am reviewing Azumanga Daioh.
Azumanga Daioh is a school-life comedy manga by Kiyohiko Azuma (Yotsuba&!), and it is based on a group of girls' three years of high school. A majority of the manga itself is presented in four-panel strips, which are called yonkoma, but a few of the "chapters" are sometimes presented in the traditional way. In an interesting fact, the title itself, which translates to "Great King Azumanga," is actually based on several aspects. Azumanga comes from both the author's name and the word "manga," and the series was serialized in a shonen manga magazine known as Dengeki Daioh.
As mentioned before, the manga is based on a group of high school girls during their three years of high school. The series itself focuses on six main characters and four supporting characters. Out of the group of girls is Chiyo (a gifted 10-year-old who was able to attend high school), Sakaki (an animal lover), Ayumu "Osaka" Kasuga (a transfer student from Osaka, Japan), Yomi (who mostly gets aggravated by the next mentioned character), Tomo (who is very obnoxious), and Kagura (who tries to rival Sakaki at athletics). From the supporting cast, there is Yukari Tanizaki (the girls' homeroom teacher), Minamo "Nyamo" Kurosawa (the physical education teacher), Kimura (a male teacher who is obsessed with high school girls...creepy), and Kaorin (a female classmate who has a crush on Sakaki). Much of the manga is based around the events at the school and after-school hours involving either the girls or the teachers. Each yonkoma is very comical in its own way, and entertaining at the same time.
Even though the manga has been released as four volumes, it is currently available as an omnibus (which contains all four volumes) from Yen Press. And yes, there is an anime adaptation, which I will eventually get to one day. I highly recommend Azumanga Daioh if you are a fan of light-hearted comedy based around school life.
- Nolan Schmidt
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