Ok, sometimes I start a filler series. Between collecting series that are still coming out I start on one that is all or mostly out already. Azumanga Daioh happened to be one. I had read good things about it but wasn't entirely convinced. Then one day, as I was gazing at the first volume, I said What the Heck! and got it. Considering it had 5 episodes, an info booklet, dvd extras and a reversible cover it wasn't bad. Aftwer watching the first episode I was hooked! If you didn't like Excel Saga you would probably like this one. It's not insanely hyperactive like Excel, more like random hilarity. Like when they're learning to swim, and Osaka wants to know why dead bodies float . . . Anywho, basically this anime is about six girls who become friends and how they progress through high school from year one to graduation. This anime is based on a comic strip so the stories are more like skits. They all interrelate in the episodes so it isn't completely random. In this anime the characters have distinct personalities. There's Chiyo-chan, the 10 year old child prodigy. Miss Sakaki who is considered the "cool" one by her classmates even though she would rather be cute than cool. There's Tomo who's the wildcat. She lives to challenge others and could probably be related to Excel by the way she acts. You can just grin and bear her but I call her a "necessary evil" not my favorite of the bunch but not the worst character in all. Yomi is Tomo's counterpart or rather she's there to keep her under control or at least try. Kagura is the sports fanatic and is on the swim team. Sometimes she gets as rowdy as Tomo but she can be easily sobered. She is also the last girl to join the group coming in as a main character in the second year. And lastly there is Osaka . . . oh, Osaka. She is the space case. By the end of the first episode you'll be chanting to yourself "get it together, get it together, get it together . . . " The dubbing isn't bad for this one either, but to get the complete laughs it is probably better to watch it subbed. I have only watched it dubbed so far though switching it subb at certain points to see the difference. The only voice I recognize is Luci Christian who plays the wacky teacher Yukari. She would have been my choice over Hillary Haag for Rosette in Chrono Crusade but maybe I have to see it more. The music for this series is also great, it has one of those theme songs that once you get it into your head you won't be able to stop humming it. Overall, I enjoyed this series (especially the psychotic cats!) and would recommend this to anyone who wants a good laugh.
Boma at 9:25 PM
