Azumanga Daioh Highly recommended

Director
Hiroshi Nishikiori
Production
GENCO, J.C.Staff, Kadokawa Shoten
Country of origin
Japan
Format
Series
Running time
26 episodes
Year
2002

Azumanga Daioh vol.2 (eps 6-9)

By John Huxley
24th Oct 04

Those of you lucky enough to have got their hands on the first volume of Azumanga Daioh will undoubtedly already be scrambling for their copy of this second volume. And with good cause; it may appear fairly inconspicuous to newcomers but those who've had the pleasure will surely agree that Azumanga Daioh is one of the finest anime comedy series this side of the millennium. That may sound a little overzealous I'll admit, but looking back at my entire collection I honestly struggle to spot a comedy series I've enjoyed more. Some have been arguably funnier (Dragon Half), a couple more bizarre (Excel Saga) and a few will remain classics (Project A-KO) but none are discernibly better than Azumanga Daioh.

In fact, I'm thinking of ending this review right here. I can't offer more recommendation than that! What, you were expecting more? You wanted a proper review and not just some pathetic excuse for a paragraph? Sorry, I'm done here. Oh, alright, you twisted my arm...

The first two episodes of this second volume of Azumanga Daioh sees the girls partake in the traditional autumn festivals that mark Japanese calendars at this time of year. They should be very familiar to western viewers, however; the first being a sports day which pits each class against the other across a variety of events ranging from track and field to cheerleading. Miss Yukari and her life-long friend Miss Minamo take this opportunity to revive their bitter rivalry and push their students to victory, earning the winning team members a complementary soda for their efforts. Miss Yukari is relying on the athletically talented Sakaki to rake in the gold medals, but Minamo has a surprise in the form of an equally gifted young student who will push Sakaki's abilities to the limit (she never loses her effortless cool, mind!). This isn't the first athletic contest the students of Azumanga Daioh have taken part in - it's actually becoming something of a regular feature - but it does give the writers the opportunity to concoct some entertaining scenarios for the characters. More so than Sakaki's impressive talents, Osaka and Chiyo's lack of any athletic ability whatsoever and Tomo's wildly over competitive streak provide most of the laughs.

It's also interesting to note that Azumanga Daioh avoids the ever-so-predictable outcome often associated with dramatised sports events not because it makes a concerted effort to do so, but rather because you're unsure of exactly what to expect from a series as unpredictable as Azumanga Daioh. Experience should tell you that Miss Yukari's class will emerge as winners from this hard-fought contest, yet it wouldn't be such a surprise if they ended up bottom of the pile either. It's really a moot point but something which I think highlights the depth hiding behind Aumanga Daioh's lighthearted exterior.

After the hectic activities of the sports day, the cast of Azumanga Daioh settles down to enjoy the more relaxed pace (or so you would think...) of the culture festival. Not dissimilar to a school fete, the culture festival sees each class organise a small stall or display to help develop their teamwork and organisational skills. After much deliberating, Miss Yukari's class settles on the unusual idea of a stuffed toy display following a suggestion from a student who wished to remain anonymous (I wonder who that could be?). Everyone gets in on the act, sewing original stuffed toys for sale, contributing their own or playing the part of the display's cute mascot; an adorable white cat with a little pink bow. Several characters try the costume on for size with mixed results, but Chiyo-chan's spirited yet fundamentally flawed effort is the highlight of the episode and maybe even the entire disc (and it's a pretty eventful disc!). Azumanga Daioh doesn't always succeed in making me laugh, but this is one moment in which I just couldn't help myself.

Things take a turn for the bizarre in the third episode, giving us the opportunity to explore the subconscious minds of several characters as we share in their uninhibited dreams. Another great excuse for the writers to come up with some original material, these dream sequences take Azumanga Daioh to whole new levels of strangeness (not quite Excel Saga levels of oddness...but that's probably a good thing). Osaka's ever-so-slightly disturbing dream about Chiyo's pigtails has to be seen to be believed (describing it will probably make me look like an idiot), although equally disconcerting is Sakaki's cat-filled fantasy that finally puts a voice to that big, yellow Azumanga Daioh mascot (although it probably isn't anything like what you're expecting!). The directors have done a fantastic job of conveying a dream-like quality to these stories, making everything appear slightly washed-out while still maintaining a sense of reality no matter how surreal the happenings.

Sakaki fans are in for a treat with the final episode on this disc. Almost entirely dedicated to the coolest girl in class with a secret love of all things cute and fluffy, this episode chronicles her efforts to buy an (unsurprisingly cat-related) present for Chiyo's birthday. Watching her shyly skirt around the market for the cutest items she can find is a pleasure, even more so when she's undermined by a 6-year-old and is far too timid to admit she was interested in the first place. This episode provides us with the welcome opportunity to explore Sakaki's character further, expanding on the brief snippets we were afforded earlier in the series. She's not a particularly complex character, none of the Azumanga Daioh cast are, yet her portrayal is so perfectly delicate that you can't help but sympathise with her predicament.

As you begin to familiarise yourself with these characters you'll realise that while they're relatively unspectacular individuals, together they form a carefully balanced whole. Each character compliments the next, their own unique personalities and quaint eccentricities help to distinguish them but it is the group as a whole to which you will find yourself becoming increasingly attached. Tomo's energetic shenanigans wouldn't be half as effective without the impeccably timed reaction of her classmates. Osaka's idle nature is offset by Chiyo's attentive eagerness. Chiyo's cute appearance would be relatively inconsequential if it were not for Sakaki's affinity with this. And so it goes on. If I were to criticise Azumanga Daioh's characters I would have to say that some of the relationships and backgrounds are not as clearly defined as I might like, but still, there's plenty of room left for this particular aspect to develop over the course of the series.

If anything, this volume is an improvement on the last. Perhaps I'm simply becoming more attached to the characters and feel more comfortable with the whole concept of the show, but I do think that Azumanga Daioh is a series that will build momentum as time goes on. Unlike many other anime comedy series such as Tenchi or Ranma 1/2, Azumanga Daioh's lack of reliance upon formulaic situations and hackneyed characters should keep it feeling fresh and original right up until the final credits. I guess time will tell, but I can't foresee this becoming stale anytime soon. Well, that's enough from me! If you only buy one comedy show this decade, make sure it's Azumanga Daioh.

R2 DVD Notes

Features: English 5.1 and Japanese 2.0 audio, English subtitles, production sketches, clean open/close, reversible cover, 12 page booklet

Release information: 18th October 2004

Notes: Again we're offered the choice of two different covers, both equally attractive in their own way. The regular cover features Osaka in her jumping pose from the intro, while the alternate version has the whole class sat down for a music lesson. The booklet returns in much the same format as the last; featuring a character profile, handy translation notes, staff comments and some colour artwork. The translation notes and the staff comments are perhaps the most interesting features of the booklet because they offer some insight in to the making of the show. The extras on the disc are disappointing in comparison with only a clean open/close to flick through, but otherwise this is a pretty good disc from ADV.

-- John Huxley 24th Oct 04

Azumanga Daioh Images