Azumanga Daioh - Class Album (Complete Series) Reviews

• Uneven Distribution of Episodes On the Disks

  
  By A197BQFMF77D24 on 2005-09-22
  The show is great. I am not reviewing the show. This a review of the actual disk set. This is why it gets 4 stars and not 5 stars.
  
  This is a set of 5 disks. The first 4 are basically the original individual disk releases with all the extras ripped out. The start up screen is no longer animated but shows a still picture of Sakaki with the cat hanging onto her finger.
  
  The 5th disk concerns me. It contains all the episodes on the original disks 5 and 6. It contains a total of 7 episodes. I worry that they may have increase the compression of the video to fit the episodes in.
  
  You know, considering that they have to change the masters of disks 1 to 4 to rip out the extras, they might as well have redistributed the episodes more evenly to the 5 disks. I mean they have to make new masters anyway right? Damn, I hate sloppy work!
  
  I like the packaging. A thinpak is essentially a box set containing the disks in thin plastic DVD cases instead of the standard thicker ones. It actually saves you shelf space. What you sacrifice are the paper inserts. Considering that I almost never read the inserts anyway, it is no big loss for me.
  
  

• The Genius of Simplicity

  
  By AZLC3D46UHOAK on 2006-05-31
  So many people have said that this anime, like Seinfeld, is a show about nothing. I think that viewpoint misses something. Azumanga Daioh may not have a sustained story arc, or a grand destination in mind, but watching it reminded me of my own days as a high-school student.
  Be it Chiyo wishing that people would stop treating her like a kid, or Tomo acting every bit a fool and enjoying every minute of it, or Sakaki being uncomfortable with her towering stature, or Yomi's constant concerns about her weight, or even Osaka's frequent non-sequiters, this is a series about growing up with your friends.
  And the characters are all truely likeable, as well. Even those who can be seen as annoying at times can't really be faulted for their personality quirks.
  The series is fun and heartfelt.
  
  

• For those of you who haven't collected the series!

  
  By on 2005-08-08
  This is a boxset that contains all the episodes of the Azumanga Daioh series. Those who weren't able or didn't get the discs seperate now can get them in this boxset. I think this is a very good deal for someone who hasn't got the discs. Too bad that I did. Azumanga Daioh is a really great and funny series. It's kinda like the anime equavilent of Senfield but I think Azumanga Daioh is less annoying and actually watchable then that.
  
  
  
  

• The best 'feeling' anime EVER!

  
  By A3N0U49Q0TP0HV on 2006-03-20
  I first watched this series on my computer. The animation was crisp, the subs were done by fans (and excellently), and the dubbing was great.
  The only reason I gave the DVD set a 4 star rating is because the fan sub had so much extra (explaining japanese jokes and culture that otherwise didn't make sense). Everything else was top shelf and I didn't see any bad subs.
  
  As for the story...
  The movie takes place in a junior high school in Japan. Following a group of young japanese school girls you get to see their perspective of the world around them, and the way it is told the youths seem more mature than any of the adults. The characters are very developed and and engrossingly likable. You will find yourself laughing at physical humor and nonsense, tearing up when something is sad, and alot of the times just smiling stupidly to yourself at some youthful innocence. It is a story about growing up and friendship that anyone can enjoy.
  
  If you breath air you should buy this set. Anime fan or not. And I have also found that this anime may change some peoples minds about what anime is.
  
  A FANTASTIC anime that developed from a 4 cell comic strip.
  A must have.
  
  

• Funniest anime ever but needs more extras

  
  By A1C7OW2QBJKU6J on 2006-01-10
  This is by far the funniest anime I have ever seen. Azumanga Daioh is different than most anime in that it doesn't feature a continous storyline with over-the-top action and angsty teenage drama. In fact, Azumanga Daioh doesn't have any plot at all. It simply follows the ordinary lives of Japanese school girls Chiyo, Osaka, Yomi, Tomo, Kagura, Kaorin, and Sakaki, as they live their normal, ordinary lives. Every episode is filled with tons of hilarious moments that'll have you laughing at the edge of your seat the entire time. Not once did I ever feel sad when watching this series, expcet possibly when it was over because I didn't want it to end. The show is just all about having fun and enjoying life.
  
  For a series that's so plotless, there's a surprising amount of character development here. Even without the added drama of a complex love triangle that you typically find in most high school-related anime, the characters mature a lot and their friendships grow throughout the series while they still retain their little quirks that made them such a unique cast. Azumanga Daioh suprisingly doesn't cut many corners with the animation like you would normally expect from a comedy like this, but just about everything is animated with rich detail (expect for maybe things like the crowds at school in unimportant scenes) and all the characters have a unique design about them despite not having all the exaggerated features of most anime characters, like bizarre haircolors and styles. The music is always bouncy and catchy, filled with lots of energy. The opening theme song is as random as the show itself and the ending theme is sweet, cute, and relaxing.
  
  Azumanga Daioh is just an overall enjoyable comical show that you just can't help but to love. If there was one thing I could complain about this release is the boxset's lack of extras. While I'm glad ADV re-released this series in a cheaper boxset making it more affordable for me to buy, I really miss not having any extras here. Normally, I don't care much about bonus features on DVDs, especially for anime, but with Azumanga Daioh, I feel like they were important to keep. The main reason being that two of the extras that were only included on the single volume DVDs were two animated shorts: Azumanga Daioh-The Very Short Movie and Azumanga Web Daioh. Being a plotless anime, these shorts aren't neccessary to watch to be able to understand and enjoy the series as a whole, but they're essential in completing any Azumanga Daioh fan's collection.
  
  Despite the lack of extras, this boxset was still worth it for the chance to finally be able to see this hilarious anime for such a low price. I just hope that ADV will include extras in their future thinpack sets. Azumanga Daioh is definetly one of the zaniest, most hilarious anime series I've ever seen. It never fails to put a smile on your face and it's so unique because it's just so different from most of your average anime. However, I can't really recommend this series to everyone. The show relies a lot on humor you could only understand if you have a general knowledge of Japanese culture. The series also features a lot of slapstick comedy and not everyone enjoys that kind of humor, but if you are the kind of person who does like it and if you at least have a basic knowledge of Japanese culture, Azumanga Daioh is definetly a series that you'll love. If you're looking for a drop-dead hilarious comedy anime that's different from the norm, don't hesistate on checking this series out.
  
  
• Totally pointless, no plot... how could you not love it?
  By A3BPPCGK40SDTY on 2006-02-21
  I got this boxed set really cheap from Best Buy, I only spent $25 on it, and it's great! All the characters are just so loveable and they have such extreme personalities. Throughout the show it's just a bunch of people running around doing random stuff, and it is just hilarious. There's so many cute random things, and the way the characters repeat stuff in annoying ways makes it so much cuter. I'd definitely give this series a thumbs up. Great for laughs, but if you're looking for serious, thought-provoking anime, don't get this, lol.
  
  
• Brilliant!
  By A2IWFBQIXIQU6V on 2006-02-28
  The complete series of Azumanga Daioh. Absolutely amazing, I have never laughed so hard at any other anime series. I watched the entire season in a week with my girlfriend and we both loved it. You grow very attached to the characters and what's going on throughout the series. Definatly worth the purchace price and its way cheaper than buying each season individually.
  Azumanga Daioh, Rock, Rock On!
  
  
• A series about nothing--and that's why it's great!
  By ABDS4R63IUX86 on 2005-12-14
  Azumanga Daioh is one of the top anime series on my list. Each character is appealing in their own way (my favorite character is Osaka), and each episode kind of drifts along lazily, like a warm summer's evening or a boat on a calm lake. There really isn't much of a plot to follow along with, but that's ok, it's just fun to listen to the girls talk about nothing and chat about everything. It reminds me of my days in school talking to my friends, and that's why I think I like it so much. ...I even found myself crying while watching the last episode! When a cartoon makes you do that, you KNOW it's good!
  
  
• one of the greatest shows ever!!!!!!!!!!!
  By A2A00PLRDMUUU5 on 2006-02-02
  This is one of those shows that sounds so stupid on paper, but had perfect execution and is awesome! Its just so funny and cute! The only complant I had was that there were no extras, even though the discs could have been dual-layered so it wasnt a problem with disc space. But I have no complaints about the show itself, except that its only 26 episodes, but thats what most anime is like anyways. This is a must buy.
  BTW, in order to save about $30, go to Best Buy to get this(Im probablly gonna get banned for saying this)
  
  
• All ages fun; not your usual anime...
  By ABVULUZ2ILKKO on 2007-03-21
  There isn't anything quite like it.
  
  I don't know the origin of the series (comics, etc), or where this idea found its voice, but this is one of those few anime that rises above the mass of gorey, sex driven, gun battling, robot punching, missile attacking, blood bath, emotionally tormented animation that comes from Japan. Even better, the drawings are so simple and at most times beautifully animated. The quality is all around superb.
  
  Dealing with the lives of 8 or 9 girls/women (students/teachers), and one odd man across 3 years in a Tokyo high school, it spins very quaint, fragmented yarns of behavior and misbehavior among a clique of 'go-home club' girls (people who belong to no specific after school activities). Excellent family entertainment, it lacks in only one way - it is slow. This is nice, easy going tv entertainment with stories loosely based within episodes, or segments of episodes, and also resonating across episodes.
  
  See them try to figure out life, learning, themselves. As they debate who is smarter, or stronger, go to an amusement park, go on beach vacations in summer, try to discern goofy Japanese traditions and expectations, and then graduate, it gives a nice, pedestrian entertainment that isn't so wrapped up in the eye candy and crotch foolery of most modern entertainment. Instead, it deals on a very pleasant level of simple character reaction to silly, common experiences. Amazingly, boys, nor boy lusts, never enter into their lives during this series. Instead it is very craftily subverted into one character as problematic associations with cats about the town.
  
  Azumanga, despite the pacing and loose story structure, ranks as one of the best anime on the market. The catchy, silly animation at points seems to be favorite avatar material for lots of people on the internet, proving the creative integrity and grip of this surprisingly simple series.
  
  The dub is excellent, compared to much of the American dubbing of anime. Sometimes it is actually better then the Japanese!
  
  
• A Great Anime At A Great Price
  By A1KYSQZ24B978R on 2007-08-08
  When I first watched this anime, I knew thatit would in fact be a great one. However, we're not here for the anime; we're here about the DVDs.
  
  Anyweay, it contains all 26 episodes in both English and Japanese (with forced English subtitles for Japanese). It's a five-disc wonder for any big fan of Azumanga Daioh.
  
  The Positives: You do get all of the episodes in both English (for people who want it in English) and Japanese (for people who just can't stand the English dub, like me). The discs are neatly organized by semesters, and the episode video quality is amazing. The English subs are actual translations, not just the English dub script. Also, each case gives a bit of info about each episode on the back in a simple sumary form, just in case you can't remember the episode titles.
  
  The Negatives: The audio, no matter what language, is a bit wierd. I'm not sure if it's just me or not, but I noticed the volume of the audio went up and down a few times. It may be just my audio, so don't let this one stop you. However, the sign translations aren't all that intergrated (at least trying to make the chalkboard translation look like chalk would've been nice). Another bummer is that there's no extras, with a few ADV trailers on Disc 1. Also, the disc menus don't change from disc to disc. It's always Sakaki flailing her arm with the cat on it.
  
  Here's my final judgement. If you are okay with sacrificing extras for good price, go for it. You get all the episodes in the language you prefer, and all the great episodes of this anime will have you floored with laughs. If you really need the book inserts, Karaeoke, and whatever other extras were ripped, buy each one individually. Otherwise, hit that buy button now!
  
  
• A wonderful show!
  By A11S26M1MUM7O7 on 2006-09-12
  Azumanga Daioh is a hard show to talk about. It's been highly praised by many people, but there doesn't actually seem to be much substance to it. It's not very dramatic (except in a childish way), and there aren't any deep themes (except, of course, for "growing up"). And Japanese humour can be extremely corny!
  
  I think the real appeal is the characters, who we get to know and have strong feelings about (positive or negative) through accumulation of detail. Indeed, a strong plot would have worked against this and produced quite a different show. (Full Metal Panic, perhaps?)
  
  It's a measure of this show's quality that we can feel so strongly about these fictional girls, having our favourite characters (Yomi for me) and least favourite characters (Tomo, of course!). In this respect, the show has some strange imbalances which I think are quite revealing:
  
  Kaorin, with her heavy crush on Sakaki, starts as one of the gang, but begins to be moved to the sidelines after a couple of episodes, and is basically a cameo part by the time of the first summer break. Kagura emerges as her replacement. Mr Kimura, the lecherous teacher, is by mid-season just generally weird. I suspect that the producers or the original manga creator weren't happy with the potential sexual aspects of the show, and insisted on some changes. The period where it seems to be becoming "The Sakaki Show" is where they were course-correcting the show, and probably putting in a few extra late nights!
  
  The ending still feels a bit like a let-down, but I guess that's in keeping with the nature of the show. On the other hand, without heavy plot-points weighing it down, it's easy to rewatch, starting from any episode you choose. My only real complaint is that, instead of having their whole high school careers fitted into one season, they could have spun it out with a season for each school year!
  
  Sub or dub? I prefer the original Japanese voice-actors, but am currently rewatching with the US dub, and finding that the humour works better if you don't have to read all the time. (Well, duh!)
  
  Thanks for your patience, and enjoy the show!
  
  
• Hard to believe
  By AK019BF9HMELY on 2007-04-12
  I'm 35 years old... I have a hard time believing this isn't more popular...
  
  This is simply the most humorous anime I have ever watched... I fell in love with every character created...
  
  The end of this series is like saying goodbye to people you love. You know you will see them again but saying goodbye is sad.
  
  For all the fun this anime is, it is moving. It is satisfying at a deep level.
  
  This is soooooo worth the money if you like some good clean "intelligent" fun...
  
  
• A Bit Disappointed...
  By A1K2WNXERPBJXS on 2007-05-12
  Let me start by saying that this is in fact one of my favorite animes. The characters are amazing and the stories are just plain ridiculous. However, after seeing a fan sub version I must say I was fairly disappointed in this version's avoidance of all swearing whatsoever. Yes, swearing is not exactly necessary to tell a story but I have to say that in this particular case an accurate translation adds a lot to your feel for the characters. I was also disappointed in the accent they chose for Osaka. I'm sorry, but a Huston-ish accent just doesn't work. All that said, it IS a fantastic series and it IS worth picking up, just expect a somewhat Americanized experience...
  
  
• A couple of flaws, but great overall
  By A18CDREH3PI4BQ on 2007-02-06
  For a boxed set, it's pretty nice. The quality is fine; it has both the Japanese and English audio tracks. There are a few disappointments I found with this set, however. First of all, the subtitles option is not independent of the language option. It's either English with no subtitles, or Japanese with English subtitles. Second of all, on the individual Azumanga discs the menu is animated, but in this set they are static. No big deal, but still, it would be nice. The last complaint I have is that the episodes aren't distributed over the discs as well as they could. If there are 26 episodes and 6 discs, it would make sense to have 5 episodes on 5 of the discs, and 6 on the other one. For some reason, the last disc contains 7 episodes and the second one has 4, while the rest have 5. I think it was the same way on the individual discs, though.
  
  Apart from these minor setbacks it's a great set, definitely a great addition to the collection.
  
  
• a masterpiece...about nothing
  By A23BUUV8D8W0R7 on 2007-10-07
  For a show about six girls going through high school, you'd think it would get boring very fast. But with diverse characters and off-beat hilarity, you can't go wrong with Azumanga Daioh.
  
  First of al, there are a couple things you shouldn't expect from this show. Don't expect a riveting plot...because there isn't one. It's just six girls through three years of high school. Don't expect fan service just because it's about girls. There's very little, if any at all.
  
  Despite lacking the essentials that would ruin any other show, the lack of these things makes this show so unique and interesting. You watch the girls grow and go through normal (and most of the time, abnormal) teen situations. On some level, everyone can compare themselves to these girls.
  
  This is a great show to just sit and enjoy any time. The jokes are fresh and funny, all the characters are unique and memorable, and best of all, the show seems to understand its utter pointlessness and never tries to preach to you. On one level it's a heart-warming look into the mind of a teenage girl. On another, it's a hilarious comedy that you really can't compare to anything else. Go into this show with no expectations and you'll come out with a lot more than you bargained for.
  
  
• The Best
  By A2DQ13J2FBE0XS on 2005-09-14
  This is a hilarious anime. It has a lot of weird twists but it always stays on a certain thing. I recommend this if you have the slightest interest in anime. If you watch this you might want to watch Fruit's Basket, and of course if you watch Fruit's Basket you might want to consider watching this. It's awesome!
  
  
• Azumanga!
  By A1Y8ILDQZWLGHI on 2006-10-16
  This DVD set is the complete series of Azumanga Daioh, a hilarious anime series. There are 5 discs in a thinpak box set. The series is about a group of silly girls (Chiyo, Sakaki, Yomi, Tomo, Kagura, Kaorin, and Osaka) and their teachers (Yukari, Nyamo). I recommend you watch a few episodes on youtube.com first, just so you can see if you like it. If you do like it then this is a great thing to buy.
  
  
• series
  By A1KLHYC9CE8Y47 on 2007-07-19
  i love this show cause its really funny to be more specific my son wrote this not me
  
  
• One of the best anime comedy shows ive ever seen.
  By A2C3P362BXV4XM on 2007-08-21
  I wasnt sure if id ever find anime that would make me laugh out loud, and i definatly didnt think id find it from that ADV company. When i saw the Samuria X movie, i personally was so disgusted with that movie it gave me the worst impression of ADV ( the company that does Azumanga daioh) and ive allways avoided any and all anime from ADV... ...until i saw this series. Its one of the most overly cute, likable and hilarious animes ive ever watched. Out of all 5 discs, i still think the first disc is my favorite. Which puts a little focus on the girl CHIO-CHAN...the bright 10 year old who gets to go to school with the big highschool kids. Shes not the main character, no one really is the main character, theres other girls in it, but Chio Chan gave me an adorably hilarious and strangly enjoyable first impression of the the whole azumanga world. The humor is really good, and odd, but the people who wrote this have true talent to make a person laugh...nothing is forced and nothing really trys too hard. It can be very strange and just funny as heck. Some people try to do the whole "stupid random" humor and just try to hard and its lame. But this show knows how to do it like few can. The show i like more than this would have to be CROMARTIE HIGHSCHOOL, which i personally relate to more and i personally love to watch. This show and that one totally changed my entire outlook on ADV films. In short, this series about a group of girls who go to school, and their teachers, and everyone is pretty quirky and weird and funny. Each girl has their own personality. And for the most part, all the girls are likable. Theres also this weirdo male teacher that allways crazily stares at the girls of the school, and i guess hes kinda a creepy perv, but he doesnt do anything disgusting...just creepy...yet very funny at times. The show is just about the random happenings involving the girls at school and stuff, and behind all the crazy hilariousness and repetitive random strange stupidity, theres a little bit of heart behind the series. Just a little bit...but the show allways reminds ya to laugh soon. I liked the voices for the characters, someone you might recognise from other series or anime movies. I recognise one from Pokemon and Project A-ko. I like Chio-Chan and the southern sounding girls voices most. Cuz theyre the funniest to me. The animation is real good, melds computer graphics and animation real well. The CG really expresses things more vividly then ever before. And in this series it looks really fresh. I liked the animation. Its worth buying becouse its really really funny, and therea A LOT of anime out there...and i think it can be hard to find a memorable, loveable anime series, becouse anime these days is SOOOO saturated with mediocre series. But this is a grade A. I only gave it 4 stars becouse i personally didnt love this that much, but its very good and worth watching if your looking to finally find a quality anime series thats very hilarious and very very CUTE at times. At times i think the creators were obsessed and highly aware of the series cuteness, they dont hide it haha. Again, this is one of the very very few anime series/box sets id actually buy. Its that good.
  
  
• A show about nothing? Count me in!
  By A2JS9DBZS03XO9 on 2007-09-10
  i havent actually recieved the box set yet i just ordered it bit i've seen 6 episodes of Azumanga Daioh. It's not so much the Seinfeld of animes as it is the Charlie Brown of animes only better than charlie brown ever was.
  
  This by the way is Seinen not Shojo... it's supposed to be targeted mostly at young adult males (18-30), but it's a pretty good watch for just about anyone.
  
  Be warned... if you don't like the overkill anime style of people's heads suddenly doubling in size, large amounts of side-of-the-head teardrops, people flying for seemingly thousands of feet after being smacked in the face, and suddenly having sticks for arms and legs for no apparent reason, this anime will probably annoy you.
  
  If you're looking for action, search elsewhere, try Trinity Blood or Trigun. however, if you like both charlie brown and anime, i can just about guarantee you'll enjoy Azumanga Daioh.
  
  
• The Art of Zen Comedy
  By A37ANDQN7V30B3 on 2006-01-31
  The delicious, distinctly Japanese flavor of this show runs far deeper than the mere surface facts that it happens to take place in Tokyo and is presented in the animé medium.
  
  As other reviewers have said, it's a show that is about nothing. But it's the treatment of this nothing that is so fascinating; this nothing is filled to the brim with a beautifully-envisioned sense of ephemerality.
  
  This isn't a TV show where time stands still and no one gets any older. Quite the contrary, the course of the one season sees the girls go through all three years of high school and part ways when they graduate. Throughout the episodes, establishing shots of, for instance, a grasshopper on a leaf or cherry blossoms blowing gently in the wind embellish this motif of transience and the flow of time. The highest points of the show are the little moments where friends do something outwardly pointless, like a small "victory" march after the school's culture fair (an event with no defined victors). Transcending cultural differences, at its core it's the same kind of stuff we all do in those heady years and remember with such keen nostalgia.
  
  As nothing happens, everything happens. Azumanga Daioh is a true Zen Comedy.
  
  
• AWESOME SHOW
  By A3UYCNY7C4WMQ8 on 2006-06-30
  One of the best (and most random) Shows of all tiem! It's cute, it's funny and my friend who doesn't even like anime loved it!
  
  
• Funny then Boring, Funny and then Boring Again.
  By A1HAA423Z4U65P on 2006-08-05
  Azumanga Daioh can be quite an adorable show at times. It pokes fun at school life and the people there such as the creepy male teacher, the hyper-active yet untalented athlete, the girl fascinated with cats, and the innocent young genius. I am amazed I can actually be entertained by an anime about school life.
  
  But as the series starts to get going good, it can turn rather boring and uncomfortable in a snap. This might be a result of the english dubbing loosing some of the humor of the original translation. It might be a joke that only the culture may understand. Most of the time these boring parts lack the touch of originality, like the tipsy, drunk gag. Fortunately, the good episodes are frequent enough to make buying the boxset worth while.
  
  One final note: the 13-Up rating of this DVD is quite accurate. Some of the material in this show is too mature for the younger crowd. It's sort of a shame in a way. There aren't many animes for young girls these days.
  
  
• So Cute!
  By A1RRM10BY1VKAF on 2007-02-10
  Azumanga Daioh is a wonderful anime! I quite enjoy watching it because it was different and so darn cute! Even touching towards the end. The girls are really likeable and good voice acting by all. (I watch dub more then anything.) Glad to call myself a fan!
  
  
• My favorite anime series of all time!
  By A34JAXR0W215IP on 2007-07-15
  Hey, you know what? I'm almost 30. (UPDATE: I'm now 30, and I still love this series!) I'm also a guy. Know what else? I don't care; I love Azumanga Daioh. This series is fall-out-of-your-seat funny and touching all at once, packed with characters that you can't help but care about even though (or maybe because) they tend to remind the viewer of everybody they knew in high school. Remember that one creepy teacher who liked to ogle the female students and thought he was good at hiding it? Meet Kimura-Sensei. That psycho chick that thought EVERYTHING was a competition? That's Tomo. The girl who thought she was fat even though she was as skinny as everyone else? That's Yomi. And so forth. (In fairness, though, it's not that Kimura's bad at hiding his predilection; he just doesn't care if anyone knows about it or not. No wonder his male students idolize him so...)
  
  There's something oddly reassuring about sitting down to watch this show, and realizing that even though it was produced by a culture whose roots are about as alien to our own as they could possibly be without actually being Martian, it's STILL just like you remember your own high school years. To be sure, there are some jokes that make very little sense to an American audience, a topic I'll be getting to shortly; but by and large, Azumanga Daioh is as hilarious as it is precisely because almost everyone who watches it can relate to it in one way or another. (It's worth noting, though, that none of the girls ever has a boyfriend, and no reason is ever given. Osaka even says as much at one point, although her observation passes almost completely unnoticed by the other girls.) Other reviewers have noted that the show features virtually no plot, and for some, that might be a sticking point. That's fine. Me, I'm not particularly fussed about it; Azumanga Daioh doesn't try to be about plot, after all, but about making you laugh, and sometimes, cry. In this respect, the show is absolutely and wonderfully successful.
  
  Which brings me to my only real gripe against the boxed set. Although they are by no means the majority, there are a fair number of references to Japanese culture, both pop and traditional, that require some explaining for them to make any sense to the American audience, and while the English dub does a fair job of clearing up some of them, there are some places where even that doesn't help and you're left scratching your head. The individually-released discs include translation and cultural notes that clear most of this right up (and are often pretty funny to boot), but the box set, for some bizarre reason, includes none of these. Without them, the viewer will more than likely be baffled as to why everyone is so frustrated with Osaka for referring to the iriomote cat as "pikanyaa," or why Osaka is holding an eggplant and a hawk when she appears in Sakaki's New Year's dream. (Not to say that all of the inexplicable bits center around Osaka; those are just the two that sprang to mind first.) Okay, so it's not earth-shattering; the show can still be watched and enjoyed even with a few gaps in one's knowledge. That doesn't bother some viewers, and it's true, the box set is a good deal cheaper than a complete set of the individual discs. But I'm the kind of person who never passes up an opportunity to learn something, and besides, I have a hard time seeing where an extra bit of literature included with the set would have really increased the price all that much. (I'm also the sort of pedantic viewer who watches each episode in English, then watches it again in the original Japanese with subtitles, just to get the full effect. That's just the kind of guy I am.) Again, if that doesn't bother you, by all means buy the boxed set.
  
  One more thing: When they rated Azumanga Daioh 13 and up, they weren't kidding; there are some fairly blatant references to alcohol consumption and "cup size," shall we say. In fact, Kimura's behavior would warrant the 13-up rating all by itself (not to mention getting him fired and probably investigated by the authorities in real life). So if you're looking for something to entertain the kids, be prepared to answer some fairly uncomfortable questions. Otherwise, give it a look and prepare to fall in love. I can pretty much guarantee you will.
  
  
• A classic on a decent presentation
  By A2LV9OTWDTFAR3 on 2007-11-07
  The anime in question is a classic.
  The DVD package comes at a very accesible price however it lacks certain extras that may come in handy from time to time. For example: Explanation for certain pretty obscure/language jokes.
  
  
  
• A schoolgirl anime about growing up
  By A3LIWTQDSQ5UOO on 2007-12-31
  Some people said that Azumanga Daioh is the show that isn't really about anything, like Seinfeld. Actually, this is a series about how schoolgirls can overcome the hardships of high school through their humorous gags and jokes.
  
  The show begins with simple gags based on the characters, who are hilarious themselves. Chiyo, the child prodigy is so unbearably cute. Sakaki appears to be a cool, athletic girl, but she also wears kitty underwear and she tries to pet every cat she sees. Osaka is an airhead who can't help sleeping in class. Tomo is the loud girl who raises her hand in class just to say that she doesn't know the answer. Yomi just tags along.
  
  While all these character-based gags may get very repetitive (especially by episode 15), this is one of the few series in which the characters discover their own talents based on their goofy habits. Chiyo becomes a busybody cheerleader of the class and Sakaki learns to take care of animals. And, of course, they all take the dreaded college entrance exams.
  
  This series really grew on me. I liked how the characters grew up and discovered themselves. Some Americans may not like Kaori's crush on Sakaki or the creepy male teacher who loves schoolgirls, but overall, this is an anime for all ages. This is a great anime about schoolgirls whose hilarious jokes can overcome any difficult situation.
  
  The only disappointment about this release is that there are no extras. I would have liked the clean opening and ending animation. However, I have no other complaints.
  
  
• Very funny anime
  By A24KP0A2ZEBNCR on 2008-03-20
  Azumanga Daioh is one of the funniest animes I've ever seen. It was a treat to watch, and I definitely recommend it to anyone needing some great laughs. It's about a group of girls in high school, and their teachers. I was laughing out loud within the first minute of the anime. Azumanga Daioh wastes no time in being silly. I was very hesitant about this anime, until I saw the teacher Miss Yukari steal a bicycle from a student. I busted a gut laughing at her, and was hooked on Azumanga Daioh!
  
  
• Lovable Characters, Memorable Series
  By A2RM4FS6YQ03EL on 2008-03-31
  This series was a real joy to watch. Don't believe the description which calls this a girl's anime, this is squarely aimed at the 18-30 year old male demographic, even if (Or maybe because) the entire cast is made up of cute female high-school students. I should point out that I watched this all subtitled, so I can't comment on the english dubbing. However, I really enjoyed the japanese voice acting, the quality of the translation, and the completeness of the translation notes included with the series.
  
  The humor is very Seinfeldian at times. Most of it is universal, pertaining to life in general or relies on the great characters. Still, there are many references to both Japanese and Western Culture, so some familiarity with Japan may be required to get some of the jokes.
  
  Cuteness is rampant. Come prepared.
  
  

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