Azumanga Diaoh: Entrance Vol 1

Azuma, Kiyohiko. Azumanga Diaoh: Entrance Vol. 1. Adv Films, 2004. ASIN: B0001I5682.

Plot
Chiyo is an elementary aged girl who is so gifted that she transfers to a high school. Quickly following, an absent-minded girl from Osaka also transfers into the same class. Along with a few other weird personalities in the class, this group of girls become unlikely friends. Together they have silly and quite random adventures together with their quirky homeroom teacher Yukari Sensei.

Critical Evaluation
At first this anime may seem like any other high school based comedy. However, this DVD and the rest of the series quickly became a personal favorite. The group of friends in the story go on so many fun and amusing adventures together. Also, because there are so many quirky personalities, the anime is just plain funny. The humor is a little random, but overall a wide range of teens will relate the craziness of high school.

Reader's Annotation
Chiyo is a gifted elementary school student who transfers to the local high school. There she meets a group of friends who take a bunch of crazy funny adventures together.

About the Author
Kiyohiko Azuma was born in Hyogo, Japan with the name Kiyohiko Adsuma. He is a manga writer and artist known for his unique style of art differencing himself from the common shojo and shonen art styles commonly used in manga.

He is best known for Azumanga Daioh, but he also has other series out. Currently he is working on a series called Yotsuba&! Most of his works are slice-of-life stories.

Genre
DVD

Curriculum
None

Book Talking Ideas
None

Reading Level/Interest Age
15+

Challenge Issues
A character from the anime drinks a lot, another male teacher has a fetish for high school girls.

Challenge Answer
The anime shows the teacher's drinking habit as a negative aspect and does not glorifies it. The male teacher with a fetish does not do or say anything inappropriate and it is not the focus of the anime.

Why Included in Selection
This anime is a funny series that many teens and adults have enjoyed.