Can this book do with an all male cast what Azumanga Daioh did for it's all female cast? Probably not but let's take a look at it in anycase. Let's face it, comedic school dramas just seem to pale a little post Azumanga Daioh. After this imaginative, excellently done slice of life read came out other titles set in school with humor just doesn't seem to measure up to the high bar set by the creator of Azumanga Daioh and his excellent mini series. All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku, for one, is substance less "humor" that relentlessly repeats the same gags over and over again... even if it should know better.
How about this title? Cromartie High School? How does that fare?
Welcome to Cromartie High School... aka Underachiever High.
Filled with more unsavory characters than a bad Survivor reunion, we find ourselves amongst characters who'll either remind you of punks from other series... or remind you why you were never really all that fond of your High School days even when you were going to High School! Filled with the most dysfunctional cast I've ever seen, and including some characters you probably wouldn't have expected (including a rather out of place older guy who looks like he's a leftover character from an old school Chuck Norris action movie, an intellectually superior ape, a different kind of rich guy who apparently went to the wrong school and is now stuck there, and a non-human robot who seems to pass off quite well as a "human" amongst his lesser classmates) this is one class you probably will never forget... even if you tried.
So the class is not something you'd expect, or ever seen before in some cases, but how's the humor?
Once again, like Noodle Fighter Miki, it's not laught out loud humor... for me. Yes, you might (in fact) have a quite different experience and find this to be quite pleasing to own! So you shouldn't take my word for it in situations like this since you might enjoy the humor more than I did. But for my part in this review I have to say that this book did get some smirks and chuckles out of me, so that has to be good.
Yes, it's no Azumanga Daioh but it does have merit. So much so that this title has a sleeper hit quality to it, from my POV. With promise, a strange cast which shows that promise proudly, and some interesting writing elements that made me smile from time to time, this title might not be the next Azumanga Daioh but it has it's own merits which makes it something you should consider!
And hey, it's Japan's new #1 comedy and it won the Kodansha Manga Award! Those two kudos have got to show the title's ability to be a title worth your time and consideration!
When it comes right down to it this title has definite possibilities, and will stand out in a class all it's own as a read that demands (under threat of violence or something else) your attention and, at the very least, your consideration for a place in your permanent collection for this 9 book series.
Consider this an offer you shouldn't refuse, at least until you read it and decided on it yourself.
Breakdown time!
Cromartie High School Breakdown the 1st
What's Hot? - Hmm... hard one. It'll never overcome Azumanga Daioh in terms of popularity in my book, but it stands in a class all it's own which is something worth considering if you're courting the idea of adding this book to your collection. Yes, I think it's worth your time to check out.
I thought it was fairly written, and I even broke a smile at some of the stuff going on in here! With a nicely done writing style, and a fair artistic flair, it's a title that earned respect in Japan (and deserves a little bit of the same here)! It's not my favorite read, but it deserves attention and a chance... which I gave it, and found myself approving of it. Guess I'll be back in the future for more reviews! Count on it!
What's Not? - At first I thought I would disapprove of the title, but now that I think of it? I find myself in approval of it. At first you don't know what to make of it, but as you read it and read it the title kind of grows on you... like a bad social virus or the plague... and you want to read more of it.
So, again, while it's not my favorite it is one of my reads which I say deserves consideration for your collection. So give it a shot, and see if you'll find merit in it like I did. I bet you will.
Moments to Remember? - Some of the stuff in here is good. You'll see. Best not to spoil the moment though, so I'll keep the specifics to myself... the mechanical guy steals the show sometimes, and that's the only hint I'll give to one of the batch of memorables about this title.
What to Ignore? - Nothing. It's actually a solid read so there's nothing bad about it.
Overall? - Who would have thought a title like this could be so appealing? But apparently it is!
While I am not a die hard fan of the title I do see the good merits in it, and recommend it from me to you. Considering it won the Kodansha Manga Award, and is Japan's #1 comedy? That's gotta be tough enough!
No comments:
Post a Comment