This manga series is quite different from the ones that I have seen.  Instead of panels that flows continuously like a story, each of the four volumes are filled with 4-panel comic strips, each with its own title.  I was a little turned-off by it, as it also has no plot, but after I read half of the first volume, I have to say that this series can be quite hilarious. 

The series is about several high school students from the same homeroom and their two teachers, each with their own strengths (and weaknesses), and their "ordinary" school life.  The highlights are each of their personality and the way the author comingles each person's traits with others.  Each character is funny in her own way and I can't help but like all of them.  Azumanga is quite entertaining to read. 

Because of the nature of the 4-panel strip style, the dialogs are short and many jokes are expressed by the drawings themelves.  The drawings are not what you'd say sophisticated but the author skillfully protrayed the expressions on the faces with just few simple strokes.   

Normally, I'd say that the manga version of a story is better than the anime version, but because of this short comic strip style, I think that the anime version might be the version in this case.  I was delighted to find that Azumanga does have the anime version, and I saw the promo for it.  After seeing the promo, which showed the first couple of comic strips in a continuous story style, I am pretty sure that the anime version would be a better one, if you want a more story oriented story, instead of short to-the-punch-line jokes, in which the manga version would be a better choice.   

Cast of Characters:

Sakaki

Sakaki is probably my favorite character of the group, even though I like Chiyo-chan a lot, also.  Sakaki is a tall girl that everyone idolizes because she just seems to be good at everything.  She's smart and she's also very athletic, without trying.  Sakaki has this cool aura and is very quiet, but she really wants to be a little girl, and has deep love for anything cute, especially kittys (although the kittys do not reciprocate her feelings most of the time and tend to bite her hand!).  Even though she appears cool, she's very nice and soft inside.

Tomo Takino

Tomo, like she said herself, "has more energy than anyone" else.  She's super hyper and is very competitive.  Tomo is the most insensitive one of the group and often says offensive things without realizing it.  She's like this crazy nut that yells out stuff over trivial things.  She is the loudest one and sometimes I feel energized and motivated just by reading what she says! 

Miss Yukari Tanizaki

Miss Yukari is the homeroom teacher of the girls.  She is also their English teacher.  She and Kurosawa went to high school together and they each know the other's dirt from the past.  Miss Yukari is very hyper and doesn't act like a teacher.  She's wild, wacky, and always relies on Kurosawa to be the more responsible of the two.

Miss Kurosawa Minamo

Miss Kurosawa is the P.E. teacher.  She's loved by the students and Miss Yukari always gets super jealous when Kurosawa receives presents from her homeroom students on her birthday.  Yukari calls her by "Nyamo".  Kurosawa is the the more level-headed teacher but she has to deal with Miss Yukari's unpredictable demeanor, which makes it funny.

Yomi

Yomi and Tomo have been in the same class since elementary school.  She's probably the most "normal" of all the girls, but like Kurosawa having to deal with crazy Yukari, Yomi has to deal with crazy Tomo.  Yomi's always on a diet but sometimes can't control her urges to eat when she sees other eating.

Ayumu Kasuga ("Osaka")

Osaka is a transfer student and she got her nickname when Tomo decided to call her that because she's from Osaka.  Osaka's frame is the smallest of all girls, except for Chiyo-chan, and she couldn't even beat Chiyo-chan in P.E. class.  Osaka is very spacey and falls asleep in class a lot, during which she dreams about Chiyo-chan's pig tails and other bizarre things.  I think she's rather cute, especially when she says dumb things without realizing it.

Chiyo Mihama

Everyones calls her Chiyo-chan.  She skipped junior high and entered high school with the other girls and is only 10 years old.  She comes from a rich family and the girls like to take their vacation at her house(s).  Chiyo-chan is very polite and seems to know more than the other girls.  The bigger girls (mainly Tomo) sometimes pick on her small physique and it's funny when her small body gets abused during P.E.  Her innocense is part of her charm and plays a key role in the comedy.  She's the owner of Mr. Tadakichi, who Sakaki loves.   Poor Chiyo-chan was traumatized by Miss Yukari's driving.   

Kagura

In the first year, Kagura was in Kurosawa's class, but then she was transferred to Yukari's class later on.  She's the only other athletic girl besides Sakaki and she always tries to compete with Sakaki, even though Sakaki doesn't care to compete.  This competitive nature is comparable to Tomo, and maybe that's why the two of them end up competing with each other.  After seeing the girls' grades, it seems like Kagura gets the lowest grade compared to others.

Kaorin

Kaorin is not one of the girls in the main group but she is in the same class anddoes appear from time to time.  She idolizes Sakaki and gets all embarrassed when she's around Sakaki, while she, herself, is often Mr. Tadakichi's target. 

Mr. Kimura

Mr. Kimura is a Classical Literature teacher.  He has an obssession with young girls and does not hide it from anyone.  He openly tries to get the girls to change into their gym shorts or watch them when they are in their swim suits.  He seems to especially targets Kaorin.  The odd thing is, Mr. Kumura has a very beautiful wife.  And, oh, yeah, his mouth is often open in a square shape.

Mr. Tadakichi

Mr. Tadakichi is Chiyo-chan's Great Pyreness.  He's gentle and lets Sakaki pet him as long as she wants.   Sakaki likes Mr. Tadakichi so much that she often walks Mr. Tadakichi with Chiyo-chan, as they live in the same neighborhood.