MovieChat Forums > Azumanga daiô (2002) Discussion > Watching this anime...are you a guy?

Watching this anime...are you a guy?

posted 18 years ago by Minos24
52 replies | jump to latest

I'm a guy. A friend of mine, a guy, let me borrow any anime series from his collection the other night, to try out. I'm not a big anime fan at all, and I only watch one anime seriously (IGPX), and I have a few films. But, to try something new, I looked through his collection to see what he had, and I was surprised to see AzuManga Daioh among his sets. Obviously you know why, its a series about all girls.

So I asked him what's it all about, and he told me the premise of the story about a group of high school girls who go through zany adventures. Then he pointed out to me, "Yea, you might think its weird that I have a series like this because I'm a guy." But I told him I didn't care, and in fact, I wanted to give it a try because its something new.

So far, I'm in the middle of watching this series and its not that bad, its kinda funny. I watch it in Japanese, and one of the neat things about this comedy it provides some good cultural points about Japanese school life and culture in general, and I like anime humor, its off the wall and zany (especially with its inherent animations).

If you are a guy, and even though its a series about girls, do you guys care? I even read on wikipedia that the manga first appeared in a magazine for guys, and it indicated that this series is not what they call a "shojo" series (for girl fans). Obviously there are some traits about this show that is geared towards guys (I won't insult your intelligence), yet I can see why there is always an innate curiosity when it comes to a anime series about girls.

So far, I really enjoy the series, even though most of my guy friends would really egg me and make fun of me if they ever saw what I was watching. But hey, weren't we all Sailor Moon fans when we were kids?

[–] jal_90 13 years ago

I'm a 21-year-old guy, watched Azumanga Daioh at 19 and I love it to the point of making it my favorite anime series, just before Cowboy Bebop and, uh, Princess Tutu. Have rewatched its episodes so many times and they haven't lost anything.

Reasons? I think the main one is that it's in itself a very effective change of pace. It transmits me a calmed and carefree feel, so whenever I watch it I get transported to the simple world of character interactions and laughs that this show gives. And as easy as it seems, when there is an element not working, say an annoying character, a bad sense of pacing, unfitting music or inconvenient character design, it can ruin the whole experience. However in Azumanga everything's so perfect at creating that atmosphere of relaxed fun, and apart from that it's genuinely endearing, moving, relatable and, in its way, beautiful. And of course, hilarious.

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] barniac68 10 years ago

Yup. 45 yo Brit who failed to grow up watching Urusei Yatsura & Kimagure Orange Road (big fight-y mecha was never really that interesting to me as they were in the majority - not knocking `em=each to your own).
As with other posters, I find it refreshing to watch a high-school anime that doesn`t cop-out & go for the fan-service angle - makes it more entertaining as you focus on the characters.
"Kawaii", "Moe"...whatever you want to call it; Azumanga Daioh is endearingly funny & charming in it`s slightly off-the-wall innocence - & Kimura-sensei is a creepy reminder that most shows aren`t (HighSchoolOfTheDead, anyone?).

"Shoot `em in the head!" *beep* that-RUN!" Undead Or Alive, 2007

[–] masuka-fan 9 years ago

I am a guy so I am more interested in watching girls than other guys. Also, hilarity has no gender.

I wouldn't call this a shojo, they usually have romance.

Passion is just insanity in a cashmere sweater!

[–] kawada_shougo 8 years ago

This anime IS for guys. It belongs to the so-called "shonen" category, which is primarily aimed at a teenage male audience. So it's totally logical that you like it, you're its target audience. The "Shojo" category (anime aimed at teenage girls) is totally different in all the aspects: design, characters, humour, the way emotions are expressed and the plot is presented, and so on, the whole dynamic and the atmosphere are different.