Azumanga Daioh - Festivals (Vol. 2) Review

The second set of episodes in this fluffy shojo (girl's) series plays like a cross between the Bobsey Twins and Seinfield . Tomo, Yomi, Sakaki, Kaorin, Chihiro, Chiyo, and Osaka continue their day-to-day escapades at their Tokyo school, but nothing out of the ordinary occurs. Ten-year-old Chiyo confesses she would like to be tall, like Sakaki--who would like to be as cute as Chiyo. Sakaki reveals she collects stuffed animals because her parents won't allow her to have a pet. English teacher Yukari continues her disastrous attempts at one-upsmanship with gym-teacher Nyamo at the school cultural and sports festivals, while Mr. Kimura leers at the students. Unlike Arima and Yukino in His and Her Circumstances , the characters in Azumanga Daioh don't face real personal challenges. But their very ordinariness may be the source of the girls' appeal. (Rated 13 and older: cartoon violence, minor risqué humor) --Charles Solomon