Kodocha: Sana's Stage

~Wow, Kodocha was the very first manga I ever read and well of course to me it's a classic. I find it like no other shoujo manga and in fact, I can't find one with it's type of humor! You'll laugh at some of the ridiculous things the characters say OR do and you'll feel the pain and agony each one faces. Big or small. The story starts with 12 year old Sana Kurata, a soon to be big TV star who goes through ordinary girl problems that any girl faces. If you call, "facing-her-classroom-of-crazy-monkey-boys" normal. They ruin class for the girls and there Sanameets her arch-nemesis Akito Hayama. With that being said, these two hit it off like a battle to the death! (not really lol but it's funny how they settle things) And of course, once they set their differences aside and going through thick and thin together, they find themselves to be the closest of friends, then one of them starts to have feelings for the other. (hmmm guess who) The comedy and romance are a great mix between the two in this manga, especially one that deals with young kids. Despite their age, you could feel the sweet and innocent love and really feel the awareness each one gets when they learn the ways of love. It's sure not easy for these two. (so much happens...) And the drama isn't something overwhelming though there will be times when it seem like it. It only shows that no matter how young you are, there will be times when you feel like a child again in a adult like situation and you have to face it head on. To sum everything up, story is a 9. Though it seems very childish at first the story really picks up as the characters grow and it's interesting and enjoyable to read. No fillers or anything. Art is a 9, since most can seem to find this type of style but either way the author does a great job depicting each character with her own style that you'll just love. It matches the story completely. Characters I give a 10, since they're very lovable and unique to me. You can't help but cheer them on and see them as great characters. Enjoyment and overall view is a 10, since of course this was the very first thing I ever read. (not super hero comics sadly lol) But I hope this manga finds it's way to your "mangas-to-read list" and that you too will find something great about it. I know I do. ~Thanks for reading! ***If you read the manga, then watch the anime, you'll find that the anime is really extremely different!!! lol but don't let that stop you from watching it cause it's still funny and enjoyable to watch. In fact maybe more humorous? Either way I liked it. Check it out!

Kodocha is both witty and emotional. It does the romantic comedy genre justice. Light hearted balances well with the more serious notions. After all it's not so much fun reading an incredibly depressive manga. Story: 10 Sana is a child actress. Right there the unbelievably factor should kick in. It seems like when a shoujo takes place in the entertainment business it gets dragged down by pretty idols and too much focus on unrealistic plots in the 'idol' world. Despite the profession of Sana the story line focuses more away from the show biz side. Most takes place in fact in the classroom and the 'realworld'. However Sana's busy life as budding actress catches up with her, and gives the realistic view on how it takes a toll on her normal school life. The main aspect of Kodocha is children growing up too fast, and romance. Sana and Akito's love-hate relationship is a blast to watch. You really see them grow to their feelings in a way that doesn't feel forced. And it’s hilarious. Both give as good as they get in their ‘spats’. The other plot of Kodocha is the troubled Akito, and the looming past of Sana. They are evidently more mature than other kids their age (though Sana still knows how to have fun with her age), but growing up isn't the best when your growing up too fast. The title of 'Child's Play' fits this series extremely well. Art: 8 Standard for shoujo. Not fantastic but not unbearable with out of proportion bodies. It's also not over stylised where is becomes too much of a fashion show to take seriously. Characters: 9 Sana and Akito are not only a brilliant couple but brilliant characters that stand well apart from each other. There are side characters that have plots dedicated to them; however none match the characterisation of the two leads. Apart from Sana's mum whose quirks are hilarious. Enjoyment: 10 Funny and charming, with both a realistic and over the top approach to the romantic comedy genre. Not too serious, but not too ridiculous. Almost always great entertainment for those who are taken with the genre. Overall: 10 It's a short read with 10 volumes, which highlights the other praise it deserves. It never drags on and becomes dull. It never has a useless arc where characters and the plot don't grow and develop. It never gets old.

This might sound a bit strange, but this was the very first manga series that I was exposed to and that was back in 2006 (I think...) I say strange because 1.) This series was going out of print at the time and 2.) Nobody realized it existed except for the friend who introduced it to me (and I am forever thankful...) Anyway, Kodocha is a one-of-a-kind shoujo manga. Why? Well here's the breakdown: 1.) It was written by the eccentric but hilarious Miho Obana. In one of the printed volumes, she mentions how each character is like an extension of herself. Considering the cast, her truenature is pretty obvious. In any case, not only does she provide the manga with plenty of humor but she also gives it a dark edge by implementing themes such as underage pregnancy, suicide, death, and depression. 2.) This manga stars 6th grade elementary school students who eventually grow up and go into middle school (marking the beginning of the second half of the story) ...Yes, this is a shoujo manga that depicts love between two elementary/middle school students. Sounds unbelievable but it is pulled off really well. Their romance is actually more heartfelt and believeable than many manga depictions of high school romance. 3.) Sana and Akito. Seriously, on their own, they are awesome but together, they have the ability to make my heart swell and overflow with happiness. Their personalities, though clashing at times, really compliment each other and both bring out the best in each other. Unfortunately, some may find them annoying, especially in the second half because of all the unsaid feelings and misunderstandings that go on (sounds like alot but not really) but I feel that their actions were justified in one way or another. 4.) The artwork has a nice old-school feel to it. When reading Kodocha for the first time, I was immediately in love with how the characters were drawn. In particular, I was attracted to their eyes XD So sparkly! If anything, don't ignore this manga. Give it a try, or at least make plans to read it in the future. You just might be surprised. Thanks for reading! P.S.-If you're interested, there is an anime adaption of this manga that is 102 episodes long. It's enjoyable but I suggest reading the manga first and then watching the anime because the manga is waay better. The anime should be seen as additional material that can help satisfy your Kodocha cravings lol

I picked Kodocha a while back, hearing many great things about this series. I can gladly say it didn't disappoint! Story: (8) The story revolves around Sana, a quite successful child actor, and how her relationship develops with fellow classmate, Akito. The beginning is quite typical, Sana immediately hating Akito and arguing endlessly over each other's attitudes. The beginning is the most surrealistic part of the manga. Unless you find an elementary classroom completely ruled by a group of boys to be normal. However, it is much more realistic than most series. As the story progresses, things become more realistic and the relationship between Akito andSana develop. The only real complain I have over the storyline is the last arc, where the problem stems from something which I personally find silly and it just seemed to be the manga-ka's attempt to add one more volume to the series. Overall, though, it is very good. Art: (7) The art was so-so. Backgrounds were quite plain and sometimes it felt like the manga-ka just didn't feel like adding details. The character's limbs were all stick-thin and some characters were very similar to one another. However, while the art lacks in overall details, it shines in the expressions of the characters. Obana Miho knows what she's doing when she draws facial expressions. Character: (8) While some supporting characters were stereotypical, the main cast is rather nice and stems away from the annoying stereotypes. Sana, our main little gal, is rather out-going and actually has a backbone. Akito is a rather socially awkward guy whom also isn't the ideal romantic hottie. Other characters, such as Sana's mom, Tsuyoshi-kun, Rei, and Kamura had their individual quirks to set them apart from the others. They're given a fair amount of background story and development. Enjoyment: (9) The chapters seemed to disappear with how fast I was reading them! Except for the last arc which irked me, every other chapter was a nice and enjoyable ride through Sana's life. Overall: (8) Frankly, I think the fact that the main couple were kids made everything more enjoyable. It made things steer away from your typical Teenage romance series to a children's awkward journey into a relationship. Kodocha is a cute story of two kids, but not to the point it's too childish for older people to enjoy :)