Tonari no Nanige-san

A superb, adorable, and funny school SOL. If you like super-helpful, OP main characters, then this is for you! Story: 9 Premise of the story is fairly unique, but simple. Nanige is an entity in the school who helps people out when they are in trouble, no matter what kind of trouble. She also does it well...for the most part. Hilarity ensures. Even though it's an SOL, there's a subtle yet complex story line in Tonari no Nanige-san. There are aspects of romance, as expected of a school-life story, as well as many other themes like conflict between siblings, self-appreciation, obsessive love, etc. They're never an overwhelming partof the story, but they're steadily developed all the way to the end. The special attention to detail and continuity in this series is also amazing. Even though it's a 4-koma style, issues that are brought up in the previous page actually gets mentioned in the following page(s), most of the time. Details that are established in previous pages also persist, even the gags. At the end, the reader truly feels that the school as well as the students and community are transformed by Nanige-actions. Can't ask more from a 4-koma. Art: 7 Simplistic art style. It works, and it's cute when it needs to be, but it definitely could be more. A little bit more focus on color tones and shading wouldn't hurt. The characters are distinct, but it doesn't feel as if special care is taken to draw them. That said, it's not an art-focused manga, so it does the job. Characters: 8 The characters, while never explicitly named or introduced, feel like a central element of the series. It's clear who the main and supporting cast are. The characters are also consistent, and they grow subtly over the course of the series. Each character has their own "arc" in relation to Nanige, and these arcs are mostly resolved by the end, making the manga feel very complete even though no explicit story is introduced. The main character herself also receives a proper, realistic conclusion, all the while maintaining her feel as a mystery. Do the characters do amazing feats, have epiphanies, or transform themselves and the world? No. Do they contribute to a highly amusing and heart-lifting manga? Definitely. But, don't expect to bond with the characters as much. Enjoyment: 9 It's drama-free, and it's good. Even though it's only 20 chapters, I've taken much longer to enjoy this series than others, not in a bad way. For how simple it is, each panel takes a much longer time to process because of its attention to detail and continuity. Many times, the panel refers to a previous setting or condition that you end up recalling with a smile. It also helps that each chapter is 30+ pages. Overall: 9 Would I reread? Maybe not, compared to SYD, but it's definitely worth the first run and for its uniqueness! Recommended for any SOLCom fans.