One of the enjoyable aspects of being a manga wayfarer on the web is the way that folks you don't know from Adam will write to suggest new directions for you to take. A few days after I'd posted my review of Paradise Kiss on Blogcritics, the piece received a comment from a reader who'd been following that series: Kiss was a decent example of girls' manga, she allowed, but for a even better representative of the form, I needed to check out Miho Obana's Kodocha. I'd read references to this popular series before - stopping by Evan Dorkin and Sarah Dyer's respective blogs, the name'd popped up more than once (Dyer has been writing the English adaptation for Tokyopop) - but this unexpected recommendation pushed it to the front of my list.
It is not, admittedly, a title I would have picked up by my own. With bright girly colors on the spine, the image of a big-eyed heroine dominating its cover, it looked like the kind of title I'd thus far managed to avoid: like one of those Clamp production line works or Sailor Moon. (It's worth noting that Tokyopop includes ads for four different Clamp series and Moon in the back of Volume Two.) As a middle-aged guy who's spent more energy repressing his memories from middle school then enjoying 'em, I'm about as far from Kodocha's demographic as you can get - but, whatdahey, in the spirit of discovery, I pick up the first two books in the ten-volume series, anyway.
Kodocha (subtitled: Sana's Stage) tells the story of Sana Kurata, a television child star in the sixth grade at Jinbo Private School. An energetically perky buttinski who believes that problems can be solved as easily and concisely as the ones her character faces on a weekly teevee series, Sana regularly intrudes on the lives on her classmates and extended family. When we first meet our little mini-Mary Worth, her meddling ways don't seem that unreasonable. Her class is controlled by a gang of boys under the leadership of "demon child" Akito Hayama: turns out that Hayama is blackmailing the classroom teacher, Miss Mitsuya, with photos that he took of her kissing another teacher. (Between this series and GTO, it seems like blackmail's a way of life for the ambitious young student.) "We're getting so far behind," one of the other girl students moans, and our heroine resolves to take on Hayama.
Article comments
1 - Ines Ait
I love the Kodocha series, they are so awsome. I'm at the ninth one and i can't seem to find number ten anywhere, they are probably sold out. i really can't way to read it!
2 - Ines Ait
I love the Kodocha series, they are so awsome. I'm at the ninth one and I can't seem to find number ten anywhere, they are probably sold out. I really can't way to read it!
3 - deedee maro
all the girls in my class are reading kodocha i am on the 7th book there great!:)
look maro!
OO
(..)
(00)
(oo)
4 - Mistix
Kodocha is a wonderful series :) Many, many times while reading in class I have burst into laughter and had people staring at me ("HAYAMA! I'll stay a virgin for you!!!")
XD
If you liked this, i would suggest picking up a copy of Digi Charat (Yes, it looks incredibly girly, but it really isn't - it's not about love and friendship, it's more about money, defeating enemies, eye beams, and selling products with their faces on it). It's really a hilarious, wacky series, despite its appearance.
5 - Mariah Fowler
I have all but # 5 and i'm not sure if i read it..... Has any1 ever laughed when your the only one who read the book and once u tried to explain it they still dont noe wat your talkin about? I always said , " Your wasting my time reading now be quiet pleaz!!!" >..
6 - Mariah Fowler
I have all but # 5 and i'm not sure if i read it..... Has anybody ever laughed when your the only one who read the book and once u tried to explain it they still dont noe wat your talkin about? I always say, " Your wasting my time reading now be quiet pleaz!!!" >.<'
7 - kp
kodocha is sooo great.I LOVE IT ! IT'S FATASTIC ! SANA IS SOOOO LUCKY TO HAVE HAYAMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
8 - SM
I have 1,2,10 They are all great i never read 3,4,5,6,7,8,9 I read ten i couldnt help myself! Hayama i luv you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
9 - habiba khan
KODOCHA IS THE GREATEST BOOK EVERRR!!!!! sana is Sooooooo luky to have HAYAMA!!!!!!! he's really CUTE!!!!! i wish i could be in that book !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!{L}!!
10 - Sana
I love Kodocha!!!!!!!!!It's sooo good it's amazing! I want to watch the anime but the manga will always be my favorite. I love it, love it, love it!!!!! I read it like 2 years ago but I remember every bit!
11 - Emily
I LOVE KODOCHA OF COURSE THE EPISODE WHERE AKITO KISSES SANA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
12 - liz
I had first read 1 at home it was so cool i have to get the DVDs and see them wow! i saw 1,2,3,4,5,6,and 9 but i cant waite to see 7,8,and 10 i love HAYAMA!!!!!!!!!! he is really CUTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i wish i could be in that book!!!!!!!!!! "(:"
13 - Liz
Yo this is so COOL!!!!!!!!!!! I wish i have a live story like that!!! i feel like some one like Akito should be in my life and be my BF!!! (: