What do you think?
Rate this book
Haganai: I Don't Have Many Friends #1
Haganai: I Don't Have Many Friends Vol. 1
The Geek's shall Inherit the Earth!
Recent high school transfer student Hasegawa Kodaka is pathetically inept at making friends. When he comes across the brash loner Mikazuki Yozora, who typically chats with her imaginary friend, the two outsiders become the unlikeliest of allies. Realizing that they have no hope of a normal social life, the two outcasts decide to form a group called "The Neighbors Club" in order to make friends and maybe even learn a thing or two about social skills. This wild and offbeat comedy manga about quirky misfits who are obsessed with fandom is the basis for the hit anime!
Recent high school transfer student Hasegawa Kodaka is pathetically inept at making friends. When he comes across the brash loner Mikazuki Yozora, who typically chats with her imaginary friend, the two outsiders become the unlikeliest of allies. Realizing that they have no hope of a normal social life, the two outcasts decide to form a group called "The Neighbors Club" in order to make friends and maybe even learn a thing or two about social skills. This wild and offbeat comedy manga about quirky misfits who are obsessed with fandom is the basis for the hit anime!
179 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 21, 2009
14 people are currently reading
560 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
August 11, 2016
note: this is a compiled review of volumes 1-5.
Okay, forgive me, but it's STORY TIME.
In high school, I had a classmate named Jerry (names changed to protect the (?) innocent). A lot of people really didn't like Jerry because he had a particular demeanor to him. He always came across as full of himself, like he thought he was cooler, smarter, better than everyone else. His screen name (back when AOL and AIM were still a big deal, yes I'm old) was even "Superior." Most people found him grating at best, and kind of a jerk at worst.
And then, in college I met Roth (again, names changed). Roth was seriously asocial - to the point that he refused to meet in person for something that could be accomplished online (and often even when it couldn't). He gave off a sort of angry/bitter aura. When you asked how his day was, he'd say "bad," even if it wasn't, just because he hated how rote "fine" and "good" had become as responses. He always had a snide comment to elbow you with.
These are real people I met. But I felt like I understood something about them that others didn't. Behind their "rough" personalities, each of them was incredibly kind-hearted. Not only would they help you out if you needed, they'd listen to your most insignificant of problems, just so you had someone to talk to. And beyond that, the personalities that most people perceived were misrepresentations - they were both really down-to-earth and self-deprecating, they just had their own way of showing it. If you weren't willing or able to look beyond their surface-level demeanor, you'd never see the wonderful souls underneath.
I feel like that is the spirit of Haganai. At first glance, this is a series about a bunch of high school students that range on the spectrum from bizarre, to conceited, to sadistic. They play horribly mean pranks on one another, mock each other with the most degrading nicknames imaginable, and fight at the slightest provocation. But even at their most offensive, underneath (and despite the title), you can tell that these characters are friends. It just resonates with me, because I've known people like this. And it also has themes of loyalty, family, and (unsurprisingly) friendship.
That's not to forgive it all its faults though. Haganai is a series that consistently goes one step (or two steps, or ten steps) too far. The characters don't just playfully rib each other, they say some downright degrading stuff. It often steps beyond "tastefully offensive" (if such a thing exists) and into sleazy territory. And it revels way too much in its own perversion - it's always played for laughs, but that doesn't necessarily make it okay.
TL;DR I've always liked Haganai, and the manga version is a little tamer, less problematic, (and thus better) than the anime is. I'm not necessarily proud that I like it. Not only would I not fault anyone for disliking it, I think most people would be pretty put-off (or even disgusted?) with it. But I think completely writing it off does it a disservice. There's some real heart here buried under the vitriol and the perversion. I just suspect most people won't find it worth digging for.
Okay, forgive me, but it's STORY TIME.
In high school, I had a classmate named Jerry (names changed to protect the (?) innocent). A lot of people really didn't like Jerry because he had a particular demeanor to him. He always came across as full of himself, like he thought he was cooler, smarter, better than everyone else. His screen name (back when AOL and AIM were still a big deal, yes I'm old) was even "Superior." Most people found him grating at best, and kind of a jerk at worst.
And then, in college I met Roth (again, names changed). Roth was seriously asocial - to the point that he refused to meet in person for something that could be accomplished online (and often even when it couldn't). He gave off a sort of angry/bitter aura. When you asked how his day was, he'd say "bad," even if it wasn't, just because he hated how rote "fine" and "good" had become as responses. He always had a snide comment to elbow you with.
These are real people I met. But I felt like I understood something about them that others didn't. Behind their "rough" personalities, each of them was incredibly kind-hearted. Not only would they help you out if you needed, they'd listen to your most insignificant of problems, just so you had someone to talk to. And beyond that, the personalities that most people perceived were misrepresentations - they were both really down-to-earth and self-deprecating, they just had their own way of showing it. If you weren't willing or able to look beyond their surface-level demeanor, you'd never see the wonderful souls underneath.
I feel like that is the spirit of Haganai. At first glance, this is a series about a bunch of high school students that range on the spectrum from bizarre, to conceited, to sadistic. They play horribly mean pranks on one another, mock each other with the most degrading nicknames imaginable, and fight at the slightest provocation. But even at their most offensive, underneath (and despite the title), you can tell that these characters are friends. It just resonates with me, because I've known people like this. And it also has themes of loyalty, family, and (unsurprisingly) friendship.
That's not to forgive it all its faults though. Haganai is a series that consistently goes one step (or two steps, or ten steps) too far. The characters don't just playfully rib each other, they say some downright degrading stuff. It often steps beyond "tastefully offensive" (if such a thing exists) and into sleazy territory. And it revels way too much in its own perversion - it's always played for laughs, but that doesn't necessarily make it okay.
TL;DR I've always liked Haganai, and the manga version is a little tamer, less problematic, (and thus better) than the anime is. I'm not necessarily proud that I like it. Not only would I not fault anyone for disliking it, I think most people would be pretty put-off (or even disgusted?) with it. But I think completely writing it off does it a disservice. There's some real heart here buried under the vitriol and the perversion. I just suspect most people won't find it worth digging for.
January 21, 2013
I will admit that I've read the scanlated version of this series, so I knew going into it that I'd like this series. My reason for reading the official release was to see whether or not that charm would translate into an official version. For the most part, it did.
As a whole, this is a very cute series and a decent start. The characters are all fairly endearing in their own ways, although I will say that at times they're your typical character tropes. What saves this from completely fading into the background is that the series tries to have fun with this idea as well as throwing some new stuff into the mix. One of the things that keeps Yozora from being unlikable is that her introduction comes from her talking to an "air friend" because she can't really manage to make them on her own. I rather liked that this was handled in a way that was neither a "totally sad" type of thing nor played up entirely for comedic value.
I will warn readers that the charm of the volume might wear with repeated readings, which is why this wasn't a perfect read for me. The artwork is really wonderful, so even if you tend to get a little bored with the story after the initial reading, there's lots to look at. The female characters are pretty lovingly drawn to appeal to the reader, but without it being too overly fanservice-y. The lead male character? Well, let's just say that unless you're a pretty boy or a cute girl, the artwork won't be as detailed at times. But hey, the artist knows that in the end the cute girls are what people are really here to see.
Overall this is a nice series and one that I'll probably end up keeping up with in the future. It's a bit slow at places, but it does pick up later in the volume and does get better as the series progresses.
As a whole, this is a very cute series and a decent start. The characters are all fairly endearing in their own ways, although I will say that at times they're your typical character tropes. What saves this from completely fading into the background is that the series tries to have fun with this idea as well as throwing some new stuff into the mix. One of the things that keeps Yozora from being unlikable is that her introduction comes from her talking to an "air friend" because she can't really manage to make them on her own. I rather liked that this was handled in a way that was neither a "totally sad" type of thing nor played up entirely for comedic value.
I will warn readers that the charm of the volume might wear with repeated readings, which is why this wasn't a perfect read for me. The artwork is really wonderful, so even if you tend to get a little bored with the story after the initial reading, there's lots to look at. The female characters are pretty lovingly drawn to appeal to the reader, but without it being too overly fanservice-y. The lead male character? Well, let's just say that unless you're a pretty boy or a cute girl, the artwork won't be as detailed at times. But hey, the artist knows that in the end the cute girls are what people are really here to see.
Overall this is a nice series and one that I'll probably end up keeping up with in the future. It's a bit slow at places, but it does pick up later in the volume and does get better as the series progresses.
November 13, 2012
Surprisingly funny manga about trying to make friends that's only let down by a loose and sketchy art style.
Kodaka is a half-Japanese who has just returned to his home town from overseas. He doesn't have many friends mostly because his natural blond hair and fashion sense make people think he's a punk. One day he encounters the class grump, a girl named Mikazuki, by herself in a classroom. She's talking animatedly, but to an empty classroom. When asked, she angrily replies she is talking to her "air friend" (like air guitar, but a friend.) Tomo. One brutal conversation later, and the Neighbors Club is formed. Can crazy people like these make friends and have a good school life?
It's funny because they all get the idea of friendship, and its importance. And this isn't normal anime cluelessness about it; they have some pretty good reasons why they can't find friends, mostly involving some horrific and hilarious personality flaws. These are the kind of people who can't even play a video game with it turning into a backstabbing PK fest despite it being in the same room, and don't get them started on the whole dating sim thing.
It follows the anime fairly closely, which is a good thing since the anime itself is hilarious. The only downside is that it can't match the anime's visuals, and instead uses a rougher, sketchy style of art which might turn off people. But other than that, it brings a little life back to a shopworn premise, and if it follows the anime as closely future volumes are going to be fun, too.
Kodaka is a half-Japanese who has just returned to his home town from overseas. He doesn't have many friends mostly because his natural blond hair and fashion sense make people think he's a punk. One day he encounters the class grump, a girl named Mikazuki, by herself in a classroom. She's talking animatedly, but to an empty classroom. When asked, she angrily replies she is talking to her "air friend" (like air guitar, but a friend.) Tomo. One brutal conversation later, and the Neighbors Club is formed. Can crazy people like these make friends and have a good school life?
It's funny because they all get the idea of friendship, and its importance. And this isn't normal anime cluelessness about it; they have some pretty good reasons why they can't find friends, mostly involving some horrific and hilarious personality flaws. These are the kind of people who can't even play a video game with it turning into a backstabbing PK fest despite it being in the same room, and don't get them started on the whole dating sim thing.
It follows the anime fairly closely, which is a good thing since the anime itself is hilarious. The only downside is that it can't match the anime's visuals, and instead uses a rougher, sketchy style of art which might turn off people. But other than that, it brings a little life back to a shopworn premise, and if it follows the anime as closely future volumes are going to be fun, too.
April 3, 2018
This didn't pull me in. None of the characters are likable and they're not unlikable in interesting ways. The book is slow to give any kind of background and never fleshes out basic things that should be covered in the first few chapters. There's no hook to keep me reading. Usually I give a series two or three volumes to get a feel for it, but I had to force myself to finish this so for once I'm stopping with one volume.
August 18, 2017
This isn't my usual material but I can't help love the characters and story.
January 3, 2020
I was expecting this to be a fun read, as I don't have many friends myself. Well the introductory chapter made me think otherwise, as it was a group of friends hanging out. Eating food that they had made for themselves in the dark, which is the complete opposite of not having friends. It's not like a 3 person group either there is at least 7 of them, it tries to save itself by saying in brackets (Doesn't have many friends, unsociable/awkward reason).
Then after that chapter it seems to start again, setting up how this came to be. It doesn't explain that it's doing it, I just clocked whilst reading it. You are introduced to the lead, who's a guy and then the harem commences. I'm surprised that so many manga's are still doing this, can't we just get something original that isn't full of cliches?
There are some decent bits in this like them trying to make friends though a video game, the main character is supposed to be the main character but he's more in the background for the majority of this. There are some petty arguments about flat vs melons a few times, that didn't add much. My main problem is that we already know what's going to happen because of the first chapter, if it wasn't there it would have been a lot more interesting seeing how things come together.
Then after that chapter it seems to start again, setting up how this came to be. It doesn't explain that it's doing it, I just clocked whilst reading it. You are introduced to the lead, who's a guy and then the harem commences. I'm surprised that so many manga's are still doing this, can't we just get something original that isn't full of cliches?
There are some decent bits in this like them trying to make friends though a video game, the main character is supposed to be the main character but he's more in the background for the majority of this. There are some petty arguments about flat vs melons a few times, that didn't add much. My main problem is that we already know what's going to happen because of the first chapter, if it wasn't there it would have been a lot more interesting seeing how things come together.
January 11, 2023
The concept is kind of fun, but the comic never takes it very far. The characters are all one-dimensional and don’t really exist outside of their school club room. I enjoyed the video game parts though- at least they were a departure from the norm.
From the outset I took major issue with the ‘Prologue’ section, which I assume was added later, and is supposed to introduce the characters. But it only served to be a weird, confusing avalanche of people and events that wasn’t even necessary in the end because the normal comic does a fine job of introducing everyone anyway.
コンセプトが好きけど深さが少ない。いつも同じことですね。ゲームの部分が1番好きだった
From the outset I took major issue with the ‘Prologue’ section, which I assume was added later, and is supposed to introduce the characters. But it only served to be a weird, confusing avalanche of people and events that wasn’t even necessary in the end because the normal comic does a fine job of introducing everyone anyway.
コンセプトが好きけど深さが少ない。いつも同じことですね。ゲームの部分が1番好きだった
June 17, 2023
Nie jest to bardzo zła manga, ale nie jest też rewelacyjna.
Mamy do czynienia z klubem złożonym z osób, które nie potrafią znaleźć znajomych. Właściwie jest to tak barwna śmietanka charakterów, że ciężko się z nich nie śmiać.
Trochę okruchy życia, głównie school life i mam wrażenie, że ma zadatki na dziwny harem (ale mogę się mylić, bo czytałam tylko ten tom, jak na razie).
Główny bohater wygląda na zbira i to jego główny problem. Dwie dziewczyny , które są sobą nie przepadają (ich główną interakcją są ciągle przepychanki) są nawet zabawne.
Mamy do czynienia z klubem złożonym z osób, które nie potrafią znaleźć znajomych. Właściwie jest to tak barwna śmietanka charakterów, że ciężko się z nich nie śmiać.
Trochę okruchy życia, głównie school life i mam wrażenie, że ma zadatki na dziwny harem (ale mogę się mylić, bo czytałam tylko ten tom, jak na razie).
Główny bohater wygląda na zbira i to jego główny problem. Dwie dziewczyny , które są sobą nie przepadają (ich główną interakcją są ciągle przepychanki) są nawet zabawne.
September 18, 2025
Haganai to seria która przykuła moje oko z powodu że kiedyś obejrzałem aniem, i szczerze chyba anime wolę, manga jest trochę chaotyczna, miejscami kreska tak trochę niechlujna (rozumiem że to tak miało wyglądać ale wciąż), jedyne co nie kuleje to historia, dalej jest to świetna komedia, co prawda tom pierwszy był trochę mało treściwy, i głównie poprostu wprowadzał bohaterów, ale to początek więc jest to do wybaczenia.
Anyway meritum, jak ktoś jest fanem serii to polecam, ale jak ktoś chcę poznać to radził bym zacząć od anime.
Anyway meritum, jak ktoś jest fanem serii to polecam, ale jak ktoś chcę poznać to radził bym zacząć od anime.
August 17, 2019
Haganai is hilarious. From creating a club for the socially inept to fantastically strange ideas on how to make friends, this book swiped my attention. Utterly fantastic. I can't help but feel bad for continuously laughing at Kodaka's progressively distorted notoriety.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 17, 2019
English edition. Art pretty basic. Story clunky and not clear for foreigners. Characters interesting, the strong point. Probably better as an anime. Will seek out the anime and not bother with the second volume.
March 7, 2018
Hmmmmm
December 9, 2018
Awful characters that are not funny enough to be charming.
I feel bad for the male character.
I don't think I'll be continuing this series.
I feel bad for the male character.
I don't think I'll be continuing this series.
June 5, 2019
Pure ridiculousness. I love it.
February 6, 2022
Boring story and unlikable characters
March 2, 2022
I enjoyed this but there is so much hate and bullying between the two main girl characters.
December 2, 2022
Weird story but really funny characters, especially their facial expressions. Lovely drawing style.
Will be picking up the next one when I get the chance!
Will be picking up the next one when I get the chance!
June 3, 2025
I have a bunch of these, so I hope I like them. The relationship of Yozora and Sena shows a lot of promise, so I'm optimistic.
October 3, 2017
I loved the title "I don't have many friends" and it's something I relate to so much so I expected it to be a little deeper in meaning and funnier than this. Volume 1 for me wasn't a good starter because it mostly had random scenes which were supposed to be funny but I felt they were cheesy and sometimes stupid in my opinion rather than having decent introductions about the characters history. Also I felt the female characters were kinda too ignroant about the problem that they want to make friends..? haha, that was funny in a way but I also wanted them to be more serious on that. And obviously I think there should have been more male characters to make a balanced group.
And I think the translation was really bad.
I read an online version first and that was so much better and had the feeling way much better. The translation in the book seemed odd and boring.
The art is horrible and worsens the book in general.
I was disappointed with volume 1 and didn't enjoy it that much but since I have the other volumes I think it'd get better from now on. I loved the first and last chapter in this volume!
And I think the translation was really bad.
I read an online version first and that was so much better and had the feeling way much better. The translation in the book seemed odd and boring.
The art is horrible and worsens the book in general.
I was disappointed with volume 1 and didn't enjoy it that much but since I have the other volumes I think it'd get better from now on. I loved the first and last chapter in this volume!
September 13, 2011
English title: "I Have a Few Friends"
Kodaka Hasegawa just transferred to St. Chronica's Academy. His mother was an Englishwoman and he inherited her blonde hair, but his facial features are standard Japanese, which is a bit of a problem since in Japan it's common for delinquents to dye their hair blonde. Bad enough being the new guy, but on top of that everyone assumes he's in a gang. All of which is a good way not to make any friends.
After school one day he sees a girl named Yozora talking to herself, so he goes up and asks her if she can see ghosts. No, Yozora explains, she was talking to her friend Tomo. Who's invisible. After a bit of badgering, Yozora admits that Tomo is imaginary and she really has no friends. They get to talking about their common plight and try to come up with ways to make friends. Kodaka suggests joining clubs, but Yozora rejects the idea -- it's too late in the year, they'd just be seen as interlopers screwing up the dynamics of the club. But thenYomi Hirasaka decides to rip off the plot of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Yozora realizes they can start their own club.
The next day she drags Kodaka to a room and announces the formation of the "Neighbors Club" which exists solely for the purpose of making friends. She even has fliers. The fliers seem innocuous enough, but Yozora insists that they're full of hidden messages that the friendless will be able to discern.
And sure enough, the very next day they get their first new member, Sena Kashiwazaki. Sena's a very rich and beautiful girl. Which means every guy in school wants to bone her, and every girl wants to stab her in the back. She has no actual friends. Joining the club doesn't change that as she and Yozora immediately take a dislike to each other.
As the story goes on, more people find their way to the club and it becomes apparent that if a person has absolutely no friends, there's usually a very good reason. Sena and Yozora provide an hilarious example early on when they attempt to play a galge (a "dating sim") together. The main character in the game attends his first day of high school and finds himself seated next to a beautiful girl who introduces herself, "I'm Akari Fujibayashi. Let's be friends!" The player is then presented with three possible responses:
1) Nice to meet you too, Akari-chan!
2) Yeah, nice to meet you, Fujibayashi-san.
3) Such an overly friendly girl. Go away!
Sena and Yozora immediately agree that (3) is the correct choice -- "As though you can trust a girl who's chatting up a guy she doesn't even know on the first day of school. She's probably saying the same thing to all the guys in the class. That's what a bitch is like." Of course making choices like that eventually leads everyone in the school to hate the main character -- "After that, my whole life was a shade of grey. Even my best friend gave up on me. My studies, sports, whatever I did, nothing went well. After graduating I worked in some low paying job, working hard till late every day. Without a friend and not getting married, I lived my life alone, and my life ended without anyone caring." When the game ends, Yozora and Sena cannot understand what they did wrong.
Although it may sound like the characters are totally unlikeable, that's not the case. As long as they only exist on the page, they're actually quite enjoyable to watch. This isn't Heathers, it's a Joss Whedon show where every character is like Anya and River.
Kodaka Hasegawa just transferred to St. Chronica's Academy. His mother was an Englishwoman and he inherited her blonde hair, but his facial features are standard Japanese, which is a bit of a problem since in Japan it's common for delinquents to dye their hair blonde. Bad enough being the new guy, but on top of that everyone assumes he's in a gang. All of which is a good way not to make any friends.
After school one day he sees a girl named Yozora talking to herself, so he goes up and asks her if she can see ghosts. No, Yozora explains, she was talking to her friend Tomo. Who's invisible. After a bit of badgering, Yozora admits that Tomo is imaginary and she really has no friends. They get to talking about their common plight and try to come up with ways to make friends. Kodaka suggests joining clubs, but Yozora rejects the idea -- it's too late in the year, they'd just be seen as interlopers screwing up the dynamics of the club. But then
The next day she drags Kodaka to a room and announces the formation of the "Neighbors Club" which exists solely for the purpose of making friends. She even has fliers. The fliers seem innocuous enough, but Yozora insists that they're full of hidden messages that the friendless will be able to discern.
And sure enough, the very next day they get their first new member, Sena Kashiwazaki. Sena's a very rich and beautiful girl. Which means every guy in school wants to bone her, and every girl wants to stab her in the back. She has no actual friends. Joining the club doesn't change that as she and Yozora immediately take a dislike to each other.
As the story goes on, more people find their way to the club and it becomes apparent that if a person has absolutely no friends, there's usually a very good reason. Sena and Yozora provide an hilarious example early on when they attempt to play a galge (a "dating sim") together. The main character in the game attends his first day of high school and finds himself seated next to a beautiful girl who introduces herself, "I'm Akari Fujibayashi. Let's be friends!" The player is then presented with three possible responses:
1) Nice to meet you too, Akari-chan!
2) Yeah, nice to meet you, Fujibayashi-san.
3) Such an overly friendly girl. Go away!
Sena and Yozora immediately agree that (3) is the correct choice -- "As though you can trust a girl who's chatting up a guy she doesn't even know on the first day of school. She's probably saying the same thing to all the guys in the class. That's what a bitch is like." Of course making choices like that eventually leads everyone in the school to hate the main character -- "After that, my whole life was a shade of grey. Even my best friend gave up on me. My studies, sports, whatever I did, nothing went well. After graduating I worked in some low paying job, working hard till late every day. Without a friend and not getting married, I lived my life alone, and my life ended without anyone caring." When the game ends, Yozora and Sena cannot understand what they did wrong.
Although it may sound like the characters are totally unlikeable, that's not the case. As long as they only exist on the page, they're actually quite enjoyable to watch. This isn't Heathers, it's a Joss Whedon show where every character is like Anya and River.
March 11, 2014
I honestly didn't expect to enjoy Haganai as much as I did. I was expecting something overly fan service filled, don't get me wrong, there was some fan service, but not enough to make me uncomfortable reading it. This is a novel-to-manga adaption, and it seems the response was taken well.
Our main character is Hasegawa Kodaka, a British-Japanese loner. His hair is curiously multi-colored and it looks like he didn't know how to correctly dye his hair. Kodaka stumbles upon Mikazuki Yozora literally speaking to her "air friend." Upon admitting their mutual need of friends, Yozora made The Neighbor Club (and signed Kodaka up against his will.)
Their first new club member had the door rudely slammed in her face, then later climbed in through the window, I believe (the panels confused me a bit.) She introduced herself as Kashiwazaki Sena, and she has a major god-complex.
Even though Yozora nor Sena immediately give each other a reason to dislike each other, they manage to become mortal enemies (hilarious shenanigans unsure with this pair, seriously, it's even funnier than Oreimo's infamous rivals' bouts.) Seeing two girls at each other's throats has never been so charming. Kodaka is kind of invisible, but I suppose he reacts how any normal person would (which is exactly what he wants to be, a normal person, with friends.)
So far it is an entirely enjoyable volume, and I shall continue to read into the series. Definitely recommended.
Story: 3.5/5 - Could use some more information, especially since it's a novel-to-manga adaption, but I guess they're just trying to lure in an audience before they dish out the information.
Art: 4/5 - Nothing wrong with it, really. The expressions are absolutely hilarious, and the characters are portrayed well.
Characters: 4/5 - Really enjoyable bit. I usually hate it when there is rivals in manga/anime, but these two's arguments are just too entertaining.
Thank you for reading, I hope it helps! I give my honest opinion as detailed as I wish and hope to influence your chances of purchasing the subject under review, whether it is positive or negative.
Our main character is Hasegawa Kodaka, a British-Japanese loner. His hair is curiously multi-colored and it looks like he didn't know how to correctly dye his hair. Kodaka stumbles upon Mikazuki Yozora literally speaking to her "air friend." Upon admitting their mutual need of friends, Yozora made The Neighbor Club (and signed Kodaka up against his will.)
Their first new club member had the door rudely slammed in her face, then later climbed in through the window, I believe (the panels confused me a bit.) She introduced herself as Kashiwazaki Sena, and she has a major god-complex.
Even though Yozora nor Sena immediately give each other a reason to dislike each other, they manage to become mortal enemies (hilarious shenanigans unsure with this pair, seriously, it's even funnier than Oreimo's infamous rivals' bouts.) Seeing two girls at each other's throats has never been so charming. Kodaka is kind of invisible, but I suppose he reacts how any normal person would (which is exactly what he wants to be, a normal person, with friends.)
So far it is an entirely enjoyable volume, and I shall continue to read into the series. Definitely recommended.
Story: 3.5/5 - Could use some more information, especially since it's a novel-to-manga adaption, but I guess they're just trying to lure in an audience before they dish out the information.
Art: 4/5 - Nothing wrong with it, really. The expressions are absolutely hilarious, and the characters are portrayed well.
Characters: 4/5 - Really enjoyable bit. I usually hate it when there is rivals in manga/anime, but these two's arguments are just too entertaining.
Thank you for reading, I hope it helps! I give my honest opinion as detailed as I wish and hope to influence your chances of purchasing the subject under review, whether it is positive or negative.
July 14, 2014
I've seen the anime, so much of my feelings about the manga are complicated by my feelings about the anime. I once read someone complain about the bullying of two of the main characters and I feel bad about the fact that I pretty much find the characters actions hilarious. I'm very fond of Yozora, in fact. I think it's not because she's a bully but because she wants friends but has no idea how to relate to anyone so she does what she knows best. And despite the fact that Sena and Yozora never seem to get along, its clear that they're developing a weird sort if friendship.
So, while I see the bullying, I also realize that these are characters who are lonely and don't know how to reach out to others. They don't have friends or even cronies. So, to me, that's different and even a bit sad.
So, while I see the bullying, I also realize that these are characters who are lonely and don't know how to reach out to others. They don't have friends or even cronies. So, to me, that's different and even a bit sad.
July 27, 2015
2.5, rounded up since I'm giving this series the benefit of the doubt (so to speak)
Though I like the main male protagonist Kodaka (rare in a harem manga like this...harem-esque), Yozora has done nothing but annoy me in this volume. I'm interested in her backstory though, since there's hints at why she acts so harshly and why she doesn't have many friends--I suspect bullying based on her reaction to Kodaka implying she was like one. Sena is okay, I can't help but feel a little bad for her with the way Yozora treats her and talks to her. As of right now I'd say my favorite is Yukimura.
I'm not sure what the point of having the prologue was, though, especially since two of the characters in it weren't even introduced yet.
Though I like the main male protagonist Kodaka (rare in a harem manga like this...harem-esque), Yozora has done nothing but annoy me in this volume. I'm interested in her backstory though, since there's hints at why she acts so harshly and why she doesn't have many friends--I suspect bullying based on her reaction to Kodaka implying she was like one. Sena is okay, I can't help but feel a little bad for her with the way Yozora treats her and talks to her. As of right now I'd say my favorite is Yukimura.
I'm not sure what the point of having the prologue was, though, especially since two of the characters in it weren't even introduced yet.
December 23, 2013
I dunno, I guess it just wasn't my cup of tea.
I couldn't really relate to any of the characters, and one or two of them just turned me off entirely. Like, not just not liking them, but actually actively disliking them.
The story would be interesting if it weren't for the fact I dislike the characters. This story is so character-driven that disliking characters actually harms my opinion of it. For example, characters playing games and killing each other on purpose as a grudge match would be hysterical, but because the characters involved were ones I dislike, it was a little more annoying than funny.
Some people may like this, but it just wasn't for me.
I couldn't really relate to any of the characters, and one or two of them just turned me off entirely. Like, not just not liking them, but actually actively disliking them.
The story would be interesting if it weren't for the fact I dislike the characters. This story is so character-driven that disliking characters actually harms my opinion of it. For example, characters playing games and killing each other on purpose as a grudge match would be hysterical, but because the characters involved were ones I dislike, it was a little more annoying than funny.
Some people may like this, but it just wasn't for me.
April 7, 2016
This manga is a really funny and entertaining one. I sticks to it's Anime quite well and even adds more of what the Anime couldn't. This manga/Anime's main theme is about these kids making a secret Club that has a hidden message in their advertising posters that they say"only people who don't have any friends can decipher". Also it just starts from there little by little people who have no friends start to come in and they do weird club activities with each other. I recommend to people who want to have a good laugh and enjoy people acting weird and sometimes perverted(one certain girl named Rika, and that's my favorite character cause her perverseness is too funny.)
December 8, 2012
I'm not normally a big fan of manga but a friend handed me this and told me it was really funny. Not that he knows me or anything, but you tell me something is super funny and I'll probably give it a try even if it is outside my norm. :)
And it was very very funny. Part of the fun of graphic novels and manga for me is seeing how the artist portrays certain things. If I'm going to have the visuals, they'd better add something. And these certainly do. A lot of the humor comes from the art and I really enjoyed that a lot.
And it was very very funny. Part of the fun of graphic novels and manga for me is seeing how the artist portrays certain things. If I'm going to have the visuals, they'd better add something. And these certainly do. A lot of the humor comes from the art and I really enjoyed that a lot.
June 15, 2013
Manga series about social outcasts who form a club. One of the reasons I read manga is the insights into Japanese culture. The protagonist here is a boy who is half Japanese and half Caucasian, which leads to blond hair. He has difficulty making friends, is a bit quiet and aloof, which leads to his reputation of being a yakuza (thug/gangster). One episode deals with playing a romance video game, which I've heard mention of in manga, but here they show how the game is played. Sort of a choose your own adventure where how you respond to social interactions alters what happens.
November 6, 2015
I liked this. It was funny (especially when they were playing the stimulation game), and the two girls are good, better than the MC actually. The story is so random, the kind I love to read. School, no classes, just them hanging out and making silly stuff and fighting and meeting new silly people.
The art is also good. I think this is one of those mangas where I enjoy watching the anime more than reading the manga.
The art is also good. I think this is one of those mangas where I enjoy watching the anime more than reading the manga.
December 15, 2013
Haruhi SOS-club level of crazy, just minus the supernatural elements.
Plus in this club ALL the girls are terrible humans [insert harem trope about the guy here]
Still, an amusing read. Plus bonus points to the editor that had to take Yozora's mess of a poster to include "BFFs PLz" mesg: great work translator person!
Plus in this club ALL the girls are terrible humans [insert harem trope about the guy here]
Still, an amusing read. Plus bonus points to the editor that had to take Yozora's mess of a poster to include "BFFs PLz" mesg: great work translator person!
May 13, 2015
Three socially awkward kids start a "neighbors" club to make friends. The boy is new to school and looks like a thug, even though he's not. The blond is full of herself and only knows how to interact with boys. The brunette is abrasive and too clever for her own good. Fans of A Devil and Her Love Song will likely enjoy this one. I liked the idea, but wasn't hooked.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews