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日常 (Nichijou) #2
日常 2
Yuuko tries a string of puns that goes very far off the rails. Misato pulls out the big guns when dealing with the maddeningly level-headed Sasahara. The professor adopts a surprisingly chatty cat, and a dog shows up at the right time to lend a paw.
177 pages, Paperback
First published October 26, 2007
23 people are currently reading
364 people want to read
About the author
Keiichi Arawi
51 books79 followersKeiichi Arawi (あらゐ けいいち, Arawi Keiichi) is a Japanese manga artist and illustrator.
Arawi was born in the prefecture of Gunma in 1977. He started his comics career at age 19 and for about a decade he published short stories. His series Nichijou, a slice of life comedy manga, was first serialised between 2006 and 2015 in the magazine 'Shonen Ace', and collected in ten volumes. In 2011 Nichijou was adapted into a 26-episode anime directed by Tatsuya Ishihara, now considered a cult. From 2016 to 2021 Arawi worked on the comedy manga CITY. In 2022 he resumed the serialisation of Nichijou, as well as starting a new strip called Amemiya-san.
Arawi was born in the prefecture of Gunma in 1977. He started his comics career at age 19 and for about a decade he published short stories. His series Nichijou, a slice of life comedy manga, was first serialised between 2006 and 2015 in the magazine 'Shonen Ace', and collected in ten volumes. In 2011 Nichijou was adapted into a 26-episode anime directed by Tatsuya Ishihara, now considered a cult. From 2016 to 2021 Arawi worked on the comedy manga CITY. In 2022 he resumed the serialisation of Nichijou, as well as starting a new strip called Amemiya-san.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
May 4, 2019
The second volume of Keiichi Arawi’s madcap series, Nichijou: My Ordinary Life, unfortunately didn’t have as many belly laffs as the first book but there are definitely some really funny stories here.
The little girl professor and her robot invention, who’s now given a name: Nano, are the best strips here. Besides continuing to give Nano ever more useless additions to her body (a USB port in her toe?!), the professor’s fits are so cute. And they get a cat – Mr Sakamoto – who can of course talk and is more mature than either of them!
The funniest story was three students stuck in an elevator for so long anything makes them laugh. So they play a word game and one of them says “eggplant” and they go into hysterics – which is actually infectious! Arawi’s able to perfectly mirror the experience of cabin fever onto the reader.
There’s some mildly amusing stories like the drawing contest between an obviously talented student and one who isn’t, though the teacher praises both to the frustration of the talented student. Also, the girl who got sick but tried to put on a magic show anyway and totally failed!
Quite a few though were forgettable like the dream-fantasy sequence involving magic wooden cubes (like the one on the cover) and the fly-swatting episode. The puns story was tedious, Sasahara the faux-rich boy still isn’t funny and the Mohawk dude’s story was meh. I also think it’s a bit too early to include the pilot for the series given that we saw the reworked, and slightly better, intro in the previous book. It’s still not great – it took a few chapters for Nichijou to find its legs – but the older sister putting puzzle pieces in her sister’s cakes was comical.
This second volume is by no means bad but I’d hoped it’d be as consistently entertaining as the first one was. I still like Nichijou though and I have faith in Keiichi Arawi to deliver more great stuff in future books, particularly if his other great series, CITY, is anything to go by.
Pfft – eggplant!
The little girl professor and her robot invention, who’s now given a name: Nano, are the best strips here. Besides continuing to give Nano ever more useless additions to her body (a USB port in her toe?!), the professor’s fits are so cute. And they get a cat – Mr Sakamoto – who can of course talk and is more mature than either of them!
The funniest story was three students stuck in an elevator for so long anything makes them laugh. So they play a word game and one of them says “eggplant” and they go into hysterics – which is actually infectious! Arawi’s able to perfectly mirror the experience of cabin fever onto the reader.
There’s some mildly amusing stories like the drawing contest between an obviously talented student and one who isn’t, though the teacher praises both to the frustration of the talented student. Also, the girl who got sick but tried to put on a magic show anyway and totally failed!
Quite a few though were forgettable like the dream-fantasy sequence involving magic wooden cubes (like the one on the cover) and the fly-swatting episode. The puns story was tedious, Sasahara the faux-rich boy still isn’t funny and the Mohawk dude’s story was meh. I also think it’s a bit too early to include the pilot for the series given that we saw the reworked, and slightly better, intro in the previous book. It’s still not great – it took a few chapters for Nichijou to find its legs – but the older sister putting puzzle pieces in her sister’s cakes was comical.
This second volume is by no means bad but I’d hoped it’d be as consistently entertaining as the first one was. I still like Nichijou though and I have faith in Keiichi Arawi to deliver more great stuff in future books, particularly if his other great series, CITY, is anything to go by.
Pfft – eggplant!
September 15, 2018
Another volume of my favorite Japanese absurdist slapstick comedy. Nichijou is pure joy for me and I absolutely can’t get enough of it in both manga and anime format. In volume 2 we get the origin of Mio’s wooden cube hair pins, the function of the giant wind-up key on Nano’s back, the mohawk kid’s attempt at denouncing a shaman and, of course, the introduction of Sakamoto san, the talking cat. So many classic Nichijou moments! Love it.
January 31, 2017
This review is for the first three volumes, since they're all about the same in tone and content.
This series is a combination of short stories and strips centered around a group of students in a Japanese school. It's very strange, even surreal, throughout. I really liked how unusual it is, but I felt like I didn't get a lot of the jokes. I couldn't tell whether or not it was because they were related to Japanese culture, or because they just weren't funny. There's a lot of slapstick-type humor here and well, and whether I would laugh or not was kind of hit or miss. It was kind of a more bizarre, less funny iteration of Azumanga Daioh. I would be reading and get to a point where I was like, "Why am I still reading?" and then something would make me bust out laughing and so I'd keep going.
This series is a combination of short stories and strips centered around a group of students in a Japanese school. It's very strange, even surreal, throughout. I really liked how unusual it is, but I felt like I didn't get a lot of the jokes. I couldn't tell whether or not it was because they were related to Japanese culture, or because they just weren't funny. There's a lot of slapstick-type humor here and well, and whether I would laugh or not was kind of hit or miss. It was kind of a more bizarre, less funny iteration of Azumanga Daioh. I would be reading and get to a point where I was like, "Why am I still reading?" and then something would make me bust out laughing and so I'd keep going.
November 25, 2024
Yuuko attempts puns and fails to make anyone laugh. There's a brief, out-of-the-blue flashback to when Nano first started going to school. (Also, the professor is apparently only 8 years old??) After some difficulties with a test, Yuuko offers to draw pictures for their teacher's next English text. She and Mio have an art battle that deeply frustrates Mio. A new animal cast member is added, in the form of Sakamoto, a little black cat that the professor adopts and gives a little bandana to that allows it to speak.
Volume 1 never really made me laugh, but this one worked a little better for me. I enjoyed the scene in which Yuuko desperately tried to kill mosquitoes in her bedroom. I also enjoyed the part where a sick Yuuko did magic tricks for Mio but flubbed every single one.
Sakamoto's design is super cute, and I liked the contrast between his serious attitude and Nano and the professor's behavior. As far as animals go, this volume also gives us a random dog who shows up out of nowhere whenever Yuuko needs comforting, as well as a parakeet with issues.
If ever there was a time to include translator's notes, it's in comedy manga. I wish Vertical had included something for this series, since I suspect quite a few jokes are going over my head. Also, a translator's note would have cleared up my confusion about Yuuko/Yukko faster. It took some googling to learn that this was not, in fact, frequent misspelling on the translator's part, but rather the character's given name (Yuuko) vs. her nickname (Yukko).
Extras:
A couple full-color pages, and a bonus chapter that's actually a early prototype of Nichijou.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
Volume 1 never really made me laugh, but this one worked a little better for me. I enjoyed the scene in which Yuuko desperately tried to kill mosquitoes in her bedroom. I also enjoyed the part where a sick Yuuko did magic tricks for Mio but flubbed every single one.
Sakamoto's design is super cute, and I liked the contrast between his serious attitude and Nano and the professor's behavior. As far as animals go, this volume also gives us a random dog who shows up out of nowhere whenever Yuuko needs comforting, as well as a parakeet with issues.
If ever there was a time to include translator's notes, it's in comedy manga. I wish Vertical had included something for this series, since I suspect quite a few jokes are going over my head. Also, a translator's note would have cleared up my confusion about Yuuko/Yukko faster. It took some googling to learn that this was not, in fact, frequent misspelling on the translator's part, but rather the character's given name (Yuuko) vs. her nickname (Yukko).
Extras:
A couple full-color pages, and a bonus chapter that's actually a early prototype of Nichijou.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
March 25, 2023
ITS SO GOOFY THE MOST RANDOM STUFF HAPPENS 💀
November 5, 2017
not my fave Nichijou volume. reading it made me look back at the anime though. this was funny but not as funny as the first and latter volumes i've read. Nano and Hakase combi is still great though. Also, my fave girl Yuko is as funny as ever.
July 22, 2017
love this series!so cute and funny!
October 7, 2014
Still absurd, still sketchy, hilarious and somehow sweet though some of the gags don't have the punch of volume one. Still awesome nonetheless:
World: ridiculous and hyper active , it's a Japan's high school setting on acid that's the first thing I can think of. From a talking cat to celestial wooden cubes it's all absurd and awesome.
Story: Same with the last volume, the story is there for the gags and the jokes, there are short two page shots and huge 20 page builds, most are hilarious, however some in this volume don't quite have the impact of the last volume. Still very enjoyable. There is however a couple of sketches that are extremely kawaii mixed in here.
Characters: awesome and over the top, the intros idiom of Sakamoto is awesome and Aioi is her ridiculous self. The cast of characters are fun, very distinct and serve their purpose well. The character work and art overall is absolutely MOE and full of character.
Good read, laugh out loud often, absurd always, Nichijou isn't fun read when you want to turn your brain off and just laugh.
Onward to the next book!
World: ridiculous and hyper active , it's a Japan's high school setting on acid that's the first thing I can think of. From a talking cat to celestial wooden cubes it's all absurd and awesome.
Story: Same with the last volume, the story is there for the gags and the jokes, there are short two page shots and huge 20 page builds, most are hilarious, however some in this volume don't quite have the impact of the last volume. Still very enjoyable. There is however a couple of sketches that are extremely kawaii mixed in here.
Characters: awesome and over the top, the intros idiom of Sakamoto is awesome and Aioi is her ridiculous self. The cast of characters are fun, very distinct and serve their purpose well. The character work and art overall is absolutely MOE and full of character.
Good read, laugh out loud often, absurd always, Nichijou isn't fun read when you want to turn your brain off and just laugh.
Onward to the next book!
March 12, 2017
Still delightfully absurd. We now also have the adorable "Mr." Sakamoto ~ the wisecracking kitty, who's more inclined to sleep than take his self-appointed position of "guardian" of Professor & Nano seriously.
Still a nice little collection of vignettes with Chapter 34 being the highlight for me.
Cute. Absurd. Surreal.
Still a nice little collection of vignettes with Chapter 34 being the highlight for me.
Cute. Absurd. Surreal.
December 19, 2017
This volume has more of the Professor/Nano stories, and I think it would be helpful to mention that in a lot of those arcs, the pages are two 4-panel sections, running top-down. It you read in the usual right-to-left order, you'll get very confused.
I think the funniest gag in this volume involves Sasahara's ascot.
I think the funniest gag in this volume involves Sasahara's ascot.
August 2, 2016
I read the whole thing out of plain stubbornness, but I just couldn't find anything funny.
November 24, 2016
If you read volume one, this is more in the same vein. It's silly, it's goofy, it's punny, it's high energy laughs.
February 1, 2022
I want Nichijou to be the set of books I read on my deathbed.
December 20, 2017
Nichijou is delightful in its insanity. What little of an ongoing plot there is in this volume, centers around an 8-year-old scientist, the robot she created (who just wants to be a normal girl), and a talking cat (who, as the oldest member of the household, feels responsible for the well-being of the other two). That should tell you roughly all you need to know, to decide if this series is right for you. The rest of the material is a series of vignettes full of surprisingly effective visual and textual humor (except for a handful of times when something gets lost in translation).
As a whole, Nichijou hits all the notes of love, sadness, anxiety, boredom, hopes & dreams, etc. that slice-of-life stories all aim for--it just does it in a way that's completely nuts. Yet somehow, it works. There's nothing particularly deep, poignant, or (at times) even especially coherent at work here, but it's enjoyable: a comforting palette cleanser, if you will. Certainly recommended for people who prefer their humor with a healthy dose of the absurd.
As a whole, Nichijou hits all the notes of love, sadness, anxiety, boredom, hopes & dreams, etc. that slice-of-life stories all aim for--it just does it in a way that's completely nuts. Yet somehow, it works. There's nothing particularly deep, poignant, or (at times) even especially coherent at work here, but it's enjoyable: a comforting palette cleanser, if you will. Certainly recommended for people who prefer their humor with a healthy dose of the absurd.
January 20, 2019
I did enjoy this volume, but I honestly found the first volume of Nichijou a lot funnier. Maybe some jokes are somehow losing something in translating them to English or maybe my sense of humor is lacking, I’m not sure. But I found v1 much funnier. Nichijou is a bit trippy and odd in general, which is cool with me, I have a goofy sense of humor sometimes. I just wasn’t as amused/entertained with this volume as I was with the first one. Still I’m certainly not sorry I bought and read it.
If you’re looking for a funny slice of life school comedy manga, I think I’ll have to suggest Azumanga Daioh over Nichijou, but that’s not to say Nichijou is bad, because I do plan to continue reading the series.
3.5 stars. The extra half star is for Sakamoto the cat, because that was one thing in this volume I thought was hilarious.:)
If you’re looking for a funny slice of life school comedy manga, I think I’ll have to suggest Azumanga Daioh over Nichijou, but that’s not to say Nichijou is bad, because I do plan to continue reading the series.
3.5 stars. The extra half star is for Sakamoto the cat, because that was one thing in this volume I thought was hilarious.:)
August 2, 2024
Some more great surreal comedy. I love how the main trio’s personalities make for a perfect combo to make any situation entertaining. The side characters also get a fair amount of focus and I enjoyed seeing one-off chapters that focused on each of them. The chapters between Nano and the Professor were some of my least favorites in the last volume, the jokes in those chapters didn’t click with me, but the addition of Sakamoto to the crew made them instantly better. The dynamic between Nano and the Professor alone was usually a bit too outlandish for me to get with (especially the running gag about the Professor just being and acting like a little kid), but Sakamoto’s deadpan, mature nature makes them way more entertaining for me. He still has his quirks but makes for a good straight man to the other two’s dynamic. Also, the chapters centered around Mio’s drawings will never get old.
February 23, 2022
I enjoyed this volume just as much as the previous. Normally, I am not a fan of stories that skip around a timeline, but the plot is so simple that it is not hard to figure out what is going on. Additionally, the organization of the chapters out of order adds to the comedic and chaotic tone of the book.
I don't personally find these books to be super funny, but I do enjoy them. They are light, easy to read, and fun. I use them as filler books between readings of longer novels or when I'm in a reading slump. These would be great for a preteen.
This series isn't a masterpiece, but I will definitely continue with the series. I don't usually watch anime, but you never know what the future holds!
PS: For some reason I really love the cover of this volume.
I don't personally find these books to be super funny, but I do enjoy them. They are light, easy to read, and fun. I use them as filler books between readings of longer novels or when I'm in a reading slump. These would be great for a preteen.
This series isn't a masterpiece, but I will definitely continue with the series. I don't usually watch anime, but you never know what the future holds!
PS: For some reason I really love the cover of this volume.
December 5, 2016
If you like Yotsuba&! or My Neighbor Seki, you will love this hilarious series.
January 3, 2021
It feels necessary to have books/media that make you laugh out loud (and release tension) during the COVID-19 pandemic, so I'm grateful to Nichijou for its random and bizarre humor. Although there are a big chunk of jokes that didn't land for me in this volume, I wonder if it is because those punchlines/puns were hard to translate in the space provided.
June 1, 2023
By volume two of this series, we start to get a feel for who the characters are, and also understand a little bit the motivations of each. Still, the gags aren't all that funny, or maybe this isn't my sense of humor. Definitely still over the top and an occasional smile escapes so I'll keep going for now. Not one to buy, but definitely one to read from the library if you can.
September 28, 2018
It's been a while since I read volume one so I have forgotten what happened, therefore this volume seemed a little scattered. It has potential though and so I will see how things go with the next volume.
February 23, 2023
Was ok at first, gradually gets better. The middle section, especially the introduction of Mr. Sakamoto, was the best part. The relationship between nano and professor is played for laughs but is actually kind of toxic if you think about it too hard.
March 3, 2023
Always a lot of fun, with very lively characters, but I still have a hard time reading some of the vignettes in this series. The jokes sometimes use pretty difficult language. Overall I think the first volume was better, but I’m interested to see where it goes.
いつも楽しいキャラクターけど時々読みにくい。冗談は難しい単語が使うね
いつも楽しいキャラクターけど時々読みにくい。冗談は難しい単語が使うね
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January 22, 2024I read this just to meet one of the Read Harder challenges. Though it's not something I would have picked up otherwise, I was entertained by it, especially the parts with a cat.
*I don't put stars on my reviews.
*I don't put stars on my reviews.
June 8, 2024
Honestly, I expected better from this chapter. The first one was so hilarious with the principle and the deer and I feel like this chapter didn't have anything that really stood out other than the dog but that was short lived.
November 22, 2025
wayyy less funny than the first but still has the same spirit. don’t think im going to carry onto volume three, as it’s mainly short stories i don’t think it can offer much else
super cute and provided the sort of aesthetic ive been craving in manga though :)
super cute and provided the sort of aesthetic ive been craving in manga though :)
July 19, 2018
As the second volume in the series, I feel this entry does a good job at gradually improving the unique style of nichijou. It's perfect for a quick read that has a healthy share of laughs.
September 16, 2018
More sillies.
March 9, 2019
A really funny book with not that many translation issues. Some jokes just don't work due to the language barrier though.
March 3, 2020
very cute, love this series!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews