Given that the story primarily focuses on that pivotal time in life when one first becomes aware of the mysterious entity known as "The Opposite Sex," Sakuraba has seized upon a theme ripe with potential for amusement—and, indeed, there are moments where he delivers. The dynamic between the somewhat precocious girls, who are said to mature faster, and the utterly oblivious boys provides fertile ground for humor. There are genuinely laugh-out-loud instances, such as Satou's misguided assertion that men are attracted to collarbones (as a friend quipped, it's about all a fifth grader can offer) coming back to haunt him, and Chika's attempt at a clandestine kiss comically ending in a head butt.
Sakuraba also succeeds, within the confines of a few pages per chapter, in sketching out each character's personality. While we don't delve too deeply into their backgrounds, except perhaps for Chika as the narrative progresses, his portrayal is effective. The artwork and character design are straightforward yet impactful, particularly when capturing Satou's expressions of shock, fear, or scheming. Importantly, the characters resemble actual fifth graders rather than being overly stylized for cuteness.
However, for reasons only the mangaka knows, nearly all the stories veer unnecessarily into ecchi territory. The premise itself should—and occasionally does—provide ample humor without resorting to panty shots, glimpses down blouses, and similar antics (the scene in the storage shed, for instance, is particularly distasteful). While none of these situations are deliberately crafted, the humor is meant to stem from the characters' reactions—often Satou's—to these scenarios rather than the ecchi elements themselves. Nonetheless, this approach feels like a cheap trick to elicit laughs, and it grows tiresome rapidly.
Ultimately, Kyou no 5 no 2 represents a promising concept that falls flat in its execution, which may or may not come as a surprise given it's from the same author as "Minami-ke."
The genres for this are more focused on school life and comedy. I especially enjoyed chapters 1 through 15 for their comedic elements. Chapters 21 and 22 delve into romance. In my opinion, this series is not heavily ecchi, as most of the ecchi moments are blended with comedy.
Story: 6
It feels like a collection of one-shots, but some chapters do explore character backgrounds and development. The storyline in chapters 1-15 and 21-22 stands out as better compared to the other chapters in my view.
Art: 9
The art is impressive, with significant impact seen in the contrast between normal expressions and those during special moments, such as shock. All panels are easily understandable, and characters are drawn with great detail.
Character: 5
There was initial development of distinct personalities among the children, but the mangaka seemed to abandon this halfway through, leaving me somewhat confused about the characters later on (who's who?). Since most of the series consists of one-shots with little connection between chapters, there doesn't seem to be a clear main character other than Satou.
Enjoyment: 6
I thoroughly enjoyed chapters 1-15, liked chapters 21-22 quite a bit, and didn't care for the rest.
Overall: 6
With an average of 10 pages per chapter, it doesn't take long to read them all. However, since most chapters are strictly limited to 10 pages (no more, no less), some feel a bit dragging while others feel rushed due to their one-shot nature.
<p>I really thought this manga was fantastic. While the storyline is fairly light, it remains incredibly entertaining (kind of like Gintama, just in a shorter and less intricate manner). Essentially, each chapter comes with its own story, yet the characters remain constant throughout the series. It's simply a delightful read about boys and girls in grade school—quite perverted, but not in an extreme way (let's call it perverted humor =D). There isn't much more to add except that I genuinely loved this manga. It was sweet, humorous, the artwork was hilarious (those facial expressions are absolutely priceless!), and it brought back memories of the good old days from grade school. I adored it—it was charming and undoubtedly an enjoyable read.</p>
Popular Reviews
Sakuraba also succeeds, within the confines of a few pages per chapter, in sketching out each character's personality. While we don't delve too deeply into their backgrounds, except perhaps for Chika as the narrative progresses, his portrayal is effective. The artwork and character design are straightforward yet impactful, particularly when capturing Satou's expressions of shock, fear, or scheming. Importantly, the characters resemble actual fifth graders rather than being overly stylized for cuteness.
However, for reasons only the mangaka knows, nearly all the stories veer unnecessarily into ecchi territory. The premise itself should—and occasionally does—provide ample humor without resorting to panty shots, glimpses down blouses, and similar antics (the scene in the storage shed, for instance, is particularly distasteful). While none of these situations are deliberately crafted, the humor is meant to stem from the characters' reactions—often Satou's—to these scenarios rather than the ecchi elements themselves. Nonetheless, this approach feels like a cheap trick to elicit laughs, and it grows tiresome rapidly.
Ultimately, Kyou no 5 no 2 represents a promising concept that falls flat in its execution, which may or may not come as a surprise given it's from the same author as "Minami-ke."
Story: 6
It feels like a collection of one-shots, but some chapters do explore character backgrounds and development. The storyline in chapters 1-15 and 21-22 stands out as better compared to the other chapters in my view.
Art: 9
The art is impressive, with significant impact seen in the contrast between normal expressions and those during special moments, such as shock. All panels are easily understandable, and characters are drawn with great detail.
Character: 5
There was initial development of distinct personalities among the children, but the mangaka seemed to abandon this halfway through, leaving me somewhat confused about the characters later on (who's who?). Since most of the series consists of one-shots with little connection between chapters, there doesn't seem to be a clear main character other than Satou.
Enjoyment: 6
I thoroughly enjoyed chapters 1-15, liked chapters 21-22 quite a bit, and didn't care for the rest.
Overall: 6
With an average of 10 pages per chapter, it doesn't take long to read them all. However, since most chapters are strictly limited to 10 pages (no more, no less), some feel a bit dragging while others feel rushed due to their one-shot nature.
Read it for the comedy. :D
Art: It's not amazing, but it's not bad either. The style is quite similar to a specific manga (hint: Minami-ke).
Character: Quite realistic. They are childish, but then again, the characters are 10-year-olds.
Enjoyment: If you enjoyed Minami-ke, you're likely to enjoy this too (considering it's by the same author).
Overall: Among Sakuraba Coharu's works, I rate it a 7.