I started reading this manga because I thought Happy! would make me happy. Instead, it made me more angry and frustrated. However, it's still a good manga, just don't expect it to cheer you up. It shows you just how unfair life can be, with everything stacked against you.

The protagonist is unbelievably naive, and her family is the worst. I have no idea how her siblings turned into such spoiled brats when they're so poor, but they are. The only one of her siblings that's worth anything is the youngest, because he's a good judge of character.

good manga .. and it is her older brother who skips out on the debt the father and mother is dead. bad things happen to her and people who want to use her is all around .. hope for the best

Happy is a manga written to piss you off. Over and over again, the Urasawa tries to invoke the emotion of annoyance. He is very sucessful. It made it difficult to continue reading at some points. Bad things kept on happening. There are too many ***holes, *****es and dumb***es. People are continuing to get "played." It is very annoying.

[edit by mod, edited for language]

Most characters are annoying and hatable. Fore example, the "mama's boy" who wants to help and COULD help if he weren't such a "mama's boy." Miyuki's younger siblings are brats(... well, they are allowed to be brats because they are young but brats are brats). The only likable characters are the mobster dude and Kikuko. Miyuki, although not hatable is not very likable because she keeps on getting "played" like a fool. You feel sorry for her, that is all.

Annoying as it may be, I am still interested in the story. I'll keep on reading; I'll just skim through the annoying parts.

From the same person responsible for 20th Century Boys, Yawara, and Monster. Similar to Yawara, but Happy is a sport oriented manga focusing on womens tennis rather than womens judo. Basic story in Happy is that a father becomes loaded down with debt and decides to skip town, leaving behind his daughter Miyuki and younger children to deal with the bill collectors and family living expenses. Miyuki suddenly finds that she needs to work and earn money fast, so she turns to her skill as a tennis player. But to reach her goal she will need to face an assortment of problems, misunderstandings, and shady characters who want to stand in her way or take advantage of her.

Interesting story, characters have some depth to them, and the art is good if a bit dated (1990's). 23 volumes total, 7 volumes have been scanlated, and progress on releasing new chapters could be described as very slow.