First things first : you shall NEVER find a better plot for a school manga. The art is not great and it is too episodic for my tastes, but the main character is, franklly, amazing.

If you need one reason to read this manga then i'll give it to you : read this one and then read the sequel which is counting amongst the best mangas ever created.
But reading it is not something painful : I promise you shall enjoy every moment of it. As long as you're not focused on romance, still romance and more romance, and can actually enjoy masterpieces.

..... So when I first saw this a long time ago I expected it to be fluffy and centered on romance because of the cover. For that reason I havent read it until now. I was completely wrong. There is like no fluff in this at all, maybe in small humorous amounts. I really liked that it was different in both structure and personality of the main character (she had independence and strength). Despite all of this I can’t help from being disappointed at the same time. I always enjoy a good continuous story and I feel like no matter how good an episodic one is, it will always be a little lacking in depth and connection of main characters. Although things were tied together pretty well, especially in the end, most of the time I just kept hoping she would run into her old friends and the main guy. In result I feel like their friendship didn't develop enough.

With all that being said, I loved the overall story it was a really good read. I still liked all of the different scenarios despite it being episodic.

EDIT: I didn't know there was a sequel to this, which by the way is super awesome!!! Ignore the negativity a little less because it becomes more connected in the sequel. Criticism still kind of applies though for this first story but I guess it was more necessary for the root of the next one (koi dano ai dano)


TRY IT!!

... Last updated on November 5th, 2011, 9:16pm

Very perceptive lead. It's a breath of fresh air of the Shoujo genre; she's not your typical blushie lead and I find it fantastic. It only has a bit of romance but it's more focused on other people's actions and behaviors so this story could be not for all of the romance junkies.

Art: 9 / 10
Plot: 12 / 10

I had seen this manga recommended plenty of times but on every occasion i decided to check it i got weary about the cover. I should have known i would be wrong.
It turns out this manga is great!
And it's great because of many things. First of all it completely changes the landscape of the possible shoujo heroine. I'm not a shoujo fan, i'm a guy and i'm past my teen years, so seeing highschool romances full of weak women, crybabies and arrogant fools really pisses me off. Why does the girl always have to be weak? Why must she be bullied? Why can't she defend herself or be more honest with her own feelings? These and many other questions pop on my head frequently when i read the stories. Kanoko is completely diferent, she's unique, she has a very defined personality and a nice analitical mind, she isn't afraid of anything and anybody. Just how great is that? What a nice change of pace.
The concept of the story is also very well done and it works. Normally i get tired of going through 40 something pages filled with romance and insecurity and bubbles and flowers covering every single page. Nothing of the sort here. You start reading and you get hooked. I finished this in one day,
The analysis and the destruction of the facades is nicely done, completely destroying some of the shoujo standards and cliches. Every one of the characters is interesting in it's way and it's good to see what they get at the end of each chapter. Also interesting is seeing the recurring characters and how they develop throughout the story.
It's not perfect, some things, which i can't quite name or put my finger on, i still feel a bit uneasy. But it's a great read, i highly recommend it!

The story was really interesting and unique. Haven't seen anything quite like it. The main character was really different from how main characters should be. As for Tsubaki-kun, he's pretty much what they think 'typical bishounen' but he's not. I find him less typical cause of he's attitude but he's interesting too. Overall, it's a very good read with an excellent plot.

I'm more of a shounen/seinen reader. Even most highly rated shoujo manga often annoy me with needless extended love triangles, rivalries etc. The brilliance of "Warau Kanoko-sama" is that these annoyances still exist, but here Kanoko observes and manipulates them rather than participating directly.
The mangaka really managed to make Kanoko a unique, likeable character, so different from typical shy/ditzy/useless shoujo heroines. She's smart, she's strong, she's constantly scheming, but most importantly, all stories involving her become instantly interesting.

This manga is a finished work with a good ending, but the mangaka has chosen to continue the story of Kanoko and her friends in the series "Koi Dano Ai Dano". The sequel is somewhat different, but I also highly recommend it to anyone who likes "Warau Kanoko-Sama". Just don't expect the short-story style of the first series.

... Last updated on September 1st, 2011, 3:21pm

the story is very original (something you can't find everyday), i really loved how smart she is... the only thing that bothers me is she's transferred many times in a year, i would have liked if it had been age gap or something like she start in grade 9 then Vol. 2 grade 10, etc

This deviates from the typical shoujo, which is why it really caught my eye. She is weird, very brave, and doesn't annoyingly follow the cute guy. She really just stays as herself. I also like the main guy--they have a good chemistry. And he helps her out. =) I definitely recommend this !

Why didn't I discover this gem earlier? Tbh, this is one of the most refreshing, interesting and cutest mangas I've ever read. I almost believe that it's not just another shoujo manga, but rather a cute parody aiming at taking jabs at the typical cliché shoujo types which we have countless of nowadays.

Like others have said, the major charm of this story lies in the female lead character. Here you have a TRULY strong female character, not a girl of strength like some typical shoujo mangas mistake for. She's an intelligent, perceptive, down-to-earth and confident girl who is not afraid to speak her mind. She can see through the facades of her classmates and is unwavered by the offense and threats thrown at her. She tells it like it is. Never before did I come across a shoujo manga with such an awesome female lead with so many amazing qualities like this. What's more interesting is while she shows no insecurities in herself but we, the observers of her story, can see her growth and new realization of the importance of friendship. Romance surely is not the focus of this manga, but it's enough for us to cherish every bit of it.

I hope the sequel will be translated soon because I cannot wait for new character developments as well as the romantic side of the story.

One of the few shoujo mangas I ever finished and was still willing to re-read it. Such a smart heroine. She just so da smart, cool, beautiful minded person~ hehehe

But seriously, if your looking of a shoujo manga that doesn't anger you then this is the manga to read. She has a strong character that won't disappoint your expectations.