The quirky characters with their usual antics drawn in a zany manner create an intelligent and amusing story. The story laid out the characters' background and development as the story progressed. The characters are diverse and displayed what it's like growing up. You have a happy-go-lucky, a peace-lover but is actually a pugnacious idiot, the reserved who doesn't listen during class but turns out to be intelligent. It paraded topics such as infatuation, family problems, and the feeling of being an outcast and adopted child. Kodomo will remind you of your happy and miserable grade school and middle school lives.

The only thing that vexes me is how X was seemingly nonchalant about the fact that she was the product of something immoral. She just brushed it off by asking "What?! You did it with your *****" and then it was totally overlooked. But then, that's just probably because she was established as a happy-go-lucky person. Still and all, it Kodomo no Omocha managed to build an excellent job on Romance-Comedy.

Edit: After the first 2 arcs (X letting go of Rei, finding X's Mom), everything that followed stupefied me. The story became another melodramatic piece of work. The characters touching on the shoujoness of the manga here and there, Kazuyuki, a 7th-grade student who's a demented and suicidal maniac, and Sana's antics felt far-fetched and dampened my spirits and adoration for the manga. I feel as though the comical aspect of the manga, at some point was lost or sapped. Moreover, the last arc about X's doll syndrome was completely out of the question. The ending was haphazard and ridiculous. X was acting totally out of it, asking Y to have sex with her so they'll 'grow up'. I understand that X developed a psychological illness but that really put me off. What's more is that X's mom was so indifferent and casual about the fact that her 12 (maybe 13) year old daughter is trying to have sex when she's well-aware that her daughter was behaving like that just because of her illness . Kodomo no Omocha could have been an excellent piece, if it weren't for that half-assed ending. I think drama didn't turn out to be Obana Miho's game in the long run. So from a perfect 10 after reading the first half, I'll settle with a 7.

... Last updated on February 11th, 2021, 10:12am

This series has been one of my top 15 favorites since I was introduced to it 3 years ago. The characters are very memorable and it stays with you - but it IS kind of a mixed bag.

What Kodocha gets very very right is it's heroine. Sana is unique among shojo protagonists because she's not an everygirl. She's a talented celebrity with a strong work ethic but she's still down to earth and quirky. She just doesn't fall into any of the standard heroine tropes and I have to give Obana major props for that.



Give it a shot though. For a 90s shojo I think it holds up very well.

This story is about elementary schoolers, but make no mistake---the story can be enjoyed by people of all ages. Like people before me have mentioned, there's actual character development here, and the main character is actually NOT that annoying. wonderful!

I can't say anything that hasn't been said already but I need to say some similarities with HANDSOME GIRLFRIEND are really surprising.

Two years later and I still adore this manga. Literally one of my top favorites, I can never get enough of Akito & Sana <3 Even though these characters are only supposed to be in elementary school, you tend to forget that as you get further into the story. This manga has literally the cutest little romance moments that make you go "djsfoisjdgosd AWHHH >_<" I HIGHLY recommend it.

Two main problems. The last arc, which was just kinda ridiculous all round, though it had a couple of good chapters like the resolution. And the scanlation, which leaves about half of the text untranslated (primarily jokes) which is sad because the comedy is often really, really good. I know this because most of the volumes I read were the official translation.

Over the past few years I usually get annoyed when the main characters are just kids running around when they should be playing with their bottles or whatever (e.g. when I was 11-ish I really liked DNAngel but a few years later I just found it ridiculous) but this pulled off the precociousness really really well.

... Last updated on January 8th, 2013, 9:14pm

Well, I first started reading this manga when I was in elementary school, those days when I don't even know that internet existed. lol

All of a sudden I remember this manga and tried searching it in the internet (after I found it I forgot what kind of keyword did I put into Google that I actually finding it without the title nor character name! haha)

I liked this manga very much At first I just read the first volume, just for remembering childhood days, I guess, but then I get more than that, I like it. I forgot the story and when I read it, I get a feeling that I didn't get when I was elementary school, maybe because before I didn't really really read it...
The story was actually light, but some part wasn't. Like Sana's past, for example. This manga also shows different type of love, and the confusion by love that pre-teens (yeah they are, right?) might get. Also a feeling that, children could think about many things and they are all growing, understanding one thing better after another. The characters are also lovely, Sana's mother is impressive (?) haha I like Hayama as well!^^

The story could make me smile and sadden me, as well.

Overall, This is something that I actually recommend reading

This is...an odd combination of romance, drama and comedy. That's not to say it's bad, just...odd. It's almost like a normal shoujo, with characters in their teens, is being acted out by children in a child-friendly plot. There's no teenage angst, and the children being children circumscribes the regular "shoujo issues". I would say the children act unrealistically - they act older than their portrayed ages, but that adds to the story and it's not really a complaint.
I didn't find this absolutely amazing like some people did, but it was an above average read and it was, more to the point, enjoyable, with no moments where you want to tear your hair out at the leads stupidity (well, there were some moments like that, but it was fine because the main lead was dense while she still wasn't sure of her feelings).

... Last updated on January 3rd, 2013, 6:03am

Seriously, this is like one of few mangas which makes me get so addicted i can't even sleep. I am dying to read it again and again! it's so good that i don't think a manga can get better than this! all the characters are so good and cute and perfectly developed. the plot and art are also superb. this is definitely one of my top favourites. i mean few mangas can make me tear up. the story is very unique and lots of things i didn't expect to happen. There are so many emotions involved! The BEST Manga!!!! ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT! Everything was so sweet!! Its got so much about life and its meaning. Thats what makes it so good!

... Last updated on October 13th, 2012, 8:08pm

I'm going to be honest and say that when I saw the anime, I was not a fan. Yet, when I picked up the manga, I couldn't put it down. The characters, though very mature at some points, perfectly display what it means to grow up. I just love their depth, struggles and intense feelings. Those feelings, though easy to change due to age at first, are immature yet strong at the same time as they developed.
The plot was also really well done. I loved the conflicts that came up, showing off the weaknesses of the characters and the child/ coming of age theme that was in this manga. The whole thing was awesome and a lot deeper than what the anime was like.
Also, I loved the balance between humour and sad points. The storyline, for the most point, was depressing the whole way through, yet the author balanced it with the humour and lightness that only children can posses. It is a shoujo classic for a reason. Freaking brilliant and I just loved it!

... Last updated on August 24th, 2012, 10:36am