I first read this series when it was released around the early 2000s. My friend bought the series and she kept insisting that I read it, though I must admit, I was quite skeptical. It has become one of my all-time favorite manga.

Obana does a fantastic job at portraying her young characters as they deal with the trials of growing up and the responsibilities of the adult world. The characters are loveable, but not without their faults, and unique for a shoujo manga. Sana is a source of laughter, and her antics with friends and family creates a fresh environment compared to most shoujo manga on the market today. She’s a strong girl who’s realistically human in her reactions and emotions to serious situations.


The downsides I would list would be the fact that we get to see very little of the main couple as a couple and as Bubbles Pink points out, the ending is rushed. I feel neither of these points take away drastically from the overall quality of the manga.

The series is hilarious, tasteful, and and does a fantastic job of wrapping you up in the characters. If you haven't read it yet, you have to give it a chance.

... Last updated on April 23rd, 2012, 9:13pm

This manga is legit 'slice-of-life'. It starts out from when Sana and Hayama are young and progresses from there. It's so perfect and beautiful.
Goes to puppy love to heartbreaking amazing romance!

the female lead annoys me.. shoujo mangas doesn't necessarily have to have such female leads... stubborn is fine but i don't like her air of righteousness. i've read about people saying that she's similar to gakuen alice's mikan but i think mikan's more rational..

I liked it, not for anything but its childishness. The portrayal of childish innocence through the maturity of the characters kept the manga from getting dumb. The growth of the characters seems a little premature (I definitely did not gain that kind of insight at that age) but it's what made the manga a more... touching--so to say--read.
It was simply a lighthearted manga that was warm and fuzzy at the end, for me anyway. It wasn't spectacular, but the romance and characters were lovable most definitely.

Rating: ^_^

I can say a lot about this manga.
Has a great story line and main characters.
There's always a story behind a character.
Hayama(Akito) and Sana are so cute!
I wish Deep clear could be in English so that I could understand what's going on in the story.
(deep clear is another manga by the same author. It is written that it's a mash up between Kodocha and honey bitter, were sana and hayama are married)

At first , I thought that the storyline wouldn't be anything special since the characters are quite young (yeah, kids.) But, as I continued reading it ... you can really see the characters growing and changing... I like Sana. She's strong, cheerful and well, she doesn't seem to be your normal typical shoujo.

The author did a great job in this. I could feel all the emotions that the characters felt.The story is great and there are parts that can make you laugh (ok, at least a smile xD) and there's a certain part that made me super sad with a little tears in my eyes.
[maybe i'm just too emotional. haha~]

It's amazing to see how Hayama coped with all the stuff thrown at him. I wouldn't know what to do if i'm him.


Oh, did I mention that the art was GREAT too?
Despite being a 1994 manga, the art in it was super nice~ comparing it to other 1994 manga, I would rate this 5/5.

It's a must read!!!

Kodocha was the very first manga I read, all the way back in 2005. I remember seeing an ad for the anime, and when I went to look it up, I found the manga and was so excited. Luckily I got mine new, as only a few months later Tokyopop lost the rights and stopped printing them.

Kodocha is probably one of my absolute favorite mangas, and I've read hundreds. The series starts out as a comedy, and a very funny one at that, but along the way the dramatic twists and turns take this series to a whole new level. It has just the right mix of comedy and drama to keep you addicted. I've read this series over and over and over, seriously, I've read it so many times I can probably recite the story word for word.

My only qualm with this series is the rushed ending, as I said in another review, 90s shoujo manga was plagued by rushed endings. In Kodocha

Even with the annoyances, Kodocha is a must read manga, and a great way to start reading manga. If you want a hard copy of the book, you may have some trouble finding it as it has been out of print for a couple of years now, although I always see copies at my local used bookstore. If you can't find it there or don't have one where you live, then check ebay or overstock or the like, you'll probably find it there.

No matter what way you find it, read it!

Another one of my top favorite manga's. I can honestly say that I've read this over many many times. Yes, thats how much I enjoy it. The characters are likeable and unlike most shoujo's is not full of many cliche's and plain plots. Kodocha is one of the single manga's that have made me happy when the characters are happy and sad when they are sad-and there are not alot of manga's that do that for me. This story is very unpredictable and left me guessing at some points on what might happen. Likewise, the story has in-dept characters and a plot thats unforgettable. I love this manga that its enough to give a 10. Though I would rate higer if I could.

... Last updated on July 25th, 2010, 11:17pm

Art (10%): 8
The art is regular shoujo art but every character is cute so that is a plus. I like how you can tell the difference when Sana is acting and when she isn't. The art also fits the comedy style for the manga.

Story (40%): 10
What I like the most about the story it can have you laughing at one moment and crying at the next (although it usually isn't sad). The relationship between Akito and Sana can be described as cute but at the same time, it goes deeper. They both love each other to the point of dependency but you don't really see this until later in the manga. The story is adorable and although it has some deeper moments, it is a good light read.

Character (40%): 10
Sana and Akito are more than meets the eyes. Sana seems like a hyperactive girl (and for the most part, she is) but she is also darker than she seems. Akito seems like he doesn't have a care for the world but we later learn that he does (I don't want to spoil it). I also like how the character develops especially Akito.

Enjoyment (10%): 10
This is one of my first manga that I have read so I might be bias but I really enjoyed it.

Total Score: 9.8

This was the first manga I ever read!! I can read it over and over again it never gets old.
It is just amazing how deep it is, but a the same time really funny. The ending (even though i love the manga) was a little disappointing.