Azumanga Daioh - Festivals  (Vol. 2)
The second set of episodes in this fluffyshojo(girl's) series plays like a cross between the Bobsey Twins andSeinfield. Tomo, Yomi, Sakaki, Kaorin, Chihiro, Chiyo, and Osaka continue their day-to-day escapades at their Tokyo school, but nothing out of the ordinary occurs. Ten-year-old Chiyo confesses she would like to be tall, like Sakaki--who would like to be as cute as Chiyo. Sakaki reveals she collects stuffed animals because her parents won't allow her to have a pet. English teacher Yukari continues her disastrous attempts at one-upsmanship with gym-teacher Nyamo at the school cultural and sports festivals, while Mr. Kimura leers at the students. Unlike Arima and Yukino inHis and Her Circumstances, the characters inAzumanga Daiohdon't face real personal challenges. But their very ordinariness may be the source of the girls' appeal. (Rated 13 and older: cartoon violence, minor risqué humor)--Charles Solomon