Kujibiji Unbalance

If Kujibiki Unbalance sounds vaguely familiar, maybe you've read or watched Genshiken, the awesome series which follows a group of Otaku with uncanny accuracy. Kujibiki was the series they all obsessed over, and finally series creator Kio Shimoku has made the once-fictional series a reality. It's a funny old world...

Already a popular anime, KU is a story that follows a group of students who attend the Rikkyoin High School, where the faculty is run by a student council elected by Kujibiki Lottery. On his first day, Chihiro undertakes his first lottery - and is selected as the new President! But before he can take office (unwillingly or otherwise) he must train under the current council, the President of which is an old friend. But is she the girl he remembers so fondly?

Largely comedic in tone, KU is a great yarn that features simply beautiful artwork by Koume Keito, and this ranks as one of the prettiest manga I've ever read, up there with Aria and Negima for consistency and layout. Granted, there are a few panels I wouldn't want people to see over my shoulder, as the gratuitous panty shots are all in evidence, and with such a young cast I was reminded of Strawberry Marshmallow, though thankfully the sexual undertones are very much toned down here.

The supporting cast of cute girls (naturally) are all interesting, even if they are a little stereotypical (face it, at my age, EVERYTHING is stereotypical!) Most of all the book is fun - it has some crazy ideas and situations, some great battle sequences and some genuinely intriguing writing. Shimoku had much to live up to if he wanted real-world fans to drool over Kujibiki the way his Genshiken cast did, and you know what? He might just have managed it.