Daily Lives of High School Boys is a 2012 slice-of-life comedy series that revolves around a class in Sanada North High, an all-boys high school. Every episode consists of several short segments – sometimes inter-connected, sometimes standalone – showcasing their wacky, boyish escapades. Most of the segments center on the main trio of Tadakuni, Hidenori Tabata and Yoshitake Tanaka, but there are also segments that focus more on their classmates and/or the recurring female characters.
I first picked it up soon after I saw last summer 2019’s Wasteful Days of High School Girls. That show was being repeatedly described by observers as the female version of Daily Lives of High School Boys. Since I enjoyed Wasteful Days, and since Daily Lives was often showing up on “funniest anime series” lists in the Internet, I became compelled to check it out.
It was just recently that I finally finished going through its 12 episodes and 8 (very short) specials.
Now, Daily Lives of High School Boys turned out being a comedy show that appealed to me. So, why then did it take me a year to finish? Well, it’s not because I found it tedious to watch, but because, as a light, slice-of-life show, it wasn’t the kind of anime that I need to immerse myself into. It didn’t need to be watched on a binge. It was something you can take your time with. Even if you watch it sporadically, you won’t be missing a beat the next time you get into it. Thus, it was perfect to watch during pockets of your free-iest free time – which was the way I opted to consume it
I’ve found this anime series quite hilarious. I feel that the kind of playful, madcap comedy it has is what Chio’s School Road was going for, but in its case, it actually nails it perfectly. The gags hit with subversive potency and tickle the part of your brain that’s amused by pure silliness. Running jokes never get stale, and even its dumbest punchlines manage to warrant chuckles.
Moreover, there’s this endearing sense of relatability going for it. Having experienced being a high school boy myself many years ago, I kind of understood the psychology and thought-process behind the characters’ goofy antics, absurd interactions, and hyper imagination.
All things considered, I enjoyed Daily Lives of High School Boys more than Wasteful Days of High School Girls. Even though the latter’s characters are more fleshed out and have more delightful dynamics, the comedic timing, execution, and energy of the former are simply superior, making it a more entertaining watch overall.
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