Manga Review: Uzaki-Chan Wants to Hang Out! 1 by Take
College student Shinichi Sakurai is an introvert. He enjoys quiet time spent alone to recharge from busy days in the classroom. But he’s not going to get that quiet. Slightly younger student Hana Uzaki is a loud, gregarious extrovert who decided that Sakurai looks lonely and needs a friend. And Uzaki’s appointed herself to be that friend, regardless of Sakuri’s feelings on the issue.
This comedy manga with romantic overtones relies heavily on a classic formula. A cute girl with large breasts (the Seven Seas edition embosses the cover to make them stand out more) who wants to hang out and be friends would be a dream come true for many boys. So for comedy’s sake, she’s paired up with a serious, grumpy guy who would rather be left alone.
To be honest, Uzaki (Sakurai prefers to be on a last name basis) does come off as annoying. Her voice carries, and she likes to tease Sakurai about his solitary habits. She’s especially mean about him going to the movies alone to, you know, actually watch the film. She’s also quick to take advantage of goodies she hasn’t actually been offered.
Over the course of this first volume, Sakurai does come to realize that Uzaki’s a fun person to be around, and she does have some finer qualities. If she could take a hint and let him set boundaries, he might even admit he likes her.
Circumstances often conspire to make it look like the two are dating, or even a bit more, much to Sakurai’s embarrassment (and even Uzaki’s, sometimes; she just wants to be his friend and hang out constantly and sleep at his apartment…no romance there!) It’s obvious to their friends that they will be ending up together, but they’re nowhere near admitting that.
The art’s okay, though backgrounds are sparse at the best of times. Most of the jokes land.
Content note: As hinted previously, a fair number of gags are centered around Uzaki’s oversized breasts (even her favorite t-shirt gets in on the act), there’s a very detailed panty shot at one point, and a bit of partial nudity. Some of Uzaki’s antics might come across as less funny if the sexes were reversed. It’s rated for “Older Teen.”
Overall: A decent enough comedy manga, for fans of the “grumpy guy thaws to energetic gal” story.
There’s an anime! Here’s the opening:
