High school has always been regarded as an important part of a person's life. The trials one faces, and the experiences one endures all have an impact on the individual's progression into adulthood. Friendships are formed and broken. Most important, however, are the many hilarious stories every person seems to have upon grauation. People will always remember the jock, the cheerleader, and the class clown, among others. However, few wonder about the outcasts...the people that seemed to slip through the cracks of modern culture. Nobody really knows, but the stories about them must have been humorous.

At first glance, one may dismiss Doki Doki School Hours as a carbon copy of Azumanga Daioh. After all, they're both episodic, slice-of-life comedies. Both delve into overtly-absurd aspects of normal situations, and focus on the unusual members of the student body. This is where the similarities end, however, as Doki Doki shows a twisted side. The lead role of this deranged schoolyard tale is Mika Suzuki: a baby-faced teacher that stands at under five feet tall. Mika is a bit of a crybaby, and still lives with her parents at the tender age of twenty-seven. Despite these facts, Mika tries to be the best teacher she can be -- but with a class like hers, one can only wonder if Mika's best is enough. Mika's class is comprised of a "unique" group that includes a typical otaku, a narcissistic lad that has a certain fondness for women's clothing, and a lolita-loving lesbian that has a her sights set on Mika.

The episodes follow a similar format to that of Azumanga Daioh, in the sense that they are a series of shorter skits, arranged to form a 25-minute episode. The situations presented are far from outlandish. On the contrary, the stories about the sports festival, school physicals, and summer vacation border on mundane. The addition of the deranged cast to these ordinary events creates an atmosphere that is creepy... in a good way. Mika is often played as the "normal" role among her less-than-stable students, despite the fact that her small stature and childlike appearance make her the butt of innumerable jokes.

1 out of 4 students approve of pocky in the classroom.	Do try this at home!

Visually, Doki Doki School Hours aims for a softer, cuter feel. The characters display an almost feminine look, with soft, pastel colors and an overall round, delicate appearance. The style is unusually inviting, despite the series' disturbing sense of humor. The animation, for the most part, is clean with no unusual jerks or dropped frames.

Unfortunately, the musical scoring is the major downfall of the show. While the tunes chosen are fitting for most situations, they are fairly generic and quickly forgotten. On the flip side, the series's opening and closing themes ("Oshiete Ageru" by can/goo and "Furare Kibun de Rock 'n' Roll" by DROPS respectively) are both fun, bouncy songs that prove to be quite addictive.

The series' acting varies in quality between the English dub and the original Japanese. The Japanese cast delivers a performance is well-presented, with phenomenal acting that makes exchanges between characters feel natural, despite the overall zaniness of the situations presented. The English track is the polar opposite, with a slower, lazy feel that detracts from the manic pace of the show.

With four episodes down and sixteen remaining, Doki Doki School Hours looks to be a funny, yet twisted take on student life. Fans of Azumanga Daioh, or simply those looking for something different shouldn't hesitate to take a peek at what goes on during THESE school hours.

Distributor: Geneon Entertainment
Creator: Tamami Momose
Released: 2005