Maybe it's just me, but I have a hard time trusting the relentlessly cheerful girl characters. Tomo subjects Chiyo to unending mental and physical abuse, Yukari commits even worse random acts of cruelty, and yet she seems to care about them a lot. She's the one who gets everyone to buy Yukari a birthday present, she prays for Tomo's success and stakes her life on it.

What's up with that?

I just have a hard time accepting it. Doesn't she feel bitter or resentful in some dark corner of her mind?

Why the heck not? If she doesn't harbor ill will, what strength of character or personal philosophy can explain such magnanimity?

Some people are just harder to bring down emotionally, and on that field, Chiyo does express a lot of maturity (ironically as the show wants it, the most). As much as she is being "molested" she can accept that it is just their way of showing affection and care, and therefore returns it in a kind and loving manner typical of her character. It's just the way she is. Nothing wrong with that.

And if she does hide it all in a damp corner of her mind I guess it one day will manifest itself by her starting to yell and let it all out and apologize and get it out. Either that or she'll water a flower to death. :unsure:

All in all I can wholly relate to her. Being friendly and nice isn't all that hard.

I think the clear answer is that she channels negative energy to her pigtails which act as portals to the Negaverse. Osaka was wise to be leery of them. :aha:

ROFLMAO @ motorola_otaku comment!


I think Chiyo-chan is just a happy-go-lucky person! She doesn't let anyone rain on her parade!

She's ten :mellow: .

I don't think she cares too much. Even if she's TEH SMRTZ, she's still got a long way to go mentally/socially.


I dunno about you, but ten year olds are quite different than teenagers.


THEN AGAIN THIS IS AN ANIME WHY ARE WE OVERANALIZING LAWLS?

Because character analysisisisisis am fun? .-.

I mean, there is a three-page-long thread dedicated to a Jungian analysis of the new year's dreams.

Probably not.

Okay guys, enough with the snarky replies. If it doesn't interest you, then move along to something that does. :)

I think Pinky nailed it. And having met him, I can say he knows what he speaks of.

Azumanga Daioh is supposed to be a sweet series. Furthermore, it's because she's a character in comedy.

Tomo's abuse is really just her personality and Chiyo (well, others too) just knows that she's an annoying but cheerful friend. Yukari is just well-known to the characters/audience to be somewhat out of her mind. But deep inside they do all care about each other.

Azumanga Daioh is slice-of-life with a shift to the comedic side. And in comedies, when you make mistakes, tease one another, or create a misunderstanding, often it makes the show more hilarious. There are many series with characters of all sorts of personalities, and they either put off with each other, or otherwise create humorous scenes with whatever they're going through, because it's funny that way and things just work out in that manner.

Now if you see really dark series like School Days or Higurashi you will see that every move you make will have serious and devastating consequences.

So it's really up to the series creators what kind of GIST the story has.

That's roughly what I would say.

I don't like really dark series, and I recognize that in a show like "Azumanga Daioh" revenge by means of a poisoned cup of tea wouldn't be in order. I guess I just don't understand what Chiyo does with the stress. She seems to care more about the characters that frequently smack her around for no reason at all (Yukari and Tomo) than anybody else. (Re, Chiyo was the one who decided that the class should pitch in and get Yukari a birthday present, Chiyo staked her life on Tomo's getting accepted, etc.)

Remember that in a comedy series the characters often have more tolerance for pranks and other things you mentioned. She probably has no problem keeping her role there. She and others are used to it.