Azuki-chan is a shoujo manga written by Yasushi Akimoto and illustrated by Chika Kimura, which was serialized in Nakayoshi from 1993 to 1997. It stars an average Japanese elementary schoolgirl Noyama Azusa (AKA Azuki-chan) in a small urban area who live through her life with her friends, family, and her love interest. Her friends include:
- the love interest, Ogasawara Yūnosuke
- a timid soft-hearted girl, Nishino Kaoru
- a down-to-earth tomboy, Kodama Midori (nicknamed: Jidama)
- the class president, Takahashi Tomomi (nicknamed: Tomo)
- a silly male friend, Sakaguchi Makoto
- a classmate and Azuki's rival, Sakakibara Yōko
And let's not forget Azusa's little brother, Noyama Daizu.
An anime adaptation, produced by Madhouse, began airing from April 1995 to March 1998, in NHK, although it covered only the main characters' elementary school timeline from the original story.
In a way, the anime adaptation of Azuki-channote is the elementary school version of His and Her Circumstances with all of the adult-level maturity cut out.
Azuki-chan provides examples of:
- The '90s: In Japan.
- Affectionate Nickname: They are used towards most of the children characters.
- Character Development: Exists at a slow pace.
- Class Trip
- Clingy Jealous Girl: Yōko, who competes with Azuki over Yūnosuke heart.
- Eye Catch: Presented like elementary school art projects showing each children character with a jingle reminiscent of a piano piece from elementary school music class.
- Family Business: Ken's father runs a ramen joint while Kaoru's mother runs a hair salon.
- Family Theme Naming: The ladies of the Kodama family have their names in concert with the names pertaining to the season of spring in the Japanese cultural context: Jidama's given name, Midori (green); her mother's given name, Aoi (blue); and her grandmother's given name, Haru (spring).
- First Kiss: Azuki and Yūnosuke, although Azuki experienced Stunned Silence for quite a long time, even after her family dinner and bathtime alone.note
- Fortune Teller: Yōko for her classmates, but particularly being manipulative to intimidate Azuki.note
- Furo Scene: It has some of it without any fanservice context.
- Genki Girl: Downplayed significantly as all of the girl characters are level-headed in terms of their social interactions.
- Girls Have Cooties: All of the boy characters, except for Yūnosuke, think like this during their usual interactions.
- Girly Girl: Kaoru, consider that she usually lives with her caring mother and also Tomomi included.
- Good Parents: Pretty much all of the young characters' parents, as well as one good grandparent on Jidama's side of the family.
- Gossipy Hens: Almost all of the female characters, minus the adults, talk so much.
- Inner Monologue: Azuki does it a lot as she is the star of the manga and anime. Kaoru also does it in concern with her love interest, Ken.
- Japanese Delinquents: Shown to bother the kids.
- Late for School: It occasionally occurs in the storyline.
- Like an Old Married Couple: Kaoru and Ken.
- Lookalike Lovers
- Mono no Aware: In the anime as well as the manga, Azuki has to say goodbye to Yūnosuke, but still nevertheless cherishes the memories of him in her life.
- Ojou: Yōko, with many of her fancy items and wealthy parents.
- One of the Boys: Decently shown as the girls do interact relatively often with the boys.
- Potty Emergency: In one episode, both Azuki and Yoko have these in the middle of heavy traffic. Azuki manages to find a rest stop after getting off the bus; Yoko is forced to wait inside of her car.
- Previously on…: All anime episodes except for the first episodes in each season show a minute of recapping of a previous episode as well as Azuki's feelings summarized.
- Puppy Love: Justified as Azuki and Yūnosuke are really in love with each other as time progresses.
- The Rival: Azuki and Yōko who are trying to win Yūnosuke's heart.
- The Runaway: Jidama does it when she has a troubled relationship with her grandmother.
- School Festival
- School Sport Uniform
- Snail Mail: In a form of an exchange diary between Azuki and Yūnosuke, the element that dominated the first season of the anime in concord with the original manga version. It also has a role of a subtly-expressed Love Letter.
- Strong Family Resemblance: By family.
- Thematic Theme Tune: The lyrics of the OP, Sudekina Kimi, shows the gist of the Azuki and Yūnosuke's relationship.
- Time Skip: In the manga Azuki and Yūnosuke got married at the age of 20 and was later revealed to have fraternal twins. Pretty much a Babies Ever After moment. While Kaoru and Ken got married as well.
