Second Generation began its first run around the summer of 2008 as a series of gag fancomics based on Azumanga Daioh, but it has since diverged into a more original world in its own right. Though some influences do still remain — like the place of Osaka and Kagura as teachers, and the mothers of Kaida (Sakaki and Kagura) and Koyomiko (Tomo and Yomi).
The comic follows Azumanga Daioh's slice-of-life style following a cast of quirky schoolgirls. But what sets this comic apart from its precursor is that it deals more personally with the characters and their everyday life, it's not just a gag comedy, it's also got romance and drama, just like what happens in high school.
There's Kaida, the shy girl who's in love with one of her friends; Koyomiko, her artistic best friend; and Koharu, the sporty tomboy. There's also Miyoko, the clumsiest and nicest girl in the school; and the comedic duo, Hannah, the bossy blonde, and Seiko, the laid-back gamer.
The series is mostly hand-drawn comics, with the occasional digital comic or traditional/digital art of the characters and it can be bit awkward at the beginning, but the story, art style, and general quality improve throughout.
The comics are found only on deviantART
, where the creator, Cartoony (aka cartoonlion) writes and draws the series.
You can begin reading the first season here.
Second Generation contains examples of:
- Accidental Kiss: Happens to Kaida TWICE with two different girls.
- Accidental Misnaming:
- Seiko repeatedly calls Kaida "Kitty", much to her annoyance.
- Miss Osaka suffers this again on her FIRST appearance.
- Accidental Pervert: Subverted in Seiko's case, as her actions are anything but accidental.
- A-Cup Angst: Seiko is less than well endowed, much to her chagrin.
- Animals Hate Her: Again, poor Kaida — but only dogs, although they may be just playing rough with her. Very rough.
- Her mom is still hated by cats everywhere (except for Mayaa, obviously).
- Apron Matron: Seiko's mama.Mama: "I worked HOURS on this dinner. If you won't eat it, I'll shove it down your throat!"
- Art Evolution
- Beach Episode
- Berserk Button: Don't call Hannah a foreigner...or mess with her hair either.
- Don't get too "comfy" with Miyoko when Kaida's around...or not.
- Beware the Nice Ones: Miyoko, of all people.
- Boke and Tsukkomi Routine: Seiko and Hannah. Much lulz follow.
- Brutal Honesty: Seiko who basically says anything that's on her mind and doesn't beat around the bush about it.
- Bumbling Dad: It's been hinted that Seiko's dad is like this.
- But Not Too Foreign: Hannah is 50% British and 50% Japanese.
- Butt-Monkey: Kaida, oh so much. SO much.
- Cannot Spit It Out: Kaida, it's not like she has a problem telling Miyoko, she just never seems to get a good chance to do it.
- Close-Call Haircut: Happens to Hannah on their summer vacation and gives a plausible reason why her hair is shorter now.
- Cloudcuckoolander: Miyoko. Seiko has her moments as well, specially concerning Kaida's hat in the beginning of the series.
- Of course, Miss Osaka's still as crazy as always.
- Colour Failure: Koyomiko, when she finds out that her family will have to move to another house at the end of the year because of Tomo's job, which means that she'll have to change schools.
- Covert Pervert: Subverted, since Seiko doesn't hide it at all.
- Kaida may be one with her occasional perverse behavior towards Miyoko...
- Creator Cameo: Yup. It's very subtle, though.
- Cute Clumsy Girl: Miyoko. Indeed.
- Daddy's Girl: Aw, Hannah.
- Disappeared Dad: Koharu's father.
- Does This Remind You of Anything?: Hannah does this brilliantly to Seiko in this comic strip.
- One of the strips that revealed Hannah as a closet Yaoi Fangirl.
- Double Entendre:Miyoko: Who wants watermelons? (holds up watermelon slices close to her chest)Kaida: I DO!
- Early-Bird Cameo: Koji appeared in the promotional poster for SG before its run, but didn't actually appear in them until MONTHS later after the official release.
- Kareshi counts as one, appearing in the very early strips. He wasn't properly introduced and named till around the end of the first year.
- Eyes Always Shut: Miyoko, obviously, though she has been seen to have heterochromia.
- French Maid: Seiko is forced into one as a part of a deal between her and Hannah.
- Gamer Chick: Seiko.
- Genre Shift: The series started out as a typical gag comedy that soon evolved into a mix of romance and drama with better character development. Comedy's still present of course.
- Huge Schoolgirl: Koharu.
- If you add in Kareshi, it's a inversion of Huge Guy, Tiny Girl.
- Innocent Fanservice Girl: Miyoko.
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Les Yay: Plenty, specially between Hannah and Seiko. - Lethal Chef: Kaida. She even manages to burn pop-tarts to a crisp. And, of course, her "Poisonade".
- Kaida has done the extreme now, she actually failed to make a sandwich.
- Limited Wardrobe: Subverted. All the characters, when they're not in school, always wear different clothes. Though there are some who still wear the same thing couple of times. For example, there's Kaida's striped shirt which she wears very often.
- Love Hurts: Poor, poor Kaida...
- Missing Mom: Miyoko's mom who died some time before she entered high school.
- Naked First Impression: Happens when Seiko walks on Hannah. And she even dares to have a second peek!
- Oblivious to Love: Miyoko.
- Pyromaniac: Though it has yet to be stated officially, there have been art showing Yuri and her obsession with fire.
- Quirky Household: Seiko's home. Interestingly enough, she's the only character in the main cast with a "traditional" family compared to others even if they are a little...crazy.
- Raised by Grandparents: Hannah comes into this situation due to her parents being divorced.
- Running Gag: Seiko's Nintendo DS is always being stolen, destroyed, etc.
- Scary Librarian: One-time appearance, but she certainly was scary to the extreme!
- School Nurse: Seen only once so far, but she seems to be a parody of this Trope. For one thing, she isn't attractive at all.
- She Is Not My Girlfriend: Hannah and Seiko, but mostly Hannah, react like this when their "closeness" is pointed out.
- Shipper on Deck: Why hello there, Yuri!
- Though it can't be too sure if she counts as one since she's still new to the series, there have been some few instances where she shows lot of interest in Seiko's relationship with Hannah.
- Ship Tease: Hannah and Seiko have loads of it.
- Spit Take: Koyomiko pulls it off quite nicely when Miyoko questions her about romance between girls
- Shout-Out: Occurs quite frequently in the series. Most revolve around the video games Seiko plays, notably the Super Mario Bros. and Super Metroid series.
- There are also title shout-outs to well-known (or obscure) manga/anime series and films whenever one of the characters picks up a book or DVD.
- Hannah dressed up as Mia Fey from Ace Attorney at the cultural fair. At that same fair, Miyoko went as a certain red-ribbon and pink-dress wearing girl...
- Koyomiko made a number of amusing references to Harry Potter at half-English Hannah's expense. Needless to say, Hannah was not amused.
- There was also a Take That! at Lucky Star.
- Sweet Tooth: Hannah sure loves her ice cream!
- The Dog Walks You: Kaminu the dog becomes this when Kaida legally adopts him. Although it's more like messing with her a lot than just dragging her around.
- Tsundere: Hannah shows the elements of being one, mostly in the presence of Seiko.
- Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: Seiko's feelings towards birds.
- Yuri Fan: The author is a self-admitted one.
