H³ School
Happy Hustle High

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There are manga that leave behind strong or deep impressions, often those that would be called a masterpiece. H3 School isn't one of those, but oddly enough, I find that aspect to be one of this manga's redeeming points. At its heart, H3 is best described as a fun read... and well, sometimes that's exactly all you may want or need.

The premise of the story is interesting enough, as it starts with an all-girl school and the announcement that it will soon be merged with an all-boy school (and of course the problems and benefits that will come attached to that change). In that ... sense, the setting is refreshing as it allows different ways for the story to take off as opposed to the usual high school shoujo setting.

The main thing, however, that makes H3 a fun read for me is the characters. Hanabi is unlike the slew of shoujo heroines we usually see. She's a true tomboy, fails at being a girly girl, and has an actual beauty issue (which she deals with in a hilarious yet frighteningly realistic ways at times). Yasuaki, too, has his quirks. At first glance, he seems to be like the typical cool bishounen with jerk tendencies... until you quickly realize that he's actually a really nice guy who happens to have girl phobia.

With 5 volumes, the story moves fairly quick in a straightforward way with some relationship bumps along the way. There's a nice mix of comedy and romance... times where you'd laugh out loud and times where, perhaps, you'd grin and swoon a little from sweet gestures. There's definitely some hilarious moments though, just random little things that can crack you up unexpectedly. Unfortunately, there was one small bit of dubious drama towards the end but at least it zipped by pretty fast. I say dubious because the conflict, while standard in most shoujo manga, seemed a bit out of place in H3.

Again, H3 isn't the type of manga that's meant to leave a lasting impact on its readers. Rather, it's more the type that's great for passing an afternoon in an enjoyable way without too much fuss. It's romantic, hilarious at times, has hot bishounen, a heroine with flaws that really is cute and not idiotic, a beautifully scary student council president, and tons of cute little chicks (as in chickens). For a shoujo manga, what's not to enjoy?

For a general rating, H3 would probably be a 7 - good but certainly isn't exceptional or what one would call a "quality" read. But for its enjoyment, I gave it an 8 here.

Meh .... it was all right. It has a very very basic and standard storyline when it comes to shoujou. I mean some of the stand alone chapters are pretty freakin' hysterical and the expressions and artwork is actually staggering at many points. But characters have ... just mediocre character build up. You don't know why one character falls in love with another except because they're supposed to. You get the standard love triangle stories now n then which is allright, but nothing that makes your heart go doki doki. Characters remain true to their personalities throughout though, which is an added plus.

The lead ... bishounen is drawn swoonily enough, as are the supporting cast dudes. Perhaps a bit more on each of them and their motivations would have helped. In one character description, we read "... but behind his handsome face lies... " We never learn what actually lies behind that handsome face. All he ever does is pull a cunning trick here to kiss someone unexpectedly there.

As far as reading for shoujo sake, it doesn't make you swoon often enough, the intimate scenes were very few and far in between and their intensity somewhat fizzled after major build ups. If you're reading it for manga sake, then the heroine is refreshingly sincere and not at all the weakling damsel in distress. In fact, I cannot praise this heroine enough. She is so audacious that she demands a re-issue of a first kiss because she wasn't happy with how it turned out originally! Props! Other than that, she is very consentious, helpful, into video games, can hold her own during sports and oozing oodles of fierce thought not unapproachable attitude. The humor somewhat makes up for the lack of moe, but not really. Some situations are utterly inconceivable and therefore incredibly entertaining.

All in all, it's an OK read for an hour or two. Nothing you're likely to remember next week or next month though.

“Lots of great stuff is out there, if you just find the guts to try.”

This is one of those manga, you’re not sure if to start so you cautiously read the first chapter. Then before you know it you fins the charcaters funny, bold and completely bizarre that you can’t help but keep reading just to see what happens next.

That’s how I met Hanabi Ozora she goes to an all girls private school and is known for being a psycho when it comes to the whole justice prevails thing.
Don’t worry she doesn’t go around killing people for vengeance. She only hurts them, ... less time and no cops. Just kidding, sort of, I mean she doesn’t go on random rampages hurting or terrorizing strangers. She’s just dedicated to being herself and has a “won’t take you’re crap” attitude. She’s never had a boyfriend or liked anyone mainly due to her not being so girly to begin with. She’s the girl every girl goes to for help in her class, sort of like a problem solver. Unfortunately for her, her rein is about to be over since her all-girl school is turning coed. This is Hanabi’s story from finding love to kicking some serious butt in the process, all while staying sane. Sort of.

The characters are funny creatures in this one. The main cast is honest, they mean what they say and say what they mean. At the beginning along with Habani and some of her friends which don’t really matter much (sorry but true) we are introduced to the student council trio. Three guys who are the top of their school Three sexy guys as Habani says.
The humor reminded me of School Rumble (I do miss Tenma), is fresh and not forced. In between the humor and the good looking guys you will see the story of a girl and her first love. Don’t fret though because the love progresses, and not at a turtle slow pace. It’s shows you the couple in the first stages of their relationship and overcoming obstacles the only way they know how, the most awkward and humorous way.

It would have been slow to progress had it not had an important factor, Yasuaki. He’s different yet the same from other main characters. I was used to girls pursuing guys and confessing to them, but he’s daring. Has a way about him, the thing about him not liking girls adds to his charm, don‘t worry that‘s not a spoiler. Even though he’s really the same in the sense that he’s next to perfect, can play instruments, and is good at every sport and enjoys surfing, wait is that a sport? He’s quiet but not afraid and he’ll stand up for his girl, even if he loses. The other two members of the council are perceived to be the brains of the operation and the one that’s a male version of Habani. Sense of humor up the wazoo for this pair, even if it’s sometimes dark.

Habani, (which for some reason I keep calling Hibani in my head) is cute and somewhat smart. She is kick first ask questions later. But isn’t that bluntly dumb we are shown in other heroines. At the beginning she’s more likable than towards the end. I mean she put herself in some really bad situations, my guess something up there went loose form falling too much. She’s fun though and all the girls look up to her because of her courage (maybe that’s the wrong word).

The art style is not of the new version that features really delicate girls and all of them seem perfect. I think it’s because this manga originally ran in 2005 that it’s style is different, which honestly I found I enjoyed it. Nothing stood out so much but sometimes when the light his characters just right (or when the mangaka wants said characters to get attention) some characters look like appealing and faultless, or in the trio’s case, like total bishies ( :/ ). It’s more cute than beautiful for this one as it is more of a comedy than anything else.

All in all, you will laugh a lot. Sure the situations are cliché and you see them coming but you can’t help but laugh at the combination of art and dialogue that was put together so well. It flows really well all through, leaving no holes or with moments. Unless those with was because the characters did smoothing so preposterous. Ending was tied up in a pretty bow but it left me wondering about the other two characters and their life as it was more focused on the present story and it’s lead couple.

When I first saw this manga, I knew I had to read it. What's not to love about an awkward tomboy? The fact is, though, that Hanabi is actually a believable tomboy; a girl who likes to beat up boys, sweats, and isn't stuck on herself. But all that changes when she crosses paths with the oh-so-dreaming Yasuaki. His character, however, is a little less believeable. I mean, what teenager boy is "allergic" to girls??? Both characters are fairly well developed through flashbacks and everyday occurances that make the manga seem very realistic. The situations are things that ... could very well happen to YOU.

On that note, the story is very well paced. Given that there are only 5 volumes, there isn't much room for filler. Although some stories may seem like filler at times, it all serves to move along the plot as our awkward tomboy and aloof lady killer grow closer together.

But I will say this: no surprise endings here. You may like it, you may not, but you will see it coming. It's rather predictable.

That shouldn't stop you from enjoying this manga. It has several of what I like to call "OMG WTF HILARIOUS!!!" moments, including a scene involving the PA system (I'm giggling now just thinking about it)! I own every volume and go back to it often.

A strong, short story from an author who knows her strengths and flaunts them with this funny and sweet manga.

While its not a manga that attempts to break that rigorous shoujo mould, nor does it stick in the mind as a classic and hilarious story, something about it sticks like glue. I said that the author - Rie Takada - flaunts her strengths. Having read a fair few of her manga the main strength I see flashing in her stories is the humour. I can honestly say I haven't laughed so much at one author's works in very very long. Not only is the humour ... laugh-out-loud funny, but its also consistent.

I don't tend to mention the art because unlike for some, its not really a deal breaker unless its mind-numbingly awful. However I do love Takada's work, especially the close-ups. Truly beautiful (and wonderful fan service for a girl needing to live life vicariously through others! :3)

The story is actually set out on a surprisingly interesting premise. Girl who was the champion of an all-girls school is forced to adapt, alongside her classmates, to a co-ed school when their school is merged with an all-boys school. Upon doing so, she meets a Boy. Chaos ensues.

With only five volumes, its a surprisingly hard task to fill. She tends to do 10 volume strong stories (see Heart or Wild Act!!) which I think works better - while some argue that they are in fact too long. The problem with Takada's work I think lies in the depth of the story. If you say ''A shoujo? With depth, don't make me laugh.'' I refer you no further than to 'Akuma to Love Song' or 'Mars'. Very easily, these two create stories with depth. Takada had the chance to open the story up and delve deeper. There were backstories to be used, to be told and developed. Characters we could have become more friendly with. But unfortunately, the author took away this chance when she set up the back story, explained it briefly, and moved on. Had she done so, I think we'd have a longer and more fulfilling manga. I also think that this lack of backstory is the reason people complain her others are too long. As it stands, while its got a pleasant and sweet enough front, Happy Hustle High hasn't got any substance.

I think the characters themselves do go a long way at holding this story together. Hanabi is definitely a fantastic comedic character I'd have loved to see more of. In fact, Wikipedia sums her up nicely ''She leads the girls in their major activities, such as changing the school's rules or robbing perverts''. This summation is all I can say of this ballsy, fresh character who I loved learning about.
The male lead Yasuaki is an interesting one. Reading the wikipedia summary of him, it seems we know so much about him when to me it feels as if I know very little. He's a character who starts as a surfer-lover with an allergy to girls, but I don't think this 'allergy' was used to its full potential.
The other characters, Yoshitomo and Tokihisa are of the general side character shoujo type - there for mainly comical reasons or for the trouble arcs of the story when a love triangle / disaster is needed.

Reading this back, I seem rather critical of this manga, so I'm sure your wondering why on earth I ranked it as highly as I did so let me explain. I only really have two asks when I read or watch something.
1. The story must be interesting.
2. It MUST entertain.
While the story fell down at parts, and again I feel the need to critique the lack of depth, Happy Hustle High did without a doubt entertain me. I laughed...out loud at times and smiled through the majority of the chapters. If you are looking for something which will provide comic relief to your otherwise depressingly sad mangas or animes I suggest you look no further than this, or at least Takada's works in general.

Umm... I've never written a review before.... so if this is weird, sorry!
XD

I first read Happy Hustle High a year ago, when I first started becoming a rabid manga fan. Since then, I have read a whole HECK of a lot of manga, mostly shoujo and yaoi. But through it all, the only two manga that REALLY stuck with me were H3: Happy Hustle High, and Milk Crown/ Milk Crown H.
H3's story isn't the most unique in the world, but what it lacks in trail-blazing plot, it more than makes up for with the off-the-wall comedy, the surprising spots of insecurity and naivete, and the ... gallons of pure spunky stubbornness of Hanabi Ozori, the heroine. Hanabi is a tomboy through and through, with a loud mouth, a fist that's quick to protect all those at her school, and an even swifter grin for all her friends.
When the all girl's school that Hanabi attends and Meibi high, a nearby all boy's school merge and become co-ed, what is the champion of the high school girl to do?
And add in a romantic interest, Yasuaki, who is scared of girls?
Not such an original concept, I'll admit.
But how about a girl-despising guy who sees all girls as noisy cheeping baby chickens, except for Hanabi, who appears as a fighting gamecock?
..
Never heard of that one!!!!

This manga is pure, sweet, adorable happiness!
The expressions are one of the funniest things in this manga. The manga-ka has put her all into expressing Hanabi's loud, in-your-face emotional rollercoaster ride, and it continues to make me laugh even after my 5th time reading it!

Yes, Happy Hustle High is not the most original manga out there, but it was, for me, definitely one of the most memorable! This manga will make you laugh non-stop through all of the 23 chapters. And when it's over, you, like me, will probably want to pull a Hanabi and beat up some one to get a darn sequel!

Despite Shoujo being filled with alot of things I tend to hate - overtly-dependent heroines for one - I still seem to always come back to it, hoping for a change.
I definitely thought I found that in Happy Hustle High with the impractical tomboy character, Hanabi, but alas, I was wrong.

The art is wonderfully drawn and when they say bishounens, they mean bishounens. The story was okay, not too extraordinary, but a fun, and well-executed for the theme and setting, read. I enjoyed it quite alot until the very last volume, where Hanabi completely threw away her reserved tomboyish self and became a Yasu fangirl ... all the same. Obviously, she does this over the whole series but she just completely became one of those dependent heroines I dislike so very much near the end.

Overall, I liked this manga, it kept me interested with its fun little spin on experiences and Hanabi not pouncing/stalking/latching onto Yasu was a refreshing change. And she had her flaws - the hair one I liked alot more than those heroines who say 'I have no self-confidence' or something of that effect when they seem to want attention to be thrown at them.

Its not a bad series but its not an amazing series. I've got incredibly low tolerance for over-exaggerations and people being too clingy and/or expecting to be protected 24/7 so shoujo heroines do easily annoy me.