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Kunisaki Izumo no Jijou is a manga with an interesting premise: it revolves around the traditional Japanese theatrical art of kabuki, which is rarely referenced in other anime or manga, much less being used as a central premise. Stylistically however, there is nothing really ground-breaking. The protagonist of the series is the typical talented-person-but-wants-to-lead-a-normal-life-character. Other characters have distinct but predictable characteristics, and the series runs on story arcs which can get pretty formulaic. Its classification as a shonen manga is also suspect in the presence of strong undertones of a reverse harem à la Ouran High School Host Club.

Nevertheless, those flaws are superficial as they ... do not interfere with the humour or action of the series. The series is well-researched when it comes to depicting kabuki plays, from the setting right down to the costumes. While one might accuse the story arcs for being formulaic, one would find it hard to criticise the content of the kabuki plays selected for each arc, which are unique and appropriate on their own right.

Character-wise, the titular Kunisaki Izumo may complain a lot about performing kabuki as his natural forte is in playing female roles, thus necessitating cross-dressing which he absolutely detests, he never once expresses a dislike for stage performance itself and will invariably work hard for the success of the plays. This makes him a character with sympathetic complaints but whose complaints are also the main source of comedy in the series. Being a relative outsider to the world of kabuki, he also serves as an audience surrogate in understanding kabuki.

Overall, this series is an excellent introduction to the world of kabuki and much of the action and humour revolves around kabuki and the way the protagonist interacts with it. If one views kabuki solely as a gimmicky device, then it is natural for the jokes to fall flat over time. Otherwise, if one views kabuki as an integral part of the story, it is hard not to appreciate it and see how it develops the characters of the series. After all, that is what it did to me, and that is why I enjoy it.