Grand Blue

I loved reading this.

TLDR;Grand Blues anime adaption is what drove me to reading this manga in the first place. And its manga is what opened me to world of manga. I originally thought that it would be impossible for me to find a manga that makes me laugh as much as its animated counterpart, I was wrong. I am very proud to say this is my first manga and it was one of my favorite reads of all time. I felt it was a masterpiece in the idea of a comedy with a story. It had perfectly incorporated a story in all of its jokes and is not jokes for the sake of being jokes. The characters had stayed true to their nature and hilarious quirks. Although I cannot say this manga provides an insight on human nature as other anime/manga do, I can say for certain they never get boring or act in a way you would not expect them to. I enjoyed this read so much so I would stay up till 4 just laughing and having fun. I would highly recommend anyone trying to find anything funny to this manga.

I watched the anime, and liked it enough to read the manga as well.

It should only be natural that for a comedy type of story, the anime and manga would give off different vibes, and different, they are. They ARE, overall, pretty similar, but just the format of manga makes it slightly different, and in this case, for the better.

Honestly, Grand blue has some of cringe and ecchi moments sometimes, or just unfunny chapters. However, the pacing of the manga makes it so that you can skip it over more easily than the anime. The funny chapters of Grand Blue however, stay just as good as the anime. The exaggerated facial expressions are exactly the same as the anime, and it's honestly always damn funny whenever I see them.

And I think this is over-exaggeration sort of theme is present throughout the entire manga, and it's one of the reasons why I like it so much. Sure, on the surface level, it seems like a slice of life story, and surely, most of the chapters in the manga can theoretically happen in real life, but the charm is the embellishing it has. Sure, which college doesn't have frat parties and party university clubs? But the pab in the manga are over the top, yet not overly so, but enough to the point that it's funny. Same thing with all the character personalities. Few characters seem feasibly realistic, like maybe Chisa and Aina, but even then, their obsessions with certain things make them fit in the comedy.
All the stories involving random activities, like camping, working part time, going to classes, eating, etc are turned into something extremely funny since all the characters have an inherent randomness and potential for good interactions.
All of these small, but good things about the novel bring it up to something truly great. Even the setting of "diving club" near the sea is used in a simple, but smart way.
All of the characters (and there's a damn lot of them) are interesting and funny, and whenever they appear in a chapter, you're sure to have a laugh. It's exaggerated and unrealistic, but that's the charm of a comedy novel.

Comedy manga doesn't get any better than Grand Blue.

While following the insane college life of the main character and supporting cast through bizarre situations, you inevitably grow to love their personalities and interactions with each other. At its core, Grand Blue is a story about relationships and shines in dialogues and visual storytelling.

The comedy, that at face value may seem simplistic, actually gets better and better the more you know the characters and style - think South Park minus the overly deep themes -, and is highlighted by the gorgeous art and superb facial expressions (seriously, Grand Blue is the king of funny faces).

Oddly enough, the sad or emotional moments - while not so frequent - are also well done and help us realize how much we care for the cast.

Overall, this is one of the few true masterpieces out there and a must read for anyone not totally averse to comedy (and mild ecchi, I guess?).

(Might contain mild spoilers) Most certain 10/10 I can think of. Also, this review kinda includes the anime as well, since they have the same vibe and not many changes. While it's not actually perfect, it nails every aspect it has to. Starting with the the simpler things to explain, the art is really good, especially in the scenarios and character comical faces. Where it looses points to me is only in the fish and sea animals in general, witch might seem like not enough to take 2 points, but since it's supposed to be a scuba diving manga I think they should have gone all out and drawn some insanely good looking fish. About character, while trough most of the manga there's not much development, that happens later on and is not really necessary, what really matters is that every single character is incredibly funny and really likable, some from the start, and other as the story progresses.
What really gives the 10 to Grand Blue is how they nail college life. Of course, there are many exaggerations, but there are 3 easy counter-arguments for that. First: most anime/manga exaggerates a lot about its main theme anyway. Second: it is a comedy, so it's kinda necessary. Third: It's not nearly as exaggerated as you might think if you haven't been to college or had a quiet students life. This guys really nailed the spirit of college students. The suicidal drinking, the proportion of what they show between classes and partying (like one in every 20 chapters is actually related to studies). Later on, when things get serious and the seniors have to actually start studying and doing projects that take all of their time, and start spending less time with the younger students, bringing both sadness over the brutal abyss in their reality and terror since this seemingly infernal life is only a couple years away. Not that it is that difficult, but they really represented the entire essence of college life, while delivering some of the best comedy I've ever seen.
Since I like to rate stuff based on how well the authors managed to deliver what they propose, how well its artistically made and how much I personally like it, there is no real argument to not give this a 10.

Really funny story about a teenager who joined the diving club and starts to learn the joys of the world underwater.
Nah, just kidding. This premise is just a plot-point that comes up whenever the manga needs a story to follow.
The real charm of this book is its comedy. These characters are all likable and a ton of fun to follow. The overly detailed artwork brings a tone of seriousness to the story that just makes all the jokes feel even more dramatic.
I recommend reading the first three of four chapters and seeing if the humor appeals to your taste.

Its a "MASTERPIECE". Its "BOOOOOOTIFUUULLL" and I love it. Ive read this manga three times and yet didn't feel bored.

The story is quite simple, its all about,-------------- "Diving". Its about few college freshman's , wondering what they want to do with their lives and end up joining the diving club out of curiosity. The humor and artwork are simply AMAZING.

There are very few manga which CAN make me laugh and this is definitely one of them!


You're about to graduate from high school and are wondering how your college life will be after that, READ THIS MANGA.

You're sick of of your life and are wondering why the heck were you born, READ THIS MANGA.

After reading this manga you'll think that every comedy manga is TRASH.

Story: The story and the writing is very good for such a lighthearted and comedic manga. I'm used to funny mangas being poorly written, or having a loose plot but this one is really well done. I like the direction the manga is headed (at this point I'm caught up and it is at chapter 62).

Art: The art is fantastic. Like, very well done. It's not super ~artsy~ but the attention to detail, in even the minor portions of the chapter is high.

Character: Characters are well written. They are not stale, and show a lot of unique characteristics that keep you interested. Hats off.

Overall, I like this manga a lot. I read that there's an anime adaptation so I'll check that one out. My enjoyment score is the lowest however, as sometimes the pacing can be just a tad slow, and the progress in relationships don't go as fast as you like, but that's okay with me. I think I'm just eager to see where the story and relationships go lol.

There is a beauty that lies within Grand Blue. I never thought that I'd be using that word to describe a manga like this, but it's honestly so true.

I'm going to skim over all the stuff that everyone else has already said and would recognize from the first few chapters: Grand Blue is a great comedy that has over-the-top reactions and comedy that somehow doesn't get old.
The reason for all that is definitely because the characters are fleshed out well and are all quirky enough to allow for a multitude of different scenarios and crazy things to happen. All that is great and all, but how does that make it differ from other comedy manga?

I think the big thing that sets it apart is it's unwavering focus on passion and acceptance.

Now most characters in Grand Blue are pretty unique: they all have their own interests and personalities that make them fun to read about. Yet each one also has a deep passion for something they love, whether it be diving, partying, love interests, younger sisters, etc, and they all love these things to an extreme level. People tend to avoid these types of people and call them weird, which is pretty reasonable if you think about it. But this is where the main character, Iori, differs from most people. He recognizes that it's not strange to be so passionate about something that you love, and he embraces his friends for it. He doesn't love them despite how weird they are, he loves them because they are being true to themselves.

This is the heart and soul of Grand Blue. The comedy never gets boring because it's just the characters being themselves, and that's the beauty of it all.

Grand Blue has so perfected the art of comedic timing, that I recommend it to anyone writing comedy to study it.

Initially skimming the panels and pages, I thought... mehh, it's so so... and it wasn't until my second try actually digesting the panels, was I enlightened. Grand Blue is hands down, first class in the genre of comedy. Admittedly though, there is a little of an adjustment period for people who are introverted because part of the comedy revolves around partying hard with alcohol, chasing after dates, and stereotypical college student goals, which as someone who prefers staying home and playing vidya games, is meh.

When I started the series: "Why are they all naked?"
After reading the series:" "MAN ARRESTED FOR BEING NAKED"

The reactions of other characters who are new to the diving clubs abnormality is hilarious. Reoccurring gags like testing if the water is alcohol (because they play pranks on each other), getting so used to loosening up that you wind up partially nude in public, Grand Blue manages to pack a ton of these "inside jokes" and interweave them well with the story.

At heart, the story is about college students trying to live their lives to the fullest, slowly discovering what is important by way of being sucked into the diving clubs insane kinks and habits.

A problem with "inside jokes" is that you have to be the ones inside to get it, otherwise its just nonsense to the general public, so let go and dive into the club!

Note: The anime fails in capturing the timing and atmosphere of the jokes....

It's not often that a Manga makes me literally laughing out loud.
Most comedy Manga were either totally unfunny and boring or just managed to make me blow the air slightly more forceful through my nostrils.
Grand Blue isn't one of those Manga.

The story isn't very special. The art is good but nothing outstanding. Except when one of the characters goes bonkers. Most of the time you'll probably laugh because of the ridiculous over the top depiction of certain emotions.
If you just want to lean back, have a good laugh and not worry about your (shitty) life, then this is the Manga for you.
If you look for anything deeper than just stupid, but very funny, comedy, then don't even bother.
We don't like you anyway.

EDIT: I initially rated this manga an 8 because i only read 6 chapters or so and thought that it would get stale over the time. Turns out, i still laugh my ass of and look forward to every new chapter. Shit's a solid 9, bois.

Grand Blue is one of those rare manga that will make you laugh till you cry without animation or sounds. Yup, that's how funny it is.

Story: 7/10
Story is very simple actually. Iori start his college life near the ocean in Izu city with his cousins then suddenly his uncle introduces him to a store called Grand Blue, where it teaches diving. Later, they finally convinced Iori to join the diving club. There’s no serious plot; it’s just the daily lives of Iori in Grand Blue, and his goal to become a licensed diver.

Art: 10/10
The artwork of this manga is outstanding. Detail of the ocean or background is well made. Character designs are also good. Details of their face are great, and also each strand of their hair is good. Artwork of this manga, is no doubt one of the best as of now.

Character: 9/10
Iori is one of the funniest main characters I’ve ever seen in an anime/manga. Their crazy antics with Kouhei will leave you laughing till your sides get hurt. Chisa, Azusa, and other supporting cast also did well to make this manga awesome.

Enjoyment: 10/10
This is one of the funniest manga/anime I’ve ever seen. Reading this will make your dull day into a bright day I guarantee you.

Overall: 9/10
Thanks for reading the review and start reading Grand Blue right now!

*Sigh* ... Grand Blue, a goldmine of a manga. From the initial sheer shocking introduction of the story to a drinking club half-posing as a diving club, Grand Blue certainly covers everything excellently.

**Possible spoilers ahead?**

Going into the manga, I didn't expect much. The cover image wasn't exactly alluring and the synopsis seemed, well... like a typical slice of life with a tinge of diving. However, it didn't take long for me to fall head over heels for this manga.
On a side note, as a pretty big Kaguya-Sama fan (my previous favorite manga), I was a bit shocked that with just thirty or so chapters, Grand Blue not only beat the 200 or so amazingly done chapters of Kaguya-Sama but also captivated my attention. In fact, the absolute perfection of this slice of life/comedy manga compelled me to write this review. Without further delay, let's ... dive into it :3

Story: 9.3/10

We might as well get my only major piece of criticism out of the way. Although every other factor of Grand Blue was almost perfect, the story was a bit weak. There were instances where I felt like the story was drifting apart and in different directions, making it a bit sad and confusing, before the author successfully managed to pull it back onto its main path. This minor flaw leads me to rate this section a 9.3, but otherwise than weakness, I only have compliments to give to the various hilarious twists, how the story was set up, and how the story was continually interesting.

Art: 11/10

The Grand Blue manga's art is easily an 11/10. I can't say much about the anime but from the various clips I've watched, I must say that I still much prefer the manga. Stray thoughts aside, everything was done beautifully art-wise. The oceans where they dived, the surrounding backgrounds, and most of all, the facial expressions. I can't deny that the facial expressions might've been a tad overexaggerated, but it was what drove the humor home. Moreover, the character Chisa Kotegawa's (will explore more in the characters section) facial expressions were absolutely golden. They could go from an absolutely heart-melting embarrassed face to the extremely well-done typical
"B-Baka" tsundere face. Overall, the art was one of my favorite parts of Grand Blue and it well deserves an 11/10.

Character: 10/10

Again, the characters in Grand Blue are absolutely awesome and as unique as characters can get. As readers, we get to see some "water" (vodka) offering seniors, an Otaku who only wants a younger sister to call him "Oni-san", and a doting older sister, who in reality is a major sis-con. While these characters play a big role everywhere, they aren't the only ones who are different and add their own flavor to the story. I would say that almost every single side character has something unique about them. Some are funny, some are interesting, and some are just downright golden. The examples showed above only display a minority of the beautifully written characters in this story.

Also, I loved every character. They always played their part excellently and always maintained a hilarious atmosphere. Instead of throwing away minor characters like many other slice of life animes do, Grand Blue always found some way for most of the side characters to be effectively re-incorporated or put back into the story. This leaves readers like me satisfied with knowing more about certain minor characters that we love, instead of them being never used again. Moreover, a huge point that easily makes this category a 10/10 is the fact that I didn't hate a single character. In most shows, I would've probably hated some character in the first couple of episodes or chapters, but Grand Blue characters are simply built different.

Lastly and most importantly, I MUST talk about Chisa Kotegawa. Before exploring this character, let me just say that I'm a pretty big fan of tsunderes in general, but when I finished catching up to Grand Blue, Chisa might be my all-time favorite tsundere and one of my favorite girls. She has the qualities of a tsundere: icy cold reactions to the main character, a disgusted face, and a heart-melting reaction when embarrassed. However, even though she has all of these traits, she exceeds every single one of them. I repeat. Every single one of them. Instead of beating up the main character or resorting to extreme violence, the way she reacts to embarrassing moments can only be called cute or smart. As many of us are familiar with the infamous anime "disgusted" face that many tsunderes employ, Chisa does it excellently too. They are used in the right moments and the great art only bolsters this action. Also, Chisa's reactions to the embarrassing moments are downright the best I've ever seen. I'm a huge sucker for Rom-Coms, etc, and have seen my fair share of these scenes. However, I stand by the fact that Chisa has the cutest reactions.

As much as I wish that I could prattle on forever about each and every character and why I love them, I only focused on Chisa Kotegawa, my new best waifu hehe
, However, in all seriousness, besides Chisa, every other character contributed heavily to my likening of Grand Blue. They also all had several moments that pushed me to the brink of death by laughter. ^-^ Overall, I really enjoyed the characters in Grand Blue, especially Chisa Kotegawa.

Enjoyment:

You probably know this already but the well-written story, fantastically drawn art, and top-tier characters lead me to enjoy every single chapter of Grand Blue. There wasn't a single moment that disappointed me and the fact that it set me off in laughter so often shows that it's something that can instantly brighten up my life during a gloomy day. While I still enjoy Kaguya-Sama(Hayasaka <- Iino <- Kaguya <- Chika), Grand Blue has overtaken it and is leading with a wide gap as my all-time favorite manga. I very highly recommend anyone reading this to immediately put it on their read-list and make it a priority.


Thanks for your time and I hope you enjoy it as much as me~

There are very few anime/manga which actually make me laugh and this is definitely one of them! The humor is absolutely amazing and the artwork compliments it perfectly. I really hope this manga gets more attention and becomes popular because I've enjoyed this much more than the more popular comedy manga at the moment like prison school. This is a fresh breather from all the high school comedies since this takes place in college so it has a bit more freedom with comedy involving alcohol, which happens to be where most of the comedy is based on. The misunderstandings are what make this manga one of the funniest around and if you are looking for a hilarious manga it would be a waste to pass this one up!

This is my review for Grand Blue. I’ll be referring to the characters by what they are most commonly called in the manga. Please note that this review is structured around how I personally felt about the manga: objectively, it deserves an overall rating of 9. (individual ratings of 6/9/10 for story, art, and character, respectively), and subjectively, I give it a 9 as well.

Story: 6/10

Before we start things off, I'd like to say that there is little to no story in Grand Blue. Sure, the beginning few chapters set up the basic storyline, but that's about it. To sum things up, the main character, Iori, joins a diving club, and proceeds to have all sorts of wacky interactions and adventures with the other characters. However, Grand Blue does deserve credit in the sense that it doesn't completely devolve into comedy, as most events take place in a ocean setting, staying true to the foundation that it lay down. The chapters are also loosely tied together, meaning that there is some degree of continuation. As the characters are in college, there is the presence of drinking, although it's most played for laughs.

Art: 10/10

Just like any seinen manga, the artwork is very crisp and sharply drawn. The main attraction here are the way the characters are presented, specifically their facial expressions. Grand Blue utilizes what I describe as a face shadow very often, which often indicates that said character is about to suggest a totally ridiculous idea or have a complete misunderstanding of the situation. The great thing about the artwork is that in my opinion, you can get a general understanding of what a chapter is about even without a translation just by reading the faces of the characters and any supporting details provided. It's also worth mentioning that during scenes where the characters are actually diving, the scenery is very pleasing to gaze over, although the same can be said about all the background.

Character: 10/10

Despite having quite a large cast of characters, the individual quirks of each one make them all unique from each other. Iori, the main character, forms somewhat of an idiot duo tandem along with Kouhei, but can actually be surprisingly caring when it really matters, unlike the latter. Speaking of Kouhei, he is the other half of the idiot duo, and loves anime and little sisters. Iori and Kouhei are actually close friends as they often suffer the same fate, but both refuse to acknowledge this. On the flip side, the female main character, Chisa is a mirror of her male counterparts, as she is usually no nonsense and lives for diving. Her older sister, Nanaka, has a huge sister complex and is probably the scariest character whenever she finds out that something unpleasant has happened to Chisa. Aina, aka Cakey, is another first year member of the diving club, although her backstory in explaining how she eventually joins it is very interesting and engaging. Kotobuki, Tokita, and Azusa are the senior figures, and are often seen together, and these three are probably the most shameless out of the whole cast. Also lumped together are Naomi and Busujima, who are Iori's admirer and enemy, respectively. The last notable character is Iori's little sister Shiori, and she's one of those characters who puts up a front making them seem almost incompetent, but is actually extremely cunning and skilled. Did I mention that the characters, paired along with overly exaggerated facial expressions is Grand Blue's selling point?

Enjoyment: 10/10

Although I have read many comedy manga, Grand Blue has cemented itself as my favourite out of the bunch. Some people might think that there are only so many jokes that can be made before it gets boring, but this is not the case. With the exception of a handful of serious chapters, I wouldn't be surprised if the reader laughs their head off, because I sure did. The endless amount of comedy that seems to come from this manga ensures that there never is a dull moment.

That's all I have to say. Thanks for reading!

So Grand Blue...
I didn't quite know what to expect. Comedy, after all, is one of the most subjective genres.

However, I didn't expected for this to be a Japanese version of American Pie. Yes, you read correctly. This is at the same level of that shitty comedy that you loved when you were 12 or 13.

I can't be totally negative with this manga, because it has some really funny moments. Specially in the art department - I like how the author uses gag and physical comedy - gestures, faces, etc.

But the characters are flat, the dialogue is bad, and the plot is cliché.

I can only say that read this ONLY if you want to turn off your brain and have mindless fun. But don't expect to find anything else. It's as shallow as it looks.

Pretty ironic for a diving manga, right?

THIS is a manga about diving.
Never have I read a manga that made me laugh so much as Grand Blue, every chapter this manga has, made me laugh like no other.
The story is nothing special however the execution of it combined with the jokes makes the story infinitely more enjoyable and before long you'll start caring for these characters and enjoying the way they interact with each other.
The art is another part that makes this manga special, at first you may think the faces are too simple and that its just your regular anime art style however its not, Grand blue has one of the most expressive art styles I've seen in a while, not only does it help to know how the characters are feeling at times but it also makes their reactions funnier.
Without a doubt I've enjoyed every single chapter this manga has to offer.
A must read for those who love comedy.

It's not very common I find myself bursting out in laughter as I read page after page non stop. Love the terrifyingly goofy funny faces, heck even remembering it makes me laugh so much like rn. Art style is amazing & characters; enjoyment is bound. My only gripe is that the story is slow in terms of the romantic aspect. A while ago they announced the love ark and to my surprise there has been no development in relationships (apart from realising which female feels what towards whoever) which was a huge let down. Personally i really wanna see Lori and Chisa but so far, after the manga being published. Something just changed in Chisa in how she sees Lori.. that took 7 years. Yoshioka sensei needs to chnage that. Otherwise the manga is totally addictive

Grand Blue is a diving manga.

It is about college freshmen confused with what club they want to join and how to spend their college lives. They get invited by their incredibly nice senpai and join the diving club. This review will focus on how this manga portrays diving and how people discover love for an activity they were completely new to.

The story of Grand Blue is quite simple yet very satisfying to read. It follows the generic new students don't know what they want to do with their lives and end up joining a club out of curiosity but Grand Blue executes this very well. They outline diving in a very simplistic yet intriguing way. You do not need any knowledge on diving beforehand as they explain most of the basics as well as different stages of diving as you start to get more comfortable with the water. They outline how easy it may look on the surface but how difficult an essentially dangerous this activity can get, which leads to some really gut wrenching scenes in the manga. We don't have much stories that go in depth on diving so this feels refreshing to read, definitely on the unique side in that aspect.

The art is best described as simplistic yet beautiful. The diving scenes are drawn with so much detail, it really tries to put the reader in the position the characters are in. The character's faces are beautifully and realistically drawn in almost every panel. You can tell the mangaka put time and research into figuring out the minute details of a human body. Since it's a diving manga, the character's take their clothes off almost all the time and the author did an amazing job showing male and female aesthetics.

The cast of Grand Blue seems a bit generic at first glance, but really grow on you as the series goes on. We have our MC, Kitahara Iori, a college freshmen who is confused on how to spend his college life and ends up discovering a passion for something he previously had no interest in. Grand Blue isn't just all diving though, the characters interact with one another outside of diving in multiple ways developing their relationships with one another, especially the members of the diving club. We have Imamura Kouhei, an outgoing handsome man who doesn't care what other people think of him. He likes to truly express what he has a passion for even if other people may label him in a negative way. He is the first friend Iori makes and the story mainly focuses on their friendship, the struggles that come from it, and their new found love for diving.

If you want a unique manga that outlines the beauty of diving, give Grand Blue a shot.

Edit: Azusa best girl

Grand Blue is a masterclass work of slapstick and gag humor.

Although the series is about "diving", the setting and premise serve primarily as guidelines for the plot to direct its comedy. In other words, characters can derail into basically any subplot and then realign itself at the end of each arc to ensure the series doesn't go too far off on a tangent and overwhelm the reader with too much absurdity.

The setting itself provides a reasonable justification for the kind of humor you see. Drinking naturally comes with college parties and nudity "naturally" comes with drinking. Diving also offers a unique focal point to branch humor from with things such as diving signal gags, and of course, nudity.

In comedic manga, characters are essential to driving a joke home. Although every character is the complete opposite of normal, what they do makes sense because it’s part of their character and that allows the humor to flow. In Drifters, comedy can become awkward at times because malicious and serious characters would suddenly turn goofy for no reason and it messed with the image the characters were supposed to maintain. Every character in Grand Blue has a unique personality and together they can turn any normal scenario into a circus.

Most of what has been said can be said for many other series, but what makes this series stand above the rest? The Art. In Fullmetal Alchemist and Onepunch Man, gags are made by lowering the quality of art to portray the lighthearted or casual attitude of the characters in a high stake scenario, but in Grand Blue, the art quality goes up at the punchline to portray the high tension in the characters despite their situation being nothing serious. This drastic imbalance in what we see versus what we feel serves almost like another joke making it so that each punchline is two jokes rather than one . The flow of text is also superb as it feeds you puns and gags at a precise rate. In Gintama, the comedy is goes by the same formula as Grand Blue, but if you read the manga, the pages are covered in text and content within each chapter is way too condensed. Seeing the emotion and expressions of the characters is harder to visualize compared to Grand Blue, where each facial expression perfectly expresses the absurdity and emotional peak of the characters.

So that’s basically why I think Grand Blue is a comedy gold mine. Hopefully this review makes sense and if it doesn’t, there are plenty of other excellent review that give you an idea how amazing this series is.

Grand Blue isn't a manga about diving, it's an ode to youth.

sure, diving plays a big part, but merely serves to symbolize the many new experiences and new world college life provides. keep that in mind while reading this review.

STORY: 8/10
well, it's a slice of life, so don't expect a complicated plot. it does it's job, providing context so the characters and comedy can thrive. but as of right now (chapter 63) there seems to be a bit of a romance element growing, so maybe the story itself will actually get interesting.

ART: 9/10
Grand Blue wouldn't be as funny if it didn't have this artwork
Yoshioka's a hell of an artist, really, not only can he make beautiful art, he's also a master at making his characters expressive. there's also the background, very well drawn and sometimes breathtaking, like the underwater scenes.
however, i have to say i feel it can get a bit sloppy sometimes, but that's barely noticeable.

CHARACTERS: 10/10
this isn't "just a funny manga" like another reviewer wrote, there's actually quite a lot of character development here, even supporting characters are more than just shells.
they're also very original, no one in the cast really fits in the anime/manga stereotypes.
and man, they're funny. i can't think of one character that isn't hilarious and unpredictable.
but he most important thing is that i felt emotionally attached to the characters and started to miss them shortly after i stopped reading, a very rare thing to happen to me

ENJOYMENT: 10/10
everything i said before counts as part of my enjoyment, but being a little bit more direct:
i've never laughed so much since i watched the first seasons of The Office, and that says a lot.
this manga's humor is all about breaking your expectations, and it does an amazing job at that, better than any other japanese media i've seen, beating even Gintama. you're guaranteed to at least give a couple of laughs while reading each chapter.

OVERALL: 10/10 (MASTERPIECE)
as i said in the begining of this review, this manga is about youth.
it's about new experiences, friendship, romance, hot older girls, and well... drinking. but it's also about young people's problems. and i expect that it gets further in that direction, considering we're only in chapter 63, it's safe to say it has much more room to grow.

as someone who spends most of his time alone and is about to enter college, Grand Blue hit differently, it made me realize that i'm living a unique time in my life, and that i should enjoy it while i can. i can't help but give this a 10.