Among the many manga series I’ve been catching up with lately, Ueno-san wa Bukiyou easily stands out as one of the strongest when it comes to pure comedy. The story revolves around Ueno, a brilliant yet socially awkward inventor, and her daily antics in the science club as she desperately tries to win the attention of her completely oblivious crush, Tanaka. Her genius often backfires spectacularly, turning what should be romantic gestures into chaotic (and hilarious) disasters.

Tanaka, for his part, remains utterly clueless to Ueno’s advances, which only adds fuel to the comedic fire. Joining them is Yamashita, a wonderfully deadpan character who acts as Ueno’s assistant and occasionally her voice of reason or bodyguard when things inevitably spiral out of control. The chemistry between these three makes every chapter a joy to read.

Most of the chapters follow a simple but consistently funny formula:

1 - Ueno proudly unveils a new invention designed to get closer to Tanaka (usually in an embarrassing or overly roundabout way).

2 - Tanaka, ever the airhead, completely misinterprets the situation or uses the invention in a way that ruins her plan.

3 - A gag or slapstick moment follows, with Ueno flustered, humiliated, or forced to retreat often aided by Yamashita or other supporting characters.

It’s a structure that never really gets old thanks to the sheer creativity of Ueno’s inventions and her boundless determination.

The manga concluded with 10 volumes, though I’ve only made it through the first six so far. Even within those, I’ve grown surprisingly fond of Tanaka’s younger sisters, Mizuna and Yomogi—the only characters whose full names we actually know.

Their mischievous personalities and close bond with their brother make them perfect catalysts for stirring up chaos around Ueno, often pushing her into even more ridiculous situations. Hopefully they'll get more screen time on the remaining volumes.

There’s also an anime adaptation of Ueno-san wa Bukiyou, which covers a portion of the manga’s events. It’s fun and well-produced, but I’d still strongly recommend reading the manga if you can. There are so many great chapters and jokes that never made it into the anime, and it would be a real shame to miss out on them.