Since Gurren Lagann seems to be surging to the top, despite being a mecha series and all, I reviewed the last series that made it, Manabi Straight.

Truth to be told, Manabi was helped by the long drought for top-drawer series, and how it succeeded in the badly crowded niche of "girls in high school", without a special hook like Konata's otaku cred. So, on a level field it was always the weakest among them. But it's still great. I'm even at peace with Manabi being a bad role model (becoming a freeper after school).