Within the world of Genshiken, however, Kujibiki Unbalance is a popular manga and 26-episode anime adaptation, which is eagerly watched and discussed by the main characters.

These same characters also purchase associated products and adult-oriented dojinshi based on the series, which constitute the motivation for some of the "club activities" held by the Genshiken.

In May 2006, Anime News Network reported that the second series of Genshiken, to be released this fall in Japan, was in fact the "first season" of Kujibiki Unbalance, though with major character redesigns.

Their chief issue is that there are two different directors for the two halves of the series, resulting in a more comedic, ecchi tone for the first half (directed by "Tsutomu Mizudori"), which alienated some fans and led to conflict with the producers.

The manga, as presented within Genshiken, actually continues well beyond the "student body tournament" storyline depicted in the anime, going as far as to show Kasumi's wedding and the eventual graduation of Ritsuko.

(This is, of course, a subtle jab directed at Kio's own critics, who complained that Genshiken itself was not the same after Madarame, Kugayama, and Tanaka graduated, and that the author was finding excuses to keep them around after the fact.)

The competitions appear to range from mental exercises to physical challenges, including a cooking contest, a swimming race, endurance tests against both extreme heat and cold, and an intense war game.

The side-story running alongside the main plot seems to involve the cold and calculating Student Council President, Ritsuko Kübel Kettenkrad.

A pivotal and frequently-referenced scene in the series involves Ritsuko asking Chihiro to marry her someday, if she stops "being a crybaby".