High School Girls: A moving story that depicts the realities of youth

"High School Girls": Between the brilliance of youth and harsh reality

Overview

"High School Girls" is a TV anime series based on the manga of the same name by Towa Oshima, and aired from April 4 to June 20, 2006. The 13-episode series is a comedy anime that depicts the youth and friendship of high school girls, as well as the gap with reality. It was produced by ARMS, produced by GENCO, and produced by the "High School Girls" Production Committee.

■ Story

Eriko, Yuma, and Ayano transfer from public junior high school to Yamazaki Girls' Academy (commonly known as Sakijo), a private junior and senior high school that they had always dreamed of, hoping to live the kitschy, stylish high school life they had always dreamed of. However, a harsh reality awaited them. The stark contrast makes Eriko run away, but the story follows her as she faces this reality together with her classmates Koda, Himeji, and Ogawa. Where will their high-tension high school life lead?

■Explanation

"High School Girls" is depicted as a girls' pop comedy that is a little edgy, while also having a silly and vulgar side. The high school girls who are torn between the brilliance of youth and the harsh reality have provided many viewers with sympathy and laughter. According to the official commentary on Bandai Channel, this work is described as "silly and vulgar? A slightly edgy girls' pop comedy!"

■Cast

• Eriko Takahashi: Hitomi Nabatame
• Yuma Suzuki: Masumi Asano
• Sato Ayano: Noto Mamiko
• Akari Koda: May Yukino
• Himeji Kyoko: Hikami Kyoko
• Ikue Ogawa: Sawa Ishige
• Momoka Suzuki: Ai Shimizu

■ Main staff

• Original author: Towa Oshima
• Director: Yoshitaka Fujimoto
• Series Composition: Hideki Shirane
• Character design: Seiji Kishimoto
• Art director: Kazusuke Yoshihara
• Color design: Sakiko Takemura
• Director of photography: Masahide Okino
• Edited by: Ayako Nakagawa
• Sound Director: Shimizu Katsunori
• Music: Angel Note
• Producers: Takaya Ihei, Kohei Kawase, Goichi Nonaka, Osamu Ecchu
• Produced by: ARMS
• Produced by: GENCO
• Produced by: "High School Girls" Production Committee (Toshiba Entertainment, Geneon Entertainment, Futabasha, GENCO)

■ Main Characters

• Takahashi Eriko: She has a bright, resilient personality and is easygoing. Although she sometimes acts foolishly, her grades are top class. She doesn't have much aesthetic sense and is congenitally bad at sports.
• Suzuki Yuma: Eriko's friend since middle school. She has a straightforward personality. She has a cool side to her, as she is relied on by Ayano and helps Momoka. She has a pituitary gastric condition that any girl would envy.
• Sato Ayano: Eriko's friend from middle school, she seems to be the most serious among the group of idiots. She behaves in a girly way every day, but sometimes she also has an old man-like side.
• Akari Koda: A girl who came up from Sakijo Junior High School, she has a proud and self-centered personality. And she's lazy. Her desk and locker are often dirty...
• Himeji Kyouko: A junior high school student from Saki Girls' Junior High School, she is quite quick to fall in love with boys. When it comes to relationships with the opposite sex, she is thought to be the most advanced among her peers.
• Ikue Ogawa: A junior high school student from Sakijo Junior High School, she has a laid-back personality and shows off her natural side. She is petite, so cute fashion items suit her.

■Subtitle

• Episode 1: High school girls are stupid. (2006/04/03)
• Episode 2: Physical examination is the scent of a maiden's modesty. (2006/04/10)
• Episode 3: Fall in love, cheat, love hotel? (2006/04/17)
• Episode 4: Congratulations! Sakijo is still wearing bloomers. (2006/04/24)
• Episode 5: Swimsuits, beautiful girls, and muscular teachers. (2006/05/01)
• Episode 6: The Crack (2006/05/08)
• Episode 7: An example of what can happen if you accidentally hit on a student. (2006/05/15)
• Episode 8: We were young once too. ~Back to a few years ago~ (2006/05/22)
• Episode 9: Farewell! Akari Koda. (2006/05/29)
• Episode 10: Glasses! Glasses! Glasses! (2006/06/05)
• Episode 11: Sakijo's Tragic Love Story - Feelings that transcend the years (2006/06/12)
• Episode 12: Stupid, infinitely stupid. (2006/06/19)

■ Related works

"High School Girls GIRL'S-HIGH Special Episode"

■ Theme songs and music

• OP1: Kirameku
  • Lyricist: mavie
  • Composer: Katsuhiko Kurosu
  • Arrangement: Masaki Suzuki
  • Sung by: yozuca*
• ED1: incl.
  • Lyricist: meg rock
  • Composer: meg rock
  • Arrangement: Daisuke Kato
  • Sung by: meg rock

■Broadcast information

"High School Girls" aired on the following stations:

• tvk
• Television Saitama
• Chiba TV
• AT-X and others

The broadcast period is from April 4th to June 20th, 2006, and the broadcast schedule for each station is as follows:

• Teletama: April 3, 2006 to June 19, 2006 (episodes 1 to 12) Every Monday 25:30 to 26:00
• Chiba TV: April 3, 2006 to June 19, 2006 (Episodes 1 to 12) Every Monday 26:10 to 26:40
• Sun TV: April 3, 2006 to June 19, 2006 (Episodes 1 to 12) Every Monday 26:10 to 26:40

■ Evaluation and impressions

"High School Girls" was well received by many viewers as a work that depicts the gap between the brilliance of youth and the harsh reality. In particular, the high-tension behavior of the main characters and episodes that depict the realistic side of youth provided viewers with laughter and empathy. The acting of the cast was also highly praised, and in particular the bright and energetic character of Takahashi Eriko, played by Nabatame Hitomi, captivated many fans.

This work conveys the bittersweetness of youth and the depth of friendship by depicting the daily lives of high school girls in a humorous way. As you can see from the subtitles of each episode, the story development is particularly humorous. For example, in episode 1, "High School Girls Are Stupid," Eriko and her friends enroll in Sakijo High School for the first time and are faced with the gap between their ideals and reality. In episode 4, "Congratulations! Sakijo High School Still Wears Bloomers," the scene in which the girls wear bloomers became a hot topic.

Furthermore, episode 7, "An example of what can happen if you accidentally pick up a student," humorously depicts a teacher and student's mistaken encounter, while episode 10, "Glasses! Glasses! Glasses!", features an episode themed around glasses, entertaining viewers. These episodes have been praised for depicting the real side of youth while still retaining humor.

■Production Background

High School Girls is based on the manga of the same name by Oshima Towa and published by Futabasha. The anime adaptation was produced by ARMS and directed by Fujimoto Yoshitaka. Series composition was by Shirane Hideki, character design by Kishimoto Seiji, art direction by Yoshihara Kazusuke, color design by Takemura Sakiko, director of photography by Okino Masahide, editing by Nakagawa Ayako, sound direction by Shimizu Katsunori, and music by Angel Note. Producers include Ihei Takaya, Kawase Kohei, Nonaka Goichi, and Etchu Osamu.

Behind the production of this work, we can see the efforts made to bring out the charm of the original work to the fullest. In particular, the attention to detail of the character design and art direction enriches the worldview of the work. In addition, the casting of voice actors and acting direction by sound director Shimizu Katsunori are also important elements in improving the quality of the work.

■Music

The opening theme of "High School Girls", "Kirameku", was sung by yozuca*, with lyrics by mavie, music by Katsuhiko Kurosu, and arrangement by Masaki Suzuki. The song captured the hearts of viewers with its bright and pop melody that symbolizes the brilliance of youth. Meanwhile, the ending theme "incl." was written, composed, and sung by meg rock, and arranged by Daisuke Kato. The melody of this song expresses the bittersweetness of youth, enhancing the atmosphere of the work.

In addition, the movie uses background music by Angel Note, which expresses the emotions of each scene. In particular, the background music in high-tension and moving scenes plays an important role in elevating the emotions of the viewer.

■ Related Products

Various related products such as DVDs, Blu-rays, and music CDs have been released for "High School Girls." The DVD box set in particular has become a must-have item for fans, and has been a big hit. Character songs and soundtracks have also been released, allowing fans to enjoy the world of the series even more.

In addition, official guidebooks and setting materials collections are also released, which allow fans to learn about the background and behind-the-scenes stories of the work. These related products have become important tools for fans to gain a deeper understanding of the work.

■ Fan Event

Fan events were held even after the broadcast of "High School Girls" ended. In particular, talk shows and live events with the voice actors attracted many fans. At these events, behind-the-scenes stories about the series and private episodes of the cast were revealed, providing an opportunity to deepen interactions with fans. Merchandise sales and autograph sessions were also held, allowing fans to create special memories.

■ Influence of the work

"High School Girls" has been loved by many fans from the time it was first broadcast to the present day. In particular, the episodes that depicted the realistic side of youth and the humorous story development left a strong impression on viewers. The acting of the cast and the music were also highly praised, enriching the worldview of the work.

This work conveys the bittersweetness of youth and the depth of friendship by depicting the daily lives of high school girls in a humorous way. As you can see from the subtitles of each episode, the story development is particularly humorous. For example, in episode 1, "High School Girls Are Stupid," Eriko and her friends enroll in Sakijo High School for the first time and are faced with the gap between their ideals and reality. In episode 4, "Congratulations! Sakijo High School Still Wears Bloomers," the scene in which the girls wear bloomers became a hot topic.

Furthermore, episode 7, "An example of what can happen if you accidentally pick up a student," humorously depicts a teacher and student's mistaken encounter, while episode 10, "Glasses! Glasses! Glasses!", features an episode themed around glasses, entertaining viewers. These episodes have been praised for depicting the real side of youth while still retaining humor.

■Recommendation

"High School Girls" was well received by many viewers as a work that depicts the gap between the brilliance of youth and the harsh reality. In particular, the high-tension behavior of the main characters and episodes that depict the realistic side of youth provided viewers with laughter and empathy. The acting of the cast was also highly praised, and in particular the bright and energetic character of Takahashi Eriko, played by Nabatame Hitomi, captivated many fans.

This work conveys the bittersweetness of youth and the depth of friendship by depicting the daily lives of high school girls in a humorous way. As you can see from the subtitles of each episode, the story development is particularly humorous. For example, in episode 1, "High School Girls Are Stupid," Eriko and her friends enroll in Sakijo High School for the first time and are faced with the gap between their ideals and reality. In episode 4, "Congratulations! Sakijo High School Still Wears Bloomers," the scene in which the girls wear bloomers became a hot topic.

Furthermore, episode 7, "An example of what can happen if you accidentally pick up a student," humorously depicts a teacher and student's mistaken encounter, while episode 10, "Glasses! Glasses! Glasses!", features an episode themed around glasses, entertaining viewers. These episodes have been praised for depicting the real side of youth while still retaining humor.

"High School Girls" was well received by many viewers as a work that depicts the gap between the brilliance of youth and the harsh reality. In particular, the high-tension behavior of the main characters and the episodes that depicted the realistic side of youth provided viewers with laughter and empathy. The acting of the cast was also highly praised, and the bright and energetic character of Takahashi Eriko, played by Nabatame Hitomi, in particular, attracted many fans. This work conveys the bittersweetness of youth and the depth of friendship by depicting the daily lives of high school girls in a comical way. In particular, as can be seen from the subtitles of each episode, the story development is full of humor. For example, in the first episode, "High School Girls are Stupid," Eriko and her friends enroll in Sakijo High School for the first time and are faced with the gap between their ideals and reality. In the fourth episode, "Congratulations! Sakijo High School is still wearing bloomers," the scene where they wear bloomers became a hot topic. Furthermore, episode 7, "An example of what can happen if you accidentally pick up a student," humorously depicts a teacher and student's mistaken encounter, while episode 10, "Glasses! Glasses! Glasses!", features an episode themed around glasses, entertaining viewers. These episodes have been praised for depicting the real side of youth while still retaining humor.