S.A. Special A: A thorough analysis of the appeal of this youthful romantic comedy and the depth of its characters

"S.A. Special A": The charm and excitement of elite school life

"S.A. Special A" is a TV anime series that aired in 2008 and is based on the manga of the same name by Minami Maki. This work is a school comedy set at the private Hakusenkan Academy High School, depicting the youth and growth of the members of the "SA" group, a group of seven outstanding students. In particular, the relationship between the protagonist Hanazono Hikaru and his rival Takishima Sui is at the center of the story, depicting the elite school life where effort, friendship, and a little romance intersect.

Story and Characters

"S.A. Special A" is set at the private Hakusenkan Academy High School. The seven most talented students in this school make up the "SA" group: Kazono Hikaru, Takishima Sui, Toudou Akira, Kano Sora, Yamamoto Me, Yamamoto Jun, and Tsuji Ryu. Kazono Hikaru, the main character, is a hardworking woman who views Takishima Sui as a rival and challenges him to matches many times in order to avenge the humiliation she suffered when she was defeated in a wrestling match at the age of six. Although she is the daughter of an ordinary carpenter, she continues to attend this elite school and has always maintained second place in her grade.

Takishima Sui is the eldest son of the Takishima Group and is a perfect superhuman who runs the group behind the scenes. He is ranked number one in his grade and is perfect at everything from sports to studying, but he is suffering a losing streak in love against Hikaru's ultra-insensitive nature. Hikaru's struggle to achieve his goal of "defeating Takishima!" and his relationship with Sui are the main attractions of the story.

The other characters are also full of personality, such as Akira Toudou, the daughter of an airline company president who is crazy about Hikaru, Sora Kano, the simple and laid-back son of a school chairman, Me and Jun Yamamoto, twin siblings who are a famous music producer and a genius vocalist, and Ryu Tsuji, the animal-loving son of a sports manufacturer president. The friendships, romances, and competitions woven by these characters add excitement to the story.

Animation production and staff

GONZO and AIC were in charge of animation production for "S.A. Special A." The director was Yoshikazu Miyao, the series composition was by Jukki Hanada, and the character design was by Kiyotaka Nakahara. The music was by Shogo Kaida and Rie Mitsunaga, and the sound direction was by Satoki Iida. This staff worked together to create an animation that brings out the best of the original work.

The series was broadcast from April 7 to September 15, 2008, with a total of 24 episodes. It was broadcast on CTC, UHF, and AT-X, with each station having a different broadcast time. Specifically, it was broadcast every Sunday from 25:30 to 26:00 on Chiba TV, every Monday from 23:00 to 23:30 on tvk, every Wednesday from 25:30 to 26:00 on Teletama, every Friday from 25:23 to 25:53 and 25:58 to 26:28 on TV Osaka and TV Aichi, and every Thursday from 11:00 to 11:30 on AT-X.

Theme songs and music

The theme songs of "S.A. Special A" are also an important element that enhances the appeal of the work. The opening theme is "Special days" and "Gorgeous 4U", the former sung by Hanazono Hikaru (Goto Yuko) with S.A. (Toudou Akira (Nabatame Hitomi) & Yamamoto Me (Takagaki Ayahi)), the latter by Takishima Sui (Fukuyama Jun), Kano Sora (Shimono Hiro), Yamamoto Jun (Yoenaga Tsubasa), and Tsuji Ryu (Horie Kazuma). The ending theme is "Gate in the Sun" and "Special☆Gyutto Good luck!", the former sung by Takishima Sui (Fukuyama Jun), Kano Sora (Shimono Hiro), Yamamoto Jun (Yoenaga Tsubasa), and Tsuji Ryu (Horie Kazuma), the latter by Hanazono Hikaru (Goto Yuko), Toudou Akira (Nabatame Hitomi), and Yamamoto Me (Takagaki Ayahi). These songs not only enhance the atmosphere of the story, but also play an important role in expressing the feelings of the characters.

Episodes and subtitles

Each episode of "S.A. Special A" depicts the growth of the characters and changes in their relationships, and advances the story through various events and challenges. Below are the subtitles of each episode.

• Episode 1: Light/Comet (2008/04/06)
• Episode 2: Pride Pro Wrestling (2008/04/13)
• Episode 3: Onigiri and Sincerity (2008/04/20)
• Episode 4: Brothers/Teachers (2008/04/27)
• Episode 5: Festival/Game (2008/05/04)
• Episode 6: Invitation to the Saika Residence (2008/05/11)
• Episode 7: Sensitive/Insensitive (2008/05/18)
• Episode 8: Travel and Dogs (2008/05/25)
• Episode 9: Villa and Letter (2008/06/01)
• Episode 10: Lord Dragon (2008/06/08)
• Episode 11: Girlfriend/Boyfriend (2008/06/15)
• Episode 12: High Fever and Passion (2008/06/22)
• Episode 13: Magic and Friends (2008/06/29)
• Episode 14: I want to protect you - I'm sorry (2008/07/06)
• Episode 15: Honor, Honor (2008/07/13)
• Episode 16: Love and Kiss (2008/07/20)
• Episode 17: Modesty and Smiles (2008/07/27)
• Episode 18: Toudou and Kano (2008/08/03)
• Episode 19: Singing Voice - Villain (2008/08/10)
• Episode 20: Switch: On the Edge (2008/08/17)
• Episode 21: Earn and Fulfill (2008/08/24)
• Episode 22: Love and Strangeness (2008/08/31)
• Episode 23: SA・FA (2008/09/07)
• Episode 24: Hikaru Hanazono/Tori Takishima (2008/09/14)

Related works and special programs

A special program called "S.A. Special A Special: Don't you need to do your homework? Nii-san?" was broadcast as a related work to "S.A. Special A." In this special program, the appeal of the work and the characters were introduced before the broadcast, which played a role in raising the expectations of the viewers.

Character Details

Each character in "S.A. Special A" has their own unique and attractive background. Below are details about the main characters.

• Hikaru Hanazono : A hyper energetic and ultra insensitive girl. Carrying the humiliation of her childhood in her heart, she rushes ahead with the goal of "defeating Takishima!" Takishima Sui calls her "Second Place-san," which ignites her competitive spirit.
• Takishima Sui : The eldest son of the Takishima Group, he is a perfect superhuman. He is the top student in his grade and is perfect in sports, studies, and everything else, but he is on a losing streak in love with Hikaru, who is ultra-insensitive.
• Toudou Akira : Daughter of an airline company president who is crazy about Hikaru. Ranked 6th in her grade. She loves tea time and girls.
• Kano Sora : The son of the school's chairman, who is simple and easygoing. Ranked 5th in his grade. He likes the sweets made by Akira, and is also the one who gets beaten up by the SA.
• Me Yamamoto : Daughter of a famous music producer and a talented vocalist, ranked 4th in her grade. All conversations are done by writing on a sketchbook. When she sings...
• Jun Yamamoto : The son of a famous music producer and a genius vocalist, he is ranked third in his grade.
• Ryu Tsuji : Ranked 7th in the class for animal liking. Son of a sports manufacturer's president. He is strangely fond of the twin duo Megumi and Jun.
• Yahiro Saika : He attended Kuroizumi Academy and is the son of a large conglomerate that controls the school through large donations. He attended Hakusenkan Academy until kindergarten, then spent time overseas and attended Kuroizumi Academy after returning to Japan.
• Sakura Ushikubo : The daughter of Ushikubo Pharmaceuticals, who attends Kuroizumi Academy. She absolutely cannot tolerate lies. She is extremely weak for Jun, who is her potential "prince" husband.
• Akira Takishima : President of the Takishima Group (Father of Sui), 35 years old with a baby face. He loves professional wrestling, and as fellow wrestling fans, he and Hikaru exchange moves as a form of greeting.
• Hajime Kakei : A third-year student in class A at Hakusenkan Academy High School. He is the student council president, but he is not very popular and his presence is barely noticeable due to his long hospital stay.
• Midori Takishima : A student in class 6B of the Hakusenkan Academy Elementary School. She felt a wall between her and her older brother (Sui) and disliked him, but after meeting Hikaru, her affections are now exploding.
• Aoi Ogata : A direct subordinate of the chairman of the Takishima Group (Suisan's grandfather). He is very talented and has respected Suisan since he was a child.

Evaluation and Impressions

"S.A. Special A" has been highly praised as a school comedy. In particular, the efforts and growth of the main character, Hanazono Hikaru, and his relationship with Takishima Sui left a strong impression on viewers. Hikaru's determination to push forward toward his goal of "defeating Takishima" has touched many viewers and taught them the importance of hard work. In addition, the personalities, friendships, and romances of the other characters also enrich the story and are elements that draw viewers in.

The animation is also of a high standard, and the character designs, background art, music, etc. all bring out the charm of the original work. In particular, the theme songs and insert songs not only add to the atmosphere of the story, but also play an important role in expressing the emotions of the characters.

Recommendations and how to watch

"S.A. Special A" is recommended for those who like school comedies and youth stories. It is especially perfect for those who want to enjoy stories that depict effort and growth, friendship and romance. You can also enjoy following the relationships and growth of the unique characters.

You can watch it by purchasing the DVD or Blu-ray, or by streaming video services. It is available on Bandai Channel and Amazon Prime Video, so you can watch it easily. Please try to experience the charm and excitement of this elite school life.