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Is this sexy enough for you? |
Expectations & Ecchi Anime:
Ah. Where to begin? I’ll start from the beginning. Back when the manga first started several years ago, I would constantly see panels and full-spreads of these ridiculously ecchi scenes that just made me cringe and think “What’s happened to manga? Who even reads this garbage?”. Rinse and repeat for several years, seeing snippets of the source material through reaction images and forum discussions. All I knew was Prison School was about girls being abusive and attractive and the boys being taken advantage of in a series of ridiculous events. As it turns out, I wasn’t too off the mark.
The thing is, I’m not the target audience here – I’ve grown to detest ecchi anime by principle, since they’re usually a lazy excuse for mindless titillation (you can throw LN action-fantasy-school-harem anime into that bundle as well). I’m not one of those who’d watch a series just to see boobs and butts and girls in ‘sexy’ poses; even if I was attracted to girls I don’t imagine it’d be my thing. All that considered, when I heard this was getting an anime adaptation, I just ignored it, up until I had to preview it. I looked more into it, and decided I may give it a shot just for the hell of it, but expected to hate it with a passion. The truth? I loved it. In fact, Prison School was one of the best anime of the summer season, and that’s something I never thought I’d be saying.
Outrageous Antics & Equally Outrageous Characters:
It’s difficult for me to wrap my head around everything that went down in these 12 episodes, and try to summarise it all. It was certainly fast paced, which worked in its favour – there was not a second of boredom, where nothing was happening. Characters were constantly embroiled in some antic or attempt to escape, or we were finding out what makes them tick. I’ve heard that they apparently zoomed through the manga, but the fast pace definitely worked in the anime’s favour. I suspect if you were to go back to the source material, there’s be more ‘in between’ moments and the pacing might be slightly different. Clearly, they wanted to get to the best parts as quick as possible, and that absolutely paid off. Right from the start when the boys were peeping on the girls, my sides were splitting. Of course, I’m uncomfortable with the implications of that scene (and many others) but everything is so over the top that I can’t even begin to properly critique it.
Most of Prison School’s success stems from its ridiculously outrageous moments – those that I thought were mindlessly ecchi and served to titillate the target audience. And while I’m sure a chunk of people got off to all the near nip slips, panty shots, and ridiculous outfits (behind all the censor bars), I don’t think there was anything remotely sexy about Prison School. Because it took the ecchiness to a whole new level, it was mainly gross, unsightly, and absolutely hilarious. And the reaction shots to those moments were just as entertaining as the acts themselves, and that’s what made it so fulfilling to watch.
Every episode was a roller coaster of moments, one after the other, whether it was Kiyoshi dressing up as a girl to get out the school gates, Gakuto getting a stick shoved up his ass, or shitting himself in front of a class of girls, or having a sweaty dominant woman sitting on their faces, or Hana fly kicking them in the face, turning them into a bloody mess. It was all so far-fetched and unsightly that I couldn’t help but keep watching. It also helped that it only got better as went. It would have been very easy for Prison School to peak early on and then become much of the same thereafter, but it managed to surpass itself each week, to the point where by the end I was left thinking “How much further can it go?”. However, I suspect it’s only just beginning.
If I had to pick my favourite ‘moment’ of the series it would have to be the closed-room interaction between Kiyoshi and Hana. All of the characters bring something unique, but I think it’s indisputable that Hana is the star of the show. At first, I thought Meiko and her ridiculously skimpy outfits were going to be the show-stealer, but it was Hana that shone in the end. There’s a clear divide the boys and girls of the cast, each with their own quirks and likeable traits, but there was always a barrier between the two – however, Hana continuously overstepped that imaginative line. She was out-of-order in her actions, her motives were utterly impure, and although disgusting (if I put too much thought towards it), her scene with Kiyoshi in the penultimate episodes was the pinnacle of what makes Prison School so enjoyable and unforgettable.
That Kiss Scene & Turning the Tables:
I remember just gaping at the screen when both Kiyoshi and Hana had taken their underwear off and were staring at each other in the storeroom. Kiyoshi had his cock covered with a plastic bottle, and Hana was insisting she witness him piss into it. Her obsession with getting back at him is what caused this moment to escalate beyond my wildest imagination. The Medusa, the fact that Chiyo was a few feet away, and the kiss. It was so uncomfortable and unbelievable, and it pushed Hana over the edge. Seeing Kiyoshi fight back with a more passionate kiss (all whilst popping a boner)… it was just overwhelming. And of course, the faces that Hana made were hilarious; it was a serious challenge to choose which one to use for the Snapshot screencap. What a moment it was. I’ll remember it for many years to come.
But in the end, it all worked out for the boys. Their plan was wonderfully executed, and we saw that the tables have turned. The positions of power have been flipped, and if we ever get a second season (which seem likely, given the introduction of new characters in the last few minutes), I’ll be sure to check it out. I can’t wait to see what happens now, if only to witness how much further Prison School can go before I have to tag out and admit defeat. I’d like to see if Hana develops real romantic feelings for Kiyoshi, and how that would shift/ruin the character dynamics that were developed this season. Who knows, I may even have to blog it if we get another season. I’m bummed that I was too busy and had to miss out of this one, but in my defence, I never expected to enjoy it as much as I did.
All I can say is, you ain’t seen nothing yet, dem recent manga chapters…
Oh right. I wondered why this wasn’t covered here.
it’s too hardcore to be covered weekly in RC. but i love it anyway
The first episode was covered…
I want a second season real bad. My favorite show of the summer season.
Didn’t really like the type of humor/ecchi presented in Prison School, gave both the manga and the anime a chance but it really turned me off, probably a mix of the serious art-style mixed with the over-the-top ridiculous situations (sometimes to the point of being gross) and the lack of an actual goal or end game to the whole thing (specially when i didn’t like any of the characters specially the males i’m supposed to root for).
On the other hand i did enjoy Shimoneta a lot, and it’s interesting that we got two series which are ecchi/comedy and deal with much more mature stuff than just typical brainless fan-service, for me i really enjoyed the themes and jokes of Shimoneta and felt their struggle against the prudent moral police, i found the two main characters to be likable and could very easily root for them, i guess it’s a matter of taste after all.
I heard Prison’s mangaka wrote the manga as revenge for readers not accepting his more artistic, surreal manga, “Me and the Devil Blues”, a fictional account of the life of 20th century American blues singer Robert Johnson.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Johnson
https://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=453
his revenge became bigger success than what he meant to take revenge for, sounds 2015 alright.
Too lewd.
😉
Prison School is in a category of it’s own and I’m now just wondering when we’ll see something that can top this, if ever. Definitely AOTS for me and so far, AOTY as well.
The way it manages to tell a good story by using the hardcore fanservice, not merely shoehorning some random story as an excuse to offer fanservice, or having some fanservice because the producers feel that the story isn’t interesting enough to keep the audience interested. It’s certainly not for everyone and that’s a good thing. I’d never want to see the mangaka place any restriction on himself in order for this to cater to a larger audience – I hear both anime & the manga are fairly popular anyway.
What I feared early on after blazing through the manga immediately after watching the 1st ep, which was that without the slow build-up of the manga that build’s tension for the reader because events are spread through several chapters, was more than compensated by the all-star VA cast, perfectly suited for each role, and the soundtrack, IMO. It’s clear that J.C. Staff poured all their love into Prison School.
A great way to end things off as well, even if we’re not gonna get a 2nd season. But what am I saying here, we HAVE TO get a 2nd season. Can’t go teasing us with Kate & crew & even hiring a VA for her like that. Prison School’s Andrenomics & Ouroboros need to be shown to the world, among other things.
best anime this summer. so guys, is there any possibility for 2nd season ? and estimation of the airing date if there’s a possibility ?
I think if they do a Season 2, it won’t be until the Summer/Fall 2016 season at the earliest. There’s no way it’d appear in Spring 2016.
“show me your peeing.
now i pee on you.”
…..what kind of cartoon is this?
Cartoon is more for Kids, Anime is not bound to this Rule. It can be for Kids or for Adults
and this one here, even please the fetish lovers
The peeing thing shocked me a bit. I went into this show knowing nothing about the manga and found myself going WTF at some of those scenes lol.
prison school is aku no hana: explicit version; that’s why it seems different than your usual ecchi anime. The show uses sex as a way to create conflict and tension throughout the series but what truly makes prison school thematically similar to aku no hana is that it explores that awkward stage in your teenage years when you start to become more sexually aware to which all of main cast go through it some shape or form. Obviously it’s not doing that with the sophistication of aku no hana, but it still touches on that subject, something that i dont see a lot of viewers pick up on. Take hana for example; she claims to be out for revenge for kiyoshi seeing her pee, but i think she’s actually developed a fetish for seeing pee/being peed on. Hana is still wet behind the ears when it comes to sexual matters and as such, all this must be confusing for her so she acts awkwardly, resulting to violence and reprehensible tactics as a way to mask the fact that she really is new to this sudden curiosity she has attained. All our characters are learning how to handle the awkwardness of high school years and this manga has found a way to display that through hilariously over the top situations
Prison school is top-tier comedy. People misjudge it because they think it’s braindead fanservice trash, but Samu isn’t the only one who has been surprised that underneath the superficial sexiness there lies a great comedy.
Do yourself a favor and read the manga, you won’t regret it. It’s genius.
Best anime character of the summer season? Hana. Period.
The reason i started reading the manga was a friend who send me some images (not ecchi ones) and they were so awesome that i just starting reading, and i could’t stop.
I mean, look at this:
http://a.mhcdn.net/store/manga/9266/068.0/compressed/kprisonschool_c068_-_p001_utopia.jpg?v=1372986125
And the “plot” was good, the characters are even better, and the actual plot in all it’s crazyness is pretty good.
Hana besto girl.
My thoughts exactly! Great review Samu!
Prison School is definitely an anime that works quite well as long as you don’t take it too seriously. The outrageous situations involving the five boys and/or the Underground Student Council are what make this show totally funny and enjoyable to watch. (And I shouldn’t neglect to mention Chairman Kurihara–may his derriere fetish continue to prosper.) At the same time, I couldn’t help but want to root for the five to take one last stab at freedom–that goes double for Kiyoshi and Shingo, so they could get together with their respective love interests. And gain freedom they do.
But with the introduction of the Official/Aboveground Student Council, I can’t wait to see how their entry will change things… Manga spoiler ahead:
Show Spoiler ▼
P.S.: I laughed a little more than I should at Kiyoshi giving the nickname “Medusa” to Hana’s…secret garden. Not because of it being a sexual/double entendre joke by itself, but because it reminded me of Bakemonogatari‘s Nadeko Sengoku (who also had a snake motif and was voiced by Kana Hanazawa–not to mention the whole “Relationship Voice Actor” thing with Kiyoshi’s seiyuu, Hiroshi Kamiya).
I thought this show was hilarious at times. The adult humor was well done in places.
Prison School, Rokka no Yuusha, Classroom Crisis, Gatchaman, Durarara!! and, of course, Gakkou Gurashi.
From the action-fantasy show that was actually a locked room mystery to the cute girls in high school that was actually a zombie thriller, passing by the should-have-been porn that was actually awesome.
Really, this was the season of surprises and unexpected turns.
This show was intriguing, ecchi aside, it was fun and hilarious, very entertaining, that’s all I ask from an anime I watch for relaxation.
Never judge a book by its cover. The manga is “ecchi” but it’s not lewd just to be lewd, it’s all in service of the completely ridiculous hilarity the series somehow manages to keep pulling off perfectly. Hana continues to be a stand out character and the later stuff between her and Kiyoshi is one of the strangest, most ridiculous, and also wonderful things I’ve ever seen.
Whether there’s a season 2 or not I can’t recommend the manga enough, it just keeps managing to top itself. Also it has some incredibly good art.