Gakuen Alice
Encyclopedia
, also known as Alice Academy, is a Japanese manga
series written and illustrated by Tachibana Higuchi
, currently being serialized in the shōjo
manga magazine Hana to Yume
. It was adapted into an anime
series produced by Aniplex
and Group TAC
which originally premiered on NHK
BS-2. It spanned twenty-six episodes, between October 30, 2004, and May 14, 2005. The anime was translated and dubbed into English
by the anime television network Animax and broadcast on networks throughout Asia
. At Anime Expo
2008, The Right Stuf International
announced that its Nozomi Entertainment division had licensed Gakuen Alice for the North American market.
between Mikan, Ruka, and Natsume unresolved; Mikan remains oblivious to the other two's feelings. The mystery of Mikan's parents and family history, along with others' past, remains unrevealed. In the first episode, she does not catch a taxi to Alice Academy, nor does everyone know about Alices in the anime. Many of these differences may be due to the fact that the anime has had only one season, while the manga continued. The anime does not reveal the intents of the Elementary Principal or with other antagonists.
, across from a huge gorilla billboard in the anime. The school grounds contain three levels of education (elementary through senior high), dormitories for the different sections, a hospital, the main building, and the central town, where shops managed by Alice-bearing artisans sell goods produced with the help of their Alices.
Four forests surround the grounds. The Northern Woods are the most visited and is home to "Mr. Bear," an animated doll made by an alice at the school.
In the anime, the Academy has its own monetary system, the Rabbit (Rt), with one Rabbit equivalent to 100 yen. However, in the manga, the Academy uses yen as their primary currency.
Due to constant threat by kidnappers and slave traders, vocal and written communication is limited to within the Academy. The grounds are closely guarded, and heavy security and electrified fences deter students from attempting to leave.
High-scoring students in the Final Examinations receive perks such as free meal tickets, certifications, and money. These high-scoring students also qualify for a chance to receive the "Best Student Award," which allows the students to be permitted a week-long leave to go home to be with family.
Each star ranking has its own monthly allowance rate:
If a person wearing one of these disobeys a higher-up, he or she is immediately punished with a pulsating electric shock throughout the body. When wearing a control mask normally, electric waves go through the head and cause the wearer to have a horrible headache.
Only the one who has placed the control device on the wearer can remove the device.
Alice stones are created when an Alice concentrates his or her feelings and emotions and the outflow of Alice creates a stone. The only exception to this method is the Stealing Alice, in which the Alice is completely removed from the body of the original possessor.
, the chapters of Gakuen Alice are published in the Japanese manga anthology Hana to Yume
by Hakusensha
and are collected in tankōbon
. Twenty-four volumes have been released as of May 2011.
Gakuen Alice was licensed for an English-language release in North America by Tokyopop
before the company shut down. Sixteen volumes were published. This title is currently available to be licensed.
. The episodes started airing in Japan on October 20, 2004, and ran until the finale on May 14, 2005.
The series uses two pieces of theme music. The opening theme, Pikapika no Taiyou (Shining Sun), is performed by Kana Ueda
, the protagonist's voice actress. The ending theme, Shiawase no Niji (Rainbow of Happiness), is performed by Kana Ueda and Rie Kugimiya
.
The entire series was released as a five DVD Japanese language only set in North America on July 7, 2009.
An official fanbook was published in May 2007. There was also a special fanbook titled Pika Pika SP Fanbook released as a furoku in Hana to Yume magazine.
Three drama CDs were broadcast on a web radio. On January 18, 2006, Sony Music Entertainment
released the first drama CD.
in Japan. There is also a Game Boy Advance
game that has also only been released in Japan called Gakuen Alice ~Doki Doki Fushigi Taiken~. On April 19, 2007, a Nintendo DS game called Gakuen Alice: Waku Waku Happy Friends was released in Japan.
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
series written and illustrated by Tachibana Higuchi
Tachibana Higuchi
is a Japanese manga artist known for her works of Gakuen Alice and M to N no Shōzō.In year 1996, she first made her professional debut in Bessatsu Hana to Yume's 5th issue, entitled ....
, currently being serialized in the shōjo
Shojo
The term refers to manga marketed to a female audience roughly between the ages of 10-18. The name romanizes the Japanese 少女 , literally: "little female". Shōjo manga covers many subjects in a variety of narrative and graphic styles, from historical drama to science fiction — often with a strong...
manga magazine Hana to Yume
Hana to Yume
is a semi-monthly Japanese shōjo manga magazine published by Hakusensha.The magazine is published on the 4th and 22nd of every month. It is often nicknamed as among the readers...
. It was adapted into an anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series produced by Aniplex
Aniplex
, formerly known as Sony Pictures Entertainment Visual Works Inc. and Sony Music Entertainment Visual Works Inc., is a Japanese anime and music production and distribution enterprise owned by Sony Music Entertainment Japan and established in January 1997...
and Group TAC
Group TAC
Group TAC was a Japanese animation and computer graphics studio located in Shibuya, Tokyo, and founded in 1968. They have worked on movies, videos, TV shows, and commercials, and have contributed to all stages of the process, including planning, production, sound effects, and so on...
which originally premiered on NHK
NHK
NHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
BS-2. It spanned twenty-six episodes, between October 30, 2004, and May 14, 2005. The anime was translated and dubbed into English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
by the anime television network Animax and broadcast on networks throughout Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. At Anime Expo
Anime Expo
Anime Expo, abbreviated AX, is an American anime convention held in Los Angeles, California and organized by the non-profit Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation . With rare exceptions, the convention is traditionally held on the July 4th weekend and lasts for four days...
2008, The Right Stuf International
The Right Stuf International
The Right Stuf International, Inc. is an American retailer based in Grimes, Iowa that markets and distributes anime and manga-related products throughout the United States and internationally...
announced that its Nozomi Entertainment division had licensed Gakuen Alice for the North American market.
Plot
Mikan Sakura is an orphaned ten-year-old that lives in a small town in the remote countryside. Her best friend Hotaru starts to attend a prodigy school in Tokyo and uses the money she collects to save their school from closing down. Soon, Mikan runs away from home and follows her, and she finds Hotaru in Alice Academy, a school for children with special powers called Alices. She is discovered by Narumi, a teacher, and is identified as a holder of the rare Nullification Alice. Her friendship with Hotaru is rekindled, but she quickly becomes disliked by her classmates. However, her classmates are eventually won over by her warm and optimistic demeanor. Although she becomes rivals with Natsume, they grow close to each other and fall in love. Her happy adventures in the academy come to an end when she discovers that the Elementary School Principal is not well-meaning at all and is out to get not only her but her family and friends.Differences between manga and anime
The anime episodes are similar to the corresponding manga chapters, but some events are changed or combined. There are events after the Alice Festival added in that did not occur in the manga. The manga's darker tones (graphic violence, blood, and the deaths of Yuka and Izumi) are left out in the anime to suit younger viewers. Characters in the anime may have different hair and eye color than their manga counterparts. The anime series leaves the love triangleLove triangle
A love triangle is usually a romantic relationship involving three people. While it can refer to two people independently romantically linked with a third, it usually implies that each of the three people has some kind of relationship to the other two...
between Mikan, Ruka, and Natsume unresolved; Mikan remains oblivious to the other two's feelings. The mystery of Mikan's parents and family history, along with others' past, remains unrevealed. In the first episode, she does not catch a taxi to Alice Academy, nor does everyone know about Alices in the anime. Many of these differences may be due to the fact that the anime has had only one season, while the manga continued. The anime does not reveal the intents of the Elementary Principal or with other antagonists.
Setting
The Gakuen Alice is located somewhere in TokyoTokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, across from a huge gorilla billboard in the anime. The school grounds contain three levels of education (elementary through senior high), dormitories for the different sections, a hospital, the main building, and the central town, where shops managed by Alice-bearing artisans sell goods produced with the help of their Alices.
Four forests surround the grounds. The Northern Woods are the most visited and is home to "Mr. Bear," an animated doll made by an alice at the school.
In the anime, the Academy has its own monetary system, the Rabbit (Rt), with one Rabbit equivalent to 100 yen. However, in the manga, the Academy uses yen as their primary currency.
Due to constant threat by kidnappers and slave traders, vocal and written communication is limited to within the Academy. The grounds are closely guarded, and heavy security and electrified fences deter students from attempting to leave.
High-scoring students in the Final Examinations receive perks such as free meal tickets, certifications, and money. These high-scoring students also qualify for a chance to receive the "Best Student Award," which allows the students to be permitted a week-long leave to go home to be with family.
Alice type
- : Latent Alices are the most common in the school, and involve powers connected to ESP abilities. This is the most well-documented class. Examples: TeleportationTeleportationTeleportation is the fictional or imagined process by which matter is instantaneously transferred from one place to another.Teleportation may also refer to:*Quantum teleportation, a method of transmitting quantum data...
and Telekinesis. - : Technical Alice types appear when the individual performs a certain activity, such as cooking, drawing, etc. The Alices in this type are based on technology and research fields. Examples: Plant Manipulation, Invention and Cooking.
- : Unlike other classes, this type manifests itself physically. The Somatic Alices are based on the bodies of humans, animals, and other living things, and appear in the form of a pheromone or physical ability. Examples: Super Speed and Human Pheromone.
- : This class is for students with Alices that do not fit easily into any of the other three classes. Their powers are different and the class is mixed. Some of the rarest Alices belong to this class. Examples: Amplification Alice, DoppelgangerDoppelgängerIn fiction and folklore, a doppelgänger is a paranormal double of a living person, typically representing evil or misfortune...
Alice, NullificationNullificationNullification may refer to:* Nullification , a legal theory that a U.S. State has the right to nullify, or invalidate, any federal law that a state has deemed unconstitutional....
Alice and Shadow Manipulation Alice. - : This is considered to be an extra type; the Alices in this class are so strong that they are a threat to the school. This class is very different from the others and could also be described as an occult. They are used by the elementary principal and Persona, and are used to perform secret missions for the school. There are also only six students in this class (not including Persona). Examples include the Mark of Death Alice, Ice Alice, Possession of Evil Spirits Alice, Insect-controlling Alice, Wind Alice, Curse Alice, and Fire Alice. Tsubasa and Mikan are the newest additions to the class. Mikan was moved into the class so the Elementary Principle could gain use of her Stealing Alice, but she does not take part in missions as the other students.
Alice shape
Every Alice is categorized as one of four shapes, which specify how it manifests itself in the person.- Childhood: The Alice disappears after the child starts to mature into an adult.
- Diffuse: The Alice is always available, but at a relatively low power level.
- Intermittent: The Alice can only be used for a short period at any time, but at a relatively high power level.
- Life-shortening: The Alice is very powerful and can be used as often and as much as desired, but the more often the Alice is used the more the user's body deteriorates and life span shortens, and eventually the user will die an early death.
Star-ranking
A star-ranking is the evaluation system that the Academy uses to judge a student's schoolwork, Alice level and attitude. There are five rankings, which are indicated by the number of gold stars on a student's collar. The star ranking a student is given dictates their accommodations, their food, their allowances, their responsibilities, and their ability to graduate.- No-Star: Students who are below average. This rank is reserved mainly for children, and is not enough to graduate beyond the Elementary School Division.
- Single: Students who are approximately average. Most of the students in the Elementary School Division have this rank. Required to graduate from the Elementary School Division.
- Double: Students who are above average, but still are not exceptionally advanced at either their studies or use of their Alice. Required to graduate from the Middle School Division.
- Triple: Students who are usually considered "overachievers" and tend to excel at their studies, use of their Alice, or both. Required to graduate from the High School Division.
- Special: Students who are considered the best of the best, signified by a label in the shape of a star enclosed in a circle (though rarely seen in the anime). Students of this rank excel tremendously in their Alice and, if they care, their studies. Also known as the "Principal students". There are four known Special star students in the school.
Each star ranking has its own monthly allowance rate:
- No-Star: 5 Rabbits (equal to about 500 yen or 5 US dollars)
- Single: 30 Rabbits (equal to about 3000 yen or 38 US dollars)
- Double: 50 Rabbits (equal to about 5000 yen or 64 US dollars)
- Triple: 100 Rabbits (equal to about 10000 yen or 129 US dollars)
- Special: 300 Rabbits (equal to about 30000 yen or 389 US dollars)
Control device
Control devices are specially designed prevention devices made for a particular person. These devices are worn on the head, hand, or other body part and can emit tracking signals. Each kind of device has sealing abilities that lock a person's Alice within the device. Other control devices are used for punishment purposes or Alice interference, such as the Cat Mask worn by Hyuuga Natsume and the bracelet worn by Nodacchi.If a person wearing one of these disobeys a higher-up, he or she is immediately punished with a pulsating electric shock throughout the body. When wearing a control mask normally, electric waves go through the head and cause the wearer to have a horrible headache.
Only the one who has placed the control device on the wearer can remove the device.
Alice Stones
Alice stones, are stones that contain a small, limited amount of Alice from the Alice maker. The stone will glow different colors depending on the Alice that the stone was made of. The person who receives the Alice stone will only be able to use it with a strong will power. When the user has an Alice that is compatible with the Alice stone, he or she is able to bring out more of the stone's power at one time. The power of the Alice stone decreases with use which is indicated by the fading of the stone color. The exchange of Alice stones between two people symbolizes that they are promised to each other, like promise rings.Alice stones are created when an Alice concentrates his or her feelings and emotions and the outflow of Alice creates a stone. The only exception to this method is the Stealing Alice, in which the Alice is completely removed from the body of the original possessor.
Mikan Sakura
The protagonist of the series. She is ten years old in the beginning and is currently twelve years old. She originally lived in the country with her adoptive grandfather until she left her home to search for her best friend, Hotaru, who had enrolled in Alice Academy. Mikan discovers that Alice Academy is a school for children with a unique ability called an "Alice". When she arrives at the academy, she does not believe that she is an Alice and had only came to see Hotaru again. However, Narumi, her teacher, believes that she is an Alice and has her enrolled into the school. She was accepted by her classmates with skepticism because she did not know what her Alice was at the time, but after a fight with Natsume, she finds out that she has the Nullification Alice. As the series progresses, she gains a lot of friends due to her cheerful and caring personality and becomes popular among her peers, despite her naivety and comical traits. Her friendship with Hotaru grows stronger, despite their constant fights. She is partners with Natsume, whom she constantly fights with but she later grows to care for him and falls in love with him. She was a No-Star at first because the teachers distrusted her, but she later becomes a Single Star. She also later finds out that she possess the Stealing Alice and partnered Insertion Alice. In chapter 101, she finds out that the High School Principal is her paternal uncle and her parents are Yuka Azumi, a member of Z who abandoned her as an infant to protect her from the academy and Izumi Yukihira, a teacher who was killed before she was born. She is the subject to unwanted attention from the Elementary School Principal, who wants her for her Stealing Alice.Hotaru Imai
Mikan's best friend. They met in the fourth grade when Hotaru transferred to Mikan's hometown and school. At first, Mikan did not like her due to her serious attitude. However, when they entered in a dance and singing contest together and won, Mikan decided to be her best friend, and were famous among their town. They fight constantly because of their opposing personalities. While Mikan is cheerful and outgoing, Hotaru is blunt and serious. Despite their frequent bickering, Mikan and Hotaru share a special bond that is as close as sisters. Hotaru does not think twice in hitting Mikan with one of her inventions, but she truly cares about her and likes seeing her smile, even to the point of making her cry because she thinks Mikan crying makes her smile cuter. She is the reason why Mikan came to the academy and is always defending her against bullies, even saying to them she is the only one allowed to make Mikan cry. She does have a sinister side by blackmailing other students with photos of them in embarrassing situations and selling them to her friends for money. She has a weird relationship with her older brother, Subaru, but she does love and care about him. There are hints that she likes Ruka. She has the Invention Alice and is a Triple Star.Natsume Hyuuga
The male protagonist of the series. He is introduced on Mikan's first day at the academy, when he attempted to escape. Afterwards, he threatened Mikan with his Alice and took off her skirt (he took off her underwear in the manga), which only started a hate relationship between the two for a while. Before coming to the academy, Natsume lived with his father and younger sister because his mother died in a car accident when he was young. He arrived at the academy at age 8, along with Ruka, his best friend. He has the Fire Alice and is the only Special Star in the Elementary Branch. He is a smart student, but often ditches class. He is feared and hated by many students and teachers because of his Alice and rebellious attitude, and he knows the intents of adults. He has many followers and admirers because of his rebellious acts, but he barely acknowledges them. He is forced to do secret missions for the Elementary Principle because Persona held his sister, Aoi, captive in the academy. He also suffers from a physical illness related to his Limitless Alice form, that damages his body whenever he uses his Alice and frequently goes to the hospital. Although he is cold and quiet, he truly cares about his friends and wishes to protect them, especially Ruka and later Mikan. At first, he found Mikan annoying, but he later grows fond of her. He falls in love with her and becomes willing to sacrifice his life to protect her.Luca Nogi
Natsume's best friend. Natsume met him when they were eight years old, when Natsume moved into Ruka's town and enrolled in his school. They immediately became friends because they both have Alices and are targeted by the academy. He is a very loyal friend to Natsume and later to Mikan. He came to the academy with Natsume after Natsume was falsely blamed for setting their town on fire and witnessed Natsume cry. He tries to defend Natsume against people who pick on him and accuse him of bad things, even though he feels he is a burden to Natsume. Despite their different personalities, they are very good friends and get along. While Natsume is cold and rude, Ruka is warm and pleasant. He later becomes good friends with Mikan after spending time with her and develops a crush on her. He and Natsume have a friendly rivalry over her, but he eventually decides to let go of his feelings for her because he knows that Mikan and Natsume love each other and that Natsume needs her the most. He remains good friends with them and wishes them for the best. He has the Animal Pheromone Alice and is a Triple Star.In the English-language release distributed in North America by Tokyopop, his name is romanized as Luca Nogi.
Manga
Written and illustrated by Tachibana HiguchiTachibana Higuchi
is a Japanese manga artist known for her works of Gakuen Alice and M to N no Shōzō.In year 1996, she first made her professional debut in Bessatsu Hana to Yume's 5th issue, entitled ....
, the chapters of Gakuen Alice are published in the Japanese manga anthology Hana to Yume
Hana to Yume
is a semi-monthly Japanese shōjo manga magazine published by Hakusensha.The magazine is published on the 4th and 22nd of every month. It is often nicknamed as among the readers...
by Hakusensha
Hakusensha
is a Japanese publishing company. It is headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo.The company mainly publishes manga magazines of various genres and is involved in certain series' productions in their games, original video animation, musical and their animated TV series....
and are collected in tankōbon
Tankobon
, with a literal meaning close to "independently appearing book", is the Japanese term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series , though the manga industry uses it for volumes which may be in a series...
. Twenty-four volumes have been released as of May 2011.
Gakuen Alice was licensed for an English-language release in North America by Tokyopop
Tokyopop
Tokyopop, styled TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa, and Western manga-style works. The existing German publishing division produces German translations of licensed Japanese properties and original English-language manga, as well...
before the company shut down. Sixteen volumes were published. This title is currently available to be licensed.
Anime
The 26 episode anime version of Gakuen Alice was directed by Takahiro OmoriTakahiro Omori
is a Japanese animation director and storyboard writer. He has directed many anime series, including Fancy Lala, Koi Kaze, Gakuen Alice, Hell Girl, Natsume's Book of Friends, Baccano!, and Durarara!!.- Filmography :1988...
. The episodes started airing in Japan on October 20, 2004, and ran until the finale on May 14, 2005.
The series uses two pieces of theme music. The opening theme, Pikapika no Taiyou (Shining Sun), is performed by Kana Ueda
Kana Ueda
is a Japanese Seiyū employed by I'm Enterprise. She is best known as the voices of Yumi Fukuzawa in Maria-sama ga Miteru, Rin Tohsaka in Fate/Stay Night and Hayate Yagami in Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha A's and Strikers...
, the protagonist's voice actress. The ending theme, Shiawase no Niji (Rainbow of Happiness), is performed by Kana Ueda and Rie Kugimiya
Rie Kugimiya
is a Japanese voice actress affiliated with I'm Enterprise.Kugimiya's most famous roles include Alphonse Elric in Fullmetal Alchemist, Happy in Fairy Tail, Kagura in Gintama, Nagi Sanzenin in Hayate no Gotoku!, Shana in Shakugan no Shana, Louise in Zero no Tsukaima, Taiga Aisaka in Toradora!, and...
.
The entire series was released as a five DVD Japanese language only set in North America on July 7, 2009.
Fanbook
CDs
A soundtrack for the series was released on March 2, 2005. A single of the opening theme and ending theme were also released.Three drama CDs were broadcast on a web radio. On January 18, 2006, Sony Music Entertainment
Sony Music Entertainment
Sony Music Entertainment ' is the second-largest global recorded music company of the "big four" record companies and is controlled by Sony Corporation of America, the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony Corporation....
released the first drama CD.
Video games
Gakuen Alice ~Kira Kira Memory Kiss~ was released on June 22, 2006, for the PlayStation 2PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
in Japan. There is also a Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
game that has also only been released in Japan called Gakuen Alice ~Doki Doki Fushigi Taiken~. On April 19, 2007, a Nintendo DS game called Gakuen Alice: Waku Waku Happy Friends was released in Japan.
External links
- Aniplex's official website for Gakuen Alice
- NHK's official website on Gakuen Alice
- Animax India's official website for Gakuen Alice
- Official Gakuen Alice ~Kira Kira Memory Kiss~ Playstation 2 Game Homepage
- Enoki Films USA official website for Gakuen Alice
- Right Stuf/Nozomi's Official Gakuen Alice Website