Are the schools in Japan the same as the schools in anime? Most Japanese animations, despite presenting a lot of fantasy and exaggeration, often show a real scenario of life in Japan. School animes are a very popular genre that depicts what life is like for a student in Japan. Most school animes present the same characteristics that seem even clichéd.
Anime really accurately depicts what Japanese schools are like and the personality of the students. In this article, we will examine points and clichés that really exist in real schools in Japan. We will also see some small differences and details of the schools and some references that may be recommendations for you.
Table of Contents
Where do anime schools get it right?
Clubs – The first thing we notice in anime schools is the existence of clubs that involve various categories such as sports, reading, and even games and IT. In most animes, the main characters participate in clubs,
Festivals and Events – Those games you find in anime where people ride on top of each other and compete really exist and are called Undokai. Schools also hold other open festivals, where students have the opportunity to run a Maid Café or Cosplay.
Shoes – In Japanese schools, there are lockers for you to put your sneakers and wear the traditional shoes to walk around the school and keep it clean.
Senpai and Kouhai – This doesn’t only happen in anime; there is indeed a relationship between students of different grades, especially when they are friends, they end up using these terms to call each other. Senpai is like an experienced senior who helps you, and Kouhai is a freshman.
Westminster Chime – This is the name of the famous and nostalgic bell that rings in schools in Japan. In almost all school animes, we end up hearing this sound.
Ijime: Bullying – People think that animes only show good things in Japanese schools, but in reality, they do not. Animes really show all kinds of things that happen in a school, including Ijime. Not only anime, various dramas based on manga also focus on this theme.
Some animes like GTO (Great Teacher Onizuka) show cases of ijime that even led to suicide attempts, and this unfortunately happens in Japan. And there, even girls end up ijime-ing some boys.
Other characteristics of schools
Snacks – In most schools, it is prohibited to eat processed and industrialized foods; the most you find are juice and soda machines. Animes present this well, with the famous obento (lunch boxes) and beverage purchases during lunch at school.
All-girls schools – There are girls’ schools in Japan. There have been cases where these schools started allowing enrollment for both sexes, as happened in the anime Maid-Sama. Imagine how happy the first boys must have been.
Entrance exams – The last school year really pressures students to study like crazy to pass the entrance exam, the most important test of their lives. Just like in anime, they take preparatory courses, teachers conduct career tests, provide support, etc.
School trips – Students’ trips in real life are impressive, just like in anime. They really travel to other islands like Okinawa, go to distant provinces, and visit various tourist spots in the country. Some schools even organize trips to other countries like Korea.
Things from school animes that are not entirely real!
Colored hair – Although Japan is quite liberal regarding fashion and appearance, it is uncommon to find students with different and exotic hair colors. Some schools even prohibit certain hairstyles and hair colors.
The skirts are not short – In anime, most girls wear short skirts on their thighs, and indeed, girls in Japan also wear very short skirts… The reality is that the skirts themselves are not extremely short; girls shorten their skirts to be above the knee, most often outside of school. Girls tend to do this to attract attention, and anime authors ended up using this cliché to catch the male audience’s attention. Some schools are strict regarding this matter and do not usually allow certain alterations to the uniform and even to appearance.
School rooftop – Almost all the school animes we watch show students on the school rooftop. This is not allowed in a large number of schools in Japan, but many end up breaking this rule. Why are there so many scenes on school rooftops? Manga and anime artists often use the school rooftop to present beautiful scenery or to create scenes that require the characters to be isolated.
Grades – We see in some animes the display of students’ grades in class; this can indeed happen, but not in all schools. In most cases, the best students are rewarded, but in secret.
Student council – Animes often present the student council as the head of the school. The council helps teachers plan festivals, events, and other important things for the class and school, but they do not usually have the power that animes show.
Schools in Japan or anime? Conclusion!
Although animes accurately depict Japanese school life, they exaggerate most things, present various things that are prohibited, and break school rules, in addition to exaggerating the animation and joy of the students. The reality is that Japanese school is much stricter, but they are like any other school. They are there to study, follow rules, make friends, fall in love, cause trouble, etc. Just like us, many of them do not like going to school and studying… I myself during my trip found several students skipping class.
Below I will leave a list of school animes that I recommend for you to get to know Japanese schools better:
- Toradora;
- Another;
- K-On;
- Suzumiya Haruhi;
- Hyouka;
- Kimi ni todoke;
- Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Comedy wa Machigatteiru;
- Kokoro Connect;
- Great Teacher Onizuka (GTO);
- Gin no Saji;
- Angel Beats!
- Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo;
It is unnecessary for me to say that in real life, boys do not accidentally fall on girls’ chests. Nor that monsters, massacres, magical girls, strange creatures, time travelers, and paranormal beings appear at school. I hope you enjoyed it? Is there anything to add? Leave your comments.
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