School Days is a Japanese anime television series based on the adult visual novel of the same name by 0verflow, which aired from July to September 2007.
The story centers on a tragic love triangle between the protagonist and two main heroines, leading to a shocking and violent conclusion.
The series follows Makoto Itō, a student at Sakakino Academy who develops a crush on Kotonoha Katsura, a girl he sees on his train commute.
After a classmate, Sekai Saionji, discovers his secret and helps bring them together, Makoto and Kotonoha officially start dating.
However, their relationship quickly becomes strained by mutual discomfort and miscommunication.
As Makoto grows distant from Kotonoha, he begins to develop feelings for Sekai, who finds herself unable to suppress her own hidden affection for him.
The two eventually begin a sexual relationship, pushing Makoto into a spiral of promiscuity with other female students.
In the final arc, Sekai announces her pregnancy in public, causing Makoto to become isolated at school.
When he later reconciles with Kotonoha, a distraught and enraged Sekai stabs him to death.
Upon discovering his body, a mentally shattered Kotonoha murders Sekai in an act of revenge.
The finale shows Kotonoha drifting away on a boat, holding Makoto’s severed head, while an epilogue depicts the school returning to an eerie sense of normalcy.
Makoto Itō (voiced by Daisuke Hirakawa)
Initially a shy boy, his character shifts dramatically as he becomes ruled by sexual impulses, ultimately leading to his own destruction.
Sekai Saionji (voiced by Shiho Kawaragi)
She starts as a supportive friend but becomes overwhelmed by her love for Makoto, driving the story towards its tragic end.
Kotonoha Katsura (voiced by Tae Okajima)
The primary victim of betrayal and bullying, she endures immense suffering and eventually descends into complete mental breakdown.
Setsuna Kiyoura (voiced by Kei Imoto)
Sekai's close friend who tries to control the escalating chaos, but her interventions often make things worse.
Otome Katō (voiced by Haruka Nagami)
She becomes physically involved with Makoto but eventually distances herself in disappointment as he sinks deeper into depravity.
Hikari Kuroda (voiced by Ryouko Tanaka)
A girl who scolds Makoto for his behavior but ends up having a brief sexual encounter with him as well.
Nanami Kanroji (voiced by Chiaki Takahashi)
Originally an antagonist to Kotonoha, her own reputation is ruined when a secret recording of her role-playing session is exposed publicly.
Taisuke Sawanaga (voiced by Yoshirou Matsumoto)
A male friend of Makoto, who rapes Kotonoha in a side plot before being completely rejected by her.
Otome's Followers (Minami Obuchi, Natsumi Koizumi, Kumi Mori)
They help bully Kotonoha but later pursue their own sexual experiences with Makoto, accelerating his fall.
Kokoro Katsura (voiced by Ashiro Megu)
Kotonoha's cheerful younger sister who appears in lighter moments and the OVA spin-offs.
The production team at TNK, led by director Keitaro Motonaga, deliberately aimed for a shocking narrative rather than a happy resolution.
Series composition was handled by Makoto Uezu, while character designs were refreshed by Junji Gotō to give a more mature, voluptuous look.
The series aired on several Japanese UHF stations, but the final episode was pulled from terrestrial broadcast due to its violent content coinciding with a real-life murder case.
This cancellation led to the broadcast of a scenic boat video, which spawned the internet meme “Nice boat.”
The meme became so popular that 0verflow officially adopted it for their promotional booth at Comiket 73.
In 2011, a complete, R-18 rated streaming of the uncut DVD version on Nico Nico Douga attracted over 250,000 viewers.
The anime has received polarizing reviews—praised for its subversive take on high school romance and criticized for its unlikable characters and deeply unsettling plot.
OVA Episodes
"Valentine Days" is a special episode included with the PS2 game, presenting a lighthearted, parallel-world scenario.
The girls gather at a hot spring and later engage in a comical battle over giving chocolate to Makoto.
"Magical Heart ☆ Kokoro-chan" is a comedic spin-off featuring Kokoro Katsura as a magical girl.
She, along with other characters, forms the "Radish Mobile Force" to battle zombies and the villainous Doctor S, who is actually Setsuna in disguise.
The OVA is packed with inside jokes, including a direct nod to the "Nice boat." meme.
Novels and Radio
A light novel titled "School Days -TV Anime- Innocent Blue" retells the anime story from the perspectives of Sekai and Kotonoha, revealing their inner thoughts.
An internet radio show, "Radio School Days," ran for 40 episodes, hosted by Shiho Kawaragi and Tae Okajima, featuring guest appearances by the main voice cast.
Mobile Game
A mobile mahjong game, "School Days Mahjong," was released in 2008.
It features a "yandere gauge" that fills up when the player is in an unfavorable position, leading to a "Fatal Finish" system if activated.
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