Best Student Council

Gokujou Seitokai

Company type	Anime television series
Industry	Animation, Entertainment
Founded	April 2005
Founder	Konami
Headquarters	Japan
Area served	Japan, North America
Products	Anime, PlayStation 2 dating simulation game
Parent	Konami

is a Japanese anime series produced by Konami and animated by J.C.Staff, which was broadcast on TV Tokyo from April through September 2005. Konami also created a PlayStation 2 dating simulation game inspired by the anime. In North America, the DVD release was handled by ADV Films in 2007.

Plot

The narrative follows Rino Rando, who enrolls at Miyagami Private Academy following the death of her mother, motivated by encouragement from her enigmatic pen pal, Mr. Poppit. Soon after starting school, Rino becomes a member of the prestigious Best Student Council, a powerful organization that governs the academy with authority exceeding that of the faculty. Established by Kanade Jinguji to foster a student community free from conventional restrictions, this council grants its members benefits such as tuition waivers and accommodation.

Miyagami Private Academy is an all-female institution where the Best Student Council functions through four specialized units: Executive, Assault, Covert, and Vehicle Squads. Each member wields distinctive abilities or weapons—Rino’s signature tool is a hand puppet named Pucchan. The council’s full roster remains confidential except to its President, underscoring its exclusivity and influence.

Executive members

Rino is the protagonist who, on her initial day at school, attains the position of Secretary within the Best Student Council. Unlike her peers, she lacks extraordinary talents or exceptional intellect but compensates with a cheerful disposition and kindness. Kanade includes Rino in the council to ensure her protection. Rino frequently carries Pucchan, a hand puppet whose combat capabilities and unique "Burning" power validate her role in the council. As a member of the Jinguuji lineage, she inherits latent powers that eventually manifest by amplifying her voice across great distances. Her mother Chieri, once a candidate for succession within the Jinguuji family and renowned for possessing the strongest abilities, abandoned the family and concealed these facts from Rino. To safeguard her, Rino’s true surname likely remains undisclosed.

Towards the series’ conclusion, Pucchan is unveiled as Tetsuya Rando, Rino’s late older brother whose spirit inhabits the puppet through their mother’s power. Only individuals who place their hand inside Pucchan can hear his voice.

Kanade is both founder and executive director of Miyagami Private Academy, serving as president of the Best Student Council and designated heir to the Jinguuji conglomerate. She shows particular concern for Rino at the behest of Rino’s mother. Kanade possesses telepathic communication abilities and is later identified as Mr. Poppit, Rino’s mysterious pen pal. Her childhood aspiration to attend school inspired her to establish Miyagami Academy. Highly respected by all students—especially council members devoted to her—Kanade returns as director after completing her studies.

Nanaho acts as one of two vice presidents of the Best Student Council and leads the Assault Squad, wielding a yo-yo as her weapon. Although she presents a tomboyish image, she secretly enjoys feminine hobbies such as collecting stuffed animals. Initially doubtful about Pucchan’s magical nature, she eventually embraces it. An old acquaintance of Kanade’s, Nanaho protects and advises her out of personal loyalty rather than familial obligation linked to guarding the Jinguuji family. As the youngest among six brothers trained to protect Kanade, she resented this duty until Kanade liberated her from those responsibilities. Grateful for this freedom, Nanaho becomes Kanade’s most devoted confidante.

Kuon holds the role of second vice president and leads the Covert Squad. Throughout several episodes, it is revealed that she reluctantly serves as a spy assigned to investigate Jinguuji family secrets due to her father’s corporate connections with that organization. Caught between allegiance to her family’s business interests and loyalty to the Best Student Council, Kuon chooses to remain at Miyagami Academy after Kanade refuses to disclose sensitive information. Proficient in intelligence gathering and self-defense—capable of overpowering larger adversaries—Kuon is one-quarter non-Japanese through her paternal grandfather and hails from an affluent background.

Mayura functions as the accountant for the Best Student Council, overseeing financial matters under continuous stress. Often depicted using an abacus while working diligently, she finds it challenging to enforce budget limitations until an episode focuses on her personal affairs. The council intervenes in her relationship with an unreliable boyfriend, subsequently supporting Mayura by stabilizing budget concerns and acknowledging her contributions.

Assault Squad

The Assault Squad is responsible for maintaining the school's security by neutralizing dangers, guided by intelligence supplied from the Covert Squad.

Sayuri, the leading member of the Assault Squad, wields a wooden sword employing the Hida Kasseiryuu technique. A longtime friend of Rein, she was once celebrated as a prodigious swordswoman with an untainted Hida lineage. An incident in her past, which resulted in injuring a senior swordsman, continues to trouble her, prompting daily floral tributes. She experiences difficulty seeing clearly without her glasses and is known for her notably large bust, often a source of envy for Rein.

Rein, who has been friends with Sayuri since childhood, fights using playing cards. After her father vanished due to gambling debts, she was taken in by the Hida family. She enjoys both gambling and witty banter. Her nurturing side emerges when caring for an abandoned infant, reflecting her own experience with abandonment. Despite harboring resentment toward her absent father, she retains deep affection and frequently resorts to cheating to avoid losing.

Kaori engages in combat without weapons and shares classes with Rino and Ayumu. Unlike other council members, she resides off-campus with her siblings. She secretly harbors feelings for Kanade Jinguuji and feels jealousy toward Rino.

Covert Squad

The Covert Squad specializes in intelligence operations, including espionage and surveillance, as well as conducting background investigations on incoming students. Important members include Kuon Ginga and Seina Katsura, later joined by Kotoha Kutsugi and Ayumu Oume.

Seina leads the Covert Squad and is Minamo’s older sister. Although she carries the Jinguuji surname by birth, she lacks their supernatural abilities and has changed her last name. It is later revealed that she serves as chairman of V—a powerful organization overseeing the Jinguuji family—using this position to support Kanade. Seina is depicted as highly efficient and endlessly resourceful.

Kotoha stands out as the Covert Squad’s premier agent, proficient in shuriken throwing, hand-to-hand combat, and disguise tactics. Initially doubtful of Kuon’s leadership capabilities, she eventually accepts them after observing his tough decisions firsthand. Notably, she disguised herself as a caretaker to lead the Best Student Council to triumph in a futsal competition.

Ayumu, Rino’s closest friend and classmate, originates from the Oume ninja clan but left due to its strict regulations. She has a twin brother and briefly entertained a career in show business before rejecting it because of mandatory ninja attire requirements. Ayumu is also an active member of the Covert Squad.

Minamo is Seina’s younger sister who does not possess Jinguuji powers and suffers from a rare heart condition concealed behind playful antics. She initiates projects such as the Best Student Council card game and school theatrical productions but often pushes herself beyond health limits to avoid eliciting sympathy.

Maachi serves as the youthful landlord and caretaker of the Best Student Council at just 11 years old. Though not enrolled as a student, she takes pride in managing cooking and cleaning duties and is well-liked for her cheerful personality. In key storylines, investigations into Maachi’s occasional absences reveal that Kotoha sometimes impersonates her during events like futsal matches to help secure victories for the council.

Vehicle Squad

Cyndi is the only prominently featured member of the Vehicle Squad. She speaks a blend of English and Japanese using brief expressions such as "me too" and "roger." She refers to Kanade as "Boss" and shows romantic interest in Pucchan, who never rejects her despite others pointing out he is merely a puppet. Cyndi demonstrates keen awareness of her environment. In episode 25, she speaks fluent Japanese (English in the dubbed version), though it is revealed that initially she was discouraged by harsh criticism from her mother.

Production

The anime incorporates three distinct theme tracks: the opening theme performed by Yukari Tamura, the initial ending theme by Gokujou Seitokai Shikkoubu featured in episodes 1 through 13, and a second ending theme by Gokujou Seitokai Yuugeki and Sharyoubu used from episodes 14 to 26.

Gokujo Drama & Gokujo Soundtrack Vol. 1

1. Avant Title
2. Koi se yo Onna no Ko (TV size)
3. Gokujo Drama 'Gokujo Shuugakuryokou' Prologue ~Kaigi nite~
4. Haikei, Mister Puppet
5. Tsutaetai Koto
6. Aru asa no Hitokoma
7. Namida mo Kanashimi mo
8. Sono Yasashisa wo Mune ni
9. Gokujo Drama 'Gokujo Shuugakuryokou' Episode 1 ~Mottomo Kouka na Survival~
10. Chotto Matte!
11. Trouble Holiday
12. Shinkoku na Jitai
13. Rino to Pucchan
14. Gokujo Drama 'Gokujo Shuugakuryokou' Episode 2 ~Itsuka Bijou to Yajuu to Ouji-sama ga~
15. Kyokudai Kengen Hoyuu Saijoukyuu Seitokai
16. Guuzen to Hitsuzen
17. Mission -Activation-
18. Mission -Strain tail-
19. Chase and Fight!
20. Moshimo Anata ni Aeta nara
21. Gokujo Drama 'Gokujo Shuugakuryokou' Episode 3 ~Shika Senbei ni Ki wo Tsukero!~
22. Guuzen Tenshi (TV size)
23. Gokujo Drama 'Gokujo Shuugakuryokou' Epilogue ~Shuugakuryoku no Omoide~
24. Ichikawa Mayura Image Song 'ONLY PLACE'

Gokujo Drama & Gokujo Soundtrack Vol. 2

1. Avant Title
2. Gokujo Drama 'Gokujo Arbeit' Prologue ~Kinkyuujidai~
3. Shutsudou! -Gokujo Seitokai no Theme-
4. Kokage no Shita de
5. Uwasa Hanashi wa O-suki?
6. Sono Mune no Oku no Jijitsu
7. Nodoka na Hirusagari
8. Gokujo Drama 'Gokujo Arbeit' Episode 1 ~Sousama no Restaurant~
9. Oshaberi no Yukue
10. Ano Oka made Ikou
11. Todokanai Tooi Yume
12. Sorya nain janai!?
13. Itoshisa mo Yasashisa
14. Gokujo Drama 'Gokujo Arbeit' Episode 2 ~Wakana to Shitagi to Yasashii Yatsura~
15. Secret Maneuvers
16. A Tense Atmosphere
17. Be Active
18. Crisis!!
19. Sore wa Suteki na Ketsumatsu
20. Komorebi no Mukou ni
21. Happy, Love, and Delicious!!
22. Gokujo Drama 'Gokujo Arbeit' Episode 3 ~Rino yori, Ai wo Komete~
23. Koi Suru Miracle (TV Size)
24. Gokujo Drama 'Gokujo Arbeit' Epilogue ~Yosan no Yukue~
25. Izumi Kaori Image Song Precious Moment

Reception

Theron Martin from Anime News Network observed that the series tends to reuse familiar clichés but incorporates moments of wit and effective humor. He characterized the animation style as vibrant, cheerful, and appealing, despite inconsistencies in background artwork, and noted that the soundtrack complements the overall tone well. Martin concluded that although Negima is superior, this series still provides amusing and enjoyable segments through its recycled comedic elements.

Erica Friedman offered two separate reviews of the anime, describing it as "highly enjoyable" with meaningful content for yuri enthusiasts. She emphasized Izumi Kaori as the sole openly lesbian character amid more subtle implications elsewhere. In her follow-up critique, Friedman referred to the show as an ideal way to relax, commending its entertaining qualities along with unexpectedly hilarious scenes.

References

• Scott, Sheridan. "Best Student Council". (January 2007) Newtype USA. Volume 6, Number 1, page 149.

External links

• Konami official site
• TV Tokyo site