School-Live!

School-Live!

Industry	Manga publishing, Anime, Film
Founded	May 24, 2012 (2012-05-24)
Founder	Norimitsu Kaihō, Sadoru Chiba
Products	Manga series, anime television series, live-action film

Gakkou Gurashi! is a Japanese manga series created by writer Norimitsu Kaihō and artist Sadoru Chiba. It was serialized in Houbunsha's Manga Time Kirara Forward magazine from May 2012 through November 2019. The English language rights are held by Yen Press.

An anime television adaptation produced by Lerche was broadcast between July and September 2015. Additionally, a live-action film version debuted in January 2019.

Premise

Yuki Takeya, an upbeat high school student, belongs to the School Living Club at Megurigaoka Private High School, which includes members Kurumi Ebisuzawa, Yūri Wakasa, and Miki Naoki. While Yuki enjoys engaging in typical school events, the others focus on safeguarding her as they remain the last survivors following a zombie apocalypse that ravaged their city. Yuki has suppressed her memories of the catastrophe, living under the illusion that nothing has changed.

School Living Club

The core group consists of girls dedicated to surviving within their school environment.

Portrayed by Midori Nagatsuki in the live-action film

A lively and optimistic girl whose psychological breakdown causes her to fabricate a reality where the outbreak never happened. Over time, she begins to face the truth and aims to become more helpful to her companions.

Portrayed by Nanami Abe in the live-action adaptation

Sporting twin tails, she undertakes perilous tasks armed with a shovel she used to dispatch her zombified crush. After contracting the infection herself, she appears cured but exhibits residual zombie characteristics. She serves as the protagonist in the movie.

Portrayed by Wakana Majima in live action

The club’s president who oversees its activities and presents a strong leadership role despite fragile mental health. She believes she rescued her younger sister named Ruu, who is later revealed to be Yuki’s teddy bear.

Portrayed by Rio Kiyohara in the film

A member one year junior to the others, affectionately called "Mii-kun" by Yuki. Rescued from a shopping mall, she initially resists Yuki’s fabricated reality but gradually bonds with the group. In the movie, she joins Kurumi on hazardous missions wielding a nail picker as her weapon.

Portrayed by Nonoka Ono

The club’s faculty advisor who established the group to protect the girls amid the outbreak. She exists within Yuki’s delusion, having been infected and hiding until fully turning into a zombie. Her infection results in Kurumi being bitten before Megumi is euthanized.

A Shiba Inu puppy adopted as the club mascot who later becomes infected and is left outside. Retaining some memories, he attempts to return to their room. His role is expanded in the anime; after being cured of infection, he eventually dies due to weakness.

Megurigaoka Private High School

Miki’s close friend and classmate who was with her during the initial zombie outbreak. After being trapped inside a mall room, Kei grew restless and escaped. Later on, Miki believed she saw Kei as a zombie while departing for college.

A teacher at Megurigaoka Private High School responsible for instructing Yuki. Calm and kind-hearted, she was occasionally irritated by Yuki sleeping during lessons but remained patient. She valued discipline highly and became upset when classes were disrupted. Before the outbreak began, she was close friends with Megumi and spent her last moments warning her about the impending disaster.

A student who was close friends with Yuki before the outbreak, recognized for her calm yet playful nature. She cared deeply for Yuki and maintained good relationships with their mutual friends. Near the conclusion of the series, Takae appears as a zombie attentively listening when Yuki announces that classes have ended.

St. Isidore University

Situated close to the School-Live club, St. Isidore University serves as a vital facility outfitted with emergency food supplies, solar energy panels, and a designated evacuation shelter. Following the outbreak, the remaining students divided into two groups: the collaborative Circle and the militant faction known as the Militants.

Touko Deguchi (出口 桐子)

Leader of the university's Degeneracy Appreciation Society, commonly called the Circle, which consists of women opposing the Militants' severe survival approaches. She oversees leisure resources such as video games and films, having left the Militants due to their rigid policies, particularly their insistence on infection inspections.

Aki Hikarizato (光里 晶)

Former Militant turned Circle member who departed after observing Ayaka’s merciless delight in the apocalypse. Prior to the outbreak, she was a Liberal Arts student.

Hikako Kirai (喜来 比嘉子)

The Circle’s maintenance expert, known by the nickname Hika. An Engineering student expelled from the Militants for failing to eliminate a zombie independently. She is responsible for upkeep of the Circle’s premises.

Rise Ryougawara (稜河原 理瀬)

The group’s librarian and avid reader who seldom leaves the school library. She was also a Liberal Arts Major before events unfolded.

Shiiko Aosoi (青襲 椎子)

An older student conducting independent research on the infection. After a visit to Randal Corporation headquarters, she inferred a potential cure site but succumbed to infection before directly conveying this information. However, vital notes saved on her cellphone contributed significantly to halting the virus.

Takahito Tougo (頭護 貴人)

The Militants’ leader who imposes strict bodily infection screenings. Recognized for his grim attitude and wielding a nail bat. After being betrayed by Ayaka upon infection, he was killed to facilitate her escape.

Ayaka Kamimochi (神持 朱夏)

A composed yet ruthless Militant who takes pleasure in killing both zombies and humans. Proficient with crossbow and knife, she eliminates Takahito as a diversion to flee, seeking greater excitement beyond the university grounds.

Shinou Uhara (右原 篠生)

The primary zombie slayer among the Militants, known for her compassionate nature paired with deadly skill. She is close to fellow Militant Kougami and is possibly expecting a child. Prefers using short-range weapons such as an ice pick.

Renya Kougami (高上 聯弥)

A Militant operative nicknamed Ren who excels with a crossbow and partners closely with Shinou.

Takashige Shiroshita (城下 隆茂)

Another active member within the Militant faction.

Other characters

A young woman operating a pirate radio broadcast aimed at reaching other survivors. She ultimately falls victim to infection before contact with the School Living Club but leaves behind a note containing keys to her hideout and motorhome, which are later utilized by the girls.

Yuuri’s younger sister whom Yuuri believes she rescued from an elementary school after departing their original location. In truth, Ruu is Yuki’s teddy bear, and Yuuri’s delusion is supported by others to preserve her mental stability. Eventually, Yuuri comes to terms with Ruu’s loss and entrusts the bear to Shinou for her child.

Manga

School-Live! is authored by Norimitsu Kaihō of Nitroplus, with illustrations by Sadoru Chiba. The manga began serialization on May 24, 2012, in Houbunsha's Manga Time Kirara Forward magazine. It experienced a hiatus from July through December 2017 and concluded on November 22, 2019. Houbunsha released twelve tankōbon volumes between December 12, 2012, and January 10, 2020. Yen Press started publishing English editions in November 2015.

Between July 2015 and January 2016, three manga anthologies created by various artists were published, broadening the franchise’s commercial reach.

A sequel series titled School-Live! Letters, also by Kaihō and Chiba, ran from June 24, 2020, until August 24, 2021. This sequel was licensed by Yen Press as well, further expanding its presence in English-speaking regions.

Anime

On June 21, 2014, an adaptation of the series into an anime television show was announced. The project was helmed by director Masaomi Ando at Lerche, with Norimitsu Kaihō, the original manga writer, handling the scripts and Haruko Iikuza responsible for character designs. The anime broadcasted from July 9 through September 24, 2015. It featured a single opening theme titled "Friend Shitai," performed by Gakuen Seikatsu-bu (Inori Minase, Ari Ozawa, M.A.O, and Rie Takahashi), alongside three ending themes sung by Maon Kurosaki and Kaori Sawada. Additionally, a drama CD inspired by the anime was released during Comiket 88 in August 2015.

The series was available via simulcast on Crunchyroll and secured licensing rights in North America by Sentai Filmworks, which issued Blu-ray and DVD editions including an English dub on June 27, 2017. After Sony Pictures Television acquired Crunchyroll, School-Live! along with other Sentai Filmworks titles were removed from Crunchyroll's streaming catalog as of March 31, 2022.

Episode list

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No.	Title	Written by	Original air date

Live-action film

In November 2017, it was revealed that School-Live! would be adapted into a live-action movie, directed by Issei Shibata and featuring members of the idol group Last Idol in the cast. The film premiered in Japan on January 25, 2019. Distinct from the anime version, the movie shifts focus to Kurumi as the protagonist, portrays Miki with enhanced zombie-fighting abilities, and omits the character Taromaru entirely.

Other media

Yuki is included as a supporting character in the fighting game Nitroplus Blasterz: Heroines Infinite Duel released in December 2015. Furthermore, she appears alongside other characters from the series in the 2017 mobile role-playing game Kirara Fantasia.

Manga

According to a tweet by Houbunsha's Manga Time Kirara in March 2017, School-Live! had reached a milestone of two million copies printed. The English editions of volumes one through three were selected for the American Library Association's 2017 Great Graphic Novels for Teens list, with volumes five and six making the same list in 2018. Moreover, in 2021, School-Live! received a nomination for the Best Comic category at the 52nd Seiun Award.

Anime

The debut episode of the anime garnered positive acclaim, resulting in a tenfold surge in manga sales and exceeding one million views on Niconico.