Imprint Jump Comics | Demographic Shōnen Adaptations Medaka Box (2012) | |
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Original run May 2009 – April 27, 2013 Main characters Misogi Kumagawa, Mogana Kikaijima, Zenkichi Hitoyoshi, Medaka Kurokami, Kouki Akune Similar Beelzebub, Hinomaru Zumō, The World God Only Knows, Nisekoi, Toriko | ||
Medaka Box (Japanese: めだかボックス, Hepburn: Medaka Bokkusu) is a Japanese shōnen manga written by Nisio Isin and illustrated by Akira Akatsuki. The series follows Medaka Kurokami, Zenkichi Hitoyoshi, Kouki Akune and Mogana Kikaijima, who are the members of the student council, during their various adventures to honor suggestions presented by academy members in order to better the academy.
Contents
Medaka Box was serialized in the Japanese magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump, published by Shueisha between May 2009 and April 2013. As of February 2013, Shueisha has compiled its chapters into 22 bound volumes. It was adapted into an anime television series that aired between April 5 and June 21, 2012. A second season aired between October 11 and December 27, 2012.
Plot
The plot follows Medaka Kurokami, a charismatic and attractive first-year Hakoniwa Academy student who is elected Student Council President with 98% of the vote. She institutes a suggestion box, and with the help with her childhood friend Zenkichi Hitoyoshi, addresses these requests in her unconventional manner. Over the course of the story, she distributes the student council leadership positions to other students such as Kouki Akune and Mogana Kikaijima.
The Student Council learns that the academy chairman intends to initiate the Flask Plan, a project to forcefully experiment on regular students, called Normals, in order to turn them into Abnormals, that is humans with superhuman abilities. The Student Council infiltrates the academy's secret lab and battles other students that are involved with the project.
Shortly after, the Student Council are challenged to a tournament by Misogi Kumagawa who wishes to replace Medaka's Student Council with one of his own. After Kumagawa's defeat, two students are unsealed from his powers and complete their transfer to Hakoniwa Academy. The two are more powerful than Abnormals and are dubbed "Not Equals". Their leader, Anshin'in, threatens to restart the Flask Plan once Medaka graduates, forcing the Student Council to train their successors. However, Anshin'in's true plan is to have Zenkichi usurp Medaka's position as Student Council President. Zenkichi does so on the pretense of improving the student life and succeeds. He convinces Medaka to allow the Flask Plan for those who are willing.
Relieved from her duties as president of the Student Council, Medaka soon becomes involved in a tournament to decide her husband. Medaka enters herself and becomes the victor, choosing to marry Zenkichi once they both graduate. Soon after, Zenkichi's close friend Hansode Shiranui leaves the academy. Medaka and Zenkichi discover she is to become the next host for Iihiko Shishime, a 5000-year-old being. Medaka defeats him and disappears after stopping the moon from crashing towards the Earth, just to reappear in time for the year-end ceremony. Following her return, Medaka decides to leave the academy and assume her father's place ahead of her family's business conglomerate, the Kurokami Group, just to later return as the new chairwoman. Ten years later, Zenkichi, had worked his way up the Kurokami Group, becoming a high-level employee before reuniting with her, with both promising to get married after another fight.
Manga
The manga series Medaka Box is written by Nisio Isin and illustrated by Akira Akatsuki. Medaka Box was serialized in the Japanese magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump, published by Shueisha between May 2009 and April 2013. By September 4, 2013, Shueisha has compiled its chapters into 22 bound volumes.
Anime
An anime adaptation of the manga produced by Gainax was announced by the series' creator in late 2011, and premiered on April 5, 2012. The anime has been licensed by Sentai Filmworks, who released the anime in both digital and home video formats on September 2013. A second season, titled Medaka Box Abnormal (めだかボックス アブノーマル, Medaka Bokkusu Abunōmaru), aired between October 11 and December 27, 2012. Sentai Filmworks has also licensed the second season for digital and home video, which was released on January 21, 2014.
Appearances in other media
Medaka Kurokami appears as a playable character in the Jump crossover fighting game J-Stars Victory VS, with Kumagawa appearing as a support character.
Reception
The series is quite successful in sales volume, and as of 2013 the series has reached a total of 5 million copies sold.