Gakuen Alice

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Alternative Titles

Synonyms: Alice Academy

Japanese: 学園アリス

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Information

Type: Manga

Volumes: 31

Chapters: 183

Status: Finished

Published: Sep 5, 2002 to Jun 20, 2013

Genres: Comedy, Drama

Themes: Love Polygon, School, Super Power

Demographic: Shoujo

Serialization: Hana to Yume

Authors: Higuchi, Tachibana (Story & Art)

Statistics

Score: 8.33¹ (scored by 20,583 users)

¹ indicates a weighted score.

Ranked: #279²

² based on the top manga page. Please note that 'R18+' titles are excluded.

Popularity: #398

Members: 42,438

Favorites: 3,208

Resources

Wikipedia

8.33

Ranked #279Popularity #398Members 42,438

MangaHana to YumeHiguchi, Tachibana (Story & Art)

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Volumes: /31

Chapters: /183

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Synopsis

Mikan Sakura and Hotaru Imai are inseparable best friends, even if it seems like the latter does not reciprocate the same sentiment. Mikan naively believes that her aloof best friend would always be by her side until Hotaru decides to depart for Tokyo to attend Alice Academy. The school is home to gifted children who possess unique abilities known as "Alices." Heartbroken and feeling abandoned, Mikan runs away from home in pursuit of her friend, hoping that she too can enroll in the prestigious institution.

As Mikan gets accepted as a student at Alice Academy and reunites with her friend, she quickly learns that the academy is not all fun and games. The school itself is divided into a hierarchy system based on the strength of their Alice, behavior, and academic performance, as well as classifying each student under a specific Alice subgroup for a more personalized education. When she finds herself in the lowest rank, Mikan faces bullying from her classmates who all believe that she does not belong. Natsume Hyuuga, one of the academy's highest ranking students, is especially vitriolic towards Mikan for seemingly no reason.

The students begin to discover that the special academy has hidden secrets—many of which are a lot darker than one might think. As they unravel these mysteries, Mikan and her friends find themselves entangled in something far bigger than they could imagine.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

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Background

Gakuen Alice was partially published in English by Tokyopop, who published sixteen volumes from January 1, 2008 to April 5, 2011, before becoming defunct.

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Related Manga

Spin-off:	Kageki no Kuni no Alice
Adaptation:	Gakuen Alice

More characters
Characters

Hyuuga, Natsume

Main

Sakura, Mikan

Main

Imai, Hotaru

Main

Nogi, Ruka

Main

Andou, Tsubasa

Supporting

Anjo, Narumi

Supporting

Bear, Mr.

Supporting

Hijiri, Youichi

Supporting

Harada, Misaki

Supporting

Persona

Supporting

Reviews

Feb 24, 2011

Yume_to_Tsubasa

Recommended

At any given point in our lives, there is probably a moment when each of us might think think, "It would be awesome to have superhuman abilities"- or something to that effect. Indeed, everywhere we look, in media, books, music, that wish is reflected- But what might it be like if humans really had special powers?

Often, when people look at something they want, they tend to look only at the positives; "Superpowers? Sure!!" was the way my mind worked before reading Gakuen Alice. But when a person has more, more is required of them… and what if what was given was unwanted?

So starts the story ... of Gakuen Alice; an institute set up specifically for kids with special talents, called “Alices”. The possibilities seem endless- teleportation is a common ability. Shadow-charming, mind reading, predicting the future, hallucinations, and flying… are no longer distant dreams. At a glimpse, Gakuen Alice is heaven; what could a kid want more than to spend time with other supernaturals, away from nagging parents and the stress of the outside world?

Yet… as the story progresses, we learn that things are not so simple; beneath the mask of an academy set up for kids who are deemed “special” lurks a shadow.
Though many students who pass through the gates of Gakuen Alice never have any reason to encounter this dark reality, those who do cross paths with it are thrust into a life of unimaginable suffering and terrors. Once inside the shadow, one cannot escape; age does not matter. Young, old... even those who have long since left behind the gates are bound to the Academy, and for one reason only; having seen the academy’s true side, and for their individual talents.

Our main character Sakura Mikan enters the Academy through a set of special circumstances… and they certainly can’t all be by coincidence. As the gears of fate move on, Mikan begins to learn that life really isn’t all “good”. The world of the Alices is a tough world to live in, and as Mikan begins to learn of her past, she realizes further that things are never as they appear- and suddenly, superpowers don’t appear so super anymore.

Yet, in the midst of the darkness and pain brought onto Mikan and her friends, they learn that there are two sides to every coin. As they go through adventures and misadventures together, they learn priceless lessons on love, hope, trust, and above all, “kizuna” (bond). Through these bonds and relationships, Mikan and her friends are able to get through even when the odds come crashing down on them.

Personally, I was amazed at all the twists and turns in what I simply thought of as a school comedy for children. Gakuen Alice is much more, a true masterpiece that will remain in readers' hearts for generations. The tears, laughter, love, and a whirlwind of emotions come right at the reader through the pages of the story. Gakuen Alice is a story to be enjoyed by readers all over the world through the years.

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Jun 30, 2017

Aqwin

Mixed Feelings

This story felt like it had potential early on but at some point got lazy and didn't trust its audience to any really deep and meaningful character development. When I say this, I really mean just for the main characters. Suprisingly, some side characters get some decent development but for the most part things feel forced. Granted, this is geared for a younger audience so perhaps I'm just too old for this. But my age most definetly is no excuse for that horrifiying excuse for an ending. The end dropped the series by at least a star. I always save at least 2 stars ...

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Jul 7, 2016

TheRainInSpain

Not Recommended

Spoiler

*Spoiler Alert*
I'll just make a pros and cons list and explain it briefly, but before that I would like to say I love Gakuen alice so much. It has been part of my childhood and always will be, but what prompted me to write this review is not satisfaction rather dissatisfaction.

Pros:
1. Very good comedy
2. Good chemistry between characters
3. Nice slice of life moments
4. Good world building
5. Good intentions

...

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Poll: Gakuen Alice Chapter 43 Discussion orangehouse - Sep 15, 2009	3 replies	by Ice-Cube »» Jul 23, 2023 4:07 PM
Anime reboot? tsunaomi - Jul 13, 2022	3 replies	by Lucifrost »» Jun 25, 2023 7:35 PM
Poll: Gakuen Alice Chapter 72 Discussion orangehouse - Sep 15, 2009	3 replies	by Lukenzo »» Sep 30, 2022 7:39 PM
Poll: Gakuen Alice Chapter 2 Discussion t_tomodachi22 - Jun 14, 2019	1 replies	by Lukenzo »» May 20, 2022 6:59 PM
Poll: Gakuen Alice Chapter 180 Discussion Mewana - Jul 9, 2013	49 replies	by Droplet »» Apr 24, 2022 1:15 AM

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