Hyouryuu Kyoushitsu

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Japanese: 漂流教室

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Type: Manga

Volumes: 11

Chapters: 44

Status: Finished

Published: 1972 to 1974

Genres: Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi

Demographic: Shounen

Serialization: Shounen Sunday

Authors: Umezu, Kazuo (Story & Art)

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Score: 7.43¹ (scored by 6,725 users)

¹ indicates a weighted score.

Ranked: #3581²

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

Popularity: #778

Members: 23,196

Favorites: 347

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Jul 23, 2016

bIGgUMBLE

Mixed Feelings

The Drifting Classroom is a curious horror manga, a story that sets Lord of the Flies in a desert surrounded by nightmares. Children are transported to a wasteland along with their school and the surrounding grounds. Chaos ensues as they negotiate the dread of limited food and water, as sixth grader Sho Takamatsu tries to prevent his fellow students from becoming ravenous animals. First published in 1972, The Drifting Classroom still manages to create an eldritch atmosphere thanks to Kazuo Umezu’s classic manga artwork.

After the first volume gruesome scenes occur nearly every other page, saying far more than poorly translated dialogue. At times it’s ... disturbing, but it’s not disturbing for its own sake. What’s depicted is realistic when faced with murder and absurd horrors, a brutal reality indifferent to the well-being of stranded children.

Two themes run through the work. The first is hope, which becomes a bit kitschy and force-fed but in such a situation what else could a survivor hold on to? Afterall hope was the compass that guided Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage.

Death of innocence is the more interesting theme. Children who can’t rationalize are the first to succumb, regressing to infants or becoming barbarians—which may be the only true path. While the protagonist manages to hold on to civilization, manages to empathize even when his own survival is jeopardized.

Like Lovecraft, Umezu piles one question on top of another and never gives the reader an answer. I was left as confused, unsure, and excited as the unfortunate children. Some interesting plot points are raised, as if an epiphany is about to reveal itself that will resolve every mounting question; only to be pushed aside for the next mishap. It’s somewhat disappointing but works to reinforce the sense of hopelessness that runs through The Drifting Classroom’s veins. It’s clear the manga is not perfect.

Breakneck pacing is The Drifting Classroom’s biggest disappointment. Once one impossible conflict is conquered the next one immediately begins; there’s no time for characters to develop or breathe after an arc. It gives the impression that events have happened in a matter of days, contrary to plot points that beg for more time to be sensical.

As a consequence characters fit snugly into their archetypes and never push against the boundaries of their mold. Takamatsu is a fearless leader throughout, always a symbol of hope. Other characters are introduced and remain one-dimensional–paper-cuts. But The Drifting Classroom is not a story about characters. The atmosphere is the protagonist, the stage that treats the humans which tread upon it as pawns in its game.

What begins as a tale of survival pushing against insanity becomes a story driven by curiosity. By the final volume of The Drifting Classroom I wasn’t sure if I was reading because it was entertaining or I needed to know the conclusion. “How will this end?” But I realized I read for the atmosphere, the sense that apocalypse could repeat on the following page.

The Drifting Classroom is well worth reading if you’re a fan of horror manga. While it doesn't have the tight narrative of The Enigma of Amigara Fault or surreal continuity of Uzumaki, it entertains while raising the question, “could you survive The Drifting Classroom’s absurd universe?”

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Apr 8, 2022

ren0080

Mixed Feelings

Well... that was a unique experience. It really feels like a horror version of "Lord of the Fireflies".
One thing that I learned from this manga... Sakiko is too precious for this world. She's the Best Girl in this manga BY FAR. As well as the Best Character in extension.

The story is quite good and bad at the same time. The story beats, the plot, was fine. But the execution and the pacing was kinda bad. It definitely didn't aged well.
The premise was pretty unique (for the time) and the problems that was thrown at the main cast were good and kept the story interesting ...

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Jan 9, 2022

jookie28

Mixed Feelings

I heard some positive stuff about this manga, some calling it a classic, something I can only partially agree with. Given the time period that it came out in I think I can acknowledge why.

This manga has some strong and weak points, of which I think the latter outweighs the former.

Story: It started off decent enough, and of course this is sadly where most of the rational thoughts were found. I personally believe the author came up with only the beginning of the story and made things up as they went along. This is somewhat understandable considering how it was released but this contributed ... to it being very episodic. Hardly anything could transpire without the next "arc" closely following along sometimes a literal second after the last one ended.

I rate this aspect poorly. Lots of things that happen are very convenient, too much so and others that plain are inconsistent or do not make any sense.
A short list: remembering later on there is more food and water right next to them, getting hit and later hit again to lose and gain memory, time travel contradictions, ... A bit more specific....how do gradeschoolers, max 6th grade now how to construct a giant death trap out of wood and spikes and the like and where did the tools and equipment come from for it? Why would that "girl gang leader" leave in one volume and return volumes later to leave them a dying message that leads them to a place that isn't as advertised? (to mess with them? Why would she make the trip, risking her life for it?). Why is land around them so close and yet so far so that they never find stuff when convenient or early on? Why only introduce cannibalism at the end and have none of them think anything of it? Why would they suddenly adopt the MC's art project of his mother and agree to acknowledge it as their deity? Why give those creatures the backstory of having come from humans and have them being a powerful danger and then not do anything, have them go away immediately after they're established as a threat? etc. etc. etc. 3.

Art: Taking into consideration the creatures and assorted threats, its not bad. In fact its really detailed. Characters portray emotions decently enough, although you get tired of seeing the same shocked and sad faces.....7

Character: The characters are this manga's last chance it seems but in the end fails to save it. The characters behave in a terribly stupid way. One of my greatest annoyances is when the MC's "best friend" would always throw around the idea of killing their threats and they would always fight..."We can't do that!!.... Friend response: >:(---> hm okay :/. Rinse, repeat. The failure for the children to get home because the MC's love interest wants to stay in their terrible present because if they manage to get home he won't pay her attention anymore...just behave like you normally would be in the better world..., that he likes some other girl instead of her. He shows no romantic interest however... and if he does it was only towards the beginning and it was very minimal and not indicative of anything major.. It was to you anyways, he clearly does not love that other girl, only for survival purposes....etc. etc. The majority of the characters fall flat, serve as meat shields or are simply not memorable enough. 3

Enjoyment: It was (I believe) 8 long volumes of wacky, nonsensical adventures. The annoyances I collected from my prior descriptions... only increased in number as I went on. I didn't have an agonizing time but I most certainly did not have a great one. 5.

Overall 5

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Hyouryuu Kyoushitsu
The Drifting Classroom
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