In Society are humans really treated equally or are they treated according to the standards in society
Based off a well-known light novel series of the same name Youkoso gives us the opportunity to ask one of the fundamental questions that most teenagers would ask as they enter High school. In society are all human beings treated equally and does this by introducing us to a prestigious high school that has an impressive record of providing excellent students for society. The first episode itself made a pretty good impression on me and looking back at it im glad that I decided to stick with it to the very end.
Taking place in near future Japan the anime is centered on Koudo Ikusei senior high school a well-known and prestigious high school that was created by the government to help nurture and develop the next generation into skilled adults that will benefit the country. Having both state of the art facilities and freedom unknown to high school students the school can be said to be a paradise but this is far from the truth. But while having the best of facilities at their disposal the pressure that the school puts on its students that it sees as its lifeblood is intense and far more than what one would expect in a normal school. For the students that are lucky enough to get admitted into this prestigious school they must work twice as hard as their grades while also defining them also affect the amount of points that they get each month. In this school, full of elite student’s competition, subtle plans and mind games are rife where every mistake can cost you points or worst cause the whole class to be punished. In this environment where classes see each other as mortal enemies only those with conviction, creativity and adaptability can hope to survive and prosper.
The overall story for Youkoso follows the life of Kiyotaka Ayanokouji a high school freshman that upon the start of the school year finds himself assigned to the schools Class D the lowest class of the school’s class system and widely regarded as the worst class and seen as a dumping ground where the school sends people that it has believed that it cannot control but cannot expel without good reason. Here he is joined by an intense and quiet girl named Suzune Horikita an ice queen that aspires to join the prestigious class A and Kikyou Kushida a popular and cheerful girl that’s widely seen as the class idol. Together these three and the class must do what they can to survive in the intrigue’s that take place between the classes.
Kiyotaka
Kiyotaka Ayanokouji voiced by new voice actor Shouya Chiba is one of the main characters of the series and is the main protagonist of the series. A high school freshman that in the beginning of the series was assigned to Class D Kiyotaka from initial appearances was a person that was quiet, laid back and indifferent and is someone that seems to be prefer to remain in the background and not draw attention to himself. Despite his moody and rather indifferent nature Kiyotaka is shown to be someone that can be responsible and kind and is shown to care a great deal about his friends and allies. Though not someone that has a sense of justice in him Kiyotaka is someone that hates seeing people that he knows being out in danger and would try to help them when that happens. While seemingly laid back and indifferent towards others it is noted that Kiyotaka when he becomes serious and motivated can come up with some really interesting and smart ideas that make use of his good perception skills and showcase one of his more prominent traits which is his cunning. Despite his averse to getting involved in troublesome situations Kiyotaka is shown to be very good at dealing with and managing various difficult situations which is an interesting trait about him that hints at his true personality.
As the series goes on and as Kiyotaka and the members of his class deal with one crisis after another it becomes clear that beneath his normal self Kiyotaka also has a personality that he hides and conceals from the others including his friends. In this personality which is perhaps his true one Kiyotaka’s personality is drastically different from the one that he normally exhibits. In this personality Kiyotaka is shown to be a calculating and manipulative person and also a smart one that is not above using people for his own ends. In this personality Kiyotaka’s strong intelligence and observational skills that he had to keep hidden in his default personality is now much more visible and more readily used when Kiyotaka gets serious. As a character, I felt that Kiyotaka was an interesting character whose dual nature in the form of his two different personalities are what actually define him. The contrast between the two different personalities I felt were well done and while some of the traits of the two do pass between the two personalities from time to time like his fast thinking nature it’s when we see Kiyotaka in his true personality that his character truly shines. While Kiyotaka may have villainous tendencies due to his manipulative personality it’s important to note that this is a result of having an in-depth knowledge and understanding of how the real world actually works. Overall the character of Kiyotaka I felt was a well-designed one that showed that careful observation and rational decisions along with a little manipulation can ensure that what they all hold dear can be protected. I felt that Shouya Chiba actually did an excellent job in his first main roles for me.
Suzune
Suzune Horikita voiced by new seiyuu Akari Kito is one of the main characters of the series and is the main heroine of the series. A 16-year-old high school freshman and a member of class D Suzune is a quiet, well-mannered but distant person at the start of the series. In the beginning Suzune exhibited the classic ice queen type personality that’s commonly seen in animes. In addition to exhibiting the quiet and unapproachable nature that’s the key point of the ice queen persona Suzune in the beginning was also a thorny person that preferred to act using her own judgement than rely on others showing that she was also someone that did not trust others easily. In the beginning Suzune also had a rather curious view on friendship in that she did not see a need for it in the beginning. As a result of her ice queen like personality Suzune in the beginning was seen by many within the class as something akin to an oddball and not widely trusted by her classmates. Indeed, at this point in time she was also the same as well as she regarded friendship and bonds with something akin to disdain. As the series goes on though thanks largely to the efforts of Kiyotaka and Kikyou Suzune’s personality gradually starts to change as the class begins to suffer from assaults from other classes. Though reluctant at first Suzune gradually becomes friendlier to others but still keeps a certain distance from others. Though still dismissive about friendships Suzune begins to understand that friendship and unity within the class will be important if they were to endure within the school and starts to care more about her classmates advising and helping them when needed until she is satisfied that they are safe. In this we can see that Suzune’s starting ice queen personality gradually starts to be thawed out as she begins warming to several of her classmates and trusting them the most prominent of them being Kiyotaka.
As Suzune’s ice queen personality thaws her true personality eventually is gradually revealed to us. While still quiet and preferring to stay logical Suzune is shown to be a very determined person that also has great conviction and is not the type of person that will back down from arguments especially when engaged in arguments with others. Suzune is also shown to have very good decision making and analytic skills that when combined with her excellent perception skills make her formidable in defending the class in meetings. Suzune’s most prominent trait without a doubt is her truthful and direct nature in that she is someone that hates being dishonest and unlike Kiyotaka can be relied upon to state the cold hard facts of something quite readily. Despite being a very determined and strong person from initial appearances beneath that mask it can be said that Suzune is actually the opposite in that she’s lonely and vulnerable and wants to rely on someone that she can trust. Within the series this acts as the main focus for the relationship that Suzune has with Kiyotaka which is also one of the main parts of the shows story. Though their relationship started off rather poorly over the course of the series their relationship gradually improved and Kiyotaka become one of the few people that Suzune trusted. As a character, I felt that Suzune was a well-designed character that showed some excellent character development as the series went on and in the process becoming one of my favourite characters. The gradual change from an ice queen to someone that stood as one of the best defenders of Class D I thought was a change that was well designed. I felt that her seiyuu Akari Kito really did an excellent job portraying the character of Suzune in one of her first main roles.
Kikyou
Kikyou Kushida played by veteran seiyuu Yurika Kubo of High School Fleet and Urara Meirochou fame is one of the main characters of the series and is a classmate of Suzune and Kiyotaka. A 16-year-old girl and a high school freshman Kikyou is a kind, positive and well-mannered girl that’s kind to everyone that she meets and is widely regarded by many to be the class idol within the class. A considerate and understanding person Kikyou has a very direct personality and seems to be someone that values friendship and bonds quite highly as she cares a great deal about each one of her friends deeply. However, while she appears to be a simple-minded girl that’s not well versed in manipulation beneath his mask of hers is a different personality that Kikyou hides from the others. Underneath the angle like personality that she presents to outsiders Kikyou surprisingly has another personality that is radically different to her surface one.
In this Kikyou’s personality though still direct is very rude and is not afraid of voicing her true feelings about other people directly. She’s also shown to be quite manipulative and quite capable of using blackmail and lies to force people to obey her. Despite this radical change in personality it’s interesting to note that this side of her isn’t exactly evil by nature but rather seems to be a protective measure that was created to protect her from harm. Perhaps more so than in her default personality Kikyou seems to be in great fear of being isolated and being lonely. The character of Kikyou Kushida I felt was an interesting character that while supportive of the main characters and to the class emphasized one of the main themes of this anime quite well. The theme being that everyone wears a mask in society. The contrast in her personality I felt was interesting as was her relationship with Kiyotaka. I felt that her seiyuu Yurika Kubo did an excellent job in portraying her.
Honami
Honami Ichinose played by veteran seiyuu singer Nao Touyama of Asterisk Wars and In a world God only knows fame is one of the main support characters and is one of Kiyotaka and Suzune’s main allies in the series. A 16-year-old girl and high school freshman Honami differs from the two in that she’s actually a member of one of the classes that actually form the school class B in particular. Despite being from another class though Honami bears none of the malice and hatred that other students in the school have towards class D and instead treats them equally and with respect. A cheerful, positive and honest person Honami can be said to be Class B’s version of Kikyou as their personalities are very similar to each other. Kind, caring Honami is someone that seems to wear her heart on her sleeve being kind and caring towards everyone that she meets regardless of whether they belong to her class or to others. Her kind and caring personality ensures that within her own class to which she acts as leader that there are no fights between classmates and that everyone treats each other with respect thus also ensuring that they won’t start fights with other classes. Though a rule bound person by nature Honami is also shown to be flexible with rules and will happily bend them if it means that she can help someone in need. Though kind and caring in normal mode she’s shown to be stern and unforgiving to people that threaten her fellow students and openly despises people that do so. Honami I felt was an interesting character in that unlike the rest of the cast she did not seem to have a mask and her base personality appears to be genuine. Her attempts to help the members of class D with their plans I felt was a good indication of cooperation that can take place between classes. Nao Touyama I felt did an excellent job in her portrayal of Honami.
Airi
Airi Sakura voiced by veteran seiyuu Mao Ichimichi of Digimon Adventure Tri and Aoki Hagane No Arpeggio Ars Nova Cadenza fame is one of the main support characters of the series and is a classmate of Kiyotaka. A 16-year-old high school freshman Airi is a kind, quiet and timid girl that in the beginning of the series preferred to remain in the background and avoid getting involved in other people’s affairs. Though kind and well-mannered in the beginning of the series Airi wrestled with the distinct problem of having low self-esteem which made her jittery and prone to becoming nervous when people talk to her which manifested in her attempts to defend her personal space rather determinedly. As the series goes on it becomes clear that Airi like many other characters on the show actually has another side to her that’s just as unexpected as the others in that she was a model of some renown within her world. This mask of hers which is similar to Kikyou’s I felt was interesting as it grew out of her desire to avoid being lonely while at the same time being able to help those that may be in similar states to her. After a particular drastic event in the series Airi’s personality gradually starts to change becoming more open with herself while also trying to be more confidant in herself and more importantly trying to get to know people that helped her.
As a character I felt that Airi was an interesting one in that her struggle for equality was on a more personal level than other characters and was based on Airi’s innate personality traits notably her quiet and timid nature. The decision to use a model as an alternate side to her personality I felt was a good move as models in addition to showcasing products can also serve to help other people by their modelling as well. I felt that Mao Ichimichi did an excellent job in portraying the character of Airi.
AMV (Animation &Arts/Music and Voice)
In terms of art I felt that the design of the school and its attendant facilities was done pretty well and indeed the school did give the feel of being similar to a small town or outlet rather than a high school. The uniform designs for the school I felt were also well designed and looked pretty smart as well. Character design I felt was also pretty good with each character being unique and well designed. In terms of animation I felt that animation was clear and beautifully detailed. In terms of music I felt that the series had a pretty good opening and ending themes with the ending being particularly strong. Voice acting for the series I felt was superb with Kiyotaka’s voice actor Shouya Chiba and Suzune’s seiyuu Akari Kito deserving particular praise for their portrayal of their respective characters.
Overall conclusion
Overall Youkoso was an interesting anime that had as its main strengths an interesting premise, story, characters and the underlying themes of society that it tries to address. The main premise of this show is of course the prestigious high school that the main characters attend in the story. The school while seemingly perfect both in terms of facilities and reputation is only a facade for within it hides a very strict school system where a student’s performance in their studies and exams determine their worth to both the school and to society. To reinforce this system the anime makes use of an interesting system that serve to underline the central purpose of this school. The system is an interesting concept in itself in that it acts both as a central resource for the everyday needs of the students but also an objective for the students for failure to do well in the school will see the number of points that they gain every month lessen. The idea to make this system a combination of not just a currency that can be used but also an indication of how much worth the school see’s in both the class and the students within was an interesting move and tied in well with the school’s unique culture.
One of the series main themes is that of equality which is best shown in not just the division of students into classes but also in the number of masks that characters must adapt as part of their personalities to exist in society. When combined with the personalities of characters that appear to be kind and unassuming on the surface the masks aspect works well to add more depth to the characters. This aspect of the anime itself I felt was pretty interesting. While the struggles between the classes served to highlight the differences in status between the classes with lower letter ones being superior to the higher letter ones and best seen in the disdain that class A and C members have for class D. Whats interesting is that the this isn’t repeated in all areas as Honami and Class B shown in their interactions with Class D showing that in the end it’s the question of perception.
The overall story for the series also plays a part in dealing with the theme of equality in that it pits the members of class D widely regarded by the school as outcasts against a school who is determined to make things difficult for them. This struggle against great odds by a class of misfits that make use of a variety of tactics to even the field to give them a better chance of victory I felt only serves to make this anime that much interesting. Watching Kiyotaka and Suzune work together to counter the plans of the other classes and the school sure was fun to watch. Overall Youkoso was an interesting anime that had not just an interesting premise and a great story but also great characters that it used to tackle a number of interesting themes that are really relevant in society and in terms of final score I think it definitely deserves a 10 in my books. The only lament that I felt about this anime was that it was only a half season so we aren’t able to see more of what Kiyotaka’s true personality is like.
