Be-Bop High School

Summary

Be-Bop High School (Japanese: ビー・バップ・ハイスクール, Hepburn: Bī Bappu Hai Sukūru) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kazuhiro Kiuchi. It was serialized in Kodansha's seinen manga magazine Weekly Young Magazine from 1983 to 2003, with its chapters collected in 48 tankōbon volumes. It has been adapted into seven live-action films, a video game, and an original video animation (OVA) series.

Be-Bop High School
First tankōbon volume cover, featuring Toru Nakama (left) and Hiroshi Kato (right)
ビー・バップ・ハイスクール
(Bī Bappu Hai Sukūru)
GenreYankī[1]
Manga
Written byKazuhiro Kiuchi
Published byKodansha
ImprintYanmaga KC Special
MagazineWeekly Young Magazine
DemographicSeinen
Original run19832003
Volumes48
Further information
Live-action film
Directed byHiroyuki Nasu
ReleasedDecember 14, 1985
Runtime90 minutes
Live-action film
Be-Bop High School: Kōkō Yotarō Aika
Directed byHiroyuki Nasu
ReleasedAugust 9, 1986
Runtime95 minutes
Live-action film
Be-Bop High School: Kōkō Yotarō Kōshinkyoku
Directed byHiroyuki Nasu
ReleasedMarch 21, 1987
Runtime96 minutes
Live-action film
Be-Bop High School: Kōkō Yotarō Kyōsō-kyoku
Directed byHiroyuki Nasu
ReleasedDecember 12, 1987
Runtime90 minutes
Live-action film
Be-Bop High School: Kōkō Yotarō Ondo
Directed byHiroyuki Nasu
ReleasedAugust 6, 1988
Runtime90 minutes
Live-action film
Be-Bop High School: Kōkō Yotarō Kanketsu-hen
Directed byHiroyuki Nasu
ReleasedDecember 17, 1988
Runtime90 minutes
Game
Be-Bop High School: Kōkōsei Gokuraku Densetsu
DeveloperData East
PublisherData East
GenreAdventure
PlatformNintendo Family Computer
Released
  • JP: March 30, 1988
Original video animation
Directed by
Written by
  • Kazuhiro Kiuchi (1–3)
  • Kazumasa Kiuchi (1–3)
  • Tatsuhiko Urahata (4–5)
  • Sara Uemura (6)
StudioToei Animation
Released January 26, 1990 December 11, 1998
Episodes7
Live-action film
Directed byKazuhiro Kiuchi
ReleasedFebruary 19, 1994
Television drama
Original networkTBS
Original run June 16, 2004 August 17, 2005
Episodes2

The manga has sold over 40 million copies, making it one of the best-selling manga series of all time. In 1988, the series won the 12th Kodansha Manga Award in the general category.

Story edit

The series revolves around the lives of two rough-and-tumble high school friends, Hiroshi Kato (加藤 浩志, Katō Hiroshi) and Toru Nakama (中間 徹, Nakama Tōru), who frequently cause trouble and start fights. Toru and Hiroshi style their hair in punch perms and also adopt exaggerated swaggering gaits. The manga also features an assortment of outlandish characters who also sport unusual fashions and hairstyles.

Media edit

Manga edit

Written and illustrated by Kazuhiro Kiuchi, Be-Bop High School was serialized in Kodansha's seinen manga magazine Weekly Young Magazine from 1983 to 2003.[2] Kodansha collected its chapters in 48 tankōbon volumes, released from March 17, 1984,[3] to January 6, 2004.[4]

A spin-off parody, titled Be-Bop Kaizokuban (Be-Bop 海賊版), Memeoka Manhiru, was serialized in Bessatsu Young Magazine,[5] and its chapters were collected in six tankōbon volumes, released from January 1990 to January 1996.[6][7]

Live-action films edit

There are seven live-action films based on the manga; six films directed by Hiroyuki Nasu and released between 1985 and 1988, and a 1994 film directed by the manga's own author, Kazuhiro Kiuchi.

  1. Be-Bop High School (ビー・バップ・ハイスクール) (December 14, 1985)[8]
  2. Be-Bop High School: Kōkō Yotarō Aika (ビー・バップ・ハイスクール 高校与太郎哀歌) (August 9, 1986)[9]
  3. Be-Bop High School: Kōkō Yotarō Kōshinkyoku (ビー・バップ・ハイスクール 高校与太郎行進曲) (March 21, 1987)[10]
  4. Be-Bop High School: Kōkō Yotarō Kyōsō-kyoku (ビー・バップ・ハイスクール 高校与太郎狂騒曲) (December 12, 1987)[11]
  5. Be-Bop High School: Kōkō Yotarō Ondo (ビー・バップ・ハイスクール 高校与太郎音頭) (August 6, 1988)[12]
  6. Be-Bop High School: Kōkō Yotarō Kanketsu-hen (ビー・バップ・ハイスクール 高校与太郎完結篇) (December 17, 1988)[13]
  7. Be-Bop High School (ビー・バップ・ハイスクール) (February 19, 1994)[14]

Video game edit

A video game, titled Be-Bop High School: Kōkōsei Gokuraku Densetsu (ビーバップハイスクール 高校生極楽伝説, Bi-Bappu Hai Sukuru: Kōkōsei Gokuraku Densetsu), was released on March 30, 1988, by Data East for the Nintendo Famicom console.[15]

Original video animation edit

A seven-episode original video animation (OVA) adaptation, animated by Toei Animation, was released between January 26, 1990,[16] to December 11, 1998.[17] A three-episode OVA, based on Be-Bop Kaizokuban, was released between 1991 and 1993.[5]

Drama edit

A special television drama adaptation of two episodes was broadcast on TBS on June 16, 2004,[18] and August 17, 2005.[19]

Reception edit

The manga has sold over 40 million copies.[20] The series' eighth volume had a first print run of 2.27 million copies in 1987, making it the publisher's highest first print run of all time; the record was broken by Attack on Titan's 13th volume in 2014, which had a first print run of 2.75 million copies.[21][22]

In 1988, alongside Bonobono, Be-Bop High School won the 12th Kodansha Manga Award in the general category.[23]

References edit

  1. ^ Chavez, Ed (February 7, 2008). "Yanki Doodle Dandy!". Otaku USA. Archived from the original on April 12, 2021. Retrieved April 30, 2020. The yanki ideal made popular by titles Be-Bop High School, Shounan Bakusouzoku, Bukkomi no Taku, and Rokudenashi Blues was especially appealing to me. Yanki are basically Japanese juvenile delinquents, prone to fighting over turf, foxy girls, and imitating the honor-bound world of the yakuza on their own troubled-teen terms
  2. ^ 『ビー・バップ・ハイスクール』の登場キャラ人気ランキングTOP29! 第1位は「加藤浩志」!【2021年最新投票結果】. Netorabo (in Japanese). ITmedia Inc. April 14, 2022. Archived from the original on November 22, 2022. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  3. ^ "BE-BOP-HIGHSCHOOL(1)" (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on January 12, 2014. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  4. ^ "BE-BOP-HIGHSCHOOL(48)" (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on January 12, 2014. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  5. ^ a b BE-BOP海賊版 アニメセレクション (in Japanese). Toei Video. August 5, 2008. Archived from the original on October 16, 2021. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  6. ^ BE-BOP 海賊版 [pt.1]. Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Archived from the original on January 21, 2023. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  7. ^ BE-BOP 海賊版 [pt.6]. Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Archived from the original on January 21, 2023. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  8. ^ ビー・バップ・ハイスクール. Eiren Database (in Japanese). Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan, Inc. Archived from the original on September 20, 2020. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  9. ^ ビー・バップ・ハイスクール 高校与太郎哀歌. Eiren Database (in Japanese). Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan, Inc. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  10. ^ ビー・バップ・ハイスクール 高校与太郎行進曲. Eiren Database (in Japanese). Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan, Inc. Archived from the original on February 5, 2009. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  11. ^ ビー・バップ・ハイスクール 高校与太郎狂騒曲. Eiren Database (in Japanese). Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan, Inc. Archived from the original on September 8, 2022. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  12. ^ ビー・バップ・ハイスクール 高校与太郎音頭. Eiren Database (in Japanese). Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan, Inc. Archived from the original on September 8, 2022. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  13. ^ ビー・バップ・ハイスクール 高校与太郎完結篇. Eiren Database (in Japanese). Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan, Inc. Archived from the original on July 4, 2022. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  14. ^ BE-BOP-HIGHSCHOOL ビー・バップ・ハイスクール. Eiren Database (in Japanese). Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan, Inc. Archived from the original on June 23, 2013. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  15. ^ BE-BOP-HIGHSCHOOL 高校生極楽伝説. Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Archived from the original on March 17, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
  16. ^ 1*ビー・バップ・ハイスクール. suruga-ya.jp (in Japanese). Archived from the original on January 21, 2023. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  17. ^ "BE-BOP・HIGHSCHOOL(7)". suruga-ya.jp (in Japanese). Archived from the original on January 21, 2023. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  18. ^ (水曜プレミア特別編)BE-BOP-HIGHSCHOOL ビー・バップ・ハイスクール(1). TV Drama database (in Japanese). Archived from the original on August 17, 2016. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  19. ^ (水曜プレミア特別編)BE-BOP-HIGHSCHOOL ビー・バップ・ハイスクール(2). TV Drama database (in Japanese). Archived from the original on February 21, 2014. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  20. ^ BE-BOP-HIGHSCHOOL DVDコレクション (in Japanese). Toei Video. March 21, 2006. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  21. ^ 進撃の巨人13巻は初版275万部!講談社で26年ぶり記録更新. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. April 7, 2014. Archived from the original on July 6, 2022. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  22. ^ Komatsu, Mikikazu (April 6, 2014). ""Attack on Titan" Manga 13th Volume Gets 2.75 Million First Print Run". Crunchyroll. Archived from the original on May 25, 2022. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  23. ^ Joel Hahn. "Kodansha Manga Awards". Comic Book Awards Almanac. Archived from the original on June 30, 2012. Retrieved January 21, 2022.

External links edit