GaruGaku

Summary

GaruGaku: Saint Girls Square Academy (Japanese: ガル学。〜聖ガールズスクエア学院〜, Hepburn: GaruGaku: Sei Gāruzu Sukueia Gakuin) is an anime series produced by OLM and Wit Studio and directed by Norihito Takahashi. The series follows a group of girls based on and voiced by members of the idol group Girls², who aim to perform on the Girls Arena stage. The show aired from April 2020 to March 2021 on the CharaSta segments of the children's morning show Oha Suta where the girls were Oha Girls. A second season aired from January to March 2022.

GaruGaku: Saint Girls Square Academy
Promotional visual for GaruGaku.
ガル学。〜聖ガールズスクエア学院〜
(GaruGaku: Sei Gāruzu Sukueia Gakuin)
Manga
Written byKahori Orito
Published byShogakukan
MagazineCiao
DemographicShōjo
Original runApril 3, 2020March 3, 2021
Volumes1
Anime television series
GaruGaku: Saint Girls Square Academy
Directed by
  • Hiroaki Akagi[a]
  • Norihito Takahashi
  • Makoto Nakata
Written byJunichi Fujisaku
Music byShigeru Yamamoto
Studio
Original networkTV Tokyo (via Oha Suta)
Original run April 6, 2020 March 29, 2021
Episodes50
Television drama
GaruGaku: Girls Garden
Original networkTX Network (TV Tokyo, TV Osaka, TV Aichi)
Original run July 7, 2021 September 29, 2021
Episodes12
Anime television series
GaruGaku II: Lucky Stars
Directed byMakoto Nakata
Written byJunichi Fujisaku
Music byShigeru Yamamoto
StudioOLM Team Kato
Original networkTV Tokyo (via Oha Suta)
Original run January 10, 2022 March 18, 2022
Episodes10 (50 parts)
Manga
GaruGaku II: Lucky Stars
Written byKahori Orito
Published byShogakukan
MagazineCiao
DemographicShōjo
Original runFebruary 3, 2022April 1, 2022

A manga adaptation was serialized in Shogakukan's Ciao magazine from April 2020 to March 2021. In March 2021, it was revealed that the anime would be adapted as a live-action drama with the Girls2 members playing their respective characters.[1][2][3]

Plot edit

Toa is a new transfer student at St. Girls Square Academy, with the goal to stand on the Girls Arena stage. She encounters 3 teams of girls who all share the same dream and she influences them with her happy, positive nature. The 3 teams work hard at their Girls Activities so that they can be the team to stand on that stage.

St. Girls Square Academy is a pro-star performer school, and it is only open to those who have passed the auditions that have been held around the country. The students form a team where they dream of performing on the stage of the biggest event that is held once a year. However, only one team can stand on the stage.

Characters edit

Main characters edit

  • Yuzuha Oda as Yuzuha, the shy member of east2.[4]
  • Momoka Sumitani as Momoka, the boke of west2.[4]
  • Misaki Tsuruya as Misaki, the student council president and leader of south2.[4]
  • Youka Ogawa as Youka, member of the student council and member of south2.[4]
  • Kurea Masuda as Kurea, the vice student council president and member of south2.[4]
  • Minami Hishida as Minami, the tsukkomi of west2.[4]
  • Kira Yamaguchi as Kira, member of the student council and member of south2.[4]
  • Toa Harada as Toa, the happy-go-lucky newest member of east2.[4]
  • Ran Ishii as Ran, skilled dancer and singer of east2.[4]

Supporting edit

Anime-only Characters edit

Drama-only Characters edit

  • EXILE Tetsuya as Manabu Eguchi, the Principal of St. Girls Square Academy.[5]
  • Miwako Kakei as Natsu Ota, an editor for free magazine "Harajuku Ai".[5]
  • Yoshihiko Hakamada as Eito Hanabuki, a man who knows a lot about Harajuku.[5]
  • Yūtarō [ja] as Takumi, works in the editorial department of "Harajuku Ai".[5]
  • Subaru Kimura as Subanii[5]
  • Rina Yamaguchi as Rina, a student at St. Girls Square Academy who is recruited by Toa to be a make-up model.[5]

Media edit

Anime edit

The series was first announced on March 3, 2020, on the Japanese children's morning show Oha Suta. It premiered on the show's "CharaSta" segment on April 6, 2020.[6] Due to COVID-19, a temporary suspension of the anime was announced, and from May 4 onwards, a rebroadcast of previous episodes aired.[7] The anime began broadcasting again from July 6 with episode 5.[8] On August 24, it was revealed that the anime would air new episodes on Tuesday as well starting from August 31. The final Tuesday episode was released on October 27, continuing in November with episodes airing only on Mondays. The final episode aired on March 29, 2021. The opening theme "Centimeter" (センチメートル) was provided by Girls² and used as the Oha Suta theme song. The anime had 16 endings, all provided by the sub-units East², South², West² and finally Girls².

A second season titled GaruGaku II: Lucky Stars was announced on December 1, 2021. OLM returned to produce the season, with Makoto Nakata serving as the director, and Junichi Fujisaku writing the scripts. It aired from January 10 to March 18, 2022, on Oha Suta.[9]

Manga edit

A manga adaptation was serialized in Shogakukan's Ciao magazine from April 3, 2020, to March 3, 2021.[10][11] A second manga adaptation was serialized in the same magazine from February 3 to April 1, 2022.[12][13]

Live-action drama edit

The drama was first announced on March 28, 2021, further revealing that Girls2 will reprise their roles, as well as providing the opening theme to which Subaru Kimura revealed his participation.[1] On June 8, GaruGaku: Girls Garden was revealed to be the title of the drama series, set to air from July 7 on TV Tokyo. Girls2 performed the opening theme "Enjoy" (featuring Subaru Kimura) and the ending theme "Good Days".[14] The full cast was announced on June 22, with EXILE Tetsuya, Miwako Kakei, Yoshihiko Hakamada and Yūtarō being announced. Subaru Kimura was also announced to make a guest appearance, and Lucky2's Rina Yamaguchi to make a minor appearance as a student.[5]

Notes edit

  1. ^ Credited as Chief Director (総監督, Sō Kantoku).

References edit

  1. ^ a b Pineda, Rafael Antonio (March 28, 2021). "Girls² Music Group's Girl Gaku Anime Gets Live-Action Series". Retrieved March 28, 2021.
  2. ^ "Girls2『ガル学。』実写ドラマ化決定(MusicVoice)". Yahoo!ニュース (in Japanese). Retrieved 2021-03-28.
  3. ^ "Live-action drama of "GARUGAKU" to be aired in the summer of 2021! | NEWS (ALL) | LDH - LOVE + DREAM + HAPPINESS TO THE WORLD -". www.ldh.co.jp. Retrieved 2021-04-02.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i "テレビアニメ「ガル学。~聖ガールズスクエア学院~」4月6日(月)テレビ東京系列あさ7時05分から放送中の「おはスタ」にて毎週月曜日放送スタート!". プレスリリース・ニュースリリース配信シェアNo.1|PR TIMES. 3 March 2020. Retrieved 2021-06-30.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g "EXILE TETSUYA、『ガル学。』学長役でGirls2に無茶ぶり「ぜひご家族のみなさんで」". マイナビニュース (in Japanese). 2021-06-22. Retrieved 2021-06-30.
  6. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (March 3, 2020). "Girls x Heroine's Girls2 Group Gets Girl Gaku TV Anime on April 6". Anime News Network. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
  7. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (April 26, 2020). "Girl Gaku Anime's New Episodes Delayed Due to COVID-19". Anime News Network. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
  8. ^ "「おはスタ」内で放送中のアニメ「ガル学。」第5話以降の放送延期". Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. April 27, 2020. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
  9. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (December 1, 2021). "Gal-gaku Anime Shorts Get 2nd Season Starting on January 10". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  10. ^ "コナン&ホラー作品を収めた2冊がちゃおに、本誌と合わせて862Pの大ボリューム". Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. April 3, 2020. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  11. ^ "篠塚ひろむのちゃお新連載はロボットの成長コメディ「ポンポコロボ アト&スゥ」". Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. March 3, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  12. ^ Mateo, Alex (February 4, 2022). "Gal-gaku. II: Lucky Stars Anime's Manga Launches". Anime News Network. Retrieved February 5, 2022.
  13. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (April 3, 2022). "Kahori Orito's Gal-Gaku. II: Lucky Stars Manga Ends". Anime News Network. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  14. ^ "Girls2「ガル学。」実写版のOA日が決定、ティザーで木村昴とのコラボ曲が聴ける". Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. June 8, 2021. Retrieved June 30, 2021.

External links edit

  • Official website (in Japanese)