Prison School (監獄学園, literally "Prison Academy") is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Akira Hiramoto, serialized in Kodansha's *Weekly Young Magazine* from February 2011 to December 2017.
It is a black comedy set in a formerly all-girls school that has just become co-educational, focusing on the severe punishments faced by its first five male students.
The story is known for its over-the-top humor, ecchi content, and intricate, high-stakes plotlines that parody prison break and psychological thriller tropes.
It was adapted into a 12-episode anime television series in 2015, a live-action television drama later that same year, and a stage musical in 2018.
The Male Incarceration Arc
In April 2011, five boys enroll at the prestigious Hachimitsu Private Academy, a former all-girls school, only to find themselves outnumbered by 1,016 female students.
Within a week, Kiyoshi Fujino, Takehito "Gakuto" Morokuzu, Shingo Wakamoto, Jōji "Joe" Nezu, and Reiji "André" Andō are caught peeping into the girls' bath.
The Underground Student Council, led by the charismatic Mari Kurihara, sentences them to a month of hard labor in the school's prison block.
Kiyoshi masterminds a prison break to keep a date with his crush, Chiyo Kurihara, but the plan backfires spectacularly, leading to an extended sentence for all the boys.
This failure sparks the "DTO" (Dropout Operation), a scheme by the Underground Student Council to engineer the expulsion of all male students.
After a series of escalating mind games and counter-plots, the boys uncover the Council's conspiracy, secure their release, and have their captors imprisoned in their place.
The Female Incarceration Arc
The overthrown Underground Student Council, now consisting of Mari, Meiko Shiraki, and Hana Midorikawa, is forced to endure brutal prison labor under the supervision of the new, officially recognized Student Council led by Kate Takenomiya.
Kate’s cruel and calculated tactics drive a wedge between the imprisoned girls, causing Hana to defect and triggering a mental collapse in Meiko.
To fight back against Kate’s tyranny and uncover her corruption, Mari joins forces with Kiyoshi, who has been re-imprisoned, to plan another daring jailbreak.
The Sports Festival Arc
The power struggle between the Underground and Official Student Councils culminates in a high-stakes cavalry battle during the school's sports festival.
The male students are split between the two factions, with Kiyoshi, Gakuto, Shingo, and Joe siding with Mari, while the beast-like André fights for Kate’s team.
The chaotic and outrageous competition involves psychological warfare, black magic, and the near-death and resurrection of several characters, ultimately ending in the destruction of the prison block itself.
Male Students
Kiyoshi Fujino (キヨシ) is the series' protagonist, a relatively normal boy who harbors a crush on Chiyo Kurihara.
He often finds himself as the reluctant epicenter of chaos, whose bold but ill-conceived plans drive much of the story's action.
He is voiced by Hiroshi Kamiya.
Takehito Morokuzu (ガクト) is the self-proclaimed "wisest general in Nerima" and the strategic mastermind of the male group.
A fanatical *Romance of the Three Kingdoms* otaku, his intricate knowledge of history and strategy is matched only by his willingness to debase himself for rare collectibles.
He is voiced by Katsuyuki Konishi.
Shingo Wakamoto (シンゴ) is a would-be delinquent with a signature pompadour who is surprisingly naive and easily manipulated, especially by women.
His desire for a girlfriend makes him a prime target for the Underground Student Council’s schemes.
He is voiced by Kenichi Suzumura.
Jōji Nezu (ジョー) is a quiet, sickly, and perpetually hooded figure who speaks with a caustic wit.
His primary source of affection is reserved for his pet ants, and he can become terrifyingly unhinged when they are threatened.
He is voiced by Daisuke Namikawa.
Reiji Andō (アンドレ) is a morbidly obese and gentle giant with an extreme masochistic fetish.
His entire emotional state depends on receiving physical punishment, making him uniquely vulnerable to manipulation by the disciplinarian Meiko and later the sadistic Student Council VP, Risa Bettō.
He is voiced by Kazuyuki Okitsu.
The Underground Student Council
Mari Kurihara is the imperious and calculating president of the Underground Student Council and Chiyo’s older sister.
A skilled practitioner of aikido who commands crows, she harbors a deep-seated disgust for all men, rooted in her relationship with her father.
She is voiced by Sayaka Oohara.
Meiko Shiraki is the vice president and Mari's fiercely loyal enforcer, known for her stunning figure, immense physical strength, and punishing discipline.
Her domineering exterior masks a deep insecurity about her body, stemming from childhood bullying.
She is voiced by Shizuka Itou.
Hana Midorikawa is the council's deceptively cute but violently short-tempered secretary.
A karate champion, she dishes out swift and brutal punishment, yet maintains a childish and pure worldview outside of her duties.
She develops a complex, vengeance-fueled obsession with Kiyoshi.
She is voiced by Kana Hanazawa.
The Official Student Council
Kate Takenomiya is the haughty and cunning president of the Official Student Council, whose primary motivation is her obsessive rivalry with Mari.
Her actions are driven by a deep-seated inferiority complex and a twisted desire to become just like her.
She is voiced by Ami Koshimizu.
Risa Bettō is the silent, emotionally detached vice president who always carries a shinai (bamboo sword).
Beneath her stoic facade, she is deeply sensitive about her flat chest and eventually forms a bizarre dominatrix-submissive relationship with André.
Her character design is modeled after Lisbeth Salander.
Mitsuko Yokoyama is the council's clumsy and kind-hearted secretary, nicknamed the "Pythagoras Clumsy Girl" for her ability to cause chain-reaction disasters.
A fellow *Three Kingdoms* enthusiast, she bonds with Gakuto and harbors a passion for writing boys' love manga.
She is voiced by Mikako Takahashi.
Other Students
Chiyo Kurihara is Mari's kind-hearted younger sister and Kiyoshi's long-time crush.
An avid sumo wrestling fan and a member of the Go club, her powerful sense of justice often puts her at odds with her sister's cruel methods.
She is voiced by Chinami Hashimoto.
Anzu Yokoyama is a second-year student and the former captain of the Underground Student Council’s fan club.
She originally tricked Shingo on the council's orders but later developed genuine feelings for him.
She is voiced by You Taichi.
Mayumi Tanaka is Chiyo’s bubbly roommate and best friend.
Secretly, she maintains an online persona as a popular streamer named "Makami Nayuta," a secret that is weaponized against her during the sports festival.
She is voiced by Ami Nanase.
School Staff
Chairman Kurihara is the principal of Hachimitsu Academy and the father of both Mari and Chiyo.
A smooth-talking, unapologetic butt fetishist, his lecherous and often nonsensical behavior is the root cause of Mari's deep-seated misandry, despite his fundamentally good heart as an educator.
He is voiced by Keiji Fujiwara.
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