Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight!" is a comedic and futuristic Japanese anime series that spans up to twelve episodes. The shortened tight is just called "Manabi Straight!" The series is directed by a group called Team Manabibeya and is produced by the studio called "Ufotable." It had finished airing its first run from January 8-March 26, 2007. This is an adaptation from the manga that had run since December of 2005 and is still in circulation with three volumes. The tone of everything looks to be very exaggerated and melodramatic for the purposes of comedy. But looking at the first few episodes, it looks to play out very well.
The year the series takes place at is 2035. But everything looks to be grounded in reality and in the present time. The main characters attend Seioh Private High School which is an all girl school. However, there’s a low birthrate going on. It’s not explained if it’s just in Japan or across the world. The anime doesn’t seem to explain the reasons for the low birthrate are left unexplained. But the focus isn’t on the low birthrate. However, the low birthrate of children is the one thing that is the main driving force of the main character and the series.
Anybody within the teaching and education field can very much understand and relate to Manabi Straight! There are many implications that can possibly happen as a result of having a low number of students. In the anime, a low number of students are the cause of numerous schools across Japan to be closed down. Seiou Private High School is one of those schools on the verge to be closed down. But a transfer student named Manami Amamiya a very energetic, positive, and very enthusiastic student. The one thing that is difficult for Manami is that she’s a transfer student.
She assists the lone student council member Mika as the other one quickly transferred to another school. Luckily, Manami takes over as the student council president though the principal is hesitant at first. Before Manami took over, it was pretty sad as the swim meet was against each other instead of different schools. It shows how much the school is hurting in a lack of a student body. This could also be considered a slice of life Japanese anime series as it focuses on the lives of Manami, Mika Inamori, Mutsuki Uehara, Mei Etoh, and Momoha Odori.
It focuses on getting the school’s spirit back up along with preparing a new student council. But being class president is far easier said than it is done. Manabi Straight is a true underdog story in the comedic sense. At first it could be considered as part of the "magical girl" genre. But there is nothing "magical" about this series. The girls are normal everyday school girls trying to bring Seioh back to life. The students making up the student council themselves are underdogs. However, the school itself is an underdog as well for numerous reasons.
This looks to be a pretty decent Japanese anime series that can pretty much apply to anybody. However, it’s not known if or when the series will be licensed and released to North America. But it’s a good comedic anime to watch if and when you want to wind down.