Review: Afterschool Charisma Vol. 1 by Kumiko Suekane

Publishers Weekly Summary

With a title right out of a romance manga and a premise that sounds like Clone High, at first glance Afterschool Charisma doesn't seem promising. But that first impression is most emphatically wrong. Suekane's story of a school full of cloned historical geniuses and a very ordinary boy who observes them is another success for Viz's experimental manga line.

Cloned for undisclosed and morally dubious reasons, the students include not only the great and the good (Mozart, Marie Curie, Elizabeth I) but also the world-shatteringly brilliant and driven of every stripe (Napoleon, the infamous Dowager Empress Cixi, Hitler). But locking would-be world leaders up in a boarding school and disappearing the more rebellious students to "another school" works about as well as you might expect. 

Unlikely alliances and conspiracies form--Napoleon will hardly go tamely to his fate, for example, and Sigmund Freud revels in using his cynical psychological insight to be the perfect power behind the throne. Suekane's art is all clean lines and expressive faces, even if the characters look disconcertingly little like their historical counterparts. Tensely plotted and sparkling with sharp dialogue, the story succeeds by not underestimating the intelligence of teenagers, in both its characters and its readers.

First Impressions

Shiro Kamiya, unlike all of his classmates, is not a famous historical clone. Although his admittance to St. Kleio Academy is left unexplained, the reader can safely presume that he was granted admission on account of being the son of Dr. Kamiya, the resident professor. This explanation, however, is immediately suspect and the reader is soon confronted with the reality that things are not always as they seem at the academy.

Shiro's new classmates are a diverse group of historical figures. In this first volume the main cast is made up of: Marie Curie, Napoleon Bonaparte, Ikkyu, Florence Nightingale, Mozart, Elizabeth I, and the always delightful Sigmund Freud. Secondary characters include: Einstein, Joan of Arc, Hitler and Rasputin, among others.

As one might expect, there are numerous existential questions for the clones to grapple with. One recurring fear that the clones share is the notion of destiny--namely, whether or not they'll end up identical to their namesake. This pressure is exacerbated by the teachers who try their best to ensure that the clones turn out exactly like the originals. Certain characters, like Marie Curie, find themselves conflicted over the subject of their passion. Historical Marie Curie was a noted chemist and physicist; clone Marie Curie envies Mozart and wishes that she too could study music. 

To add to the mix, clone Kennedy, a seemingly perfect copy of the original JFK is quickly assassinated after announcing his intention to run for president, further blurring the line between destiny and free will in the minds of each and every clone of the academy.

On a tangent, I must say that Hitler is by far one of the most interesting characters of Afterschool Charisma. Unlike his predeccessor, he is shy, reserved and always with a smile on his face. Like many of the clones, he carries around a small figurine of Dolly (the first sheep successfully cloned) which he cherishes and holds onto religiously. What makes Hitler so distinct in the manga is his bond with Shiro. Both Hitler and Shiro are regarded as rejects; Shiro is outcasted for being a non-clone, accountable to no destiny other than his own, while Hitler is hated purely for the crimes of his namesake. To add to the complexity, Hitler accepts his rejection as a sign of deserved punishment for the sins of his original model. Now there's a story with endless possibilities!

Hitler: Reserved Dolly carrying cutie and, oddly enough, a fan favourite.

Final Thoughts

Afterschool Charisma is a well developed seinen manga, drawn semi realistically and avoiding the garish style that befalls many of its contemporaries. It is distinguishable by its interesting premise, dark undertones, diverse cast and snappy dialogue.

Oh, and heaving bosoms. Lots of them. In fact, boobs are the catalyst for many of the more comical moments of this manga, including my all time favourite scene. After Freud is caught peeking in on the girls in the dressing room (who are comparing the size of their breasts--this is a manga after all), he protests:

"Ultimately, the sex drive is what powers our libido, man's instinctive energy. Essentially, what happened just now enabled me to reach the genital phase, averting sexual deviance! Isn't that wonderful? Now if we look at what happened from the reverse perspective, examining the female subjects' activities, their own progress towards the genital phase..."

Classic Freud.

Afterschool Charisma Vol. 2 is released January 2011. Don't be surprised if you see subsequent reviews of this manga.