School-based anime and foreign/non-/part-Japanese students

[something]

I'm wondering, what school (high school or middle school, doesn't matter which [edit: and taking place in Japan, of course]) focused anime has the most "special" students? Either half Japanese, immigrants, exchange students, or students who have been completely influenced by a life overseas and fill the same role as the other kinds of characters mentioned.

I note this because of School Rumble. The percentage of important characters who aren't typical Japanese is strangely high. The cast is huge to begin with, but even so, we have:

Sawachika Eri - Half Japanese, half English. Blond hair, spent her formative years overseas, has trouble with kanji
Sarah Adiemus - English. Blond hair, only came to Japan shortly before the series began.
Lala Gonzales - Mexican. Dark skin, speaks in a stereotypically halting accent. Immigrated to Japan from Mexico to find a better life for her and her father. Supposedly.
Harry McKenzie - American. Blond hair, gaijin accent, is happy to see that there "are still samurai in Japan".
Tougou Masakazu - Okay he's Japanese, but appears to have spent a considerable amount of time living in America where he befriended Harry. Despite his place of birth he's apparently so American that his arrival on screen is often accompanied with nothing less than the US National Anthem. :sd:

So that's five prominent characters in one show who fit the criteria I've outlined. I have to say the UK is represented pretty strongly - Eri and Sarah would probably be my top 2 choices for hottest Sukuran girls. It's also really nice that they reflect a variety of roles, a vast improvement over the use of a single non-Japanese student to fill a mere "token gaijin" role.

What other shows have had a large number of these students?

(P.S. School Rumble is fucking awesome.)

[Fencedude]

So that's five prominent characters in one show who fit the criteria I've outlined. I have to say the UK is represented pretty strongly - Eri and Sarah would probably be my top 2 choices for hottest Sukuran girls.


Also Sarah is totally not Saber. Nope. Not at all, perish the thought!

[something]

Also Sarah is totally not Saber. Nope. Not at all, perish the thought!
Hah, yeah, when she's on screen/on page I start wanting to finally watch my F/SN DVDs. :sd:

[HitokiriShadow]

Well, the Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei cast is full of "special" students, though only two are foreign from what I recall. Well, actually, one was an immigrant and I believe the other was a Japanese girl who had lived in America for a long time.

[Draneor]

Cromartie High School has the weirdest cast by far, but I think most of them were Japanese (can a gorilla be Japanese?). Plus, they're boys.

[A] vast improvement over the use of a single non-Japanese student to fill a mere "token gaijin" role

The stereotypes that accompany the token gaijin character are probably why I almost always hate them and half-Japanese characters. School Rumble was an exception though, although even Kobayashi uses certain stereotypes (like there is no logical reason why Eri should find old Japanese kanji hard to read just because she's half Japanese). Still, his love for foreign movies seems to come through.

Hah, yeah, when she's on screen/on page I start wanting to finally watch my F/SN DVDs. :sd:

You should! Then you can play it. :)

[something]

Well, the Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei cast is full of "special" students, though only two are foreign from what I recall.
Ah yes, Kaere and Maria... hmm, we are never actually told Maria's nationality, are we?

[HitokiriShadow]

Ah yes, Kaere and Maria... hmm, we are never actually told Maria's nationality, are we?

Not that I can recall, but I only saw the first 8 episodes and that was, uh, back in 2006 I believe. So my memory of the series isn't exactly fresh and clear.

[Buster Darkwings]

Tougou Masakazu - Okay he's Japanese, but appears to have spent a considerable amount of time living in America where he befriended Harry.


I forget if this was mentioned in both the anime and manga or just the manga, but Tougou was specifically noted as having never been abroad. So he's just an America otaku.

[LenMiyata]

Grumble Grumble Grumble

Now are you counting Anime series, where the school is not located in Japan... Series that come to mind with a European setting would be 'Pretty Cure 5' and 'Sugar, A Tiny Snow Fairy' which would make ALL the students in the class non-Japanese...

[Prede]

Red Garden - it's a thriller/drama/horror anime series by Gonzo. All the main characters are American girls who go to a prestigious school in New York City.

To Heart - A 13 episode slice-of-life/drama anime series based off a dateing sim. One of the main characters, Lemmy , is half American, half Japanese and makes a lot of mistakes with japanese sayings.

Pani Poni Dash - This 26 episode comedy anime by SHAFT/Square Enix, is about an 11 year old protege, Rebecca Miyamoto , who has to teach a class in Japan. Rebecca's mother is Japanese, and her father is America. She lived in America for part of her life, and even graduated from MIT (although she can't pronouce it :P ).

Does Gunslinger Girl count? This is not very common in Anime, although I guess it does come up from time to time...

[pianocello]

Red Garden - it's a thriller/drama/horror anime series by Gonzo. All the main characters are American girls who go to a prestigious school in New York City.

Does Gunslinger Girl count? This is not very common in Anime, although I guess it does come up from time to time...


I suspect the original poster is refering only to Japanese schools with a high percentage of foreigners.....

[something]

I forget if this was mentioned in both the anime and manga or just the manga, but Tougou was specifically noted as having never been abroad. So he's just an America otaku.
I was reading Vol. 6 last night and it actually explicitly mentioned (pg 64) the opposite, that he had been "raised outside the country". Assuming it wasn't translated wrong, or that Kobayashi didn't change his mind later.

[something]

Red Garden - it's a thriller/drama/horror anime series by Gonzo. All the main characters are American girls who go to a prestigious school in New York City.
Does Gunslinger Girl count? This is not very common in Anime, although I guess it does come up from time to time...
I suspect the original poster is refering only to Japanese schools with a high percentage of foreigners.....
Er, yeah, definitely. If it doesn't take place in Japan, then it's really no surprise the students would be non-Japanese... :sd:

[Nork22]

Should also note Patricia Martin in Lucky Star. The stereotypical gaijin who's also an otaku.

[Victor Lewandowski]

Anthony M. Chamberlain from Doki Doki School Hours: Gold moved to Japan to take in the otaku culture.

The president and treasurer of Rikkyouin's student council in Kujibiki Unbalance are only part-Japanese.

[ZenAmako]

What about the blonde girl in Strawberry Marshmallow who speaks fluent Japanese, but doesn't want anyone to know?

[Buster Darkwings]

I forget if this was mentioned in both the anime and manga or just the manga, but Tougou was specifically noted as having never been abroad. So he's just an America otaku.
I was reading Vol. 6 last night and it actually explicitly mentioned (pg 64) the opposite, that he had been "raised outside the country". Assuming it wasn't translated wrong, or that Kobayashi didn't change his mind later.

Checking the manga again, it says he had never been to America (despite his lines about "leaving his soul" there, etc.), but had lived in other countries.

[Draneor]

D.C. might qualify.

Junichi is 1/8 British, although entirely Japanese in character.
Sakura is at least 1/8 British, and definitely picked up some gaijin tendencies during her long sojourns overseas.
Alice is half Japanese.
Aisia is 100% non-Japanese.

Negima definitely qualifies.

Negi is British.
Anya is perhaps Russian if not British (both?).

As far as the members of class 3-A go, the following aren't Japanese:

Chao Lingshen
Evangeline A.K. McDowell
Kuu Fei
Zazie Rainyday
[Redacted] (major plot spoiler)
Tatsumiya Mana (Half-Puerto Rican)

There are also a bunch of teachers and side-characters from the magical world.

[Suwako Moriya]

I'm wondering, what school (high school or middle school, doesn't matter which [edit: and taking place in Japan, of course]) focused anime has the most "special" students? Either half Japanese, immigrants, exchange students, or students who have been completely influenced by a life overseas and fill the same role as the other kinds of characters mentioned.

Heh, when I first read the topic title, I figured this was going to be a case of mentioning characters from various anime that meet the qualification. Such as for example the already mentioned Anna Coppola from Strawberry Marshmallow.

However since the focus seems to be on which show has the most characters that qualify, I can't really think of any off hand that would outclass stuff like School Rumble in that regard.

[Suwako Moriya]

Series that come to mind with a European setting would be 'Pretty Cure 5' and 'Sugar, A Tiny Snow Fairy' which would make ALL the students in the class non-Japanese...

In regards to 'Sugar, A Tiny Snow Fairy', it definitely takes place in Germany. That much you're right on. However in the case of Yes Pretty Cure 5!, I'm not sure where you got the idea the show takes place in Europe. Maybe, I missed something while watching it.

Even so, I'm pretty sure that many of the characters in Yes 5 are supposed to be Japanese. Although Kasugano Urara aka Cure Lemonade the Pretty Cure of Effervescence is half-Japanese and half-french. So there's at least her to consider.

[Gatts]

As far as the members of class 3-A go, the following aren't Japanese:

Chao Lingshen
Evangeline A.K. McDowell
Kuu Fei
Zazie Rainyday
[Redacted] (major plot spoiler)

Other than spoiler girl, Chachamaru isn't Japanese and Mana is Puerto Rican IIRC (although we don't really know about her past).

[Draneor]

Other than spoiler girl, Chachamaru isn't Japanese and Mana is Puerto Rican IIRC (although we don't really know about her past).

Ah, I forgot about Mana. I didn't include Chachamaru because she's a robot, although I can see why you would include her.

[Gatts]

Ah, I forgot about Mana.

Well, they "say" she's a shrine maiden on the campus, but everyone knows that's pretty much BS.

[something]

What about the blonde girl in Strawberry Marshmallow who speaks fluent Japanese, but doesn't want anyone to know?
"The blond girl"? You dare refer to the lovely Ana Hole Bone Cave-sama as just "the blond girl"? Blasphemy!

Loooove Ana. You know, it really does seem like blond Brits (or half-Brits) make for awesome exchange students in anime. <3 Eri, Sarah, Ana <3

[something]

Heh, when I first read the topic title, I figured this was going to be a case of mentioning characters from various anime that meet the qualification...
However since the focus seems to be on which show has the most characters that qualify...
It is indeed intended to be about the latter but I won't (and couldn't anyway :sd: ) stop people from just mentioning individuals.

But yeah, I'm above all interested in shows where a large number of characters fit the criteria, rather than just one. Negima looks like it might have even more than SR, although it might be a smaller percentage of the recurring-speaking-role cast. Haven't seen Negima so it's hard to evaluate.

[Gatts]

Question for something. How far are you willing to stretch "school based". I know you don't want to include things like Infinite Ryvius, Battle Athletes, Futatsu no Spica and Stellvia, but what about series located in Japan like Combustible Campus Guardress?

[Draneor]

Negima looks like it might have even more than SR, although it might be a smaller percentage of the recurring-speaking-role cast. Haven't seen Negima so it's hard to evaluate.

Two of the characters I listed have major arcs (and the one I redacted is also rather prominent), only one of which was animated. Plus, Negi is, you know, the main character. It's one of the few anime where the main character isn't Japanese but is, more or less, fairly normal[1].

[1]Granted, Negi is actually completely abnormal, but he isn't the standard blond-haired, blue-eyed sushi, tempura, fujiyama gaijin either. His abnormality has nothing to do with his ethnic background.

[something]

Question for something. How far are you willing to stretch "school based". I know you don't want to include things like Infinite Ryvius, Battle Athletes, Futatsu no Spica and Stellvia don't count, but what about series located in Japan like Combustible Campus Guardress?
Haven't seen Guardress specifically, but I think you're asking about whether non-contemporary settings (sci-fi, post-apocalyptic, significantly changed parallel universes etc) count? That's probably okay, though such shows should be pointed out as such. The school life itself should be a major focus too. I'd consider Asuka from Eva to be only marginally relevant, for example.

The more traditional Japanese middle/high school setting is my main interest though. I mean, if the class is specifically made up of, say, an international team of mecha pilots (or whatever), then it's not really the same dynamic as a regular Japanese highschool that just happens to have an unusual number of exchange students. But I don't have a problem with anyone posting about other kinds of things.

[Gatts]

Haven't seen Guardress specifically, but I think you're asking about whether non-contemporary settings (sci-fi, post-apocalyptic, significantly changed parallel universes etc) count? That's probably okay, though such shows should be pointed out as such. The school life itself should be a major focus too. I'd consider Asuka from Eva to be only marginally relevant, for example.

Hmm, well school life in Guardress is mostly fighting so I guess it wouldn't count. That would probably also count out Bob Makihara from Tenjho Tenge. Negima also spends a good amount of (most of) time away from school life as well.

Guardress is a pretty fun series. If you have ever watched and liked Project A-ko or Natsuki Crisis, you might like it. But it is very strange.

[Spirit Of The Stage]

To add to the aforementioned list (but it was already owned by the first post with the inclusion of Eri and Sarah...:P)

Tamaki Suoh from Ouran Host Club is part French, part Japanese.
Karin Maaka from Karin is of course...from...ahem...Europe, somewhere specific of course and she leads a mostly normally life...
Momiji Sohma is part German in Fruits Basket (though this is more obvious in the manga)
Is Alisa Bannings from Nanoha Japanese? I don't think it's ever mentioned what nationality she is, but it's not like a Japanese name and her spouts of English. And of course, we can debate about Fate as much as we want when she gets into school in A's...guess it's not a school based anime per say but...
Cindy from Best Student Council/Gokujou Setokai. YES. :)

[Zeether]

That reminds me, what nationality is Evangeline? Her last name sounds Scottish...

[Suwako Moriya]

It is indeed intended to be about the latter but I won't (and couldn't anyway :sd: ) stop people from just mentioning individuals.

Ah, I see then. Also as I read through the thread, I've noticed multiple people simply mentioning individuals. I wonder if making a separate topic for the purpose some seem to be using this thread would be a good or bad idea.

Finally for the record and just so I can be a villain as well, I'll go ahead and bring up two of the characters I had planned to mention. The first being Alyssa Searrs (My-HiME) and the second would have been Kate (Sketchbook). Although obviously the former might stretch the idea of school settings a bit.:sweat: Hopefully that was evil enough of me.

[Serial Experiments Nobue]

What about the blonde girl in Strawberry Marshmallow who speaks fluent Japanese, but doesn't want anyone to know?
"The blond girl"? You dare refer to the lovely Ana Hole Bone Cave-sama as just "the blond girl"? Blasphemy!

Loooove Ana. You know, it really does seem like blond Brits (or half-Brits) make for awesome exchange students in anime. <3 Eri, Sarah, Ana <3

Oh, Ana, how wonderful she is. "Kop-pora, Kop-pora, Kop-pora!"

[Prede]

Red Garden - it's a thriller/drama/horror anime series by Gonzo. All the main characters are American girls who go to a prestigious school in New York City.
Does Gunslinger Girl count? This is not very common in Anime, although I guess it does come up from time to time...
I suspect the original poster is refering only to Japanese schools with a high percentage of foreigners.....
Er, yeah, definitely. If it doesn't take place in Japan, then it's really no surprise the students would be non-Japanese... :sd:

LenMiyata suggested something that was not set in Japan first. I figured it couldn't hurt to post them as well...

Zeether: I'm pretty sure Evangeline is Irish. Although you may be right, perhaps she's Scottish?

[something]

Ah, I see then. Also as I read through the thread, I've noticed multiple people simply mentioning individuals. I wonder if making a separate topic for the purpose some seem to be using this thread would be a good or bad idea.
No, one thread is fine. I don't really mind if it goes slightly off topic. There's probably not all that many things to compare in terms of full cast against School Rumble anyway, so it'd be a short thread if I were too anal about it =P

The first being Alyssa Searrs (My-HiME) and the second would have been Kate (Sketchbook). Although obviously the former might stretch the idea of school settings a bit.:sweat: Hopefully that was evil enough of me.
Where the heck was Alyssa from anyway? I don't remember if they stated. US or UK I guess. [Edit: Ah, according to Wiki the Searrs Corp is meant to be an American organization, albeit of the shadowy world-spanning power type] As for Kate, she's yet another lovely English speaking blond, although she's representing our friends to the north in Canada instead of in the UK. <3 Kate.

[Buckeye]

Although Ai Yori Aoshi is really university-based, Tina Foster is most definitely American and Mayu is part British, I believe. And although Code Geass is more half-school-based and half-action, everybody except for that attends Ashford Academy are not Japanese except for Suzaku and Kallen.

[Zeether]

Red Garden - it's a thriller/drama/horror anime series by Gonzo. All the main characters are American girls who go to a prestigious school in New York City.
Does Gunslinger Girl count? This is not very common in Anime, although I guess it does come up from time to time...
I suspect the original poster is refering only to Japanese schools with a high percentage of foreigners.....
Er, yeah, definitely. If it doesn't take place in Japan, then it's really no surprise the students would be non-Japanese... :sd:

LenMiyata suggested something that was not set in Japan first. I figured it couldn't hurt to post them as well...

Zeether: I'm pretty sure Evangeline is Irish. Although you may be right, perhaps she's Scottish?
Well, I've heard many people say the name "McDowell" is Scottish...so, maybe I'm right.

[EmperorBrandon]

As for Kate, she's yet another lovely English speaking blond, although she's representing our friends to the north in Canada instead of in the UK. <3 Kate.

Heh, when this thread came up, I was remembering that Kate was Canadian. Are there any other Canadian characters in anime? (at least in the sense of being foreigners in Japan? Usually the English-speaking types are American or British)

[something]

Heh, when this thread came up, I was remembering that Kate was Canadian. Are there any other Canadian characters in anime? (at least in the sense of being foreigners in Japan? Usually the English-speaking types are American or British)
PETE PUMPS! (lol Ginban Kaleidoscope)

[Buckeye]

Also to add to the list, from Card Captor Sakura, Syaoran Li and Meilin Li are both Chinese students and Eriol is British. Since Syaoran is said to be a descendant of Clow Reed, then Syaoran should also be part British as well.

[EmperorBrandon]

Since Syaoran is said to be a descendant of Clow Reed, then Syaoran should also be part British as well.

Was he descended from Clow himself, or just from Clow's mother's side of the family? Don't really remember which out of that detail, but if the latter he wouldn't have any British ancestry.

[Suwako Moriya]

Where the heck was Alyssa from anyway? I don't remember if they stated. US or UK I guess.

I was going to seriously answer your question, but you had to edit your post before I could even reply and thus there's no point telling you that she's from the US. Hence I will give the none serious answer of "She's from the same land as some of my other favorites. The land of awesome."

As for Kate, she's yet another lovely English speaking blond, although she's representing our friends to the north in Canada instead of in the UK. <3 Kate.

With the blond Kate (Canada), blond Anna Coppola (UK), and the blond Alyssa Searrs (US) that means we could have a blond trio of awesomeness from a foreign land. Although I'd still like to know Kate's family name. It bothers me slightly when they keep things like that a secret.

[Suwako Moriya]

PETE PUMPS! (lol Ginban Kaleidoscope)

The character in question is pretty decent, but I still can't get used to his name.

[Njr Scrawl]

Haven't seen Guardress specifically, but I think you're asking about whether non-contemporary settings (sci-fi, post-apocalyptic, significantly changed parallel universes etc) count? That's probably okay, though such shows should be pointed out as such. The school life itself should be a major focus too. I'd consider Asuka from Eva to be only marginally relevant, for example.

Hmm, well school life in Guardress is mostly fighting so I guess it wouldn't count. That would probably also count out Bob Makihara from Tenjho Tenge. Negima also spends a good amount of (most of) time away from school life as well.

Guardress is a pretty fun series. If you have ever watched and liked Project A-ko or Natsuki Crisis, you might like it. But it is very strange.

I have the Guardress LDs. Great OVA show & one I always thought ADV might licence once. *sigh*

Only anime I can think of is a game, Rival Schools/Project Justice pair.