Be-Bop High School (ビー・バップ・ハイスクール) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kazuhiro Kiuchi. It was serialized in Kodansha's seinen manga magazine Weekly Young Magazine from 1983 to 2003, with its chapters collected in 48 tankōbon volumes. It has been adapted into seven live-action films, a video game, and an original video animation (OVA) series. The manga has sold over 40 million copies, making it one of the best-selling manga series of all time. In 1988, the series won the 12th Kodansha Manga Award in the general category.

Story

The series revolves around the lives of two rough-and-tumble high school friends, Hiroshi Kato (加藤 浩志) and Toru Nakama (中間 徹), who frequently cause trouble and start fights. Toru and Hiroshi style their hair in punch perms and also adopt exaggerated swaggering gaits. The manga also features an assortment of outlandish characters who also sport unusual fashions and hairstyles.

Media

Manga

Written and illustrated by Kazuhiro Kiuchi, Be-Bop High School was serialized in Kodansha's seinen manga magazine Weekly Young Magazine from 1983 to 2003. Kodansha collected its chapters in 48 tankōbon volumes, released from March 17, 1984, to January 6, 2004. A spin-off parody, titled Be-Bop Kaizokuban (Be-Bop 海賊版), Memeoka Manhiru, was serialized in Bessatsu Young Magazine, and its chapters were collected in six tankōbon volumes, released from January 1990 to January 1996.

Live-action films

There are seven live-action films based on the manga; six films directed by Hiroyuki Nasu and released between 1985 and 1988, and a 1994 film directed by the manga's own author, Kazuhiro Kiuchi.

Video game

A video game, titled Be-Bop High School: Kōkōsei Gokuraku Densetsu (ビーバップハイスクール 高校生極楽伝説), was released on March 30, 1988, by Data East for the Nintendo Famicom console.

Original video animation

A seven-episode original video animation (OVA) adaptation, animated by Toei Animation, was released between January 26, 1990, to December 11, 1998. A three-episode OVA, based on Be-Bop Kaizokuban, was released between 1991 and 1993.

Drama

A special television drama adaptation of two episodes was broadcast on TBS on June 16, 2004, and August 17, 2005.

Reception

The manga has sold over 40 million copies. The series' eighth volume had a first print run of 2.27 million copies in 1987, making it the publisher's highest first print run of all time; the record was broken by Attack on Titan's 13th volume in 2014, which had a first print run of 2.75 million copies. In 1988, alongside Bonobono, Be-Bop High School won the 12th Kodansha Manga Award in the general category.