Best Student Council (極上生徒会) is a Japanese anime television series conceived by Konami and animated by J.C.Staff which originally aired on TV Tokyo from April to September 2005. A PS2 dating sim game of the same name based on the anime was also made by Konami. The North American DVD was released by ADV Films in 2007.

Plot

The story follows Rino Rando, who has been on her own since the death of her mother, Chieri, as she transfers to Miyagami Private Academy with the recommendation of her mysterious pen pal, Mr. Poppit. Shortly after her arrival, Rino surprisingly becomes a member of elite group of girls called the Best Student Council. Rino learns that Kanade Jinguji founded Miyagami Private Academy as a place where students can live free from restrictions and that the Best Student Council was formed to ensure that freedom. Best Student Council Members receive free tuition, room and board. The story takes place at Miyagami Private Academy, a mysterious all-girl high school, its student council, the Miyagami Academy Maximum Authority Wielding Best Student Council, also known as the Best Student Council (Gokujou Seitokai), having their own Assault, Covert, and vehicle divisions. This council has more authority power than any of the faculty and staff members. The Best Student Council is divided into the four main divisions: Executive, Assault and Covert plus the Vehicle Squad. Each member of the council has their own special ability, such as special fighting techniques, the gathering of information, or weaponry such as cards, a yo-yo, or, in Rino's case, her hand puppet, Pucchan. It is revealed in an early episode that no one really knows how many members are actually in the best Student Council except the President.

Characters

Executive members

Assault Squad

The Assault Squad (遊撃部) is in charge of the safety and well being of the school by eliminating any potential threats. The assault squad gain their knowledge of threats from the covert squad.

Covert Squad

The Covert Squad (隠密) specializes in gathering intelligence and performs espionage and surveillance operations. For example, when a new student plans to transfer to Miyagami Private Academy a background check is conducted by the Covert Squad. In the opening title sequence Kuon Ginga and Seina Katsura are originally accompanied by two shadows representing secret members of the Covert Squad. Later these shadows are revealed to be Kotoha Kutsugi to the right (starting in episode 16), and Ayumu Oume to the left (starting in episode 21).

Vehicle Squad

Production

The anime television series featured three pieces of theme music. The opening theme is "Koi se yo Onna no ko" (恋せよ女の子) performed by Yukari Tamura. The first ending theme for the first thirteen episodes is "Guuzen Tenshi" (偶然天使) performed by Gokujou Seitokai Shikkoubu. The second ending theme is "Koi suru miracle" (恋する奇跡) performed by Gokujou Seitokai Yuugeki and Sharyoubu for the last thirteen episodes.

Soundtracks

Gokujo Drama & Gokujo Soundtrack Vol. 1

Gokujo Drama & Gokujo Soundtrack Vol. 2

Reception

Theron Martin of Anime News Network said the series recycles "bad clichés" but has its "clever moments". He adds that the series has some other "good gags" and calls the artistry "bright, cheery, and appealing" while calling the background art "uneven", and says the musical score is a nice complement to the series. He ends by saying that Negima is better than this series and calls the series with recycled humor, but "funny and entertaining moments" to carry the anime as a whole. Erica Friedman reviewed the anime on two occasions. In her first review she called the anime a "lot of fun" and it has at least "a little meat for the yuri fan to chew on", and said that Izumi Kaori is the only "real" lesbian in the group of characters, with undertones among everyone else. In her second review, she called it the series the "perfect way to unwind" and called the series "entertaining, not taxing, with surprising moments of hysterical".