(no subject)

[skygiants]

So I heard about this manga about a high school full of clones of famous people, and, being a person who is very easily amused, I decided I needed to possess it forthwith. Therefore I went out and bought the first volume of After School Charisma and then I read the second volume online, and . . . man, guys, I cannot read a page of this thing without cracking up. *__*

So our cast includes one (1) Normal Boy Transfer Student, by name of Shiro, the son of a teacher at the school. EVERYONE ELSE is a teenaged clone angsty high school shojo verson of a historical famous person; they alternately befriend Shiro and shout things at him like "HOW COULD YOU UNDERSTAND, YOU - YOU NON-CLONE!"



From left to right: Ikkyu, Elizabeth I (yes, with the short blonde pageboy), Napoleon Bonaparte, Sigmund Freud, Our Protagonist, and Marie Curie.

Significant others represented include Rasputin, Joan of Arc, Moe Florence Nightingale, Molester Einstein, and Megalomaniac Mozart. Oh, and let's not forget . . .



CLONE HITLER.

Yeeeeeeeeah.

There are, of course sinister plots and secret conspiracies aplenty; the first major drama happens when CLONE KENNEDY, the first clone graduate, announces his bid for President . . . and is promptly assassinated. Like, right on the platform. (I LOL'D.) Most the clones are like ZOMG and start freaking out over whether they are doomed to die the same way their predecessors did, except for Freud, who makes deadpan psychoanalytic commentary and hacks into the computer mainframe. Meanwhile, Marie Curie gets mysteriously 'transferred to another school' after she throws a temper tantrum in class and announces that she doesn't WANT to be Marie Curie, she'd rather . . . just . . . SING! Well, play the piano, but eiher way.

In other plot developments, there is a secret Rasputin-led cult centering around Dolly the Sheep, Clone Mozart alternately tosses his blonde locks and goes into inexplicable fits of rage, Hitler makes creepy sparkle eyes and gives impassioned speeches about WHY CAN'T WE ALL JUST TRY AND UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER, and I am terrified and enthralled.

Some memorable quotes:

Clone Kennedy: Many years have passed since I was assassinated as president of the United States . . . but today, thanks to those who treasure freedom . . . I've been given a second chance to serve as guardian of liberty! THIS IS NOT A DREAM!

Dowager Empress Cixi: I pity those of you whose originals were great overachievers. All I have to worry about is growing more and more beautiful each day! Why, I get tired just watching you stress out working so hard. Of course, it is asking a lot to expect me to get any more beautiful than I already am!

Shiro: What's the problem, Freud? Don't you trust my dad?
Freud: Daddy . . . daddy . . . daddy . . . daddy.
Napoleon: FREUD, KNOCK IT OFF!

Napoleon: At least you die of natural causes! I'm rumored to have been poisoned to death.
Ikkyu: Well, I despair of life and repeatedly attempt suicide!!
Napoleon: I do too!!
Elizabeth: Ha! I can personally guarantee that you guys would never take your own lives.

Mozart: I'M A PRODIGY! I'VE BEEN CHOSEN TO LIVE A SECOND LIFE! HOW DARE YOU LAY YOUR FILTY HANDS ON ME!

I . . . I don't even know what I think, but I CAN'T LOOK AWAY.

I will warn, though, that there is kiiiind of a lot of fanservice. The locker room scene with Elizabeth, Florence Nightingale and Dowager Empress Cixi was bad enough before we got the Marie Curie sex dream. @____@

Comments

[gramarye1971]

Geez, what's up with cloning Ikkyu? He was the main villain in the Read or Die OAV series, after all.

(I will not read this manga and write that crossover. I will not read this manga and write that crossover. I will not read this manga and write that crossover....)

[skygiants]

Hahaha man, I only remembered that when I went to look up who he was and Wikipedia was like "Clone Ikkyu has appeared in these media . . ." Apparnetly he's just a really fun guy to clone?

(I will be bringing the first volume up with me in case anyone wants to claim it. Just, uh, saying. >.>)

[darkeyedwolf.livejournal.com]

Shiro: What's the problem, Freud? Don't you trust my dad?
Freud: Daddy . . . daddy . . . daddy . . . daddy.
Napoleon: FREUD, KNOCK IT OFF!

I DON'T KNOW WHETHER TO LAUGH... OR LAUGH HARDER.

[skygiants]

Why choose? I SUGGEST BOTH.

[jothra]

Hahahaha, I read this first few chapters of this at work. What happened to Marie Curie clearly wasn't ominous AT ALL.

[skygiants]

Several chapters later, a tiny child appears with the exact same hairdo! Again: NOT OMINOUS.

[wickedtrue.livejournal.com]

....YOU'RE BRINGING THIS, RIGHT?

[genarti]

I would second this sentiment, but I made sure last night that she was. :D

[skygiants]

We can do dramatic readings! IT WILL BE YOUR BIRTHDAY PRESENT. >:D

[wanderlustlover]

OMG YES This!

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

FILM THIS FOR POSTERITY. PLEASE.

[blacksheep91.livejournal.com]

So it's like...the cartoon Clone High...with more fanservice? :x

[skygiants]

PRETTY MUCH, except it actually takes itself seriously? Which just makes it better!

[mekosuchinae.livejournal.com]

HAHAHA. I saw this at the bookstore and thought: never! when really I should have SNATCHED IT UP RIGHT AWAY OMFG.

The locker room scene with Elizabeth, Florence Nightingale and Dowager Empress Cixi was bad enough before we got the Marie Curie sex dream.

Oh, my God, that SENTENCE. I'm trying to think critically, but HAHAHA, WHAT IS THAT. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

[skygiants]

CLEARLY AN EPIC OVERSIGHT ON YOUR PART.

I know, right? And I DIDN'T REALIZE until after I typed it that I'd forgotten to even mention the Joan of Arc fanservice, because I think my brain just shorted out before I got to that part.

you son of a biologist

[shati.livejournal.com]

Shiro: What's the problem, Freud? Don't you trust my dad?
Freud: Daddy . . . daddy . . . daddy . . . daddy.
Napoleon: FREUD, KNOCK IT OFF!

DYING.

Becca, do you remember the Marie Curie Lord of the Rings music video?? It's all I can think about reading this post.

Re: you son of a biologist

[skygiants]

Hahahaha Shati, as soon as I made the post, I made a bet with myself that you would comment referencing the Marie Curie Lord of the Rings music video. >:D HOW COULD I FORGET?

[wanderlustlover]

Oh my sweet jesus, Becca, you are evil because now I want to read this.

[skygiants]

YESSSS SHARE MY - well, I can't quite call it pain, because I'm totally enjoying myself enormously. WHATEVER IT IS, SHARE.

[wanderlustlover]

Whhhhhheeerrreeee can I finds it?

[skygiants]

The first volume is in most stories - I don't know where to download it, but you can read Chapter 1 and all of Volume 2 here!

[wanderlustlover]

Oooh. Toy! thank you!

[bansidhe]

......

You're awful.
I say this because, oh my Cow, Becca, I now want this manga like burning. ;__;

(I think the "Daddy... daddy... daddy..." from Freud is one of the things that REALLY sold me, as a former psych major.)

[skygiants]

>:D >:D >:D

Freud is totally the best character, too. Aside from relentlessly mocking the main character ("why don't you just ask your dad about it?" "I can't! Freud will make fun of me again ;_;") he appears to be the only clone who might have a clue that . . . just maybe . . . the mysterious cloning scientists who run the school . . . are POSSIBLY KIND OF SINISTER?

[hafl.livejournal.com]

I need to read this as soon as possible. Even the fanservice seems hilarious.

[skygiants]

Hilarious AND TRAUMATIZING. Do I need to see Dowager Empress Cixi and Queen Elizabeth comparing cup sizes, no I do not. >.< >.< >.

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

I shall have to beg my library to get a copy. Or cornerofmadness, one of the two. Because this sounds like the kind of weirdo goobery SF stuff that I love to rot my brain with.

[skygiants]

I cannot vouch for quality of any kind, but it is ENORMOUSLY entertaining. If Clone Hitler is not good for rotting your brain I don't know what is!

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

I requested my library purchase it. We shall see what happens. :D

[furikku.livejournal.com]

Oh hey, I read this.

I was not really impressed, mostly because its pace was way too fast and I was busy going, "Um, you are giving me no reason to care about these people. I can barely tell them apart. I HAVE NEVER MET CLONE KENNEDY I DO NOT CARE IF HIS HEAD GETS BLOWED UP A SECOND TIME!"

This is possibly because I am just into character-based stuff and it is REALLY light on the characters.

[skygiants]

Normally I am all about the character-based stuff too, but I suspect I am kind of the exact target demographic for this manga in that lolhistory is my FAVORITE THING. I mean, I would not call myself 'impressed' by it exactly . . . but it is giving me lots of opportunity to crack up every time someone says "oh, typical Florence Nightingale" or "Hitler gave me a sheep" and that is all I ask! Sometimes I am very easy in my entertainment preferences.

[furikku.livejournal.com]

I can definitely see where that would be fun!