Afterschool Charisma, Tome 1

放課後のカリスマ #1

by Kumiko Suekane

A l'académie St Kleio, le droit d'entrée est très exclusif. La prestigieuse institution n'accueille que des clones de personnages historiques célèbres : Beethoven, Elisabeth Iere, Freud, Napoléon ou Hitler. Sommés d'exceller dans les disciplines où ont brillé leurs modèles, ils ignorent tout de la raison de leur existence.
Parmi eux, une seule anomalie, le jeune Shiro Kamiya, adolescent tout ce qu'il y a de plus ordinaire. Alors que le lycéen tente à grand-peine de s'intégrer au milieu de ses illustres camarades, John Kennedy, premier clone sorti de l'académie, est assassiné en pleine campagne électorale. Un clone est-il condamné à revivre le destin de son modèle ? Quels moyens a-t-il d'échapper à son sort ?
Manipulations, sociétés secrètes, prédestination : un thriller psychologique au thème fascinant...

Genres: Manga, Science Fiction, Graphic Novels, Comics, Young Adult, Seinen, Mystery

204 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published May 29, 2009

About the author

SUEKANE Kumiko: スエカネクミコ

Kumiko Suekane worked at a video game company before becoming a successful mangaka. Besides Afterschool Charisma, her other work includes Blood+ A, Once Upon a Glashma (Hajimari no Gurashuma), and Seijou Koucha–kan no Jijō (The Seijou Teahouse Affair).

Doujinshi circle: Little Garden

Writes doujinshi under: Macho
Other pseudonyms: Cinnamon
Published boys' love under the alias: Ryo Mutobe (むとべりょう)

Reviews

[Mir · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm surprised I enjoyed this because it is chock full of Things That Make No Sense and I usually am unable to turn off the part of my brain that points out bad science and asks, "But why would...?"

I think it helped that there were many hints about nefarious plots and enemy conspiracies but they were so vague that I couldn't even begin to assess what exactly they were or whether they were plausible.

Not sure I'm sold on the characters as clones (assuming they really are clones and it isn't some deceit) but I did find it easier to tell them apart than in many mangas, both visually and in terms of having more personality variation.

[Sesana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not quite sure what I think of this series yet. The central premise is intriguing: in the distant future, human cloning is possible. St. Kleio Academy is full of these clones, all cloned from famous historical figures. It's a pretty fantastic idea. The execution is not up to par, though.

The structure of the opening volume is... odd. The story starts abruptly, then just as quickly shifts focus from one crisis to the next. And then the pace slows to a crawl, as the school is kind of explored, without really giving out any useful information. There are massive questions left standing at the end of the first volume. Why clone historical figures, then train them to be exactly like their "originals"? What's the end goal here? And the choice of clones is odd. Why clone a famous queen like Elizabeth I (she can't very well rule England, can she?) or somebody like Hitler? The characters do question this sometimes, so maybe this will all get answered in later volumes.

There's also way more fanservice than I'm comfortable with. Especially since those scenes are just pointless, take way too much page space, and really detract from the series as a whole.

I'm not sure yet if I'll continue with this series. It's a great idea, but so far the execution is not up to par.

[Tracey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here I am, yet again. I keep telling myself not to read new manga series that I stumble upon but I can't help myself. The cover and premise were too good to pass up. And I'm glad I picked it up because I enjoyed it.

It definitely could have been a more engaging beginning but it laid some solid ground work for the convoluted story to come. The famous clones are mostly likable and kinda funny. The reveal of Hitler took me a bit by surprise. I didn't think this story would go dark and with a clone of Hitler, it will definitely go there. This volume is so vague that I don't have any clue as to the real plot and I like that. I'm looking forward to being genuinely shocked with where the story takes me.

[Shen · Rating 2 out of 5]

A hot mess! Will I read the next volume? Absolutely.

[Leigh Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting premise weighed down with clutter and clunk.

Shiro's dad teaches at St. Kleio's, a school for clones. Yes, you read that right: all the other students are clones of famous historical figures, including Napoleon, Mozart, Freud, Joan of Arc, and other notable personages. The teenage clones are at St. Kleio's to develop into mature adult versions of their original selves, but nobody's really sure why Shiro's there with them (assuming it's not the tuition break he's most likely get as the son of a staff member).

Not too odd a premise for a sci-fi story, but then it gets weirder. Marie Curie decides she'd rather play piano than study physics. The JFK clone is assassinated. Freaked out, some of the clones develop their own magico-religious practices. Shiro's dad is acting shady, armed guards are patrolling the halls, and a secret group of some sort has declared its intention to murder all the clones. Much like Shiro, the reader is left to bumble through the story wondering what's going on.

What could have been a neat story is thwarted by what, for me, were a number of deal-breakers:

1. All the great women of history - including Curie, Florence Nightingale, Empress Cixi, Queen Elizabeth, and others--are portrayed as simpering idiots. Now, granted, these are teens we're talking about, but all the male clones get to be just as intelligent and forceful as their adult counterparts. Teen Freud is conversant in psychoanalytic techniques. Teen Mozart is still a genius pianist and composer. Teen Napoleon is a strategic thinker. Teen Einstein is brainy. The girls, however, are simply there to be T&A (I know fan service is a thing, but its presence here was pointless and stupid). Teen Elizabeth pouts because she wants to get married and have children instead of being a ruler. Empress Cixi is only concerned with how pretty she is. And teen Florence Nightingale made me want to gouge my eyes out, as all she did was talk baby-talk and coo a lot. Not cool.

2. Suekane went there and included teen Hitler. Why would you do that? Nothing good can come of this. Don't even ask me to feel sorry for teen clone Hitler. Not gonna happen. It reeks a little too much of trying to redeem the irredeemable, and will be upsetting AF for Jewish readers.

3. A first volume is expected to have exposition and set up future storylines, but Suekane basically throws a whole lot of weirdness at you and asks you to care. And to be honest, I really don't. None of these characters are remotely sympathetic, not even Shiro, the nominal protagonist. I think we're supposed to feel sorry for him because he's the lone human amongst all those clones, but there's nothing in his personality to hang your hat on, so to speak.

The target audience for this will not notice, or care, half the things that annoyed me about this manga, but with so many great series out there to choose from, you can let this one slide by and focus on better-quality work. I will most likely read one more volume to see if it gets any better, but it will have to be a hell of an improvement/turn-around for me to revise my opinion.

[Kaleigh Robbins · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh... could have been a great story if they focused more on how clones of famous historical figures would affect society, rather than making it a typical Japanese school drama. Ridiculously stupid bully? Check. Ridiculously large-chested, brainlessly emotional girls? Check. Ridiculously contrived situations that are just uncomfortably weird? Check-o. Lots of pointless fanservice? You guessed it.

They could have played this idea for lots of comedy too. I mean, you have Hitler and Elizabeth the First in the same freaking classroom! But the most they can come up with are obvious jokes that anyone who watched fifteen minutes of the History Channel could get. Not likely that I will read the next volume.

[Angela · Rating 2 out of 5]

Did I decide to try this out because of the classic animated tv show "Clone High"? Yes. Was this as enjoyable and fun? No. Was it good? It wasn't bad but it wasn't good. The art is stunning but there are moments where it's clear that the author thinks they're being philosophical and intelligent (to mimic people like Freud or Mozart or Kennedy) but instead it just kind of comes across as cringey and like a college student's first serious paper. I was planning on reading volumes 2-4 since I had checked those out but the writing is just SO bad.

*Also the choice to make Adolf Hitler a softy that believes in equality between clones and non-clones is such a strange choice especially considering Japan's xenophobic history and conservativeness today*

[Kereesa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Afterschool Charisma is basically Clone High minus the comedy. The story revolves around this school full of clones of famous historical people, except for our main character, Shiro who's father is one of the scientists working there. Conspiracy, of course, shows up, and everyone, scientists and clones included, aren't what they seem. As the clones and Shiro struggle for identity in a world where their entire lives and careers are dictated to them, Shiro and his friends try to find out what's really going on in this mystery of a school.
I really enjoyed Afterschool Charisma. The plot, the upcoming intrigue and the characters were really well done. There's a really good sense of where the story is going, and the first few chapters aren't your regular mucking around intro manga. The characters, even though based upon real people, are not only distinct, but hint at further development as well. Hitler is easily my favorite, :P, he's great for comic relief. Shiro, Marie Curie are also easy favorites, but the cast is diverse enough to find favorites with everyone.
The one thing that did bug me about this manga was the lack of any good female characters. Marie Curie is the only real exception to this, but the cast is pretty much just guys and the two or three female characters that have shown up so far aren't exactly promising. I'm hoping the manga will bring more characters like Marie Curie, even though I know it's shonen and therefore male-centered.
The art is beautifully done, and I love the larger sized manga. I'll definitely be checking out the rest of this intriguing manga series. 4.5-5/5

[Jean-christophe Boudreau · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one I enjoyed and the premise wasn't something I was expecting with was good. At the start it follows our main character in a high school. The only thing that is different here is that instead of it being a regular high school like in most mangas its actually a high school for clones of famous historical figures. Later on in the series though it gets much darker and goes in a direction that I didn't see coming. The art felt like the cold be realistic and it was well drawn, I would recommend this to anyone who is a fan of science fiction or just a fan of manga in general.

[usagi ☆ミ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cloned historical figures + private school = pure awesomeness.

[Peacegal · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting idea (clones of famous historical figures attending the same boarding school), but a snooze-worthy execution.

[Online Eccentric Librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

After binge reading the first three volumes, I have to say that overall the series feels very unimpressive. A long-wind up to the actual plot, vapid characters, a level of implausibility that is surprising even for manga, and over-the-top silly melodrama make for a rather uninspiring read.

Story: Shiro is the only non-clone (son of a professor) at a private school that raises clones of famous historical figures. What is their purpose? Will they follow the same paths as their predecessors? Why is Shiro at the school if he isn't a clone? Who is the mysterious school benefactor? Many questions are raised when the clone of John F. Kennedy is assassinated just as his predecessor was in the 1960s.

The point of this first volume is to introduce the famous historical figures. The people chosen to be cloned is baffling - Florence Nightengale?!? Hitler?!? And while the story should be exploring nature vs. nuture, really what we have is a lot of pointless 'average high school kids' drama. I have to wonder if Suekane actually studied any of the historical figures since the clones bear only the shallowest of similarities. Elizabeth the first is arrogant. Rasputin plots. Freud smugly evaluates. Napolean is a happy go lucky leader. Hitler is a quiet damaged looking kid. Joan of Arc is a bit unhinged. You get the idea.

In this first volume, the kids are traumatized and scared that they will share early deaths of their predecessors (especially Joan of Arc). They are all pretty stupid - so honestly, I had a hard time caring if they did actually die young. I was beginning to wonder if someone had lobotomized them in the process of the cloning.

There is supposed to be the mystery behind Shiro to explore as well as the students themselves conspiring against each other. But really, it's mostly the kids running around overreacting to everything while Shiro looks on in confusion through most of the book. The art work is kind of ok.

On the plus side, this has a lovely presentation with flapped front and back covers as well as an oversize edition.

[Madison Lourette · Rating 5 out of 5]

AfterSchool Charisma is a manga about a universe in which scientists have found a way to clone people, those people being historical figures in particular. The main plot starts around the main character, Shiro Kamiya, and his experience going to an elite school, built solely to train clones. He goes here because his father is a scientist who is researching clones. But what Shiro does not know, if that both his father, and himself are clones. And that they are clones of the same person. Shiro eventually learns that St. Kleio Academy is an evil place that sells the clones for a profit, and that they do not care what is done to clones afterwards. They also have made multiple generations of said clones, when in the beginning he believed that the clones that he goes to school with were the one and only generation of them. The art style is on the more “semi-realistic” side, and is able to properly convey the characters emotions. I really liked this series and binge read the entire thing in a week or two. I think that the story and setting properly fits the setting, and plays well into the darker undertones, with Shiro and his friends trying to stop St. Kleio from selling clones in the blink of an eye, purely to be able to get a profit. And all the characters have different quirks about them that make them likable. Sometimes, they can get a bit monotonous, but they do change as the story goes on as they find out more and more about the devious plans that the school has for them. The message can be kind of lost at first because, like in every manga, it starts of funny and joking before it gets to the serious stuff. But the author does leave good hints at what's really going on by how the characters talk, how they compose themselves, and by giving us little bits of information, a tiny bit at a time, to lead us to theorize what may be actually going on this book. In the end, I very much enjoyed this series and would 100% recommend it to other people to read, even if its their first manga, because I think it can be a bit easier to understand than some other mangas out there in just how the story is plotted and how the panels are read.

[Nico · Rating 2 out of 5]

Actual 2.5 stars

This is a case of a really fascinating, promising concept and a disappointing execution. Ugh, so disappointing.

The characters seemed very one dimensional. Our protagonist in particular seemed so incredibly dense and willing to believe whatever people told him that it was irritating. He also was just unreasonably rash, deciding that after one day of personal tutoring that he could challenge his rival to a fencing duel and probably win. Quite frankly I was hoping he'd get clobbered so he'd have to lie on his back for awhile and get taken down a peg or two. He did, and I felt exactly zero amounts of sympathy. I liked Napoleon the most out of anyone, but I still never felt very attached to any of them. It's hard to get into a book when you can't feel connected to any of the characters.

Also, the very inevitable "oooooh let's find a way to flash some half naked girls even if it's completely unnecessary to the plot" trope I keep finding in YA manga was even more ridiculous than usual, and frankly just annoyed me. Yes, I understand that sex sells, but having characters shove their friends into the girls locker room and locking them in isn't just unimaginative, it made no sense to do in the context that it was in, and it was such a desperate attempt to have the ladies flash their tits to two seconds that they may have well as put something sticking out on the page to alert people that this is two page spread of naked girls the reader has definitely been waiting for. *angry sigh* Okay. /rant.

There were some amusing parts to it, specifically all the references to Freud and "daddy issues". I also really liked the daring streak of the author to try and construe the Hitler clone as a good guy. I always admire people who choose to toe the line like that.

Honestly though, there was not nearly enough in here to make me continue with this series. I'm pissed, because the concept was so cool, so it's just not worth my time when there are so many other books to be read.

[Alejandro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Welcome to another installment of "Ale Reviews Manga"!

Imagine being the only human to attend an exclusive high school for the clones of famous past figures who are all being trained to succeed and surpass their original selves. Among these clones include Queen Elizabeth I, Napoleon Bonaparte, and... Adolf Hitler. Yeah, I'm not sure who would think it would be a good idea to clone Hitler. Anyway, this is the basic premise behind Afterschool Charisma. Without going into too much detail, it seems that these clones are all resigned to their own respective "fate" (sorry JFK clone, it was bound to happen). While the artwork is not as top-notch as one would hope it to be, the story line seems compelling enough that I may consider trying the next volume.

Before I end this review, one thing that I will mention is I didn't really see the need for all the scantily clad/half-naked scenes with the female clones. I mean if you are going to do that, at least include some scenes with some shirtless male clones. Well, on second thought, maybe not (it's hard to imagine a shirtless Sigmund Freud).

With that, this officially concludes this installment of "Ale Reviews Manga"!

My official rating: /5

[Olivia Thames · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite the reviews on Goodreads and other sites with reader's critiques, I found Kumiko Suekane's "Afterschool Charisma, Vol. 1" to be thoroughly charming and charismatic. It is a manga series that combines several genres and interests I have (history, historical fiction, science fiction, and mystery/thriller) into one fascinating, thought provoking, and at time hilarious tale.

Shiro, the only non-clone in a school filled with the doubles of leaders and revolutionaries (both good and bad), aims to assist his classmates when clones begin to disappear, are assasinated, or die in an eerily similar way as their originals. Who is behind their deaths? Who is the igniter of their second chance at life? Why these particular figures from history? We will surely find out in the rest of the series.

I love how the series also places the clones in a conundrum of living up to their originals, but also exploring what makes them unique from their originals. It is a good commentary of living up to the expectations of those before us, while still remaining original to ourselves and our own 'drums'. In a world where even identical twins have differences, why should clones be any different? Why should they remain the imperfectly 'perfect' copy of someone else? Through their struggles in finding their balance between being loyal to their original, and to themselves as a new individual, we can observe and rethink our own individuality.

I am looking forward to seeing what happens after an alarming conclusion of volume one, in the chapters of volume two and beyond!

[Livvy Day · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, I didn't think this would be very good, but it was surprisingly not bad! Ngl I was sold when they mentioned Hitler's clone... I was just so curious about that part 😭 But I didn't actually expect it to be good? But there's way too much fan service... Usually I don't mind, as most shonen manga have at least a bit of that, but seriously, why are the girls 1. Finding every excuse to be fucking bent over in a 90 degree angle or to be naked (breasts and all) in front of other guys?? This story is rated older teen rather than mature for some reason, even though there's nudity throughout the whole series... Please be aware everyone... 2. So fucking dumb and have no personality besides being super hot and stupid 3. Why are their watermelons like 🏀 🏀 Okay, jokes aside, I don't really care that much, though I do feel it's a bit disrespectful to the real Queen Elizabeth and Florence Nightingale and other female characters based on famous figures...
And why does the author think Hitler can be redeemed...? I know it's his clone and not actually him, but it's still a bit odd?? Please, if you're Jewish, don't read this.
And the plot and concept and stuff isn't crazy good or original of anything, but it's a pretty entertaining read, so if you're bored definitely do check this out.

3.75 out of 5 stars

[Yun · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you have some experience in dabbling in manga, like it, and you enjoy sci-fi with that dark dystopian twist, you should read this series!
Join Shiro and his friends at St. Kleio... where clones of famous profiles across history are raised. It's a huge place where clones can release their original's unrecognized potential past their deaths. They face many horrifying truths buried just underneath a thin surface of lies and deception as they realize that the world that they grew up in isn't exactly as straight-forward or happy as they thought. Luckily, they have each other... but eventually even that might be their downfall.
To what lengths will Shiro go to protect his friends... and preserve himself?
Furthermore, what will happen when Shiro, the only non-clone at St. Kleio, finds out his own identity isn't what he's been told his whole life?
With plenty of shocking plot twists and intriguing characters with their own ideals, this series will keep you reading on until you devour the last page long after your midnight candle has burned out.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the idea behind this one. I also found the story engaging. However, I don't understand why the scientists would choose to clone Hitler. It seems like they are only interested in making the clones continue the work of their 'originals," so why would you clone a person who wanted to commit mass genocide? it would make sense if the clones were an experiment to learn about nurture vs nature or something, but since that doesn't seem to be the case, the choice is super odd.

Also, something minor that doesn't affect the story at all but I still find super annoying is how the clones are only referred to by their most notable name. For example, Marie Curie is always Maire Cure, never just Marie or Curie. Clone Adolf Hitler is only ever called Hitler. And clone Napoleon Bonaparte is only ever called Napoleon. I'm sure it's to make it easier to distinguish who the clones are, but I still find it irritating.

[Bennybooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Une institution où sont réunis les clones de grands personnages historiques comme Mozart, Marie Curie, Raspoutine, etc. Le jeune Shiro, fils de l’un des instituteurs est le seul humain parmi tous ces clones et peine à trouver sa place.

Mais lorsque le clone de J.F. Kennedy se fait assassiner comme son original, une panique s’installe parmi les clones.

Dans ce premier tome, on découvre surtout l’institution et les différents clones. Le meurtre de JFK annonce un mystère qui va se résoudre dans les prochains tomes mais pour le moment nous n’avons pas trop d’indice.

Ce qui m’a surtout plus c’est l’originalité du manga et les dessins. J’attends de voir les prochains tomes pour me faire une meilleure idée.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shiro is the only student at a school for clones of famous people.

This has an intriguing start with the clone of Kennedy being assassinated just as he's becoming a political power. Are all the clones destined to follow their old fates? Since some of them are Joan of Arc and Hitler, that would be a bad thing. Shiro is there because his father is a professor and, based on his father's dialogue and actions in this one, Shiro is going to have some harsh realizations about him. I'll definitely read the second one but am hoping it doesn't go off the rails like this author's 'Versailles of the Dead' volume 2 did.

[Amanda Setasha · Rating 2 out of 5]

This series is... weird. I'm not sure how to feel about it.
The art style seems 80s to me. The story starts randomly in the middle with a slow backstory. It starts with a rather interesting plot, but then it drops off and just doesn't talk about it.

My library has the first three volumes of this series, so I figure I'll give it through those three to figure out if I want to finish and commit to this.

[Ariel Laws · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the story concept of everyone being clones of historical figures but the manga fell short of its synopsis. I didn't really see a correlation between the clones and their predecessors. It would have been interesting if the clones had the same personality or talents as the one they are cloned after but there was nothing other than expectations to be like their original which is just a bit boring.

[kaitlphere · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good idea for a story. I'm interested in what happens next, but the cult undertones, objectification of the ladies, and some of the characters bug me. I feel like the writer took historical figures with nuanced personalities and pulled one aspect out to make the book's characters all about that one thing. Perhaps the characters' nuances would be more clear in volume 2, but I'm not sure I'll pick that up.

[Noah Daniels · Rating 3 out of 5]

Suekane's story has something of a slow start, but there is a mounting intrigue as the manga progresses. Something that could make a manga like this relevant is that it takes place in a school setting. The main character, though he has friends and a crush, does not feel he is like the rest of the students for obvious reasons. Students may resonate with such a feeling.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was worth reading I thought it would be just a regular manga, but it wasn't. There were many twists and turns that kept me wanting to finish the book and read the whole series. The ending was very great as well, definitely not what I would have expected. I am now on book two and want to read the rest of the series, i recommend this book for manga and anime lovers, worth reading.

[Valkyrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better than I thought it would be. Pretty typical sci-fi seinen to me. Will be looking for the next volume.
Warning for: non consensual nudity and touching, suicide, blood, violence, murder, and gross mischaracterization of historical figures.

[Tianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

In all honesty, I found it a little hard to get into. The art-style was pleasant and the characters were interesting, but I was very confused by the plot a few times and overall, didn't really become too enthralled by it for that same reason.

[Sarge · Rating 2 out of 5]

I screamed out loud when I turned the page and was greeted with moe hitler
What did I do to deserve this

Jokes aside, this was a bit too messy for me to be sure I can tolerate the full series. There were a few moments of humor that drew a chuckle out of me, though.

[Robert Hultman · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is a bit goofy in a way - this idea that clones of people from the past, removed from the time and place and conditions that made them, would ever be like their “originals”. Nonetheless, the underlying story is interesting and the book is well written and paced with just enough intrigue.