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The Drifting Classroom #9-11
Aula alla deriva, Vol. 3
Gli alunni della scuola Yamato sanno ormai di essere nel futuro della Terra, completamente soli in un pianeta desolato e infetto. Nella loro lotta per la sopravvivenza, i bambini hanno dovuto affrontare grottesche creature predatrici, un'epidemia mortale, lotte fratricide, l'incubo della fame e, più di ogni altra cosa, la costante minaccia della follia di fronte a una situazione che sembra priva di speranza. Eppure, il coraggioso Sho riesce ancora a mettersi in contatto psichico con la madre, l'unica che non si è arresa alla perdita del figlio e alla misteriosa sparizione della scuola. Riusciranno a riunirsi? Ed è ancora possibile salvare la Terra dal suo tragico futuro? La saga di Kazuo Umezu giunge alla sua epica, commovente conclusione. E mentre l'orrore raggiunge il suo apice, la concitata sequenza di colpi di scena rivela la sua vera natura: una denuncia delle pulsioni autodistruttive del genere umano e una monumentale epopea dell'infanzia, mostrata come stato ideale e tragico a un tempo.
768 pages, Paperback
Published March 30, 2018
39 people are currently reading
918 people want to read
About the author
Kazuo Umezu
131 books305 followersKazuo Umezu or Kazuo Umezz was a Japanese manga artist, musician and actor. Starting his career in the 1950s, he is among the most famous artists of horror manga and has been vital for its development, considered the "god of horror manga". In 1960s shōjo manga like Reptilia, he broke the industry's conventions by combining the aesthetics of the commercial manga industry with gruesome visual imagery inspired by Japanese folktales, which created a boom of horror manga and influenced manga artists of following generations. He created successful manga series such as The Drifting Classroom, Makoto-chan and My Name Is Shingo, until he retired from drawing manga in the mid 1990s. He was a public figure in Japan, known for wearing red-and-white-striped shirts and doing his signature "Gwash" hand gesture.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 163 reviews
December 3, 2021
In a far flung future wasteland, sixth grader Sho Takamatsu watches as his classmates descend further into barbarism. Will they ever find their way home?
The concluding volume of the Drifting Classroom does not disappoint. Shit continues to hit the fan as the students fall further into despair and savagery. The Lord of the Flies scenario continues.
This volume is the best of the series. Kazuo Umezz's art is top notch at this point and he explores a few more settings while Sho continues the eternal struggle of keeping his classmates on the same page as they're slowly starving to death.
The writing is punchy as well. Some things are left unexplained but things relentlessly plunge toward the ending like a makeshift spear. Speaking of the ending, I'm so glad it wasn't nerfed.
And that's that. I don't want to spoil any of the big plot points.
The Drifting Classroom: Perfect Edition Volume 3 brings the saga to a satisfying conclusion. Five out of five cannibal elementary school students.
The concluding volume of the Drifting Classroom does not disappoint. Shit continues to hit the fan as the students fall further into despair and savagery. The Lord of the Flies scenario continues.
This volume is the best of the series. Kazuo Umezz's art is top notch at this point and he explores a few more settings while Sho continues the eternal struggle of keeping his classmates on the same page as they're slowly starving to death.
The writing is punchy as well. Some things are left unexplained but things relentlessly plunge toward the ending like a makeshift spear. Speaking of the ending, I'm so glad it wasn't nerfed.
And that's that. I don't want to spoil any of the big plot points.
The Drifting Classroom: Perfect Edition Volume 3 brings the saga to a satisfying conclusion. Five out of five cannibal elementary school students.
November 13, 2020
Oh man, what a mess. The first half of this volume just defaulted to what I came to realize was the same recurring cycle for most of this series: An external threat appears that the kids have to deal with. Sho turns his back for five seconds, and someone stages a mutiny that turns half the school against him. Sho finds a way to restore some semblance of peace. The bulk of The Drifting Classroom really has just been a lather, rinse, repeat of that pattern. And while the sheer bonkers extremes of the melodrama involved was enough to keep things ironically interesting for awhile, it's really worn thin by this point. It's hard to be shocking, when you've seen all this before, figuratively speaking.
Then there's the last half of this omnibus, where it feels like Umezz decided he had to finish this at some point, so he may as well just throw everything and the kitchen sink into the narrative, and go out with ALL the bangs--regardless of whether any of it makes any sense at all. Heists gone wrong? Absolutely! Killer robots? Why not? The power of wishes? Sure! Disembodied limbs? Do you even need to ask? There isn't a lick of coherence to the finale of this series, which sadly means there's also nothing even close to a satisfying payoff. Imagine if something like...I don't know, Death Note ended with that one guy with the crazy hair from Ancient Aliens just showing up, throwing up his jazz hands, and mugging for the camera. Maybe with a sad trombone playing. This is that incongruous and disappointing.
There's still a certain amount of wry entertainment to be had here, but it's lost most of its novelty.
Then there's the last half of this omnibus, where it feels like Umezz decided he had to finish this at some point, so he may as well just throw everything and the kitchen sink into the narrative, and go out with ALL the bangs--regardless of whether any of it makes any sense at all. Heists gone wrong? Absolutely! Killer robots? Why not? The power of wishes? Sure! Disembodied limbs? Do you even need to ask? There isn't a lick of coherence to the finale of this series, which sadly means there's also nothing even close to a satisfying payoff. Imagine if something like...I don't know, Death Note ended with that one guy with the crazy hair from Ancient Aliens just showing up, throwing up his jazz hands, and mugging for the camera. Maybe with a sad trombone playing. This is that incongruous and disappointing.
There's still a certain amount of wry entertainment to be had here, but it's lost most of its novelty.
August 24, 2022
If I was rating this all three volumes it would get a solid 5. Wow. What a staggering feat of the imagination.
If there are any problems I have with The Drifting Classroom it is the fact that it practically sparks and sizzles with so many ideas, even three 700 page volumes do not really do them justice.
This is a work on par with a lot of what seem to be its inspirations - The Lord of the Flies and The Time Machine. I'm a little chagrined it is not as widely known as either of those books.
The third volume is probably my favourite book in the series. A horrific vision of the future of mankind emerges - one where it is mankind no longer, but sentient insects replaying footage of the creatures and world they evolved (or devolved) from.
There is a sensed but never explicitly stated challenge to morality driving the various horrors our rapidly diminishing group of heroes are up against - something far deeper than a 'creature feature show'. Greed is punished. So is selflessness. Cowardice never pays. But then, in most cases, neither does heroism.
Through it all, hapless protagonist Sho tries to make it alive with his humanity intact. His moral compass and code, and the backing of his constant companion Sakiko frequently at odds with other members of his troupe, who either give way to despair or are prepared to make any monstrous compromise necessary to survive. There is no moral judgment though, and even the children who participate in the most horrific offences, if they survive, make it back to the fold.
It all builds to an incredibly moving climax, as the children figure a way that may take them back to their previous lives, only to wonder if they really do want to or even can return.
All set to visuals that will burn themselves into your brain and give you nightmares for years. An animatronic Marilyn Monroe who menaces the children; a gallery full of food and drink tantalisingly within reach, but effectively inaccessible; the discovery of the last other survivor and the compromises he has made to stay alive...
Absolutely incredible. The sort of book you wish you could thrust into the hands of random strangers and urge them to read it, like some sort of madman. In the absence of that, this will have to do, I guess.
If there are any problems I have with The Drifting Classroom it is the fact that it practically sparks and sizzles with so many ideas, even three 700 page volumes do not really do them justice.
This is a work on par with a lot of what seem to be its inspirations - The Lord of the Flies and The Time Machine. I'm a little chagrined it is not as widely known as either of those books.
The third volume is probably my favourite book in the series. A horrific vision of the future of mankind emerges - one where it is mankind no longer, but sentient insects replaying footage of the creatures and world they evolved (or devolved) from.
There is a sensed but never explicitly stated challenge to morality driving the various horrors our rapidly diminishing group of heroes are up against - something far deeper than a 'creature feature show'. Greed is punished. So is selflessness. Cowardice never pays. But then, in most cases, neither does heroism.
Through it all, hapless protagonist Sho tries to make it alive with his humanity intact. His moral compass and code, and the backing of his constant companion Sakiko frequently at odds with other members of his troupe, who either give way to despair or are prepared to make any monstrous compromise necessary to survive. There is no moral judgment though, and even the children who participate in the most horrific offences, if they survive, make it back to the fold.
It all builds to an incredibly moving climax, as the children figure a way that may take them back to their previous lives, only to wonder if they really do want to or even can return.
All set to visuals that will burn themselves into your brain and give you nightmares for years. An animatronic Marilyn Monroe who menaces the children; a gallery full of food and drink tantalisingly within reach, but effectively inaccessible; the discovery of the last other survivor and the compromises he has made to stay alive...
Absolutely incredible. The sort of book you wish you could thrust into the hands of random strangers and urge them to read it, like some sort of madman. In the absence of that, this will have to do, I guess.
December 18, 2022
What a strange, bizarre and weird ending!
January 3, 2021
This is the spoiler free review of the full series of Drifting Classroom, if you would like to see the spoiler full review please visit here: https://amanjareads.com/2020/12/23/th...
I was really surprised by Drifting Classroom. On the surface it's a pretty standard horror manga. A classroom of kids needs to fight for their survival. But the gift of Drifting Classroom lies in its characters, that's where it really deviates from the norm.
The classroom in question is spontaneously drifted to a strange new land that no one recognizes. The children and teachers have no idea what has happened and must learn how to survive if they have any hope of returning.
Turns out the very young children, think elementary school aged, are much better at this than the adults. The teachers erupt immediately into a violent panic, there are many casualties. A lot of the shock of The Drifting Classroom comes from the author's willingness to kill off young children.
The protagonist is Sho, a 6th grader and natural born leader. He takes the role of helping everyone work together to find solutions. I really enjoyed watching him find his place in this new society. He handles all sorts of conflicts with a grace most adults could never hope for.
But my favorite character is Yu. He's a tiny 3 year old who happened to be riding his tricycle just too close to the school when it drifted. He's the cutest thing! The way he's drawn, the way he speaks, the way he acts. It's all just so danged adorable! Every time he showed up on the page I was overwhelmed with a motherly urge to protect him and fight for his survival.
I can't do justice to how cute Yu is with words alone. But I did find myself nearly crying from joy at one point in the book, soley because of his absolute purehearted nature. We don't deserve Yu, he's too good for this world.
I cared for several of the characters in this book. This is the key to great horror. The consequences have to be high! I actually did care if they lived or died, a surprisingly rare feature for horror of any medium.
In addition to the characters the art is great. Several full page layouts could easily be framed and hung in any room of your house.
It also has a levity that balances well with the horror aspects. Enjoy many many scenes of kids falling flat on their faces.
Seriously, it happens A LOT in this book.
I fully understand now why The Drifting Classroom is considered a classic. It's absolutely ridiculous and has a lot of stretches of reason but you'll have to see how it ends. You'll have to see if the kids get a happy ending, and you won't put it down until you kow.
I was really surprised by Drifting Classroom. On the surface it's a pretty standard horror manga. A classroom of kids needs to fight for their survival. But the gift of Drifting Classroom lies in its characters, that's where it really deviates from the norm.
The classroom in question is spontaneously drifted to a strange new land that no one recognizes. The children and teachers have no idea what has happened and must learn how to survive if they have any hope of returning.
Turns out the very young children, think elementary school aged, are much better at this than the adults. The teachers erupt immediately into a violent panic, there are many casualties. A lot of the shock of The Drifting Classroom comes from the author's willingness to kill off young children.
The protagonist is Sho, a 6th grader and natural born leader. He takes the role of helping everyone work together to find solutions. I really enjoyed watching him find his place in this new society. He handles all sorts of conflicts with a grace most adults could never hope for.
But my favorite character is Yu. He's a tiny 3 year old who happened to be riding his tricycle just too close to the school when it drifted. He's the cutest thing! The way he's drawn, the way he speaks, the way he acts. It's all just so danged adorable! Every time he showed up on the page I was overwhelmed with a motherly urge to protect him and fight for his survival.
I can't do justice to how cute Yu is with words alone. But I did find myself nearly crying from joy at one point in the book, soley because of his absolute purehearted nature. We don't deserve Yu, he's too good for this world.
I cared for several of the characters in this book. This is the key to great horror. The consequences have to be high! I actually did care if they lived or died, a surprisingly rare feature for horror of any medium.
In addition to the characters the art is great. Several full page layouts could easily be framed and hung in any room of your house.
It also has a levity that balances well with the horror aspects. Enjoy many many scenes of kids falling flat on their faces.
Seriously, it happens A LOT in this book.
I fully understand now why The Drifting Classroom is considered a classic. It's absolutely ridiculous and has a lot of stretches of reason but you'll have to see how it ends. You'll have to see if the kids get a happy ending, and you won't put it down until you kow.
September 2, 2021
Entertaining at the very least, The Drifting Classroom severely lacks character depth for the readers to actually care about the students' survival against all odds and among themselves. You know those little conversations in movies in between the action set pieces? Or some moments of respite and calm? Those are the things The Drifting Classroom lacks. An otherwise interesting theme of a post-apocalyptic and isolation genre is shrouded by the book's overreliance to kids fighting monsters and each other, gruesome deaths, and plot development which is so convenient that the book might as well grow itself fingers to turn the pages for you.
Like Lost, The Drifting Classroom starts great, with the right sense of mystery and action to keep me from reading and knowing the mystery behind why things happened. At the end, it was just a series of suicidal quests and surface level science-fiction expositions that made me feel I had enough of all the students in the school. Oh those annoying students. Lack of character depth would make a reader not care about them, like senseless creatures fighting for survival. I wouldn't even mind the socio-political commentary drizzled throughout this volume if the story is good.
The Drifting Classroom may still be a nice addition to your bookshelf, especially to those who are really into this type of stories. Viz Media made sure that the covers of the perfect editions would look nice to look at. But do not put it on top of your list of must-buys.
Like Lost, The Drifting Classroom starts great, with the right sense of mystery and action to keep me from reading and knowing the mystery behind why things happened. At the end, it was just a series of suicidal quests and surface level science-fiction expositions that made me feel I had enough of all the students in the school. Oh those annoying students. Lack of character depth would make a reader not care about them, like senseless creatures fighting for survival. I wouldn't even mind the socio-political commentary drizzled throughout this volume if the story is good.
The Drifting Classroom may still be a nice addition to your bookshelf, especially to those who are really into this type of stories. Viz Media made sure that the covers of the perfect editions would look nice to look at. But do not put it on top of your list of must-buys.
May 24, 2022
Alright. I did it. I slogged through three volumes of this hot garbage. Because I bought all three without reading any first and I was determined.
But wow. This final novel particularly was so bad. I actually very much did not enjoy it. Half of the time it’s 12 year olds fighting (you know, the most interesting arguments ever about the super important things that 12 year olds fight about). And the other half of the time was a garbled mess of a story that jumped from one point to the other. “Oh there’s monsters that want to kill us! We escaped on an unexplained operating train car! Oh Wow it’s a random underground pool of water! Hi it’s actually A VOLCANO!! And now it’s erupting and we have to escape.”
Literally just nonsense back and forth. Like I understand what suspension of disbelief is but every single thing that happens in this book is either overdramatized and actually boring, or came out of nowhere. (Cue the appendicitis that just suddenly was a thing after no signs at all, and a 13 year old also performing surgery for it. Because he wanted to be a doctor and the other girl wanted to be a nurse so obviously they’re qualified). I mean at least it’s consistent in its ridiculousness after the bubonic plague incident.
The only thing keeping me from giving this a 1 star is… actually nothing. 1 star. I hated this volume. I stopped caring 1/3 in and couldn’t get it back. Nonsensical in the worst way possible and the ending sucked too. The only thing that kept me reading was the impact Umezz work had on horror manga.
But wow. This final novel particularly was so bad. I actually very much did not enjoy it. Half of the time it’s 12 year olds fighting (you know, the most interesting arguments ever about the super important things that 12 year olds fight about). And the other half of the time was a garbled mess of a story that jumped from one point to the other. “Oh there’s monsters that want to kill us! We escaped on an unexplained operating train car! Oh Wow it’s a random underground pool of water! Hi it’s actually A VOLCANO!! And now it’s erupting and we have to escape.”
Literally just nonsense back and forth. Like I understand what suspension of disbelief is but every single thing that happens in this book is either overdramatized and actually boring, or came out of nowhere. (Cue the appendicitis that just suddenly was a thing after no signs at all, and a 13 year old also performing surgery for it. Because he wanted to be a doctor and the other girl wanted to be a nurse so obviously they’re qualified). I mean at least it’s consistent in its ridiculousness after the bubonic plague incident.
The only thing keeping me from giving this a 1 star is… actually nothing. 1 star. I hated this volume. I stopped caring 1/3 in and couldn’t get it back. Nonsensical in the worst way possible and the ending sucked too. The only thing that kept me reading was the impact Umezz work had on horror manga.
July 12, 2020
This last volume had me crying. It broke my heart and shattered my soul.
November 8, 2020
A masterpiece. I'll have to write a long-form review of this at some point. There's a lot to unpack here. Incredible finale, and I'm surprised at how much this resonated with me emotionally.
July 14, 2025
"Skulls! Is this a cannibal’s campground?"
These volumes have been absolutely wild. Let me tell you, these kids were ruthless and bloodthirsty. Not sure how I would have acted if this happened to me but I’m sure it would have gone something like that.
I was excited to see how this finally wrapped up. It was kind of a letdown. The answers were not that interesting and the final conclusion wasn’t all that exciting. I was wanting more of an intense end and it just wasn’t there. As a whole this was a decent series.
These volumes have been absolutely wild. Let me tell you, these kids were ruthless and bloodthirsty. Not sure how I would have acted if this happened to me but I’m sure it would have gone something like that.
I was excited to see how this finally wrapped up. It was kind of a letdown. The answers were not that interesting and the final conclusion wasn’t all that exciting. I was wanting more of an intense end and it just wasn’t there. As a whole this was a decent series.
May 30, 2023
[3.5 stars] Wow.
That was hopeful but harrowing at the same time. Great post apocalyptic manga with elements of Lord of the Flies and other fiction works, with a focus on nightmares resulted from "the real world" and those manifested from the children's imagination. Sho deserves everything.
[Spoiler Alert]
Also love how Yu just goes home with his little tricycle like he just didn't survive a whole ass apocalypse.
That was hopeful but harrowing at the same time. Great post apocalyptic manga with elements of Lord of the Flies and other fiction works, with a focus on nightmares resulted from "the real world" and those manifested from the children's imagination. Sho deserves everything.
[Spoiler Alert]
Also love how Yu just goes home with his little tricycle like he just didn't survive a whole ass apocalypse.
January 5, 2022
"It is so possible! Things aren't automatically impossible just because you don't understand them!"
For how old this book is I give it some leeway, but the story is terrible, all of the characters are incredibly naive, bratty and reactionary (yet somehow supposed to appeal to older readers) and the dialogue is godawful.
There's a scene with robot Marilyn Monroe in a spaceship at post-apocalyptic Mount Fuji, grabbing her own boob in welcome and greeting the students. A boy student goes to grab the same boob (?) despite a fellow female student's protests and the boob erodes off of the body to reveal machinery underneath which short circuits causing Monroe bot to chase after them and crush some heads to death because I guess the author thought it would be cool or whatever. If Kazuo Umezz's art and the Drifting Classroom weren't considered important horror distinctions which inspired countless manga artists I likely wouldn't have finished this series.
For how old this book is I give it some leeway, but the story is terrible, all of the characters are incredibly naive, bratty and reactionary (yet somehow supposed to appeal to older readers) and the dialogue is godawful.
There's a scene with robot Marilyn Monroe in a spaceship at post-apocalyptic Mount Fuji, grabbing her own boob in welcome and greeting the students. A boy student goes to grab the same boob (?) despite a fellow female student's protests and the boob erodes off of the body to reveal machinery underneath which short circuits causing Monroe bot to chase after them and crush some heads to death because I guess the author thought it would be cool or whatever. If Kazuo Umezz's art and the Drifting Classroom weren't considered important horror distinctions which inspired countless manga artists I likely wouldn't have finished this series.
December 25, 2021
Moving last sentence that Umezu put in this manga.
After reading a few of Junji Ito's works I found out that he stated The Drifting Classroom as one of his inspirations, it got my interest and I'm glad it did. I had a great and rememberable time reading this. Even though it contains fourty-two chapters in three oversized hardcovers I think the story could have been stretched out for a bit further. Its potential is so great that I'd like it to be even longer.
I am not the greatest fan of Horror, but I somehow end up enjoying Horror manga a lot! It's brutal, violent, unpredictable and just so authentic that I couldn't help but fall in love with it. The art is just absolutely mesmerising. Exactly my type.
Some people may feel a bit unsettled or even uncertain when reading this.
Read this if you're interested in horror manga. It's an absolute classic!
After reading a few of Junji Ito's works I found out that he stated The Drifting Classroom as one of his inspirations, it got my interest and I'm glad it did. I had a great and rememberable time reading this. Even though it contains fourty-two chapters in three oversized hardcovers I think the story could have been stretched out for a bit further. Its potential is so great that I'd like it to be even longer.
I am not the greatest fan of Horror, but I somehow end up enjoying Horror manga a lot! It's brutal, violent, unpredictable and just so authentic that I couldn't help but fall in love with it. The art is just absolutely mesmerising. Exactly my type.
Some people may feel a bit unsettled or even uncertain when reading this.
Read this if you're interested in horror manga. It's an absolute classic!
October 13, 2023
I think why I love this series so much is because it's the most accurate depiction of middle school
June 22, 2021
En la relectura de esta cuidadísima e incómoda edición he vuelto a pensar lo mismo que la primera vez que me topé con "Aula a la deriva" hace ya años en unos scanlations guarrísimos; como me jode no haber leído este manga con doce años.
Y es que a pesar de la brutal, crudísima y gráfica violencia no exenta de humor, ejercida sobre y por los niños, que recuerda a una versión de "Los pequeños macabros" de Gorey pero en cafre, y que tanto nos choca a los occidentales por ser un tema tabú, lo más interesante de la propuesta de Umezz es cómo te presenta una apocalíptica historia de violencia y terror sobre niños, contada desde el punto de vista de los niños y dirigida a niños, en la que reina la lógica infantil, como si en realidad fuesen unos críos los que le estuvieran contando la historia a Umezz, inventándosela sobre la marcha.
Pero no sólo sorprende la brutal violencia que siempre aparece en primerísimo plano, sino la negrísima y pesimista visión de Umezz. Ya en los dos primeros tomos presenta unos adultos que bordean lo psicopático y que se entregan a la violencia contra los chavales, traicionando un contrato vital básico, el de los adultos que se responsabilizan y cuidan de los niños, figuras que deberían ofrecer seguridad y orden en el caos, destruyendo en unas pocas páginas esa ilusión de la que no eres consciente hasta que te conviertes tú también en un adulto. Pero además, a lo largo del manga, Umezz destruye sin piedad una y otra vez las pequeñas esperanzas de sobrevivir que tienen los niños, en una espiral descendente de locura y degradación, creando un ambiente de emociones desbocadas y rostros arrasados por las lágrimas. A ratos me recordaba la emocionalmente tremebunda película "La tumba de las luciérnagas", y no dejaba de pensar que quizá Umezz también evocaba vivencias propias del final de la 2GM, sobreviviendo a los bombardeos y el hambre en ciudades convertidas en paisajes lunares, arrasadas por las bombas incendiarias.
Por supuesto, al manga no le sobran problemas. Primero, debido al carácter de serial, cada veintitantas páginas les está pasando una movida tremenda, a la que le sigue otra y otra y otra, sin respiro ni apenas descanso, hay algunos tramos en que se hace bastante repetitivo ver niños corriendo de un lado para otro (por lo general, en los tebeos de Umezz los personajes corren muchísimo) enfrentándose a monstruos de todo pelaje, o amenazas cada vez más demenciales tras el típico grito de alarma fuera de cámara. En otros casos se trata de las típicas "umezadas", como la loquísima historia del jugador de béisbol convertido en momia, el guiño a "Westworld" (la peli del 73) o esa especie de deus ex machina tan ingenioso y loquérrimo de la conclusión. Y por supuesto es un manga en el que la sutileza se queda en la puerta, con sus diálogos explicativos siempre a voces, sus subrayados a brochazos, sus emociones hiperbólicamente expresadas y su dibujo que ahora puede resultar tosco (aunque me hace gracia que Umezz dibuje exactamente igual en el 72 que en el 95) pero que genera una extraña y atractiva tensión entre el aire inocentísimo de los niños, lo ominoso del ambiente y lo brutal de la violencia o las escenas terroríficas.
Pero a pesar de estos defectos, "Aula a la deriva" es un tebeo único, que me ha merecido mucho la pena simplemente porque nunca he leído nada igual, porque te hace recoger la mandíbula del suelo como veinte veces a base de loquísimos giros de guión y porque atesora momentos todavía deslumbrantes y terroríficos, entre los mejores del tebeo de terror japonés y mundial.
Y es que a pesar de la brutal, crudísima y gráfica violencia no exenta de humor, ejercida sobre y por los niños, que recuerda a una versión de "Los pequeños macabros" de Gorey pero en cafre, y que tanto nos choca a los occidentales por ser un tema tabú, lo más interesante de la propuesta de Umezz es cómo te presenta una apocalíptica historia de violencia y terror sobre niños, contada desde el punto de vista de los niños y dirigida a niños, en la que reina la lógica infantil, como si en realidad fuesen unos críos los que le estuvieran contando la historia a Umezz, inventándosela sobre la marcha.
Pero no sólo sorprende la brutal violencia que siempre aparece en primerísimo plano, sino la negrísima y pesimista visión de Umezz. Ya en los dos primeros tomos presenta unos adultos que bordean lo psicopático y que se entregan a la violencia contra los chavales, traicionando un contrato vital básico, el de los adultos que se responsabilizan y cuidan de los niños, figuras que deberían ofrecer seguridad y orden en el caos, destruyendo en unas pocas páginas esa ilusión de la que no eres consciente hasta que te conviertes tú también en un adulto. Pero además, a lo largo del manga, Umezz destruye sin piedad una y otra vez las pequeñas esperanzas de sobrevivir que tienen los niños, en una espiral descendente de locura y degradación, creando un ambiente de emociones desbocadas y rostros arrasados por las lágrimas. A ratos me recordaba la emocionalmente tremebunda película "La tumba de las luciérnagas", y no dejaba de pensar que quizá Umezz también evocaba vivencias propias del final de la 2GM, sobreviviendo a los bombardeos y el hambre en ciudades convertidas en paisajes lunares, arrasadas por las bombas incendiarias.
Por supuesto, al manga no le sobran problemas. Primero, debido al carácter de serial, cada veintitantas páginas les está pasando una movida tremenda, a la que le sigue otra y otra y otra, sin respiro ni apenas descanso, hay algunos tramos en que se hace bastante repetitivo ver niños corriendo de un lado para otro (por lo general, en los tebeos de Umezz los personajes corren muchísimo) enfrentándose a monstruos de todo pelaje, o amenazas cada vez más demenciales tras el típico grito de alarma fuera de cámara. En otros casos se trata de las típicas "umezadas", como la loquísima historia del jugador de béisbol convertido en momia, el guiño a "Westworld" (la peli del 73) o esa especie de deus ex machina tan ingenioso y loquérrimo de la conclusión. Y por supuesto es un manga en el que la sutileza se queda en la puerta, con sus diálogos explicativos siempre a voces, sus subrayados a brochazos, sus emociones hiperbólicamente expresadas y su dibujo que ahora puede resultar tosco (aunque me hace gracia que Umezz dibuje exactamente igual en el 72 que en el 95) pero que genera una extraña y atractiva tensión entre el aire inocentísimo de los niños, lo ominoso del ambiente y lo brutal de la violencia o las escenas terroríficas.
Pero a pesar de estos defectos, "Aula a la deriva" es un tebeo único, que me ha merecido mucho la pena simplemente porque nunca he leído nada igual, porque te hace recoger la mandíbula del suelo como veinte veces a base de loquísimos giros de guión y porque atesora momentos todavía deslumbrantes y terroríficos, entre los mejores del tebeo de terror japonés y mundial.
November 19, 2023
This is the third and final novel on the series and it was a very entertaining, depressing journey to say the least. In this volume they are in the future and trying to escape some monsters that appear, they turn on each other like Battle Royal or Lords of the Flies, they kill, they died, they eat (cannibalistically) yet some are trying to do the right thing and finally there is a way to return home... will they do it? Well not going to spoil you but since is a 2000 page manga I am going to do it for you in the end.. I will warn you before
So what's bad about this all series, well is the easy way some stuff is resolved - like an operation, or battle scars or even forgiving your enemy after tens of death's through their hands. BUT this are child, lest we forget, this are kids from 6 to 10/11. Yet they are more prepared at times than grownup's.
So, I promised spoilers.. here you go
In the end, they meet a computer who says they can return in the same place where they went. They must replicate the energy released back in that day. It seems one of the boys brought a dynamite stick to school (yes....). So they try and failed. But after some, intervention they learn how they should yet they decide not to go. The world is going to die. So the vast majority (except one) stay behind. Poor mother...
Spoilers end.
I would advise anyone to read it if they enjoy Lord of Flies stuff
So what's bad about this all series, well is the easy way some stuff is resolved - like an operation, or battle scars or even forgiving your enemy after tens of death's through their hands. BUT this are child, lest we forget, this are kids from 6 to 10/11. Yet they are more prepared at times than grownup's.
So, I promised spoilers.. here you go
In the end, they meet a computer who says they can return in the same place where they went. They must replicate the energy released back in that day. It seems one of the boys brought a dynamite stick to school (yes....). So they try and failed. But after some, intervention they learn how they should yet they decide not to go. The world is going to die. So the vast majority (except one) stay behind. Poor mother...
Spoilers end.
I would advise anyone to read it if they enjoy Lord of Flies stuff
November 8, 2021
Lots of creep factor in this with the future humans and starfish and the robots and everything else... Sekya is just disgusting... I really hate people like him... and Otomo has some really good revelations in this volume. The ending was pretty open ended and I like how Mes. Takimatsu decided to move forward in a better way, as did all the kids left behind. The main things I want to know are did Yu make it to his mom after all, or did he just ride and ride his tricycle? And what happened with Nishi??
Overall, this was a really good horror story, with creepy creatures and the worse side of humanity shown as well. I can easily see the Lord Of The Flies connection.
Overall, this was a really good horror story, with creepy creatures and the worse side of humanity shown as well. I can easily see the Lord Of The Flies connection.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 5, 2021
3.5/5
Not as good as I was hoping but I'm glad I read it as it's known as a horror manga classic.
Not as good as I was hoping but I'm glad I read it as it's known as a horror manga classic.
January 1, 2023
A surprisingly existential and ambivalently hopeful ending to a masterful collection –– in this volume, time-slips abound as the boundaries of spacetime become even more permeable. The kids, having previously faced the immediate horror of human villains, hunger, and mutiny, unite with their longing relatives in a more existential kind of fear: will the air, the land, and the water ever forgive 20th century humanity for the chaos pollution and militarism brought? Is remorse enough to redeem a person, a relationship, a species –– or will the innocent perish due to the sins of their forebears?
In Vol. 3, The Drifting Classroom completes a quiet genre shift from clear-cut horror to a more philosophical, contemplative mode. There are scary moments, gory moments, and moments that will have you biting your nails. Yet mostly, what I felt when reading this collection was wistfulness. This series has really put me through my emotional paces and I'm grateful to have read it.
In Vol. 3, The Drifting Classroom completes a quiet genre shift from clear-cut horror to a more philosophical, contemplative mode. There are scary moments, gory moments, and moments that will have you biting your nails. Yet mostly, what I felt when reading this collection was wistfulness. This series has really put me through my emotional paces and I'm grateful to have read it.
February 24, 2024
I held off on giving even brief thoughts until finishing all three HC volumes.
Simply excellent, a brief lull in the latter half of the second collection proved to be but a reprieve before the incredible odyssey into the abyss the is the third act. Starts strong and pulpy and concludes on a harrowing, chilling final embrace of the void.
One of the great horror epics.
Simply excellent, a brief lull in the latter half of the second collection proved to be but a reprieve before the incredible odyssey into the abyss the is the third act. Starts strong and pulpy and concludes on a harrowing, chilling final embrace of the void.
One of the great horror epics.
October 27, 2023
The ending to this just has my mind drifting off in imagination. It was powerful, surprising, and a very, very satisfying ending to this trilogy. The question, how will these kids make it back home, is finally given an answer, and while it might not be the answer everyone is hoping for, it is a very hopeful and positive ending not just for the children but for the earth. Wasn't expecting an ending like this, but I'm glad I got one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 7, 2020
Wowwww.
In the first two editions of The Drifting Classroom, a troupe of elementary school kids battle a series of ever-crazier disasters after their school is mysteriously transported into the distant future. In this final edition, we finally find out why. Or how? Or "why"? I'm not sure.
The theme has something to do with the wastefulness of modern society, but I frankly didn't need any of it. This is a book about a miscellany of monsters annihilating children in a post-apocalyptic desert. One continues reading to discover the next nutso thing that happens.
Luckily, there's a lot of that. We got us some three-eyed spider people, flesh-eating starfish, oblong things, and a giant worm. Not to mention the kids split into factions and fight each other for food. A tricycle gets sent into the past by the combined power of dynamite and prayer. There's a volcano, killer robots in the ruins of a history-themed amusement park, and a little girl on crutches who's inexplicably also a two-way radio to one kids' mom.
If you get off on weird horror i like do, you too may find this thing fun & funny.
In the first two editions of The Drifting Classroom, a troupe of elementary school kids battle a series of ever-crazier disasters after their school is mysteriously transported into the distant future. In this final edition, we finally find out why. Or how? Or "why"? I'm not sure.
The theme has something to do with the wastefulness of modern society, but I frankly didn't need any of it. This is a book about a miscellany of monsters annihilating children in a post-apocalyptic desert. One continues reading to discover the next nutso thing that happens.
Luckily, there's a lot of that. We got us some three-eyed spider people, flesh-eating starfish, oblong things, and a giant worm. Not to mention the kids split into factions and fight each other for food. A tricycle gets sent into the past by the combined power of dynamite and prayer. There's a volcano, killer robots in the ruins of a history-themed amusement park, and a little girl on crutches who's inexplicably also a two-way radio to one kids' mom.
If you get off on weird horror i like do, you too may find this thing fun & funny.
July 25, 2022
Okay!! So, kids acting like adults in crisis.... But i must admit introducing a monster was bit off while the concept of being transported in future and still being in the same time line as outer world is grasping and an essence of survival plot.
October 9, 2021
this series is shockingly dull, but “mom, im gonna eat a piece of instant ramen so i can be as strong as possible” is the best line ive ever read.
April 13, 2023
Reread 4.13.23
1.6.22 I really enjoyed this series. Overall I would give it 5 stars as a whole. I will at some point reread this. The ending had me tearing up a little.
1.6.22 I really enjoyed this series. Overall I would give it 5 stars as a whole. I will at some point reread this. The ending had me tearing up a little.
March 1, 2022
2.5 ⭐️
Not a good ending to the series :(
Not a good ending to the series :(
July 11, 2022
I really enjoyed this series! It went on a little too long, but I found the ending to surprisingly hopeful!
December 23, 2021
Wow.
I read the other two volumes last year I think. I figured this was another 2,000-volume manga, so I decided just to get to it again when I had time or money.
Well, I found out recently there were only 3 volumes, and my wife was looking to expand the graphic novel collection at her library, so I put this on a list or recommended titles.
Things certainly escalate in this last volume. It gets absurd at one point. Shit just keeps going wrong to the point of absurdity, and it was a bit over the top.
BUT the last few chapters in particular are just wonderful. It isn’t the happiest of possible endings, but it was bittersweet and I actually teared up a little bit.
This was a solid series, and it actually wrapped up neatly.
It is better than all the other stories that came after it (like The Woods). It covers some time-travel idiosyncrasies. It has Lord of the Flies vibes. It was just all-around a good series, and I can’t believe people try to emulate this concept. This author did it right and did it best. That’s not a challenge to try to do it better. Because you won’t 🤷🏻♀️
I read the other two volumes last year I think. I figured this was another 2,000-volume manga, so I decided just to get to it again when I had time or money.
Well, I found out recently there were only 3 volumes, and my wife was looking to expand the graphic novel collection at her library, so I put this on a list or recommended titles.
Things certainly escalate in this last volume. It gets absurd at one point. Shit just keeps going wrong to the point of absurdity, and it was a bit over the top.
BUT the last few chapters in particular are just wonderful. It isn’t the happiest of possible endings, but it was bittersweet and I actually teared up a little bit.
This was a solid series, and it actually wrapped up neatly.
It is better than all the other stories that came after it (like The Woods). It covers some time-travel idiosyncrasies. It has Lord of the Flies vibes. It was just all-around a good series, and I can’t believe people try to emulate this concept. This author did it right and did it best. That’s not a challenge to try to do it better. Because you won’t 🤷🏻♀️
Read
November 23, 2024A relatively strong finish to the series, this volume includes some of the most fun science fiction ideas in addition to some of the most dire and horrific moments of violence and trauma.
Not only does it pick up right at some of the most interesting subplots, but I also appreciated the way it zoomed in on the nature of the students' bizarre predicament. It does a nice job toeing the line between explaining and confounding, presenting just enough clarity about the mechanics of their strange world for the kids to respond, but never collapsing it all into solved explanations.
Without saying too much, I was also surprisingly compelled by the ending, which carried a simple, understated emotional weight. Overall an interesting journey composed of a lot of great smaller conceits. And maybe this goes without saying, but if you're sensitive to child death and violence towards children, handle this entire series with *extreme* care.
Not only does it pick up right at some of the most interesting subplots, but I also appreciated the way it zoomed in on the nature of the students' bizarre predicament. It does a nice job toeing the line between explaining and confounding, presenting just enough clarity about the mechanics of their strange world for the kids to respond, but never collapsing it all into solved explanations.
Without saying too much, I was also surprisingly compelled by the ending, which carried a simple, understated emotional weight. Overall an interesting journey composed of a lot of great smaller conceits. And maybe this goes without saying, but if you're sensitive to child death and violence towards children, handle this entire series with *extreme* care.
January 5, 2023
Kazuo Umezz’s post-apocalyptic fantasy horror epic draws to a conclusion in fine fashion. I undoubtedly had some reservations about some aspects of The Drifting Classroom, particularly in how the second volume seemed to abandon all logic and just seemed to move between a series of non-sequiturs, but my criticisms pale in comparison to the many thrills to be found across these pages. Having recently read a volume of Junjo Ito short stories, and planning to read more, I feel like I’m more personally aligned to that author’s particular style and form of storytelling, but I’m happy to have had the opportunity to partake in the singular experience that is a full read-through of The Drifting Classroom.
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