Line #21 Main/Joshikousei


1	[[quoteright:350:[[Manga/LuckyStar https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/luckystar-jk_5860.jpg]]]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:And there are [[FourGirlEnsemble four of them]] to boot.]]
3
4	->'''Tomo:''' Question! Mr. Kimura, why did you decide to become a high school teacher?\
5	'''Mr. Kimura:''' 'CUZ I LIKE HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS, THAT'S WHY!
6	-->-- ''Manga/AzumangaDaioh''
7
8	Literally "a female high school student", but the term is invariably used to refer specifically to cute high school girls wearing SailorFuku, or sailor suit-styled uniforms. Many Japanese men refer to them under the nickname "JK" or "JC."[[note]]Technically, "JC" actually refers to junior-high-school girls. JS is "Joshi Shougakusei" or "grade-school girl", "JC" is "Joshi Chuugakusei" or "middle-school girl" and "JK" is "Joshikousei" or "High-school girl."[[/note]] Note that the term may be used interchangeably with 'seifuku', which means any general "school uniform", but is often used to describe the sailor outfits in particular. Although ''[[GratuitousEnglish seeraa]]fuku'' have been replaced by blazer-style uniforms in most high schools, the vast majority of anime girls still wear them.
9
10	[[LanguageEqualsThought That Japanese has such a compact, productive phrase for this image implies that it's an important archetype in the Japanese psyche]], and this is borne out by how often sailor-suited school girls still appear in both manga and anime.
11
12	See also SchoolSportUniform and SchoolSwimsuit, for when the girls wear something that shows a little more skin.
13
14	This is mainly a Japanese cultural trope but is found prominently in anime. The Western equivalent is CatholicSchoolGirlsRule. However, given that many Japanese high schools have abandoned the sailor uniform, which nowadays is a characteristic indicator of ''middle school'' girls, more professional-esque styles of uniform have become a popular replacement - popular not just among schools but also among viewers - so the two are beginning to merge. Joshikousei are very prominent in anime/manga, to the point where the vast majority of female characters will either be high school girls or at the very least be in the same age group (should high school not exist or should their occupation prevent them from going to school). In fact, one of the main reasons why most male protagonists are {{ordinary highschool student}}s is so they can be surrounded by high school girls.
15
16	----
17	!!Examples
18
19	[[foldercontrol]]
20
21	[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
22	%%* ''Manga/AChannel''
23	* For ''Manga/{{Amanchu}}'', Kozue Amano designed some very pretty school uniforms, with hints to the outfits worn by the undines in her other main work, ''Manga/{{ARIA}}''. The frilly petticoats really set them apart, although they might be a bit warm in summer. And they may also not be the best fit for more chubby students.
24	* The SSS uniform in ''Anime/AngelBeats''. Note that it is not the same as the one the [=NPCs=] wear.
25	* The girls' uniform at Butei high in ''Literature/AriaTheScarletAmmo''.
26	* ''Manga/AzumangaDaioh'', though the girls here wear modest-length skirts and full-coverage tops.
27	* Mato and Yomi's uniform in the ''Anime/BlackRockShooter'' OVA.
28	* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' has Karin and Yuzu wear these after the TimeSkip.
29	** Lisa Yadomaru wears one, but it's tight enough for her to expose her midriff.
30	* In ''Manga/CardCaptorSakura'', the girls at Seijuu High School wear uniforms like this. TheProtagonist's mother, Nadeshiko, actually ''married'' Fujitaka [[SchoolUniformsAreTheNewBlack while still in her school uniform]], according to her cousin Sonomi.
31	* In a manga adaptation of ''VideoGame/FateEXTRA'' -- Fate/EXTRA CCC Fox Tail -- we have Saber, who presents herself as a "JK Saber", complete with GyaruGirl styling, to boot. [[spoiler: Her True Name is Suzuka Gozen.]]
32	* In ''Manga/FruitsBasket'', Shigure is so tickled about visiting Tohru's school because he knows how the girls will react to him, he sings a little Joshikousei song.
33	* ''Manga/GreatTeacherOnizuka'': The girls at Holy Forest Academy wear uniforms like this.
34	* The girls of ''Anime/HanasakuIroha'' have to wear a blue-and-white seifuku to school.
35	** Ohana's school in Tokyo has a thicker navy-colored seifuku.
36	* In ''Manga/HanaukyoMaidTeam La Verite'' episode 8, Konoe Tsurugi and Yashima Sanae both dress in sailor fuku costumes.
37	* The standard uniform in ''Literature/HaruhiSuzumiya''.
38	* ''Literature/{{Higehiro}}'': Sayu seems to not have any clothes except her school uniform (until Yoshida buys her some), so she wears it all the time.
39	* In Gakuen Hetalia, ''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers'''s take on a HighSchoolAU, Seychelles and Hungary appear in Western-style uniforms. Belarus and Ukraine appear in concept art, and Taiwan appears in [[http://hetalia.wikia.com/wiki/File:Asiaclass_girluni.JPG this]] in the concept art, compared to the more Western uniforms the other girls have been seen wearing. In the regular canon, Norway and Sealand also sport Danshigakusei uniforms.
40	%%* ''Manga/HidamariSketch''
41	* The very aptly named anime ''Manga/HighSchoolGirls'' (its Japanese name [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin was literally ''Joshikousei'']]), based on the long-running ''manga'' series of the same name.
42	* ''Manga/HighSchoolOfTheDead''. Granted, they do rip up and alter their uniform so they'll be more versatile, and later change out. And considering the zombie apocalypse is taking up their time, I doubt they'll be going to school anymore.
43	* ''Anime/TheIdolMaster'': Several of the idols are High Schoolers, though their schools don't appear much.
44	* ''Manga/InuYasha'': Kagome is [[SchoolUniformsAreTheNewBlack rarely seen outside of her school uniform]]; in this case, hers is green and white with a full-coverage top and a miniskirt.
45	* ''Manga/JoshiKausei'' is literally named after this, since the main characters are high school girls.
46	* Ami Nekota and Nanami Momozono from ''Manga/KamisamaKiss'' have this as their school uniform.
47	%%* ''Manga/KOn''
48	%%* ''Manga/{{Locodol}}''
49	* ''Manga/LuckyStar'':
50	** One of Hiyori's {{Image Song}}s is called "Default Joshikousei Nyan". ...[[CuteKitten Nyan]]?
51	** The title of the OVA is "[=JK=]".
52	* The Florian sisters both wear school uniforms before switching over to their Formula suits in ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaReflection'' despite neither of them going to school (or even being from Earth, for that matter). Kyrie is wearing one because Iris told her it's the latest fashion, and Amitie's outfit is never explained. Made even more confusing by the fact that the move takes place on July 22, two days after the official start of Summer Vacation in Japan.
53	* ''Manga/MagicKnightRayearth'' just puts the armor over the school uniforms the girls are already wearing. Averted in their final armor as there's no more hints of the said uniforms underneath the armor.
54	* ''Manga/MarchComesInLikeALion'': Hina has this look half the time while she is still in middle school. She loses it when she actually ''is'' in high school later on the series; the one she moves on up in, Rei's, has abandoned the look.
55	* ''Anime/MazingerZ'': Sayaka Yumi in the Creator/GoNagai manga (in the anime she didn't go to school due to her work at the Institute, thus she didn't wear any uniform). Ironically, given that she was created by [[Creator/GoNagai the man who introduced]] FanService in manga, she wears a modest-length skirt.
56	** In ''Manga/ShinMazingerZero'' she wore her sailor fuku constantly since her first appearance.
57	** In ''Anime/{{Mazinkaiser}}'', Sayaka wore a Western-styled uniform instead.
58	* Nonoka in ''Manga/MitsuboshiColors''.
59	* The high school uniforms in ''Anime/MyHime'' just have the short skirt part; the middle school uniforms are the classic white-with-blue-trim ''seeraa'' style. Nao spices hers up with ZettaiRyouiki.
60	* ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'': Asuka and Rei are in their uniforms when not in battle.
61	* Haruhi Fujioka's (from ''Manga/OuranHighSchoolHostClub'') old uniform from middle school was a dark-colored seifuku.
62	* Of sixteen continuities, only seven ''Anime/PrettyCure'' series feature female characters wearing Sailor Fuku - ''Anime/FutariWaPrettyCureSplashStar'', ''Anime/HeartcatchPrettyCure'', ''Anime/DokiDokiPrettyCure'', ''Anime/HappinessChargePrettyCure'', ''Anime/GoPrincessPrettyCure'', ''Anime/KiraKiraPrecureALaMode'', and ''Anime/StarTwinklePrettyCure''. Of course, technicalities run rampant here - for instance, ''Heartcatch'''s Sailor Fuku is only for the middle schoolers ''and'' during the winter season (during the summer, it's a skirt/blouse combo) and the high schoolers wear more of a Western uniform (it helps that they both go to the same school)- and let's not get into [[WholesomeCrossdresser Itsuki]].
63	* ''Anime/RevolutionaryGirlUtena'' has the "ridiculously short skirt" version.
64	** Completely averted by the [[CharacterTitle title character]] for all but one episode. She wears ''short shorts''. Everyone's got legs in this series.
65	%%* ''Manga/{{Saikano}}''
66	* As has been mentioned ''Franchise/SailorMoon'' has the famous Sailor Senshi uniforms based on middle and high school Sailor Fuku. As well as these the girls have their actual school uniforms, from main characters alone we see the uniforms of at least 6 schools across the series,[[note]]Juuban Municipal Junior High School (Usagi and Ami's uniform), Makoto Kino's [[TransferStudentUniforms previous school's uniform]], T·A Academy for Girls (Rei's private school), Shiba Koen Junior High School (Minako's), Mugen Academy (Hotaru, Michiru and Haruka - as well as the Witches 5), Juuban Municipal High School (everyone but Rei ends up at this High School in the final season)[[/note]] with Rei getting double points as [[CatholicSchoolGirlsRule hers is a Catholic school]] kind (and boys actually give her more attention than the others when they recognize the uniform). Chibiusa also wears one to attend Juuban Municipal Primary School but it's not the school uniform.
67	%%* ''Manga/{{Sketchbook}}''
68	* ''Manga/SoulEater'':
69	** The girls' [[spoiler: Spartoi]] uniforms usually are in the sailor style.
70	** Kim and Jackie's original uniform also slightly resembles a seifuku, having the collar and tie.
71	* While for the most part they evade this, continuities where a female member of the ''Anime/TenchiMuyo'' cast goes to school, they end up wearing one of these. Interestingly, what ''type'' of uniform differs - the uniforms worn in the first movie, ''Tenchi Muyo in Love'', were black and white and very modest, yet whenever we see Sasami go to school, it's the usual red, white and blue and short skirted.
72	* Each ''Manga/TokyoMewMew'' girl attends a different school; Ichigo and Retasu both wear seifuku. In the [[FanonDisContinuity largely discredited]] sequel, all five originals and the new character attend the same school, chosen for its "cute uniforms".
73	* The protagonist of ''Manga/WanderingSon'' brought one when he was in sixth grade. Later on in the manga, several side-characters begin going to a high school that uses SailorFuku.
74	* The main characters from ''Manga/WastefulDaysOfHighSchoolGirls'' (Joshikousei no Mudazukai in Japanese).
75	* In ''Manga/ZombieLoan'', this is somewhat averted. The uniform only has the collar. The rest doesn't really resemble seifuku.
76	[[/folder]]
77
78	[[folder:Comic Books]]
79	* In ''ComicBook/SpyBoy'', [=SpyGirl=] spends most of her time in her sailor fuku school uniform (although it is possible that this is a costume from her TV show and not a real school uniform). However, given her age, she is almost certainly a high school student as well as being an actress and a secret agent. Either way, [[SchoolUniformsAreTheNewBlack this is her standard outfit]] till she transfers to Alex's school in the U.S. and starts wearing casual clothes to blend in.
80	[[/folder]]
81
82	[[folder:Fan Works]]
83	* In ''Fanfic/NeitherABirdNorAPlaneItsDeku'', Alexis "Lexi" Luthor is intent on spending her high school years at U.A. as one (despite earning a doctorate at the age of 7) to live out her OccidentalOtaku fantasies and to indulge in her interest in studying an alien like Izuku. She even namedrops the trope.
84	-->'''Lexi:''' In the spring, I'll start managing [=LexCorp=]'s Japanese branch here in Tokyo, set up shop at a fancy hotel somewhere, and spend my days living the life of a good little JK.
85	* Applies to the Nijigasaki Academy girls during their high school years in ''Fanfic/TokimekiPokeLiveAndTwinbee''.
86	[[/folder]]
87
88	[[folder:Film]]
89	* Gogo, O-Ren Ishii's henchwoman in ''Film/KillBill''.
90	[[/folder]]
91
92	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
93	* ''Series/KamenRiderAgito'': Kazaya Mana is a less straight example, since she doesn't wear the sailor suit.
94	** ''Series/KamenRiderDouble'': Two of Shotaro's informants, [[ThemeNaming Queen and Elizabeth]] are apparently schoolgirls. "Joshikousei" is Shotaro's nickname for Akiko, since she behaves more like a child than her actual age of 20.
95	** ''Series/KamenRiderOOO'': Mezool's guise is a school girl... for about one episode. Then she changes into another outfit. One wonders why...
96	** Mostly avoided by ''Series/KamenRiderFourze'': all the main female characters are schoolgirls, but don't wear a sailor uniform, and their skirts aren't short. Miu initially wears a tight cheerleading uniform with a miniskirt, but leaves school halfway through the show, and from then on is only ever seen in her casual clothes.
97	* A rare American example: Claire, from ''Series/{{Heroes}}'', and her [[AllGuysWantCheerleaders iconic cheerleader garb]]. The second season even gave her a revamped (but less frequently seen) blue outfit.
98	* Referenced in ''Series/{{Glee}}'' when Santana claims that Rachel's schoolgirl-esque outfits would turn on "a Japanese businessman with a very dark and specific fetish."
99	[[/folder]]
100
101	[[folder:Video Games]]
102	* Many DatingSim games are set in high school or, more frequently now, colleges with uniforms.
103	** ''VisualNovel/{{Kanon}}''
104	** ''VisualNovel/{{CLANNAD}}''
105	** ''VisualNovel/TokimekiMemorial'' in all incarnations
106	* ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert3'' has Yuriko Omega, a young woman with GirlishPigtails, PsychicPowers, and [[CreepyChild questionable mental health]] who fights for the [[JapanTakesOverTheWorld Empire of the Rising Sun]] in a schoolgirl uniform.
107	* One of Sakura's custom titles from ''VideoGame/StreetFighterIV'' is "High School Girl" in the English version and most likely ''Joshikōsei'' in Japanese.
108	* In ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters 2003'', Athena Asamiya, Hinako Shijō, and Malin form a team called "''Joshikōsei Chiimu''" (High School Girls Team). Even more so, Hinako goes the Sakura way and fights while wearing her uniform.
109	* In ''VideoGame/PsychoSoldier'', Athena used to wear a blue ''seifuku'' as her fighting uniform. She does this again from KOF ''XI'' on -- and it's very cynically lampshaded by Kyo Kusanagi (who used to fight in a ''gakuran''), [[HypocriticalHumor of all people]]:
110	-->"Uhm, is this a publicity stunt? (...) No one at your age wears school uniforms anymore!"
111	* Ling Xiaoyu has a school uniform as an 'optional' costume in her appearances in ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}''. Often she's wearing it in her ending animations, too.
112	* ''VideoGame/ArTonelicoMelodyOfElemia'' has the playable [[MsFanService Reyvateils]], [[spoiler: Teen]] Misha and Aurica both have their own school uniforms outfits as the rewards for completing the diving quests.
113	* The main character of ''VideoGame/{{Persona 3}}'' when playing as a female, as well as all female classmates, since they attend a modern Japanese high school. They even fight in them rather than street clothes, despite all battles taking place long after school hours.
114	* ''VideoGame/LovePlus'', naturally, as with many a DatingSim game and as a SpiritualSuccessor of the ''VisualNovel/TokimekiMemorial'' series.
115	* Speaking of ''VisualNovel/TokimekiMemorial'' 's [[SpiritualSuccessor Spiritual Successors]], one of them, ''VideoGame/MitsumeteKnight'', despite being in a medieval / fantasy setting instead of an High School one, has roughly 1/3 of its main girls cast (5 out of 16) composed of school girls, because in the country the mercenary main protagonist fights for, the military grounds he trains at are located next to the country's main Academy campus.
116	* ''Franchise/TouhouProject'' has only two examples of this, one fanon and one canon, despite its [[ImprobablyFemaleCast large cast of cute girls]]:
117	** Sanae Kochiya is often viewed as this in the fandom, since she's from the outside world but moved to Gensokyo since her deities moved there.
118	** Sumireko Usami, however, is canonically a high school student, though she also happens to have psychic powers and is thus able to hold her own against [[WorldOfActionGirls the other characters]].
119	* ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiIV'' has Hikaru, the only person skipping around in the demon-infested Tokyo at her leisure sans armor or weapons. [[spoiler:TheReveal shows why she can do so.]]
120	* ''VideoGame/{{Infectonator}}'' has a [[MsFanservice ridiculously attractive]] News Reporter that keeps track of the player's progress. Most of the games have several [[UnlockableContent unlockable]] {{Sexy Whatever Outfit}}s for her, one of them being a Sailor School Uniform.
121	* ''VideoGame/YandereSimulator'': Three of the possible options for the girls' uniforms at Akademi are seifuku (a red, white and blue one, a blue and red one, and a brown, red and white one), while the other three have sweaters or blazers. 1980s Mode, which takes place in, well, [[ShapedLikeItself the 1980s]], locks the player into the brown, red and white seifuku (which makes sense since seifuku were still popular back then).
122	[[/folder]]
123
124	[[folder:Western Animation]]
125	* Lily from ''WesternAnimation/KappaMikey'' wears this. Apparently, it's part of her (non-superhero) costume from the [[ShowWithinAShow LilyMu Show]], but she wears it off the set. Notably, Lily is never seen attending school.
126	[[/folder]]
127

Context Main / Joshikousei