Prison School

Episode 10

There's no longer any doubt that expulsion is tantamount to execution in the world of Prison School. For weeks, the characters have regarded it as the ultimate punishment, and this episode is rife with metaphors for death row. From the prisoners being served their "last meals" to being paraded across campus like dead men walking, it seems like all hope is lost for the boys of Hachimitsu Academy.

As always, the show treats every moment with far more gravitas than the situation calls for. Although this treatment ups the stakes considerably, none of the scenes match the level of tension found in the past few episodes. Granted, crafting moments as heart-pounding as Kiyoshi's initial escape and Shingo's mad dash to make curfew is no mean feat. This week's "do or die" scenario involves Kiyoshi convincing the school's chairman to grant him and his fellow prisoners a stay of execution—er, expulsion—so they can obtain proof of the Underground Student Council's scheme. Apparently, the posterior-obsessed chairman will only trust fellow "ass men" who can prove their love of rear ends. Kiyoshi, who considers himself a boob man, sweats under pressure as he struggles to come up with the most academic-sounding justification I've ever heard for ogling women's butts.

Since the show would be over if Kiyoshi failed to win the chairman's trust, it's no surprise that he earns the boys a temporary reprieve, albeit a 24-hour one. Still, Kiyoshi is also in very real danger of actual execution, thanks to Hana's sudden recollection of what happened in the nurse's office. Despite the situation being entirely her fault, Hana feels violated and becomes dead-set on a murder-suicide. Her sheer bloodlust actually makes her a more threatening antagonist than Meiko as the show revs up for its finale.

Nonetheless, Meiko has some interesting character moments this week. She offers to make the boys anything they want for their last meals, although there's no reason for her to show them any kindness. She even goes above and beyond to honor the temporarily insane Gakuto's request for a fried grasshopper bowl—and appears genuinely hurt when he comes to his senses and doesn't finish it. Despite taking her role as warden very seriously, she's also shown more compassion to the boys than any other Underground Student Council member (which says a lot, considering the savage beatings she administers). It would be intriguing to get some more background on Meiko and learn how she developed her unflinching loyalty to Mari. Although she generally turns a blind eye to her best friend's behavior, she seems to at least regard the boys as human beings. However, since she's spent the most time with them, it's also conceivable that familiarity has softened her.

While far from the most memorable outing, this week's Prison School sets the stage for a truly epic finale. Since there isn't much at stake, several attempts at tension fall flat. There's no way the boys will be expelled at this point, meaning there's no way they'd fail to win over the chairman. The chairman is also far less threatening than his daughter and her USC cohorts, so you don't worry for the boys' well-being if they fail to convince him. Prison School is most enjoyable when the stakes are high, and this episode, while very entertaining, underwhelms when compared to the series' best.

Rating: B

Prison School is currently streaming on Funimation.

Amy is a YA fantasy author who has loved anime for two decades.