S · A: Special A | |
Cover of the first tankōbon volume as published by Hakusensha
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S·A(スペシャル·エー) (S·A (Supesharu Ē)) |
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Genre | Romantic comedy, School story |
Manga | |
Written by | Maki Minami |
Published by | Hakusensha |
English publisher | |
Demographic | Shōjo |
Magazine | Hana to Yume |
Original run | April 1, 2003 – March 19, 2009 |
Volumes | 17 |
Anime television series | |
Directed by | Miyao Yoshikazu |
Studio | AIC, Gonzo |
Licensed by | |
Original network | Chiba TV |
English network | |
Original run | April 6, 2008 – September 14, 2008 |
Episodes | 24 |
Manga | |
S・A - Street Fight | |
Written by | Maki Minami |
Published by | Hakusensha |
Demographic | Shōjo |
Magazine | Hana to Yume |
Original run | 2012 – present |
Volumes | 1 |
S · A: Special A (S·A(スペシャル·エー) S·A (Supesharu Ē)?), also known as Special A or S.A, is a shōjo manga by Maki Minami. The series started serialization in the bimonthly magazine The Hana to Yume in 2003, and moved to the biweekly magazine Hana to Yume in 2004, after running for four chapters. The series ended after 99 chapters on March 19, 2009.
Special A has been licensed for English-language release in North America by Viz Media and in Australia and New Zealand by Madman Entertainment. The series has also been licensed in Germany, Italy, Poland, France and Taiwan.
In 2007, Hana to Yume announced an anime adaptation of Special A, animated by Gonzo and AIC; the animated series ran for 24 episodes from April 6, 2008 to September 14, 2008 in Japan.
In 2013, Hana to Yume released a single volume sequel called Special A - Street Fight.
Hikari Hanazono has always been second to Kei Takishima. When they were six years old, their pro-wrestling loving fathers introduced them to each other. Assuming that she was the best in wrestling, young Hikari challenged Kei to a wrestling match only to be thoroughly defeated by him. Ever since that fateful incident, Hikari swore to beat Kei in school grades, sporting events or any competition. To do this, she has enrolled in the same school as Kei since elementary. Now she attends Hakusenkan, an ultra elite school for the wealthy, that costs her carpenter father a lot of money. Hikari and Kei are the top two students in the school, with Kei holding firmly to that number one position. While Hikari considers Kei to be a rival and important friend, she is completely unaware that Kei has strong feelings for her.
The series primarily focuses on Hikari and her constant attempts to defeat her one and only rival, Kei, and how she finds love in their rivalry. However, Special A also follows the stories of the other five members of the S.A class – Akira Toudou, Tadashi Karino, Megumi and Jun Yamamoto, and Ryuu Tsuji – and their relationships. Yahiro Saiga and Sakura Ushikubo, two students from the rival academy Kokusen, also become recurring characters in the series.