Do you remember the characters in your school textbooks? Perhaps you have fond memories of doodling in the margins and augmenting the illustrations.
Well, just when we were thinking that study guides in Japan in recent years were all looking a little bit same-y, some clever marketing person (or, more likely, about 100 clever marketing people) has come up with a one-step technique for designing these educational guides. It doesn’t matter whether it’s history, philosophy, social studies or English – just put a smart, cute anime girl on the front cover!
Like this geography study guide for national university entrance exams.
▼ Let’s give her a globe to hold!
なんか部屋入ったら美少女の参考書あった!!!!!!!!!!
こんな可愛い子に教えてもらえば満点とれそう!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
がんばる!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! http://t.co/Y5Kn77Y3iG
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三ヶ月そば (@sobanime) March 14, 2015
Or this English self-study book using the characters from anime and manga series Ore no Imōto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai.
▼ “When you ask your parents to buy you a study guide and this is what they get you…”
親に英語の参考書買ってきてと頼んだ結果wwwwwwwwwww http://t.co/X9XhgYjTmB
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東武ブリリアントパークライン (@Reiuji_rapid23) December 07, 2013
One student took to Twitter to post this photo comparing a study aid from the past with a present day version.
▼ “In 100 years, this is how much study guides have changed.”
100年経つと参考書もこれだけ変わります。 http://t.co/cWJZ5QrBlE
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鈴木悠介 (@yuusuke_suzuki) June 09, 2014
This next collection also includes a study guide featuring characters from a popular series.
▼ The second book is a practice book based on the series Student Council’s Discretion, but notice how the chemistry, biology and moral philosophy books that surround it also employ the anime girl front cover trick!
やる気はあるんだ。参考書いっぱい買ったんだから。でも、こういうイラスト満載のやつじゃなきゃ気分が乗らないってどーよ…しかも買ったはいいけどまだ開いてないし… http://t.co/IwOYs3cOru
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みやび (@miyabi_1104) July 21, 2014
Yep, it seems like anime covers are unstoppable.
▼ “Anime front covers on textbooks are everywhere these days.”
最近の参考書にはとりあえずアニメ絵を入れとけっていう風潮 http://t.co/wTVtVYaqOY
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じょぺこ (@jonstruct) April 22, 2014
And not everyone’s happy about that.
▼ “They try to make you buy them with their anime covers, but DON’T BE FOOLED guys, they’re still study guides!“
最近の参考書ってアニメとコラボして買わせようとしてる みんな騙されるな
結局参考書ですから http://t.co/UKbGc6EeA4
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ぶっ壊れِソラト(旧アカ) (@r33797) September 29, 2013
Anime-girl-decorated study guides are available in all good Japanese bookstores (and the bad ones too).
Source: Naver Matome
Top image: Twitter
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