OVA
Description
Gakuto is the common nickname for Takehito Morokuzu, one of the five male students at Hachimitsu Academy and a central figure among the group. In terms of appearance, he is tall and lean, with black hair and black eyes. He is distinguished from the other boys by his long hair and his glasses, though his long hair is eventually shaved off as part of a scheme to aid a fellow prisoner. As a result of the hard labor performed in the school's Prison Block, he gains a wiry, muscular physique.
Gakuto’s personality is a blend of high intellect, deep-seated perversion, and an unwavering, almost chivalrous sense of loyalty. He serves as the master strategist of the five boys, possessing a calculating and intelligent mind that is essential for planning their various escape attempts and counter-schemes. However, his intelligence is often applied in the service of his primary obsession: the historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. He is a devoted otaku with a profound reverence for figures like the general Guan Yu, which drives many of his actions. His speech patterns are archaic and eccentric, often ending his sentences with "gozaru" and using respectful honorifics like "-dono" when addressing his friends, which adds to his pretentious but earnest demeanor.
His motivations are driven by a unique hierarchy of principles. In the series, he is initially motivated to help his friend Kiyoshi escape prison primarily to obtain a rare, limited-edition Guan Yu figurine that is only sold once every four years. This leads him to commit acts of extreme self-sacrifice and public humiliation, such as purposefully defecating in a classroom to create a realistic sound recording for an alibi. Yet, when his loyalty to his friends is put to the ultimate test, his motivations pivot dramatically. He proves that his code of honor supersedes even his most treasured possessions, as seen when he willingly destroys his cherished Guan Yu figurine to protect a friend.
Within the story, Gakuto plays the role of the brains behind the boys' operations. He is the primary co-conspirator and logistical planner for Kiyoshi Fujino, the group’s de facto leader. Without his strategic mind, many of the group's schemes to survive and avoid expulsion would be impossible. He is the one who devises the complex plans to gather evidence, create diversions, and coordinate breakouts. His role is critical in the overarching plot to prove the boys' innocence against the schemes of the student council.
Key relationships define much of his narrative. His bond with Kiyoshi is the most significant, transforming from a transactional partnership based on a figurine to a deep, fire-forged friendship characterized by mutual sacrifice and respect. He also develops a romantic interest in Mitsuko Yokoyama, the secretary of the official Student Council, whom he meets while indulging his love for history in the school library. Their connection is initially based on a shared interest in the Three Kingdoms. In contrast, his relationship with the other boys, particularly the suspicious Shingo, is often fraught with misunderstanding due to the secretive nature of his meetings with Kiyoshi.
Gakuto undergoes significant development throughout the narrative. He begins as a somewhat insidious and perverted otaku willing to sacrifice everything for a figurine but evolves into a character who demonstrates that his loyalty and integrity are his defining traits. A pivotal moment occurs when he destroys his own action figure after realizing that betraying a friend would be an insult to the heroes he admires. This act cements his status as a paragon of honor, and his public humiliation, such as the infamous "pooping incident" and having his head shaved, transforms from a source of ridicule into a testament to his incredible willpower.
Gakuto possesses several notable abilities. His primary asset is his sharp, tactical mind, which he uses to devise intricate plans that often outmaneuver his captors. He is also surprisingly tech-savvy, able to use file recovery software to find incriminating evidence on a computer. Despite being the most frequent target of physical punishment from the sadistic Vice-President Meiko Shiraki, he exhibits a near-superhuman level of physical and mental endurance, constantly recovering from brutal beatings. While he lacks physical strength compared to others, his true power lies in his unshakable determination and his ability to maintain his sanity and focus even when subjected to overwhelming degradation and stress.
Gakuto’s personality is a blend of high intellect, deep-seated perversion, and an unwavering, almost chivalrous sense of loyalty. He serves as the master strategist of the five boys, possessing a calculating and intelligent mind that is essential for planning their various escape attempts and counter-schemes. However, his intelligence is often applied in the service of his primary obsession: the historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. He is a devoted otaku with a profound reverence for figures like the general Guan Yu, which drives many of his actions. His speech patterns are archaic and eccentric, often ending his sentences with "gozaru" and using respectful honorifics like "-dono" when addressing his friends, which adds to his pretentious but earnest demeanor.
His motivations are driven by a unique hierarchy of principles. In the series, he is initially motivated to help his friend Kiyoshi escape prison primarily to obtain a rare, limited-edition Guan Yu figurine that is only sold once every four years. This leads him to commit acts of extreme self-sacrifice and public humiliation, such as purposefully defecating in a classroom to create a realistic sound recording for an alibi. Yet, when his loyalty to his friends is put to the ultimate test, his motivations pivot dramatically. He proves that his code of honor supersedes even his most treasured possessions, as seen when he willingly destroys his cherished Guan Yu figurine to protect a friend.
Within the story, Gakuto plays the role of the brains behind the boys' operations. He is the primary co-conspirator and logistical planner for Kiyoshi Fujino, the group’s de facto leader. Without his strategic mind, many of the group's schemes to survive and avoid expulsion would be impossible. He is the one who devises the complex plans to gather evidence, create diversions, and coordinate breakouts. His role is critical in the overarching plot to prove the boys' innocence against the schemes of the student council.
Key relationships define much of his narrative. His bond with Kiyoshi is the most significant, transforming from a transactional partnership based on a figurine to a deep, fire-forged friendship characterized by mutual sacrifice and respect. He also develops a romantic interest in Mitsuko Yokoyama, the secretary of the official Student Council, whom he meets while indulging his love for history in the school library. Their connection is initially based on a shared interest in the Three Kingdoms. In contrast, his relationship with the other boys, particularly the suspicious Shingo, is often fraught with misunderstanding due to the secretive nature of his meetings with Kiyoshi.
Gakuto undergoes significant development throughout the narrative. He begins as a somewhat insidious and perverted otaku willing to sacrifice everything for a figurine but evolves into a character who demonstrates that his loyalty and integrity are his defining traits. A pivotal moment occurs when he destroys his own action figure after realizing that betraying a friend would be an insult to the heroes he admires. This act cements his status as a paragon of honor, and his public humiliation, such as the infamous "pooping incident" and having his head shaved, transforms from a source of ridicule into a testament to his incredible willpower.
Gakuto possesses several notable abilities. His primary asset is his sharp, tactical mind, which he uses to devise intricate plans that often outmaneuver his captors. He is also surprisingly tech-savvy, able to use file recovery software to find incriminating evidence on a computer. Despite being the most frequent target of physical punishment from the sadistic Vice-President Meiko Shiraki, he exhibits a near-superhuman level of physical and mental endurance, constantly recovering from brutal beatings. While he lacks physical strength compared to others, his true power lies in his unshakable determination and his ability to maintain his sanity and focus even when subjected to overwhelming degradation and stress.