Anime is all about the tropes. Whether it’s red hair being reserved for girls with “fiery” tsundere personalities or student councils that are more powerful than some governments, anime uses these recurring themes as shortcuts to tell stories that are immediately recognizable to fans. One of the most common storytelling conventions is the “transfer student” who has just moved to a new school. Let’s explore why transfer students in anime are so popular!
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Why Is the Trope of Transfer Students in Anime So Common?
Anime is filled with familiar plot devices, from childhood friends to cultural festivals, to everyone suddenly dropping what they’re doing to play a game of baseball. Fans sometimes complain that writers overuse these story elements, usually after their 127th isekai. But there’s a reason these tropes exist: they’re familiar to fans and make anime more relaxing to watch, like slipping on an old pair of shoes.
One common storytelling vehicle is the “transfer student,” in which a new student arrives in class, having just moved to that part of Japan. You’ve seen the scene a hundred times: the student stands in front of the class and writes their name in kanji, then introduces themselves to everyone.
Why transfer students work so well as a plot device:
- It’s the perfect “fish out of water” setup, allowing us to view the story through the eyes of the newcomer and identify with them better.
- It’s a great exposition tool. As the new arrival meets his new classmates, information important to the story can be conveyed in a natural way.
- Creators can introduce new rivalries or romantic setups easily, right from episode 1.
- It also lets us compare two worlds. In Okitsura, we learn about the amazing food and culture of Okinawa from the point of view of a Tokyo boy.
- It’s great fuel for comedy. A new student with a regional accent can provide humor and drive the story.
- As Haruhi points out, there’s often a mystique around a new face. Could he be an alien, a time traveler, or an esper? Will he have some other interesting secret?
Why do Transfer Students Steal the Spotlight Romantically?
A running gag with anime transfer students is that they’re popular romantically, with characters falling in love with them despite having a childhood friend who’s been by their side for years. As Mrs. J-List has pointed out to me, in real life it’s rare to feel drawn to a childhood friend as they’re so familiar that the romantic spark usually isn’t there. She ended up marrying me, a “transfer student” from the other side of the world, so maybe there’s some logic to choosing someone new or unique.
The transfer student trope isn’t new at all. One of the first hentai visual novels published by JAST, the original partner of JAST USA, was a dating-sim called Tenshi-tachi no Gogo: Tenkousei in 1985, of which our old Transfer Student was a remaster/remake. If you’re curious, you can play our version in any web browser here.
Let’s Rank the Top Anime Transfer Students!
I picked out 11 famous transfer students who made an impression on anime fans. Let’s see if you agree with my picks!
Tsukune Aono from Rosario + Vampire
An influential fanservice anime about a human boy who accidentally enrolls in a boarding school for monster girls like vampires, succubus girls, and witches. Naturally, all the girls throw themselves at him.
Yuji Kazami from The Fruit of Grisaia
A subset of the transfer students trope involves characters who are ridiculously overpowered in everything they do. A good example is Yuji Kazami, who arrives at school with massive knowledge of weapons and assassination techniques.
Arata Kasuga from Trinity Seven
Arata Kasuga transfers to the Royal Biblia Academy, where he becomes the center of a harem of cute girls. He’s also an OP character, able to copy the magical abilities of others without breaking a sweat.
Surprise! The Transfer Student is a Childhood Friend!
Infinite Stratos is a harem anime that could be made with a harem anime-generating algorithm. Ichika is the only male on the planet who can pilot the powerful mechs called IS, so he must transfer to a school filled with girls who naturally want to jump his bones.
Shiho Shishido from Jitsu Wa Watashi Wa
Everyone loves it when a cute new girl arrives in class, especially if she’s perverted!
Kodaka Hasegawa from I Have Few Friends
I find Kodaka from Haganai quite fascinating. He’s half-Japanese, and inherited his blondish hair from his English father. As a result, everyone in the school assumes he’s a yankii, a slang term for delinquents that stems from the way gang members dye their hair blonde, “just like Americans.” He gets upset about his blond hair, but the real joke is that Sena’s gorgeous blond hair goes unnoticed by everyone else.
Non Non Biyori, The Most Relaxing Anime Ever
What happens when a girl from Tokyo moves to an extremely rural part of Japan? Lots of cute moments, that’s what. It’s an anime so relaxing, it can basically replace therapy.
Would You Like to Date a Gal in a Winter Wonderland?
Anime is all about escapism, weaving stories we can immerse ourselves in. What would be better than moving to Japan’s northernmost island and starting a new life surrounded by sexy gals?
Itsuki Koizumi from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
When Koizumi transfers to Haruhi’s class, her eyes light up with excitement. “Transfer students always have some kind of secret. If one shows up, you can bet they’re an alien, a time traveler, or an esper!”
Asuka Langley Soryu from Neon Genesis Evangelion
Finally, the OG anime transfer student: Asuka from the original Evangelion. She’s half Japanese and half German, and is a genius at everything she puts her mind to, except kanji. She’s terrible at that.
Bonus Anime Transfer Student: ReLife
Back when Netflix started funding anime, we were all happy at the prospect of awesome new projects getting made. But we learned quickly that the Netflix “dump the whole series onto the platform at once” model was terrible for anime because a show would have come and gone before it could generate any buzz. One early example of this was ReLife, an amazing anime about a 27-year-old man who gets a chance to re-live his life again as a high school student. It’s an excellent show, and I recommend you check it out. (Crunchyroll has it here.)
Thanks for reading this blog post about the popular storytelling vehicle of transfer students in anime. What was your first exposure to this trope? Tell us in the comments below.
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