After School Charisma takes place at St. Kleio Academy. The Academy is run by Dr. Kamiya and is home to the teenage clones of many historical figures, such as Marie Curie and Albert Einstein. There are also a few that probably should not have been brought back, such as Adolf Hitler.

 

These clones are being raised at St. Kleio to surpass the achievements of their originals. Tragically, they find out that it may be impossible  and they learn this when the clone of John F. Kennedy is shot at his presidential speech. Is this an eerie coincidence or something more? They later learn that an organization of assassins are attempting to wipe out the clones, but no one knows why. 

 

Soon the other clones start to worry about what their future holds. Will they surpass their originals the way there were always told they would? Or will they meet the same fate as their original predecessors did?

 

Our main character is Shiro Kamiya. Shiro has recently transferred to St. Kleio Academy as the only non-clone student. Most of the clone students believe he is allowed to attend the school because his father is one of the head scientists there. In the first volume of After School Charisma Shiro seems to be a fairly normal manga protagonist. He's smart, but not as smart as his clone classmates. All of this seems to change as the story goes on. 

 

After School Charisma is one of my favorite sci-fi manga and is extremely under rated. I would highly recommend this manga if you want a great sci-fi with a plot that isn't overused, and if you like a little history as well.

 

The first volume of After School Charisma was published by VIZ Media in 2014.  The 12th and final volume was published in December of 2016. Kumiko Suekane also has published multiple other series, including Blood+A, Once Upon a Glashma, and the Seiju Teahouse Affair.

 

Photos by Olivia Gelerman