Escalator school

An escalator school (エスカレーター学校, esukareitā gakkō)^[1] (also esukareitā kō (エスカレーター校) and esukareita kō (エスカレータ校))^[2] is a school consisting of a student body that can range from middle school (or lower) all the way to university level. Escalator schools are named such because students usually rise to the next grade without having to take standard entrance exams. While many Western private schools are this way, escalator schools are far more prevalent in Japan than in other countries.

Escalator schools are commonly found in anime and manga, as they are a quick and easy explanation for realistically having characters of very different ages in the same school-like setting.

Examples

• Ohtori Academy in Revolutionary Girl Utena teaches kindergarteners through at least high school.
• The Clamp School, the main setting of Clamp School Detectives and making a cameo in X/1999, includes all grades from kindergarten through college.
• T*A Girls School (Rei Hino's private all-girls Catholic school) and Mugen Gakuen in Sailor Moon.
• Negima!: Magister Negi Magi features an escalator school, but the main character is employed there to get the class exam averages up.
• Ouran Academy in Ouran High School Host Club.
• Saki Girls' School in High School Girls.
• Amawa Gakuen and Eika Gakuen in Rockin' Heaven.
• Eitoku Academy in Boys Over Flowers.
• Seika Academy in Kitchen Princess.
• Hyotei Gakuen in The Prince of Tennis.
• Alice Academy in Gakuen Alice.
• Toryo Academy in Marmalade Boy.
• Karasumori Academy in Kekkaishi.
• Itazura Na Kiss in Itazura Na Kiss.
• Oujou Academy in Eyeshield 21.

Notes

1. ↑ WWWJDIC entry for エスカレーター学校
2. ↑ WWWJDIC entry for エスカレーター校; エスカレータ校