Run Away, Run Away

Title spread featuring Manabu, Kumi, and Takohachi.

**Run Away, Run Away** (逃げろや逃げろ) is a gag one-shot by Fujio Akatsuka and Fujio Pro, published in the August 1979 issue of Shonen Challenge.

## Overview

A young boy named Manabu Egawa is taken to a super-educational institute by his parents, in hopes for him to be smart enough to transfer right to the University of Tokyo after he'd finish his primary school studies. At the institute, children are made to study for 24 hours every day without any vacations, and living conditions are harsh.

Manabu soon learns that the reason the University of Tokyo has a 100% acceptance rate from the institution is due to the fact that children who fail their studies or try to flee are horrendously executed. Deciding he won't live or die through such a school, Manabu and two other children form an escape plan and go on the run from his deadly teacher, who'll stop at nothing to hunt them down.

## Characters

In addition to these cast members, there is some presence of the Star System including Bakabon's Papa (as a manga character), as well as Akko and Moko as students at another school.

### Manabu Egawa

(江川学)

The protagonist, an elementary school 5th grader. After already being uncertain about his new school, he becomes more unnerved by the constant studying and forced education-minded ways that the other students are subjected to. After learning of the death of another student and then seeing Takohachi beaten up by Onida-sensei, he and Kumi decide they'll escape from the school.

### Kumi Oota

(大田久美)

A 5th grade girl. She meets Manabu on the school grounds during his first day, and both wear witness to Onida-sensei's brutality in his classroom.

### Takohachi Abo

(阿保タコ八)

A smaller, 4th grade child who resembles Hatabo in facial features (other than having two buck teeth and no flag) and his constant rushing about. He finds manga hilarious, and when Onida-sensei examines his brain, it's revealed he can only really think of nonsense.

### Headmaster Akamon

(赤門)

A suspicious-looking bald man with prominent, sharp cheekbones. He introduces Manabu to the complex and his new teacher. He is later ripped in half by the explosion of the school, with both his halves seeming to speak on their own until he opts to surrender.

### Onida-sensei

(鬼田先生)

The hulking, wicked teacher in charge of Manabu's class. He wears a Superman-esque outfit with a "To" kanji in the middle, and has wild, spiked hair to complete his devilish image.

Rather than accept defeat and be apprehended in the final stand, he takes off in a rocket to outer space to take his ideals elsewhere.

### Tsutomu

(勉)

Referred to by Manabu and Kumi as "Nerd" (ガリ勉, *gariben*). He is the studious but smug teacher's pet of the class, who Kumi and Manabu get to build them an escape rocket.

His loyalties remain with Onida-sensei, however, and he doesn't come along on their plan. When it comes time for the standoff at the school, he winds up fleeing with Onida in their new space rocket.

## Reprints

* Shogakukan: Digitized for the first time as part of the "Fujio Akatsuka Complete Works" DVD-ROM set, along with a print-on-demand version as part of the ComicPark service.
* eBookJapan: The above version is also available through this website

## External Links

* Read "Run Away, Run Away" on eBookJapan (Japanese)