Hakoniwa Academy

**Hakoniwa Academy** (箱庭学園(はこにわがくえん), *Hakoniwa Gakuen, lit. "Sandbox Academy"*) is the main setting of *Medaka Box*, a large majority of the cast being enrolled. Formerly known as **Kurobako Juku** (黒箱塾(くろばこじゅく), *Kurobako Juku, lit. "Black Box Cram School"*), it is a large and prestigious educational institution, with a main focus on cultuvating individual student's talents. It is known for giving out many scholarships to students with unique abilities. Underneath this exterior, however, Hakoniwa Academy has a dark side, using its students as experimental subjects in projects such as the Flask Plan.

## Organization

### Student Classification

Students at Hakoniwa Academy are classified under different **Mentalities** (メンタル, *Mentaru*), labels which define a student's inherent ability.

#### Normal

**Normals** (通常(ノーマル), *Nōmaru, lit. "Ordinary"*) are students which lack any significant talent or inherent ability. A majority of students are classified as Normals.

#### Special

**Specials** (特例(スペシャル), *Supesharu, lit. "Exception"*) are students which possess some particular subject at which they are especially skilled. These students are given scolarships, and the school is highly dedicated to developing their talents.

#### Abnormal

**Abnormals** (異常(アブノーマル), *Abunōmaru, lit. "Strangeness"*) are students who exhibit superhuman abilities and traits. Unlike Specials, Abnormals aren't simply talented individuals, but people possessing overwhelmingly unnatural powers or thought patterns which make them fundamentally incompatible with normal people. Abnormalities can either develop directly from birth or attained later in life. Abnormals are further classifed into two categories:

##### Plus

**Pluses** (幸せ(プラス), *Purasu, lit. "Blessing"*) are Abnormals with positive abilities. Most Abnormals fit into this category. Plus Abnormalities encompass abilities with fundamentally positive effects for the wielder, abilities that can be cultivated, developed and ultimately mastered. Even if the Abnormality causes damage to others and is destructive in nature, it can still be considered a Plus ability.

##### Minus

**Minuses** (過負荷(マイナス), *Mainasu, lit. "Overload"*) are Abnormals with negative abilities. Unlike Plus Abnormalities, which can still be logically analyized, Minus abilities completely defy logic and physics. Minus abilities are impossible to fully control, and are fundamentally detrimental to the owner, being a reflection of their trauma. The more deteriorated the owner's mind becomes, the more impactful the Minus is.

#### Not Equal

**Not Equals** (悪平等(ノットイコウル), *Notto Ikōru, lit. "Misguided Equality"*) are a mysterious transcendental category which technically consists only of Najimi Ajimu and Hanten Shiranui, although Najimi Ajimu has created around 700 million proxies from herself, which also count as Not Equals. Due to their overwhelming existence, the Not Equals think of themselves as non-humans, beings entirely different from any other person, Abnormal or not, which may be an accurate appraisal, due to the fact that Ajimu was born around three trillion years before human life came into existence.

#### Zero

**Zeros** (持たざる者(ゼロ), *Zero, lit. "Have-nots"*) are a new category resulting from the Flask Plan. Zeros are completely separate from either Pluses and Minuses, and are completely unaffected by fate or destiny. The only known Zero is Zenkichi Hitoyoshi.

### Structure

Like any other Japanese high school, students go through three years of education. The student population is split into fourteen numbered classes based on their subject and mentality: classes 1-9 are for Normals, classes 10-12 are for Specials, class 13 is for Plus Abnormals and class -13 is for Minus Abnormals. Furthermore, classes 1-4 are standard classes, classes 5, 7 and 9 are physical education classes and classes 6 and 8 are arts classes, while class 10 is the Special standard class, class 11 is the Special physical educations class and class 12 is the Special arts class. Class 13 is different from the others, as it has over 100 students. Abnormals are not required to come to school, so for most of the year, the only one in attendance is Medaka Kurokami. Class -13 is newly created, and is made up mostly of transfer students brought over by Misogi Kumagawa.

### Extracurricular Activities

Hakoniwa Academy is known for its wide variety of extracurricular activities for students to take part in in order to further their talents.

#### Clubs

Among the total number of clubs in the school, the ones mentioned throught the series are:

* **Athletics Club** (陸上部(りくじょうぶ), *Rikujōbu*)**:**

 Isagi Isahaya | Class 3-9

* **Art Club** (美術部(びじゅつぶ), *Bijutsubu*)**:**

* **Broadcasting Club** (放送部(ほうそうぶ), *Hōsōbu*)**:**

* **Judo Club** (柔道部(じゅうどうぶ), *Jūdōbu*)**:**

 Betsuhei Jounan | Unknown
 Kouki Akune | Class 2-11

* **Kendo Club** (剣道部(けんどうぶ), *Kendōbu*)**:**

* **Shogi Club** (将棋部(しょうぎぶ), *Shōgibu*)**:**

 Miri Natayama | Class 1-10

* **Swimming Club** (競泳部(きょうえいぶ), *Kyōeibu*)**:**

 Sotsu Tanegashima | Class 2-11
 Mogana Kikaijima | Class 1-11
 Roppu Gotourettou | New Class 1-11

* **Karate Club** (空手部(からてぶ), *Karatebu*)**:**

* **Baseball Club** (野球部(やきゅうぶ), *Yakyūbu*)
* **Basketball Club** (バスケット部(ぶ), *Basukettobu*)
* **Bobsled Club** (ボブスレー部(ぶ), *Bobusurēbu*)
* **Bowling Club** (ボウリング部(ぶ), *Bouringubu*)
* **Boxing Club** (ボクシング部(ぶ), *Bokushingubu*)
* **Calligraphy Club** (書道部(しょどうぶ), *Shodōbu*)
* **Darts Club** (ダーツ部(ぶ), *Dātsubu*)
* **Drama Club** (演劇部(えんげきぶ), *Engekibu*)
* **Lacrosse Club** (ラクロス部(ぶ), *Rakurosubu*)
* **Military Club** (軍事部(ぐんじぶ), *Gunjobu*)
* **Orchestra Club** (オーケストラ部(ぶ), *Okesutorabu*)
* **Personal Experience Club** (体験部(たいけんぶ), *Taikenbu*)
* **Photography Club** (撮影部(さつえいぶ), *Satsueibu*)
* **Ping Pong Club** (ピンポン部(ぶ), *Pinponbu*)
* **Pro Wrestling Club** (プロレスリング部(ぶ), *Puro Resuringubu*)
* **Soccer Club** (サッカー部(ぶ), *Sakkābu*)
* **Sumo Club** (相撲部(すもうぶ), *Sumōbu*)
* **UFO Club** (ＵＦＯ部(ぶ), *Yūefuōbu*)
* **Wrestling Club** (レスリング部(ぶ), *Resuringubu*)

#### Committees

Due to Hakoniwa Academy's emphasis on student independence, most of the school's organizations are student run:

* **Public Morals Committee** (風紀委員会(ふうきいいんかい), *Fūki Īnkai*)**:** Known as the School Police, The Public Morals Committee is in charge of enforcing the school's rules and regulations, and have the permission to do so with the use of weaponry if needed. They are divided into squads of Enforcers who uphold justice.

* **Election Management Committee** (選挙管理委員会(せんきょかんりいいんかい), *Senkyo Kanri Īnkai*)**:** The Election Management Committee is in charge of presiding over the Student Council elections, as well as any challenges presented to the president during their time in office. They work in the shadows, trying to make themselves as forgettable as possible. They always operate in a completely fair manner.

 Tokemichi Choujabaru | Class 1-13

* **Beautification Committee** (美化委員会(びかいいんかい), *Bika Īnkai*)**:**

* **Diet Education Committee** (栄養委員会(えいよういいんかい), *Eiyō Īnkai*)**:**

 Kuroudo Iizuka | Class 2-12

* **Excercise Committee** (育(そだ)てる委員会(いいんかい), *Sodateru Īnkai*)**:**

* **Health Preservation Committee** (健康保全委員会(けんこうほぜんいいんかい), *Kenkō Hozen Īnkai*)**:**

* **Library Committee** (読書委員会(どくしょいいんかい), *Dokusho Īnkai*)**:**

##### Student Council

The **Student Council** (生徒会(せいとかい), *Seitokai*) is a group composed of the main characters of *Medaka Box*, as well as an important organization in Hakoniwa Academy. The Student Council is in charge of many tasks in the daily upkeep of the academy, such as allocating each club's budget or maintaining school facilities. Upon her election, Medaka Kurokami instates the **Suggestion Box** (目安箱(めやすばこ), *Meyasubako*), with which students can place requests at any time they wish. The student council will then handle all of those requests. For each request solved, Medaka puts another flower in the student council room.

The student council has a specific structure, being made up of five members: President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary and General Affairs Manager. While one of the rules of the academy states that the president, upon election, must immediately appoint students to the other positions, and failing to do so is grounds for impeachment, the rule is rarely ever enforced, and presidents have gone on to take a long time to appoint other members (in Kuudou Hinokage's case, he didn't appoint anyone else at all after the other members quit.)

* **Medaka's Student Council:** The student council during Medaka's time as president.

 Misogi Kumagawa | Class 3- -13
 Mogana Kikaijima | Class 1-11
 Keiki Akune | Class 2-11
 Zenkichi Hitoyoshi | Class 1-1

* **Zenkichi's Student Council:** The student council during Zenkichi's time as president.

 Youka Naze | Class 2-13
 Mukae Emukae | Class 1- 13
 Shori Wanizuka | New Class 1-1
 Kudaki Torai | Class 2-10

* **Kumagawa's Student Council:** The student council proposed by Misogi Kumagawa to replace Medaka's Student Council.

 Gagamaru Chougasaki | Class 2- -13
 Mukae Emukae | Class 1- -13
 Shibuki Shibushi | New Class 1- -13
 Misogi Kumagawa | Class 3- -13

* **Hinokage's Student Council:** The student council during Hinokage's time as president.

* **Stand-In Student Council:** The stand-in student council during the battle between Medaka and Kumagawa's student councils.

 Kuudou Hinokage | Class 3-13
 Hitomi Hitoyoshi | Class 1-1
 Youka Naze | Class 2-13
 Itami Koga | Class 2-13

* **Candidate Student Council:** The candidates for the new student council.

 Ima Takarabe | Not Enrolled
 Kiki Kikitsu | Not Enrolled
 Shiori Wanizuka | Not Enrolled
 Tsugiha Yojirou | Not Enrolled

## History

Hakoniwa Academy, formerly Kurobako Cram School, was founded one hundred years ago by Najimi Ajimu for the purpose of the Flask Plan, the project carried out by the school for the creation of a drink that could turn a Normal into an Abnormal.

## Faculty

The faculty of Hakoniwa Academy are rarely ever seen during the story, save for a few members.