Jindai High School, Tokyo
Full Metal Panic! Jindai High was actually modeled after an actual high school in Tokyo, Japan. The school is called, surprisingly, Jindai High School. Upon further inspection, the fictitious Jindai High has quite a few similarities to the real one.
Investigating the website of the real Jindai High website, I was transported to a real live set of Full Metal Panic.
Apparantly, the school was founded February 3, 1916* and went through several name changes in the coming years. From what I can see, it is a full and part time school that offers a wide selection of courses of studies as well as a large athletic department.
The Jindai Municipal High School is located in Jindai, Chofu in Tokyo, just 10 minutes by foot from Senkawa Station on the Keio Line. It is commonly called “Jin High.” It is a high school that reveres history and tradition, and is known for its free school spirit. The modern-looking school and PE uniforms were designed by Jin High’s OG, the fashion designed Shiki Doji. It is a famous uniform that has even been featured in fashion magazines, and is said to be extremely popular among the girls. With eight classes to a grade and a basic class size of 40 students, the school has a total of 960 students and 60 teachers. The principal is Madarn Takako Tsuboi, who is known for her philanthropy.
The school traces its history back to the early Showa Era. It was established as the Number 15 Pretectural Girls High School and became the municipal high school due to the educational reform that came after the war. Currently approximately 80% of the students plan to attend college. Approximately 10% of the students make it into big name universities. The school ranks at the lower end of the top schools, but a curriculum full of individuality that is in line with the students’ individuality and hopes, were implemented in the school year of Heisei 6, and the education it provides in unique, revolutionary even, for a municipal high school. The instructors do not fall short of being excellent as well as unique. But above all else, the school’s greatest distinguishing characteristic is the fact that firearms and explosives are used there on a regular basis.
As a product of this free and open-minded school spirit, the student council has asserted “self-government” at Jin High. The hiddent seat of power lies in the student council room. In particular, the current student council president, Atsunobu Hayashimizu of Year 3 Class 4, has exercised considerable political power both publicly and behind the scenes at Jin High since he took office. He has striven to expand the students’ right to self-government. Known for speaking and behaving on a level that is beyond the comprehension of the common student, Hayashimizu looks carefully at the big picture and he is also Sousuke’s confidant.
The main gate is the only way in or out of the school. The entire school is composed to two buildings. The northern building, which was built to accommodate an increase in students, is relatively new. The classroom of Year 2 Class 4 is located on the second floor of the northern building and faces the courtyard.
I could almost imagine being an agent of Mithril investigating the future school of one of my top field agents.
