One evening – whilst a gruesomely bloody scene from Claymore unfolded before my eyes – my friend turned to me and said, “This has got to be one of the worst anime universes to live in… what do you think is the best place to live if you’re an anime character?” Without a second’s hesitation I replied, “Nanba Prison!”
Seems like an odd choice considering it’s well . . . a prison. But after I explain my reasoning, I reckon I’ll be able to at least convince you to put this on your top ten list of best places to live if you’re an anime character. Nanba Prison is the single location where the web manga and anime, Nanbaka is set. The eight volume web manga was written by Shō Futamata with the anime debuting on Chrunchyroll in 2013 and currently has two seasons. Due to us mere viewers/readers not possessing the correct security clearance the location of this prison will forever remain unknown. But what we do know is that it was constructed on a manmade island and houses criminals and escape artists.
But that still doesn’t answer the question as to why I or anyone else in their right mind would choose to live in a prison out of all the possible fantastical anime locations mangaka have imagined and created for us? Trust me if you are sentenced to do time at Nanba Prison you won’t just be sitting in a cell twiddling your thumbs. There’s opportunity to participate in the annual Nanba’s New Year Joint Cooperation Tournament where guards and prisoners work together to win at an array of games. If victorious your reward can be anything your heart desires such as stone ovens for heavenly pizzas or a console with every game ever invented on it or your own casino. Not to mention the daily shenanigans to join in such as The Escape Championship between inmates. It’s also worth noting how sparkly the entire prison is! For me it creates a pretty, tranquil and soothing environment that I’d be more than happy to spend a lengthy prison sentence in.
Not that the inmates have any choice but to spend their sentences here since Nanba Prison prides itself in not having a single successful escape attempt . . . except that one time . . .
Doesn’t stop the plucky lads from Building 13 Cell 13 from trying though. You can’t help but smile as they run from Indiana Jones’ style boulders in the hallways, yoga pose their way through lasers, dodge deadly spikes and avoid hungry alligators. Which leads me nicely on to inmates you could be sharing a cell with.
Now introducing my personal favourite: Uno! Arrested for frequenting underground casinos he’s a talented, all be it, compulsive gambler. On the surface you may mistake him for being an arrogant blowhard. But there’s more to him than meets the eye, not only is he clever but he’s a great strategist no matter the game he can win. He’s also bubbly and kind towards his cellmates making him as lovable as the rest.
Then there’s cute little Nico (ID 1325). This otaku melts your heart the second he’s on screen with his cheery disposition and childlike mentality. What also makes him even more endearing is the tragic reason he ended up at Nanba Prison. In the outside world he was a drug mule and test subject. Now he suffers from bizarre illnesses which left untreated . . . well let’s just say we’re all glad he gets the medicine he needs to manage his condition
Now introducing my personal favourite: Uno! Arrested for frequenting underground casinos he’s a talented, all be it, compulsive gambler. On the surface you may mistake him for being an arrogant blowhard. But there’s more to him than meets the eye, not only is he clever but he’s a great strategist no matter the game he can win. He’s also bubbly and kind towards his cellmates making him as lovable as the rest.
Last but not least, Nanbaka’s main protagonist: Jyugo. It has been implied that he’s never lived anywhere else except prison. He was originally arrested for larceny and he has no notable skills except jailbreaking. Jyugo is incredibly proud of this ability and can confidently pick any lock which has proven to come in handy on many an occasion. Yet despite his talents he cannot remove the thick unsettling shackles around his neck, wrists and ankles (I’ll come back to this later).
So, with these colourful cellmates I imagine I – and anyone else – could quickly make friends and settle in to prison life. Plus, the fact that they are all pretty boys doesn’t hurt either! But even if you don’t get assigned to Building 13 Cell 13 there are still a whole host of other awesome inmates at Nanba Prison which would make any cell a joy to occupy.
As fun as the escape attempts are all good things has to come to an end thanks to Supervising Guard of Building 13, Hajime Sugoroku. This guy is completely fearless with enough strength to knock any inmate – no matter their skills or special powers – flat on their ass. Hajime is extremely committed to his job meaning nobody is getting out on his watch and you better beware of his hot-temper. But there’s also no doubt that he cares about his fellow guards and the inmates under his supervision. Throughout the series he sees to it that every inmate’s individual needs are met and often offers advice to help others through difficult times. Hajime is more like a disciplinary parent than a prison guard. But don’t tell him I said that. Furthermore, there are twelve other buildings each with their own Supervising Guards and oh my god! Grab your popcorn and squeal in mischievous delight as they all make snide remarks about each other and their rivalry heats up as the series goes on. I don’t know who did what to who but fingers crossed there’ll be no resolution. Not only do these gentlemen come with amusing spats of drama each takes pride in their buildings and the inmates who live there. Each one boasts about their inmates’ skillset and how that makes them superior than the rest. If I had these guards looking out for me, I bet I could do anything I set my mind to except escape Nanba Prison.
The guards quibbling amongst themselves not entertaining enough for you? Maybe romance tickles your fancy. Well love is in the air at Nanba Prison . . . sort of . . .
Prison Warden, Momoko Hyakushiki, rules Nanba with an iron fist. She has the respect of everyone she encounters through her authoritarian and intimidating mannerism. Yet underneath that scary exterior lies a burning girly passion for Hajime. Too bad Hajime is completely oblivious to the fact. He mistakes her actions for anger and/or annoyance leaving the Warden heartbroken by each misunderstanding. Perhaps one day these crazy kids will get together and the laughable charade will end. In the meantime, the Warden occasionally throws professionalism out the window to cheekily create sticky scenarios much to any casual observer’s enjoyment.
However, Nanbaka isn’t an anime depicting a fluffy prison with characters that are the golden children of wholesomeness. Nanba Prison is shrouded in mystery leaving you craving answers to burning questions. Firstly, who was that one inmate who successfully escaped Nanba and how did he pull it off? Then we have the Warden, why does she keep such a watchful eye on Building 13 Cell 13 when there’s literally, hundreds if not thousands of other crafty inmates eager to escape too. All of which feeds into the enigma that is Jyugo. He has revealed that the shackles on his body are irremovable even for an expert lockpicker like himself. But he vaguely remembers the Man with the Scar whom Jyugo believes is responsible for placing the shackles on him. This all begs the questions: Who was that man? Will Jyugo ever find him? Why did he put the shackles on Jyugo? And what does he hope to accomplish by doing so? Could it have something to do with Jyugo somehow being connected to Nanba’s greatest shame?
So, to sum up my answer as to why Nanba Prison is the best place to live if you’re an anime character is quite simple really. The comforts and luxuries inmates get are insane compared to other prisons (real and fictional) and I could even get the chance to improve the building any way I wanted! Plus, the guards with their supportive natures create a truly pleasant place to live where I would be seen as a human being rather than just a number. Additionally, I doubt there’s any danger of my fellow inmates harming me as everyone is so nice and genuinely cares for one another. In fact, I bet they’d be more like brothers than cellmates. There’s also plenty of intense action and mystery to shake up the regime and peak my desire to find out what the hell is going on. Leading to scarcely a dull moment. If you haven’t watched or read Nanbaka I strongly encourage you to give it a try and see what prison life is like for yourself. I bet you will also think it is one of – if not the best – places to live if you’re an anime character.
