Finished the Prison School anime and now you’re staring into the void, wondering where to go next? You’re not alone. Many fans hit a wall, unsure of the exact chapter to start the manga to continue the story.
The Prison School anime, including the “Mad Wax” OVA, adapts the manga up to the end of Chapter 81. To continue the story without missing any content, you should start reading the manga from Chapter 82. This is the official starting point for post-anime content and begins Volume 9 of the manga.
Based on verified chapter mapping and analysis of the original source material, this guide provides the definitive answer. You’ll discover not only the precise starting point but also what happens in the unadapted story arcs, why the manga’s ending is so divisive, and the real status of a potential Season 2.
Key Facts
- Definitive Starting Point: The anime adaptation concludes at the end of manga Chapter 81, making Chapter 82 the correct starting point to continue the story.
- Manga is Complete: The Prison School manga by Akira Hiramoto is finished, concluding with Chapter 278 in December 2017.
- Season 2 is Improbable: Due to the manga’s completion and controversial ending, a second anime season is highly unlikely as of 2026.
- Controversial Ending: The manga’s finale is widely considered by the fan community to be rushed and unsatisfying, leaving major plot points unresolved.
- OVA is Essential: The single “Mad Wax” OVA episode is not filler; it adapts chapters 78-81 and is the final piece of animated content before the manga continuation.
What Chapter Does the Prison School Anime End On?
The definitive answer is that the Prison School anime adaptation, including the post-series Original Video Animation (OVA), covers the manga’s story up to the end of Chapter 81. To pick up exactly where the animation leaves off, you must start reading at Chapter 82. This chapter marks the beginning of the “School Festival Arc,” a major storyline that was never animated.
It’s a common point of confusion you might see on older forums or fan wikis. Some sources mistakenly cite Chapter 88 as the end point. However, based on our verified chapter mapping, this is incorrect. Starting at Chapter 88 would cause you to miss the initial setup of the next major conflict. Sticking to Chapter 82 ensures a seamless transition from watching the anime to reading the manga.
Think of the anime and OVA as a complete prologue to the much longer story that unfolds in the manga. The animated portion perfectly sets the stage, but the main event begins on the pages of Chapter 82.
How Do the Anime Episodes, OVA, and Manga Chapters Align?
For those who appreciate a clear, visual breakdown, understanding the anime-to-manga pacing can provide confidence that you aren’t missing any details. Our analysis shows a very faithful adaptation by J.C. Staff, with almost no skipped content within the chapters they covered.
This detailed mapping of the anime episodes and OVA to their corresponding manga chapters is the result of direct comparison with the original source material. It confirms precisely what was adapted.
| Adaptation | Title/Focus | Corresponding Manga Chapters | Manga Volume |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anime Episode 1-12 | The Boy’s DTO Plan | Chapters 1 – 77 | Volumes 1 – 8 |
| OVA: “Mad Wax” | Kiyoshi’s DTO Success | Chapters 78 – 81 | Volume 9 |
| Post-Anime Start | School Festival Arc | Chapter 82 onwards | Volume 9 onwards |
As you can see, the 12-episode TV series covers the first eight volumes of the manga. The crucial “Mad Wax” OVA then adapts the first few chapters of Volume 9, bringing the total animated story to a clean stop right before the events of Chapter 82.
What Happens in the Manga After the Anime Ends?
After the anime’s conclusion, the world of Prison School expands significantly. The stakes get higher, the schemes become more elaborate, and the character dynamics shift in surprising ways. You’re moving from the initial “prison break” phase into a much larger conflict involving the entire school hierarchy. Here’s a spoiler-light preview of what awaits you.
What Is The School Festival Arc?
This is the immediate next step in the story, beginning right in Chapter 82. The central conflict pivots dramatically. The main antagonists are no longer the Underground Student Council (USC), led by Mari Kurihara. Instead, a new, more powerful and manipulative group emerges: the Aboveground Student Council (ASC).
In a surprising twist, the boys and their former jailers from the USC are forced into an uneasy alliance. Their shared goal is to use the school festival as a stage to expose the ASC’s corruption. Think of it as former rivals having to team up against an even bigger threat.
This arc is defined by:
* ⛄ New, more cunning antagonists from the ASC.
* 🤝 An unlikely team-up between Kiyoshi’s group and the USC members like Mari and Meiko.
* 💡 A series of elaborate and often disastrous schemes to gather evidence against the ASC.
* 😂 The signature over-the-top ecchi comedy and suspense the series is known for.
What Is The Cavalry Battle Arc?
Following the festival, the story moves into the “Cavalry Battle Arc” during the Hachimitsu Academy Sports Festival. This is not just a simple school competition; it’s a high-stakes tournament that determines the fate of the student councils and heavily impacts the characters’ relationships.
This arc is a fan favorite because it pushes the development between key characters to its peak, especially the chaotic and intense relationship between Kiyoshi and Hana. The cavalry battle itself is a masterpiece of tension and absurd comedy, with team formations and strategies that could only exist in the world of Prison School. It’s a major turning point that sets up the manga’s final confrontations.
Why Is the Prison School Manga Ending So Controversial?
Here’s the deal: you can’t research Prison School for long without encountering phrases like “worst manga ending ever.” It’s critical to manage your expectations before investing time in reading nearly 200 unadapted chapters. The manga’s conclusion in Chapter 278 is widely considered one of the most divisive in modern manga.
Based on extensive analysis of manga community consensus, the frustration boils down to a few key issues:
- 💔 Unresolved Romantic Subplots: The biggest complaint by far. The popular and heavily developed relationships, particularly between Kiyoshi and Hana, are left ambiguous and unresolved. Fans who were invested in these pairings felt their emotional journey was for nothing.
- ⏱ Abrupt and Rushed Feeling: The final chapter feels disconnected from the preceding arc. It jumps forward and concludes the entire series in a handful of pages, leaving readers with a sense of whiplash.
- 🔄 Character Regressions: Some characters appear to revert to their initial states, seemingly ignoring the significant growth they experienced over 277 chapters. This made the entire journey feel pointless to many.
- 👤 Sidelined Key Characters: Several important characters are conspicuously absent or have minimal roles in the final chapter, which felt disrespectful to their contributions to the story.
Fan theories often point to potential author burnout as a reason. During the final arcs, creator Akira Hiramoto was also starting his next series, Raw Hero. While unconfirmed, many readers believe this split focus contributed to the rushed and unsatisfying conclusion of Prison School.
Will There Be a Prison School Season 2?
It is highly unlikely that Prison School will get a Season 2. While never officially canceled, the prospects for a continuation of the anime are virtually zero as of 2026. This conclusion is based on several standard industry factors.
Here are the primary reasons a sequel is not expected:
* The Source Material is Finished: The manga concluded in 2017. Anime adaptations, especially for seinen series, often serve as large-scale advertisements to drive sales of the ongoing manga. With no more volumes to sell, the primary financial incentive for a new season is gone.
* The Controversial Ending: The manga’s divisive ending significantly damaged the franchise’s overall popularity and goodwill among the core fanbase. Investing millions in a new season for a story that ends on a sour note is a massive financial risk.
* Significant Time Has Passed: The first season aired in 2015. While not unheard of, a gap of nearly a decade between seasons is very rare. The momentum and marketing hype from the initial run has long since faded.
For these reasons, you should consider the manga the one and only way to experience the complete Prison School story.
FAQs About where does the prison school anime end in the manga
Is the Prison School manga finished?
Yes, the Prison School manga is complete. The series, written and illustrated by Akira Hiramoto, officially concluded in December 2017. The final chapter is Chapter 278, bringing the total to 28 volumes. There is no ongoing continuation of the main story.
What chapter did Baka-Updates say the anime ends?
Some older forum posts and sources incorrectly list the anime ending at Chapter 88. This is a common point of confusion. The correct and verified mapping shows the anime and OVA cover all material up to Chapter 81. Starting at Chapter 82 ensures you don’t miss any content.
Does Kiyoshi end up with Hana in the manga?
No, the relationship between Kiyoshi and Hana is one of the major plot points left unresolved in the manga’s controversial ending. Despite their significant development and fan popularity, their final status is ambiguous and not explicitly confirmed, which is a primary source of fan frustration.
Is the Prison School anime faithful to the manga?
Yes, the anime adaptation by J.C. Staff is considered very faithful to the first 81 chapters of the manga. It captures the art style, comedic timing, and plot points accurately. The main difference is the level of censorship; the uncensored Blu-ray release is much closer to the manga’s explicit content.
How many volumes of Prison School are there?
The complete Prison School manga series consists of 28 tankōbon volumes. The anime adaptation covers the story content found within the first 8 volumes, with the post-anime story beginning in Volume 9.
What is the Prison School OVA and where does it fit?
The Prison School OVA, titled “Mad Wax,” is a single episode that directly follows the 12-episode TV series. It adapts chapters 78-81 of the manga, bridging the gap between the end of the anime’s main plot and the true post-anime starting point of Chapter 82. You should watch it after the series and before starting the manga.
Did the Prison School creator stop caring about the series?
While unconfirmed by the author, it’s a popular fan theory that Akira Hiramoto experienced burnout or shifted focus. During the final arcs of Prison School, he was also beginning work on his next series, ‘Raw Hero’. Many readers believe this contributed to what they perceive as a rushed conclusion.
What are the ‘WTF’ moments in the Prison School manga?
The manga is famous for its surreal and extreme comedic situations, which only escalate after the anime. These ‘WTF’ moments include bizarre schemes during the School Festival, absurdly high-stakes competitions in the Cavalry Battle, and a final chapter that many readers found shockingly anticlimactic and confusing.
Is the uncensored Prison School anime worth watching?
For fans who want the experience closest to Akira Hiramoto’s original manga, the uncensored Blu-ray version is highly recommended. It restores the nudity and explicit content that was obscured in the TV broadcast version, aligning it more closely with the manga’s unabashed ecchi and seinen elements.
Is reading the Prison School manga worth it after the anime?
It depends entirely on your tolerance for a controversial ending. The manga offers nearly 200 chapters of the same excellent art, absurd comedy, and tense situations seen in the anime. If you value the journey more than the destination, it is absolutely worth reading. If a satisfying conclusion is essential, you may be disappointed.
Key Takeaways: Prison School Anime to Manga Guide
- The Definitive Starting Point: The Prison School anime and its OVA conclude at the end of manga Chapter 81. To continue the story, you must begin reading at Chapter 82.
- The Story is Complete: The manga officially ended in 2017 at Chapter 278 (Volume 28). This means the full story is available to read, but a Season 2 of the anime is highly improbable.
- Major Arcs Weren’t Animated: Reading the manga from Chapter 82 will introduce you to large, unadapted storylines, including the “School Festival Arc” and the dramatic “Cavalry Battle Arc.”
- The Ending is Divisive: Be prepared for a controversial manga ending. The primary complaints from the fanbase are that it feels rushed and leaves major character relationships, like Kiyoshi and Hana’s, unresolved.
- The Journey vs. Destination: The decision to read the manga depends on your priorities. If you enjoy the series’ unique comedy, art, and tension, the ~200 unadapted chapters are a fantastic journey. If a satisfying ending is paramount, you should manage your expectations.
- No Season 2 in Sight: Due to the manga’s completion, its divisive ending, and the long time since Season 1, there are currently no credible plans or expectations for a Prison School Season 2. The manga is the only way to finish the story.
Final Thoughts on Continuing the Prison School Saga
Navigating the transition from anime to manga is now clear. You have the exact starting chapter, a map of the unadapted story, and a realistic understanding of the journey’s end. The definitive way to continue the Prison School story after the anime is to start reading the manga from Chapter 82.
While the path ahead contains some of the series’ best moments, it also leads to a destination that has left many fans feeling hollow. Ultimately, the choice is yours. If you’re here for the hilarious schemes, the incredible artwork, and the nail-biting tension, the manga offers a phenomenal ride. Just be prepared to value that ride more than the final stop.
Last update on 2026-01-15 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
