Chastity High – Series Review & Episode Guide

Ichika is a second-year student at Asuran Academy. The private school is renowned for its prestige, attracting students from wealthy families who value a top-tier education. For the first time in history, the school is now co-ed. However, the administration has implemented a strict no-romance policy. The threat of expulsion looms over any student caught in a relationship.

Principal Ikushima, the strict headmistress, takes this chastity rule to the extreme. She expects all students to remain virtuous until graduation. She explicitly bans dating, physical intimacy, or unsupervised interactions between male and female students. The restrictions extend beyond school grounds, with romance forbidden entirely. The principal establishes an anonymous hotline, allowing students to report each other online. If anyone is caught with photographic evidence of misconduct, expulsion is immediate.

Sawa, the student council vice president, is fiercely dedicated to enforcing the no-romance policy. Her commitment stems from bitterness. Sawa was recently rejected after attempting to kiss her close friend, Yuzuki. Since then, she has championed the no-romance policy. Under Sawa's leadership, the student council takes extreme measures to crack down on couples, organizing stakeouts at love motels to catch couples. They become infamous for spying and snitching on the rule breakers.

Unlike most of the students, Ichika isn't wealthy. She lives with her divorced mother, who works tirelessly to afford the tuition at this prestigious academy. Ichika dreams of graduating with honours, especially with her best friend, Ema. Ichika and Ema bonded over both of them coming from poor families. However, Ichika's father has left behind mounting debts, and her mother is struggling to make ends meet. Desperate to stay enrolled, Ichika uses extreme measures to secure the money she needs for tuition costs.

Discovering a loophole in the system, Ichika hacks into the anonymous hotline set up by Principal Ikushima. She gains access to the photographic evidence submitted by students and uses it to identify couples breaking the no-romance policy. Instead of reporting them, Ichika secretly blackmails the couples, demanding money for her silence. Ichika's alias, Love Keeper, becomes infamous on campus. However, she draws suspicion from Maki, a rebellious student. Maki, who is a target of extortion, refuses to pay his blackmailer.

Chastity High hooks us instantly with an intriguing premise. A school's no-dating policy sets the stage for misbehaviour, including forbidden romances, secret sexcapades, and shocking betrayals. Chaos erupts when students abuse their power to snitch on one another, turning their lives into a dystopian hellscape. The story unleashes intense emotions after lovers are separated and friends become saboteurs. This series always pushes the characters to the extremes, and their desperation keeps viewers morbidly entertained.

The early episodes set my heart racing through unpredictable twists and outrageous scandals. The series builds tension masterfully, leading to memorable climaxes with explosive confrontations. As expected from a saucy teen drama, Chastity High is outlandish. There wouldn't be much of a story if the characters were sensible or discreet. Hey, let's just keep a low profile and avoid hooking up in public! These hormonal students are young, dumb, and full of complacency. As they make one foolish decision after another, I shake my head and laugh at their hilarious mess.

Chastity High is riddled with questionable tropes. It tries to take the moral high ground by condemning the school authorities. Yet, it loses credibility by teasing an inappropriate flirtation between a student and a counsellor. The drama leans on negative stereotypes, portraying men as villains and women as their victims. Sawa, the only lesbian character, is written so antagonistically that she feels like a toxic caricature. While Chastity High isn't a series you would turn to for a moral compass, the problematic story can still be entertaining if you aren't easily offended.

This Netflix series dazzles with high-budget production values. The sleek cinematography amplifies the drama, making each emotion more intense and impactful. The lead actress (Ai Mikami) delivers a mostly solid performance, especially in scenes where she gazes enigmatically into the distance. However, the supporting cast is less consistent. Those in significant roles struggle to emote persuasively during dramatic moments. Maki's actor (Ryubi Miyase) appears slightly out of his depth. He seems more used to lighthearted romcoms than hard-hitting melodramas.

Chastity High has a minor BL subplot. Fans may recognize Ichinose's actor (Kyoya Honda) from his last drama, Jack o' Frost. Oh, he's absolutely adorable in this series! His angelic smile and twinkling eyes leave me under a captivating spell. However, his gay romantic arc only occupies a few scenes and isn't a significant focus compared to the other straight relationships. The series has too many characters competing for the spotlight. I'd gladly replace the dull storylines with Kanda or Miyama and devote more time to exploring the LGBTQ+ themes deeply.

The last few episodes of Chastity High spiral into over-the-top absurdity. The series was always ridiculous, but now it requires a much greater suspension of disbelief to remain enjoyable. Plot holes become evident, characters behave erratically, and the story prioritizes shocking twists over sensible logic. While there are still intense moments, the emotional impact feels less satisfying. The final stretch lowers my opinion, but Chastity High leaves a positive impression. This teen drama is shameless, scandalous, and perfect for indulging in some naughty entertainment.