Volume 01

Volume 01 is the first volume of the Highschool of the Dead manga, and it contains the first three chapters. It chronicles the initial outbreak at Fujimi High School and introduces most of the main characters of the story.

Chapters

 * Act.1 Spring of the Dead
 * Act.2 Escape from the Dead
 * Act.3 Democracy Under the Dead

Act.1 Spring of the Dead
Summary:

The chapter begins with narrration from Takashi Komuro, who says that the night before it all ended, he stayed up late. It then breaks to a scene in which Takashi, Rei Miyamoto, and Hisashi Igou are running up a staircase on the school roof to escape from "them." As Takashi and Hisashi reach the top, they notice that Rei has fallen down and is being attacked by one of "them." Takashi moves to save her, but Hisashi pushes him out of the way, taking his bat, and saves Rei. The three barricade themselves in the area at the top of the stairs, which is the astronomy tower, and get their first real views of the chaos in the city.

In the next scene, Imamura is seen smoking behind one of the school buildings. He is attacked and killed by a group of "them." Misuzu Ichijou and Toshimi Niki are then seen running down a hallway together. Toshimi is grabbed by a group of "them," and Misuzu tries to kick her away before also being attacked. Both girls are killed.

Back in the astronomy tower, Takashi and Hisashi strengthen the barrier on the stairs. Rei finds enough water and food to last them a couple of days. The three discuss what they will do and when they will be rescued. Takashi uses his cell phone to try to call the emergency line, but he only gets a recorded message. Looking around, they witness the death and destruction going on in the school and city all around them. They see Takayama, the P.E. teacher, just before he throws himself off of the roof. Rei is overwhelmed by the situation, and Hisashi comforts her as Takashi realizes that the world as they knew it was gone.

The scene then cuts to two hours earlier. Takashi is standing in the hall looking out of the window when he is approached by Morita. They are both skipping class. Morita notes that Takashi got rejected by Rei, who recently started dating Hisashi. Takashi pretends to be okay with it and says he is going to take a nap on the roof. On the roof, he reminisces to the time when he and Rei were children and she promised him she would marry him. He thenrecalls a more recent time when Rei got defensive when he asked her about why she was held back. Finally, he remembers the beginning of the current school year when he and Hisashi found out they were classmates again. He looks down at the gates and notices Kyoko Hayashi, Teshima, and some other teachers approaching it. They are investigating a strange man, who is actually one of "them," standing on the outside. Hayashi tells him to leave, and Teshima wlks up to grab and physically threaten him. As he grabs it, it bites his arm, and he dies shortly after. He comes back as one of "them" and bites Hayashi on the neck.

After witnessing this, Takashi runs back into the school and to his classroom. He bursts into the classrom and tells Rei they have to leave. He attempts to pull her out of her seat. Saya Takagi asks him what he is doing, and Hisashi grabs his arm and pulls him away from Rei. Takashi explains the situation at the gate, saying there was a murder. When Rei begins to yell at him, he slaps her in the face. This convinces Hisashi that Takashi is serious, and the three leave the classroom. As they run down the hallway, Takashi further explains that the teachers who were at the front gate want to kill them now. Rei is still skeptical. Hisashi stops them in front of a supply closet, saying they will need weapons. Takashi grabs a baseball bat, Rei gets the shaft of a push broom, and Hisashi says he has a black belt in karate and will use his hands. While they are stopped, Rei suggests they try calling the police. Takashi hands her his cell phone and she calls, but all she hears is a recording saying the emergency lines are busy. The three are made a bit nervous by this. Before they can start moving again, a voice is heard through the school's speakers saying there has been an incident on campus and everyone should begin evacuating. This is followed by screams and cries for help. Hearing this, the students begin to panic. Saya is seen finding Kohta Hirano in a hallway outside of a classroom, and she tells him to leave with her. Moments later, the students charge out of their classrooms in a state of mass panic. Many people are trampled as they desperately try to escape the school.

Takashi, Rei, and Hisashi, who are in an isolated area of the school, decide to escape through the administration offices, where there will be less people. As they begin running, Wakisaka, the social studies teacher, steps out in front of them, and he has become one of "them." He goes by Takashi and Hisashi and walks toward Rei. She tells him he shouldn't cross a member of the sojutsu club and then stabs him in the chest with her broom handle. However, he is unaffected and continues to advance on her, backing her into a wall. Hisashi grabs him from behind, and Rei is able to pull the broom handle out. Takashi yells at Hisashi to let go of Wakisaka, saying he is not normal. Hisashi says it's nothing, but Wakisaka overpowers him and bites his arm. Rei stabs him again, but he won't release Hisashi. Takashi realizes that Wakisaka is dead, since a living person could not survive after being stabbed through the heart. Rei yells at him to do something and be a man, so he uses his bat to smash Wakisaka's head, causing him to finally release Hisashi. Rei helps him up, and they and Takashi run away from an approaching group of "them" and towards the stairs. They prepare to go down the stairs, but, when they hear screams coming from below, they decide to go to the observatory on the roof until help arrives.

On the roof, they see the destruction going on in the city and wonder what is going on. A group of Blackhawk helicopters fly by, and Hisashi says they must be the self-defense force. Rei tries to signal to them for help, but Hisashi points out that they are probably carrying out some specific task. He mentions what is going on in the building, and several scenes are shown in which "they" are attacking and eating people. Saeko Busujima is briefly seen. Hisashi uses the term "them" to refer to the zombies for the first time and explains that this is not a movie or game, so they can't call them zombies. He also notes that the only way to kill "them" is to crush their heads and that people who are bitten become one of "them" after they die. Takashi notices that the lock on the door to the roof is broken, so they make their way to the observatory.

When they have barricaded themselves in the observatory, Hisashi becomes sick and begins to cough up blood. He realizes what is happening to him, so he asks Takashi to drop him off of the building because he doesn't want to become one of "them." His condition grows worse, and he is soon dead. Takashi realizes what he must do and tells Rei, who is leaning over Hisashi's body and crying, to move out of the way. She won't move and tells him that Hisashi is different and won't turn into one of "them." She is hopeful when Hisashi's body begins to rise, thinking that he has not really died. However, he has become one of "them," and Takashi pulls Rei out of the way before smashing his head with the bat. Rei becomes angry and distraught and says she would rather become one of "them" like Hisashi now. Takashi tells her Hisashi would not have wanted that. Rei becomes angry at him and accuses him of hating Hisashi because he was her boyfriend. Takashi walks away toward the barrier. When Rei asks where he is going, he says he doesn't want to be any more trouble for her, so he is going to fight through "them" alone. As he is about to climb over the barrier, she grabs him, telling him not to go and apoligizing. She says she didn't mean what she said and begs for them to go together. Takashi jumps down and hugs her.

The chapter ends with Takashi's thoughts saying that hearing her say that made him feel better but at the same time helpless. He then wonders what they will do now.

Characters in order of appearance:
 * Them
 * Rei Miyamoto
 * Takashi Komuro
 * Hisashi Igou
 * Imamura
 * Misuzu Ichijou
 * Toshimi Niki
 * Takayama
 * Morita
 * Kyoko Hayashi
 * Teshima
 * Saya Takagi
 * Kohta Hirano
 * Wakisaka
 * Saeko Busujima

Act.2 Escape from the Dead
Summary:

The chapter begins with Takashi holding a long hose. He asks Rei, who is standing near the valve of the hose, if she is ready, and, when she says yes, he tells her to turn it on. After a few moments of struggling, Takashi gains control of the hose and uses it to blast away the barrier along with all of "them" which are gathered at the top of the stairs.

The next scene is in Shizuka's office, where Kazu Ishi is fighting to protect her. As he fights off one of "them" who was being treated for a bite, Shizuka says the emergency services are not available and notes that the people who are bitten die and then come back as the living dead, like a Romero film. Kazu tells her they need to leave, and Shizuka goes to collect medical supplies to bring with them. A group of "them" breaks into the office, and, while trying to keep them away, Kazu is attacked and bitten multiple times, and he tells Shizuka to run. However, she is trapped, and "they" start to approach her. Just as "they" are about to reach her, Saeko enters the office and kills "them." She kneels down beside Kazu, who is badly wounded. She introduces herself as the captain of the kendo club and asks what his name is. She then asks if he knows what happens when someone is bitten and says she can help him die. He asks her to do it. She tells Shizuka not to interfere, explaining that it is a woman's duty to protect a man's pride, and then she kills Kazu.

In the following scene, Saya and Kohta are seen entering an empty classroom. Kohta asks Saya why they are there, and she just tells him to be quiet and lock the door. She finds several varies tools and lays them on a table. She points to a nail gun and asks Kohta if he has seen Lethal weapon 2 and if he knows what it is. Kohta identifies it as a gas-powered nail gun and asks Saya if she likes movies. She responds that she is a genius and knows everything. When a group of "them" gathers around the classroom in the hallway, Saya tries to get Kohta's attention, but he is fosused on the nail gun. "They" break in, and Kohta easily kills each one with a single shot to the head. He orders Saya to put the supplies in a bag, and, when she gets angry at him, he asks again nicely. As they leave the classroom, they see water running down the window, and Kohta wonders if the school is on fire. Saya says she hates him and tells him to help carry stuff, but he is no longer listening.

Back on the roof, Takashi uses the hose to clear the stairs of "them." He tells Rei the hose was a good idea and she reminds him of a firefighter who came to their school and taught them about how the hose sprays water at an extremely high pressure. They decide to move on to the inside of the school, and Takashi drops the hose and takes his bat from Rei. As they fight their way to the door, Takashi reminisces about what they tried before resorting to the hose.

In a flashback to 30 minutes earlier, Takashi and Rei are seen sitting against the wall while "they" begin to push through the barricade. Rei decides to call her father and borrows Takashi's phone. He says that her father is a police officer and the emergency line isn't working, but she says she will call him on his private cell phone, which she is not supposed to call. He answers, but he can't hear her and believes he is talking to Takashi. He tries to give important information, but the call begins breaking up, and Rei is not able to hear most of what he says. The call eventually cuts off altogether, and Rei is very upset that he didn't even realize he was talking to her. In his thoughts, Takashi says it wasn't the phone that had died, but they had no way of knowing that.

Back at the present time, Takashi and Rei enter the school and she asks him where they will go. He tells her they should go home, and they should join with other survivors and work together to get home. Rei tells Takashi he should try calling his parents. He tells her he will do it later and that his father is away on business and his mother works at an elementary school. He makes up an excuse that, when he contacts them, he knows they won't shut up, but, in his thoughts, he reveals that he really was worried about them. He thinks to himself that the disaster at his school is big enough, but his mom is at a school as well. He is brought out of his thoughts when he and Rei hear a gunshot coming from the faculty room.

In the next scene, one of "them" is hit in the head with a rolled up cloth thrown by Saya. Kohta asks what she's doing, and she tells him to shut up and watch as she dips another cloth in a water bucket. She throws this one at the wall, and the noise gets the attention of the one of "them" standing nearby. She shares her conclusion with Kohta that "they" seem to only react to sound. She leads him as they set off down the hallway, and he asks if they are going outside and complains about walking long distances. She tells him that's why he is "such a fatass" and says he can only complain when he is old enough to drive. He tells her he doesn't have a license, but he knows where they can find a car.

In another hallway, Saeko is leading Shizuka to the faculty room. Saeko says that it is tiresome, and Shizuka tells her they will be able to escape as everyone's keys are there. Shizuka asks why Saeko isn't finishing any of "them" off and she says it would take too much time to stop each time and crush their skulls. Shizuka then trips and falls to the ground. Saeko rips her skirt up to the hip, and Shizuka gets angry because it was Prada.

Everyone is getting close to the faculty room, and Saya and Kohta are the are the first to reach the area outside of it. Kohta fights a group of "them" that is between them and the faculty room. He begins to run low on nails for his nail gun, but Saya won't help him fight. While he is reloading, one of "them" comes up behind Saya, and she screams, which is heard by Takashi, Rei, Saeko, and Shizuka. Saya falls over as it advances on her. She pulls a drill out of her bag and, saying not to come any closer, she jams the drill into its head and angrily drills until she is covered in blood. Takashi, Rei, Saeko, and Shizuka arrive to see this, and Takashi, Rei, and Saeko fight off the remainder of "them" which are gathered in the hallway. After the fight, Rei and Shizuka run over to Saya, who is kneeling on the ground covered in blood, and Saeko introduces herself to everyone. Takashi, Kohta, and Rei also introduce themselves, and Saya asks them why they are being so friendly. When Takashi asks her what she means, she gets extremely angry and yells that she is a genius and to treat her with the respect she deserves. Saeko stops her and brings her to a mirror. Saya sees that her clothes are covered in blood, and she starts to say that her mother will have to get them cleaned, then breaks into tears. Saeko comforts her as she cries.

In the faculty room, the group barricade themselves in and take a break. Kohta finds Saya at the sink as she is cleaning herself off, and he sees her take out her contacts and put on glasses. When he begins to remark on them, she gets defensive. As Shizuka looks for her car keys, Saeko asks if it will hold all of them, and she realizes it won't. Kohta points out that they could take one of the microbuses in the parking lot. They begin discussing where they will go, and Takashi says they should go to everyone's houses to see if their families are okay, then find someplace safe. They notice that Rei is standing and staring up at the television, and Takashi asks her what's wrong. She doesn't answer but turns the volume up on the television. There is a news program on, and the reporter is referring to the events taking place as "riots." She says that the local death count has already surpassed 1,000, and the governor has declared a state of emergency. She is interrupted by gunshots and says the police have opened fire. After seeing two dead bodies on stretchers coming back as "them," the reporter screams for help, and the camera feed cuts to the news studio. Takashi wonders why they won't say any more and Saya says they don't want to cause panic. She goes on to say that fear causes confusion which leads to a collapse of order, and they wouldn't be able to fight "them" without order. They stop and listen to the news again. The newscasters report the situation in America, where the president and top executives have fled the White House due to the situation being out of control. They have gone to an aircraft carrier at sea and are considering the use of nuclear weapons. The newscasters continue to report on other major cities around the world. Takashi and the others are in disbelief after seeing the news. Saya explains to them that it is a global pandemic, and she uses the Bird Flu and Spanish Flu as examples. Shizuka mentions the Black Death and explains that the disease only stopped when enough people died from it. When Saeko wonders if there is no way to stop the disease from spreading, Shizuka theorizes that, when it gets hot, their flesh will rot and "they" won't be able to move anymore. Saya says they can't be sure "they" will rot since they are unknown to science and have not been studied. Saeko says the only thing they should worry about now is finding a safe place and joining with any other survivors on the way. They decide to leave through the front entrance to the parking lot, and Takashi leads the way out of the faculty room.

As Takashi leads the group towards the entrance, they come upon another group of survivors, which includes Takuzo and his girlfriend, and help them fight off a group of "them." Takuzo's group joins with Takashi's, and they travel together to the entrance. They hide when they find a large number of "them" near the entrance. Saya says they don't have to hide as "they" only react to sound. After deciding that leaving through the entrance is their only option, Takashi volunteers to go out alone and confirm that "they" only react to sound. He walks out to the entrance without being noticed. He throws a shoe away from the doors, and "they" all move toward it. While "they" are distracted, the groups quietly exit the building. However, as Yamada goes through the door, he accidently makes a loud noise, and all of "them" outside of the school are drawn to the sound. Takashi yells to run, and the groups fight their way out into the parking lot. Along the way, Takuzo is attacked, and his girlfriend, despite Saya holding her back, runs to him. Saya wonders why she would do that, and Shizuka tells her that, if the rest of the world is like this, they may be better off dead. Kohta calms Saya down, and then the group boards the bus. Takashi is the last to get on the bus, and, just before he closes the door, he hears Shido yelling to stop. Shido is running to the bus with a large group of students. Takashi tells Shizuka not to leave and prepares to help Shido, but Rei holds him back and tells him not to help Shido. Meanwhile, Shido tells his students to get on the bus. One of the students falls and twists his ankle. He asks Shido for help, but he just kicks him in the face and leaves him to die, saying there's no use in keeping weaklings alive.

When everyone is on the bus, Shido asks Saeko if she is in charge. She tells him they don't have a leader and they all relied on each other to escape. Shizuka drives the bus away, and, when she runs over many of "them," she keeps repeating to herself that they are not human. As Shido explains how important a leader is to survival, Rei tells Takashi he will regret saving him. In Takashi's thoughts, he says he had no idea what she meant, and he didn't know anything about Shido. He finishes by saying he was preoccupied because they didn't know what was waiting in the outside world.

Characters in order of appearance:


 * Rei Miyamoto


 * Takashi Komuro


 * Them


 * Kazu Ishii
 * Okada


 * Shizuka Marikawa


 * Saeko Busujima


 * Kohta Hirano


 * Saya Takagi


 * Takuzo


 * Yamada


 * Koichi Shido


 * Kurokami

Act.3 Democracy Under the Dead
Summary:

At the beginning of the chapter, one of "them" is seen walking in front of Sevenson Station where Simon, the cashier, is standing and staring blankly at nothing. The bus, driven by Shizuka, drives by and smashes into it. Inside the bus, everyone is resting. One of the male students with Shido stands and complains about having to go with Takashi and his group, saying they didn't consider them when they decided to go to the city. The bus swerves as Shizuka nearly hits a flipped car and then almost hits a moving car. Kurokami says they should stop and hide, suggesting the Sevenson convenience store. When Shizuka sees people falling out of a helicopter, she abruptly stops the bus. The male student asks what she's doing, and she tells him she is too tense to drive normally. Takashi gives him a bad look, and the male student takes offense and asks if he wants to fight. He says he hates Takashi, and Takashi asks him why. Then, after he calls Takashi a "little bitch," Rei jumps up from her seat and hits him in the stomach with her broom handle, causing him to fall to the floor. Everyone else on the bus is shocked.

Shido seizes the moment to bring up their need for a leader again. After applauding Rei, he says it is proof that they need a leader. Saya sarcastically guesses that he is the only one for the job. He tells her he is a teacher and is therefore the only one qualified to be leader. Smiling, Shido asks the students to clap if they would like him to be their leader. Most of the students, other than Takashi's group, happily clap for Shido, and he names himself leader by a majority vote.

Rei angrily goes to Shizuka and demands her to open the bus door. Shizuka stalls, so Rei goes out through the passenger side door. Takashi calls for her to come back, but she says she won't travel with Shido. Shido wants to abandon her, so Takashi goes out to bring her back. She won't go back and says she told him he would regret saving Shido. Before Takashi can persuade her, another bus comes speeding towards them. Inside, people are being savagely attacked by a group of "them." The bus loses control, plows into a car, flips, and causes an explosion. Takashi pulls Rei out of the way just in time to avoid it. However, the resulting fire prevents them from returning to the other bus. Saeko asks if they are okay as she fights a group of "them" which are on fire. Takashi calls to her that they should meet at the East Police Station at 5 that night, and, if they can't make it there in that time, then the next night. Shizuka drives the bus away to find another route around the fire.

Takashi puls Rei foward, getting her to hurry so they can make it in time, but he is attacked by one of "them." It is wearing biker gloves and a helmet. It pins Takashi down, and he is not able to hurt it because of the helmet. Rei hits it in the head from behind and kills it with a heavy board. She helps Takashi up, and he tells her they have to walk all the way to the city. He then realizes that the guy they just fought had a motorcycle helmet. He finds the motorcycle nearby and starts it. Rei asks if he has a license, and he tells her that it's the right of a high schooler to drive without a license. As they drive away, Takashi, in his afterthoughts, says he still didn't understand that the world had changed.

Characters in order of appearance:


 * Them
 * Simon
 * Takashi Komuro
 * Saya Takagi
 * Kohta Hirano
 * Rei Miyamoto
 * Shizuka Marikawa
 * Saeko Busujima
 * Kurokami
 * Koichi Shido