Anime News

It’s Been 15 Years Since School Days Was Pre-Empted for a Nice Boat

School Days

 

15 years ago today, the final episode of visual novel anime adaptation School Days was due to air on TV Kanagawa. Sadly, a crime strikingly similar to the gruesome events of the final episode led the network to choose to delay the finale. In its place, they ran a calming slideshow of videos from Europe, including Norway’s M/S Skagastøl.

 

Of all the reactions this programming change caused, one—a viewer’s simple observation of “Nice boat.”—went on to achieve meme status.

 

Nice boat.

 

RELATED: FEATURE: More Tough as Nails Anime Women Like SPY x FAMILY‘s Yor Forger

 

Since then, the “Nice Boat” meme has regularly made the rounds of the Internet. 0verflow, the company behind the original visual novel, even leaned into it one year by making it the theme of their booth at a certain Comiket:

 

"Nice Boat" Comiket bag

 

The meme also surfaces in the spinoff OVA Magical Heart Kokoro-chan, and was integrated into the premiere of a certain series character’s VTuber premiere.

 

With everyone from anime fan sites to mainstream news in Japan marking the day, it’s likely this Nice Boat will keep sailing for quite some time.

 

Source: LiveDoor News via Otakomu.jp

 

Watch School Days on Crunchyroll!

 

 

——

Kara Dennison is an author of fiction and non-fiction, avid tabletop gamer, and regular Otaku USA Magazine features writer. Follow her on Twitter @RubyCosmos, and read more at KaraDennison.com.