Cardfight!! Vanguard: Generations Volume 1 [Yuuto Birth]

Chapter 1: Welcome to GEN Academy

The year is 2048. "Cardfight!! Vanguard" is a card game that has become a global phenomenon.

It's world wide popularity meant it has been integrated into education systems all across the world with great success. The results of the induction have been staggering, and has propelled Japan to become one of the world's greatest superpowers.

Alongside it, the "Royalty System" was introduced, where five students from each school are given the titles of King, Queen, Jack, Ace and Joker. The royalty's responsibility is to represent their school and set a standard for other students to look up to.

Standing at the top of the new generation of schools, is the academy city on water—

GEN Academy.

Revered as Japan's most illustrious academy, GEN Academy is a high school designed by the headmaster, Satsubatsu Kirigaya, and funded by the Japanese government under the name "Project: GEN".

GEN Academy aims to provide students with the best opportunities to achieve the qualifications and skills necessary for their dreams, and to produce elite alumni that will go further in life and become undoubtedly successful in society. The project itself seeks to recreate the current education system by correcting it's flaws and improving upon it, utilising GEN Academy as it's testing grounds.

Under this initiative, GEN Academy has an emphasis on "freedom of students", and works much differently to a regular high school. Due to the education style and system used, only select students who have been invited to this school may join.

Each year, there are only one hundred and twenty five new students, and each are assigned to one of the six nations: Dust Purple, Stark White, Ultima Yellow, Megiddo Blue, Zoa Green, and Drachma Red. They will represent their nation through the colour of their tie, and the students's classes are based around their nation as well.

The academy itself is based on an island near Tokyo, Japan, with the school facilities are at the heart of the island. The remainder of the island is a vast city, complete with houses and shops, and is where the students will live in, outside of school. During the semesters, they are not allowed to leave the island unless given permission.

Outside of the standard education, this academy also has "War Time" in its compulsory course. War Time is exclusive to GEN Academy, and is the simulation of war between nations, but using Cardfight!! Vanguard as a means to fight instead. Rather then resolve conflicts violently, students shall fight using strategies that are an extension of themselves as the Vanguard — the one who leads the way.

GEN Academy is a dedicated high school, and is extremely proud of what the students have achieved thus far. During the nine years this school has been established, the results have been consistent: 99.99% of the alumni go onto become successful in society. This academy's efforts have singlehandedly increased the average of the standard of living for young adults by 12% in Japan.

Now, running on it's tenth year, the academy continues to invite students to come join the school and go through it's five part entrance exam. During the last three years, it has been able to invite a handful of students from outside of Japan, and it wishes to do the same this year also.

The five part entrance exam spans over a day, and consists of an interview, an academic test, a physical test, a judgment test, and a Vanguard test. This is to give all students a fair chance to show their talents and abilities, as no student's greatest skills should be overlooked.

Life in the academy reflects heavily on "freedom of students". During the three years they are at this school, they may choose how to live their life as they wish while on campus, and are not held back by many rules.

Students are also encouraged to aim for the top and become part of the school's royalty. This year, the current line up is:

3rd Year, Kishou Arashi as King.
3rd Year, Satsubatsu Himura as Queen.
2nd Year, Hina Hikari as Jack.
3rd Year, Hagane Kimeru as Ace.
2nd Year, Shinsei Ken as Joker.

To ensure safety however, the staff have been trained to keep order both in and outside the classroom. The faculty of this school have all been handpicked and trained by the headmaster. They are of the highest calibre and are extremely knowledgeable in their intended subjects, meaning students receive education of the highest degree.

With all the introduction and pleasantries out of the way, and all the necessary preparations done and accounted for, we look forward to seeing you this year.

All students, good luck.

殺伐桐ヶ谷
Satsubatsu Kirigaya
Headmaster and Director