Video Game “S” Grade Is An Actual Grade Above “A” in Japan

Many video gamers are familiar with seeing an “S” ranking flash across their screens after an exceptional performance, signaling a score higher than the standard “A.” However, it turns out this coveted grade is not just a creation of game developers, but has real-world origins – in the Japanese education system.

In Japan, each school has a different grading system. Many universities use the following set of categories:

Grade in Japanese (Kanji)	English translation	Corresponding percentage
shū (秀)	Exemplary, excellent	S (90–100%), rarely given
yū (優)	Very good	A (80–89%)
ryō (良)	Good	B (70–79%)
ka (可)	Average, pass	C (60–69%)
nin (認)	Approved, acceptable	D (50–59%), uncommon
fuka (不可)	Unacceptable, failed	F (0–59% or 0–49%)

The “S (shū)” grade in Japan represents a score between 90-100% and signifies “exemplary” work. It sits above the A grade, which encompasses scores from 80-89%, and is only rarely given out to students, making it a highly prestigious designation. Those who earn S grades demonstrate mastery and go above and beyond normal excellence.

Just as achieving an S rank in Japanese video games requires extraordinary talent and effort, Japanese schools reserve the S for only their most outstanding students.

So the next time you earn an on-screen S rank, know that it may reflect modes of achievement rooted in the real world. In Japan, mastering school subjects takes dedication fitting of video game heroes – maybe we could all strive for such mythical accomplishments, pixelated or not!