Gakkō no Kaidan began as a series of light novels written by Takaaki Kaima and illustrated by Amane Amahuku. Kaima originally entered the first novel in the series into Enterbrain's eighth Enterbrain Entertainment Awards in 2005, and the novel tied with Satoshi Katō's Hashitte Kaero! for the excellence award. Ten volumes and two short story collections from the original series were released between January 30, 2006 and October 30, 2010 under Enterbrain's Famitsu Bunko label. In Kadokawa Shoten's first Light Novel Award contest held in 2007, the first volume of Gakkō no Kaidan was one of three runner-ups in the school setting category, having lost the award to Chrome Shelled Regios. A spin-off series, titled and again written and illustrated by Kaima and Amahuku, will begin to be published starting with its first volume on March 30, 2012.
