"Gokusen" review: A moving story about a delinquent teacher

The appeal and evaluation of Gokusen

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

comics

■ Broadcast period

January 6, 2004 - March 30, 2004 Nippon Television / January 6, 2004 - March 30, 2004 Tuesdays from 24:53
Shizuoka Daiichi TV/March to April 2004, Monday to Thursday 10:30
・Nagasaki International Television/January to April 2004, Wednesdays from 25:23
・Kumamoto Prefectural Television/January to April 2004, Thursdays from 24:53
・Aomori Broadcasting / April to June 2004, Thursdays from 24:40
・Shinshu Television/April to June 2004, Tuesdays from 24:40
・Nishinippon Broadcasting / April to June 2004, Wednesdays from 25:50
Miyagi Television/December 2004 to January 2005 Monday to Friday 10:30
・BS Nippon Television/June 2005 Monday-Sunday 24:00~
Hiroshima Television/August 2005~ Monday-Thursday 10:30~
・Niigata Television/March to April 2006, Monday to Thursday 10:25
Fukushima Chuo Television/July to September 2006, Saturday 10:00

■Broadcasting station

Nippon Television

■Frequencies

half an hour

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 13

■Original Story

Morimoto Kozueko

■ Director

Yuzo Sato

■ Production

Animation Production: Madhouse

■Works

©Morimoto Kozueko/Shueisha, VAP, NTV

■ Story

One spring, Yamaguchi Kumiko is a new teacher who was appointed to Shirokane Academy High School. A rather dull teacher who wears glasses and a tracksuit all day, she is put in charge of the notorious Class 2-4, which is filled with particularly rough students.
The delinquents in class 2-4 are always causing trouble, but she remains completely unfazed no matter what happens.

Because her family home is...
The Oedo Family is a gang of chivalrous men that silences even crying children.

Kumiko has achieved her dream of becoming a teacher, and hides the fact that her family runs the business. However, the passionate sense of chivalry that has been instilled in her since childhood prevents her from keeping quiet at all times.
With his natural sense of justice and incredibly strong fighting skills, he consistently solves all problems that arise at the academy!

Kumiko Yamaguchi, commonly known as Yankumi.
This teacher, who is full of honor and humanity and who helps the weak and defeats the strong, will solve today's cases with the warm-heartedness that he has almost forgotten.

■Explanation

The original work is the popular comic "YOU" (published by Shueisha) currently being serialized.
"Gokusen," which was made into a TV drama starring Yukie Nakama in 2002 and received positive reviews, is finally being made into an animation!

Shirokane High School is an all-boys school full of delinquents. Yamaguchi Kumiko, a newly appointed female teacher, has been appointed homeroom teacher for a class full of problem children. She dresses modestly in tracksuits and glasses, and believes that skirts are dangerous, but she has a secret that she cannot tell the students or other teachers. When she gets home, she is greeted by a group of "Yakuza" men who make even the delinquent students run away barefoot. Surprisingly, Yamaguchi Kumiko is the "eldest daughter" of the "Oedo Ikka", a famous family in the world of the yakuza. If this is discovered, students and teachers will panic!
With mixed feelings, he meets some problem children and begins a turbulent life as a teacher...

■Cast

・Yamaguchi Kumiko/Hayamizu Risa/Sawada Shin/Suzumura Kenichi/Mr. Fujiyama/Matsumoto Rika/Kuroda Ryuichiro/Otsuka Norio/Oshima Kyotaro/Wakamoto Norio/Shinohara Attorney/Konishi Katsuyuki/Fuji/Kato Seizo/Tetsu/Hirai Keiji/Minoru/Yoshida Hiroaki/Principal/Nishimura Tomohiro/Vice-principal/Uo Ken/Uchiyama/Masukawa Yoichi/Minami/Chugoku Takuro/Noda/Yamagishi Isao/Kumai/Sugino Hiroomi

■ Main staff

・Original story: Kozue Morimoto (Shueisha YOU Wide Edition Comics)
・Planning / Masahiko Osawa, Mitsuru Oshima・Producers / Hiroshi Yamashita, Manabu Tamura, Masao Maruyama・Screenplay / Yasuko Kobayashi・Character design, chief animation director / Yoshinori Kanemori・Art director / Kazuhiro Takahashi・Color design / Yuko Kobari・Editor / Satoshi Terauchi・Animation producer / Yoshimichi Murata・Director / Yuzo Sato・Music / Tomoki Hasegawa・Sound director / Satoshi Motoyama・Sound recordist / Toru Kumakura・Sound effects / Takahisa Ishino・Animation production / Madhouse・Copyright / Nippon Television Network, VAP

■ Main Characters

Kumiko Yamaguchi is a passionate new teacher in charge of class 4, second year at Shirokane Academy. She is also known as Yankumi. Her true identity is the heir to the Oedo family, a gang of yakuza who helps the weak and crushes the strong, and is passionate about the code of honor. She is 23 years old and single.
・Shin Sawada
He is the leader of class 2-4. He is the only person in the class who knows Kumiko's true identity.
・Mr. Fujiyama Kumiko's colleague. Her subject is music. She is the advisor of the men's chorus club and likes thin men. She has big breasts.
Ryuichiro Kuroda The third generation boss of the Oedo family, known for making crying children shut up. Kumiko's grandfather.
Kyotaro Oshima: The young leader of the Oedo family who has just been released from prison after a long service. Kumiko's fighting master.
・Wakamatsu Oedo Ikka, assistant to the underboss. He brings together the younger members of the group.
Attorney Shinohara is the legal adviser to the Oedo family. Kumiko secretly has feelings for him.
・Fuji The sixth generation Tosa dog (?) kept by the Oedo family. Fuji cries and says, "Ah, for my father and daughter, I'm willing to throw away this petty life any time." For more information, please see the original work "Gokuken."
Tetsu is a member of the Oedo family. He is the hot-blooded one. Even though he looks like this, he is actually 22 years old.
Minoru: A member of the Oedo family. He was one year younger than Tetsuya in middle school.
・Principal of Shirokane Academy The principal of Shirokane Academy. An exhibitionist. Surprisingly, he cares about his students.
・Vice Principal of Shirokane Gakuin High School
He dislikes the class 2-4 and shouts "Expel them!" whenever they cause any trouble. He also dislikes Kumiko.
・Haruhiko Uchiyama
A student in class 2-4. Careless. Nickname is Ucchii.
・Teruo Kumai
A student in class 2-4. He has been in the same class as Shin since elementary school. He is a good guy at heart. His nickname is Bear.
A delinquent who continues to have influence over the third-years even after being expelled from Kudo Shirokane Academy. He holds a grudge against Kumiko for beating him down.

■Subtitle

・Episode 1: A new teacher with a secret is born!!
Episode 2: Showdown!! Shin vs. Ojo?
・Episode 3: Bear's first experience?
Episode 4: The young lady is blonde? Who is the real culprit?
Episode 5: The Oedo Group is in danger!
・Episode 6: Kyo's Mysterious Act?
Episode 7: What is Mingenhiina?
・Episode 8: Doto's school trip begins!!
Episode 9: A ruthless school struggle breaks out!?
Episode 10: The Academy is Targeted!
Episode 11: Shin-san is quitting school!?
Episode 12: Platinum Academy is closing down...!?
・Final episode: Yankumi's last act of righteousness!

■ Theme songs and music

・OP1
・True Words・Lyrics by Takamitsu Goto・Composition by Takamitsu Goto・Arrangement by FOOT STAMP
・Song: FOOT STAMP

・ED1
・Onore Michi・Lyrics by Tomoo Watanabe・Music by Mami Isshiki・Arrangement by Tomoki Hasegawa・Singer by Aki Yashiro

・IN1
・Mingenhi~na~
Lyrics by Kozue Morimoto, Music by Tomoki Hasegawa, Vocals by Shirokane Gakuin Chorus Club

The appeal and evaluation of Gokusen

"Gokusen" is an anime series based on the popular manga by Kozue Morimoto, which was broadcast on Nippon Television in 2004. Due to the appeal of the original work and the success of the anime adaptation, it continues to be loved by many viewers. In this article, we will take a closer look at the appeal and evaluation of "Gokusen" and the factors behind it.

The appeal of the story

The story of "Gokusen" depicts the struggles of Yamaguchi Kumiko, a new teacher assigned to Shirokane Gakuin High School. She looks unattractive in her tracksuit and glasses, but her true identity is that she is the heir to the yakuza group "Oedo Ikka." This contrast is a major factor that draws viewers in.

Kumiko's class, class 2-4, is full of problem children and always causing trouble. However, she solves the students' problems one by one with her sense of justice and strength. In particular, her nickname "Yankumi" has become a symbol of the trust and respect she receives from her students.

The storyline not only depicts events at school, but also Kumiko's interactions with her family and the Oedo family. This allows viewers to gain a deeper understanding of Kumiko's personality and background, making it easier to empathize with her actions. Each episode also presents a different problem, and viewers can enjoy the thrill of solving it.

Character Appeal

The characters in "Gokusen" are unique and charming. The main character, Yamaguchi Kumiko, is a passionate teacher with a strong sense of justice, but she also has strength and kindness because she grew up in the world of the yakuza. Her character leaves a strong impression on viewers and evokes their sympathy.

The students in class 2-4 are all unique, and the leader, Sawada Shin, plays an especially important role as the only one who knows Kumiko's true identity. His growth and relationship with Kumiko also add to the appeal of the story. Sub-characters such as Fujiyama-sensei and Kuroda Ryuichiro also add depth to the story.

The members of the Oedo family are also attractive, and Kumiko's grandfather, Ryuichiro Kuroda, and her fighting master, Kyotaro Oshima, make a strong impression on the viewer. Their presence further enhances Kumiko's character.

Animation and performance

The animation of "Gokusen" is characterized by high quality production by Madhouse. The character designs are by Yoshinori Kanemori, who faithfully recreates the atmosphere of the original work. In addition, under the direction of Yuzo Sato, each episode is well directed and has the power to draw the viewer in.

In particular, the scenes where Kumiko solves problems and her battle scenes are very worth watching as action scenes. The music was also done by Tomoki Hasegawa, and the background music matches the story and stirs up the emotions of the viewer. The theme songs and insert songs are also memorable, and the opening theme "Honto no Kotoba" and the ending theme "Onore Michi" are particularly memorable songs that will stay in the viewers' minds.

Viewers' reactions and ratings

In addition to the popularity of the original work, "Gokusen" gained even more fans by being made into an anime. Many viewers have commented that they empathized with Kumiko's character and were moved by the development of the story. Fans of the original work have also commented that the anime version allowed them to enjoy the work from a new perspective.

In particular, episodes that portrayed Kumiko's sense of justice and strength, as well as her bond with her students, were highly praised. Viewers also praised the process of problem-solving in each episode, and the relationship between Kumiko and the Oedo family.

Social impact and significance

"Gokusen" also garnered attention as a work that explores the themes of education and youth issues. Kumiko's guidance of problem children shows the ideal image of an educator, but also depicts social diversity and differences in values ​​through the gap with the world of the yakuza. This allows viewers to think deeply about education and youth issues, and teaches the importance of respecting diverse values.

Kumiko's character is also seen as a symbol of female strength and leadership. Her actions and decisions give courage and hope to viewers, and she particularly resonates with female viewers. This makes "Gokusen" a meaningful work with social influence.

Recommendations and how to watch

"Gokusen" is a work that has been highly praised for many elements, including the appeal of its story, the individuality of its characters, and the quality of its animation. It is especially recommended for those who are interested in education and youth issues, and those who like strong female characters. Fans of the original work will also enjoy the animated version of "Gokusen."

You can watch it on DVD or Blu-ray, which are available for purchase. You can also watch it on video streaming services, so we recommend using those. Also, be sure to read the original manga. You'll be able to enjoy the differences between the anime and the original.

summary

"Gokusen" is an anime series based on the original work by Morimoto Kozueko, and has been highly praised for many elements, including the appeal of the story, the individuality of the characters, and the quality of the animation. Episodes depicting Kumiko's sense of justice and strength, as well as her bond with her students, move and sympathize with viewers. It is also a meaningful work that deals with themes of education and youth issues, and has a social impact. Please watch "Gokusen" and experience its charm for yourself.