[Ran] Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei: A perfect blend of dark humor and deep themes

Detailed review and recommendation of [Zan Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei]

■ Public Media

OVA

■ Original Media

comics

■ Release date

February 16, 2010 [Repentance] Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei Bangaichi Volume 2 Released February 17, 2010

*Included on the DVD that comes with the first limited edition of the 20th volume of "Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei"

■Release and sales

・Publisher: Kodansha

■Frequencies

26 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

Koji Kumeta

■ Director

Akiyuki Shinbo

■ Production

・Animation Production: Shaft ・Production: "Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei" Production Committee

■Works

©Koji Kumeta, Kodansha, Zan, Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei Production Committee

■ Story

I'm in despair! I'm in despair at this rotten society!!

Itoshiki Nozomu is a young man who can only see everything in a negative light. His name, which sounds very sad when written side by side, is a troublesome person who says he is "in despair" and wants to die every time something happens, but is unable to truly die. The second-year class at the school where Nozomu is assigned is a class where there are many more troublesome people than Nozomu. What kind of ripples will Nozomu's teachings, which are endlessly pessimistic, cast on the lives of such students? Conversely, how will Nozomu be influenced by his students?

*Quoted from Bandai Channel

■Cast

・Nozomi Itoshiki/Hiroshi Kamiya・Kafura Kafuka (PN)/Ai Nonaka・Chisato Kizu/Marina Inoue・Nita Nami/Ryoko Shintani・Kiri Komori/Asuka Tanii・Matoi Tsunetsuki/Asami Sanada・Kaere Kimura/Yu Kobayashi・Maria Kannai・Taro/Miyuki Sawashiro・Harumi Fujiyoshi/Miyu Matsuki・Abiru Kobushi/Yuko Goto・Jun Kudo/Masahiro Mizushima・Manami Okusa/Kikuko Inoue・Ai Kaga/Saori Goto・Kanako Oura/Ayahi Takagaki・Tomoe Arai/Akiko Yajima・Kagerou Usui/Youji Ueda・Kuniya Kino/Takuma Terashima・Rin Itoshiki/Akiko Yajima・Itoshiki Kou/Yajima Akiko・Nezu Yoshiko/Neya Michiko・Maruuchi Shoko/Horie Yui・Nami's father/Ueda Yoji・Ikkyū/Sugita Tomokazu・Itoshiki Kei/Koyasu Takehito・Tokida/Ueda Yoji・Commentary/Mizushima Hirotaka・Commentary/Sugita Tomokazu・Maria's friend/Asumi Kana・Abiru's father/Nakamura Yuichi・Shop owner/Mizushima Hirotaka・Man/Terashima Takuma・Rowa Suo/Mizushima Hirotaka・Narration/Ueda Yoji・Hata-san/Hata Kenjiro・Man/Mizushima Hirotaka・Sabae/Mizushima Hirotaka・Sensei Jinroku/Ueda Yoji・Director of J/Terashima Takuma・Meru's father/Mugito・Fuyu Shogun/Tachiki Fumihiko・MAEDAX G/MAEDAX R
・Synopsis of the previous volume, Meru Otonashi / Chiwa Saito, Kenji Otsuki / Kenji Otsuki

■ Main staff

・Original work: "Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei" by Koji Kumeta (published in Kodansha's "Weekly Shonen Magazine")
・Planning / Moriyama Atsushi・Series composition / Higashi Tomiyako, Shinbo Akiyuki・Character design, chief animation director / Morioka Hideyuki・Art director / Iijima Toshiharu・Color design / Takizawa Izumi・Visual effects / Sakai Motoi・Director of photography / Uchimura Shohei・Editing / Seki Kazuhiko・Assistant director / Tatsurin Naoyuki・Chief animation director / Yamamura Hiroki・Chief director / Miyamoto Yukihiro・Sound director / Kameyama Toshiki・Music / Hasegawa Tomoki・Music production / Starchild Records・Art assistant / Ishiseki Tomokazu・Color design assistant / Sato Kanako・Editing / Seki Editing Office・Video editing / Tadokoro Saori, Orita Yusuke・Sound effects / Nakano Katsuhiro (Soundbox)
・Sound Production: Otsubo Emi ・Recording Studio: OP Requiem Studio ・Sound Production: Omnibus Promotion ・Sound Production Manager: Mayama Kei ・Cooperation: Miura Toshihiro, Hirabayashi Kyoko (Weekly Shonen Magazine Editorial Department), Muroichi Tsuyoshito (Quoras)
・Production Cooperation: Ganges ・Publicity: Junko Hashimoto, Akiko Yada ・Assistant Producer: Miki Oshima ・Production Manager: Keisuke Yonezawa ・Producer: Junnosuke Miyamoto ・Animation Producer: Mitsutoshi Kubota ・Director: Akiyuki Shinbo ・Animation Production: Shaft ・Production: "Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei" Production Committee

■ Main Characters

Nozomi Itoshiki, commonly known as "Despair Sensei". The super negative teacher in charge of class 2. A super annoying person who thinks negatively about everything that happens.
・Kaoru Fuura
A super positive girl in class 2. A female student with a positive outlook on everything that happens. This is a pen name.
・Kizu Senri
A super punctual girl in class 2. She has an obsessive class president personality and can't help but interject when something isn't done properly. She is the captain of the tea ceremony club.
・Komori Mist
A reclusive girl in class 2. She was able to attend school thanks to the efforts of teacher Itoshiki, but after that she became a "school-refusing girl" who shut herself in at school and never returned home.
・Eternal Moon
A stalker girl in class 2. She used to stalk her ex-boyfriend, but was fascinated by Mr. Itoshiki's accomplishments and now she's always following him around.
・Kimura Kaere
A bilingual girl who returned from overseas and is enrolled in class 2. She has two personalities: an overseas personality that is quick to complain, and an extremely modest Japanese personality.
・Kannai・Maria・Taro
A girl who enrolled illegally in class 2. She came to Japan from Asia in a container, bought someone else's attendance number, and enrolled. She's a girl who makes you want to protect her for some reason.
・Bar Abiru
A bandaged girl in class 2. Her father is suspected of domestic violence because he is always covered in open wounds. The truth is that he is an animal lover and the injuries he sustained were from playing with animals.
・Nami Hito
A normal girl in class 2. She has a habit of wanting to be treated specially by others, and although she tries various schemes to get people's attention, she never manages to do much.
・Harumi Fujiyoshi
A yaoi fan girl in class 2. She likes anime and manga, and her hobbies are making doujinshi and cosplaying. She gets a bit noisy when talking about boys' love.
・Otonashi Meru
A sharp-tongued email girl in class 2. She is extremely shy and can only communicate with others through email, but her emails are sharp-tongued. She feels uneasy in places where there is no signal.

■Subtitle

・Part 2: General Virus and the Three Doctor Brothers/God Has Been Washed Away/A World with Words (2010/02/17)

■ Related works

・Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei・Zoku・Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei・Goku・Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei・Zan・Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei・Zan・Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei Bangaichi Vol. 1・Zan・Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei Blu-ray BOX Anniversary Edition

■ Theme songs and music

・OP1
・Apple-picking beam!
Lyrics by Kenji Ohtsuki Composer by NARASAKI
・Arrangement/NARASAKI
・Songs: Kenji Ohtsuki and the Despair Girls (Kafura Kafuka, Kizu Chisato, Kimura Kaere, Kannai Maria Taro, Hito Nami)

・ED1
・Darkness Love Suicide - Love Song - Lyrics by Tadanano Natsumi ・Music by Kawada Ruka ・Arrangement by Kawada Ruka ・Singer by Itoshiki Nozomi

Detailed review of [Zan Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei]

"Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei" is an OVA based on Koji Kumeta's popular manga "Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei" and was released on February 16, 2010. The OVA was included on a DVD that came with the limited first edition of the 20th volume of the "Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei" manga, and was a long-awaited new episode for fans. This work continues the unique worldview and characters of the original work, while developing the story from a new perspective.

The powerful team of director Akiyuki Shinbo and producer Shaft has been reunited, and the film stands out for its visual beauty and unique direction. Director Shinbo's distinctive camerawork and sense of color further deepen the worldview of the original work and have the power to draw the viewer in. Shaft's drawings are also meticulous down to the smallest detail, and the characters' expressions and movements are depicted very realistically.

The story revolves around Itoshiki Nozomu's interactions with the students of class 2-H, where he is assigned. Itoshiki Nozomu is a teacher who thinks negatively about everything, and the story depicts how his hopeless perspective affects his students, and how he is influenced by them in return. In particular, the interactions with the unique students, such as Kafura Kafuka's positivity, Kizu Chisato's punctuality, and Tsunetsuki Matoi's stalker-like nature, are a highlight of the series.

The cast is also impressive, with the voice actors' performances bringing out the charm of the characters, including Kamiya Hiroshi as Itoshiki Nozomu, Nonaka Ai as Fuura Kafura, and Inoue Marina as Kizu Chisato. In particular, Kamiya Hiroshi's despairing tone of delivery faithfully reproduces the atmosphere of the original work, leaving a strong impression on viewers. In addition, the performances that make use of the individuality of each character add depth to the story.

Music is also an important element, and the opening theme "Ringo Mogire Beam!" and ending theme "Kurama Shinjuu Soushisouai" help to liven up the atmosphere of the work. The opening theme "Ringo Mogire Beam!" is particularly impressive, sung by Kenji Ohtsuki and the Despair Girls, and has become a song that symbolizes the theme of the work. The ending theme "Kurama Shinjuu Soushisouai" has lyrics and a melody that seem to reflect the feelings of Itoshiki Nozomu, deeply moving the viewer.

This OVA is recommended not only for fans of the original work, but for anime fans in general. With a story that intertwines unique humor and deep themes, unique characters, and the beautiful visual expression of Director Shinbo and Shaft, "Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei" will provide viewers with new excitement and surprises.

Recommendation

When watching "Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei," please pay attention to the following points.

1. Character Personality

Each character has a very strong personality and has the power to draw the viewer in. In particular, the characteristics of the characters, such as Nozomu Itoshiki's hopeless perspective, Kafura Kafura's positivity, and Kizu Chisato's punctuality, enrich the story. Viewers will be able to enjoy the story while empathizing with each character's background and feelings.

2. Director Shinbo's direction

Director Akiyuki Shinbo's unique direction is one of the major attractions of this work. The visual beauty of the camerawork, sense of color, scene transitions, etc. is outstanding. In particular, Shaft's drawings, which depict the characters' expressions and movements with great attention to detail, are also a point not to be missed.

3. The appeal of music

The opening theme "Ringo Mogire Beam!" and the ending theme "Kurami Shinju Ai Shisouai" are important elements that add to the atmosphere of the work. In particular, the performance by Kenji Ohtsuki, who sings the opening theme, and the Despair Girls, symbolizes the theme of the work. The lyrics and melody of the ending theme also reflect the feelings of Nozomu Itoshiki, and will surely move viewers deeply.

4. Comparison with the original

For fans of the original work, pay attention to which parts of the original work are depicted in the OVA and how. The highlight is that it faithfully reproduces episodes from the original work while developing the story from a new perspective. It also includes new episodes that were not in the original work, which will be a fresh surprise for fans.

5. Deep Themes

"Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei" contains deep themes within its humorous story. It contains many elements that make the viewer think, such as despair and hope, individuality and coexistence, and the difficulties of human relationships. You will be able to empathize with these themes and enjoy the story.

As mentioned above, "Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei" is a work that can be recommended not only to fans of the original work, but to anime fans in general. This work combines a story that intertwines unique humor and deep themes, unique characters, and the beautiful visual expression of Director Shinbo and Shaft, and will provide viewers with new impressions and surprises. Please give it a watch.