Kumiko Yamaguchi is smart, enthusiastic, and ready to start her dream job as a math teacher at Shirokin Academy. But as her first day opens on atrocious students and cowering teachers, Kumiko realizes that the all-boys high school is a cesspool of delinquents with no intention of improving themselves.
However, what her rowdy students don't know is that behind her dorky facade, Kumiko is the acting head of a powerful yakuza clan, and she has the skills to prove it! Capable of overpowering even the strongest of gangsters in seconds, Kumiko must keep her incredible strength and criminal influence a secret in order to keep her job. Unfortunately, with the vice principal constantly trying to get her fired and Shin Sawada, the leader of her class of delinquents, suspecting she's stronger than she lets on, Kumiko has a difficult teaching career ahead of her.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
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Comentários
Ranivus
Gokusen is about a nerdy looking female teacher named Kumiko Yamaguchi. It's her first day on the job and she got the unlucky duty of teaching the rowdiest class in the school. Unbeknown to the students that they are in for one "hell" of a teacher. Story - (FAIR) The story has been done redone and overdone through out the years from actual feature length films to multiple instances in anime. One thing about this one is it doesn't try too hard to be different from the rest, unless you can count a talking dog and a nerdy female crime boss. Throughout every episode it'll prettymuch focus on one student and their trouble. Of course the teacher will 'teach' and help them overcome their issues and the student gets wiser. The end. Well repeat that formula for 11 of the 13 episodes and you have yourself a full series of Gokusen. Its not bad, but its not great either.
Art - (MEDIOCRE)
Art work is really average for its time of production. Nothing great at all to be honest. You'll get your standard amount of comedy scenes, mixed with action and drama scenes. All the typical freeze frame character against a moving background will be everywhere. But I must admit this show has more fight scenes than some "so called action anime" which i found to be pretty fun.
Sound - (MEDIOCRE)
The sound is also quite mediocre as well. You'll noticed a few rehashed sound effects and all the typical sound effects. I did enjoy the voice actors as, the mostly male cast was pretty funny (and stupid). But overall just hearing the talking bulldog made me wanna punch my screen.
Character - (FAIR)
Most the characters are your typical roughneck tough high school bully types. The kind of characters people usually grow to hate. So at the start the character cast is not a very strong one. But like any normal anime, they'll begin to grow hearts and have personalities. Unfortunately thats really not my thing (I prefer girl-dominant cast). Oujo was pretty funny though. At least the main main character was definitely the high point of the show. Too bad her supporting cast was more worthless than an anime wall scroll.
Enjoyment - (GOOD)
Overall the characters are pretty forgettable with the exception of Oujo. The stories all had morals and if you're into that give it a shot. Because at least it was fun to watch and you kind of learn something after each episode :)
NOTE: i didn't reference GTO even once ^_^
lowell
Along the lines of GTO (Great Teacher Onizuka), this anime focuses on an unorthodox teacher and her unmanageable class... well, they're unmanageable until they realize how bad-ass she is and she helps bring out their inner "good kid." ;) Original? No. The best ever? No. Amusing? Sometimes. Entertaining? Enough. Yankumi is trying to balance her goals to be a high school teacher and her life as the future head of a crime family. (In other words, the hoodlums and punks in her class aren't so tough compared to her.) Everyone's kind of someone you've seen before --down to the annoying, screechy vice principal who's always trying to trip her up and the class ringleader whose middle school experiences taught him not to like teachers (sound familiar, GTO fans?).
The art and the sound wasn't anything to write home (or a review) about, but I have no major complaints either. (And as always, Kenichi Suzumura does a great job. ;) )
Despite the strong deja vu, I thought it was cute and entertaining over all. It's always kind of funny to see the soft, silly side to yakuza (like the way her henchmen fawn all over her or blow the smallest insult to her all out of proportion). And it's kind of funny to see Yankumi trip over things she shouldn't, like using gangster slang and/or metaphors when she shouldn't. It's no where near as good as GTO, but it's not awful. My feeling is that I'd probably have liked this show more if GTO didn't exist.
In other words, if you're trying to decide between watching this or GTO, go watch GTO. (Or even if you're not... watch GTO anyway. ;) ) Or if you've seen GTO and really like that genre and that storyline so much that you'd like to see it again, this is for you!
This might also be worthwhile for people who are a little too young for GTO. This is a cleaner, more superficial version, without the darker edges -- you're not going to find the levels of abuse, horniness and risk of death here that you do in GTO. If you're going to watch both anyway, I'd actually watch this one first and then GTO -- that way you'd be working your way up. =)
Enjoy!
sweeny
I really love this anime. Absolutely love it. For a feel good, make you laugh, walk away with a goofy grin anime, at only 13 epidosed, you can't go past it. The storyline is nothing new - teacher from wrong side of the tracks wants to make a difference and teach delinquents. We have seen it all before. But I don't think that this detracts. Yamaguchi's underlying passion is sharply contrasted with that of the.. not so passionate students. they are rude, messy, fight all the time, but are loyal to each other. And seeing how their opinion of her changes, hey, that is partof the joy of these teacher/delinquent storylines!
The art itself is bright and brash. There is one pretty character in the whole thing (and that is not our heroine). However, he is *very* pretty :-) I think that the art is perfectly in keeping with the comedic nature of the story. The sound.. didn't really register? I don't remember it standing out as particularly bad, but I don't remember it being brilliant either.
The strong point of this show are the characters - all are typical (from the sidekicks, to the romantic lead, to the buxom teacher in the all boys school), but I genuinely liked them all! I cheered when they cheered, and wanted to kick the VPs butt so bad.. Yamaguchi is a very strong female lead, which I love! Shin is ever so cool. And the others, are not just there for comic relief.
I absolutely recommend this anime. It is one that I truly enjoy, and have rewatched a number of times.
Jo-Chi
Gokusen is a really light, cute, and funny anime. Although labelled under Josei, I think that even boys will like it for its comedy, art, yakuza plot, and also the story. The art takes time to get used to but after you get used to the art, you will love the character itself as they react like what a normal person in real life will react. Gokusen is a really moving anime that I plan on continuing in the manga. The story is intriguing and the only reason why I didn't give it a 10/10 for its story is because it was only 13 episodeslong. This anime series will wrap up really nicely but will make you want a sequel because of your interest in the story of this teacher and her students. The students are really cute once you get past their "ugly" faces. (As I have mentioned before, the art takes time to get used to if you are used to watching those fluttery shojo themes.) All in all, Gokusen will definetly make me re-watch it again. I hope you'll like it too :D
-peace.
akira-oni
i thought gokusen would be one of those animes that who would be like...wtf this isnt what i want. i was so wrong. this anime is now one of my top 10. the plot is fantastice and the opening and ending theme are really enjoyable. last but not least i like shin and ooje witch ive almost never had 2 charactors in a a single anime ive liked.it was really hard for me and my brother to stop watching the anime, and to know there is a real action one is really exiting.i would have to say if you like OCT youll like this to.so START WATCHING IT!!!! thats all XD
animeoman
This anime is Enjoyable. It is short, and i wished it was longer, because it really felt unfinished, but you could read the manga if you want more of this anime. Yamaguichi (the protagonist) has a great character. Her also being the leader of a yakuza gang also adds to it, which makes the anime more enjoyable. So if you want an anime that is short and enjoyable, give this anime a try. Happy Anime Watching
DanielV
A masterpiece indeed i enjoyed every episode i finished this series 4 times and i recommend you watch gokusen the drama 3 seasons triple the fun
Cyanice
STRUCTURE / PRESENTATION: (7.0) Gokusen is a semi-episodic semi-serial anime in the sense that each episode is usually someone getting into trouble and Yankumi having to go and save them or something like that, but slowly in each episode you can really see these rowdy students getting used to their new teacher and even starting to like her a bit, as well as Yankumi bonding with Shin, and (failing) to hide her identity to the school district. This style did this show justice as it highlighted some of the best parts, being able to fit in some good action fighting scenes in each episode, and sinceeach episode usually deals with a specific character, you really get to bond with them and understand them a bit more.
STORY / SETTING: (4.0)
Honestly the idea that the students were brainless hot-headed thugs didn't last long enough. It was really only present in the first two episodes, and after that they already warmed up to their new teacher, and kinda became softies. The affection towards their teacher grows stronger and stronger in each episode. That aspect could've been paced or spread out a little better, but it was pretty alright. One other thing I noticed (or rather didn't) was the importance of Yankumi keeping her identity hidden to the school. Shin realized it almost straight away, and the other students knew something was up pretty early too. It didn't really feel like she was trying very hard, or perhaps just didn't care, because wow it didn't last long at all. I did really like the story though. It may not be the most original but it did leave me wanting to see what would happen next. The setting on the other hand was quite boring. The school may as well been a 2 room building. The classroom and the teachers' office are pretty much the only parts we ever see, no hallway shots, or pans around the school, or anything. Besides the school and the Ooedo hideout, there are few places which hold much significance and they are few and far between. It really was quite bland.
AUDIO / VISUAL: (5.0)
The art is abnormal compared to what you see in most anime, as the characters aren't your typical "Aryans" and look more realistic (yet still goofy). Overall though it was average, and so was the animation. (For 2004 at least.) There wasn't a whole lot of music, but there wasn't a time when I think it needed any when there wasn't any. Voice acting was slightly above average, portraying voices which fit the characters quite nicely.
CHARACTERS: (3.5)
Honestly I had a tough time identifying all the different characters in the class from each other. Half of them look the exact same, and their personalities couldn't be more copy paste. No student stood out to me more than any other, and there wasn't a single time when one student couldn't been in the shoes of another during the story, as they're all the exact same (Besides Shin). Yankumi is pretty cool but it's kind of hard to believe she's the leader of a famous Yakuza clan when she's so clueless and laid back sometimes. Yeah, It's part of her personality, but the way she treated the issue and the fact that she was so bad at hiding it, really didn't make me feel the importance of it at all. The quirky personalities of the staff of the school and the Ooedo clan gave some comic relief, and some lightheartedness. One character I especially like is Fuji the dog. The fact that he's a bipedal talking dog in an otherwise realistic show is the least of my concern when his prime voice acting, and red track suit are a welcome addition in almost every scene, and his inner monologues help shed some insight on the situations as well.
OVERALL: (4.9)
Gokusen doesn't excel in one area, but it's quite a charming show that had me keep clicking "next episode" despite it's many shortcomings. I wouldn't recommend it, but If you want to give it a try, it won't be a complete waste of time.
GrayRealm
Alright. Long story short it is a different take on idea from Great Teacher Onizuka, except it is significantly less interesting. This time we have a yakuza boss girl posing as a teacher in a school full of problematic students. She tries to hide her yakuza origin, because that will get her fired.... Basically, same premise or similar premise as Onizuka, except poorly executed and with weaker characters. Story uses many very predictable events, characters act in stereotypical and predictable moment, and antagonists are resembling cartoon villains. Also... that annoying dog. Sigh. Detailed breakdown below. Story: 3/10. It is weak and not very interesting. The premise isinteresting and has better potential than onizuka's it is just you can see where it is going from ten miles away and can have a good idea of what is gonna happen in the next episode. Another problem is ... it doesn't really get anywhere, story-wise. Important elements that were present in Onizuka are missing from this one. Becasue of this the story ultimately fails to deliver.
Art: 5/10
It is actually okay. Most of the characters are not exactly attractive, and are very uncute. However, in a few episodes there are few cute characters in backgroudn, that have very small amoutn of screen time - think seconds, not minutes. Nevertheless, the art does its job, is consistent, and gets the point across. Even though amount of details is low, and shading could be better.
Sound: 5/10:
Also okay. Norio Wakamoto (who usually voices tough guys) voiced one of the supporting roles. It is okay. Just that.
Character: 3/10:
They're completely stereotypical, completely predictable, and none of them have any proper character development. There are some attempts to have some character development, but they ultimately fall flat. After watching the series, there was very little I could say about character's personality. Basically, everyboyd is predictable, and hard to take seriously.Also, I hate the dog in the anime.
ENjoyment: 4/10 :
Didn't enjoy it that much, and thought it would be better. Predictability of the events doesn't help, and neither does relatively weak character portrayal. Basically, they grabbed an amazing idea nad ultimately failed ot deliver.
Overall: 4/10:
This is an anime you can safely skip. There were no amazing moments that would make it worth watching, and the story was not very believable, plus had an occasion deus ex machinas and "trouble out of nowhere". Art didn't stand out either. A lot of time I felt irritation because I could see what is gonna happen next, because characters were acting according to another cliche, or because the story was developing in very predictable way.
So.... not really recommended. You could give it a try, but if you skipped it, I doubt it would be a great loss.
Jhintelman
Gokusen is the female onizuka-ish, there I said it. I love digging from the garbage pits of hell olden years of anime shows that I can watch, without all the complexities of modern time anime, there's a sense of innocence and non-try-hard writing that makes me chuckle. Writer: And then, he doesn't remember anything that happened before the car crash, muhahaha, they would never see this coming. (Not spoiler for the show, just a tragically common trope in old anime) Gokusen is nice, but I can't fully judge until I've read the manga, because the anime feels like a sample, but I consider anime that makes you wantto view the original material successful.
What to expect:
It's old, it'll tell old stories, nothing shocking, but nice pacing.
Cheesy, feels good, sort of funny, and nostalgic.
Absolutely love the lead. She just isn't something you see often, or ever, she's not a trope or fetish.
Enjoy it, I'll probably edit with a review of the manga.
angelsreview
So I ran into a bit of a problem after watching this show… figuring out how the hell I was going to write this review. The show does not make that easy at all as I really don’t know exactly what I thought of it. Sure the story line and characters were pretty fun and entertaining, but then the artwork and the script seemed rather dated to a point that it didn’t appeal to me. I guess I should just start breaking it down and see what my end result of this review will be. Let’s talk about Kumiko first. Under the cute, good-hearted womanis that of a true Yakuza boss. The whole show is based around the two sides of her life and how they end up meeting every once in a while. While it’s a really awesome concept, the execution has to be really good for it to make any sense. In this case, it’s done rather well. We have the slice of life drama of a high school teacher on one side while also having the dramatic yakuza underworld on the other side of the coin. I think I mostly kept watching just for the chance to see where the two sides would actually meet. While a lot of the stuff that happened was rather predictable, the comedy that ended up happening made it all the more interesting to watch.
Now, I guess next we should talk about the students… oh boy. So these students are a real handful. This is an all boy’s school so not only do they have a lot of them as traditional degenerate style characters but there is a lot of bullying as well. While I felt a little bit of the stories that came from them, I couldn’t really understand it being a girl myself. I don’t know, maybe a guy could understand better. There was also another problem for me to understand these characters and I think it has to go into the time in which this seems to be set. The characters talk pretty cheesy gangster style from the 90’s, hair style kind of leading into that aspect. While I was a kid for the late 90’s I was not a high school student. I was a middle school student still in 2000 so when I did end up in High school, these fashions and the way they talked were out of date. This did not help me understand the characters any better.
On the other side of the coin, the Yakuza were not much better. They were stereotypes of old Yakuza movies but they were also rather childish and almost dumb in a way. If I was Kumiko, having to deal with it both at home and at school would make me want to pull my hair out. But, she cares very much for the members of the Yakuza just like they were family or even her own students which shows how much patience she has.
There were only two other characters that were rather interesting, both seemed to be the other’s counterpart in the two worlds she lives in. Shin Sawada is one of her students. He is a rather calm, level-headed guy who basically seems to have a rather interesting obsession with Kumiko’s secret. So much so that he would put his life on the line to find out at times. I didn’t like him at first, though he did slightly grow on me as the story kept going.
The other is Kumiko’s dog, Fuji. I just fell in love with him when he first opened his mouth. I say first opened his mouth loosely as he never talks to the others. The only ones who can understand him are us as he narrates some of the things happening or Shin but just barely. Other then that, he does normal dog stuff, go on walks, bite people who might hurt his master, walk on two legs, wears a sports coat, and drink Sake… um… I only suspect other dogs in this world can do all those things as no one really questions what he does. I also don’t remember seeing any other dog in the series so ya. I consider him sort of the wise budda though as the things he does say seem like morals. You’ll understand if you watch the show.
The animation is very early anime style which is surprising seeing as how it was made in 2004. Your talking about the same studio who did ‘Monster’, ‘Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad’, and ‘Paranoia Agent’ that same year so I guess that isn’t a large leap seeing as how the art style is kind of similar. The thing is, this was probably a large risk for them as around that same time we got ‘Gundam Seed Destiny’, ‘Rozen Maiden’, and ‘Bleach’. Most of those shows had started using a rather normal style we know of now days so this feels like it was a pretty interesting chance that they did. You can tell that they took a lot of inspiration from the manga as the designs look almost identical. It’s refreshing to see after all the slice of life wide eyed cutesy stuff I have gotten so used to reviewing. Sadly, the characters seemed very plain, even when they added special scars or details that were supposed to make them stand out they seemed plain. The eyes also tended to creeped me out as they were only dots surrounded by a line on top and a line on bottom. Points for keeping it like it was in the manga, but seriously creepy.
The English Dub, although very cheesy, is pretty good. I do like how all the voices really fit the characters and how the dialog fits the punk gangster vibe. I especially love Jon Avner as Fuji. It’s very hard to actually match the voice to an animal’s personality and looks, and Jon does a very good job with his rather gruff deep voice. It’s similar to the old Scruff Mcgruff voice. For those who don’t know, Scruff Mcgruff was the ‘crime dog’ back a long time ago. I would see him all over the place when I used to live in Chicago and was a poster child… er… dog for keeping kids safe. If Scruff’s voice was just a little deeper, it would probably be the exact match. On the other hand though, I’m not so big on Shin’s voice. I know it fits the character and all, but I am just not a fan of the rather slow talking cool kid vibe.
There is a small problem I have with the script and the show. You see, it is so good at doing the punk gangster vibe with how the characters dress, how they talk, and how they act that I just get to a point where I am done with watching it for a time. It was the same with GTO in that the show definitely set a time period that, to me, feels a little embarrassing. I guess you could call it a guilty pleasure show, one you think is so cheesy that you can’t help to watch it every once in a while. When I got past that problem, I found the show very enjoyable and it actually pushed me to go read the manga after.
its_Tang
If you're on the lookout for a lighthearted and occasionally emotional comedy then Gokusen should be the next anime on your list. Watching this one brings back memories of old American sitcoms with the story lines centering around the full time teacher (and part time crime boss) 'Yankumi', who vows to take care of the day to day problems within her school and the lives of her students no matter what it takes. Kumiko 'Yankumi' Yamaguchi teaches a class of violent underachieving delinquents while trying her best to hide her Yakuza background and avoid run-ins with the police. In later episodes you discover that all ofthe characters have more to them than first meets the eye and many of them have multiple layers of depth. Gokusen walks the line perfectly between humanity and comedy and all but a handful of the episodes are brilliantly written and very, very funny. The music here is awesome too, and although the intro song isn't all that good, the music during certain fight scenes or tense moments is decent, consisting of film noir type jazz (with lots of trumpets) and early 90s synth pop. There's nothing too special in the sound department but it works just fine.
With a strong start, a good ending with no loose ends, and laugh out loud humour throughout, I can't recommend Gokusen enough for those of you looking for something easy going to waste an afternoon on.
ray1627
i want to premise this by saying that i don't often write reviews. however, this show is so incredibly underrated that i though i should pitch in my thoughts on it. before watching gokusen, i had never seen it anywhere. no one ever talks about, cosplays from it aren't common, there is a tiny if no fandom at all. i found the gokusen in a "top 10 underrated gang anime" video on youtube. mind you, this was the only video that mentioned gokusen at all. i was a bit cautious to start this anime because it isn't well known, however, after watching it, i can concludethat this is by far the most underrated anime i have watched.
STORY: the story of gokusen is about a young yakuza clan heiress who has always dreamed of becoming a teacher. she becomes a math/homeroom teacher at a high school known for its delinquent students. i really liked this show because it didn't try too hard to stand out or be different.
ART: i won't lie, the art wasn't top quality. however, this was made in 2004, so i would say it's quite nice considering the time period. i personally really like the "old anime" art style so it was very pleasing for me, but i know most people prefer more modern art. the characters aren't sexualized and they just look like normal people.
SOUND: the sound was good throughout the entire show. there isn't much to say about it.
CHARACTER: contrary to what i expected before watching gokusen, i found the characters really interesting. even though most characters other than kumiko and shin were e x t r e m e l y similar, all of the characters being together really makes the show whole. it provides a mostly non-cheesy friendship/teamwork feel and watching the characters bond is really neat.
ENJOYEMENT: although i wasn't expecting anything special from this show, it really surprised me. the classic 2000s anime comedy had me rolling on the floor laughing practically the whole time i was watching. as this is mainly a feel-good, chill show, you want to keep watching because it puts you in a good mood but you're not overly intrigued to the point where you can't sleep until you finish the show.
i'd give this show an overall 10/10 but i must admit that it's nothing too original. it was an extremely enjoyable show, but it was nothing gorundbreaking. i'd also like to add that the gokusen will most likely appeal to almost everyone. you may not enjoy it as much if you prefer action anime, though.
overall, i'd recommend the gokusen to everyone i know and it's SO underrated. so please please give it a chance :))
blushinggeek
Plot I absolutely love the plot. I’ve heard of Yakuzas before but I honestly don’t know about them, the only thing I know is that they’re dangerous and most people stay away from them. And my, imagine creating a story centered about them, isn’t that exciting? Aside from sharing life lessons, I also love the fact that it was so funny. Art The art was good and it kind of giving me the old anime vibe, I’m not sure why though. The sound effects and soundtrack we’re fine and I think it goes well with the anime. The opening theme also reminds me of some good children anime that Iremember watching when I was just a kid so I already expected that it will give us some pretty good life lessons.
The character design was good too and now that I read the manga, I have to say that they’re pretty identical excluding Shin and Shinohara. Shinohara was ok in the anime but he’s more handsome in the manga (like really handsome!). And Shin on the other hand, my! He was supposed to be so hot but I don’t like the anime version. In manga, he’s definitely so hot that you will learn to hate the Shin in the anime, haha.
And speaking of characters, I really love the main character, Kumiko. Despite her family background, she’s very nice and considering her age, she sure knows how to give you a very good advice. She’s quite violent that sometimes it makes this anime even funnier, lol. I just love how she loves her family and how she cares for others especially for her students. She will really do anything for them and I’m glad that she was able to face all the challenges she met but with some help from her family, friends, and students especially Shin, ayeeei! (I just dropped some hint there, haha)
Voice Actors
Just like the rest, I also watched this anime in English dub. There’s some really annoying English dubs out there but for this anime, it was fine. Not that great but not bad either. I guess when I really like the plot, the voice actors wouldn’t concern me that much.
Overall
The anime version was very short with only 13 episodes. The ending was really good that it’ll make you curious on what’s going to happen next. And as you can see, I got so curious that I decided to read its manga afterwards, *wink.
It wasn’t really a splendid anime but it’s undeniably one of the good ones in the slice of life genre. I love that it teaches some pretty good life lessons to its viewers and I’m loving the relationship Kumiko was able to build up with her delinquent students.
And you know what’s the other thing I like about this anime? The hint of romance in the ending, *wink.
Azzhole_Flicker
This series has the same enjoyment factor as the Great Teacher Onizuka. It is also a great series made by Madhouse production. It is also short and easy to consume, but I do wish there were more episodes. The English dub has some fine voice work as well. There are many things I liked about the characters , like the bits with the dog. The comady is what you would expect for something like the new teacher teaching a class of delinquents who are actually good kids, but they do make it different with the teacher being from a yakuza family.
anime_binge47676
Let me say this if your looking for the powerful bada** female lead this anime is for you. The reason why I loved it so much was for the main character girl. From the first episode, I could tell that this anime was going to be great. She was trying to hide the fact that she can fight and is stronger than most of the guys, she got stuck teaching the worst class and was disrespected as a woman and a teacher. The relationship between her and the student do progress but just not each individual character.Though the character development or the plot was thatgood or filled I think that this anime is VERY underrated and you should give it a shot. (Even though it has terrible art, content over art is what i prefer.) D
Tailor_Cocao
Took me ages to find this anime again. The anime is very comedic and interesting. From the moment the anime starts it starts to draw you in. Personally I love finding the unknown underrated animes, and this is a prime example. Everything about the anime is top notch except one crucial part. The animation is a mile behind. If this anime had a re-adaptation it would be a best seller. I could see this anime getting a re-adaptation like Dororo and it would become popular just like Dororo. Unfortunately that will probably never happen. The plot and character development is perfect but the soundtrack and animation is lacking.
FTxXTitaniaXxFT
This anime was a more shojo-esque version of your typical teaching anime. The themes were great. The delinquent students are constantly framed/accused for doing things that weren't their fault, because they look like delinquents, so "it must've been them." However Yankumi, their teacher, wears tracksuits and glasses and doesn't tuck away her flyaways (and is made fun of several times for being ugly), cares more about what's on the inside than the outside and constantly sticks up for them. The other reason I like this anime better than other teacher anime is that it holds tension better than your average slice of life teaching show.If the students figure out Yankumi's secret identity as part of a yakuza clan (this isn't a spoiler it's made clear from the first few minutes of the show), she could very well get fired. Her funny ways of fooling everyone and working together with the student who eventually figures her out make it all the more worth watching.
There was a good balance of comedy and seriousness, slowly revealing those backstories that will later Segway into the more fleshed out backstories in the manga, giving everyone something to fight for and a reason to be there.
Some may give it a bad rep for the art, but the art is part of what makes it more lovable for me. This story wasn't meant to be anything flashy, the mangaka just wanted to convey the story she wanted to tell, and the anime carried that over. It didn't need to be flashy to be enjoyable.
There are also hints dropped at student/teacher romance (they are only 5 years apart so it's not incredibly weird and it is only one sided from the student in the anime), but the teacher has a respectable crush on someone her age, and if you are worried about that kind of stuff, then I recommend you to watch S1 of the drama instead, because the drama almost completely removes it.
Puri20thboy
This anime centers on Kumiko Yamaguchi, the granddaughter of one of the most important yakuza bosses of the Oedo family. Despite her background, Kumiko decides to pursue her dream of becoming a teacher. She ends up assigned to a school where the students are delinquents who show no respect or interest in her at first. The anime is primarily a comedy, and this is its strongest aspect. While the humor might not resonate with everyone (it didn’t really appeal to me either), it manages to bring lighthearted moments to the series. Kumiko herself is a likable protagonist. She’s charismatic, cares deeply about her students, and always believesin them even when society judges them harshly. Her unwavering trust in her class is one of the show’s more heartwarming qualities.
One of the anime’s major drawbacks is its dated production. Being made in 2004, the animation quality feels lackluster, especially compared to other works from the same era that achieved much better visuals. This is particularly noticeable during fight scenes, which feel stiff and unimpactful.
Speaking of fights, they are another weak point of the series. They are repetitive, brief, and often follow the same formula: Kumiko arrives just in time to either stop the fight or single-handedly overpower everyone. This lack of variety makes them monotonous and predictable.
Kumiko, while a good character, lacks depth and development. Throughout the series, she remains largely the same, with no notable changes in her personality or worldview. Additionally, the anime doesn’t explore her character deeply enough, which makes her feel flat over time.
The drama in the series also falls short. Emotional scenes often lack weight due to exaggerated reactions or an over-reliance on comedy, which can undermine the more serious moments. The balance between drama and humor feels off, with jokes frequently interrupting scenes that could have had more emotional impact.
Despite its flaws, Gokusen isn’t a bad show. Its comedy can be enjoyable if it aligns with your sense of humor, and the characters, while not exceptional, aren’t terrible either. However, the repetitive storytelling, shallow character development, and lackluster animation prevent it from being a standout anime.
It’s worth a watch if you’re in the mood for something lighthearted, but don’t expect anything groundbreaking.
