Gokusen

This anime is genuinely funny. Yamaguchi (the main character) is perfectly written for nearly every story this show has. There's no episode with a dull premise and that's largely thanks to the creative setup for the series. That said, the few things holding this show back are a lack of depth granted to its supporting cast, a lack of creativity in how plots resolve and perhaps a lot of side stories with a bit left on the cutting room floor. Does missing a few things make this a bad show? Not one bit, this series is a definitely worth watching for anyone looking for a refreshing take on comedy anime, The setup is that Yamaguchi is the heir to Ooedo Clan, a powerful Yakuza group who's kumicho is currently being hospitalized. Her new day-job however is to teach at a local high school, Shirokin High School. As is made clear from the jump, our main character is a unique individual entering into some less-than-stellar circumstances. Shirokin is known for having troubled boys who regularly harass women teachers. Yamaguchi is able to ignore, deflect and skirt around their insults like its nothing, and its clear that her background in a yakuza family having toughened this exterior. There is more to her than that: she loves the idea of giving disadvantaged youths a chance at a good education, and thus she is willing to advocate for her students in many scenarios. A lot of what makes this series so funny is the willingness for the writers to place a teacher character in bizarre situations. In the very first episode, she physically assaults a local group of boys who keep harassing her students, for example. It's an absurd premises like this, which still effectively characterize Yamguchi as a caring figure, that make up most of the series. Another area that serves to add character and humor to the series is the way the students are written. None of the boys are very malicious past the first episode. A lot of the boys like Uchi (a purple-haired boy) are often attention-seeking and short-sighted. Those same characters do however clearly want to help their friends in times of need, and do open up to Yamguchi's guidance as she proves to be capable at reaching them. There's another aspect that makes the character writing so great: the tough love element. Our main character is ridiculous in her presentation, willing to chastise students like they were gangster underlings and threaten brawls as soon as it seems necessary. However, she never actually crosses lines nor ever suggests to bring real harm to her students. There's a sort of controlled nature to her harshness, only really going after aspects of her students' personalities that actually cause problems in their own lives. This is a great anime for those looking to see high school comedy done in a more unique way. The tropes that the writers invoke are rarely used in cynical fashion, and there is a surprising amount of depth to the character writing. At worst, you may mix up some of the students, or feel like they could've done more with the yakuza side-plots. There is so much to like in this short series, so it's an easy reccomendation.

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.

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 believes in 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.