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Gokusen

Gokusen Volume 1

ごくせん (Romaji: Gokusen; English: Gangland Teacher) is a Japanese manga, dorama, and anime featuring Yamaguchi Kumiko, the granddaughter of a yakuza boss, as a teacher of the delinquent filled class 3-D at Shirokin Gakuen, an all boys private high school. Gokusen is often compared to Great Teacher Onizuka.

Manga

Gokusen was created by Morimoto Kozueko and is serialized in the female oriented You Comics.

Live-Action

Season 1

Promotional Poster

The first season aired from April 1st to July 3rd, 2002. It had an average viewership of 17.4%. On March 26, 2003 a special episode was released, achieving a rating of 18.1% viewership.

Synopsis

The story of a young, idealistic teacher who enters Shirokin Gakuen with hopes of making a difference in the students' lives. However, Yamaguchi Kumiko is in for a rude awakening when she finds that she will be the homeroom teacher of 3-D, the hardest class to maintain in the school. The students have multi-colored hair, sloppy uniforms, and show absolutely no respect to her. The leader of the class, Sawada Shin is lazy but bright and shows some interest in Yamaguchi when he notices that she is very different from other teachers. The students try to bully her to make her quit, but their attempts don't get them very far.

Main Cast

Relationship Chart

Main Staff

Screenwriter
Egashira Michiru, Yokota Rie, Matsuda Yuko
Producer
Kato Masatoshi
Director
Sato Toya, Otani Taro, Takahashi Naoharu
Music
Oshima Michiru

Episodes

Episode Japanese title English title Airing date Screenwriter Director Rating
1 Nekketsu sensei dai abare!!
(熱血先生大暴れ!!) 		A zealous teacher goes on a rampage!! 2002.04.17 Egashira Michiru Sato Toya 18.3%
2 Tomodachi misuten na yo!!
(友達見捨てんなよ!!) 		Don't abandon your friends!! 2002.04.24 Otani Taro 16.6%
3 Mitame de kimen na!!
(見た目で決めんな!!) 		Don't judge only by appearance!! 2002.05.01 Yokota Rie Sato Toya 17.3%
4 Shippai shitara yarinaose
(失敗したらやり直せ) 		If you fail, start over 2002.05.08 Egashira Michiru Otani Taro 15.5%
5 Kenka to bouryoku wa chigau
(ケンカと暴力は違う) 		To fight is different from violence 2002.05.15 Yokota Rie Sato Toya 18.8%
6 Ijime ni maken na!!
(イジメに負けんな!!) 		Don't let bullying get to you!! 2002.05.22 Matsuda Yuko Otani Taro 17.7%
7 Jibun no ko wo shinjiro!!
(自分の子を信じろ!!) 		Believe in your own child!! 2002.05.29 Yokota Rie Sato Toya 17.9%
8 Anta wa haha oyadaro!!
(あんたは母親だろ!!) 		Aren't you his mother!! 2002.06.05 Egashira Michiru Otani Taro 15.9%
9 Hito no sei ni sunna
(人のせいにすんな!!) 		Don't blame others for your own mistakes!! 2002.06.12 Yokota Rie Sato Toya 16.3%
10 Watashi wa seito wo shinjiru!!
(私は生徒を信じる!!) 		I'll believe my own students!! 2002.06.19 Matsuda Yuko Takahashi Naoharu 17.8%
11 Omae wa hitori janai
(お前は一人じゃない) 		You are not alone 2002.06.26 Egashira Michiru Otani Taro 13.6%
12 Sayonara Yankumi
(さよならヤンクミ) 		Goodbye, Yankumi 2002.07.03 Sato Toya 23.5%
SP Sayonara 3-nen D-gumi... Yankumi namida no sotsugyoushiki
(さよなら3年D組…ヤンクミ涙の卒業式) 		Goodbye Class 3D...
Yankumi's Tearful Graduation 		2003.03.26 Egashira Michiru
Yokota Rie
Matsuda Yuko 		18.1%

Season 2

The second season aired from January 15th to March 19th, 2005. It had an average viewership rating of 28%, the highest among the three seasons. On October 18th a special program aired, showcasing the actor reviewing moments and clips from the series previously unreleased. Its audience rating was of 25.9%.

Synopsis

Half a year has passed and Shirokin Gakuen has closed down. Yamaguchi Kumiko finds herself a teacher of a few young kids who don't really benefit much from her style of teaching. Through some twist of fate, she is offered a job as a teacher in Kurogin Gakuen.

She becomes the teacher of a delinquent 3D class which make her previous students look like angels. In order to protect her job, she must again hide her true identity — the fact that she is the 4th generation of the Oedo Family, a prominent yakuza group.

Main Cast

Relationship Chart

Main Staff

Screenwriter
Egashira Michiru, Yokota Rie, Matsuda Yuko
Producer
Kato Masatoshi
Director
Sato Toya, Otani Taro, Takahashi Naoharu
Music
Oshima Michiru

Episodes

Episode Japanese title English title Airing date Screenwriter Director Rating[1] Rating[2]
1 Tatta ichido no koukouseikatsu, muda ni suru na!... Ano nekketsu kyoushi ga kaettekita!!
(たった一度の高校生活、無駄にするな! …あの熱血教師が帰ってきた!!) 		Highschool is a once in a lifetime experience, do not waste it!
...That zealous teacher has returned!! 		2005.01.15 Egashira Michiru Sato Toya 26.5% 22.6%
2 Hito no tsuyosa wa chikara ja kimaranai hito ni wa motto taisetsu na mono ga aru
(人の強さは力じゃ決まらない 人にはもっと大切なものがある) 		A person's power is not decided by his physical strength,
there's a much more important thing within. 		2005.01.22 Otani Taro 26.9% 25.7%
3 Omaera wa watashi no daiji na seito da!! Misuteru mon ka
(お前らは私の大事な生徒だ!! 見捨てるもんか) 		You guys are my one-and-only students!!
How can I desert you? 		2005.01.29 Yokota Rie Sato Toya 27.0% 26.1%
4 Jibun no jinsei, hito to kuraben na!
(自分の人生、人と比べんな!) 		Don't compare your life with someone else's! 2005.02.05 Egashira Michiru Otani Taro 25.4% 24.6%
5 Daiji na no wa, kokoro no tsuyosa da!!
(大事なのは、心の強さだ!!) 		What's important is the strength of your heart!! 2005.02.12 Matsuda Yuko Sato Toya 27.1% 24.3%
6 Oya no kimochi wo motto kangaero!!
(親の気持ちをもっと考えろ!!) 		Think more about your parents' feelings!! 2005.02.19 Yokota Rie Sato Toya 27.3% 28.5%
7 Jibun no jinsei to shinken no mukiae
(自分の人生と真剣に向き合え) 		Think seriously about your life 2005.02.26 Egashira Michiru Otani Taro 27.4% 27.6%
8 Watashi wa zutto omaetachi no senkou da
(私はずっとお前たちのセンコーだ) 		I will always be your teacher 2005.03.05 Matsuda Yuko Otani Taro 30.0% 29.7%
9 Chichi to musuko namida no kizuna...
(父と息子涙の絆…) 		Father and son's bond of tears 2005.03.12 Yokota Rie Otani Taro 28.2% 29.2%
10 Mune hatte sotsugyoushiro! Yankumi to 3-nen D-gumi, namida no wakare
(胸張って卒業しろ!ヤンクミと3年D組、涙の別れ) 		Be proud to graduate!!
Yankumi and Class 3-D, tearful goodbye 		2005.03.19 Egashira Michiru Sato Toya 32.5% 30.7%
SP Gokusen dousoukai special
(ごくせん同窓会スペシャル) 		Gokusen Alumni Special 2005.10.08 - 25.9%

Season 3

Promotional Poster

The third and last season aired from April 19th to June 28th, 2008. It achieved a viewership rating of 22.8%. On March 28th, 2009 a special episode was aired showing the events leading to the graduation. It had a viewership rating of 18.1% in the Kanto region.

Synopsis

Sawatari Goro now works at Akado High School as a vice principal. Although the head director of the school board speficically orders him to handle the problematic class 3-D, the students are just too much for him. So Sawatari goes far away to a southern island to search for Yankumi, and convince her to work for Akado. Yankumi accepts the offer, only to find that her class (again) is full of punks, where two rival groups of students are always at each other's throats. Will Yankumi's strong belief in students and teaching work this time?

Main Cast

Relationship Chart

Main Staff

Screenwriter
Egashira Michiru, Yokota Rie, Matsuda Yuko
Producer
Kato Masatoshi
Director
Sato Toya, Otani Taro, Yamashita Manami
Music
Oshima Michiru

Episodes

Episode Japanese title English title Airing date Screenwriter Director Rating[1] Rating[2]
1 Ano Yankumi ga kaettekita. Densetsu no gakuen tsuini fukkatsu!!
(あのヤンクミが帰ってきた 伝説の学園ドラマついに復活!!) 		That Yankumi has returned.
Finally, the revival of the legendary school drama!! 		2008.04.19 Egashira Michiru Sato Toya 26.4% 27.7%
2 Omaera wa kyou kara nakama da!!
(お前らは今日から仲間だ!!) 		From now on, you guys are friends!! 2008.04.26 24.8% 23.2%
3 Itsu datte yarinaoseru!!
(いつだってやり直せる!!) 		Start over anytime!! 2008.05.03 Yokota Rie Otani Taro 23.3% 23.1%
4 Ane to otouto namidad no kizuna!!
(姉と弟涙の絆!!) 		A sister and brother's bond of tears 2008.05.10 Matsuda Yuko Yamashita Manami 25.1% 26.5%
5 Hitori de ikitekita to omou na
(一人で生きてきたと思うな) 		Don't think you can make it through life alone 2008.06.17 Egashira Michiru Sato Toya 25.3% 26.5%
6 Hatsukoi... Taisetsu na hito wo mamori nuke
(初恋…大切な人を守りぬけ) 		First love...
Protect the one dearest to you 		2008.05.24 21.1% 23.5%
7 Jibun ni ii wake sunna!!
(自分に言いわけすんな!!) 		Don't make excuses for yourself!! 2008.05.31 21.9% 21.0%
8 Tsuyoku nare!! Atarashii inochi no tanjou
(強くなれ!! 新しい命の誕生) 		Become stronger!! The birth of a new life 2008.06.07 21.3% 21.9%
9 Nakama wa isshou monno takara da!!
(仲間は一生もんの宝だ!!) 		Our friends are a lifelong treasure!! 2008.06.14 17.6% 19.5%
10 Shiawase wa jibun no te de tsukame!!
(幸せは自分の手でつかめ!!) 		Obtain happiness by your own hands!! 2008.06.21 18.1% 17.6%
11 Yankumi saigo no namida sakebi... Inochi wo taisetsu ni shiro!!
(ヤンクミ最後の涙の叫び …命を大切にしろ!!) 		Yankumi's last tearful cry...
Cherish life!! 		2008.06.28 23.6% 24.0%
SP Yankumi saigo no sotsugyoushiki!
(ヤンクミ最後の卒業式!) 		Yankumi's last graduation ceremony! 2009.03.28 Egashira Michiru
Yokota Rie 		18.1% N/A

Movie

Movie Poster

On July 11th, 2009 a movie was released in theaters. It was the seventh movie with most income in 2009 compared to other Japanese films, with an income of 3.48 billion yen.[3]

Synopsis

A passionate teacher, Kumiko Yamaguchi, a.k.a. Yankumi, is now overseeing the new students of Class 3D of Akado High School, who still have not opened up to her and are giving her a hard time.

One day, the students of 3D get harassed by street hoodlums. Then, Reita, a leader figure of 3D, shows up and beats up the hoodlums, yelling “Keep your hands off my friends.” The next day, the guys beat up by Reita come storming into their school. Principal Sawatari berates the students for getting mixed up with a gang, and gives Kumiko an ultimatum: “You’re fired the next time a 3D student gets into trouble.” Then Reita tells Kumiko that he doesn’t want to owe her anything, and he takes off by himself to settle the score with the gang...

Meanwhile, trouble was also brewing for the former 3D student who just graduated. The police are after Ren for being involved in an illegal drug transaction. Upset Kumiko tries to find him with the other former 3D students. However, they later find out from her grandfather, the head of the Oedo Family, the shocking identity of the mastermind pulling the strings of the drug deal Ren is being accused of...[4]

Main Cast

Main Staff

Screenwriter
Egashira Michiru, Matsuda Yuko
Producer
Kato Masatoshi
Director
Sato Toya
Music
Oshima Michiru

Music

Theme songs
Insert songs
Soundtracks

Releases

Season 1 Vol. cover
Season 1 SP cover
Season 1 BOX cover
Season 2 BOX cover
Season 3 BOX cover
Season 3 SP cover
Season 2 Vol. cover
Movie DVD cover
Movie Blu-ray cover
The dorama was released in a compiled box in both DVD and Blu-ray formats. The first season was released on October 5th, 2016.
Home-media Releases
Format Release date Catalog Number Price Oricon Charts Notes
DVD 2002.09.19 VPBX-11575 ¥5,280 - Season 1: Vol 1
VPBX-11576 ¥5,280 - Season 1: Vol 2
VPBX-11577 ¥5,280 - Season 1: Vol 3
VPBX-11578 ¥5,280 - Season 1: Vol 4
2003.09.01 VPBX-11788 ¥4,180 #68 / 13 weeks Season 1 Special
2005.11.05 VPBX-12318 ¥4,104 - Season 2: Vol 1
VPBX-12319 ¥4,104 - Season 2: Vol 2
VPBX-12320 ¥5,184 - Season 2: Vol 3
VPBX-12321 ¥5,184 - Season 2: Vol 4
VPBX-12928 ¥18,920 #3 / 17 weeks Season 2 BOX
2008.12.21 VPBX-13958 ¥20,020 #66 / 4 weeks Season 3 BOX
2009.06.24 VPBX-13358 ¥4,180 #35 / 5 weeks Season 3 Special
2010.01.20 VPBX-13998 ¥13,200 #16 / 3 weeks Season 1 BOX
VPBT-13410 ¥5,280 #2 / 13 weeks The Movie
Blu-ray VPXT-71083 ¥6,380 - The Movie

Recognition

Season 1
  • 33rd Television Drama Academy Awards: Best Actress - Nakama Yukie
  • 33rd Television Drama Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actor - Matsumoto Jun
  • 12th TV LIFE Annual Japanese Drama Awards: Best Actress - Nakama Yukie
Season 2
Season 3
  • 57th Television Drama Academy Awards: Best Actress - Nakama Yukie

Anime

The anime ran for 13 episodes, each 24 minute in length, from 2004-01-06 to 2004-03-30. It was announced on 2004-04-19 that Media Blasters had licensed it for North American distribution.

Notes and references

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Kanto region audience rating.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Kansai region audience rating.
  3. ↑ Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan, Inc. (Japanese)
  4. ↑ NTV Official Synopsis

External Links

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