Gokusen (2005)

SEASON 2

Country: Japan
Format: 10 episodes
Genre: school, youth
Cast: Nakama Yukie, Kamenashi Kazuya, Akanishi Jin, Koike Teppei, Koide Keisuke, Hayami Mokomichi, Namase Katsuhisa, Utsui Ken, Kaneko Ken, Uchiyama Shinji, Anan Kenji, Tanihara Shosuke, Waki Tomohiro, Otoha, Inoue Jun, Azuma Mikihisa, Mizushima Hiro, Kawamura Yosuke, Nakamura Yuichi, Miura Ryosuke
Synopsis: It has been 3 years since Yankumi’s first students graduated and through accident Yankumi becomes a teacher at Kurogin High school. Her new homeroom 3D is again full of delinquents, who face fights, troubles, misunderstanding and possibility of expulsion everyday. With only 3 months left until graduating Yankumi must give her all to guide her students to the right path.  
Rating: 4/5
Read the first season review here!
Like some other viewers I had fears that second season might not be so good or I do not start to like the guys as much as I liked in the first season. Fortunately, just look at the cast, how can I not love them! Now I know that I had no reason to worry, because "Gokusen" stays "Gokusen". 

Yankumi continues to have her undoubted passion and idyllic outlook on her work. She is a bit more distant to the new class, because most of the time she arrives to save them, but does not hang with them as in first season. Another change from first season Yankumi receives a direct suitor who tries hard to get her on a date. This is PE teacher Baba-sensei, who became really loved character by viewers. I felt so sorry for him because I did not even understand if Yankumi knew about his feelings or thought that he is just weird. Other than that she is still the same cute and sometimes naive Yankumi who gets to be in good and bad times with her class.

When in first season we had Sawada who was the closest to Yankumi, then this time it is shared 

between Odagiri Ryu and Yabuki Hayato who are really close friends. They are played by Kamenashi Kazuya and Akanishi Jin and it brought tears in my eyes to see them in that kind of relationship. I wonder what happened to them in real life that they broke their friendship in that harsh way. The second season of "Gokusen" was like a heaven for Akame fans, but I doubt that there is much left of it. Odagiri Ryu has more similarities to Sawada than Yabuki. Odagiri is the same way - pushed around by his father, more silent, takes a little interest in girls and dating, does not fight without a reason and thinks before he acts. He becomes another character who will take part of "Gokusen" sequels, but in the movie. About Kamenashi Kazuya, sadly I have seen the same acting in all other dramas I have watched by him so I have no comments left. It just might be the type of character he is good at, but I need to see "Ore, ore" to see his infinite acting possibilities.   

Yabuki Hayato, played by Akanishi Jin, became my favorite character. He is hot-tempered and fast to 

fight anyone at any time without listening to reasons, but at the same time he has his sensible and funny side, which made me like him. He hates when people are bossing him around and that makes him call Yankumi on a duel just so that they could make it clear who is stronger. Yabuki is the representative of the class and he has thought out all kind of different formations (at least a seven), which the whole class knows so when he is calling out "Formation B" everyone knows how to act. I think he is the funniest character in second season, because I got so many funny pics of him and usually I do not stop the video to take a screenshot. There has been a lot of talk about Akanishi Jin and his acting skills and once again I think that he is not so bad as some people have said.

Hyuuga Kosuke kinda a reminded me Uchi from first season as he was so eager to become adult and 

independent that he even did not notice what is good and what is wrong. I think that he has the least story from the five main guys, but maybe it is only my illusion, although my notes on papers show that there has not been much interesting about him to mention. One more thing, for some reason I always have image of a tall guy when I think of Koide Keisuke (Actually 175 cm is already tall for me, because I am short, but I am woman so that does not count). Anyways, I have always thought that Koide Keisuke is about 180, because he looks like it in movies I have seen, but for the first time, he really looked like 175.

Now to the real shorty of the drama Takeda Keita. In short he is called Take. He is a different guy from others in the class. Though he is a delinquent he does not like to fight, because he is really small and weak. His own underestimating also decreases his will and braveness. That all makes him think that he might use some dirty tricks to have a equal possibilities with other, but cheating never brings fairness. He is just a character who needs to grow up more and then he is really cute guy. He is the first to understand that Yankumi is not a usual teacher and she may be trusted. Koike Teppei is always so cute when he is wearing hair-clips in his hair.

The tallest guy is Tsuchiya Hikaru also known as Tsucchi. He is outgoing and has no problem to talk 

to girls and match others together. He is the only one who has exact past situation with a teacher, which makes him distrust teachers. I am embarrassed to say that it is the first role I have seen from Hayami Mokomichi and now I truly must see "Zettai Kareshi" as soon as possible (but you know how it is with it).   Once again being half pays you at least great looks, because he looks smokin' hot.
Second season gave even more new actors to the entertainment screen. Only some of the 3D cast have not had other roles later and only few had before. I think the greatest newcomer of the 3D cast is Mizushima Hiro, his character does not have many lines in it (I forgot to count them), but he definitely stands out with his green shirts and sweaters.

This time Yankumi's heart gets captured by Kujo-sensei, a teacher from Momo Girls High School. I

still do not have a glue what happened to Shinohara, but I guess that after finding out Yankumi's background their relationship was out of question. Again I cannot tell Kujo-sensei's feelings, but who cares! It is always nice to watch Tanihara Shosuke on screen! Yankumi has definitely stepped one step higher with her feelings and she is much more opened about them.

That of course does not suit for Tetsu who is still in love with Yankumi. But this time even he gets one suitor. That is English teacher Shiratori, who is saved by Tetsu. I already had my hopes up that Tetsu will get a woman, because seeing him having unrequited love for Yankumi breaks my heart. Tetsu continues to receive false hope, especially when Yankumi is doing everything she can to keep Shiratori far from Tetsu, but sadly that is due to other reasons.

The second season actually starts with vice-principle Sawatari, who already works at Kurogin High

school. I feel that he is fated to work with Yankumi, but the only way to do it is to continue arguing with Yankumi. There were so many times I wished that Yankumi would say that "I have dealt with these problems before!" and to Sawatari "You know really well that I have done it before!". I think that without Sawatari "Gokusen" would not be as great as it is, because he is not a annoying character and after everything he understands when Yankumi is being right and acts like his heart tells him and not kiss superior a***s.

Compared to first season second seems to have much more fighting. I do not know if I just did not

mind that in the first season, but now it is getting a bit on my nerves. I understand that this 3D has much more enemies too, but I would like to see them without wounds for a minute. At the same time, the guys started to trust Yankumi faster. Some of the story lines tend to repeat the first season, which brings down the excitement, but on the other hand she seems to have more trouble with them and I wonder if she was so eager to fight with her guys in the first season. I would have wanted to see Yankumi talking more about her previous class and how they handled their situations, but sadly only Kuma is the connection between these two seasons. He is the only one who talks about the past.

I was so angry that they ruined everything with annoying characters who only repeat "These students are trash, worthless, etc" - I understand that it is the theme of the drama how Yankumi is the first and only to believe in them, but do I really need so many different guys telling the same thing over and over again?

The last reason why I took down the star was that I was able to watch it while doing my university assignments. Looks like a great thing as I saved up a lot of time, but in reality it means that it was lacking something that could have captivated my mind 100%.
Thank you, SARS, for subbing it. I cannot wait to start watching last season, but I do need a change for a moment. Otherwise I go around talking like Yankumi and failing at flirting, in a current situation that would not be great.

Read the third season review here!
Read "Gokusen the movie" review here!