sunako_yue (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
sunako_yue) wrote2017-07-07 11:10 am
sunako_yue) wrote2017-07-07 11:10 am
Queen of the Classroom (Jyoou no Kyoushitsu)
A new school year begins at Hanzaki Elementary School and there's a new mysterious teacher named Maya Akutsu (Yuki Amami) in grade 6, class 3. Meanwhile, Kazumi Kanda (Mirai Shida) is now entering the 6th grade and filled with excitement about the new school year. Kazumi also has Maya Akutsu as her new homeroom teacher.
The students in grade 6, class 3 quickly realize that Maya Akutsu never smiles at them and treats them mercilessly. Students are not even allowed to use the bathroom during class time. Maya places a high emphasis on test scores and gives pop quizzes every week. Students who receive the lowest scores, become almost like her slaves as they must perform odd jobs in the classroom. Kazumi quickly falls into the crosshairs of Kazumi Kanda.
A year 1 year battle then ensues between Maya Akutsu, who rules her classroom like a queen, and the students of grade 6, class 3. (asiawiki-2005)
Well, well, well.... To me this was the best school drama out there. Yes, better than Gokusen, than Dragon Sakura, better than GTO. We have a competent teacher (female counterpart of Abe Hiroshi) and who at the same time, is always there for her students (like Yankumi and Oniizuka). Why it tops the others: this teacher is ZERO cheesiness. This teacher is severe and maybe lacks warm, but even her colleagues can see that she is a good teacher. Her colleagues are responsible and not idiotic. And the top on the cherry: her students are middle school children, instead of angsty teenagers. And in spite of being younger, this is the least childish school drama I've seen. It is really a very unpredictable dorama, which also despicts the education and consecuently, professional life, of the Japanese people. Maya may be harsh, but her methods of teaching is what at least I expect from a teacher: severity, a teacher who is there to guide her students, not to be friends with them.
Story: (9/10) It is true that it is somewhat hard to watch at first how the teacher bullies her students. However, I also think that students need a firm hand in school, otherwise they will all end yankees (see GTO and Gokusen as reference). Besides "Dragon Sakura", this is the first time I see a dorama where the teacher isn't all smiles and "too nice". I love the introduction of Akutsu-sensei/Maya. It took minutes of her shoes walking and walking down the hall till we could finally see her in all her splendor: tight bun, serious expression, black clothes, zero jewelry, zero make-up. She was like a female-Snape: it made you wonder if she was just a bully or if she was nice.
I loved the relationship between Kazumi and her older sister. A protective teenager of her little sister? Who was always there for her. I think I've never seen this kind of normal, yet heartwarming sibling relationship in a dorama yet.
There were many heartwarming moments in this dorama. It may look like it is going to be a dark story.. and it was sometimes, but only a little. Mostly of how it was filmed. I love the direction of this dorama. The change of lights whenever Maya was near. I love how it was filmed from below to make her seem more impressive, scarier.
The bullying was too hard to watch at first, it makes you feel so sorry for Kazumi. No matter how cheerful, positive she was, it was painful. At least she was never alone. Nevertheless, I think she was too forgiven. Her childhood friends betray her, and all that bullying! However, she forgives them all and isn't resentful at all, making ME resentful. I couldn't forgive that awful Erika-chan. And that traitor Baba-chan. In most J-doramas I watch, mean/bad people always redeem themselves, which is nice and all, but far from believable. I don't' care their reasons, they were awful and their crimes are easily forgotten and forgiven. Hmph.
So besides that, I didn't like the dramatic twist in Erika's story. To summarize, the worst part of this story was Erika, 2nd worst Baba-chan. And I think that the students realizing they all love Maya was too sudden. Ep. 10 they all hated her, except for Kazumi, and Ep. 11 (and last one) they all are crying because she is leaving. WHUT. I would have wanted an Ep. 12 to settle things -and feelings- more naturally.
Cast: (9/10) Finally! I watched Amami Yuki in a dorama. She was imposing, elegant, lady-like, yet terrifying. Always mysterious, never cartoonish. On the other hand, Shida Mirai was by far the best child actor. Her tears were so good. Her cute face so adorable. I believed her character, and I never felt she was acting. It was like she was Kazumi, with that silly yet cute "tee-hee" expression. The other child actress that was very good was the one who played Shindo-san. Looked like an anime-character too. And maybe the top student, Nishikawa, was also good. All the other children were ok, some of them even MEH. Kaho was excellent as the older sister, as always. Made me cry a little bit with all her love for her sister.
Music: (10/10) the OST is soo fitting, dark and mysterious. And the EP song ("EXIT" by EXILE) is light and fun, a contrast to the dark series. I love the little dance at the ending sequence. Amami Yuki moves like the wind, so smoothly. I wonder if this dorama was the pioneer in nice dances at the ending sequence. Mind you, it is not such an old dorama, in spite of suggesting the opposite, with the type of clothes and the hairdos in that time.
Rewatch value: (9/10) this one is the kind of dorama that could be watch over again, although I think that the "spooky" factor won't be so strong the 2nd time.
**My rating: 9/10**
The students in grade 6, class 3 quickly realize that Maya Akutsu never smiles at them and treats them mercilessly. Students are not even allowed to use the bathroom during class time. Maya places a high emphasis on test scores and gives pop quizzes every week. Students who receive the lowest scores, become almost like her slaves as they must perform odd jobs in the classroom. Kazumi quickly falls into the crosshairs of Kazumi Kanda.
A year 1 year battle then ensues between Maya Akutsu, who rules her classroom like a queen, and the students of grade 6, class 3. (asiawiki-2005)
Well, well, well.... To me this was the best school drama out there. Yes, better than Gokusen, than Dragon Sakura, better than GTO. We have a competent teacher (female counterpart of Abe Hiroshi) and who at the same time, is always there for her students (like Yankumi and Oniizuka). Why it tops the others: this teacher is ZERO cheesiness. This teacher is severe and maybe lacks warm, but even her colleagues can see that she is a good teacher. Her colleagues are responsible and not idiotic. And the top on the cherry: her students are middle school children, instead of angsty teenagers. And in spite of being younger, this is the least childish school drama I've seen. It is really a very unpredictable dorama, which also despicts the education and consecuently, professional life, of the Japanese people. Maya may be harsh, but her methods of teaching is what at least I expect from a teacher: severity, a teacher who is there to guide her students, not to be friends with them.
Story: (9/10) It is true that it is somewhat hard to watch at first how the teacher bullies her students. However, I also think that students need a firm hand in school, otherwise they will all end yankees (see GTO and Gokusen as reference). Besides "Dragon Sakura", this is the first time I see a dorama where the teacher isn't all smiles and "too nice". I love the introduction of Akutsu-sensei/Maya. It took minutes of her shoes walking and walking down the hall till we could finally see her in all her splendor: tight bun, serious expression, black clothes, zero jewelry, zero make-up. She was like a female-Snape: it made you wonder if she was just a bully or if she was nice.
I loved the relationship between Kazumi and her older sister. A protective teenager of her little sister? Who was always there for her. I think I've never seen this kind of normal, yet heartwarming sibling relationship in a dorama yet.
There were many heartwarming moments in this dorama. It may look like it is going to be a dark story.. and it was sometimes, but only a little. Mostly of how it was filmed. I love the direction of this dorama. The change of lights whenever Maya was near. I love how it was filmed from below to make her seem more impressive, scarier.
The bullying was too hard to watch at first, it makes you feel so sorry for Kazumi. No matter how cheerful, positive she was, it was painful. At least she was never alone. Nevertheless, I think she was too forgiven. Her childhood friends betray her, and all that bullying! However, she forgives them all and isn't resentful at all, making ME resentful. I couldn't forgive that awful Erika-chan. And that traitor Baba-chan. In most J-doramas I watch, mean/bad people always redeem themselves, which is nice and all, but far from believable. I don't' care their reasons, they were awful and their crimes are easily forgotten and forgiven. Hmph.
So besides that, I didn't like the dramatic twist in Erika's story. To summarize, the worst part of this story was Erika, 2nd worst Baba-chan. And I think that the students realizing they all love Maya was too sudden. Ep. 10 they all hated her, except for Kazumi, and Ep. 11 (and last one) they all are crying because she is leaving. WHUT. I would have wanted an Ep. 12 to settle things -and feelings- more naturally.
Cast: (9/10) Finally! I watched Amami Yuki in a dorama. She was imposing, elegant, lady-like, yet terrifying. Always mysterious, never cartoonish. On the other hand, Shida Mirai was by far the best child actor. Her tears were so good. Her cute face so adorable. I believed her character, and I never felt she was acting. It was like she was Kazumi, with that silly yet cute "tee-hee" expression. The other child actress that was very good was the one who played Shindo-san. Looked like an anime-character too. And maybe the top student, Nishikawa, was also good. All the other children were ok, some of them even MEH. Kaho was excellent as the older sister, as always. Made me cry a little bit with all her love for her sister.
Music: (10/10) the OST is soo fitting, dark and mysterious. And the EP song ("EXIT" by EXILE) is light and fun, a contrast to the dark series. I love the little dance at the ending sequence. Amami Yuki moves like the wind, so smoothly. I wonder if this dorama was the pioneer in nice dances at the ending sequence. Mind you, it is not such an old dorama, in spite of suggesting the opposite, with the type of clothes and the hairdos in that time.
Rewatch value: (9/10) this one is the kind of dorama that could be watch over again, although I think that the "spooky" factor won't be so strong the 2nd time.
**My rating: 9/10**