Manga Reviews

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

Gokusen

Gokusen
By Kozueko Morimoto
8 Volumes (On-Going)
Scanslated by Ushi, Impossibility
IRC Channel: #ushi @ irc.rizon.net, #possible-soup @ irc.irchighway.net

Topic: Shounen, Fighting, School, Comedy

Summary:
Yamaguchi Kumiko has always dreamed of being a teacher. Finally, she has gotten the chance to have her own class at Shirokin Gakuen, an all male school full of delinquents. At first, the students don't accept her and give her a very difficult time. However, classroom bullies are nothing for Kumiko, the heir to the Kuroda yakuza kumi (a yakuza group). She uses her background and fighting skills to slowly turn around the wayward school, while filling her yakuza role within the kumi (group) at the same time. Only the leader of the 2nd year students, Sawada Shin, realizes that something is odd about Yankumi (a nickname given to her by the students). He soon begins to chase after her 'other life.'

Commentary:
Gokusen at first comes off as another GTO (Great Teacher Onizuka -- Licensed by Tokyopop), but whereas GTO was centered mainly around Onizuka, Gokusen dances between Kumiko, her school, and her family, centering on a combination of the three. The story is always building and expanding. School life mixes with yakuza life to weave an increasingly entertaining plot that gets better as her students come closer to the truth. Gokusen is a definite read on my list.

Rating: 9.0/10.0 -- Reviewer's Choice

-- Review Submitted by du

2 Comments:

  • This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 12:43 AM  

  • I agree with this review, Gokusen is a great manga, lots of fun & well developed characters. ^_^

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 12:46 AM  

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