(no subject)

[skygiants]

"So Becca, what did you do this weekend?"
"I read all fifteen volumes of Gokusen!"
"What else did you do this weekend?"
". . . reread some of my favorite bits of the fifteen volumes of Gokusen?"

There is a reason that I try to limit the amount of manga I read online. The reason is this: once I start, if it's good, I CAN'T STOP. And then all of a sudden there is no more, and I cry, and then inflict my enormous amounts of love on the internet in picspam form.

- okay that last doesn't always happen. BUT IT IS HAPPENING TODAY.

Basically if you had told me a week ago that my new obsession would be a Plucky Teacher Inspires Delinquents story, I would probably have been sort of dubious. But that is because I had not yet encountered the glory that is YAMAGUCHI KUMIKO.

People who have Kumiko burst unexpectedly into their lives often find themselves . . . kind of bemused.



Who is she?

JUST A PASSING HOMEROOM TEACHER.





Kumiko is a young and idealistic math teacher, fresh out of university!



And she's been assigned to the infamous Shirokin High School, home base of assorted underachieving delinquents who spend most of their time getting into fights and committing petty crime.



And also, terrorizing their teachers.



However, Kumiko - eventually fondly known to her students as 'Yankumi' - has an ace up her sleeve: she was RAISED BY THE YAKUZA.



While her family has not yet given up hope that someday she will take over the gang, they are also very supportive of her dream to become a high school teacher!



When her students drop by unexpectedly, they valiantly pretend that their beloved heiress is only hanging around because she's borrowed money from them. THE DECEPTION IS VERY DIFFICULT.



In short, they are stoic, manly and terrifying.



And Yankumi has inherited that stoicness.



Over the course of many adventures, her students grow from limited tolerance to a grudging respect to a total fascination with their extremely bizarre homeroom teacher.



BUT IT'S NOT LIKE THEY LIKE HER OR ANYTHING.

(It is seriously kind of hilarious how obsessed they become with her. On their holidays, they're like, "what should we do? LET'S GO STALK YANKUMI." When she goes to visit a guy she has a crush on, they're like "We're worried it might go badly! So let's follow her to a TOTALLY DIFFERENT CITY. Field trip! :D :D :D :D")

Yankumi does her best to keep her double life (and her mad skills) secret from her students, which is a challenge when they keep accidentally pissing off drug dealers and gangsters and other assorted miscreants.



The only student who knows the truth is Sawada Shin, the undisputed leader of the class gang. Shin is quite probably a genius, but he landed in Shirokin after punching out a teacher in middle school. He's the best-looking, the most badass, and by far the most intelligent kid in the class. In any other manga, Shin would probably be the lead. I mean, he's so cool!



He's so cool, even gangsters think he's cool!



However, sadly for Shin and Shin's image, in this manga he is the Designated Damsel.



Shin has a secret justice-loving heart buried under twelve layers of apathy. At first, following his weird new homeroom teacher around is just a way to add some interest to his boring life, but the more he gets to know her, the more he wants to get involved! and help her out! and watch her back and be her partner when stuff gets dangerous! and be with her always!

Yankumi takes him very seriously.



Sometimes, if there are other people around that she needs to hide her badassery from, she will graciously allow him to punch out a bad guy that she's already defeated.



Sorry, Shin. This is what happens when the love of your life is a.) the gangster-raised lovechild of Betty Suarez and Izumi Curtis and b.) your homeroom teacher.

(Hilariously, all his classmates ship it.)

Most of the main cast is male - it's an all-boy's school, and the only other main female character is Fujiyama-sensei, the other lady teacher at Shirokin High. I really love Yankumi and Fujiyama's friendship, though; Fujiyama does not need yakuza training or combat skills to be strong in her own way.



More than that, though, I don't mind as much as I might that there aren't that many recurring female characters, because of the way the women who do show up are portrayed - Yankumi might inhabit mostly male spheres, but it's emphatically not an all-male world, and you can tell the mangaka understands that women are important to each other.



It makes me happy, too. As does pretty much everything else about this manga. EVERYONE SHOULD READ IT. AND THEN COME BACK AND BABBLE TO ME ABOUT IT.

In conclusion: YANKUMI.



The manga is unlicensed, but you can read the whole thing here.

(I thought I was going to have to give a warning for a homophobic storyline involving a gay male teacher. And then I read on, and the manga actually returned to that storyline, and while it's not one hundred percent better, the way it worked out is so much better than I thought that I no longer feel the need to give a warning, except for the fact that, if you are at all like me, it is DANGEROUSLY ADDICTIVE and you may find your weekend vanished before you know it. ;__;)

Comments

[wickedtrue.livejournal.com]

Watch the jdrama they did of this! I really enjoyed it and I thikn you will like it as well! I mainlined it after I finished GTO (Great Teacher Onizua) and hearted it something silly. It's different enough from the manga that I still was surprised (they try not to ship the student/teacher thing! ...as much! Ahaha, end credits!), and I loooove the gansters. There was much following her around with a variety of food carts that WERE NOT OBVIOUS AT ALL.

[skygiants]

Haha, the reason I ended up reading the manga is because when I did my Great Poll of Tell Me What to Watch Justice, three or four people popped up and were like "READ THE MANGA READ THE MANGA." As this post may indicate I think their advice was good advice, but the jdrama is still totally on my list! Because I NEED MORE.

(I feel SO SHAMED to actually be shipping the student/teacher thing. It's okay because nothing actually happens until after graduation? *weak*)

[darkeyedwolf.livejournal.com]

FUCK YEAH GOKUSEN. I will never forget the scene where Yankumi CLIMBS A BALCONY to rescue Shin and eventually hauls herself over the railing all sweaty and dirty and triumphant like Shin's her tower princess.

[skygiants]

HAHAHA YES. I almost included that in this picspam and then decided it was long enough and I could let people discover that glorious moment on their own. BUT OH MAN. *____*

I am also really fond of the scene where she knocks him out and lays him out by the side of the street. FOR HIS OWN SAFETY.

[ojuzu.livejournal.com]

That is like my favourite scene ever. "Isn't this usually reversed?"

YANKUMI CLIMBED UP YOUR BALCONY TO RESCUE YOU WHILE YOU WERE WAITING FOR HER IN YOUR NIGHTCLOTHES, SHIN. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY TRUE LOVE.

[darthrami.livejournal.com]

I can't really do comics or manga (my brain just doesn't work that way), but if I did, While her family has not yet given up hope that someday she will take over the gang, they are also very supportive of her dream to become a high school teacher! would be enough to get me to read this one. XD

[skygiants]

Well, as Feather pointed out above, there is also a live-action TV version available! Which I have not seen yet but also appears to be hilariously excellent. :D

[futuresoon.livejournal.com]

...*_*

Well, fuck me, it's not like I have any real homework to do.

[skygiants]

YOU WILL LOVE IT. *_____* And then you can write me the Baccano! crossover.

[izilen]

Hahahahaha. Yeaaaah. That is what happened to my weekend when I read this. I love your commentary and agree 100% with it and the funny picspam! <3

Re: everybody shipping it: EVEN THE DOG SHIPS IT!

[darkeyedwolf.livejournal.com]

Butting in, but that is seriously the best icon ever.

[skygiants]

IT'S LIKE A BRAIN-EATING MONSTER. I am battling hard not to let the rest of my week just turn into 'make hundreds of dorky icons' time. I HAVE OTHER STUFF TO DO THIS WEEK, SELF.

HAHAHAHA I KNOW. I was going to say, 'it's in extra chapters, so I don't know if it counts,' but then I realized if I didn't count those I also couldn't count the hilarious chapter where A DEMON TRIES TO EAT SHIN and I really want to count the hilarious chapter where a demon tries to eat Shin. THE ULTIMATE IN DAMSELING.

[oneechan19.livejournal.com]

the gangster-raised lovechild of Betty Suarez and Izumi Curtis

YES. I soon as I saw the second picture, I totally thought of Izumi. XD

[skygiants]

She is like the dorkier, more squishy-hearted baby version of Izumi! BUT SHE COULD STILL TOTALLY JUDO THROW A BEAR.

[mekosuchinae.livejournal.com]

I LOVE GOKUSEN SO MUCH I CAN'T EVEN. I still can't believe no one's licensed it, for the sole reason that I NEED TO OWN IT AND HAVE IT IN MY LIFE FOREVER. Hahahaha, I was following it while it was being released and every month was like GODDDD CAN'T YOU TRANSLATE FASTERRRRRR, and rolling around impatiently waiting for the next installment of YANKUMI SAVES EVERYBODY, SHIN SIGHS LONGINGLY, THE DELINQUENTS CONCOCT ELABORATE GROUP FANTASIES.

Aaaaand now I'm rereading it at work. THX.

[skygiants]

I don't buy full series of lots of manga for the simple reason that if I did I would have a.) no room in my apartment and b.) . . . no money for an apartment, but if Gokusen was licensed I WOULD BUY EVERY VOLUME, omg. I am simultaneously glad and sorry that I have read it now that it is (almost) all done, because on the one hand, NO TORTUOUS WAIT, HOW WOULD I HAVE STOOD IT, but on the other hand, I have only had a week of new Gokusen in my life instead of years of delightful anticipation. ;____; (But there is still the final chapter of the special to wait for! SO EXCITED.)

Y-YOU'RE WELCOME? :D

[kd7sov]

It is possibly indicative of the sorts of things I like that when I read the "Plucky Teacher Inspires Delinquents story" line, I immediately came up with three "What, like...?"s.

(Goodbye Mr. Chips, Les Choristes, and Dead Poets Society, in case you're curious.)

I may well investigate this. But probably not tonight.

[skygiants]

Much like these! EXCEPT AWESOMER (in my humble opinion, and based largely on my fondness for a.) asskicking ladies and b.) hilarious gangster comedy.)

[elle-white.livejournal.com]

My jaw was on the floor while reading this post. I now picked it up and plan to look further into this awesomeness.

Um, the FMA Ladyfest is starting tomorrow isn't it? I AM SO EXCITED FOR IT. *does a little dance*

[skygiants]

>:DDDD Yankumi would be an EXTREMELY EXCELLENT addition to your lists of awesome ladies, I feel.

And yes it is! WE ARE EXCITED TOO. You have no idea the amount of allcaps in the emails going back and forth between me and genarti today. BUT IT IS A LOT. *laughing*

[lacewood]

HELL YEAH GOKUSEN. YANKUMIIII ♥_hearts;

Clearly I need to finish/reread the manga again because it's been waaay too long since my last reading.

Yankumi is the beeeesssst. I love that she's a big damn badass and yet this in no way means she can't ALSO be THE BIGGEST DORK at the exact same time. *____* The R+J parody balcony scene! Shin's resignation to his HILARIOUS DOOM to be Yankumi's damsel in distress 90% of the time (at least you get 10%, hey)

(Though... I think a part of me is still mildly traumatised by the part where everyone talks Shin into wearing a loincloth to UP HIS MANLINESS and Yankumi PRETTY MUCH FREAKS OUT. Also, the last chapter! With the CRANE POSES)

[skygiants]

YANKUMI IS INDEED THE BEST. I love her so much, omg. Her dorky, dorky faces! How terrible she is at lying! That time she accidentally rescued a dude who had no idea who she was! And hahaha yeah, Shin knows very well who is Batman in this team and who is the Boy Hostage. (I love that the one time he gets to rescue Yankumi, it is literally just because SHE HAD A COLD THAT DAY. She still beat up all the bad guys, it was just that then she had to fall asleep for a while! Someone's gotta be there for her when those allergies hit, yo.)

(HAHAHA THE CRANE POSES. Omg, YANKUMI. *___* Also, Shin's loincloth is pretty epic, and yet, how is nobody talking about that time that THE WHOLE CLASS dressed up in loincloths? Because they love Yankumi THAT MUCH!)

[nextian.livejournal.com]

~I THINK I'M IN LOOOOOOVE, AGAIN~

[skygiants]

HAHAHAHAHA YANKUMI IN A NUTSHELL <3_______<3

[ojuzu.livejournal.com]

Your feelings on Gokusen = my feelings. EXACTLY. I stayed up past midnight trying to finish it once, and I basically spent half of last week re-reading the damn thing. (I didn't re-read the last five volumes, though. I'm saving those for when I have time to break down again over it being the end.)

. . . In light of this, are you nominating this (or Boss) for Yuletide? Because I need to nominate one and I can't decide which.

Shin is the best Designated Damsel in the world. And the way Yankumi used him to hide her fighting skills from Fujiyama! SO HILARIOUS. When I watched the first episode of the anime I didn't think I was going to like him, being all prepared for him to be a total jerk to Kumiko (as he would have been had this been anything but Gokusen) but two volumes in and I was just laughing and laughing and going "oh you two so cute."

And they actually dealt with the ephebophile gay teacher really well! I was surprised.

Word on the female characters thing. Like, there aren't a lot of them, but it's obvious the mangaka gets how to make that not sexist.

and I want to squee a lot more but I'm sure my lunch is cold by now. (also also also Shin is the same character-type as Mai from A:TLA. Kind of.)

[skygiants]

Hahaha you do not want to know how late I was staying up during some parts of this EPIC READ. I couldn't stop! Every time, it was just one more chapter, one more chapter . . . (I COMMEND YOUR SELF-RESTRAINT.)

Aaaaahhhh ahhhhhhh I cannot think yet about Yuletide nominations, I have to wrap up fma_ladyfest first! *EYES OF TERROR* (But Gokusen is definitely on my tentative-and-too-long list of things to nominate, and Boss sadly is not - I think it is an awesome series in that it exists, but I kept running up against the fact that I get bored with police procedurals even though the characters were awesome.l)

It happens like three times that she has to use him to hide her fighting skills, and it is hilarious EVERY TIME, omg. POOR SHIN. Graciously granted fake badass status by the object of his affections! And yeah, I really liked that Shin never actually acted like a jerk - while everyone respected his ~innate cool~, you could tell he didn't really feel the need to posture. I RESPECT THAT, SHIN.

And yeah! I was cringing at the storyline at first, but once I realized that the point was "and everyone needs role models, especially marginalized kids!" I just became overwhelmed in a wave of love for the story as a whole. Likewise, with the female characters.

(HAHAHAHAHA OMG. I want them to hang out *____*. They can commiserate on their friends' terrible habits of locking them in closets with their love interests!)