Deadjournal

Japan is like a magic word. For example, take a photo of a random Chinese town, and it might seem plain or unattractive. But label that same photo as taken in Japan, and suddenly it feels incredibly aesthetic and beautiful.

While Classroom of the Elite doesn’t bring anything particularly groundbreaking to the table, it’s still an engaging and entertaining watch. The setting is an elite academy that runs on a point-based system (from what I gathered, there are both personal points and class points), and these points can be converted into real money, or at least, you can buy pretty much anything with them. The story revolves around different classes scheming, deceiving, and backstabbing each other to gain an advantage.

There’s no comedic relief here, and the atmosphere leans toward the darker side, which works in the show’s favor. A lot of anime with similar tones tend to drown in excessive teenage edginess and forced "epic" moments (the cringe kind), but this one manages to avoid that. Sure, sometimes the conflict on screen feels like glorified rat-racing with serious expressions, but honestly, that just adds to the realism.

The characters? Pretty interesting, though not fully fleshed out, at least in the first season. Still, they’re compelling enough to keep me hooked. Definitely looking forward to the next season.

All these years of learning English, and I still sometimes struggle with it, especially when watching anime with English subtitles. It gets particularly challenging when the subtitles change too quickly or when the translators overuse informal idiomatic expressions and jargon instead of plain English (e.g. "to betray" -> "throw someone under the bus", "to chat" -> "chew the fat", and other nonsense).

That's why I created a plugin for MPV that translates subtitles on-the-fly using a free Google Translate endpoint. You just press a key, and the translation appears on the OSD. The script is incredibly simple, but it works perfectly.

I’m not sure how long this endpoint will keep working, but for now, it’s running smoothly. Feel free to check it out!

https://git.bernd32.xyz/bernd32/SubTranslate

This is probably the most unusual josei anime I’ve ever seen, no romance, no relationships, but instead, a vocational school, delinquents, and street brawls. That originality really worked for me. It’s not every day you get to see a different side of Japanese society in anime, especially the lives of troublemaker students, street thugs, and even the yakuza, all wrapped up in a josei package.

What I didn't like:

• Cheap animation and simple art style. While the character designs are decent, the overall quality feels very basic.


• Ambiguous ending and short length. These two issues are likely interconnected. It feels like the anime was initially planned for at least two seasons but ended up with just one, leaving the story unfinished. I’ll probably check out the manga soon to get the full picture.


• Unrealistic moments and the over-the-top "coolness" of the protagonist. One of the most ridiculous scenes involves a group of burly, seasoned gangsters backing down after a single angry glare from the protagonist, a fragile-looking young woman with glasses.

Despite these flaws, the show stands out for its unique setting and themes, offering a fresh take on school life by focusing on underperforming hooligans and their world. It’s also entertaining to watch the main character balance her roles as a teacher and heir to a yakuza clan.

Apart from the protagonist, most characters feel somewhat bland and blend into the background. Only three stand

The protagonist: Her dual life and charisma are the backbone of the series.
Kuma (the big guy): He adds some comic relief and heart to the story.
Shin-chan: A classic bishounen with all the usual josei tropes—good looks, respect from the neighborhood gang, “mysterious” vibes, and rich parents.

Honestly, he feels out of place in such a gritty setting, but his inclusion seems obligatory for the genre. Without him, it might not have been “canonical” josei.

All in all, Gokusen is a worthy spiritual successor to Great Teacher Onizuka. While it has its flaws, the unique setting and themes make it a fascinating watch. Fans of school drama with a twist of yakuza flair will find it enjoyable, though the ending may leave them wanting more.

Rating: 7/10.

A great anime with a beautiful storyline and a pleasant art style. While it might look childish, I personally enjoy this kind of drawing style. The plot isn’t the most groundbreaking and does have a few flaws, but I still think it’s excellent, especially compared to what I’ve seen recently. It strikes a harmonious balance between romance, detective, and mystery, which are my favorite genres.

I was also quite shocked to hear Russian in the ending song. At first, I didn’t even recognize my native language in it! And yes, the ending song was fantastic in both the Russian and Japanese versions:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epmzDxsS4kc
https://youtu.be/Vd7X-o0MjoE