Deadjournal

Прочитал новелку NHK ni Youkoso, спустя лет 15 после того, как посмотрел аниме-адаптацию, которая мне очень и очень зашла на то время. Хотелось бы поделиться своими ощущениями от прочитанного. Ощущение отвратительные. Не потому что новелла плохая или что-то в этом роде, нет. А потому что прочитанное вызвало внутри меня чувство глубокой тоски, которую я до конца не понимаю. Возможно, это потому, что сюжет очень глубоко резонировал с моим скудным, но всё же жизненным опытом, в котором было если не всё то же самое, что в новелле, то очень много похожего, кроме, разве что, драматической концовки. Моя же, если можно сказать, "концовка", и нынешнее существование, невероятно уныло и бессмысленно. Нельзя сказать, что в новелле концовка очень осмысленна или глубока, но она по крайней мере яркая и драматичная, а самое главное — дающая очень небольшую, но надежду главному герою. У меня же нет никаких надежд, и осознание этого вызывает во мне эмоции уныния и печали.

Хотел было прочитать еще что-нибудь грустное про NEET, но откинул эту идею — для меня читать подобное сродни ментальному мазохизму, причем, я думаю, даже неважно какой будет концовка, плохой или хорошей. Эскапизм через сюжеты, которые откликаются с твоей реальностью перестает быть эскапизмом, а я потребляю контент (книги, фильмы, сериалы) исключительно ради временного ухода из серой тоскливой реальности.

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.