Gokusen 2: Review and Quotes

I finished watching it, and I must tell it was awesome!




Review


The main storyline is still the same. Yamaguchi Kumiko gets another class of boys who act like delinquents, look for trouble and refuse to believe in their teachers. But she will win their hearts, one by one, and little by little. Just like in “Gokusen” (the 1st season) she has a crush on a man (who is this time a teacher), but she doesn’t confess and her love is not be reciprocated. Some scenes are also repetitive: she always comes in the last moment to stop her students from fighting or being beaten to death, protecting them like a lioness.

However, new flavour is added. And this would be Akame, my newest OTP. Between them there is a strong bond that I believe (and wish) it exists outside of the drama as well.

Yabuki Hayato (played by Jin) is the leader of 3-D, the most terrifying class from Kurogin Gakuen. Even though he is the head of the group, he is too reckless and impulsive to lead them alone and take decisions on his own. This is where Odagiri Ryu (played by Kazuya) comes. The calm, levelheaded boy complements the other, and represents a vital part of the gang. He’s the one who is reasoning and makes Yabuki think twice.

Unfortunately, the drama finds them in bad terms with each other. They have severed ties after Ryu bowed in front of another school’s gang leader, pleading for an agreement so that they won’t be forced to fight (as previously planned by the leaders of the bands). This is what Yankumi finds from one of their friend, Takeda Keita, in her desperate race to bring Odagiri back to school. But Ryu had a good reason to do that. He did it because Takeda asked him to since the last one was not prepared for a fight at all. Yabuki has never known of these two friends' deal. This is why he considers Ryu a coward all the while.

Then, Yankumi manages to bring Odagiri back to school, after fighting a band of outlaws whom he had to work for. Back to this place where he has to face Yabuki’s hard words and sneaky remarks, Ryu doesn’t do anything but to stubbornly remain silent about his past actions. Takeda will not stand the guilt he feels when he sees Ryu being treated like this and he tells his classmates and Yankumi the truth. Exactly that day Yabuki doesn’t enter the class and remains in the hallway, eavesdropping. The feels a strong remorse and goes to meet the other leader of the trouble gang. He is decided to let them beat him, in order for his classmates not to be beaten up by them again. He was “sacrificing” himself. But Ryu foresees that after Hayato’s bag is found in the hallway, and goes there to help him. Exactly on time, one would say. This is comradeship. This is friendship.

It felt so good watching them, soothing whenever “Kizuna” started playing, or when the characters showed how they felt. However, the fighting scenes were always hard to watch. The first time I saw a fanvid about “Gokusen 2” (which had “Kizuna” as background music), I remember that I froze when Hayato hit Ryu “out of thin air”. And then the fight with Ara high-schoolers. I cringed seeing Hayato and Ryu on the floor, being beaten up by those. I’m not really sensitive when I see a fight scene in a movie. But seeing these particular scenes, with Hayato and Ryu, really hurt me. I mean seeing them beaten up like that … hurt. Like hell.

It was sad and painful only watching those scenes, but it also felt a bit nice, knowing that were actually protecting something close to their hearts: friends and bonds. I dare to say that it even sounds “appealing”: protecting something or somebody with your own body and with your own blood. I mean, is there something else you could do more? Protecting something with your own life. I think it’s a supreme thing. You can’t do more as a human being.

Scratches, bruises, and injuries become rewards. And they are enough.



this is one one of my all time favorite artworks. credit to ediblecloud ♥



Some Quotes


“Yankumi: Yabuki, listen up. A person being strong or weak, is not decided by pure strength. Do you want to keep doing this? I’ve said it so many times, and you still don’t get it. Yakubi, listen up! A person, as long as they have the power to the protect things that are most important to them, it’s enough.”




“Yankumi: You mean that girl has a future, and you don’t, so that why you don’t care what will happen to you? Of course there’s something wrong. Such a thing, it’s just s small obstacle in life. That girl has a future, and so do you.

Tsuchiya: There’s a difference.

Yankumi:You guys aren’t different!

Tsuchiya: I can’t compare to her!

Yankumi: Why must one be compared to the other? Your future and her future are equally important. Your opportunities are equal.”




“Takeda: I had no choice. Normal efforts won’t do it for me.

Yankumi: Have you tried? Relying on others, you didn’t do anything on your own!

Takeda: It won’t matter if I did! I can’t fight, and have no guts. If I don’t use such methods, she won’t acknowledge me!

*Yankumi punches him*

Yankumi: Stop joking! Stop talking nonsense! Who said such indecent methods are okay? What’s important is the strength inside. “




“Yankumi: Weak? Who said he is weak? Although he has no strength to match yours, he has a strong heart that refuses to give up till the last moment. I think he is very strong. Compared to you, he is much better! “




“Yankumi: Everyone, listen up! The graduation certificate you have just received is not only a piece of paper. It is a representation of all that you have learned these past 3 years. And one more thing: from now on, even when faced with adversity, with pain, when you can’t feel you can win by yourself, you just need to remember … Remember that you have such great friends. And remember that you all have me. I will always be by your side. Although it has been for only 3 months, being your homeroom teacher, I feel very proud. Thank you.”