The Greatest Teacher

A Teacher Changing Lives, One Student At a Time!

I have been an ESL teacher for nearly 10 years. Many teachers will say that their primary job is to impart knowledge to their students. However, I have always believed that a teacher’s true job is to empower their students. To teach them “how to think” rather than “what to think.” The best teachers are facilitators and always encourage their students to find their own answers. This is the style of teaching that is pervasive throughout the Scandinavian countries.

Rina Kujo is the homeroom teacher for a class of underachievers, and those who care very little about their education. For many, getting through a day is all that matters. She finds that on March 10, 2024, on Graduation Day, one of her students pushes her off a bridge to her death. She awakens to find herself on Opening Day a year ago. She realizes that for some unknown reason, she is given the chance to relive the past year and, perhaps, prevent her death. At first, this is her goal.

Rina’s determined to find out who pushed her to her death as she gazes at the sea of unhappy and unruly faces in her classroom. It then becomes apparent to her that it wasn’t just the students who struggled to get through a day, and soon, her focus shifts to understanding why her students behave the way that they do, and perhaps in doing so, she might begin to effect real change.

It begins with Ugumori Kanau, a shy but kind student who is being bullied by a number of students in the class. At first, Ugumori is very skeptical that Rina can do anything to help her until she finally asks Ugumori to summon the courage to face the class and tell them how their bullying has affected her. Courageously, she does just that, and very quickly, Rina has a staunch ally as she begins to help students one at a time. At first, the class stands against her, but soon, they begin to realize that Rina is truly trying to help them realize that they can live their lives a much different way than they have been. That there is hope, and that they aren’t quite as trapped in their life situations as they believe.

The themes attached to the students are all things that teenagers can relate to. Being bullied, being used by their parents, being an outcast among peers due to looks, allowing others to bully you, doing things you don’t want to do in order to be popular, and be a part of the “in crowd” despite the fact that you really don’t want to be friends with them anyway. These are all elements that are addressed. Rina, however, doesn’t lecture her students, but helps them realize that they are the cause of their own misery, but that they can change.

It's ironic how many people despair that any change is possible, and how they firmly believe that there simply isn’t any way out of their “hopeless” and unhappy situations, and so they take drastic measures, such as suicide, violence, or attack on others. As it’s been said, “Misery loves company.” Why else do you think bullies love a crowd? Their ploys don’t work without an audience.

This is the type of series that should be required viewing throughout high schools around the world. Students would quickly find themselves relating to one or more of the characters depicted here, and perhaps even be inspired to make their own changes.

Rina finds that she must change herself before she can inspire change in others, thus mirroring Gandhi's famous words, "Be the Change you wish to see."

Rina doesn’t just point out the problem behavior, but makes each student realize how that behavior affects others and how it’s so destructive. There’s no point in pointing out such behavior if the perpetrator is unable to see how it affects everyone around them. Empathy is something that is sorely missing from schools, and it’s something that should be required as part of learning.

There are some very problematic students in this series, and you wonder how Rina can possibly get through to them. But, where there was one voice, it soon grows into many, and even the most vicious students are suddenly finding themselves not only having to face Rina, but most of their classmates as well. They learn to accept and appreciate everyone for their talents as well as for their differences. It’s very hard to hate someone when you really get to know them.

There are some incredibly powerful moments in this series, at least one per episode, that you will find both moving and poignant. I’ve seen some great stories regarding teachers and students, such as “Freedom Writers” and “The Dead Poet’s Society.” This one ranks right up there with the best of them.

In a world where bullying is at its all-time worst, a series like this one becomes more paramount than ever before. This is a series that easily invites multiple viewings as we learn that it’s impossible for a student to learn something from a teacher without a teacher also learning something from a student. It always goes both ways. I learned so much from the students I taught. Things I still use to this day.

For any true teacher, you have to find a way to connect with your students. That’s half the battle. You can’t be afraid to get to know them and share things with them. This series endeavors to demonstrate what true learning is all about.

Don’t be surprised if you find yourself reaching for some tissues! This series digs deeply, as well it should. After all, a teacher has to always let their students know that they are there for them. Teaching is one of those jobs that, if you don’t love it, then you shouldn’t do it.

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I like the story, but the execution was below my expectation.

I don't know it's just me or not, but I felt this drama was boring for me when I watched it, I liked the story but the execution was below my expectations for this drama. I like both Kujo Rina (Matsuoka Mayu) and Ugomori Kanau (Ashida Mana) acting performances, but for the other 3D students I think their acting performance are boring and not as exciting as when I watched 2019 Class 3A's students. In fact, I enjoyed it much more when I watching Saiko no Seito which is a spin-off / side-story of this drama, where the story is about Fujiwara Taishi (Yamashita Coki), one of the 3D students of this class and his girlfriend from 3C the class next door who has genetic disease and has been given a year to live . His character development in the spin-off is so much more better than any other students in this drama, He deserves more lines here.

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Long but lacking dialogues

The essence of the story is interesting, I liked the ending but I a lot of how we got there didn’t make sense to me. The drama was full of long dialogues, yet they lacked spirit and felt shallow, especially after the second half of the show. From Kujo’s relationship with her husband and friends to her relationship with her students, it felt cold no matter how close they were supposed to be. Her reaction with her husband felt as if they were newly roommates. Her friends were just a convenience without much depth.

Except for Ugumori, her students are horrible and cowards. Her character was the only one that showed growth. All the rest were more of a switch but I think it was more of an issue of writing than performance. That switch made the drama feel too forgiving when that is the usual when it comes to “teacher-type” drama. It is ironic considering how unforgiving Japanese society actually is.

The dialogues were too long and repetitive, but rarely got to the point and was more dancing around it. What does “facing what happened” even mean? There was no constructive active advice given.

That being said, the drama was good at portraying how cowardly bullies are, no sob story to excuse it which is refreshing. Students realize they were the ones giving bullies power by being on the sidelines, too scared to be the next target. THAT can be applied on a macro level. So many wars around the world could have been avoided and innocent lives spared if people, nations and governments stopped being cowards and had a stance.

I loved the music, it really set the mood of the drama and elevated the setting.

In short, typical teacher centric school drama with an interesting setup that probably could’ve done better with more capable writing and/or directing.

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3 Nen D Gumi

Le postulat de départ est classique et ne s'embête même pas d'une pirouette scénariste. Au moment de perdre la vie, notre héroïne revient dans le temps pour tenter de changer les choses. Si on rajoute à cela la sempiternelle dernière année du lycée, vécue du point de vue de l'enseignante, on s'apprête rapidement à passer son chemin. Il faut dire que GTO et autres professeurs dévoués à ses élèves sont légion dans les dramas japonais, si bien que... s'ils pouvaient nous en envoyer quelques-uns en France pour cette rentrée ça nous dépannerait. Alors qu'avons nous à apprendre de nouveau de la part Matsuka Mey qui ironiquement a maintenant l'âge de son personnage "vieux" dans 35 Sai no Kokosei.

Jusque dans le titre, aucune surprise ne vous sera cachée. notre héroïne est une professeure exceptionnelle et elle sera assassinée dans un an, par un de ses élèves. Alors il va faloir blinder le casting ou la réalisation pour nous séduire. La réalisation est somme toute assez classique, sobre, mais efficace. Du coté du cast, on est plutôt surpris par la justesse de tous les acteurs. Dans ce genre de drama la production essaie toujours de caser les deniers Johnny's à la mode. Sans trop d'expérience d'acting, le reste du cast fait souvent un effort pour ce mettre au même niveau (bas) dans le jeu. Ici quelque soit l'âge, chacun est dans l'émotion et ce montre mature dans sa prestation.

Cette maturité jouera parfois en la défaveur de l'immersion Un trop grand sérieux ou une trop grande assurance de ces lycéens feront perdre un peu la magie de notre retour dans nos années lycées. On a du mal a s'identifier, tant les situations sont tendues, à chaque jour qui passe et souvent pour tous les élèves de cette classe. Mais l'émotion est là, à chaque épisode. Matsuka Mey prend son rôle de professeure principale très au sérieux. Bien sûr on peut trouver cette ferveur et se renoncement sûrjoués, mais son regard, sa posture, son ton et ses discours font mouche a chaque fois. On souffre avec elle, on souffre avec ses élèves.

En suivant ses objectifs de sauver tous les élèves de sa classe en se sauvant elle même, la série peut légèrement paraître tourner en rond. Chaque épisode se ressemblant dans sa construction. Mais chaque jeune acteur, héros de son propre épisode donne a chaque fois une prestation qui fait oublié celle de l'épisode precedant. On se redit "mon dieu, qu'ils sont bons" et on se régale. Mention spéciale pour Utaha, la chanteur de Wednesday Capanella. Elle transcende son propre personnage qui on le suppose raconte sa propre expérience adolescente. Dans cet épisode, elle donne une prestation scénique à tirer des larmes , qui justifie entièrement sa présence. Et nous qui pensions avoir été plus qu'ému lors des épisodes précédents.

Pour terminer, un mot sur les seconds rôles, comme le toujours charmant Matsushita Kouhei, qui accompagnent notre professeur, mais restent bien transparents face à nos jeunes lycéens à fleur de peau. Un drama à prendre donc, au départ, au second degré pour accepter le manque de finesse du scénario, mais qui vous fera vite vibrer, tant il joue sur les émotions et les peurs adolescentes. Sans le dépasser, il nous rappelle par tellement d'aspects le chef d'œuvre 3 Nen A Gumi et pas seulement pour l'ending de Suda Masaki. Souhaitons, a cette nouvelle promotion, les mêmes carrières d'acteurs que les lycéens de la classe du professeur Hiiragi.

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As a teacher...

As a teacher i found this show really entertaining and quite emotional! Now i do agree with the other reviews that the ending wasnt thorough enough, but for 10 45 min episodes i thought it was great! The acting was great, the struggles were realistic (as a science teacher working in an inner city school.. you see a lot), it never at any point dragged! Its just that the ending was really rushed in my opinion... the last two episodes could havw been stretched to three...

Side note: In all honestly such "hero" teachers especially for 30 students at one time is unrealistic, teachers are human too with planning and meetings and family and social life and marking and assessments and parents evenings and so of course they care for their students but to be as invested as she was in each individual story of the students in this show is absolute unrealistic

Regardless, it was still a good watch, i ended up binge watching it all in one night (which i regretted greatly having to go in the next day to school to teach a full day) and do reccomend :)

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Stayed with me long after it ended.

If you are looking to watch something with crime and/or suspense, this is not for you.

While the beginning of the drama makes it seem like a murder mystery, what unfolds is a tender exploration of youth, love and courage. I found myself surprised as the drama unfolded, as it showed you the lives of many different kids, what made them do what they did, how they come around to making things better for themselves, and how they stand up for what they think is right. I like how the drama focuses not only on the "good" kids but also the "bad' ones, and shows you how a little bit of empathy and compassion can go a long way. All kids in the series are trying to live life with the cards they've been dealt, and I like how Ms. Rina shows them that you can stand up for things that matter to you. In so doing, the drama is able to introduce and explore multiple different themes that I think are brought to fruition pretty well.

Also I'm a huge fan of how they portrayed the husband/wife relationship, and some of the dialogues shared between them were just *chef's kiss*.

All in all, this is a deeply moving drama, and it makes you think a lot, cry quite a bit, and leaves you with a soft spot in your heart that is filled with hope.

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Huge potential but brought down by execution

My issue with this drama is that the execution is really bad. The script and acting felt like it’s portrayed to be excessively preachy to the point that it’s kinda campy and undermine the severity of the issues they portrayed. And so many mental health sufferers in the class felt like an overkill or repetitive.

First few episodes was decently interesting to watch when they depicted the struggles of the different students but I think the plot lost it when the focus shift to the main FL student and her eventual demise. There’s one ep where the teacher went into a long coke rant about bullies was so awkward and bad. I don’t usually fast forward dramas but I did here.

The subject has huge potential to be poignant and heartfelt but it’s really brought down by the script and the way they choose to perform in this drama. I don’t think it’s the actors’ fault but rather the aesthetic decisions made by the director. There’s no way the performers perform like this in other drama.

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Deveria ser obrigatório assistir está série!

Gostei de tudo. Da forma como os problemas são abordados, dos diálogos entre as pessoas, do mistério, do caminho que o drama seguiu, do final, de tudo!
Apenas não reassistiria porque não quero chorar novamente, mas definitivamente é uma ótima recomendação para quem gosta de um suspense leve. A série é rápida, algo que eu sempre prefiro, já que não gosto de episódios muito longos. É uma pena não ter tanto reconhecimento aqui no Brasil. Além disso, os atores são ótimos, atuam muito bem e sabem fazer cenas boas para rir e chorar. É uma série que vale a pena e te incentiva a pensar. Recomendo demais!

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