Story: The plot is school-genre like story, but the 35 year old woman going back to high school was a plot twist itself. I never heard anyone over 22 being in high school taking regular classes. Some of the arcs are predictable, but there are enough twists in this drama to keep you interested.
Acting: I'm envious of Yonekura Ryoko for pulling off a high school uniform. She kind of reminds me of Horita Maki when I saw the picture of Ryoko in the drama poster(looks wise). Acting-wise, Ryoko was amazing in this role. I could connect with her character even if I'm not 35! :) I was surprised that I didn't like Jumpei's character in the middle of this drama till his arc came around(I liked him in the beginning & after his arc). The students the story focused on were amazing. Some better than others. I've never seen any of the actors/actresses(or don't remember if I've seen them before or not). Overall, the ensemble cast was amazing.
Music: I like the mini theme song. It sets the tone. The BGM are great, some are not memorable.
Will I rewatch this?: Yes, I will rewatch this drama for the Baba, Koizumi & the student's character development.
You'll like this drama if you like school dramas, comedy, suspense, & the actors and actresses in this drama.
I like Baba & Koizumi together!!!
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I really liked the way the problems were dealt with and there were always some nice twists added, to make the drama and the characters less predictable. The first episode is definitely the strongest, but I felt the drama kept a good quality to the end (although the last episode was a bit too draggy at times) and Babas background story as well as the whole school caste system are pretty interesting. I also felt that the drama wasn't as ...preachy? as other dramas of this type tend to be sometimes and most characters acted believable to the end, even though the story was a bit overly dramatic at times.
The acting was pretty good, Ryoko made me really like Baba and Junpei was convincing as the cowardly homeroom teacher, but to me the much younger Yamazaki Kento and Suda Masaki were best. Kento really shined in the last episode and Masaki made me sincerely hate his character up to the last 15 minutes of the final episode.
Overall I really liked this and I'd recommend it without hesitation if someone was looking for a high school drama. And the last 5 minutes or so of the drama are just super adorable :)
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The acting was really superb, Yonekura Ryoko really did a superb job, for an actor that I've only seen play comedies, she really shone in this drama. Awesome job.
Just an all around well put together drama on bullying. Some very valuable lessons to learn, what to watch for today concerning bullying. I learned a lot, how to help my kids, etc.
A most definite 10 for this one, in my most humble opinion.
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At first, it seems like usual bullying case, but I feel suspicious about one student and in the end that student really a mastermind for that class caste and bullying. GREAT! I’m happy if my guess is right (^o^) The twisted plot was great, but the story after the plot twisting is also sweet and heartwarming.
The casts are so great, (Suda Masaki is really get on my nerve, makes me want to throw a table to the screen a thousand times XD) but I'm very annoyed by Katase Nana's act. It's too much and so unnatural (-__-) but thanks God she’s only a support role (^_^;)
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dark but compelling drama about caste and bullying in school setting
First a general point. it is unfortunate that the traditional emphasis on community, family, groups in Japanese society, which has tended to stamp on anyone out of synch with social norms and hierarchy (though now improving in more liberal cities) is truly reflected in the type of bullying in schools typical of Japanese school drama and especially in this drama looked at from the angle of caste。 Like others I thought this drama would be more comic but it is actually quite depressing with the bullying tropes and unremittingly dark 〜actions of some students in this drama are extreme to point of sociopathic but this I suppose is part of the fictional exaggeration for dramatic effect。 however despite the darkness it hooks you as a very good school mystery genre for the first 10,5 episodes and the the evil is counterbalanced in that it is effectively being challenged by Baba (and later her friends)。especially moving is the genuine feeling and character of Baba's passion in the last episode which unravels the mystery and the darkness。it is also a good satire at times on uncaring or just ineffective teachers and teacher to teacher bullying (in one episode at least)。the final episode is nicely finished and neatly resolved、 though the festive side departs from any sense of realism and is rather out of character with most of the story 〜I also find it interesting how the argument comes full circle with the students ultimately demanding the very class system which through the abusive caste system shown in the drama produced thee bullying problem： it seems what they want is not to retain the good part of Japanese communal spirit while getting rid of the negative effects〜 an ideal solution indeed if it is only possible in reality！still this is a drama where fictional dramatisation is used very well to examine real social problems and lifts it above pure entertainment〜 though I am happy to say bullying is becoming less of a problem in my experience〜finally I really liked the music of Exile。Was this review helpful to you?
Despite it's a tiny bit predictable, it's full of highlights and also has some kind of suspance. Some situations are pretty absurd but, if a 35 y/o can go back to high school and attend normal classes, well, everything is possible.
All the cast is awesome and the characters are really impressive. Also scenarios and locations are really beautiful.
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While the story of bullying in here can be a bit on the extreme side, it still expresses a powerful message to the viewer. It also makes light of bad teachers, people ignoring their problems and so on.
The cast is really good, if not superb. When you watch this, you can tell just how much effort each member puts into their lines and characters. I've gotten teary eyed a couple of times, just by how realistic some scenes are. The staff really shows how much they value this TV show.
Overall I highly recommend this show to anyone, looking for a Japanese drama to watch. 8/10
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The title might deceive you at the first glance but this is definitely NOT a chilling rom-com. It portrays very well the ijime (bullying) problems in Japanese high school and their severe consequences, which although sometimes may be exaggerated acting wise. "The 35 year old Baba Ayako became a high schooler in a bottom-ranked school again and began her journey of healing her classmates' silent wounds" is a very typical Japanese school melodrama plot. The school caste, which I found very annoyingly stupid tbh actually does exist everywhere not just Japan in real life, and people tacitly approve it. At least I am so glad that the 35 year old Baba-chan came into the picture and managed to abolish it!
The more I watch each student's dilemma, the more I see myself in them. Your problems may be easily ignored as you are "making mountains out of molehills". It is just that rather than courtesy and kindness, people tend to first care for only themselves, thus deny others fearing their positions might be overthrown. Does not matter if you are a 1st ranked authority, 2nd ranked namby-pamby or a last ranked nobody, everyone has their own dilemmas and is bound to get hurt when feeling lonely. This drama message is very heart-warming. It is always better to put yourself in someone else's shoes and embrace our society with kindness. Your benignity will somehow definitely be returned!
I cried like a baby during the final scene. All hail to Ryoko's acting as she rocks her highschool uniform and her role! She is perfect for Baba-chan acting wise. Some stories may be more boring and draggy than the others, but the casts were able to pull the drama off by amazingly convincing acting! However, I do love the not so popular casts than Junpei or Kentou, as their characters' development is pretty weak to me.
Final word is if you want something worth your time, watch it! The ending is also a bit draggy and they keep using the same background music all the time lol, but bear with it, this drama is a gem! *wink wink*
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This review may contain spoilers
It was bearable
At first, I was watching this out of boredom. The first episode made me really cringe because I know that actors tend to exaggerate their movement for comedic purposes. The plot was good and the good part about this is that each episode made you really curious about what's gonna happen next and you just keep watching it and you got to enjoy it. What bothers me is Kento Yamazaki's role is that there wasn't enough character development and hence he's just the 'the boy with headphones' and every shot he is in is just him sitting or standing. I'm like, 'is he some decoration that the producers bought?' He's kinda like the quiet kid who probably had a shotgun in his bag. He's supposed to be the main bad guy but they made him pitiful by adding the dead sister plot. It's lazy and predictable. YOU can already guess it was him who did all those shit and you DONT NEED TO WATCH THE ENTIRE SERIES. Overall, I like the main character because she's a girl boss and Kento's role here is useless. I probably wouldn't care if he stands there and the plot would probably continue without him LOL.If you probably thinking of rewatching this, don't bother. It's not worth your time. There are hundreds of tv shows and movies that are better than this.
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I LOVE HOW THEY END THE DRAMA
STORY:I really like it! I binge watch it tbh >< the story about a 35 year old in highschool is an interesting concept! And got a lot potential! And they make use of this to the fullest!
I didn't expect this drama would have a "mystery" flavor in them, most of the mystery makes me surprised yet still make sense! So I think it was a nicely made mystery!
I actually stopped at around episode 5 for a bit because at this point the timing of the story are a bit too repetitive for me, but after I continue to episode 6, its starting to changed up a bit which make me continue to binge watch until finish XD
ACTING:
The cast are all very talented people! Which is why many of them succeed now! I didn't see the "awkwardness" between the main cast and the other high school cast when they interact as a close friend too! Which, I believe a bit hard to do because their culture emphasize respect to elders. They did so well! ><
REWATCH ?
I will rewatch it!
Not from start to finish, but I can see myself watching the episodes at random and recommending it to friends!
ENDING:
I LOVE THE ENDING! I like when the puzzle is finally falling in places. And how they end the drama, it feels full? like you get all your curiosity about their life answered? I didn't feel this from some other drama nowadays, so this is nice ^^
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The only thing I disliked about 35 sai no Koukousei is that there were a few unrealistic things that happened during some episodes. However, even if it's not perfect, I must say that overall I really liked it.
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