Ask MDL And Now For Something Different : School

Welcome to July 2018's Edition of Ask MDL: ANFSD (I have been watching too many Japanese things, I gave the article a ridiculously long name). June's Edition was Award Winning and we asked readers to suggest more topics for us to write about.

Linnatic  commented:

"I would love to see an article about school-related dramas. I really enjoy watching them, and I've only watched Korean and Japanese shows relating to school, so it would be interesting to see something from the other countries as well. :)"

So from Preschool to University we will scour our watched lists and see what we can recommend for you to watch.  Hope you enjoy what we found.

Here are our recommendations:

We were asked to do introductions so here it is. 

Hi, I am Old Anime Lady, I have been watching Japanese dramas for 2 years now and at the time of this article, I have watched 356 dramas and movies, over 300 of which from the Land of the Rising Sun.  

Taisetsu na Koto wa Subete Kimi ga Oshiete Kureta (All the precious things you taught me) Teacher point of view of a relationship accusation and the effects of it on the whole school.	Yowakutemo Katemasu  (Baseball Brainiacs) A man is asked to coach a baseball team that has no chance of winning.  The school is known for its Todai acceptance rate, not its sports program.	Blackboard - Jidai to Tatakatta Kyoshi tachi A drama special about 3 different stories involving the evolution of education in Japan. The first is set in 1947. The second in 1980. And The third in 2011.	Hajimari no Uta  (First song) A man who has taken up photography in Tokyo returns to his small village and remembers what he did not know he had forgotten Idol Pick: MatsuJun

Bonus:
- dramas: Nobuta Wo Produce, GTO, GTO: Remake, Gokusen, Gokusen 2, Dragon Zakura, Good Morning Call, Good Morning Call - Our Campus Days, Yukan Club, Yamada Taro Monogatari, Stand Up!!, Risou no Musuko, Hidarime Tantei EYE (watch the special first, then drama), Sprout, Ouran High School Host Club, Asuko March!, Hanazakari no Kimitachi e, Voice, Saki ni Umareta Dake no Boku, Orange Days, Nodame Cantabile, Hachimitsu to Clover, Boku dake ga Inai Machi, Yoiko no Mikata, My Girl, Hana Yori Dango, Hana Yori Dango 2 

- movies/drama specials: Assassination Classroom, Assassination Classroom: Graduation, Peach Girl, Orange, I Want to Eat Your Pancreas, Say "I Love You", Paradise Kiss, Honey and Clover, Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day, Beck, Chihayafuru: Kami no Ku, Chihayafuru: Shimo no Ku, Close Range Love, Crows Zero, Crows Zero 2, Hana Yori Dango, Wolf Girl and Black Prince, Botchan, L♥DK

I really did not realize how many school themed things I tend to watch....

Hi, everyone! I'm Jaaraf, a thirty-something true blue Filipino living in the Philippines, who has been watching Filipino movies, dramas and shows since I was a kid. After being bitten by the Asian drama bug and joining MDL late last year, I'm now re-discovering what my home country has to offer. 

Small Voices (Mga Munting Tinig) A newbie teacher giving hope to her pupils through singing.	Pisay Follow the lives of these top teenagers at a prestigious science high school during the waning years of Martial Law in the 80's.	Wattpad Presents: Mr. Popular Meets Miss Nobody A poor girl on a scholarship gets entangled with the scion of her elite university.	Idol Pick: Poor Señorita Asia's songbird Regine Velasquez stars in this riches-to-rags story of a woman who takes on the care of five orphans.

Bonus (*NS=Not subbed):

- dramas/movies: Magnifico, Ang Guro Kong Di Marunong Magbasa, 1st Sem, Mila (*NS), Campus Girls (*NS), First Day High (*NS) 

Hi, everyone! I'm Yuanwei. I've been a fan of Asian dramas since I fell into the rabbit's hole 10 years ago. (Let me know if you want to know the whole story. ㅋㅋㅋ) 

I joined MDL almost since the beginning and if I remember correctly become an editor the same year. Over the years, I've watched 1330+ Asian shows and planning to watch as many as possible. I suck at introductions so if you want to know anything else, let me know in the comments below.

Our Times This movie makes me so nostalgic and brings back good memories from high school along with the bad ones. You will laugh, cry, get mad and smile.	Hana Kimi Taiwan This was one of my first Taiwanese dramas, so I'm really fond of it, rewatched it 3 times (I rewatch the J-version every summer lolz). The drama is hilarious but at the same time touching at it deals mainly with friendship between the 3 school dorms. Also, I think this is when I fell in love with Wu Chun. :D	Campus Confidential This one might be a hit or a miss depending on your taste, but it was a fun ride, creepy at some point and nice plot twist. Bolin Chen and Ivy Chen are definitely a plus. :)	Idol Pick: Mike He Bull Fighting Basketball, romance with a touch of Romeo & Juliet, Mike He, Hebe, and great OSTs, especially Zui Jin Hai Hao Ma by S.H.E. which is one of my favourite OSTs.

Bonus:

- dramas: Lion Pride, Gloomy Salad Days, My MVP Valentine, Moon River, Mysterious Incredible Terminator, Age of Rebellion, Attention Love, Love Buffet, Devil Beside You, Mars

- movies: Secret, You Are The Apple Of My Eye, First Of May

Suckseed An underrated movie about first love, friendships and music set in high school. A fun and interesting ride about growing up and the changes that come with it.	Hormones If the title is not explicit enough, this drama is about all the issues and experiences of Thai teenagers: family, bullying, friendships, relationships and more. [I should really watch the other seasons. I need more time in my life. :D]	Teacher's Diary This movie makes me want to go out to a remote village and never come back (not that I'm not living in one at the moment, just that it's not remote :D). This is also the movie that made me want to tutor children.	Idol Pick: August U-Prince The Series: The Single Lawyer This is part of a twelve part series called U-Prince The Series. You should give it a try, there is a 'prince' out there for you too.  Their bickering was too funny and cute, wished we had more of them. Also, I can't wait to see August in more dramas and different roles as the main lead or even 2nd lead.

Bonus:

- dramas: Cubic, Room Alone The Series, Love Sick The Series, Kiss Me, Sotus The Series, U-Prince The Series: The Badass Baker, Wai Sab Saraek Kad, 

- movies: Yes Or No, Teacher's Diary, Love At Sarakham, Sassy Player, May Who?, Bad Genius, Grace

Guest writer OAL: When I think of Hong Kong movies, I think of Kung Fu, which I have been watching since I was knee-high to a grasshopper. So here are some school-related Kung fu movies.

Ip Man This is loosely based on the  story of Ip Man grandmaster of the martial art Wing Chun and master of Bruce Lee. Starring: Donnie Yen	Fist of Legend Chen Zhen who has been living in Japan returns home to find his master dead, possibly at the hands of the nearby Japanese Dojo. Starring: Jet Li	Fearless This film tells the story of Chinese Martial Arts Master Huo Yuanjia (1869-1910). Huo Yuanjia was the founder and spiritual guru of the Jin Wu Sports Federation. Starring: Jet Li	Fist of Fury The martial artist Chen Zhen returns to his school to find out that his master Huo Yuanjia died. Students from a Japanese martial arts school begin to insult master Huo Yuanjia after his death trying to prove that Japanese are stronger than the Chinese Idol Pick: Bruce Lee

Bonus: 

- dramas: Hearts Of Fencing, Yes Sir, Sorry Sir, Dressage To Win, Shine On You, Your Class Or Mine

- movies: Little Big Master, The Young Master, Dragon Tiger Gate, The Master

I'm no good at introductions, so, please, excuse my awkwardness. I'm Hylia and I was first introduced to the Chinese entertainment through movies, but I'm the kind of person that mostly watches movies instead of dramas anyway, so that might not come as a surprise.

I'm usually hooked for the neo-noir, political, military, thriller, horror genres and themes, not necessarily connected with romance. That being said, I must admit that school-themed dramas are one of my weakness, not really a guilty pleasure, but definitely something different than what I usually go for. Needless to say that I was quite happy to dig into this month's theme.

The Big Boss A drama that features one of the most all-time favourite simple, yet cheesy plots in dramaland. The story of a junior high school girl who finds herself, once again, facing her nemesis and inevitably falling in love with him.	School Days A neo-noir movie about rebellious college students fighting for gangs and friendship.	Youth This one is a coming of age, love and friendship drama. Initially, it focuses on the main female protagonist reminiscing her lonely high school days until she met the three people who made her youth significant and coloured with memories.	Hello, Mr. Right A 17 year old student unknowingly meets her teacher under a tumultuous situation. From then on they always get themselves mixed in situations that causes others to misunderstand their relationship. Idol Pick: Lee Dong Gun

Bonus (Dramas): The Big Boss - Season 2, Mr. Bodyguard, That Whistling Youth, Basketball Fever, The Prince of Tennis

Bonus (Movies): Not One Less, Please Vote For Me, Inference Note, My Old Classmate, The Eight Immortals in School

Hi, I am Neaa. I have been on MDL since 2012, though I first watched a Korean TV series in 2009 (Full House, dubbed in Hindi). I've seen over 250 shows and 100 movies since then. I am a sucker for happy endings and romance (preferably both in one).

School 2013 This drama throws light on different aspects of school life - Bullying, peer pressure, the focus on scores rather than all-around development, misuse of privilege, mending broken friendships, the teacher's perspective, among many others. This drama shows how students struggle with the expectations of the adults, the paths they choose and how they mature. Icing on the cake:  Bromance between Lee Jong Suk and Kim Woo Bin	Sunny It is a story about a group of girls who now as adults, reunite and reminisce about their school life. This movie is a rollercoaster of emotions. What we were as teenagers, our dreams and how our lives turn out to be and finding the friends we once cherished - This movie brings to life the best of the growing years, and smiles with some tears. Icing on the cake: The fight scenes.	Seventeen This is a short webseries by PlayList Global. It's like an omnibus set in school - friends turning into lovers, bad timings, breakups, and being alone. It is relatable as well as warm and fluffy. One of the underrated web dramas in my opinion.   Icing on the cake :  The story is told both through the girl’s and the boy's perspective.	Reply 1997  Set in the 1990s, the story revolves around a group of high school friends - and how they mature into adults while loving and cherishing each other in their unique way. What makes this drama interesting is the mystery in the romance - grab on to your seat till the last episode to find out who ends up with whom. Icing on the cake:  Bromance between Seo In Guk and Hoya (Idol Picks); Great OSTs; Memorable quotes.

Bonus: 

-  dramas/movies: Sassy Go Go, My Little Bride, Baby and I, Shut Up: Flower Boy Band, Weightlifting Fairy Kim 

Bok Joo, Heartstrings, Dream High, Go Back Couple, School Series and the Reply Series are both eligible.

We still need representatives for Hong Kong and Thailand, so if you are interested, please apply.  

For next month (August), the topic is Food. Check out our previous topic: Award-winning.

Please suggest any topic you may be interested in the comments below! 

What would you like to recommend that we missed on the topic of "School"?