From Now On We Begin Ethics is a surprising find for me. I only found out about it through a fellow Yuki fan and decided to give it a try as it was highly recommended. True enough, it turned out to be a gem of a series. The series revolved around an unconventional and eccentric Ethics teacher played by Yamada Yuki, whose unorthodox methods of teaching challenges his students' way of thinking and questions their morality and deep-seated beliefs. The series has a fairly simple plot that may seem like a rip-off of GTO or Gokusen. But it's not. Takayanagi is no hero and certainly not the meddlesome type of teacher who thrives in motivating his students and pushing them to be all that they can be. But he genuinely cares for his students and so he tries his best to be of help to them despite believing himself to be flawed and can only do so much to affect change in his students' lives.

Instead of positivity, he employs a different tactic, he treats them like human beings who have the freedom to decide for themselves. He doesn't tell them which way to go or what is right or wrong. He lets them decide by asking them the questions that no one else is bold enough to ask. I found myself seriously considering each and every thought-provoking question he asked his students, and there were times when I would nod in agreement and also disagree with his statements. What is the function of society? Why do we need to conform? Why do we need to sacrifice one for the betterment of others? What is evil and what is good? And how do we make the choice which path to take in a world that's full of options and complications? What is freedom and why too much of it can be fatal? These questions left me reeling with my own questions about humanity, society, and the very meaning of happiness. Not very many works of fiction can have that effect on me and that is why this short series has quickly become a favorite of mine. I'm glad I stumbled upon this. I would recommend this to anyone willing to take the time to learn and listen to what these characters have to say.