Densetsu no Kyoshi (2000)

This would be your typical school drama if it weren't for the hilariously brilliant Matsumoto and Nakai. These two have such amazing comedic chemistry—during filming they were always coming up with and refining jokes—and it's such a shame that they haven't worked together like this since. The humor isn't the typical over-the-top flavor dorama is known for; but more of dark/deadpan humor, word play and manzai hijinks.

DnK was a fun watch and looking back, feels more substantial than 11 episodes. It might be Nakai's best work, apart from Naniwa Kinyudo. The first episode pretty much sets the tone; while on average the quality improves, there are episodes that just drag. I found myself fast-forwarding some scenes. Overall the drama treats the students, teachers and issues they face with restraint.

Nakai plays a double-faced character who is the perfect, caring teacher on the surface, but in actuality would do anything to avoid getting involved with his students. Matsumoto is the "reformer" brought in to save Nakai's troubled class—but he would rather push the students to fight than break them up if he thinks it's fun (and if not, well, he'll just ignore them). These two, who obviously can't stand each other, are forced to work together or lose their jobs. Episode by episode they manage to stumble into a solution for their students' problems and fix their own outlooks on education (and their backstories are actually interesting).

This drama does feel a bit dated in places (everyone's still running everywhere despite the fact that they've gotten cell phones, those horrible suits, the '90s acting), but the funny has not degenerated at all. While some student's stories are touching; overall the issues, acting, etc. is quite average—nothing as heart-rending as The Queen's Classroom, or as stupidly wild as GTO, or as uplifting as Kinpachi-sensei, or as adorable as Gokusen. But it was refreshing to the point where I would compare it with Confessions (divorced, but still longing for, the bleeding heart/reformed punk-turned-teacher molds). And at least the students aren't pushing 30 and are proactive in fixing their own lives.

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