Saying Sayonara to Zetsubou Sensei
Posted: April 5, 2010 Filed under: Uncategorized 7 Comments »
A year and a half ago, I picked up an anime with a very melancholy-sounding name. From the short description on ANN, I thought it was going to be some romantic comedy with teacher/student relationships.
Boy, was I wrong. And boy, was I glad I was wrong.
That anime with the melancholy-sounding title, with the story that completely betrayed any attempts to summarize it, was Sayonara, Zetsubou Sensei.
As I watched the first season, I laughed so hard my sides hurt. As I watched the second season, I laughed less, yet I was more interested. By the time the first OVA came along, I was a rabid fan of the series. The third season answered my and many others’ call for more despair. And finally, the last OVA came out. The final two episodes.
Having Zetsubou Sensei at your side is like having Matoi at your side (caution, butchered romaji ahead):
Ita n desu ka?
E. Zutto.
Sayonara, Zetsubou Sensei is always there, whether you want it to be or not. But when it goes away, there’s a big gaping hole where it used to be. And then you start to wonder, “Is that it? That’s all the Zetsubou Sensei we’re ever going to see?”
Sayonara, Zetsubou Sensei holds a special place in [the anime section of] my heart. It was the first good comedy (favorite genre!) I saw, and one of the finest (not to mention the most unique). From the rough music and insane animations of the OP/EDs to the blatant flatness of the characters, everything about the show was fresh, new, and downright crazy.
Many shows have tried and failed to produce the same kind of humor in these past few years (and a lot of them came from SHAFT!), but none have reached Zetsubou Sensei’s level. And I doubt any will for a long, long time.
There’s always the manga!
Haha, indeed there is! I have five volumes of it sitting on my bookshelf. :3
Though it’s not the same. “Zetsubou shita!!” just doesn’t come across in English book-form.
Yeah, I find the anime to be a better version of the series, but at least the manga is entertaining.
I have 1-3 and 5 on my shelf, but 4 seems to hate me. FFFFF
I gotta catch up on that series.
Yes, you should! A lot of people say that the later seasons aren’t as good as the first (or aren’t good at all!), but I think they’re really worth watching.
I still have to watch the fucking 3rd season. I love this God damn show so I don’t know what’s taking me so long.
You will never go to heaven if you don’t watch all 3 seasons of Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, FYI.