Not much perversion and not as dark as the GTO manga. That said, the stories have a unique character, containing elements from romance mangas, martial arts and of course GTO.

What a great manga! Don't expect life changing, earth shattering, soul-deep stuff here. Instead, expect to find yourself greatly entertained with endearing characters, honest humor, character-driven plots and little hints of something more between Shin and Yankumi.

If you've seen the drama, the manga is hardly like it. There's a lot more fighting and yakuza-centered plots and, I feel, a more interesting relationship between Shin and Yankumi. (Not to mention, the entire 3-D class doesn't all move around together like a herd...) Yankumi isn't as clumsy or as into making cheesy speeches and crying all the time. Also, I miss Kuma's ridiiiiculous scooter that Shin would hop rides on, haha.

I've only watched up to episode 9 of season 1, but so far Shin and Yankumi don't at all interact the way they do in the manga. In the manga, Shin sleeps on the school roof a lot and Yankumi often bursts in on him asking for advice (yeah, she asks for his ADVICE--haven't seen that in the drama yet!). He isn't as confrontational in the manga (the only time he really got pissed at Yankumi was when she told him to butt out of her yakuza life). He often tries to save her but ironically, he always gets beaten up and she ends up saving him.

Anyway, I'm not at all dissing the drama. I don't think it has to copy the manga to be good and I enjoy it for its unique interpretation of Gokusen. However, I vastly prefer Shin and Yankumi in the manga.

... Last updated on October 5th, 2008, 11:43pm

This is my favourite manga. I'm saying this first, because it doesn't have a lot of features that bring people to read manga. The art is very different and reminiscent of older shounen manga, even though it is obviously written for a female audience. The guys are mainly ugly bruisers.

There are a lot of omakes that don't make any sense at all (There's suddenly a dog wearing clothes. He's in many of the extras, and I have no idea why.)

However:
This manga is about outcasts and societies rejects.
It's about the problems you face when you look different, behave differently, have an accent, or a dialect. It's about how people that have let you down, should not have.
It's about hope in the face of prejudice.
Every single character in this manga has a different face, different mannerism, and you can tell. The art may be simplified, but it makes the ugly bruiser that much more distinct from each other, and also other manga. The main love interests are pretty to look at, but they get plenty of backlash from that anyway.

This is a manga that makes friendship and love between characters obvious, without resorting to telling
Of course, there's plenty of high-school shenanigans and (dirty, sometimes funny, but most often really hilarious) jokes, but there's also the trouble of going to university, finding a job, being accused of yakuza, actually becoming a criminal -- there is so much depth in every page (and then they draw a beard with marker on their sensei. Or photoshop a hot bod on their headshot picture)

I have so much love for this goddamn manga. I loved it when I was 14, and I love it now that I'm 24. And it was definitely written just for me.

Just so you know: Of course I watched all of the adaptions. And there are some touching moments, and all the live-action stars are pretty cute. But the manga made me cry and a page later laugh out loud in hilarity.

I watched Gokusen the drama first, and it was really good.
But I'm sure if I had read it first in manga, I would have hated it.
It's really a hilarious story, and has me laughing all the time. At first, I hated the art, but now I'm actually growing to love it. ^^ I'm happy that many chapters have been coming out recently. I'm amazed it hasn't been licensed, its so good. o.o;
Watch the drama first, though (only season one, rest were... eh.).
-My only problem with gokusen, is it gets a little preachy at times.

... Last updated on March 10th, 2008, 8:07pm

At first, the art is hard to look at, but you won't care because you'll be shaking with laughter. After awhile, the art gets marginally better, and you stop noticing any faults in it because the characters are so developed, unique, and likeable. Oh, and you'll still be shaking with laughter.

For being so long, this series really keeps the pace up without feeling repetitious or as though it's trying to stretch itself out and getting pulled thin. Yankumi, is a great, strong female character. She doesn't just melt down when convenient for the plotline, nor is she completely without flaw. She has developed, understandable weaknesses just as her strength is complex and it's source illuminated.

The only regrettable thing is Shin's lack of facial expression. He's so stoic! Though sometimes this becomes a great (unintended?) comic effect.

I highly, highly recommend Gokusen. Lively plot, spiced with action, a little awkward romance, totally funny.

This series is EPIC ... I read it continuously for two days - and I laughed hard ... REALLY hard for those two days too. This manga is indescribably awesome, and the art grows on you. Actually the art fits Gokusen perfectly and the pace is good and engrossing.

Normally I would prefer more bishounens and a straightforward romance, but Gokusen just drew me in and completely made me forget my usual manga preferences. The faces of the characters are SO funny at times, and Sawada is a great contrast to these with his stone face. And Kumiko ... rocks! I ADORE when she makes her 'HAAAAA?'-face at people irritating her.

The only time I was a bit annoyed was when Fuji (spelled like this?), the yakuza dog, dragged Sawada on random side track adventures... Kinda irritating having to leave the main story like that. Lol. It was SO random... And actually, it was funny anyways.

Gokusen deserves 10 / 10. It totally took me by surprise. And now I am C R A V I N G for the last releases of volume 15. Please, someone; scanlate the last chapters so that I can depart peacefully. Ehehehe! Edit: The last chapter = haaaaah? Could have been better.

Note: The best chapter was the one about the Kamiyami festival. HAHAHAHA!

... Last updated on June 7th, 2010, 12:24pm

This manga is one of the rare works that can be called 'complete'. It truly never does let you down, as 99% of mangas do. It was entertaining, comedic and touching. It has one of the more satisfying endings (including the special chapters following the main storyline), but it still leaves you wanting for more. That just shows how great it is.

For those commenting on the art, I was one of those who originally dropped it because I couldn't get used to the art. But once I picked it up again and got over it, I have to say that there is not much to regret. Wonderful manga from this author.

One of my all time fave mangas. Just the right amount of everything I like, comedy, action, simple-not-delving-in-heavy-stuff, not ornate, and a hint of romance. A manga worth reading regardless of gender or age.

EDIT:- Read at least first 10 volumes of GTO, dont know why people r crazy on that manga. Its about a perverted teach who doesnt even think its morally incorrect to slober over his female students. and always the same, female students r in trouble and he saves them. I cant imagine y people compare Gokusen to GTO

... Last updated on August 22nd, 2008, 6:59am

i like this much better than GTO. i watched the anime because it has a couple of my favourite seiyuu, and that intrigued me enough to want to read the manga. i'm glad i did, because it's a gem. don't let the art turn you off; it's pretty bad at the start, but improves considerably over time. also, if you come from shoujo, the character design might turn you off -- the heroine isn't beautiful, and many of the characters are in ugly-boy territory. i didn't care, because bishounen who all look alike are a dime a dozen -- one has no trouble at all to tell these characters here apart.

but best of all is yamaguchi, the protagonist. she's competent, passionate, honest, loyal, and caring. after so many simpering shoujo protags, it is such a breath of fresh air to meet a female character who can handle herself, who doesn't need rescuing (who is, in fact, the one rescuing others), who cares about something other than romance. and yet she's also not perfect; she makes mistakes, and she can admit to them, apologize, and make amends. i love that she doesn't give up on people even if they really screw up. if only we all could have such teachers.

while the manga isn't about romance, there is romance, and i think it's handled very interestingly. for most of the manga we get to see the romance only from sawada's side, because yankumi doesn't think of him that way, but she grows closer to him because he always watches her and comes to understand her better than most. i really like him as a character; he's so bored with everything at the start, acts so aloof, that it's fun to see him start to take an interest and become more and more involved in life. the people who say he is bland are not looking closely enough -- he controls himself tightly, he doesn't let anyone see him sweat (no surprise considering his father), but he cares about his friends, and is always there to get them out of serious trouble. at the same time he is a dorky teenager, who still gets into trouble himself. it's fun to see him grow more and more mature, and become yankumi's confidant and partner (in a non-romantic sense); a force for good. i don't usually ship people, especially not het, but i am a total fan of "shinkumi" because of the slow development that feels very real to me -- and that in the midst of yakuza, over-the-top fights, and non-stop comedy. it's very deftly done. so, i highly recommend the manga -- it's better than the first live action (and let's not talk about the 2nd and 3rd, which are yawners -- now that i've read the manga i really wish they had stuck with that instead of doing their own thing).

... Last updated on February 8th, 2011, 12:10pm

I would say that after reading the manga (rather than after watching the jdorama itself), I was so interested in the life of yakuzas. Anyhow, I think the jdorama's 3rd installment would have been better if they've stick to the original manga plot since the manga's over.

In the manga, the story revolved around Yankumi and Shin. It would have been romantic. Hahah. The jdorama was funny and has conveyed enough advices regarding how students must live their life but nonetheless, it would been a lot better if the jdorama's plot was about Shin and Yankumi's yakuza life.