Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei

I have only read two volumes, but I felt someone should write a review!

This manga is intriguing, particularly for its insights into everyday Japanese life. There's an index at the end of each book explaining various words, puns, and concepts that are familiar to Japanese readers, but these would be quite obscure to an American unless they were a scholar.

One drawback for me is that I find myself frequently flipping to the back to read the references, which disrupts the flow of reading and makes it take longer than necessary. It almost requires two reads just to get through the story uninterrupted once.

The characters are exaggerated, emphasizing one particular trait to an extreme: the eternal optimist, the control freak, the suicidally depressed teacher, and so on.

Each volume consists of several chapters, mostly unrelated, that delve into a character's personality and illustrate why certain traits can be ridiculous or useless in society. The series' teacher is always pessimistic, yet this somehow ends up benefiting his students. Every student has some issue, making the class a collection of misfits that amazes the school administration due to the teacher’s strong rapport with them.

I'm not sure how long-term a read this will be—it feels somewhat open-ended right now, like a series of sketch sitcoms.

Overall, it's a fun read filled with cultural references. Worth checking out.

Zetsubou-sensei is absolutely brilliant, and if you can't see that, it might be due to your underdeveloped intellect. Koji Kumeta stands as the most potent disenchanted middle-aged man alive, a fact evident in every panel of his work. The humor delves into sports, politics, and literature, bypassing the typical realms of pornography and video games, making it less accessible to the average otaku. However, this exclusivity only underscores that Sayonara Zetsubou-Sensei caters to the discerning reader. The jokes intricately layer upon themselves and the core theme of each episode, providing a delightful mental workout. The art style is unique and strikingly beautiful. If you appreciate Zetsubou-sensei, consider us kindred spirits.

Please bear with my English.

Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei is not a masterpiece. In fact, it's not even great. Essentially, this manga isn't for everyone. Its primary genre is comedy, but understanding that humor can be challenging. Most of the manga's comedy revolves around contemporary Japan, meaning you need to be familiar with Japanese culture and its notable personalities. For someone like me who knows almost nothing about Japan, comprehending the humor was difficult. There were chapters where the comedy focused solely on Japanese culture, which led me to skip some parts. Yes, I even skipped chapters.

Of course, many moments were genuinely funny because I love dark humor, but there are still dull sections in the manga. It's easy to get bored quickly because of them. So why, WHY am I giving this manga such a high rating as 9? It's simple: the twist.

Almost every popular or critically acclaimed anime/manga has that one significant moment or twist that changes everything. One Piece, the highest-selling manga, has that huge moment. Hunter x Hunter 2011, despite its slow start, had an impactful twist in later episodes, making it one of the best animes ever. Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei has a twist so mind-blowing that it makes you want to reread all 301 chapters again. It's insane, weird, mind-bogglingly brilliant, and completely unexpected. This twist alters your entire perception of the manga. Additionally, the moral message "don't commit suicide" is effectively conveyed. Because of this unforeseen event, I couldn't help but praise it.

So, the story gets a 6 because it's quite simple, honestly. The art scores a 10 because I don't know how to draw, so I don't care much about it. Characters earn an 8 because some might be forgettable. Enjoyment gets a 7 because while the comedy was good, it wasn't exceptional.

Overall, I give it a 9 because it compels you to reread it. (But if it didn't make you want to reread...)

Modern society is riddled with complexities, and SZS dives right into these intricacies with meticulous detail. Our protagonist, Itoshiki Nozumu, navigates these nuances through a blend of heavy and often dark humor. Many of the jokes might be lost on those unfamiliar with Japanese culture, as most references are deeply rooted in societal norms and issues specific to Japan, although some themes may resonate universally.

The narrative structure largely follows an episodic format, though not entirely. There’s a teacher and several students who examine the world from their unique perspectives. The surreal nature of this manga is truly remarkable. Additionally, it's packed with extensive dialogue, ensuring that readers won't miss out on numerous cultural and thematic references woven throughout.

The characters each possess distinct traits, making them intriguing in their own right. The author doesn’t shy away from poking fun at himself, his editor, and even his assistant. He also frequently references elements from his previous works. It's amusing to see him joke about his past endeavors as well.

In summary, this manga is brilliantly humorous, brimming with dark comedy, satire, and countless entertaining moments.

P.S.: Just one word: "The Ending."

That’s all. Enjoy and have fun.

Good day class, today we're diving into the art of making oneself taller. Please excuse me while I distribute these nooses...

STORY: Sayonara Zetsubou-Sensei is a darkly comedic manga by Koji Kumeta, exploring themes like suicide and society's darker sides with satirical wit. Each chapter stands alone, focusing on various topics ranging from cultural norms to hibernation, from human mistakes to why college students get special privileges during exams – all through the skewed lens of Zetsubou-sensei.

Zetsubou-sensei (Mr. Despair), whose real name is Itoshiki Nozomu, is the series' protagonist and a middle school teacher who sees everything negatively and constantly contemplates suicide. He doesn't exactly teach in a conventional sense but rather rants about topics, highlighting only their negative aspects. After his despairing monologues, students often counter-argue, trying to convince him that not everything is as bleak as he believes. This pattern repeats, leading to absurd and bizarre conclusions that might even impart some wisdom.

Besides Zetsubou-sensei, the class features uniquely quirky characters, each defined by a single trait. None are average or typical, except for one character whose defining trait is being normal, which subjects her to ridicule. These aren't your standard tsundere or yandere tropes; instead, you have a girl who sees everything positively, the exact opposite of Zetsubou-sensei, and another who communicates solely through insulting text messages. Instead of a shy girl, there's a hikikomori. Expect each character to feature prominently in their own chapters occasionally.

Despite the hilarious characters, sharp satire, and effective episodic storytelling, Sayonara Zetsubou-Sensei has a significant issue: many references and jokes are deeply rooted in Japanese culture. If you don't know who Hiro Tsunoda or Hitonari Tsuji are, or what terms like 'hikikomori' or 'neet' mean, much humor will be lost. References abound on nearly every page. However, if you're well-versed in Japanese culture, this shouldn't pose a problem. Otherwise, prepare to research extensively. English releases include comprehensive guides in the back for reference.

ART: Don't read Zetsubou-sensei expecting stellar artwork. It's not bad, just simple and functional. Sometimes intentionally ugly for comedic effect, it gets the job done. Character designs are diverse enough, though female characters mostly differ by hairstyle. This isn't a manga you read for its artwork.

OVERALL:

The Good:
+ Hilarious, strange, and insightful dark satire comedy.
+ Unique characters.
+ Simple and effective episodic storytelling.

The Bad:
- Very Japanese-centric, potentially unfunny for non-Japanese readers.
- Simple artwork.

You can still enjoy plenty of laughs from this manga without knowing Japanese culture due to its abundant absurd comedy. But if you lack knowledge of Japanese culture and want a comedy manga, consider reading Gintama from Shonen Jump – just make sure you know what Shonen Jump is.

I own 8 volumes of this manga, and that's because that's all they've sold so far in America. I agree with the other reviewer that this manga is very worthy of having reviews about it; I'm actually somewhat surprised that this is only the second one. Well, I don't review much, so sorry for the ranting.

As for the manga, I gave the story a 6 because there isn't much of a plot (so far). It's more just random situations that are hilarious. The art gets a 9 from me because it's wonderful. I love the way the artist makes use of patterns. For characters, I gave it a 9. I almost gave it a 10, but I never give out 10s. The characters are the main appeal to this manga; they are all so different and interesting you can't help but relate to at least one of them (you can easily find out about the characters, so I left that out).

For enjoyment, it gets a 9 because it kept my eyes glued to the pages and was always good for a laugh. I almost always finished each volume in one sitting; I could have read more but wanted to space it out. So, for the overall rating, it gets a 9, highly recommended by me. You will probably like this manga if you enjoy dark comedy. I came across it because I loved Welcome to the NHK, and this was always recommended alongside it.

Well, this was my first review on MAL. I hope it was helpful.

Quite possibly my favorite manga series, Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (SZS) is a masterpiece of satire, social commentary, and ingeniously twisted romance.

The artwork showcases Kumeta's stunning abstract style, featuring solid darks and whites in flat planes alongside intricate geometric patterns. Kumeta's genius for character design shines through, pushing the concept of the silhouette to its extreme by sometimes portraying his characters as silhouettes. This approach underscores their status as satirical references to various manga tropes, making them visually distinct yet instantly recognizable, reduced to simple geometric conglomerates.

SZS's humor delivers a sharp critique of contemporary Japan, covering everything from rampant commercialism and media sensationalism to more intimate topics like manga conventions and the life of an artist. SZS doesn't stop at referencing these issues; it always provides opinions, often through almost Socratic dialogues between Nozomu and his students. The series excels at exploring social issues from an unusual perspective, exemplified brilliantly by the immigrant character Maria, whose unique views on subjects like commercial waste and lolicons elicited surprise from other characters.

I also want to highlight the romance between Fuura Kafuka and Itoshiki Nozomu, and the astonishing amount of foreshadowing that went into crafting the final two chapters. SZS plays with the conventions of the harem sub-genre of romance manga, but readers are unaware of how cunningly Kumeta has subverted traditional notions of harems or romances. Fans familiar with harem manga know the typical shipping wars: who will end up with the main character? Will it be open-ended? Or perhaps the legendary true harem ending? Kumeta opts for none of these, instead delivering a mind-bending twist that compels readers to revisit the earliest chapters to verify that he had planned this ending all along.

SZS is a manga that must be read to fully appreciate its greatness; words alone cannot do it justice.

First off, I won't be giving away any spoilers, so you can relax.
Secondly, if you think my rating is way off, keep in mind that this is purely MY perspective. Just to clarify, I've watched a lot of anime and manga (and collect them too). And as they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right?
Third, let's get into it:

Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (SZS) revolves around Itoshiki Nozomu, a teacher with an ultra-negative personality (kinda), very high suicidal tendencies (kinda), and his class full of oddballs (yes, oddballs).
For most of the manga, Nozomu complains about something in his life or society, leading him into despair, only for things to blow up in his face (sometimes literally) thanks to his not-so-helpful students.

Yep, this manga almost always follows this formula. Not to mention, it's episodic, has mediocre art, and unless you're familiar with Japanese culture or have translator notes, many jokes will go over your head.

WAIT! Don't dismiss it just yet. Let me finish.

Despite all these flaws, Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei has a certain charm that makes it hard to put down. The characters are all likable, there are numerous weird things happening in the background, the unpredictability of how each chapter unfolds, and the somewhat relatable issues in Nozomu's endless rants make this series worth reading.

There's really not much more I can say without spoiling the story, so my advice is: pick it up and read it already!

Story: 8
Art: 5
Characters: 9
Enjoyment: 9
Total: 8

P.S.: If you're wondering why I rate the story high for a series that seems plotless, well, that's just it. It seems plotless, but if you look closely enough...

P.P.S.: To those who read manga online, SZS has volumes that aren't scanlated. It bothered me at first, but I assure you, it's not as bad as you (or I once) might think. As I said, it's mainly episodic, and the three-season anime covers those missing spots well enough.