Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei

[masamuneehs]

Sayonara Zetsubō Sensei (さよなら 絶望 先生, Sayonara Zetsubō Sensei "Goodbye, Despair Teacher") is a manga by Kōji Kumeta, serialized in Weekly Shounen Jump. It is a comedy about a teacher who takes all aspects of life, language and culture in the most negative light possible.

Nozomu Itoshiki (糸色 望, Itoshiki Nozomu)The main character, a high school teacher. When his last name is written horizontally, it looks like Zetsubō (絶望, Zetsubō "Despair"), which fits his extremely paranoid, pessimistic, depressive and suicidal mindset.

Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei - Episode 01 - a.f.k - avi

won the Kodansha Manga Award for the 'Shounen' category in 2006.

This one caught my eye because of the premise. I'm also happy because a.f.k does good work.

edit - watched it today, and laughed out loud a few times. Took me awhile to get used to the characters. The two dynamic opposites aren't my cup of tea (spot on interaction between them, though), but the humor really is. I loved the silly naming of trees and Zetsubo going on about naming rights ("And one day, even Mt. Fuji will one day becom Japan's #1 Mt. Shounen Magazine")

That freakin head creeps me out! Some serious fanservice, for the lolicons too...

I like this show. It's got a good style. Lots of little, small funny things that you sometimes need to pause for (the chalkboard: Watch anime in a brightly lit room, with a dark heart" a reference to the Gundam Haruhi dance? Rei Ayanami girl

Some of the 'despair lists' were funny too, noticed the mangaka appeared on there as if he's a member of the class.

Fuura's name "Kafuka" seems to be an ironic twist on the author, Franz Kafka, who is one of the most depressing authors ever...