Dragon Zakura

It starts out interesting, it manages to keep you glued to the screen because you're having a good time. Or at least you’re entertained. The big plus of the series is definitely Abe Hiroshi; he himself and his character of a brutally honest but very human lawyer. Another plus (at least for me) was the opening and ending – I liked both songs. We study, we study, we have special teachers, we overcome obstacles, we study, and just when it finally looks like everything's going to be okay, such moronic "obstacles" get in the way (I'm talking about the last episode) that I would have been better off if they weren't there, because it didn't add to the tension at all, but instead just made me wonder: "Stupid Japanese people, can't they give it a break in at least one series? Do they have to dramatize it the same way every time and almost every time so transparently?". But so be it, I kind of forgive it. However, what got on my nerves throughout the whole time I was watching was the teacher "for kawaii students" Ino. I can't help but find her terribly unappealing and annoying, with her sweet and selfless moralizing and yelling. Well, you can't have everything. It had boring parts here and there, I started skipping the headmistress a bit over time, and likewise the boring parts, but nothing drastic, always just a few seconds. It had some good moments, I had fun with the English teacher too, I laughed; I was also a bit sad, the ending is what it is and there’s no reason to protest against it. But yeah, it's a better school show. A strong 3 stars. The second season is a bit better. (12.02.2013)