Student-teacher Relationship is a very controversial genre,and not everyone will like it. We all know this relationship is wrong, but thisis not real life; this is just drama. It doesn't mean a story was made thatthey are already glorifying or romanticizing the act. Just like othercontroversial stories like "infidelity dramas", "gay-themeddramas", "historical war movies" or movies that seemed they areglorifying stealing and killing, It's best to separate your morals andreasoning from a story and try to see it through neutral eyes, you don't haveto agree to enjoy it.
My Teacher (2017)
Movie: My Teacher (English title) / Teacher! Is It Okay for Me to Love You? (literal title)
Romaji: Sensei! 、、、Suki ni Natte mo Ii Desuka?
Japanese: 先生！ 、、、好きになってもいいですか？
Director: Takahiro Miki
Writer: Kazune Kawahara (manga), Mari Okada
Actors: Toma Ikuta, Suzu Hirose, Ryo Ryusei, Aoi Morikawa, Kentaro Ito
Plot Synopsis
Sophom*ore and representative of the archery club, ShimadaHibiki is a 17-year-old student who has never been in love. During her highschool's entrance ceremony, she sees Kosaku Ito, her 26-year-old world historyteacher, who is well known to be a stern and cold person. Hibiki, rescued byIto after a minor incident, discovers that their teacher is compassionatetowards others and starts to develop romantic feelings for him. Hibikiconfesses, and her honest and young love begins to melt Ito's heart slowly.
-Mydramalist
The chemistry between Suzu Hirose and Ikuta Toma is enoughreason why I should include this movie on this list. It surprised me how goodthey look together, given the age gap between them. I guess it has something todo with the acting. Suzu, as a student who is in love with her teacher, andIkuta as a cold-hearted person are very natural in their roles. Not a singlemoment I felt cringe when they were together. I thought they indeed fell inlove with each other.
Unlike other shoujo live-action movies, this one doesn'tfeel rushed at all. There is a natural flow in this movie, and not just acollection of scenes crammed together to fit the movie's two-hour running time.Those scenes were only enhanced by beautiful cinematography, and my favorite isthe one when Shimada confessed to her teacher. The way the sun shined throughthe window is magical.
Taisetsu na Koto wa Subete Kimi ga Oshiete Kureta (2011)
Drama: You Taught Me All the Precious Things (English Title)
Romaji: Taisetsu na Koto wa Subete Kimi ga Oshiete Kureta
Japanese: 大切なことはすべて君が教えてくれた
Director: Masaki Nishiura, Hiroki Hayama
Writer: Naoko Adachi
Actors: Erika Toda, Haruma Miura, Emi Takei
Plot Synopsis
Toda and Miura play two teachers, Natsumi Uemura and ShujiKashiwagi, at the same high school who are set to get married in half a year.However, the night before the school year's opening ceremony, Shuji becomesinvolved with the young Hikari Saeki (played by Takei), without realizing thatshe will be a student in his class starting the next day. As Shuji struggles tohelp Hikari deal with the mental complex she is suffering from, he is also torninside by his betrayal of Natsumi. Meanwhile, Hikari attempts to get closer toNatsumi, driven by feelings of jealousy and a desire to destroy the couple'srelationship.
-Mydramalist
Taisetsu na Koto wa Subete Kimi ga Oshiete Kureta is notyour ordinary romance drama that only focuses on two characters fall in love.It's about how love affects our decisions in life and helps us change and growas a person. This drama is heavy though, so I would not advise to watch it inone sitting. It's a roller coaster full of emotions, and you'll find yourselfentertained, frustrated, depressed, and happy.
The English title You Taught Me All the Important Things isvery appropriate for this drama, and you couldn't think a more fitting titlethan this. Taisetsu na Koto wa Subete Kimi ga Oshiete Kureta doesn't havestereotypical characters you always see in dramas what we got here are flawedcharacters who made mistakes and learn from them. I said the title isappropriate because not only Hikari learns and grows as a character but alsoShuji and Natsumi. It's also realistic in the sense that even people with thebest intentions can still hurt their loved ones. In real life, some thingsdon't go our way.
The acting is solid. Haruma Miura and Erika Toda did well,but the standout in this drama is, without a doubt, Emi Takei. Eyes are herasset, and her stare is from another world in this drama. You could feel herlove towards Shuji, and that passion is so strong that you could feel it comingout from your screen. The chemistry between Haruma Miura and Emi Takei ispalpable. It's just a shame that we didn't see anything from this pairing afterthis show.
Kou Kou Kyoushi 2003 (2003)
Drama: High School Teacher
Romaji: Koko Kyoshi
Japanese: 高校教師
Director: Natsuki Imai, Shin'ichi Kamosh*ta, Ken Yoshida
Writer: Shinji Nojima
Actors: Ueto Aya, Naohito Fujiki, Hiroki Narimiya, Yu Aoi
Plot Synopsis
Hina, a student at Nikko High School, goes out one eveningwith her classmate Beniko. They get split up, and Hina ends up in a strangemeeting with a man named Ikumi in a game arcade. The next day, Ikumi turns upas the new teacher at her school. Ikumi doesn't seem to recognize Hina, but thewheels of fate are slowly moving to reunite them in what is a passionate storyof forbidden love.
-Mydramalist
Psychological?Tearjerker? Student-Teacher romance? Would you ever think that meshing thesegenres in a single drama is possible? Well, the answer is Kou Kou Kyoushi 2003.It has to be the most profound thought-provoking student-teacher relationshipdrama I've watched as this one not only revolves around romance but also thedifference between dependence and love. It is fascinating if you think of it, doyou like the person because you love her or you just depend on the thought ofbeing in love. Another theme is death, like what would you do if you know yourdays are numbered.
The romance is perfect. Ueto Aya and Fujiki Naohito lookgood together. They got great chemistry that you will root for them until theend. I can't say the same with acting though, it's mediocre at best even FujikiNaohito is not that good. But it's nice to see Ueto Aya and Aoi Yu when theywere young and how much they've grown from then acting-wise.
Chugakusei Nikki (2018)
Drama: Meet Me After School (English title)
Romaji: Chugakusei Nikki
Japanese: 中学聖日記
Director: Ayuko Tsukahara, Kentaro Takemura, Toshio Tsuboi
Writer: Junko Kawakami (manga) Arisa Kaneko
Actors: Kasumi Arimura, Kenshi Okada, Keita Machida, Yo Yoshida, Yui Natsukawa
Plot Synopsis
This drama is a love story between Akira Kuroiwa, a15-year-old boy who knows nothing of love, and Hijiri Suenaga, his new25-year-old homeroom teacher. One fated summer, Akira begins to realize he hasfeelings for Hijiri, but Hijiri has a long distance fiancee. The story followsthe pair for several years.
-Mydramalist
Chugakusei Nikki reminds me of a lot of dramas in the purelove "jun-ai" era. Dramas/movies such as "Sekai no Chūshin de,Ai o Sakebu," "Be With You," "Tada, Kimi woAish*teru," "Koizora" and the Korean "Endless Loveseries" are what popularize this genre. A "jun-ai" couple shouldalso be faced by many obstacles contrived to keep them apart, only hoping for areunion later in the story. Couples who manage to keep their feelings for eachin spite of the passage of time are the appeal of "jun-ai". Fans ofthe genre find it the most romantic type of love.
Watching this drama is a journey I will never forget. Slowburn romance that perfectly captures the ups, downs, and complications of love,especially this one, a taboo type of love. Among the drama and movies includedin this list, Chugakusei Nikki is the one that handled the subject perfectly.The drama gave us a glimpse of the consequences and what would others feelwitnessing something like this blossom. Everybody around them didn't condonethem for this type of relationship, which both characters suffer as a result.
Full review here
Majo no Jouken (1999)
Native Title: 魔女の条件
Also Known As: Forbidden Love , Witch's Requirement , The Innocent Witch
Directors: Doi Nobuhiro, Katayama Osamu
Screenwriters: Yukawa Kazuhiko
Actors: Matsushima Nanako, Takizawa Hideaki
Plot Synopsis
Michi, a 26-year-old high school math teacher, tentativelyaccepts her boyfriend's proposal of marriage, uncertain of her love for him butfeeling pressure from her father and society to do what is expected of her.Hikaru, a 17-year-old boy, frustrated by his home life with his single motherand having been expelled from many high schools for bad behavior, entersMichi's class as a new transfer student. As their relationship grows, they realizethat they both feel that they have lost themselves to the pressures of thosearound them, and it is this common bond that draws them dangerously close. Whatfollows is a heart-wrenching story of forbidden love where Michi must facesociety's judgment for corrupting a minor, abandoning her fiance, anddisappointing her parents and co-workers.
-Mydramalist
When you think of the quote "Love conquers all,"you think of this drama. Characters that will do anything for the sake of loveand live the way they want, but life is not simple; sometimes, love was thereto remind us to grow up. Both characters are impulsive at the beginning, whichresulted in irresponsible decisions from both characters. This drama is kind ofhard to swallow at first but addicting once you start watching the show. Youwill be instantly put on the characters' shoes and will make you think aboutwhat you would do if you were them.
This drama felt more 90's show than early 2000's thecinematography is gritty instead of bright, but it doesn't mean bad as thosekinds of cinematography have an appeal towards a specific audience. This dramais the most daring in this list, given that this was shown in the late '90swhen Japanese dramas are still showing great kisses and realistic love scenes.
The acting is the best on this list. Matsushima Nanako is alegend portraying Michi. Nanako's portrayal of someone who doesn't have controlof her life is spot on. The theme song "first love" by Utada Hikaruis also legendary, and you couldn't choose a more fitting theme song for thisstory than that.
