This is another volume of "Animated Classics of Japanese Literature," a series of video releases culled from a 1986 Japanese TV program originally titled "Famous Works of Japanese Literature." This one contains the two-part "Botchan," based on a famous novel by Natsume Soseki (written in 1906 and available in English) that details the experiences of Botchan, a young man from Tokyo who takes a job teaching physics in a middle school in a small mountain town around the turn of the last century. The first episode is quite funny in showing the hard time Botchan has adjusting to his new environment as he lashes out at the "imbeciles" and "dolts" in his classroom who are slow to learn physics but quick to think up new ways to torment their impatient teacher. The petty, backstabbing office politics among the administration staff is a source of frustration also, especially when it causes a rift between Botchan and the one colleague he gets along with, math teacher "Porcupine." The second episode comes up with a rather weak resolution and ineffectual comeuppance. Botchan is a bright, opinionated young man and we were hoping for a more clever and ingenious response. It's likely that a lot more dramatic material exists in the novel than could be accommodated in a 48-minute animated program.However, while this may be one of the less interesting tapes in the "Animated Classics" series, it really should be seen by fans of the other episodes, primarily because of its comic and picturesque glimpse into small-town life once upon a not-so-long-ago time in Japan. It's well-animated, despite cartoonish designs of some of the school administrators, nicely scored and strongly acted by a Japanese voice cast.
Low-key tale of schoolteacher sent to rural Japan
2003-10-14
This is another volume of "Animated Classics of Japanese Literature," a series of video releases culled from a 1986 Japanese TV program originally titled "Famous Works of Japanese Literature." This one contains the two-part "Botchan," based on a famous novel by Natsume Soseki (written in 1906 and available in English) that details the experiences of Botchan, a young man from Tokyo who takes a job teaching physics in a middle school in a small mountain town around the turn of the last century. The first episode is quite funny in showing the hard time Botchan has adjusting to his new environment as he lashes out at the "imbeciles" and "dolts" in his classroom who are slow to learn physics but quick to think up new ways to torment their impatient teacher. The petty, backstabbing office politics among the administration staff is a source of frustration also, especially when it causes a rift between Botchan and the one colleague he gets along with, math teacher "Porcupine." The second episode comes up with a rather weak resolution and ineffectual comeuppance. Botchan is a bright, opinionated young man and we were hoping for a more clever and ingenious response. It's likely that a lot more dramatic material exists in the novel than could be accommodated in a 48-minute animated program.
Botchan
2000-02-15
This is a great book and anime. It kept me interested. It's definitly not a popular bloody ninja anime but a calm and intriguing anime about a teacher who is sent away to teach in another part of Japan. The students at the small country town are giving him alot trouble or is it the students...
