Huh, so the manga has changed a touch since volume one and now my first impression doesn’t hold up? I’m in despair!
Creative Staff
Story/art: Koji Kumeta
Translation/Adaptation: Joshua Weeks
What They Say
Zetsubou-sensei and the students go on several unusual class trips, including an archaeological expedition, the Museum of Unnatural History, and Daisan Sentaku City– the city of the inexplicable third alternative. You know, like, when you’re trying to decide whether to get a puppy or a kitten… and you end up with a crocodile? The students also practice selling themselves (legally), getting over their self-entitlement, the art of “soft landings”– a.k.a. breaking bad news gently.
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
It is time for Zetsubou to take his comedy act on the road-as well as trails, caves and unusual museums-as he and his students encounter various aspects of society and its sacred cows that need tipping among other observations. Initially we learn of the natural power of the three way standoff and how if disturbed nature’s careful balance is destroyed to the detriment of at least one of the three points. From that starting point we then journey to learn the careful art of forcing others to recognize your greatness through self promotion as well as a lesson in learning to appreciate the unnatural things in life.
Along the way we’ll also take time to lament the phenomena May’s disappointments when novelty wears off, the horror of a society that profits from disaster and the unfortunate state of psychological disconnect causes people to break from a hard either-or situation to embrace neither. Just for kicks to round out the volume the reader will then learn how horrible they are for helping others and hopping to hear a word of thanks in return, how doing things too suddenly can harm them, what it is parents don’t know about wisdom teeth and how something as simple as a mispeling can cause us to lose focus on everything else around us and just obsess on that.
My original encounter with Zetsubou-Sensei wasn’t one I walked away excited from. I didn’t find the idea of a teacher who wants to commit suicide over small quirks in society as all that amusing as it just felt too over the top and exaggerated past any point of humor. I’d see people talk of loving the series and wanting the anime and I just didn’t get how based on that first volume. Then I opened a box of review materials and inside was this volume of the series. While it didn’t have me rushing to go running screaming for the hills (though I did contemplate humming as I walked briskly to the post office which is slightly elevated from where I live) I was hesitant to take it on due to that first encounter, but I am glad I did.
The pattern of Zetsubou-Sensei is very similar to what I originally encountered with the titular character encountering things that made him despair but gone was the uncomfortable (and inappropriate) suicidal parts and in its place is a far more over the top and whimsical look at the subject matter. That the series has grown and is willing to be as self defacing as it is at times really helps sell the characters when they break the fourth wall from time to time. This approach helps set up a manner that helps connect the characters and their observations on the absurd to the audience and provides humanness to events.
The material does lose a bit from time to time since in mocks Japanese culture which requires some of the jokes to be explained. That can lead to a bit of a letdown with jokes but the material covers for that fairly well in its briefness. Much like good sketch comedy the author gets right to the heart of what he wants to say and then gets the characters off the stage before the scene wears out its welcome. Comedy is timing and even on the printed page Zetsubou-Sensei’s material seems to flow with a very accurate sense of the best timing to present a joke so it fires off at its maximum. I am happy that I gave the series a second chance as this volume left me grinning a good deal of the way through it, even if there weren’t a lot of sheer laugh out loud moments for me.
In Summary
Volume 10 continues Zetsubou-Sensei’s trek as he leads his students through lessons exploring some of the absurdities they take for granted, and when they need to, creating absurdities of their own. As with comedy as a whole it is often an “eye of the beholder” thing but with the help of some fluid adaptation and copious translation notes one sees that even if the specifics of a scene are foreign some of the behaviors at the core are universally human that helps the reader relate to the mocking nature of the material.
Content Grade: B
Art Grade: B+
Packaging Grade: A-
Text/Translation Grade: A-
Age Rating: 16+
Released By: Kodansha Comics
Release Date: August 23rd, 2011
MSRP: $10.99
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