mAyKB48 (10/48): Review- Majisuka Gakuen

Majisuka Gakuen (Are You Serious? Academy) was a late night television series that originally aired January through March of 2010 on TV Tokyo. Spanning 12 episodes, it featured a cast comprised primarily of AKB48 members, with a few of the more popular girls from SKE48 and a handful of established actors rounding out the cast. As most girls used either their real names or nicknames derived from their interests or personalities, this series can be looked upon as yet another vehicle used to promote these idols outside of music.

The story follows Maeda Atsuko, a transfer student to Majisuka Gakuen, an all-girls academy where fighting is commonplace and students do as they please. Though initially appearing quiet and studious, Atsuko's true nature arises anytime someone asks "Are you serious?" After single-handedly beating a gang known as Team Hormon, Atsuko captures the attention of Rappapa, the most powerful and influential group on campus. What follows is a series of battles to the top, with Atsuko learning about friendship and facing the demons of her past along the way.

Majisuka Gakuen is not for everyone. It may not even be for all AKB48 fans. It suffers from a number of problems, mostly to due with the relative inexperience of AKB48 members in acting roles. Our protagonist Atsuko spends the majority of each episode sitting and speaking very quietly or doing chores at the nearby hospital (she wants to be a nurse.) It is not a challenging role and can be very boring at times. Her best friend Onizuka Daruma, portrayed by SDN48's Nachu, has the opposite problem as she speaks at length in an annoying accent. Meant to be the comedy relief of the series, Daruma only manages to come off as anything more than a nuisance in a handful of scenes. Rounding out the main cast is Atsuko's crew, which quickly forms from her defeated rivals in the first few episodes. Most of them deliver solid performances, though several tend to overblow the tough girl act. A few of the remaining performances stand out and most are passable, but several are either flat or ridiculously over the top.

Hope you like vacant expressions.

Another area that falls flat is the plot. To be perfectly honest, so much slang is used in this series that I have trouble understanding what is going on at times, and thus I miss some of the more subtle nuances. Even so, the series hits a peak too soon in terms of action and the last handful of episodes feel more like going through the motions than building up to a satisfying climax. Also, there is a point about two-thirds of the way through where we suddenly have magic. No explanation, just all of a sudden there are characters that move at super speed or read your memories by touching you. This isn't really a problem, I just wish some sort of explanation or lead in was given beforehand.

And no, I wouldn't really count this as a spoiler.

As a late night series, Majisuka Gakuen had more leeway with depictions of violence, and really it's the fights that were the main draw for me initially. I do feel the battles in this series suffered a bit by not having actors accustomed to fight choreography. Fights are often spliced together from several quick shots, making figuring out what exactly is happening difficult. Slow motion is used a number of times, leading to the feeling that punches aren't hitting with any kind of force.

Still, watching high school girls beat the crap out of each other is the kind of schlock that can make me overlook other negative aspects of the show. In much the same way that the Kamen Rider or Super Sentai series can have me coming back week after week just to see the giant monster fight in the last third of the show, Majisuka Gakuen kept me interested enough to see what new opponent Atsuko and her crew would have to beat down next. A lot of the fighters also had quirky gimmicks or habits that prevented the series from slipping into monotony.

Returning to the acting for just a moment, I'd like to highlight a few of the performances that I think are the best of the bunch.

First off, Oshima Yuko does a great job with her character. She plays the leader of Rappapa, who is slowly dying from some degenerative disease that I'm not sure is ever fully explained. This is a demanding role and a character who is honestly far more interesting than the protagonist. Yuko switches from elation to anger to deep sadness and does it all convincingly. With her thoughts frequently turning to the glory of her past, Yuko makes a nice foil to Atsuko. But where Atsuko forces down all her emotion, and thus becomes a stoic, emotionless girl, Yuko decides to live life to the fullest with the time she has left. When this is no longer an option, the pain and sadness she goes through is palpable and very well handled. This likely has to do with the fact that Yuko came into this role with the most acting experience, being a child actor before joining AKB.

I also feel Watanabe Mayu does a great job as the treacherous Nezumi. She has a small role throughout most of the series, but she manages to walk the thin line between adorable and creepy quite well. The sequel bait at the end of the series suggests she will have a larger role to play in the second season, which I have not yet seen.

But the single best performance has to go to Matsui Rena, who plays the completely psychotic Gekikara. She is the sole reason I feel Majisuka Gakuen hits a high point too soon. Episode 8 is the single most brutal and unnerving episode in the entire series. Gekikara's plan is to systematically beat all of Atsuko's friends to within an inch of their lives in an effort to make her angry. She tortures and displays her victims' bodies like trophies, taking and destroying their signature items to add insult to injury.

It is the one time where I felt like the fighting looks authentic. It is not stylized or overly choreographed, it is just a drawn out punching match against an opponent who loves violence. Also, Rena's performance is nightmare-inducing. I have no idea if she's had any acting experience beforehand, but she does an amazing job. Enjoy this clip:

If you're not already a fan of AKB, I'd highly recommend giving this series a pass until you familiarize yourself with the various members. Part of the series charm is seeing your favorite 推しメン in a role outside of the stage performances. For fledgling fans, there  are shows that give a better glimpse into the personalities and interests of AKB members. I'd recommend variety shows like AKBingo or Suiensa to get started. Still, if you want to watch these girls do something a little different or if you are a fan of the yankee high school genre, it may be worthwhile to at least give the series a look. I can't guarantee that you'll like it, but it has its moments. File this one under guilty pleasure.

Obligatory Sae picture!