DRAGON ZAKURA (2005)

Details

• Title: ドラゴン桜
• Title (romaji): Dragon Zakura
• Format: Renzoku
• Genre: School, drama and comedy
• Episodes: 11
• Viewership ratings: 16.41
• Broadcast network: TBS
• Broadcast period: 2005-Jul-08 to 2005-Sep-16
• Air time: Friday 22:00
• Theme song: Realize by melody

• Insert song: Colorful by Yamashita Tomohisa

Synopsis

Sakuragi Kenji is a destitute lawyer and one-time member of a motorcyle gang trying to guide failing high school students with an average score of 36 into Japan's most prestigious educational institution, Tokyo University (Toudai).

"If you want to change your life, get into Toudai!"

For no other reason than Sakuragi's personal ambition, he has advertised his intention to produce 5 successful Toudai applicants from the students of a nearly bankrupt failure of a school.

"If you want to change your life, get into Toudai!" He will get them from this lowest of all schools into Japan's number one!!

Our protagonist, Sakuragi Kenji, played by Abe Hiroshi in his first role as a high school teacher, is a must see in this summer's new show. This third rate lawyer soon becomes the homeroom teacher for the special advanced class aiming for Toudai University entrance. Hasegawa Kyouko costars as english teacher and Sakuragi's opponent, and Yamashita Tomohisa from NEWS and Nagasawa Masami also appear in the role of students. This awaited original work and fascinating world view is brought to you from the popular serialized comic in Shuukan Morning (Kodansha) and has even been updated!

In addition to revealing essential test taking techniques for everyone who wants to know how to get into Toudai, Dragon Zakura will also teach the essentials of living one's life.

Cast

• Abe Hiroshi as Sakuragi Kenji

Special Advanced Class

• Yamashita Tomohisa as Yajima Yusuke
• Nagasawa Masami as Mizuno Naomi
• Koike Teppei as Ogata Hideki
• Aragaki Yui as Kosaka Yoshino
• Nakao Akiyoshi as Okuno Ichiro
• Saeko as Kobayashi Maki

Ryuzan Highschool Faculty

• Hasegawa Kyoko as Ino Mamako
• Nogiwa Yoko as Tatsuno Yuriko (School Director)
• Saito Yosuke as Vice-Principal Kondo
• David Ito as Ochiai Masanao
• Ando Ryoji as Miyabe Umetaro
• Tsukiyama Mayumi as Asami Kazuko
• Aoyama Masaru as Inaba Tsutomu

Special Advanced Class Teachers

• Terada Minori as Akutayama Ryuzaburo (Literature)
• Kaneda Akio as Kawaguchi Hiroshi (English)
• Kobayashi Susumu as Ain Shutaro (Physics)
• Shinagawa Toru as Yanagi Tetsunosuke (Mathematics)

Parents

• Ishino Mako as Yajima Setsuko
• Miho Jun as Mizuno Yuko
• Mizutani Momosuke as Okuno Jiro
• Kato Kazuko as Okuno Miyako
• Sunaga Kei as Ogata Atsuo
• Aihara Yuko (あいはら友子) as Ogata Mariko
• Kurita Yoko as Kosaka Megumi
• Iketani Nobue (池谷のぶえ) as Kobayashi Mitsue

Supporting Casts / Guests

• Yazawa Shin as Yamamoto Nozomi (Mamako's friend)
• Murakami Hiroki (村上大樹) as Tanaka Yoshio
• Karahashi Mitsuru as Sawamatsu Yasushi
• Onodera Akira as Atty. Okabe (Sakuragi's friend)
• Hirota Masahiro as a Shuumeikan Student
• Ishii Kenichi as Saito (the customer of Naomi's mother)
• Gunji Ayano (郡司 あやの) as Abe Saori
• Hori Akari as Toda Asumi (Maki's friend)
• Hashizume Ryo as Kuriyama Shota
• Katsura Asami (桂亜沙美) as Sakuma Miyu
• Ojima Naoya as the base player of Ogata's band
• Kitamura Eiki as a student of Todai
• Mino Monta (みのもんた)

REVIEW:

                  I really love this drama! in fact, i've finished it for two days cuz i cant wait to get to the last part and see if they made it to Toudai! Yamapi was hot here and Teppei was sooo cute and adorable! The three girls, Naomi, Kobayashi and Yoshino  were also kawaii! While watching Naomi (played by Masami Nagasawa) i knew she looked really familiar. Then i remembered she was also the girl from the other dorama Last Friends and she looked  like the korean actress Yoon Eun-Hye. I cant really seem to get away from high school dramas. heheh. This drama seemed to be like gokusen but far far better.

to be cont...

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