Drama Review: Gakkou no Kaidan

Published on March 25, 2016

Lately, I started to watch more dramas, as I have to spend 2 hours commuting to work every day.

I picked up this 10 episode Jap drama about high school students, and thought it has a very good story.

What’s great about Gakkou no Kaiden?

The school has 8 students (with rich parents sponsoring the school) who are the kings and queens of the school.

They control the school.

The are the bullies.

They choose who to elect into the student council, and control them into making all sorts of decision.

Things were going their way, until they elected the female lead as the president of the student council.

She is the kind-hearted type, and prayed everyday that she will not be ostracised.

But her fears became real when she became the president.

Words can change the world

Fortunately, she had the help of the male lead.

He is a smart guy who studied how great leaders use words to deliver speeches that change the world.

He guided her to give speeches that change the students:

  • the student council
  • the clubs
  • finally, the rich bullies

Each episode is touching as she talk to the students, speaking about their fears, speaking about why they are not being truthful to themselves, speaking about school being the place they can “be stupid”, take risks, and have dreams, even if they eventually fail.

If your school has bullies, watch this

The story portrayed all kinds of students:

  • the victims
  • the bullies
  • the bystanders who just laughed along, and hoping they wouldn’t be the victim

It tells how each of them feel.

Even the bullies, have their reasons and circumstances that make them do what they do. Eg. Family upbringing.

I hope to re-warch this 10 years later, with Kate, and tell her:

Have fun in school

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