Title:
- 坊っちゃん Bocchan
- 坊っちゃん Botchan
- Son
- Young Master
Language: Japanese
Year: 2016
Episode: 01
Cast:
- 二宮和也 Ninomiya Kazunari
- 松下奈緒 Matsushita Nao
- 古田新太 Furuta Arata
- 八嶋智人 Yashima Norito
- 山本耕史 Horikita Maki
- 又吉直樹 Matayoshi Naoki
- 及川光博 Oikawa Mitsuhiro
- 佐藤浩市 Sato Koichi
- 浅野ゆう子 Asano Yuko
- 小林薫 Kobayashi Kaoru
- 岸部一徳 Kishibe Ittoku
- 宮本信子 Miyamoto Nobuko
- 田野倉雄太 Tanokura Yuta
- 高橋洋 Takahashi Yō
SYNOPSIS
Botchan has a very direct personality, and he interprets things in a very straightforward way. He literally says what he means and he means what he says.
His family's live-in maid Kiyo took care of him ever since he was young, and she always praises him for having an upstanding disposition.
After graduating from university, Botchan accepted a teaching position at a junior high school in Matsuyama, in the island of Shikoku.
REVIEW
Botchan is a very interesting drama about morals and values. It is based on the classic novel Botchan by Natsume Sōseki.
Botchan has a very straightforward approach in life, and this usually creates conflict between him and other people he has to deal with. He hates lies, so he always states the truth even though it may create an awkward atmosphere in social situations.
Botchan literally means 'young master', and it is a title used for the sons of an illustrious household. Botchan tends to adopt nicknames for the people around him, and he often calls other people by his nicknames for them instead of their actual names (when they have one).
It seems deliberate that some characters are given names and some characters aren't. Perhaps it's a way for the audience to better identify themselves with a character, or even to see other people they know as one of the characters.
Botchan: I can't stand lies.
Red Shirt: A role model, in other words, is a teacher who excels at his field. Not only in the abundance of the knowledge in his subject, ... but a teacher with an outstanding character that will cause an influence on the way of thinking and behavior of the students... In other words, a teacher that owns both the social and moral virtues, he must be a person of fine character.
Botchan: If I can't do something, I honestly say it, just that.
Red Shirt: What would you think about answering a question to students with a "I don't know"?
Botchan: Because I didn't know I answered "I don't know". Is there anything wrong with that?
Nodaiko: By doing that, the dignity of the teacher isn't maintained, isn't it obvious?
...
Botchan: ... But I don't want to lie to them.
Red Shirt: Even so, there are other ways of dealing with this problem, isn't it?
Botchan: If you have a complaint, it is better to do it face to face.
Botchan: When you make a mischief, you don't claim someone else did it. You don't let someone else to suffer the consequences.
Botchan: Enough. It's not necessary for you to apologize... Since you haven't admitted the mischief, there's no need for an apology. You guys, have you genuinely thought it was wrong? What you're saying and what's in your heart is different. If you don't think it was wrong, then you don't have to apologize.
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坊っちゃん Botchan
