Dragon Zakura
Contents
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 songs:
- Opening theme: Realize by melody
- Insert theme: Colorful by Yamashita Tomohisa
- Related TV show: Angel Bank (TV Asahi, 2010)
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 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 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)
Production Credits
- Original writing: Manga Dragon Zakura by Mita Norifusa (三田紀房)
- Screenwriter: Hata Takehiko
- Producer: Toda Koichi, Shimizu Mayumi
- Director: Tsukamoto Renpei, Karaki Akihiro, Komatsu Takashi
- Music: Nakanishi Kyo
- Narrator: Kobayashi Kiyoshi (小林清志)
Episode Information
| Episode | Title (English) |
Rating (Kanto) |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Fools and ugly girls, head for Tokyo University! | 17.5% |
| 02 | Know your own weaknesses! | 16.5% |
| 03 | Play! Taking an exam is like a sport! | 13.8% |
| 04 | Don't stop until you hit the wall | 16.1% |
| 05 | Don't cry! It's your life! | 16.8% |
| 06 | English Showdown! Fight for Six Fools | 17.9% |
| 07 | Vengeance! The Tokyo University Mock Exam! | 15.6% |
| 08 | Tears of Fools... Extracurricular activities for summer vacation | 17.0% |
| 09 | Believe! Your results will surely improve | 14.5% |
| 10 | Friendship or the exam? Final decision | 14.5% |
| 11 | You're not fools anymore! The fateful announcement of the results | 20.3% |
Source: Video Research, Ltd.
Awards
- 46th Television Drama Academy Awards: Best Actor - Abe Hiroshi
External Links
| Spring 2005 | TBS | Autumn 2005 |
| Tiger & Dragon | Friday 22:00 | Hana Yori Dango |
