The main character of this series Maya Akutsu could only have been played by the imposing 5'8" Yuki Amami. Nobody else would have been convincing in this role.
It's a new school year, Kazumi Kanda (Mirai Shida), and Erika Satoh (Hikari Kajiwara) are looking forward to their new school year. They're hoping that Shiori Tendo (Sachie Hara) would be their new classroom teacher. But instead, they hear a rumor about a new teacher who is like a demon. They're hoping that they won't end up in her class. But they also hear a conflicting rumor that she's a really good teacher. Kazumi, and Erika ends up in her class. On the first day, Maya Akutsu, the new teacher laid down the rule. She would give an exam every week, and the two lowest grade student will be doing all the odd jobs around the class. Kazumi and her buddy Yusuke Manabe (Naruki Matsukawa) becomes the regular at this job. Maya further divides the class into group of six. In Kazumi's group, there was Hikaru Shindo (Mayuko Fukuda). She's a top student, but also has courage to match. She sides with Kazumi, and gets black listed. Kazumi's classmates are now in survival mode, and acts selfishly. But Kazumi tries to maintain the friendships amongst the classmates.
This series made two new stars - Mirai Shida, and Mayuko Fukuda who were only 12, and 11 at the time. Them, along with Naruki Matsukawa might have been the real star of the show. Without them, the series wouldn't have been as successful.
It's an unlikely story, but when the society becomes so dark, maybe we need teacher like Maya Akutsu to set things right.
I enjoyed the show watching the kids in action. They really were even match to the character of Maya Akutsu. Watch the show to see their stellar acting.
