Japanese comedy/drama 'Gokusen' goes to the big screen.

Chris Magee over at JFilm Pow Wow related an old adage a friend of his who worked in the Japanese film industry told him, "There's a formula in Japan. First you have a manga, then you have a TV show, then you have a movie". So it would seem that the hugely popular manga turned television series Gokusen is following that exact pattern. The popular drama series "Gokusen" is getting a movie version this summer. After three highly-rated seasons, the film will be the last time that lead actress Yukie Nakama plays the role of the teacher Yankumi.

Newly graduated Kumiko Yamaguchi wants to make her mark on the Japanese educational system as a teacher. All well and good until she finds out that the class she’ll be in charge of is full of troublemakers and rabble-rousers. But those guys don’t frighten her though for she has a secret of her own - she’s a fourth generation crime syndicate member and next in line to head it up. She’s gone straight and wants to be a teacher though, but she’s one person in whose class you don’t want to be caught fooling around! AsianMediaWiki

Watch the best of clips after the break and keep an eye out for Shun Oguri of Crows Zero fame. If the clips are any indication as to how funny the series were I think we're in for a treat. There would appear to be a lot of familiar faces from the television series, as well there should, so I will assume the quality of comedy will carry over into the film this July.