Nozomu Itoshiki is depressed. Very depressed. He’s certifiably suicidal, but he’s also the beloved schoolteacher of a class of unique students, each charming in her own way: The stalker. The shut-in. The obsessive-compulsive. The girl who comes to class every day with strange bruises. And Kafuka, the most optimistic girl in the world, who knows that every cloud has a silver lining. For all of them, it’s a special time, when the right teacher can have a lasting positive effect on their lives. But is that teacher Itoshiki, a.k.a. Zetsubou-sensei, who just wants to find the perfect place to die?
Previous chapter: Be mindful of first-timers; please use spoiler text for any spoilers. __________
>Sister-in-law, I’m an Aristocrat This is a reference to a line in Shayo (“The Setting Sun”), a famous novel by the pessimistic author Osamu Dazai (1909-1948).
>Satogaeri Satogaeri literally means “paying the first visit to one’s parents’ home after getting married.” But it can be used more loosely as a visit to one’s parents’ home for certain holidays, etc.
>Miai Miai, or more formally, omiai, is a formal meeting with a view for marriage. It’s the first step for an arranged marriage. The verb miau (“to look at each other,” or “to exchange glances”) is made of the same two kanji characters, but with a different inflection. In short, it’s a pun.
In Japanese pop culture, Sebastian is a stereotypical name for a Western-style butler.
>Genroku Era Considered to be the Golden Age of the Edo Period, the Genroku Era (1688-1704) was a period of economic stability when the arts flourished. Evidently the noble Itoshiki family line dates back to these illustrious times.
I wish we got to see more of the Itoshiki family. They were cool
Leo Morris
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>Zetsurin Zetsurin means “matchless, unequalled, unsurpassed.” It also has a meaning of sexual prowess, hence the pun, and Rin’s irritation.
>Ordinary Train In Japan, the futsu train, or “ordinary” train, is a slower, cheaper form of train service. Since Nami is so ordinary, obviously it’s her means of transportation. (See Zetsubou-sensei volume 1, page 139.)
