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?
>The Christmas Chapter In Japan, Christmas is celebrated differently from Western countries. More a commercial holiday than anything, it is a time for couples to go on dates and buy each other presents. This explains the social anxiety that many people might have for spending Christmas “normally.” Note that it is not a time when families are expected to get together.
>Nerima, wards, Minato-ku Nerima ward in northeast Tokyo is considered the outskirts, and hence a decidedly “not-hip” area of Tokyo. However, it is also the home of anime, with a large number of animation studios including Toei, AIC, Mushi Productions, and Studio Gallop. (This might explain why Harumi is in Nerima on Christmas.) In contrast, Minato ward (or “ku”) is located in central Tokyo, and is both the most expensive and hosts the Imperial Palace.
