This is one of my favorite series. Doesn't matter whether it's the manga, television show, or the anime, I adore this series because it's about a teacher who knows how to handle herself. She doesn't need a man to help her since she was raised by a man who taught her to be self-reliant; something quite a few people in anime and manga seem to be lacking.

The main characters in this series play off one another extremely well. Yankumi seems to meld into any role she's presented with. As an educator myself, I admire her attitude toward her students. All any of them needed was someone to bat for them, which is a common issue in many countries. Sadly, not all of those in real life are given a teacher like Yankumi to help them succeed.

The series may (or may not) give a romanticized version of the yakuza. As someone who has not been involved with organized crime, I can't say for sure, but I'd keep from using this show as a reliable source for the mafia; one can dream though. Yakuza stories seem to be rather popular in pop culture. They are entertaining, to say the least, but one can hope to never run into what it's like on the inside.

One thing that did stick out was Fujiyama's addiction to teenage boys (not to mention this is the same woman who voices Satoshi in hundreds of Pokemon episodes). This kind of made me laugh, save for the part where it's illegal in my home country to hook up with someone under 18. I had to think in a different mind not to find it a little odd. Luckily I can view something without going all sorts of ballistic. One of my friends gave me a lecture about enjoying this show for this very reason. So, for anyone not able to deal with the fact that Japan does have a different culture, I'd not recommend this show. However, if the mind is open, this show is fun on all levels.