I can’t help but think about Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei whenever I watch Kakushigoto. Well, it’s by the same mangaka anyway. So, it makes sense there’s a little bit of resemblance between Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei and Kakushigoto.

The ridiculousness and the wackiness of these characters’ opinions when it comes to certain issues are pretty much the same. So, I can’t help but laugh at these characters because I never see these issues that way.

Unlike Kakushigoto, I find that Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei is taking things to another notch when it comes to the ridiculous and the wacky perception.

Does it mean that Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei is much better than Kakushigoto in many sense?

Well, I will say that both series has their own charm. So, it’s hard for me to say which one is better since I find Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei hilarious just as much as Kakushigoto.

I have yet to read Kakushigoto as I write this. But since Kakushigoto anime just came out this season, I thought that it’ll be great to talk about Koji Kumeta’s previous work, Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei.

What Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei is all about

Here’s the book description that I got from Bookwalker.

GOODBYE, MR. DESPAIR 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?

What attracts me to this manga in the first place

I watched the anime before like a long time ago. Heck, I even watched all of the seasons too. Since I already know what to expect, I decided to grab the manga version instead.

It’s hard to resist when the first volume of the manga was only 99 cents on Amazon Kindle when it was on sale too.

If you’ve been reading my blog long enough, you know how much I love bargains, especially when it comes to the manga and the light novels that I always want to read.

What makes Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei worth reading

Whoa there, that doesn’t sound like the kind of manga you’ll find funny based on the book description, right? With the main character who is always thinking about committing suicide, it’s hard to believe that this manga is a hilarious read, to begin with.

Well, it’s true that Itoshiki Nozomu is the sort of person who wants to commit suicide. Heck, he even has a few spots that he thinks a perfect place for him to perform the act.

And I’m not going to lie here that the first scene is him who is about to hang himself at the cherry blossom tree right off the bat.

But strangely enough, he doesn’t have any intention of wanting to die despite the act, though.

So yes, the opening chapter seems grim at first. But Itoshiki Nozomu’s first interaction with Kafuka will make you start giggling because really, her arguments are just plan silly. She’s the most optimistic person you’ll ever come across.

Putting that aside, the rest of the manga tends to be about poking around and making fun of the current issues and pop culture in Japan.

With how Itoshiki Nozomu perceives things around him, you can’t help but laugh at it because many of his concerns can be ridiculous for the most part but funny at the same time.

How ridiculous it can be?

Well, it’s the kind of ridiculousness that you never think of. You’ll see for yourself when you read the manga.

Anything that can give you a good laugh is worth reading, don’t you think?

What I didn’t expect when I read the manga

There are quite a few manga out other that do emphasize a lot on the current issues in Japan. But somehow, I find that you’ll get more of it in Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei.

While I may already familiar with some of the issues presented in the manga, there are also quite a few that I’m not familiar with.

That can be a bit difficult for those who aren’t that familiar with these issues. But the good news is the manga does have a dedicated section where it will explain all the references in the manga.

So, you can still grasp the issues here even if you know nothing about it.

Who should read this manga

If you enjoy reading anything satire and you don’t mind learning about the issues and pop culture in Japan, then you’ll certainly enjoy reading this manga.

Otherwise, stay away from this manga if comedy is the only thing you’re looking for. It’s hard to know the manga context if you have no interest in trying to understand the current issues and the pop cultures reference.

Where to buy Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei manga

It’s too bad that the manga is no longer available for sale in print. But the good news is you can still buy the manga in digital format.

If you don’t mind reading the manga in digital format, you can buy the manga on Amazon right here:

Buy Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei Vol. 1 on Amazon

Can’t buy the manga on Amazon? The good news is you can also buy the manga on Bookwalker too. You can buy the manga right here:

Buy Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei Vol.1 on Bookwalker

I admit that the manga can be hard to read especially when some parts of the manga seems to use such a tiny font.

But hey, it’s all worth it.

Over to you

What do you think about Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei? Are you interested in giving the manga a try after reading about it on my blog? Let me know in the comment below.

P.S Just to let you know that I’m currently running a special promotion for my books on Smashwords where you can buy my book for less than $4. This promotion will only be available until May 31st, 2020. So, buy any of my books now before the promotion is over.

Here are the links to my books on Smashwords:

The Diary of Modern Cinderella

Twisted Destiny

Trigger Locked: The Mind Control Assassins

Trigger Locked: A Silent Killer