Sakigake!! Otokojuku

Otokojuku is one of those shows that has cool characters and moments for the sake of having it and doesn't take itself too seriously at all. Seeing Momotaro in Jstars Victory Versus was what got me interested in the show.

The characters have cool designs and distinctive personalities that the viewer can get attached to. (With Toramaru being my favorite)

Like many other shonen, it starts with unserious gag episodes and then slowly turns into battle shonen similar to the likes of Fist of The North Star. The fights themselves are pretty slow-paced but have satisfying stakes and conclusions.

Overall, just fun to watch and laugh ... at with friends. Would recommend watching passively.

I'll just say it flat out. I don't think this show is all that good. There are a few factors that are keeping me from giving it a lower score, it has SOME memorable moments. Like when Ryu runs on the legendary treadmill of death, that's not what it's called, but I'm calling it that anyway; very fitting. And it also has SOME good fights. Like Kenshiro w/sword vs. Bigger Kenshiro w/bigger sword. I'd call it a cock fight, but I'm above that (^w^). The reason why Japan gets so many earthquakes is because it's the sound of the character's massive swinging logs slamming against ... the floor. Causing tectonic plates to shift. Otokojuku's goal is to be the manliest anime to ever man. And I gotta say, it mans well. This show has a lot of testosterone. Otokojuku is a militaristic high school for troublemakers and delinquents. This show gives me flashbacks to when I was in boot camp, so I'm a little biased, considering I hated that entire experience.

Leader of the first years, Momotarou Tsurugi. Clearly inspired by Kenshiro. I find it somewhat funny how his friends call him "Momo" all the time. Momo meaning "peach" in Japanese. It's just a little silly whenever I hear it, because they're calling this huge manly man a peach. His friends, Genji Togashi, Ryu Toramaru, J, and Hidemaro Gokukoji must survive the trials and tribulations of Otokojuku. There's not much I can say about this show. It starts off as this goofy, delinquent, comedy series that takes advantage of it's gross-out humor, then it evolves into this seemingly serious battle shounen series. I guess that's technically better than before, however I find that element of Otokojuku to be very obnoxious and tiresome. The main group of characters must fight to the death or go through this "legendary" trial that no one have ever defeated. It's a bit cliché, and Otokojuku does this over and over and over again. You quickly get tired of that formula, because most of the show is just constant trails. Now that I think about it, I believe this battle shounen aspect is about two-thirds of the whole show. I might be wrong about that, I can't remember, sorry. My point is that the story arcs are very repetitive and drawn out.
Comedy is subjective...duh. With Otokojuku, I wasn't really vibing with it's sense of humor. I'm sure someone out there loves it when a character farts in another character's face or whenever a black character is introduced they're portrayed as dumb fuck with no manners, who can only speak in broken English or when the upperclassmen try to sabotage whatever the first years are up to and screw up every single time because Momotarou "Peach Man" Tsurugi is so ahead of the curb. I didn't really like this show all that much. I'm glad I watched it, but I'll never go back to it again. Go watch Hokuto No Ken. That series is infinitely better than this one. And there's better delinquent anime out there. Be-bop High School, Kyou Kara Ore Wa, and I'll reluctantly recommend Cromartie High. That show quickly stopped being funny for me, but the beginning episodes made me laugh more than this one. Otokojuku doesn't have much to offer except for some cool fights and a cool OP. Not a fan.

Story: What story? It's mostly trials/10
Art: 6/10
Sound: 6/10
Characters: 4/10
Enjoyment: 4/10
Overall: 5/10

Taking place in a school full of crazy people and events,the story starts episodic and then develops story arcs like most old school shounen,which repeats it again and again just in a different coat of paint.

Just when you think it starts to get good,it skips or rushes things,then undoes everything at the end of the arc to return to the status quo.

To top it of it ends with a recap.

They all look like Hokuto no Ken characters so if you like the artstyle then good for you,the soundtrack was nothing special,just ok,animation was mediocre outside of some decent moments that don't last long.

Most characters are ... barely developed and we just scratch the surface of them,the few that are fleshed out are switched out for new characters,the VAs did a good job voicing them though.

The series actually started out okay,the humour did a good job with the insane school they are in,though the humour phases out a lot later for its serious arcs which are done badly.

Honestly if you wanna watch this you need to like MANLY anime a lot because it certainly is not as good as Hokuto no ken,despite looking like it.