This series is a cult classic amongst the Japanese who've grew up around the mid '80s in Japan. Many fans still consider this series the greatest television drama ever conceived.
Loosely based on the novel by Nobuhiro Baba, School Wars is a story about a high school rugby team coach Kenji Takizawa (Shinji Yamashita), and his delinquent students on their road to the All Japan Interhigh School Rugby finals.
Kenji Takizawa was an ace flanker for the all Japan rugby team. After retiring from the team he became a coach for children's rugby team. One day a local high school principle saw him teaching the kids, and recruited him to be the coach of his Kawahama high school rugby team. Unfortunately for Takizawa the school was the bottom of the barrel school that harbored some of the worst delinquents in the area. Takizawa's wife Setsuko (Nana Okada) is against him joining the school for this reason, but the principle's persistence wins Takizawa's heart and he joins the school. His reception as the coach was far from welcome by the students, but his method gradually gains their respect. He also gets support by Kayo Yamazaki (Yoshimi Iwasaki), who volunteers to help the rugby teams' activities.
Made by Daiei television, this series starred many teen idols of the '80s like Nana Okada, Yoshimi Iwasaki, Kazue Ito and Yuuki Matsumura. It also starred luminaries that's still active to this day like Tatsuo Umemia. This series spawned many other television drama based on adolescent youth - many of them starring the same actors who've starred in this program. Yuuki Matsumura who've played Daisuke Ooki, is enjoying long career as a television actor to this day.
The television drama made when Japan was hot, and it shows. The actors who were born in the '50s and '60s are different breed compared to the actors of Japan today. They had much more chutzpa than the actors of today's Japan. One honorable mention goes to Nana Okada who's beauty never seems to age, and looks almost the same as she looked when she starred in this program.
The program's popularity speaks for itself, and is recommended for viewing by all Asian drama fans.
