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Adapted from the manga series “Sahara-sensei to Toki-kun,” this Japanese series is quite typical of manga adaptations in the romantic comedy genre. Directed by Shibata Keisuke, with a screenplay by Miura Yuiko, the show stars Kizu Takumi and Hachimura Rintaro as leads Sahara and Toki-kun, respectively. The story opens with Toki, a teen delinquent who always gets into fights but finally starts to mend his ways after developing a crush on the handsome new Physical Education teacher Sahara Ichiro. Accustomed to skipping school and wasting time, Toki starts attending classes just to see Sahara, and this leads to a lot of changes in both their lives.
The age of consent in Japan is 16, and Toki is either 16 or 17 in the story, so the student-teacher romance plot isn’t problematic in Japanese context. Not like there’s are any inappropriate scenes in the series, or indication that anybody is being taken advantage of, manipulated, or groomed. “Sahara Sensei to Toki-kun” is a simple, comedic story about how Toki is dazzled by his teacher and he does his best to win over his crush. But given Sahara’s personality in the series – a serious, hard-working, responsible man who is extremely particular about his conduct, it didn’t make much sense that he is okay with encouraging the advances of a student. Besides, except for Toki’s straightforward attitude, nothing really happens in the show to indicate why Sahara likes Toki back.
A significant sub-plot involves Sahara’s failed love story with a classmate when he was in high-school, and honestly, it would’ve made so much sense in the show if Sahara had actually ended up with the other character. Another sub-plot also involves Toki’s friend Todo (Matsumoto Hiroki), who is romantically interested in another student at school. While Todo’s is given screen space in a manner that leads viewers into believing they would get a whole secondary romantic plot, Todo’s love story is practically forgotten in the end.
Hachimura Rintaro is pretty hilarious as the blonde-haired Toki, he looks the part of a troublemaker, and not your typical cute or handsome lead. While, Kizu Takumi as the handsome Sahara is a rather one-dimensional character, whose character is inconsistently written. Regardless, both Toki and Sahara are likable individuals, but together, the two of them don’t mesh well in the series and there isn’t much chemistry between the two either.
Overall, “Sahara Sensei to Toki-kun” is a mildly entertaining series, which could’ve used some tweaks in the plot progression or better execution. You can stream the series on GagaOolala.
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