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Nozomi Ent. to Release All of 'Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei' Anime Franchise
posted on by Adriana Hazra
Right Stuf announced in a behind-the-scenes video on February 17 that Nozomi Entertainment will release the entire anime franchise based on Kōji Kumeta's Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei manga, including all three television anime seasons and both original video anime (OVA) works.
Nozomi Entertainment announced at Anime Expo in July 2019 that it had licensed the series, but stated at the time that it was undetermined if the company would release all three seasons. The company also stated at that time that it had planned to release the anime on Blu-ray Disc in 2020.
Nozomi Entertainment producer Judy explained in the video that Nozomi "ran into trouble right off the bat" since no more scripts for the series exist in Japan (Judy explained the scripts were lost). As a result, the translator had to translate the entire anime by ear. Additionally, the anime also features a lot of on-screen text. Judy also stated Nozomi was still in the early stages on production on the series, but still plans to release the entire franchise.
Nozomi Entertainment describes the story:
Nozomu Itoshiki is a high school teacher so pessimistic that even the smallest of misfortunes can send him into a pit of raging despair; some of these “catastrophes” even lead to suicide attempts. Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei is a satirical slice-of-life comedy set in the modern day, covering various aspects of Japanese life and culture through Nozomu and his interactions with his students: Kiri Komori, a recluse who refuses to leave the school; Abiru Kobushi, an enigma who frequently arrives to class with severe and mysterious injuries; the hyper-optimistic Kafuuka Fuura, Nozomu's polar opposite; and several other unusual girls, all of whom are just as eccentric as their teacher.
The first television anime adaptation of Kōji Kumeta's Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei manga premiered in 2007. Akiyuki Simbo (Hidamari Sketch, Negima!) directed the series at SHAFT. Kenichi Kanemaki (Hell Girl, Tactics) was in charge of series composition, and Hideyuki Morioka (D.Gray-man, Sakura Wars) designed the characters.
The Zoku Sayonara Zetsubō Sensei anime premiered in 2008, and the Zan Sayonara Zetsubō Sensei anime premiered in 2009. The Goku Sayonara Zetsubō Sensei OVA released in Japan in October 2008 and the Zan Sayonara Zetsubō Sensei Bangai-chi OVA released in Japan in November 2009.
Media Blasters previously licensed the first series in North America but never released it.
Kumeta's manga ran from 2005 until in 2012 and has 30 volumes. Del Rey first licensed the manga, and Kodansha Comics later picked up the series. Kodansha Comics has released 14 volumes of the manga.
