Subarashiki Kana, Sensei! Blu-ray Box

Subarashiki Kana, Sensei! Blu-ray Box follows a young teacher whose enthusiasm for the classroom is being tested from every direction. Erika Ikuta stars as Rio Sasaoka, a second-year high school teacher who can laugh openly, cry without restraint and vent through a private social media account. The series treats her as a person first, finding both comedy and warmth in the daily pressures of teaching.

Rio entered education full of dreams and hope, only to discover a working life far more demanding than she imagined. Students stretch the meaning of freedom, parents and neighbours expect too much from the school, and older teachers hand difficult problems to their younger colleagues. Between private online complaints and conversations with her supportive boyfriend, she tries to keep her natural energy and optimism intact.

Eventually, her patience runs out and she decides to resign. At precisely that moment, an unexpected vacancy leaves a class without a homeroom teacher, and Rio is chosen to fill it. Her first class of her own is a group of final-year students, making an already difficult job even more challenging. Written and directed by Takayuki Takuma, the drama brings the realities of school life together with the students' coming-of-age stories and the relationships that keep Rio going.

The cast includes Mizuki Kayashima, Jin Suzuki, Yuki Tachibana, Riko Nagase, Nako Yabuki, Rio Komiya and Yui Oguri, alongside veteran performers Hisako Manda, Shingo Yanagisawa, Misako Tanaka and Katsunori Takahashi. Music is by Kotobuki Music Lab, with Mariya Takeuchi's Uta wo Okurou as the theme song.

All eight episodes are included in this four-disc box, with a booklet and supplementary footage. The extras feature the alternate episode-eight segment, a special making-of programme, the student-focused spin-off Subarashiki Kana, Kokosei!, the complete opening dance, Ikuta's surprise visit to a high school closing ceremony and her candid discussion with working teachers.

The Japanese Blu-ray edition is presented in 16:9 high definition, with approximately 368 minutes of main programme, Japanese Linear PCM 2.0 stereo audio and region-free playback. No subtitles are included.