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In Great Teacher Onizuka season 1 episode 5, titled "An Eye for an Eye, a Butt for a Butt," we see Eikichi Onizuka, a former gang member turned teacher, attempting to help a troubled student named Yoshiko Uehara who is being bullied by her classmates. Onizuka takes a unique approach to help her by having her bully her classmates back.
Yoshiko, who is often called "Ugly" by her classmates, is regularly bullied, with her classmates stealing her belongings and even physically assaulting her. This mistreatment has caused Yoshiko to become introverted and hide from her problems instead of confronting them. Onizuka, sensing her fear, decides to take matters into his own hands to help her overcome her fears and bully her classmates back to give her a taste of her own medicine.
Onizuka's unorthodox teaching methods have already raised eyebrows amongst the staff, so he must be careful when dealing with Yoshiko's bullying situation. He starts by giving Yoshiko a surprise makeover, making her look more presentable, and encourages her to stand up for herself in front of the others. As predicted, her bullies continue to push her around, and Yoshiko becomes even more disheartened.
Onizuka sees no other option but to "fight fire with fire," and he helps Yoshiko devise a plan to get revenge on her bullies. She decides to put wet cement on the seat of one of her tormentor's bikes, causing her to fall in a humiliating manner. Yoshiko finally gains the courage to confront her bullies, but it is too late. Her classmates have already partnered up, and things do not go as planned for Yoshiko.
As always, Onizuka is there to pick up the pieces and reminds Yoshiko that even if things do not go to plan, the point is to try. He encourages her to never give up on herself and that she has his support no matter what. Yoshiko is validated by Onizuka's kind words and begins the process of self-acceptance, realizing that everyone is a little insecure in their own way, and that it is okay to be different.
In this episode, we see Onizuka’s humanistic approach to dealing with troubled students shine through once again. He has developed a bond with Yoshiko and has gained her trust through his unconditional support. His unconventional approach may have its critics, but in this episode, we see how his unique approach works as he helps Yoshiko find confidence in herself, and although the outcome was not what was expected, they both learned something valuable in the process.
Overall, "An Eye for an Eye, a Butt for a Butt," is an example of how Great Teacher Onizuka brings heartfelt emotions to the audience while delivering a lesson in education that can be applied to real-life situations.
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Genres
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CastSteve BlumDorothy Elias-FahnTom Fahn
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Channel
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First AiredNovember 7, 2003
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Runtime25 min
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LanguageEnglish
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IMDB Rating7.9 (186)
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