My Boss, My Hero VS No Dropping Out

I mentioned these two before on my Top School Drama post a long time ago. The two dramas bare so many similarities, and yet the undeniable differences in tone and content make it hard to compare them. But who wouldn't like a drama about an adult going back to school?

My Boss, My Hero was absolutely fantastic. It's about Sakaki Makio, a 27-year-old gangster with his heart set on taking over the gang from his Father. There's just one problem - he's unbelievably dumb. After a costly mistake, his Father decides to use some of his connections to have his son enrolled in a local high school to finish his education. He will have to pretend to be a normal student in order to succeed - which means lying about his age, his background, and his motives. That isn't even the best part. Although his first few days are rocky, he soon makes good friends and discovers a love for learning. Oh, and pudding. Everyone in this weird, weird school is crazy about the stuff.

  My Boss, My Hero was such a breath of fresh air. I always love a unique protagonist, and the Unubore Deka was as charming as always. It was a surprisingly cute and bubbly show - I expected the stakes to be a little higher considering how dangerous a life Makio leads, but instead the writers managed to use his personality and situation to make the comedy and gags all the more ironic. Ultimately, My Boss, My Hero is not serious. It's not realistic. And it's definitely, definitely not boring.

No Dropping Out: Back School at 35, but No Dropping Out for short, is exactly as it sounds. Ayako Baba returns to school after dropping out... seventeen years ago. She's twice as old as the people in her class, and yet the Principal doesn't bat an eye. Ayako somehow gets tangled up in the affairs of her classmates, dealing with issues from bullying to self-harm to sexual assault accusations. Who's orchestrating all of these unfortunate events? Moreover, who the hell is Baba really and what is she hiding?
  Although No Dropping Out and My Boss, My Hero both feature a strong, fish-out-of-water protagonist, they have many differences. For one thing, Ayako doesn't hide the fact that she's older than everyone else. Makio's secret made for great comedic antics, whilst No Dropping Out takes a darker, more sombre tone and uses her unusual to make her character all the more mystifying. I like how it focused on each and every student, like in Gokusen, but gave them far more dangerous problems. In addition, it was also a story about friendship and experiencing your youth while you can. I should really update my Top Eight Endings list, because No Dropping Out's hopeful ending definitely deserves a place on there. I don't think I've ever watched a mystery quite like No Dropping Out before, but it absolutely delicious.

In conclusion, both shows were fantastic. It would be best to decide which one who want to watch by asking yourself whether you would prefer something easy and breezy (My Boss, My Hero) or something meatier (No Dropping Out). Rather than one being better than the other, this time it's just a matter of preference.
  For something like My Boss, My Hero, try Great Teacher Onizuka, who is anything but a great teacher. For something a little more like No Dropping Out, try School 2013, a Korean school drama that's down to earth yet sweet.