Majisuka Gakuen 3

The airing date for the third instalment of AKB48's Yankee drama, マジすか学園3 (Majisuka Gakuen 3), was revealed. It will begin airing on 13th of July, weekly on Fridays 00:12, on TV Tokyo’s “Dorama 24” channel.

In the first season, Maeda (AKB48 Atsuko Maeda) and Daruma (SDN48 Nachu) transferred to Majisuka Gakuen, an all-girls yakee school. Maeda was frequently picked up for a fight or challenged due to her silent nature and mainly her strength in fights whenever her true nature is awakened (She is a pretty strong yankee in middle school). Slowly towards the end, she managed to climb up to the top and towards the end, Yuko (AKB48 Oshima Yuko), the president of Rappapa - MJ's strongest gang, passed on her role to Maeda before she passes away due to her illness. A peace treaty was also made between Majisuka and Yabakune, after much fights through the season.

In the second season, surprisingly Maeda didn't take the top seat herself and instead shared it with a new transfer student whom she know personally, Otabe (AKB48 Yokoyamo Yui). Maeda from the start was absent from school, trying to get the answer she have been searching for by beating up many street hooligans, leaving the president responsibility with Otabe. Most of the original Rappapa members have graduated and allies (or rather, friends) of Maeda took over the vacated positions - except for Gekikara who had to retain in school due to her detainment for her crime in the first season. The Rappapa in this season however is a lot weaker and lack the aura the original Rappapa top members have - which also caused some disapproval amongst the other gangs in the school. What's more, the peace treaty between Majisuka and Yabakune was broken. With Maeda's absence, the internal discontentment building up, the increasing threats by other rival yankee schools, predominantly Yabakune Gakuen, the betrayal of Shibuya (AKB48 Itano Tomomi) and all the plans and tricks by Nezumi (AKB48 Watanabe Mayu), Rappapa had a hard time keeping the school under control and fighting against Yabakune. At the last episode, there was an official big fight between Majisuka and Yabakune which ended rather abruptly when Maeda (who found the answer she have been finding) turned up and resolved with Shibuya - in a rather.. peaceful way. Surprisingly, the conflict gets resolved and members of both sides start helping each other up while Maeda gave in to the cops who came to the fight scene expecting for Maeda, for the crimes she committed while being absent from school.

Frankly speaking season one was really very nice from the start to the end but for season two, the starting episodes was kind of more into comedy and lack the action and thrill that the whole of season one had. Slowly into the season, MJ2 gets more and more interesting and the thrill is finally back. However, the thrill came to a very abrupt stop at the ending part of the last episode, making the season kind of like ending too soon.

No details of the third season is revealed yet, excepted that the setting would be in a prison. Could it be a continuation of Maeda's capture for her crimes? However, with Maeda graduating on 27th of August after the Tokyo Dome concert, could she be acting for only half the season or none at all? Shall anticipate for more details to be revealed! Hope the new season is as thrilling as the first season.

Come to think of it, I might only be able to watch at most 8 episodes before my enlistment. Damn.. after the 8th episode, it must be very exciting already... =[

Photo and source of news from: Mantan Web

UPDATE (7th July):

Casts:
AKB48
Shimazaki Haruka (Lead)
Oba Mina
Shimada Haruka
Kawaei Rina
Abe Maria

SKE48
Yagami Kumi
Kizaki Yuria
Kimoto Kanon

UPDATE (9th July):

'The upcoming drama will be set in the year 20×× in a privately run juvenile prison called “Prison HOPE” or better known as “Majisuka Prison”. The prison accommodates juvenile delinquents who have been abandoned by society, school, and even their families, and are put into different groups. Rather than trying to turn over a new leaf, the girls step into a battle ring everyday to compete for the top in a game of the survival of the fittest.

‘Majisuka Gakuen 3′ will air on TV Tokyo’s “Drama 24” time slot every Fridays starting on July 13th.'

Adapted from tokyohive

A totally new story plot huh... =o

Kind of lost the 'Gakuen' feel in my opinion. Might be a bit too early to comment on it but I feel that they might as well make a new series with a new title instead of making a season 3 that got nothing to do with the past couple of seasons.