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Battle Royale by Koushun Takami writerIn a alternate Universe Japan, as part of an autocratic East Asian Super State, fights the gowing rebelliousness among the Youth with the BR Act. The Battle Royale Act chooses by lottery a number of different school classes and kidnaps each of them to a different Island. There the students are given three days to kill each other until only one survives. If more than one is alive by the end of that timespan all of them die. The book follows this event for one school class and the desperate attempts for survival by the different students.
genres satire drama tragedy keywords addiction - child abuse - disordered eating - divorce - domestic violence - homophobia - major character death - rape or sexual assault - self-harm - sexism - suicide - education - friendship - love - revolution content warnings profanity: yes - violence: graphic - sex: yes languages English length 666 source material related works The film Battle Royale directed by Kinji Fukasaku and starring ("Beat") Takeshi Kitano is an amazing piece of art that actually is one of the very few examples of a film being superior to its original novel. It maintains all levels of critique and satire while managing to not depict teachers as just rapists and murderers. (Though as Adorno pointed out in "Tabus über den Lehrerberuf" the teacher IS the executioner of the modern society.) The reason why I chose to add the novel instead of the film to this database is because of the legal trouble the film is in many western societies. In Germany for instance a fully uncut version is not available, even the cut available to adults only censored out the "countdown" texts, for obvious political reasons. Also the film has very graphic depictions of violence against, among and by teenagers and whlie the sexual violence is missing from the film it can still be very disturbing for many. availability of fanfiction Between 100 and 1000 entries on FanFiction.net notes The novel had a troubled history being illegal at time of release in its origin country, a fate which would forecast the trouble the movie would in western culture. What makes is special is the depth of its critique. Even though it might not be obvious at first, every single part of the novel was created specifically as a critique of our school system and society. From Bourdieu, Foucoult to Adorno the most prominent and important western critics of our concept of education can be easily found in these pages, which is a testament to either the research or understanding of Koushun Takami. Please note that aside of the obvious problems with violence that this novel poses, it is also a very harsh and thought out critique of our school system, so teachers who do not want to engage with this issue should avoid it. In fact I argue it is the best and most important piece of fiction ever created that critiques education on a fundamental level. The novel opens with a quote from George Orwell's Homage to Catalonia which should make it obvious which political attitude the author has. To write their own school critique in a Battle Royale like universe as fanfiction could be a great exercise for an advanced class. -
Breaking Bad by Vince Gilligan creatorWalter White, a seemingly agreeable family man and chemistry teacher is diagnosed with lung cancer, and turns to the criminal world to be able to afford his treatment. White and his former student, Jesse Pinkman, begin to produce and sell methamphetamine. Their plan seems simple and clear-cut at first, but White inevitably discovers the complexity and quandary of being a criminal.
genres crime drama thriller keywords addiction - child abuse - divorce - major character death - substance abuse - drug overdose - death - sin - family - power and its corrupting influence - envy and regret - crime doesn't pay - dr jekyll and mr hyde - hypocrisy content warnings profanity: yes - violence: graphic - sex: graphic languages English length 62 episodes à 49 minutes source material -
Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Joss Whedon creator - producer
Buffy Summers appears to be a typical cheerleader at high school, but one day she needs to accept her destiny as a Slayer of Vamypres and other demonic entities. Joined by her best friend Willow who dabbles in witchcraft and her other friends and led by the school librarian Giles who is their mentor and "Watcher". Episodes are varied and usually not connected very much to each other. The first big continous plot line not directly related to hunting vampyres is the problematic love story between the Slayer and a Vampyre named Angel.
genres action comedy drama fantasy keywords addiction - torture - vampyres - magic - coming of age - girl power content warnings profanity: no - violence: yes - sex: no languages English length 144 episodes at about 45 minutes each source material related works A spin off TV Show Angel was produced. Buffy is one the most referenced non Video Game character in Video Games, which is a small hint as the influence the series had. availability of fanfiction Between 50,000 and 100,000 entries on FanFiction.net notes Buffy the Vampyre Slayer is, in hindsight, probably one of the most influential TV shows of the 1990s. It could be called a Feminist Manifesto of its time especially because the series itself never makes a big deal out of the female empowerment it portrays in a light and often humorous tone. It was one of the first mainstream TV shows, maybe even the first, where one of the main characters engages in a positive homosexual relationship. The creativity by the team around Joss Whedon was in full display and some episodes, like "Once More, with Feeling" from season 6 which is a musical for all intents and purposes, have become cult classics since. The biggest challenge for the teacher will be to present this series as something timeless that is not specific to the time of its creation. But considering how successful and beloved the series still is among younger first time viewers this challenge should not be overestimated. -
Gossip Girl by Josh Schwartz developer - producer, Stephanie Savage producer
The series follows the high-school years of rich teenagers. Plots resolve around relationship problems, partying, some teen angst and a mysterious blogger who almost seems all-knowing. The characters progress through high school as the series progresses.
genres drama romance keywords addiction - rape or sexual assault - substance abuse - high society - upper class - coming of age content warnings profanity: no - violence: yes - sex: yes languages English length 121 episodes in 6 seasons, each episode around 40 minutes source material availability of fanfiction Between 1000 and 50,000 entries on FanFiction.net notes based on the novel series of the same name by Cecily von Ziegesar -
Grey's Anatomy by Shonda Rhimes creator - producer
The series follows a varied cast of characters, most who are surgeons, and follows their development. How they deal with their personal lives and tragedies around their profession as well as in their private lives.
genres drama romance keywords addiction - divorce - domestic violence - substance abuse - medicine - hospitals - doctors content warnings profanity: mild - violence: yes - sex: yes languages English length 317 episodes in 14 seasons, each episode around 40 minutes source material availability of fanfiction Between 1000 and 50,000 entries on FanFiction.net notes While I only selected "contains violence", because there is very little violent actions depicted in Grey's Anatomy, teachers should be aware that this is a series about surgeons and contains graphic imagery of surgical operations and realistic depictions of severe injuries. -
Lord of the Rings film series by Peter Jackson director, Philippa Boyens screenplay, Fran Walsh producer, screenplayThe Hobbit Frodo, Hobbits are a amall humanoid race of cave dwellers and farmers, was given a magic ring by his uncle Bilbo. This ring, the wizard Gandalf tells Frodo, is the ring of power created in ancient past by the great evil known as Sauron. Frodo has to leave his home and carry the ring to Elrond's house, an Elven abode where the wise will decide upon its fate. After many adventures Frodo and his companions reach the Elven sanctuary and there it is decided that the ring shall be destroyed whence it was made. Frodo and eight others are chosen to become the Fellowship and to travel to the evil land of Mordor and destroy the ring. After losing their guide the Fellowship is split and the different surviving characters are put on different journeys. Some going to war, others struggling to finish their appointed task, to destroy the ring at the heart of the enemies land.
genres fantasy action drama keywords addiction - major character death - torture - corruption - fall of heroes - friendship - immortality - nature - sacrifice - love content warnings profanity: no - violence: graphic - sex: no languages English length about 548 minutes (Cinema version) or 682 minutes (Extended cut) source material related works The Hobbit trilogy of films, which offer little of anything and can be ignored. The Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War games which really only visually emulate the films but contradict the lore and world of Tolkien to a degree where they should be considered fanfiction themselves. availability of fanfiction More than 100,000 entries on LotR Fan Fiction notes The film series is both very true to the source material and deviant in its implementation. Bascially action movies they miss much of the more subtle elements of the books. The basic themes are all still there but often modernized to positive and negative effects. For teachers with the time and will to tackle both films and novels with their class a wide opportunity to discussions arises. Differences between media types, differences between 1950s and early 2000s sensibilities, the character of Eowyn, the love story between Aragorn and Arwen which is basically absend in the books, etc. -
Persona 5 by Naoya Maeda and P Studio designer, developer, Atlus publisherThe player controls a teenager who walks home one night and witnesses a drunk man assaulting a woman. He intervenes and the man gets hurt. It turns out that the man is a very powerful politician and the almost rape-victim covers for him and the player character gets punished for the crime of saving her. He gets transferred into a new school in Tokyo where he befriends other students but quickly finds out that the sports teacher, a former Olympian athlete, abuses his position of power. One of the PCs friends, Ryouji, had his leg broken by that teacher and another, Ann, is on the verge of being blackmailed into having sex with him to save her best friend from the same fate. As authorities and other adults either dont believe them or actively help covering the situation up, the characters decide to revolt against that teacher and the machinations of power.
genres drama action mystery keywords addiction - divorce - domestic violence - homophobia - racism - rape or sexual assault - sexism - substance abuse - suicide - torture - rebellion - abuse of power - anarchism - solidarity - friendship - psychology content warnings profanity: mild - violence: yes - sex: yes languages English length 6000 minutes more or less source material related works Persona 3 and 4 have completely different stories, characters and locations but have a stronger focus on the personal psychology of the individual characters. Neon Genesis Evangelion of course as the quintessential exploration and deconstruction of psychology in western society. availability of fanfiction Between 1000 and 50,000 entries on FanFiction.net notes The Persona series has a long and well deserved reputation of handling difficult psychological themes with great skill and empathy. The works of C.G. Jung especially. With Persona 5 the focus shifts a little from the individual to the society that creates psychological issues and the men and women who exploit that. The game is prohibitingly long for the EFLC unless it becomes a project that will last for half the school year. But the first story arch, with the abusive teacher, should take less than 20 hours which is comparable to any novel of decent length for most teenagers. The topics brought up are important and in many ways essential to teenagers growing up in power or authority centric societies like ours are, and the game does not handle them lightly but with the care and pluralist view that such serious topics need. It is a great exploration of power abuse and what the powerelss can do against it and takes a stand against putting the blame on victims or declaring them "divergents". It is as much a exploration of Revolution as it is of Empathy. Paired with great anime art and award winning music this game can be a great base for dicussions or writing fanfiction for the teacher who wants to be challenged and wants to challenge his or her pupils. The game is perfectly suitable for 16 and up and in almost all cases will also be suitable for many teenagers 14 and up, but of course in a classroom context that might be not applicable to all classes. -
Riverdale by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa developer
Riverdale is an adaptation and continuation of the Archie comics. The series subverses many aspects of those comics showing the dark side of what lies beyond the wholesome facade of small towns. It is also not epsiodic but rather a continous plot. Plotlines inlcude a love triangle and sudden character dissapearances. The series is still ongoing.
genres drama young adult mystery keywords substance abuse - subversion content warnings profanity: no - violence: yes - sex: yes languages English length 35 episodes in 2 seasons, each episode around 45 minutes source material availability of fanfiction Between 1000 and 50,000 entries on FanFiction.net notes Based on the Archie comic series, which started in 1942 and is one of the longest running comic series. -
Stranger Things by The Duffer Brothers creators
In the fictional town of Hawkins during the 1980s a young boy disappears during a series of supernatural events. The friends of the boy search for him and are joined by a girl with psychokinetic powers. They find out that the nearby government research station is conducting experiments with human beings. These experiments lead to a dimensional rift opening and pouring super natural elements into our reality.
genres drama mystery science fiction keywords substance abuse - human experiments - conspiracy theories (in a wider sense) content warnings profanity: mild - violence: yes - sex: no languages English length 17 episodes at about 50 minutes each source material related works The 2011 film Super 8 by J. J. Abrams does a much better job in emulating 80s style films and sensibilities. Also a good source for fanfiction writing though the film is more focused on Science Fiction and filmmaking. availability of fanfiction Between 1000 and 50,000 entries on Archive of Our Own notes Part 1980s nostalgia shot in a way taht is not qite right for those who lived through the 80s but still distinct enough from modern color grading that it makes the series visually distinct. The premise makes it a good source for creative fanfiction, though it may be hard for teenagers today to write in a 1980s setting. Maybe adapting it to modern day could be a good premise for a class project. -
Thirteen Reasons Why by Tom McCarthy director
The series revolves around a high school student, Clay Jensen, and his friend Hannah Baker, a girl who takes her own life after suffering a series of demoralizing circumstances brought on by select individuals at her school. A box of cassette tapes recorded by Hannah before her suicide details thirteen reasons why she ended her life.
genres young adult drama keywords major character death - rape or sexual assault - suicide - the series has aroused considerable controversy for explicitly showing how hannah commits suicide by cutting her wrists. - bullying - guilt and blame - macho culture content warnings profanity: mild - violence: yes - sex: yes languages English length Season 1 - 13 episodes (50 minutes each) source material related works YA novel (2007) the series is based on availability of fanfiction Less than 100 entries
Digital stories from fans in the multilingual classroom
