Have a similar concept, about a male protagonist that goes to school to become a teacher, though the teacher in GTO is originally a yankee..
Both have very similar story; a teacher with a background. In Gokusen she's from yakuza family while in HS he's from jail. Both teachers solve their student's problems.
This drama is very similar to HAMMER SESSION since they both involve teachers, who solve the students' problems in unconventional ways.
It has , the same plot where there teacher has a hidden background , that helps troubled students that need help .
Well,the whole idea of helping kids deal with their problems and whatnot is the same. They are also both lighthearted and serious at the same time. If u enjoyed one, you will definitely enjoy the other.
Both about a weird teacher coming to a school to teach with a different style than all the other norm teachers. HAMMER SESSION is about getting the students to an elite school while Taiyo to Umi no Kyoshitsu is about keeping your good mark to get to your 1st choice school. In both dramas, the students learn to trust the teachers and learn a lot of moral lessons along the way.
Teachers that try to understand their students and help them resolve emotional issues and grow personally. Not very convenient methods. Hammer Session is better, IMHO... somehow hiring a convict as a teacher became less absurd when the masked-teachers-sanctioned-to-beat-up-students came into the picture.