Noda is one of the characters that talk the least and in fact you never hear the other character call his name but in 4 episodes. But in the manga he is more important. Takeshi Noda was the one to call Yamaguchi, Yankumi. He's known for his signature hat and long hair. He's often in the front of the class and usually is only seen talking to Yoichi Minami. He's good friends with Shin, Uchi, Kuma, and Minami. In the manga he was the first to notice Shin's crush on Yankumi. Noda also has an older sister whom dates Minoru for short while. Noda was also accused of being a purse snatcher in which Yankumi had to be a decoy in order to prove his innocence. Noda is one of the smarter boys in Yankumi's class, but he's still incomparable to Shin.    Sources: http://www.onemanga.com/Gokusen/

Kumiko "Yankumi" Yamaguchi enters Shirokin High School to become a math teacher. She's assigned as the homeroom teacher for class 2-4, populated by a gang of delinquents.  At first, the class tries everything to rattle her cage, but to no avail. In a short period of time, Yankumi gains the respect of the class. But what the school doesn't know is that she's the heir to the Oedo Group, a powerful yakuzan clan. So while Yankumi struggles to excel in her career as a teacher, she must also keep her yakuza background a secret.<br>
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(Source: Media Blasters)

Hometown: Ibaraki, Japan        Non-anime roles:  Bahram Luger in "Suikoden V" (VG) (Japanese)  Isato in "Suikoden V" (VG) (Japanese)  Moroon in "Suikoden V" (VG) (Japanese)  Wasil in "Suikoden V" (VG) (Japanese)  

Singer-songwriter, theatre actor and voice actor    Appeared in American Idiot the Musical, In the Heights, and RENT. He was also in the film Across the Universe.  

Fresh out of college, Kumiko "Yankumi" Yamaguchi becomes a math teacher at an all-boys high school. Unfortunately for her, she's assigned by the school board as the homeroom teacher for class 3-D, which happens to be the class of delinquent students. When the class attempts to make a living hell out of Yankumi's career, they fail as her persistence and aggression gain her respect. However, little does anyone in the school know that Yankumi is actually heir to the Kuroda Ikka—one of Tokyo's most powerful yakuza clans.
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(Source: Anime News Network)

Note: Chapter count includes 9 extra chapters in Volumes 9-15