Hell Teacher: Jigoku Sensei Nube Part 2 episode 1 kicks off the second cour with an unexpectedly emotional punch. Three months after the first installment concluded in September 2025, the show returns with a plot that is far more impactful than anyone anticipated. And to be honest, what a way to return.
Kyoko, one of Nube's fifth-graders, is the main focus of the entire episode. One morning, she awakens to discover that she is now 26 years old and employed by a black firm in a soul-crushing telesales position.
All of her pals seem to have moved on and fulfilled their aspirations. Makoto rose to become a tall, attractive attorney. Miki and Hiroshi are parents of triplets. In the meantime, grown-up Kyoko still resides with her mother, has lost her trademark pigtails, and works for the strict Dr. Tamamo.
It's just ordinary adult disappointment packaged in a nightmare scenario.
What Makes Hell Teacher: Jigoku Sensei Nube Part 2 Episode 1 Hit Different?

The usual worry of waking up one day and realizing that things didn't go as planned is addressed in this episode. Hell Teacher: Jigoku Sensei Nube Part 2 episode 1's narrative is presented gradually. Instead, it lets Kyoko's confusion and growing anxiety grow naturally. She recalls starting her career and graduating from college, but none of it seems real to her. There is a big problem because everyone in her neighborhood appeared to be hiding something.
When Kyoko eventually finds out what happened to Nube, it is the true gut punch. In this timeline, years ago, while defending his kids, the Byakko white tiger spirit seriously harmed him. He can no longer move or speak and is confined to a wheelchair. Seeing the always vivacious and protective instructor reduced to this state is quite upsetting. He has been receiving full-time care from Ritsuko, and everything seems dismal.
The Yokai Behind It All

Naturally, the events in Hell Teacher: Jigoku Sensei Nube Part 2 episode 1 have a supernatural explanation. As a practical joke, a yokai known as makuragaeshi, which means "pillow flipper," brought Kyoko to this alternate reality.
Flipping your pillow might lock your spirit in the dream realm, according to Japanese legend. Without coming across as an expository dump, the episode skillfully incorporates this mythology into the narrative. Innocent sleepers are tricked by the makuragaeshi and transported to several timelines.
However, this is where the program truly excels. Nube can assist Kyoko despite his broken state. In some way, her tears revitalize his evil hand and give him speech again. He returns her to her correct timeline with what little demonic force he still possesses. Even in different universes, this poignant scene demonstrates how much Nube cares for his kids.
Why Hell Teacher: Jigoku Sensei Nube Part 2 Episode 1 Works So Well?

Everyone is convincingly aged up in the animation. Without using scary imagery, Hell Teacher: Jigoku Sensei Nube Part 2 episode 1's graphic style makes the parallel timeline feel really disturbing. The Urashima Taro folktale is also mentioned in passing throughout, especially in relation to the sealed box Kyoko keeps seeing. In that old tale, a guy matures quickly after opening a box. In this instance, Kyoko's box acts as her return ticket.
Kyoko is ecstatic to be back in fifth grade when she eventually returns to her actual timeline. She may give her teacher another hug and is surrounded by her pals. Nube is unable to hug her in return because he is concerned about how it would appear to passersby, which is a fairly depressing reflection of contemporary fears. It's a minor element that unexpectedly increases the level of realism.
A Strong Return for the Series

Starting the second cour with a Kyoko-focused episode is an interesting choice. Most of the regular cast only appear briefly in their aged-up forms in Hell Teacher: Jigoku Sensei Nube Part 2 episode 1.
But the emotional core makes it work. The episode tackles themes of growing up, losing touch with what made you happy, and the fear that you've somehow ended up in the wrong life. Those are pretty heavy topics for a show about a teacher with a demon hand fighting yokai. Yet the episode handles them with surprising grace.
The new opening theme ERASE by THE ORAL CIGARETTES and the ending theme MAGICAL by Ayumu Imazu, both fit the vibe well enough. What matters more is that Hell Teacher: Jigoku Sensei Nube Part 2 episode 1 proves the show hasn't lost its ability to balance supernatural action with genuine emotional storytelling.
Conclusion
Viewers are reminded of the reasons they initially fell in love with this story in this comeback episode. We are in for a treat if this is the caliber of work we can anticipate throughout the remainder of the second course.