The TV drama series "GTO" (Kansai TV/Fuji TV), starring actor Takashi Sorimachi, is making a comeback after 28 years. Sorimachi appeared at a press conference recently to announce the series' production and revealed highlights of the drama and behind-the-scenes stories from the set.
◇The staff who worked on the 1998 version have reunited: "It's a refreshing drama."
"GTO" is based on the manga of the same name by Tohru Fujisawa and is a school drama about Eikichi Onizuka, a former biker gang member turned teacher who tackles student and school problems head-on with his unconventional actions. The TV series, which aired in 1998, recorded high ratings, with an average household viewership of 28.5% in the Kanto region for all 12 episodes and 35.7% for the final episode (according to Video Research), becoming a landmark school drama of the Heisei era. In April 2024, it made a one-night-only comeback with the special drama "GTO Revival".
This season of "GTO" is set at Seishin Academy, a private high school that aims to "nurture future leaders." The story depicts an educational environment where both teachers and students carry tablet devices, and information and evaluations of students and teachers are managed using digital data. It premieres on July 20th.
Sorimachi revealed his thoughts on GTO, saying, "During this time, I've raised two daughters, and as my children have worked hard and learned a lot as they grew into adults, I wondered what kind of teacher Eikichi Onizuka would have been if there was a teacher like him in 2026, what kind of reaction he would have received from the public, and what kind of interpretation he would have received."
Regarding his feelings about the sequel being decided, he said, "I wanted to convey his straightforwardness in going to such lengths for the students and his true goodness, so I decided to do a sequel."
The production team for this project includes Kazuhiko Yukawa as screenwriter, Satoru Nakajima as director, and Kazuhisa Ando as producer, bringing together the same staff who worked on the 1998 version. "Back then, our motto was, 'Let's make the audience laugh for 90% of the hour, and be serious for the remaining 10%,'" he recalled. "The script for this project is also like that, and I think it will be a drama that will leave viewers feeling refreshed," he added, revealing that the content is reminiscent of the 1998 version.
◇The motorcycle scene is still going strong! "I was revving the engine while thinking about how nostalgic it was."
Sorimachi himself has come to realize the magnitude of the response to "GTO" and the weight of the words it has garnered, saying, "There are so many people who say, 'I became a teacher after watching GTO.' As an actor, it makes me incredibly happy. I think it's probably just me and Tetsuya Takeda who have said that (laughs)," expressing his gratitude.
He continued, "Everyone has their own definition of a 'Great Teacher.' Even the word 'Great' can be interpreted differently by different people, and I play Onizuka with the thought that it's also a journey to find out what a 'Great Teacher' is."
28 years have passed since the first drama adaptation, and along with the changing times, the image of the students has also changed. "There aren't any obviously delinquent kids anymore. It's fun to see Onizuka get into trouble with kids who are refreshing but have a slightly unsettling side," he reveals about his interactions with the students of the Reiwa era. When they are not filming, he actively communicates with the cast members who play the students, going out to eat with them and chatting about trivial things.
Meanwhile, the motorcycle scenes that have become synonymous with Onizuka are still present, and he smiled as he said, "I think there will be a lot of motorcycle scenes. Just the other day, we filmed a scene where I'm riding my motorcycle to school, chasing after students, and I was revving the engine while thinking how nostalgic it all was (laughs)."
Finally, when asked what he wanted to convey through this work, he said, "First of all, I want teachers who respect GTO and Eikichi Onizuka to feel once again that it was good to be a teacher. And I also aim to let those who were glued to their TVs and looking forward to the drama when it aired back then experience that feeling once again. Furthermore, I want younger generations to feel, even just a little, that it would be great to have a teacher like Onizuka, through his strength, love for humanity, and willingness to reach out to his students." He added emphatically, "Eikichi Onizuka is the only one who will face his students, even if it means sacrificing his own body. I hope you can feel that feeling."
