Okay, so I started this thread while at work so I didn't have time to say much about it or even read the article properly (not that it matters, there wasn't much more relevant info in it). I want to keep my personal thoughts on this separate, hence the double post.
Now, my thoughts on this, keeping in mind that we hardly know anything at all at this point beyond the fact that they're going to make a new GTO drama - a "remake" of the 1998 drama, if ANN are to be believed. I was quite surprised and, honestly, overwhelmed, to hear about this. It got me really excited really fast, but I do have mixed emotions about it.
Firstly - if it is truly a straight remake of the 1998 drama rather than a new manga adaption, in other words basically the same show with a new cast, then that'll be pretty pointless and hugely disappointing. On the other hand, if they go "back to the drawing board", so to speak, with a fresh new take on what a live action GTO could be, then that could be interesting - especially if (and this is a big "if") they stay closer to the manga this time (keeping in mind that the original drama came about when the manga had only been going for a short time - relatively speaking - so there wasn't much material to draw from). A new live action version based on the original manga could be very interesting indeed - consider all the story arcs and characters (Urumi!!!) the original drama didn't include.
What's a little problematic for me, however, is the fact that, well.... I love the original drama. And I mean LOVE. It is very special and very very dear to me, and I already feel a little melancholic that anyone who watches it now will probably feel that it's just an old show rather than the fresh and cool and relevant show I remember. So it's quite bittersweet to me that it will now be replaced in the public eye as the live action GTO by a "new and improved" version. Furthermore, how can I accept new actors in those roles? Takashi Sorimachi is the live action Onizuka in my eyes, and it's the same for Kikuchi, Murai, Miyabi and everyone else. They are the characters in my mind. To see new faces in those roles... I don't know how I'll react to that.
BUT - whatever happens, this new drama could in the long run turn out to be a very very good thing for all GTO fans, especially if it's successful. The original drama was immensily succesful, and I wouldn't be surprised if that factored in the decision to make a GTO anime the following year. Do we dare hope for similar results again? Or at the very least, possibly a re-release of the 1999 anime? I'm reminded of how the old Berserk anime got an HD remaster released on Blu-Ray recently as a tie-in to the new movie... I'd be in heaven if we'd get GTO remastered like that, with a release that actually looks good on today's TV screens (which the DVDs, unfortunately, do not).
In any case, I'll be looking forward to this new GTO... but it won't be without some reservations.
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