There's a news item up on ANN right now about how the actor who was to play Onizuka in the new drama was forced to leave the project. That's interesting, but... There is a new GTO drama?? That's news to me!!

EDIT: Here's the article, though it's about the actor getting pulled from the production and not about the GTO drama itself. I'd sure like to see some info on the actual show, but at least it mentions that it's planned to begin airing in July.

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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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So much GTO love lately. What if they did a season 2 of the anime while they're at it?

Man, this is gonna be exciting! I loved the drama, and if they make this different enough from the original I'm all for it as well.

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I'm drooling over my tablets screen right now,brb.
I honestly can't wait! Though I agree with you, i can't possibly imagine a better fit as Onizuka's actor than Sorimatchi or a better opening song than poison.
Still i cant to watch it! Hopefully it will follow the manga closely.

Ps: im 99% sure we will see the actor that was playing Uchiyamada's role again.

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That is certainly exciting news. But forget live action, where's the anime remake?

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Ongoing: Adesugata Junjou Boy; Shonan Seven
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Dropped: GTO: Paradise Lost

If the drama is a big success like the old one, I think there's a chance a new anime could be made... On the other hand, you gotta wonder why they didn't continue the anime in the first place.

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How will they make an anime series 2? Didn't Onizuka go to USA at the end of the series. I suppose they could just start off from where they left off in the manga with the omission of some arcs.

Also hope this new drama is a new take on GTO, as said previously it would be pointless to make a remake with the only difference being a new cast.

AKIRA from the Japanese dance group EXILE has been has been given the offer to be the new Onizuka.




The man's film debut was in a Sono film, so maybe we a very very slight flicker of hope.... maybe.
I'll have to ask Luigi, lol. How he'll be directed is another matter too.

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Well, that dude looks more badass than Takashi Sorimachi, but that doesn't mean he can do Onizuka better!

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There's an article up on ANN now. This bit is particularly interesting:

The newspaper's source said that original creator Tohru Fujisawa strongly advocated for an actor similar to the wild persona of the story's title character.

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More info from ANN:

The producers of the GTO: Great Teacher Onizuka live-action television series remake confirmed on Wednesday that EXILE band member Akira will star in the series. Akira replaces Takashi Sorimachi as the title character in the remake of the 1998 drama. Both live-action versions are based on Tohru Fujisawa's original school comedy manga about a former gang member who becomes an unorthodox teacher.

20-year-old actress Miori Takimoto (Higanjima) will play the heroine Azusa Fuyutsuki, and 51-year-old Hitomi Kuroki (20th Century Boys, Dark Water) will play the principal who believes in the teaching abilities of Onizuka. 26-year-old Yuu Shirota (The Prince of Tennis) will play a friend from Onizuka's biker gang days who now lives with Onizuka. 24-year-old Yūsuke Yamamoto and 60-year-old Ryōsei Tayama round out the cast; Tayama will play the loud-mouthed vice-principal and Onizuka's nemesis. The series will premiere in July on the Fuji TV network and will run on Tuesdays at 10:00 p.m.

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ugh, that cast... i kinda lost interest already
i mean come on how the hell is Yuu Shirota gonna act as Ryuji?

well, i guess we will have to wait till July and judge after watching it

good.
I just heard this, too.
I saw the anime first.
I liked the drama, but thought it was very tv-toned-down and simplified (made kindof stupid, compared to the complex and vital anime).
I didn't think the actor really did Onizuka well enough, though I did like him more that not in it. He needed to be more anime-ted. He didn't look like Onizuka either. And he was old. 25. Onzuka is Eikichi Onizuka 22-sai. That's a huge part of the character, and show. Same with some of the other characters. The principal was ok as fat and slobby (less offensive to bald viewers). The gym teacher shouldve been the gym teacher from Lily ChouChou. The anime was weak. Fuyutsuki was a little too pretty and sexy and with it. Murai was totally off, and his mother in the drama totally blew the whole great thing the anime did. Tomoko was bad, too. They ruined a lot of the great things the anime did. I don't have a lot of confidence the new drama wont be worse, but I'm looking forward to it. The EXILE guy looks kinda-Onizuka-ish in the one photo, but to play Onizuka, the person really has to be able to act without pretense or pride. The role calls for total humility and throwing away all coolness-in-front-of-others in the most crucial parts. I don't think the original drama Oni did that very well. Plus EXILE is also like 30 or so years old.

If anyone else gets casting info or dates for airing, please let us know.
(Ps where can I dl complete mangas (in Japanese or dual)

Well, at least we know Ryuji will exist in this version, unlike in the 1998 drama. And Saejima too, from the sounds of it, may actually retain some of his personality from the manga. EDIT: Come to think of it, this means they will be doing a new adaption of the manga and not a straight remake of the drama, doesn't it. Although it still remains to be seen if they will do something truly different with it rather than attempt to repeat the style of the old series.

Oh, and NEW PERSON spotted!! Welcome new friend!

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Yuu Shirota as Ryuji? Wow. He looks more like Kamata lol. In fact looks wise, he would be perfect for Kamata.

As for where you can get the GTO manga, these days I'm not so sure. Things got really scrambled up after the megaupload issues. I notice you want the Japanese version though, 日本語わかる？

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