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This spring, GTO, Tohru Fujisawa's gritty anime and manga series about 22-year-old, student teacher Eikichi Onizuka, hit the domestic scene. Once a member of a notorious biker-gang, Onziuka plans to make something of himself by becoming "Great Teacher Onizuka." But things don't go as planned when his violent temper, never-ending Lolita complex, and disobedient students seem to get in the way. GTO lacks the typical plot devices for anime, yet it has been one of the top-selling series in Japan. However, take away Onizuka's raging temper, perverted lust, violent ways, and now what do you have? Live action Eikichi Onizuka. In the summer of 1998, GTO was transformed into a live-action Japanese television series. The lead is portrayed by Japanese heartthrob Takashi Sorimachi, bringing another version of Onizuka to GTO audiences. Diluted for television, a majority of Onizuka's violent scenes have been replaced with witty and comic dialogue. Also, TV viewers never really discover the truth as to why Onizuka wants to become a teacher (to score with the female students). Sorimachi's Onizuka still teaches in an unconventional and rough way, but pulls it off in a very cool, "never let them see you sweat" manner.
A twist to the romantic tension has also been added to the live-action GTO in Onizuka's potential love interest, Azusa Fuyutsuki . Portrayed by famous Japanese actress Nanako Matsushima (Sorimachi's real-life spouse), Fuyutsuki is transformed into the school's untouchable "Madonna." In the anime and manga series, she is ecstatic about teaching and tries to support Onizuka's own teaching endeavors, but the live-action Fuyutsuki is the exact opposite, appalled by Onizuka's crude ways and avoiding him like any other high school delinquent. Ready to quit teaching at any time, Fuyutsuki secretly desires to be a flight attendant. Despite the changes, the basic story that earned GTO its popularity is still apparent in the live-action version. The characters and their problems come to life and remind audiences that the issues in GTO do exist in reality. The touching moments, witty dialogue, and enhanced romantic subplot led the live action GTO to success and paved the way for another television special and movie. Also, other Japanese TV series with similar story lines aired, such as Naomi, about a teacher that could be considered Onizuka's female alter ego. It is not uncommon to hear of manga progressing to animation, but every so often concepts are endearing enough to a mainstream audience to become the mass consumption of the pop appealing television serial drama. GTO has taken an unlikely course in evolution, but has indeed found its place as "Great Teacher."
GTO © Tohru Fujisawa / Kodansha / Fuji TV / SME Visual Works / Studio Pierrot.
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