GTO 2 Review

Title: GTO 2

AKA: Great Teacher Onizuka Season 2

Genre: School, Human drama

Episodes: 11

Broadcast date: 2014-Apr to 2014-Sep

Cast: AKIRA, Yamamoto Yusuke, Shirota Yu, Sano Reno, Higa Manami, Katayose Ryota and Tayama Ryosei.

After losing his house Onizuka Eikichi (AKIRA) is forced to move, and is invited to move to the high school he graduated from in Shonan, to act as a temporary teacher. The homeroom teacher of the class 2.A is Fujikawa Honami (Higa Manami) who is a good teacher, but believes in befriending the students rather than disciplining them, and thinks that every class has a certain ‘feel’: if bothered it would make everyone feel awkward, even the teachers. Moving with him to Shonan is his two best friends Danma Ryuji (Shirota Yu) and Saejima Toshiyuki (Yamamoto Yusuke).

Even though there aren’t any delinquents at the school, Onizuka meets different kinds of students with normal problems, but also students who try to solves their problems or hide them, making matters worse for everyone involved. So the great teacher decides to take matters in his own hands, and make the kids his students - by teaching him life the Onizuka way.

Compared to season one this season is much scarier and realistic. It is not as funny as season one, and it kind of gives you the chills of a real life situation. I know I like school dramas, but these kinds of realistic stories are making everything sad. Even though the GTO stories are dramatized, a bit too situational and too much of a happy ending, these stories could without a problem be real life situations. I like it, but it makes me sad… does that make sense?

The cast was fantastic - I mean the young actors are beyond good, and superb at their acting (comparing them with idols), of course there a bit of small things they should change, but that they are going to do great in the future.

All in all: a great drama and really interesting.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥½ / 4½ out of 5 hearts

GTO in Taiwan Review

Title: GTO in Taiwan

AKA: Great Teacher Onizuka in Taiwan

Genre: Drama, School

Episodes: 4

Broadcast period: 2014-Mar to 2014-Apr

Cast: Akira, Shirota Yu, Yamamota Yusuke, Chuo Genie, Lou Hong Zheng and Wei Jin.

As part of an international course, Onizuka (AKIRA) is visiting Taiwan for a few days, in order to get the insight of the different ways schools work. Together with Danma (Shirota Yu) they go sightseeing in Taiwan, and as faith will have it, Saejima (Yamamoto Yusuke) happens to be there as well. After a night out Saejima goes missing with Danmas bag which also has Danmas and Onizukas passports.

In the school Onizuka encounters a different kind of atmosphere: the studnets and teachers are ignoring the hardcore bullying of a student who by their definition is “invisible”. When Onizuka tries to deal with the situation he is blocked by both the class’ teacher and also the school principle, saying that he just has to let it go. But as the teacher he is: Onizuka refuses to let any of his students suffer - no matter where they are.

Hmm.. I think the idea was good, and probably also the choice of cast was well thought of, but somehow it feels weird. It might be the length that does it, but it really felt like Onizuka was too fast in fixing the issue. Like the school had to deal with it for some time, and he is there for 3 days and wupti. But that is Japanese dramas for you.

It is good and for some people preferably short, and the story is actual kind of deep, which I did not expect. Even if it only is Onizuka I like the way he is facing the kids.

To sum up: a good GTO special.

☆☆☆ / 3 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out if 5 hearts

GTO Graduation SP Review

Title: GTO - Graduation Special

AKA: Great Teacher Onizuka  - Graduation Special

Genre: School, Human drama

Broadcast date: 2013-Apr-02

Cast: AKIRA, Takimoto Miori, Yamamoto Yusuke,Shirota Yu, Yano Masato, Fujisawa Ayano, Nagasawa Nao and Kabayashi Yumi.

Graduation is around the corner, and the exam preparations are stressing out the students in year 3: Onizuka’s (AKIRA) 3.B is no exception. Even though some are going to college, a few of them have already got jobs, and others are in training. Feeling the pressure, the students end up fighting and even turning their backs on Onizuka , believing he simply does not understand them. On the other hand Onizuka is being told to let the students deal with their own problems as he won’t be there for them ones they leave the school, and their teacher-student relationship will end once they graduate.
Not knowing what to think of it Onizuka decides to stay low, but when the students are starting to hit walls, Onizuka feelings begins to have mixed and confused feelings. What is he going to do, and will 3.B be able to graduate?

Compared to the other special I liked this one more, just because the story is much more fitting for Onizuka’s class and general personality. It has the entire ‘feel’ of students having to deal with the concept of growing up and how Onizuka is able to help: it sort of feels like another episode from the serial, which makes it all better.  
Honestly when I thought this was the last time I’d see the class I was a bit upset, mainly because I liked them. Okay yes, they are fictional, but somehow you grow with them. And not to mention how great the relationships are.
I’m really trying not to spoil anything, so I am going to end here and say that it is really good!

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 4 hearts

GTO 2013 New Year SP Review

Title: GTO - New Year Special

AKA: Great Teacher Onizuka - New Year Special

Genre: School, Human drama

Broadcast date: 2013-Jan-02

Cast: AKIRA, Takimoto Miori, Yamamoto Yusuke, Yano Masato, Fujisawa Ayano, Nagasawa Nao and Kabayashi Yumi.

It’s Chritsmas and Onizuka (AKIRA) and his class are having fun as always.
As time passes Saejima (Yamamoto Yusuke) is feeling down since he hasn’t got any girlfriend, but everything changes when he meets a damsel in distress. Naïve as he is, he falls for her and asks her to marry him, which she surprisingly agrees to do. But little does he know, she has small triplets whom she dumps on Saejima, and leaves to find the father of the three.
At the same time on of Onizukas students is having an issue at home ever since her father decided to re-marry. And due to Saejima’s issue, Onizuka hasn’t been able to really talk to her, which ends up her talking to another teacher about the issue. But somehow she ends up in something way bigger then she had expected. How will Onizuka deal with these issues? And how will he save Saejima?

Lol, I was really missing this guy and his class. This special is funny, crazy, ridiculous and touching all at the same time, completely like another GTO episode. I really love that his two friends also are involved in the class as much as he is, and that they are all together in everything.
As a New Year special I think the theme is good and most of it is really enjoyable. Though somehow kind of silly, it really does its job and delivers for all GTO fans everything they want.

☆☆☆½/ 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 4 out of 5 hearts

GTO 2012 Review

Title: Great Teacher Onizuka

AKA: GTO

Genre: School, human drama

Episodes: 11 + SP

Broadcast period: 2012-Jul to 2012-Sep

Theme song: 24karats TRIBE OF GOLD by EXILE TRIBE

Cast: AKIRA, Takimoto Miori, Yamamoto Yusuke, Yano Masato, Fujisawa Ayano, Nagasawa Nao and Kabayashi Yumi.

This story is the remake of the 1998 GTO.

Fuyutsuki Azusa (Takimoto) is a fairly new teacher in charge of the troublesome 2 : 4 class, who are known for being cruel towards new teachers and making them quit in matter of minutes. One day a part-timer knocks out the head teacher for calling drop out student’s trash in front of the director and Fuyutsuki. That man happens to be Onizuka Eikichi (AKIRA) who is the leader of a bike gang, and is known for his wicked side. The director notices that Onizuka has a special side, so she decides to make him the head teacher of class 2 : 4 to change them. But it isn’t as simple as it seems: the class is not only troublesome, they have a deep hatred for teachers..

Being a fan of the original GTO from 1998, I was actually expecting a lot, and honestly I was slightly disappointed, even though it had all the old highlights, with a spice of modern. I just don’t really see Onizuka in AKIRA, and I couldn’t help but imagining how cool it would have been if Akanishi Jin was playing Onizuka, which he was supposed to. Anyways, the drama is typical Japanese, and I love high school drama especially Japanese ones, hehe.. The acting was a bit.. Tacky, but I’m going to give it 4 stars, 1 for the storyline, 1 for the messengers conveyed in the drama, 1 for being able to make me watch it from beginning to end and the last one, for making me a bit teary in the end. All in all 4 stars, though I have to say, watch the original one.. It’s a bit better :P

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts