GTO Shonan Universe
The GTO Shonan Universe is a Japanese manga franchise and shared universe centered around a series of manga titles written by Tohru Fujisawa. The main series follows the life and exploits of the titular character, Eikichi Onizuka, starting from his delinquent days as a middle schooler in Shonan, Kanagawa, until his rise to become the self-proclaimed “great” teacher. The spin-off series focus on the various supporting characters, friends, and acquaintances of Onizuka, as well as stories set in Shonan and surrounding areas. The franchise has been commercially successful, with the most successful title, Great Teacher Onizuka (GTO), selling over 50 million copies as of November 2007, and winning the 1998 Kodansha Manga Award in the shonen category. Shonan Junai Gumi boasts a cumulative circulation of 45 million copies. The series and its spin-offs have been adapted into various anime television series, original video animation (OVA), live-action television drama series, and live-action films. |
Overview
The main series consists of several titles that feature Eikichi Onizuka as the protagonist. The first series, Shonan Junai Gumi (1990-1996), introduces us to Onizuka and his best friend, Ryuji Danma, as the Oni-baku duo at the height of their puberty. The story follows their quest to lose their virginity as they traverse through high school life in Shonan. The second entry, Bad Company (1996), serves as a prequel and chronicles the Oni-baku’s first meeting, as well as how the pair acquired their respective motorcycles. The third entry, and arguably the most well-known, was Great Teacher Onizuka (1997-2002), is set 6 years after Shonan Junai Gumi and focuses on a 22-year-old Onizuka as he becomes a teacher at a private middle school, Holy Forest Academy, in Tokyo, Japan. The fourth entry, GTO: 14 Days in Shonan (2009-2011), is a side story set during the events of Great Teacher Onizuka and explains Onizuka’s 14 day absence in which he spends in Shonan. The latest entry, GTO: Paradise Lost (2014-present), is set two years after the events of Great Teacher Onizuka and opens with Onizuka in prison as he narrates via flashbacks about his time teaching a class of celebrity students at Kissho Academy, and the events leading up to his imprisonment.
The franchise includes Black Diamond (2011), a direct spin-off of GTO: 14 Days in Shonan, focusing on the Twins of Terror, Riko and Miko Sakaki, as they tackle their first case as part of the Disciplinary Committee. A second spin-off, Ino-Head Gargoyle (2012-2014), features Onizuka’s long-time friend since high school, Toshiyuki Saejima, and his shenanigans as a policeman stationed at Inogashira Park. A crossover with GTO: 14 Days in Shonan, titled Goblin Made Dog (2012), pits Saejima and Onizuka against each other in a battle to win the heart of a female hostess at an exclusive club. A third spin-off, Great Transporter Ryuji (2012), follows the other half of the Oni-baku duo, Ryuji Danma, whose peaceful life as a motorcycle shop owner is turned upside down after the appearance of a strange girl.
Kamen Teacher (2006-2007) follows Gota Araki and Kamen Teacher, two new teachers hired to solve the problems of Kyokuran High in Tokyo, a school with a delinquency rating of 80%. A sequel, Kamen Teacher Black (2013-2014), follows a new teacher donning a black mask from the legendary Kamen Teacher Program as he helps reform the celebrity students of Hiiragi Gakuen, a prestigious private school in Ikebukuro, Tokyo. The Kamen Teacher series was confirmed to be set in the GTO Shonan Universe with the release of Kamen Police (2013), a crossover with Ino-Head Gargoyle in which Toshiyuki Saejima stumbles upon Kamen Teacher’s mask and dons the mask himself. The character of Kamen Teacher also makes an appearance in GTO: Paradise Lost, who is recruited to aid Onizuka with his jailbreak.
Animal Joe (2006/2008) follows Joe Kirishima, the womanizing vice-president of an investment banking firm in Roppongi Hills, Tokyo, and the lives he destroys due to his animalistic sexual urges. A sequel, RE: Animal Joe (2019), reboots the series in the modern era and confirmed its setting in the GTO Shonan Universe, leading to Joe’s appearance as a supporting character in GTO: Paradise Lost.
A spiritual sequel to Shonan Junai Gumi titled Shonan Seven (2014-2019), written by Tohru Fujisawa and illustrated by Shinsuke Takahashi, is set in the same high school attended by the Oni-baku. It features an entirely new cast and follows Ikki Kurokami, a first year who joins the Shonan Seven, group selected to represent their school to fight in an annual tournament to determine the strongest school in Shonan.
The franchise includes Black Diamond (2011), a direct spin-off of GTO: 14 Days in Shonan, focusing on the Twins of Terror, Riko and Miko Sakaki, as they tackle their first case as part of the Disciplinary Committee. A second spin-off, Ino-Head Gargoyle (2012-2014), features Onizuka’s long-time friend since high school, Toshiyuki Saejima, and his shenanigans as a policeman stationed at Inogashira Park. A crossover with GTO: 14 Days in Shonan, titled Goblin Made Dog (2012), pits Saejima and Onizuka against each other in a battle to win the heart of a female hostess at an exclusive club. A third spin-off, Great Transporter Ryuji (2012), follows the other half of the Oni-baku duo, Ryuji Danma, whose peaceful life as a motorcycle shop owner is turned upside down after the appearance of a strange girl.
Kamen Teacher (2006-2007) follows Gota Araki and Kamen Teacher, two new teachers hired to solve the problems of Kyokuran High in Tokyo, a school with a delinquency rating of 80%. A sequel, Kamen Teacher Black (2013-2014), follows a new teacher donning a black mask from the legendary Kamen Teacher Program as he helps reform the celebrity students of Hiiragi Gakuen, a prestigious private school in Ikebukuro, Tokyo. The Kamen Teacher series was confirmed to be set in the GTO Shonan Universe with the release of Kamen Police (2013), a crossover with Ino-Head Gargoyle in which Toshiyuki Saejima stumbles upon Kamen Teacher’s mask and dons the mask himself. The character of Kamen Teacher also makes an appearance in GTO: Paradise Lost, who is recruited to aid Onizuka with his jailbreak.
Animal Joe (2006/2008) follows Joe Kirishima, the womanizing vice-president of an investment banking firm in Roppongi Hills, Tokyo, and the lives he destroys due to his animalistic sexual urges. A sequel, RE: Animal Joe (2019), reboots the series in the modern era and confirmed its setting in the GTO Shonan Universe, leading to Joe’s appearance as a supporting character in GTO: Paradise Lost.
A spiritual sequel to Shonan Junai Gumi titled Shonan Seven (2014-2019), written by Tohru Fujisawa and illustrated by Shinsuke Takahashi, is set in the same high school attended by the Oni-baku. It features an entirely new cast and follows Ikki Kurokami, a first year who joins the Shonan Seven, group selected to represent their school to fight in an annual tournament to determine the strongest school in Shonan.
Development
Tohru Fujisawa’s first major hit, Shonan Junai Gumi, was serialized in October 1990 in Weekly Shonen Magazine. Early concept designs revealed Fujisawa intended the series to be titled Shonan Junai Boys. He based the manga’s setting at the seaside location of Shonan after growing up inland in Hokkaido. The story begins as a gag manga, but more serious issues present themselves as it continues, eventually striking a balance to what is later seen in its sequel, Great Teacher Onizuka.
As a member of the delinquent “Yankee” subculture himself, Fujisawa described school as a negative experience, especially in regards to its rigid structure and self-serving salary teachers only caring about their performance reviews. His works, especially Great Teacher Onizuka, drew inspirations from his personal experiences.
Onizuka's first name, Eikichi, was taken from musician Eikichi Yazawa and his design is based on the Yankee look. When writing Great Teacher Onizuka, Fujisawa was influenced by the style of Kohei Tsuka, one of Japan's most influential theater figures, and described his writing like directing. He originally intended it to run for 10 volumes, however, it was extended at the request of his publisher, Kodansha. As a result, Fujisawa began to run out of characters and would write chapters without Onizuka when faced with writer’s block.
In June, 2021, Fujisawa stated that GTO: Paradise Lost was intended to be the “last” manga in the GTO series once it was completed.
As a member of the delinquent “Yankee” subculture himself, Fujisawa described school as a negative experience, especially in regards to its rigid structure and self-serving salary teachers only caring about their performance reviews. His works, especially Great Teacher Onizuka, drew inspirations from his personal experiences.
Onizuka's first name, Eikichi, was taken from musician Eikichi Yazawa and his design is based on the Yankee look. When writing Great Teacher Onizuka, Fujisawa was influenced by the style of Kohei Tsuka, one of Japan's most influential theater figures, and described his writing like directing. He originally intended it to run for 10 volumes, however, it was extended at the request of his publisher, Kodansha. As a result, Fujisawa began to run out of characters and would write chapters without Onizuka when faced with writer’s block.
In June, 2021, Fujisawa stated that GTO: Paradise Lost was intended to be the “last” manga in the GTO series once it was completed.
Manga
Timeline
*Italics indicates different series confirmed to be in the GTO Shonan Universe via crossover
Shonan Junai Gumi (1990-1996) Shonan Junai Gumi (also known as GTO: The Early Years in some markets) is the first instalment in the series and Fujisawa’s first major hit. It follows the rowdy pair of legendary delinquents known as the Oni-baku (demon explosion), Eikichi Onizuka and Ryuji Danma, and their quest to lose their virginity by shedding their old delinquent lifestyle. It was published by Kodansha from October 1990 to October 1996, compiled in 31 volumes, and has been re-released in a deluxe edition of 15 volumes, from May to December 2005. The series has over 45 million copies in circulation. |
Bad Company (1996) Bad Company, a one volume prequel, was serialized in June 1996 right after Shonan Junai Gumi ended. Kodansha published the collected volume in 1997. The plot focused on the rocky formation of the Oni-baku, the duo’s first encounter with Kyosuke Masaki, and the origins of their respective motorcycles. |
Great Teacher Onizuka (1997-2002)
Great Teacher Onizuka (GTO) was published by Kodansha from January 1997 to February 2002. A sequel to Shonan Junai Gumi, the story focuses on 22-year-old ex-bōsōzoku member Eikichi Onizuka, who after some extremely unlikely circumstances, lands himself in a position of responsibility over an infamous class of middle schoolers with a history of driving teachers to mental illness. Over the course of the story, Onizuka slowly, and almost accidentally, wins his students over despite their attempts to sabotage, disgrace, and even kill him. The manga has sold over 50 million copies as of November 2007 and won the 1998 Kodansha Manga Award in the shōnen category. |
Kamen Teacher (2006-2007) Kamen Teacher was published by Shueisha from August 2006 to November 2007. The plot revolves around a special program of masked teachers with exceptional combat ability cropping up around Japan in response to the rising number of dangerous delinquents in schools across the nation. Gota Araki, a teacher from the program, is dispatched along with a mysterious masked teacher to Gokuran High School, a school known as ‘Tokyo’s Worst Graveyard’ with 80% delinquency. |
Animal Joe (2006/2008) Animal Joe was first published by Shogakukan in December 2006 and went on hiatus, before returning in 2008. The plot revolves around Sho Murakami, a man who has poured his blood, sweat, and tears into the investment banking company, G&G Gold. When a new vice-president, Joe Kirishima, joins the company, Sho’s world is turned upside down as Joe upstages him in every aspect of his life. |
GTO: 14 Days in Shonan (2009-2011) GTO: 14 Days in Shonan is a side story to Great Teacher Onizuka, published by Kodansha from June 2009 to September 2011. After accidentally compromising his school’s reputation, Onizuka returns to the peaceful shores of Shonan to lay low until the heat dies down. While in Shonan, Onizuka is inspired to help a group of troubled foster children get back on the track to happiness. |
Black Diamond (2011)
Black Diamond is a two chapter spin off from GTO: 14 Days in Shonan, published by Kodansha in November 2011. After being reformed by Onizuka, the Twins of Terror, Riko and Miko Sakaki, leave their past behind and become members of the Disciplinary Committee at their school, Chigasaki Kahoku Private Academy, helping fellow students in need through an SOS messaging system. When an illegal prostitution auction ring is uncovered at their school, the twins set out to restore peace to their school and punish those responsible. The chapters were included in Volume 9 of GTO: 14 Days in Shonan. |
Ino-Head Gargoyle (2012-2014) Ino-Head Gargoyle is a spin off published by Kodansha from January 2012 to January 2014 focusing on Toshiyuki Saejima, Onizuka and Ryuji’s long time high school friend from Shonan Junai Gumi. Now a lazy, corrupt cop stationed at Inogashira Park, Saejima’s solo series follows his troubles as reverts back to his aggressive personality to save a beautiful escort from her abusive boyfriend. The second part of the story sees Saejima help an old friend investigate a gang selling a dangerous drug and its leader, who bears a Blue Rose tattoo. |
Goblin Mad Dog (2012) Goblin Mad Dog is a crossover between Ino-Head Gargoyle and GTO: 14 Days in Shonan published by Kodansha in July 2012. The story features a clash between Saejima, the Kamakura Mad Dog, and Onizuka, one of Shonan’s strongest, as they battle it out to win the heart of a female hostess at an exclusive club. The chapter was included in Volume 3 of Ino-Head Gargoyle. |
Great Transporter Ryuji (2012) Great Transporter Ryuji (GT-R) is a spin off which follows Ryuji Danma, the other half of the Oni-baku, now leading a peaceful life as motorcycle shop owner, and his strange encounter with a young female descendant of Ishikawa Goemon, who takes interest in him as a getaway driver. It was published by Kodansha from June to October 2012 and discontinued after a single volume. |
Kamen Teacher Black (2013-2014) Kamen Teacher Black was published by Shueisha from April 2013 to October 2014. The sequel to Kamen Teacher sees the return of Gota Araki. Now assigned to Private Hiiragi Gakuen, a lawless school in Tokyo where students are ranked by their parents’ celebrity status, Gota assists a new Kamen Teacher donning a black mask. |
Kamen Police (2013)
Kamen Police, published by Shueisha in August 2013, is a crossover between Kamen Teacher Black and Ino-Head Gargoyle. Toshiyuki Saejima investigates the mysterious Kamen Teacher after learning of his legendary exploits, only to acquire the mask himself to become the masked vigilante policeman, Kamen Police. Both chapters were included in Volume 5 of Ino-Head Gargoyle & Volume 2 of Kamen Teacher Black. The crossover confirms the Kamen Teacher series’ setting in the GTO Shonan Universe. |
Shonan Seven (2014-2019)
Shonan Seven is a spiritual sequel to Shonan Junai Gumi and the only entry of the universe not illustrated by Fujisawa, who writes the manga along with art by Shinsuke Takahashi. Published by Akita Shoten from January 2014 to July 2019, the story follows Ikki Kurokami and his struggle to be recognized as one of the Shonan Seven, the toughest fighters in the Onibaku’s old stomping grounds of Tsujido High. The Shonan Seven go on to compete with other schools to earn the title of Shonan’s strongest. |
GTO: Paradise Lost (2014-ongoing) Onizuka returns in GTO: Paradise Lost, a sequel to Great Teacher Onizuka published by Kodansha since April 2014. Now an inmate at Wangan Prison, Onizuka recounts his time teaching a class of celebrity students at Kissho Academy, and the events leading up to his imprisonment. The series is split into two parts, with the first part focusing on the six months prior at Kissho, and the second part shifting its focus to the present time at the prison. |
RE: Animal Joe (2019) RE: Animal Joe was published by Kodansha in May 2019 and serves as a reboot to the beginning of Animal Joe. It reintroduces us to Joe Kirishima, the womanizing vice-president of G&G Gold and his encounter with Onizuka, setting up his introduction into GTO: Paradise Lost as a supporting character, alongside his nemesis, Sho Murakami. Both chapters were included in Volume 12 of GTO: Paradise Lost. This crossover confirms Animal Joe’s setting in the GTO Shonan Universe. |
Anime Adaptations
Great Teacher Onizuka (1999-2000) TV Series A 43-episode anime adaptation of GTO was produced by Studio Pierrot and was broadcasted from June 1999 to September 2000. It was directed by Noriyuki Abe and Horiyuki Ishido. Yoshiyuki Suga provided scripts, having also written scripts for the 1998 live-action adaption. It covered the manga from the beginning to Chapter 106 (Volume 13) before diverging to an anime original ending. |
Live-Action Adaptations
Shonan Junai Gumi! Bad Company (1998) Live Action Film A 93 minute live action film was released on VHS in 1998, directed by Noboru Matsui (who also directed the Shonan Junai Gumi OVA drama), and starring Shinsuke Aoki as Eikichi Onizuka, Hiroshisei Amano as Ryuji Danma, and Asuka Yanagi as Sakura Yamato. |
GTO (1998) TV Drama A 12-episode live-action TV drama adaptation, starring Takashi Sorimachi as Eikichi Onizuka and Nanako Matsushima as Azusa Fuyutsuki, was broadcast from July 7, 1998, to September 22, 1998. The series had an average audience share of 28.5%, with the final episode recording a rate of 35.7%. The final episode was the 8th-most-watched broadcast in the Kantō region during 1998. The serie’s theme song, ‘Poison’, was sung by Sorimachi. |
GTO: The Movie (1999) Live Action Film A theatrical live action film based on the 1998 TV drama was released in December 1999, with Takashi Sorimachi returning as Eikichi Onizuka. Directed by Masayuki Suzuki, the film was a box office success, grossing ¥1.32 billion and becoming the tenth-highest-grossing film of the year in Japan. The movie was released in North America by Tokyo Shock on July 26, 2005. |
GTO Remake Series 1 (2012) TV Drama A new live-action TV drama remake ran from July 3, 2012, until September 11, 2012. Originally, Jin Akanishi was to play the role of Eikichi Onizuka; however, he was forced to withdraw by his management. Instead, Akira of the Japanese band Exile Tribe was selected to play the lead role. The series had an average audience share of 13.2% in the Kanto region. The series incorporated plotlines from the original GTO manga, as well as its spin-off, GTO: 14 Days in Shonan. Akira’s band, Exile Tribe, sang the serie’s theme song, ‘25karats TRIBE OF GOLD’. |
GTO Remake Uchiyamada Spinoff (2012) Web Series A 3-episode web spin-off series featuring Hiroshi Uchiyamada, played by Ryosei Tayama, was released on Kansai TV’s official YouTube channel prior to broadcasting of the TV drama. The spin-off focuses on Uchiyamada’s life at home and the struggles he has with his family. |
GTO Remake Autumn Demon Rampage! (2012) Drama Special An autumn special was broadcast in October 2012. Set several months after the first series, Onizuka (Akira) catches wind of the imminent closure of the Smile Duck Orphanage due to corrupt politicians and bands together with the students of class 2-4 in order to protect it. Fujisaki Shinomi (Kiritani Mirei) makes an appearance. The special had an audience share of 11.8% in the Kanto region. |
GTO Remake: New Year’s Special (2013) Drama Special A New Year’s special was broadcast in January 2013. Titled ‘Winter break with a hot-blooded class’, the special sees a mother leaving three kids in the care of Saejima (Yamamoto Yusuke) and it’s up to Onizuka (Akira) and the gang to track her down. The special had an audience share of 6.7% in the Kanto region. |
GTO Remake: Graduation Special (2013) Drama Special A spring special was broadcast in April 2013. Titled ‘Final chapter – farewell Onizuka!’, the special centers on the graduation of Onizuka’s students, focusing on focus on their worries about their futures, and the intense arguments that occur between those who are deciding to go to a university and those who are deciding to enter the work force after graduation. The special had an audience share of 10.3% in the Kanto region. |
Kamen Teacher (2013) TV Drama A 12-episode live-action TV drama adaptation, starring Fujigaya Taisuke as Araki Gota was broadcast from July 7, 2013 to September 29, 2013. The series’ theme song, ‘Snow Dome no Yakusoku/Luv Sick’, was sung by Taisuke’s band, Kis-My-Ft2. The series had an average audience share of 2.9% in the Kanto region. |
Kamen Teacher the Movie (2014) Live Action Film A theatrical live action film based on the 2013 TV drama, set six months after the events of the series, was released in February 2014, with Fujigaya Taisuke returning as Araki Gota. Released on 138 theatres nationwide, it mainly attracted female audiences and drew in ¥192 million on its first weekend, reaching number 3 at the box office. It grossed ¥400 million overall during its theatrical run. |
GTO in Taiwan (2014) TV Drama A 4-part mini-series was broadcast in March 2014 in Taiwan, before airing in Japan at a later date. The mini-series sees Onizuka (Akira) in a Taiwanese school as part of a training program and is a joint Japan/Taiwan co-production containing both Japanese and Mandarin Chinese dialogue. |
GTO Remake Series 2 (2014) TV Drama A sequel to the GTO Remake TV drama ran from July 8, 2014, until September 16, 2014, where Onizuka (Akira) is sent as a temporary teacher to the high school he graduated from in Shonan and his past is revealed through people who knew him in the past. The second series had an average audience share of 7.2% in the Kanto region. |
Shonan Junai Gumi! Young GTO! (2020) Web Drama An 8-episode live-action web drama adaptation starring Kanichiro as Eikichi Onizuka and Daichi Kaneko as Ryuji Danma was released on Amazon Prime Video in Japan on February 28, 2020. Directed by Uchida Eiji, the motorcycles and outfits were designed to capture the atmosphere and aesthetics of the 1990s. |
GTO Revival (2024) Drama Special A sequel to the GTO (1998) TV Drama, with Takashi Sorimachi returning to the role of Eikichi Onizuka after 26 years. Onizuka is set to embark on a teaching journey at a high school rife with challenges, imparting his passionate lessons to troubled students! As the era transitions from Heisei to Reiwa, the landscape evolves with the rise of social media slander and troubles, previously nonexistent. In today's climate of widening wealth gaps and mounting life complexities, can Onizuka rise to become the new hero of the Reiwa era? |
Stage Play Adaptations
Kamen Teacher Silver Mask Stage Play (2015) A musical based on the manga was performed from September 16-18, 2015 at the Umeda Arts Theater Drama City in Osaka and from September 30 to October 4, 2015 at the Zepp Blue Theater Roppongi in Tokyo. It was directed by Muck Akazawa and starred Yuki Tomotsune as Gota Araki. The performance time was 110 minutes with no intermission and general admission costed ¥7,500. A DVD of the performance was available for purchase, alongside other merchandise. |
Related Books
GTO Official Guidebook BAD Action 200 (1998) The first guidebook to GTO manga released in June 1998. It featured several character artwork and profiles of the teachers in GTO (no student profiles), including a vast amount of characters from Shonan Junai Gumi. A section dedicated on the story digest included a list and explanation of key events in Shonan Junai Gumi and GTO. |
GTO Live in Hokkaido (1998) A novel written by Haruyoshi Aizawa was released in two volumes, with the first volume, titled "Above", released in September, 1998 and the second volume, titled "Below", released in November, 1998. It served as a sequel to the original GTO manga. The plot follows Onizuka, who is assigned to Hokubunkan Gakuen in Hokkaido as a temporary teacher for a fortnight during summer vacation. Raku Ichikawa and Ayano Katsuragi appear as original characters, with the latter appearing in the GTO film. The novel served as a basis for the film, which was released in 1999. |
GTO Official Guidebook BAD Action 200 II (1999) The second guidebook to GTO manga released in January 1999. It contains several extra pieces of GTO-related information including Onizuka’s cool lifestyle, fashion sense, his ‘slightly dangerous’ social studies teacher’s exam, and a ‘slightly strange’ language test that Fuyutsuki would never hand out.. An iron-on t-shirt transfer was also included. |
Anime Version GTO Complete Character Guide (1999) A 194-page beginner’s guide to the GTO anime released in June 1999, with information on 83 characters as well as an introduction to all of the stories. The book is split into three parts. Part 1 covers background information on the anime and character drawings, Part 2 serves as a digest for the anime and manga covering the stories, and Part 3 covers extra details and the background of Onizuka. |
Movie “GTO” Official Book Takashi Sorimachi (1999) A 184-page book based on the 1998 GTO film was released in November 1999 ahead of its theatrical release in December. The book featured behind the scenes photos and interviews with Takashi Sorimachi, as well as interviews with other supporting cast. |
Theatrical Version “Kamen Teacher” Official Book (2014) A 125-page hardcover book based on the Kamen Teacher film was released in February 2014 ahead of its theatrical release a week later. The book featured many behind the scenes photos of the cast during shooting, as well as detailed interviews of the cast and crew. |