Takashi Sorimachi’s Super Cool Uncle Aura Shines on the Set of GTO After 28 Years

Sorimachi is a super cool older guy on set

His arms, visible beneath a white T-shirt with a star emblem shining on the chest, are healthily tanned, while his waist is slim and toned. Even amid the darkness of the night, his presence stood out strikingly from a distance──. It was actor Takashi Sorimachi (52).

One night in mid-July, filming for the currently airing drama “GTO” (Kansai TV/Fuji TV network) was taking place in Minato Mirai, Yokohama.

“The series is based on the boys’ manga of the same name by manga artist Toru Fujisawa (59), which was serialized in ‘Weekly Shonen Magazine’ from 1997 to 2002. It was first adapted into a television drama starring Takashi Sorimachi in the summer of 1998. It became a landmark school drama of the Heisei era, causing a social phenomenon, and was followed by standalone sequel dramas (1999 and 2024) as well as a feature film of the same name (1999).

The popularity of the series came from Eikichi Onizuka, a former motorcycle gang member turned teacher played by Sorimachi, who confronts the school and his students head-on with his unconventional style. The original drama recorded an average household rating of 28.5% for its premiere episode (Video Research, Kanto region),”said a television magazine writer.

Sorimachi, who is playing Onizuka again in a serialized drama for the first time in 28 years, spoke emotionally at the production announcement press conference:

“I’ve been an actor for 30 years now, but the thing I’ve been told most throughout my career is about Onizuka from ‘GTO.’ I’ve heard many people say, ‘I became a teacher after watching “GTO,”’ and it’s a work that holds a very special place in my heart.” (From the official Kansai TV website)

On this particular day, Sorimachi was filming a scene in which he talks with a fellow cast member. Before filming began, he carefully discussed the scene with a staff member holding the script. He then looked toward the sky, seemingly concentrating, and waited for the signal to start. He still had that unmistakable super cool older guy presence. Even compared with 28 years ago, there was absolutely no sign of aging.

However, in the Reiwa-era version, he is also showing the kind of side that only a modern teacher can have, rather than simply being outrageous all the time.

Onizuka is overly concerned with how his students evaluate him and is looked down upon by the students themselves. Even so, he is portrayed as a teacher who sincerely tries to face them—a teacher who is by no means strong or invincible. On social media, some comments have criticized the change, saying, “Onizuka isn’t interesting if he’s not outrageous,”while others have said, “It’s only natural for his character to change with his age. Onizuka’s words are more convincing now.”

The Heisei-era version produced famous lines such as “There are no rehearsals in life! Every day is the real thing!”and “Living takes far more courage than dying!” The Reiwa-era version has also produced memorable quotes. In Episode 2 (aired July 27), Onizuka encourages a student who has decided to voluntarily withdraw from school:

“Don’t reset the person you’ve worked so hard to become. How can you hate the version of yourself who desperately worked hard, even if it was embarrassing?”

The scene sparked excitement on social media, with viewers celebrating: “A great quote!”

In the 1998 version, Sorimachi’s Onizuka was constantly causing outrageous chaos and making a spectacle of himself. Now, as a man approaching his 50s, the “Great Teacher Onizuka (GTO)” is captivating viewers with his seasoned, understated performance.

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