Forum - View topicGreat Teacher Onizuka (TV) (w/ index).
|
|
| Author | Message | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Tony K.
 SubscriberModerator  Posts: 11446 Location: Frisco, TX |
|
||
Great Teacher Onizuka (TV) Source: Manga (completed @ 25 volumes by Tohru Fujisawa) Demographic: Shounen Animation Studio: Pierrot Genres: comedy, drama, slice of life Themes: absurdity, bullying, coming-of-age, delinquents, gangs, school, workplace Plot Summary: Onizuka Eikichi is an ex-bike gang leader who has but one goal: to become the greatest teacher. While doing his internship as part of his studies to become a qualified teacher, he ends up with a delinquent class and learns of the possibility and necessity for the respect to be gained from one's students. After graduating, he gets a job at a prestigious private school to handle their 'problem class' that has made many of its past teachers quit. He is, then, presented with a different kind of trouble when that group includes some of the smartest kids in Japan who prefer a more "intellectual approach" to torturing their teacher. And as Onizuka slowly wins his students over, dealing with their distrust and hatred towards teachers and adults, he must also handle the distrust from some of his fellow co-workers who feel him unworthy of being a teacher. Air Date & Platform: June 30, 1999 (Wednesday) Available on: Crunchyroll, Netflix Episode Count / Runtime: 43 episodes ---------------------------------- EPISODE INDEX (Clicking on the episode will take you to my post that has a summary, comments, and screen-caps) Episode 01: Lesson 1 Episode 02: Lesson 2 Episode 03: Lesson 3 Episode 04 Episode 05 Episode 06 Episode 07 Episode 08 Episode 09 Episode 10 Episode 11 Episode 12 Episode 13 Episode 14 Episode 15 Episode 16 Episode 17 Episode 18 Episode 19 Episode 20 Episode 21 Episode 22 Episode 23 Episode 24 Episode 25 Episode 26 Episode 27 Episode 28 Episode 29 Episode 30 Episode 31 Episode 32 Episode 33 Episode 34 Episode 35 Episode 36 Episode 37 Episode 38 Episode 39 Episode 40 Episode 41 Episode 42 Episode 43 ---------------------------------- An oldie, but still a goodie, GTO pretty much stands the test of time (aside from the incidental technology giving away how old it really is). I first saw this gem of an anime when Tokyopoop was still around fresh off their distribution of the series (and I even have their original box sets). Mediocre production quality aside, the music, storytelling, and voice acting (in Japanese, anyway) were what really sold the show to me. Granted, I was right at the end of my own high school life when I saw it, so it resonated with me even stronger, at the time. But even re-watching it a couple of years ago and finally getting to read the manga (took a while to hunt all the volumes down after Tokyopoop went belly up), I can say, without question, that the source material is pretty powerful stuff and can still be very relevant, today, to that tender transition of our late teens to early adulthood. As long as this title's been around, I'm sure fans of the series know what makes it appealing: Onizuka. He's something of an everyman that likes to have fun and do what he wants, but doesn't necessarily like to work for it (and if you could get what you want with the least amount of energy, who wouldn't want to?). And although his methods may seem brazen and often crude, when he gets passionate and into things, he's probably the most charismatic and likeable mofo on the planet in terms of his spirit. A lot of his "teacher moments" are in-your-face and very on-point. And that particular kind of honesty and directness, in my opinion, is something I can respect. It goes against the norm, penetrates peoples' "moral shields," and gets behind their defenses to bring out the truth (or at least part of it). And because of that, I think he's one of the coolest characters ever. Getting into the manga past where the anime ended, I can see why they ended it there. The post-Miyabi material gets a little risque, even by today's standards. But honestly, I'm okay with it. Heck, maybe they'll even reboot it when enough time passes and give it a few updates like Parasyte did. At any rate, since I was so disappointed by the other "thread," I figure I'd get the ball rolling with this much more detailed opening post. And who knows, with the DVDs in hand, I might even do episode reviews if I stop being lazy and trying to do everything else on my fun list >_>. Last edited by Tony K. on Fri Jul 12, 2024 5:53 pm; edited 8 times in total |
|||
|
|||
louis6578
 Posts: 1876 |
|
||
|
Onizuka has been my favorite character in ANIME for a while. He's damned high on the list outside of anime too. If you can watch this guy without a massive smile on your face, you're clinically depressed and I suggest you seek help.
That's not to say that he's just a funny guy. Oh no. He's badass, cool, and above all, he's just a walking bundle of heartwarming moments. The show is great, the manga is even better, and the characters are all wonderful. Onizuka carries the show on his own, but the anime and manga could have gotten away with making these characters simple archetypes. Instead, each of them is a human being in their own right. My second favorite after Onizuka is Vice-Principal Uchiyamada. Ah, I can't watch this guy without saying "Aw, poor guy." But I mean that in a good way. It's not like watching a harem protagonist getting punched and sent flying for accidentally tapping some tail. It's classic slapstick, butt monkey humor that is mostly lost in modern anime, especially slice of life. As for the plot, both standalone episodes and arcs range from average to excellent, but never quite sink below that quality. From an episode where Onizuka thinks he's been cursed by a chain letter to an arc about Onizuka having to get the highest score on a nationwide test. These stories are all heartwarming, awesome, and most of all, hilarious. My favorite arc is, ironically, the arc where Onizuka and the kids are trying to get enough money for the field trip to Okinawa. I love this because of several moments where Onizuka's compassion and drive for teaching are put to the test. Animation is low-budget stuff that makes Trigun look like Fate/Zero, but who cares? It's not a fight-driven story. It's a comedy slice of life. Music? Beautiful! It gets repeated to death, but I never cared. Like in a shounen anime, you get pumped when you hear these tracks start up. My favorite song is probably the first ED song, though the second ED and the openings are all great. Didn't really care for the final ED though. Voice acting, the Japanese is great! Emotional, heartfelt, and Onizuka's seiyuu really gets the character. Despite that... I'm in the weird minority of people who prefers the dub. I won't argue that its better. I just prefer hearing Steve Blum's voice out of Onizuka. Bob Papenbrook as Uchiyamada always makes me laugh my ass off as well. If you haven't watched Onizuka yet, please do so. You owe it to yourself. It has a few tiny flaws, but nothing that should turn you away. Onizuka's obsession with dating high school students goes away after episode four, so anyone who is morally repulsed at Japan's different set of values can just tolerate those jokes in the early run. |
|||
|
|||
|
Redbeard 101
Oscar the Grouch
Forums Superstar  Posts: 16963 |
|
||
|
This was another one of my successful blind buys back in the dvd days working at Suncoast. One of the bigger successes no doubt. I agree with you Tony that part of what endeared him so much to me was his bluntness. His right to the point in your face directness was something I could respect, and relate to. It was refreshing to see an anime character who was more direct and not wishy washy or too passive. It made him stand out for me. As did his desire to truly help his students, and not just in terms of their grades. You put it far better than I could Tony. This show has remained a favorite of mine for over a decade now.
|
|||
|
|||
gedata
 Posts: 617 |
|
||
The series ending where it did likely had to do with the fact that it was catching up with the manga. The anime never had a problem toning down the more ribald bits before. |
|||
|
|||
|
Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11446 Location: Frisco, TX |
|
||
|
Ah, you're right. I see there were a couple of years between the end of the anime and end of the manga. Well then, maybe a reboot is more plausible than we think. I mean, they rebooted the live-action series, already.
|
|||
|
|||
ayanami000
 Posts: 79 |
|
||
|
onizuka is the coolest and craziest teacher ever.
|
|||
|
|||
maxwell3094
 Posts: 148 |
|
||
Man more of this anime would be like a dream come true. This was one of the first anime I watched and its still one of my favorites. The whole show was just so freaking FUN! |
|||
|
|||
egoist
 Posts: 7762 |
|
||
|
I'm surprised one of my favourites showed up despite rarely being discussed. Yes, animation is awful. Still infinitely better than this new animated manga or whatever they call that crap.
|
|||
|
|||
|
MrSharingan
Posts: 7 |
|
||
|
One of my favorite Anime's!
The live TV series was pretty good too I thought.... Of course not as good as the Anime but did enjoy watching it... I really wanted to become a teacher after watching it 
|
|||
|
|||
|
egoist
Posts: 7762 |
|
||
|
It's the main reason I went back to education too. Probably the most inspiring anime out there.
|
|||
|
|||
|
Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11446 Location: Frisco, TX |
|
||
|
Well, my gf just happens to have wanted to re-watch this, recently, so here we are. Onizuka is also a participant in the Biggest Badass Forum Tournament. So I thought, "why not? Might as well refresh myself while reviewing the damn thing!"
I think this is actually my fourth time through the series. I've only read the main manga once, but have yet to read the prequel and spinoff. Have also seen the first live-action series twice, but not the newer one from 2012 (will check it out, later, though). As of now, I'm actually around episode 30, but I will try to update this as quickly as possible while it's still fresh in my head. Episode 01: Lesson 1 Summary: Onizuka Eikichi, 22 years old (yoroshiku!), is not yet a full-time teacher, but a student teacher testing the waters. He wants to be a teacher, mainly, to get with young girls, so that when he's older, she'll still be half his age. But after being assigned a class full of mostly delinquent boys, he's tricked by a girl named Nanako, then blackmailed for being in a lewd situation with a student. Turns out Nanako lives a loveless life with her parents. What used to be a simpler life had become cold and divided by time, work, money, and a wall between her parents' beds. Onizuka realizes Nanako's delinquency is attributed to her parents' estranged relation. So what does he do? He puts a sledgehammer to the wall of their hearts to break it down! ---------------------------------- Comments: This is actually a double-length episode, so it's extra awesome and gets double the screen-cap number. I will be trying to get mostly shots of Onizuka's face, as his reactions and the faces he makes are a trademark of the franchise. If you read my opener, it basically describes Onizuka in the most general way possible. What makes the series so great, though, isn't just the life lessons or insane comedy. It's Onizuka, he emanates this unequivocal sense of determination and resolve. I've never seen such a more charismatic character. When he's serious, he seems unstoppable. And even when he's down in the dumps, he's absolutely hilarious about it. And a big reason for that is Wataru Takagi; the dude is so funny, and he nails the essence of Onizuka perfectly. I instantly recognize him in anything else he does (except for After War Gundam X, I was actually surprised to find out he played the main character, Garrod, in that one). But yeah, I love this guy's voice so much. If they ever do an anime reboot, I hope they, at least, bring him back. Anyway, this episode acts as kind of a pilot for the rest of the show by setting a precedent for what kind of person Onizuka is and his "teaching plan," so to speak. He's blunt, up-front, and values honesty above all things (especially with oneself). He encounters a lot of shitty brats or kids with problems, in general. But as you can guess, that charisma and determination of his will eventually turn them around. You'll also notice he's rather eccentric (like with the dog costume he wears when Nanako goes to his place) and that he's not afraid to show some tough love (like when he's dunking the students that blackmailed him headfirst into a pond). That's just the kind of guy he is, and it's glorious. I can't wait to review all of this. ---------------------------------- Caps:                    
|
|||
|
|||
|
Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11446 Location: Frisco, TX |
|
||
|
Episode 02: Lesson 2
Summary: After completing his internship, Onizuka misses the official examination for teacher certification, thinking it wasn't a real thing. Bummed by this, he drinks the night away and starts to questions if he can actually become a teacher, when his best bud, Ryūji, hands him an application and tells him there's a private academy that's hiring. ---------------------------------- Comments: While the first episode set the tone of the series, this one sets the stage: Holy Forest Academy. I feel this is another important episode (although, really, almost all of them are) in showing you the kind of character Onizuka is. He's a bit dim-witted, for sure, but there's also a passion that drives him. The obvious measure of that passion is when he's standing up for the ex-students who came to mess up Uchiyamada. All that verbal abuse Uchi was throwing at them, calling them trash. The power of words and their affect on people should never be underestimated, especially on young people. Young people, in particular, have so much potential, but that potential needs guidance. And if that guidance sucks, those people can go astray on a lesser path. So it's a huge deal that Oni called Uchi out on his crap comments. In fact, I'd even say just that moment, alone, probably changed those guys lives for the better. But even as hot-headed as Oni can get, he actually did the VP a favor, too, by (perfectly) German suplexing him and quelling the anger of the ex-students. It was satisfying in giving Uchi some comeuppance, but also kinda' noble in the fact that those guys probably would've done worse if they got their hands on him. We also get to meet two of the more important female characters in the series: Fuyutsuki and Chairwoman Sakurai. The Chairwoman is less important, as she's more so just a figurehead to hep keep Oni out of legal situations and to serve as a conduit between him and school formalities. But Fuyutsuki will be really important down the line. Again, there are tons of funny faces that Onizuka makes, so you'll be seeing lots of captures of those. ---------------------------------- Caps:          
|
|||
|
|||
|
Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11446 Location: Frisco, TX |
|
||
|
Episode 03: Lesson 3
Summary: Starting his tenure at Holy Forest Academy, Onizuka learns he will actually be living on school grounds.. in a storage closet. He later learns that he'll be inheriting class 3-4, which is renowned as the school's most fearsome group of students. That night, Onizuka hears strange noises in the building, only to find a panty thief, a brazen couple, and one of his students, Yoshikawa Noboru, who is attempting to jump off the top of the school. ---------------------------------- Comments: We don't learn a whole lot in this episode, as it continues to set the scene with where Onizuka lives (coincidentally, where he also works), introduces one of his most troubled students, and then insinuate at the end, that these kids in 3-4 mean business. We also get our first hint of school bullying. At this point, we don't quite know the culprit, only that it was a girl (which is still a bit effed up in itself). It's also a pretty bold statement to make so early in the series, already, that a kid wants to commit suicide and that other students are willing to embarrass their teacher with a giant photoshop. I think it's really strong in setting Onizuka up to do some great things, though. There are some pretty dark moments in the show, despite it being set in middle school. I originally thought this was categorized as seinen because of that, but turns out it's shounen. I guess a lot of the wackiness kinda' balances out the dark stuff. Next episode is a bit of a turnaround, as they settle the whole photoshop thing. And poor VP Uchiyamada's Cresta will continue its endless cycle of destruction. There were lots of funny faces that I wanted to capture, but I also wanted to show a little of how Onizuka is living in the school. Despite the low-budget production, his faces and some of the backgrounds are actually not too badly drawn. The digital stuff really sticks out like a sore thumb and looks tacky in comparison, though, so I'll try to avoid capping those. ---------------------------------- Caps:          
|
|||
|
|||
 |
All times are GMT - 5 Hours |
|
|
|
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group