Japanese actor Takashi Sorimachi to reprise role as Onizuka in TV special of GTO

Sep 19 (straitstimes.com) - Japanese actor Takashi Sorimachi, who played reformed biker gangster-turned-teacher Eikichi Onizuka in the live-action television adaptation GTO (1998), is reprising his role in an upcoming TV special.

Fuji Television announced last Friday that it will launch GTO Revival in the first half of 2024 in conjunction with its 65th anniversary.

The 1998 series, which was adapted from the Japanese manga series of the same name, starred Sorimachi as a teacher dealing with a class of students facing various issues in unique and creative ways.

Like the original series, Onizuka will be assigned to a school with problematic students in the TV special.

Sorimachi, 49, said in a press release that he had turned down several offers to play the role of Onizuka again, but decided to accept this time as he thought it would be meaningful.

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