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It has been revealed that Nanako Matsushima will return to reprise her role as Azusa Fuyutsuki, one of the teachers at Holy Forest Academy, for Great Teacher Onizuka (GTO) live-action adaptation, which is returning after after 26 years as a part of Fuji TV’s station’s 65th anniversary.
This would mark the first time in over 20 years that the real-life couple Takashi Sorimachi and Nanako will be sharing a screen since their marriage.
The series GTO, which originally aired in 1998, played a major role in Sorimachi and Matsushima’s relationship, marking the start of their romance.
After GTO, there has been no collaboration between Sorimachi and Matsushima, neither in dramas, nor in commercials, as both actors have been mindful of not encroaching on each other’s professional territory.
Even though both of them were cast together in the taiga drama Toshiie to Matsu, they did not have any scenes together in it.
Matsushima’s role in GTO Revival won’t be major one, but she has a significant cameo in it. The filming that involved the actress wrapped up in approximately two days in mid-September.
According to an industry insider, “The production team has made several attempts to create a ‘GTO’ sequel, but it never came to fruition. When planning a sequel, it’s inevitable that Matsushima’s involvement would be essential. Nevertheless, the couple had been cautious about co-starring to avoid disrupting each other’s careers. But in this special drama, the ‘ban’ on husband-wife co-starring has finally been lifted. While Matsushima’s role in the drama is not continuous, she has a significant cameo, and filming took place over approximately two days in mid-September.“
While an official announcement on the actress’ involvement in the live-action series is yet to be made, it was revealed that the Sep 28th issue of Josei Seven magazine will feature exclusive reports on Matsushima’s thoughts on working alongside her husband, and the possibility of other former cast members making appearances in the series.
GTO Revival will air in Spring 2024 on Kansai TV, Fuji TV.
The plot for the GTO Revival is described as follows:
Onizuka will be assigned as a teacher to a troubled high school, where he will deliver his passionate teaching methods to students facing their own problems. In an era transitioning from Heisei (1989-2019) to Reiwa (2019- present), where social issues such as online harassment and troubles on social media have increased, the divide between the rich and the poor has grown, and life has become more challenging, can Onizuka become a new hero for the Reiwa era? How will the man once known as the Great Teacher interact with high school students in the Reiwa era, and who will be part of the cast? Stay tuned!
Great Teacher Onizuka (GTO), is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Tooru Fujisawa. It was originally serialized in Kodansha’s Weekly Shonen Magazine from January 1997 to February 2002, with its chapters collected in 25 tankobon volumes.
A sequel manga series, titled GTO: 14 Days in Shonan, ran in Weekly Shonen Magazine from June 2009 to September 2011. Another sequel, titled GTO: Paradise Lost, began in Weekly Young Magazine in April 2014.
A twelve-episode Japanese television drama ran from July to September 1998, a live-action film directed by Masayuki Suzuki released in December 1999; and a 43-episode anime television series produced by Pierrot aired in Japan on Fuji TV from June 1999 to September 2000.
A second live-action series aired in Japan during 2012, and two more in 2014.
Source: News Post Seven
