# GTO revival faces viewership drop amid character shifts > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/japanese-gto-drama-revival > Updated: 2026-08-31T16:07:12.000Z. Sources: 19. Developments: 11. The long-running school drama “Great Teacher Onizuka” (GTO) returned on Kansai TV and Fuji TV with a new installment premiering July 20, 2026. Veteran actor Takashi Sorimachi reprises his role as Eikichi Onizuka. While the series has seen a decline in live TV ratings—dropping from a 6.4% debut to 4.8% for the second episode in the Kanto region—on-demand streaming on TVer has reached record highs, surpassing 3.7 million views. Recent episodes have intensified the plot and character development. The fourth episode, aired August 10, featured a surprise cameo by Hiroyuki Ikeuchi as Kunio Murai from the original series. The narrative saw Onizuka facing false sexual harassment accusations sparked by anonymous class chat posts and unauthorized media circulation. The fifth episode, aired August 17, focused on Onizuka confronting student Wataru Tanaka regarding financial hardships. This episode drew comparisons to the 1998 original due to a scene involving physical force, and actress Meru Nukumi received praise for her performance as Kashiwabara. In the sixth episode, the focus shifted to high-achieving student Itsuki Fukuda, played by Fuga Shibasaki. After a personal crisis involving his grandmother, Fukuda undergoes a transformation, moving from challenging Onizuka’s methods via a class vote to reconsidering his cynical view of educators following Onizuka’s hands-on support. Shibasaki noted in an interview that he was selected for the role because he “perfectly matched the image of the character.” By the sixth episode, viewership ratings have seen a significant decline, falling into the 1% range. Observers have noted a shift in Onizuka’s characterization, transitioning from a rule-breaking figure to a more mild-mannered character who often restrains the outbursts of younger colleagues. This decline may be attributed to competition from programs such as TBS’s “VIVANT” season two and “T-shirt ga Kawaku Made.” ## Timeline ### 2026-08-31: GTO remake: Actor Shinnosuke Nishimura discusses audition and series developments Actor Shinnosuke Nishimura discusses his audition for the GTO remake, while recent episodes focus on character Hiroto Hosokawa and confrontations with demanding parents. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/gto-remake-actor-shinnosuke-nishimura-discusses-audition-and-series-developments ### 2026-08-31: GTO revival sees viewership drop to 1% range Viewership for the revived drama ‘GTO’, starring Takashi Sorimachi, has dropped to the 1% range, a sharp decline from the original 1998 series' massive success. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/gto-revival-sees-viewership-drop-to-1-range ### 2026-08-24: GTO revival: Episode 6 explores student transformation The sixth episode of the ‘GTO’ revival focuses on student Itsuki Fukuda’s emotional turning point and his decision to return to class after being supported by teacher Eikichi Onizuka. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/gto-revival-episode-6-explores-student-transformation ### 2026-08-18: GTO drama episode 5 draws reaction for intense character scenes The fifth episode of the ‘GTO’ drama revival has garnered praise for its intense portrayal of student struggles and powerful performances by Takashi Sorimachi and Meru Nukumi. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/gto-drama-episode-5-draws-reaction-for-intense-character-scenes ### 2026-08-10: GTO drama revival features surprise cameo and protagonist crisis The fourth episode of the ‘GTO’ drama revival features Takashi Sorimachi’s character facing false sexual harassment accusations and a surprise cameo by Hiroyuki Ikeuchi as former student Kunio Murai. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/gto-drama-revival-features-surprise-cameo-and-protagonist-crisis ### 2026-08-03: GTO revival drama sees falling TV ratings but launches pop‑up store in Japan The revived GTO drama starring Takashi Sorimachi saw its first episode draw 6.4% household ratings, dropping to 4.8% for episode 2, while online streams hit 3.7 million views; a GTO pop‑up store opened in three 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/gto-revival-drama-sees-falling-tv-ratings-but-launches-popup-store-in-japan ### 2026-07-31: GTO drama revival generates buzz in Japan Actress Airu Ikumi promoted her teacher role in the 2026 GTO revival on Instagram, while actor Shinji Yamashita reminisced about the classic School Wars drama, underscoring renewed interest in Japanese school‑d 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/gto-drama-revival-generates-buzz-in-japan ### 2026-07-24: GTO drama revival draws strong fan reaction in Japan The July 2026 launch of GTO’s new Japanese drama series has fans buzzing over off‑shot images of lead Takashi Sorimachi with co‑star 森本陸斗 and the casting of 梶原叶渚 as a student. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/gto-drama-revival-draws-strong-fan-reaction-in-japan ### 2026-07-19: Japan's 'GTO' drama revives 2026 series and inspires fashion T‑shirt collaboration Japan's classic drama 'GTO' returns on July 20 2026, starring Tatsuya as teacher Onizuka, while street‑wear brand GDC releases a limited T‑shirt line featuring iconic scenes. 6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/japans-gto-drama-revives-2026-series-and-inspires-fashion-tshirt-collaboration ### 2026-06-28: GTO drama revival adds Matsushima Nanako as teacher Winter Tsuki in 2024 series The 2024 revival of Japan’s “GTO” drama begins July 20, starring Takanori Sakuragi and bringing back Matsushima Nanako as teacher Winter Tsuki, with a promised shock in the first four minutes. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/japanese-drama-gto-confirms-matsushima-nanas-return-in-2024-series ### 2026-05-31: Japan's GTO drama casts 28 new teen actors for 2026 series The 2026 GTO drama, starring Takahiro Sorimachi, will debut on July 20 with 28 teen actors selected from 400+ auditions. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/japans-gto-drama-casts-28-new-teen-actors-for-2026-series --- Cite as: GTO revival faces viewership drop amid character shifts. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/japanese-gto-drama-revival