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GTO revival faces viewership drop amid character shifts

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2026-08-25 09:50 UTC → 2026-08-31 05:44 UTC · added removed

Japanese GTO revival faces ratings dip, explores student arc viewership drop amid character shifts

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.” Merchandising remains active, with By the GDC T-shirt collection and GTO POPUP STORES sixth episode, viewership ratings have seen a significant decline, falling into the 1% range. Observers have noted a shift in Nagoya, Tokyo, 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 Sendai featuring limited-edition items. “T-shirt ga Kawaku Made.”

Versions

  1. 2026-08-31 05:44 UTC GTO revival faces viewership drop amid character shifts
  2. 2026-08-25 09:50 UTC Japanese GTO revival faces ratings dip, explores student arc
  3. 2026-08-18 03:27 UTC Japanese GTO revival faces ratings dip, opens pop-up stores
  4. 2026-08-11 16:24 UTC Japanese GTO revival faces ratings dip, opens pop-up stores
  5. 2026-08-03 02:23 UTC Japanese GTO revival faces ratings dip, opens pop‑up store
  6. 2026-08-02 21:13 UTC Japanese GTO drama revival expands cast
  7. 2026-07-26 06:09 UTC Japanese GTO drama revival expands cast

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