Anime shows come and go due to what is popular in both Japan and the United States. One show that has been popular since it ended is Greatest Teacher Onizuka. This show ended in the 2000s and was met with wide reception. It was then produced into 10 single DVD’s. In 2007 the show gained even more praise and was produced into 7 DVDs. Finally, in 2015 the show is introduced as a streaming option. It is wonderful anime and is worth watching, just like the manga . It is one of the greatest comedy animes of all times.
Greatest Teacher Onizuka is one of the funniest animes to be produced. The reason is due to the ridiculous situation that the main character is placed. Onizuka decides that he wants to be a teacher, yet he is a former gang member who just happens to be one half of the most feared gang in Japan. He is hired at a private middle school and is given a tough class of children who have made all their teachers quit. As a result Onizuka is forced to resort to his old gang tactics and implement unorthodox teaching methods. Some of these methods include jumping off buildings with students ruining the vice principal’s car, at least 3 times, in 4 episodes. Another example of his teaching style happens when two girls are not getting along. He has each of the girls compete against the other in a beauty contest so they can express their feelings to each other. Another method of unorthodox teaching, which comes from the Onibaku gang playbook, is how he deals with a student who is terrorizing the school. Onizuka and his friends were all part of a motorcycle gang and are still interested in motorcycles. He takes the student who is being difficult and ties her to the front of his motorcycle and drives off a bridge with her. At the last minute his former gang throws out a net and he saves himself and the girl. These are some of the example that Onizuka uses throughout Greatest Teacher Onizuka.
The story of GTO is ridiculous and highly comedic and Onizuka is extremely funny. Onizuka’s character is very ironic. He is a tough, strong, and nearly impossible to kill former gang leader who wants to be a teacher. My first reaction is that he is not qualified to teach or even to be around children. On the contrary, first reactions can be deceiving as he is qualified and for most part is more qualified then other teachers. He puts himself on the kid’s level rather then above them. This creates an ironic sense of comedy as the least likely person to be a teacher is the best suited for the job. Onizuka has many likable moments throughout the show, as he is constantly saying something cool and heart warming. Then immediately after saying something cool and heart warming, he makes an idiotic statement. This constant change of character, between cool and heart warming to a complete idiot, is extremely entertaining. Eventually the idiot in him solves the problem. The episode ends on a happy note with a final good-hearted message from Onizuka that makes you laugh as it took a strenuous amount of energy to get to that point. GTO is both a great watch as anime and read as manga.
GTO can be purchased here.
