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GTO
The new live-action GTO series premieres July 20, 2026, on Kantele and Fuji TV, with Takashi Sorimachi returning as a 52-year-old Eikichi Onizuka in a Reiwa-era school setting.
Synthesized from 8
Yomimono stories · updated
Jun 29
The new live-action GTO series is a direct continuation of the 1998 drama, picking up with Takashi Sorimachi as Eikichi Onizuka at age 52. The story moves from the Heisei era to the Reiwa era, placing Onizuka at Private Seishin Gakuen, a school where students evaluate teachers via tablets and a feedback system ranks instructors. The series premieres July 20, 2026, on Kantele and Fuji TV, with scripts by Kazuhiko Yukawa and direction by Satoru Nakajima and Kento Matsuda.
Nanako Matsushima returns as Azusa Fuyutsuki, now a cabin attendant after achieving her dream in the 2024 special GTO Revival. The first four minutes of the premiere contain a shocking development regarding her involvement with Onizuka. Yuta Yamazaki also reprises his role as Masaru Watanabe, now working as a delivery person who helps Onizuka take the teacher employment exam. Meru Nukumi joins as Mio Kashiwabara, the assistant homeroom teacher and classical literature teacher, serving as a modern foil to Onizuka.
The student cast of Class 1-B consists of 28 actors selected from over 400 applicants through an audition limited to performers aged 15 to 17. Director Nakajima said the selection focused on each actor's individuality rather than pure acting skill. The series is the first continuous GTO drama in 28 years, updating the setting to address modern issues like commercialization of education and social media while keeping the original lead actor and creative team.
Key facts
- Premiere date
- July 20, 2026 ↗
- Network
- Kantele and Fuji TV ↗
- Lead actor
- Takashi Sorimachi as Eikichi Onizuka ↗
- Returning cast members
- Nanako Matsushima as Azusa Fuyutsuki, Yuta Yamazaki as Masaru Watanabe ↗
- New cast member
- Meru Nukumi as Mio Kashiwabara ↗
- Student cast size
- 28 actors selected from over 400 applicants ↗
- Setting
- Private Seishin Gakuen high school ↗
- Scriptwriter
- Kazuhiko Yukawa ↗
Timeline
Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself
sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every
fact links the story it came from.
Facts
- Release
- live_action · 2026-07-20 · Japan · 2026-06-29
- Release
- live_action · July 20, 2026 · Japan · 2026-06-18
- Release
- tv · 2026-07-20 · Japan · 2026-06-15
- Release
- live_action · 2026-07-20 · JP · 2026-05-31
Structured graph also available as JSON at /public/entities/gto.
CC BY 4.0.
Claim activity
When a claim about GTO was confirmed, debunked, or disputed against
open-web sources. The record stays even after a claim drops off the facts list.
- Confirmed live_action 2026-07-20 JP May 31 · source
All coverage
Jun 29
Nanako Matsushima will reprise her role as Azusa Fuyutsuki in the new live-action drama adaptation of GTO, which premieres on July 20, 2026, on Kantele and Fuji TV. The series, starring Takashi Sorimachi as Eikichi Onizuka, is the first continuous GTO drama in 28 years. Set at the private Seishin Gakuen high school, the story tackles Reiwa-era education, where both teachers and students use tablet devices and a student feedback system evaluates teachers. Matsushima's character, now a cabin attendant after achieving her dream in the 2024 special GTO Revival, appears in a newly released visual wearing a CA uniform. The premiere's first four minutes contain a shocking development regarding her involvement with Onizuka. The script is by Kazuhiko Yukawa, continuing from the 1998 version, and directed by Satoru Nakajima and Kento Matsuda. Matsushima commented that the response to GTO Revival made her feel the work remains in memory after many years, and she urged viewers to enjoy the activities of an Onizuka who has matured while retaining traces of his former self.
Jun 18
The staff for the new live-action GTO: Great Teacher Onizuka series released a 90-second trailer and a new visual on Thursday. Takashi Sorimachi returns as Eikichi Onizuka, now 52, working at a school where teachers are ranked by students via tablets. The series premieres July 20 on Kansai TV and Fuji TV.
Jun 18
A 90-second trailer for the new GTO drama series has been released, giving the first look at Takashi Sorimachi returning as Eikichi Onizuka, now 52. The footage shows Onizuka on a motorcycle, at a school podium, and receiving low ratings under a new teacher evaluation system. The series premieres July 20 on Kantele and Fuji TV.
Jun 17
The drama series 'I Will Find You', starring Sam Worthington, will stream on Netflix starting June 18 under the Japanese title 'Sosakusha no Chi'. Based on a Harlan Coben novel, the show follows a father wrongfully imprisoned for his son's murder who escapes prison after learning his son may still be alive.
Jun 15
Yuta Yamazaki will reprise his role as Masaru Watanabe in the July season drama "GTO" starring Takashi Sorimachi, airing on Kantele and Fuji TV from July 20. The new series is set at "Private Seishin Gakuen", a school with a teacher feedback system where students anonymously evaluate teachers. Yamazaki's character, now working as a delivery person, helps Onizuka take the teacher employment exam.
May 31
The upcoming live-action drama adaptation of GTO has announced the 28 actors who will play the students of Class 1-B, the homeroom class of protagonist Eikichi Onizuka. The cast was chosen from over 400 applicants through an audition process limited to real high school-age performers aged 15 to 17 as of April 2026. The selected actors include Inagaki Kurena, who cut 33 cm of her hair for the role of Yu Ito; Oikawa Motori as Wataru Tanaka; and Oshima Miyu, Kajiwara Kana, Kawaguchi Wakura, Kitaru Riu, Shibasaki Fuuga, Nanba Aoto of LIL LEAGUE, Nishiura Shinnosuke of The Right Light, Horiguchi Maho, and Morimoto Rikuto. Additional cast members include Matsuo Sonomo, Oishi Ayo, Takagi Ryunosuke, Kaneko Haruka, Ito Shunta, Kakuda Kazuki, Nagai Kohaku, Nishikawa Mika, Yamamoto Yukina, Uemura Karina, Tomii Rei, Arai Noa, Kawabe Keino, Kanazawa Sota, Takahashi Yudai, Saito Toranosuke, and Kamie Joe. The drama premieres on July 20, 2026, on Kantele and Fuji TV, with Takashi Sorimachi returning as Onizuka. Director Nakajima Satoru said the selection focused on each actor's individuality rather than pure acting skill.
May 19
Kansai TV announced Meru Nukumi will play Mio Kashiwabara, the assistant homeroom teacher, in the new live-action GTO: Great Teacher Onizuka series. The sequel moves the story to the Reiwa era, with Takashi Sorimachi returning as Onizuka. The series premieres July 20 on Kansai TV and Fuji TV.
May 17
Meru Nukumi has been cast as the new heroine in the upcoming "GTO" drama starring Takashi Sorimachi, set to premiere July 20 on Kantele and Fuji TV. She plays Mio Kashiwabara, the homeroom's assistant teacher and classical literature teacher, marking her first teacher role and her first Kantele drama appearance.