GTO revival drama: 90-second trailer unveiled featuring 50-year-old protagonist ahead of July premiere

Cantele and Fuji Television have released a 90-second trailer for the upcoming drama series "GTO," starring actor Shintaro Shoji as Eikichi Onizuka, the unconventional teacher character now reimagined at age 50. The trailer marks the first on-screen footage of the protagonist in the new production, which premieres on July 20, 2026, on Monday nights at 10:00 PM.

Based on the manga by Toru Fujisawa originally serialized in Weekly Shonen Magazine, the new drama represents a complete reboot of the 1998 series that established the character. The plot follows Onizuka as he takes a teaching position at the prestigious Seishin Academy, where he faces the challenges of modern education in an information-saturated environment where student and teacher evaluations are managed through data systems. The trailer showcases Onizuka maintaining his trademark unconventional approach—including an exhilarating scene of him riding a motorcycle across a bridge—while demonstrating the depth and wisdom that comes with age.

The 90-second preview reveals the protagonist encountering low evaluations through the school's "teacher feedback system," in which students rate their instructors. Despite the negative assessments, the trailer hints at how Onizuka will confront this institutional challenge using his characteristic methods.

In conjunction with the trailer release, production has announced "Documentary of GTO," a behind-the-scenes content series exploring the student selection audition process. The audition, limited to ages 15 to 17, attracted over 400 applicants. Teaser footage for the documentary is currently available on the drama's official social media accounts (X, Instagram, and TikTok), with full episodes beginning on June 20 on those platforms and the Cantele Drama Mania YouTube channel. Additionally, promotional footage for the first episode will air on June 22 following the broadcast of the drama "Ginga no Ichihyo," marking its terrestrial television debut.