The manga GTO is one that I started to read around July of last year. Then I stopped reading it for a reason that I would explain further in this post. After about a year’s hiatus I finally came bace to finish the manga. After finally sitting down and taking time to complete this. I came to somewhat a mix conclusion. As this is a manga that I loved when starting it and I love the characters and their development in the story. But, I found the overall plot in later parts of the story very dull in my opinion. Before discussing that I want to start out with my thoughts on the main character of this manga, the man himself Eikichi Onizuka.

Onizuka The Teacher

Now in my previous post I talked about how Onizuka over and over again does everything in his power to provide support and care for his students. You see this man as a person that will do anything for his students. From fighting a whole mafia to getting shot and taking an exam. This man is f*cking amazing. As he was the teacher.

But, not a teacher to just the students and staff of the school. But, to us the reader. Being a person that transcends the story that it is in. That is why I like this story so much. As constantly he is challenged to help these kids go through depression, family struggles, education, love, lost and so much more. This man is truly an amazing written character that teaches amazing lessons to all throughout this story. That is why I love this character and what he is about.

The Students and Other Teachers

This manga had many people that he has helped on the way. With some of them being in a single chapter. With others being in the majority of the story. But the students that I want to highlight are first off in the beginning with the student with a divided household. Being an older gig of Onizuka before entering the school. Showing the actual lengths that his will risk his job for his students by breaking the house. Ending the arc with her gift to Onizuka.

Then we have the student with the hot mom. Who had an arc with a girl that had a problem with her being tall. Which we never got a conclusion to their story sadly along with others. One being the girl that was not very bright. So Onizuka used what she had in her to become an idol. Being a very good one at that. The weak kid who got a girlfriend at the end through Onizuka’s methods was amazing. Wish we got more chapters with the kids as they had stories to tell but the author was not telling them this. Possibly the sequel to this manga.

Now the plot with the switch over to the staff. The vice principle was amazing as the way that she moved. To her hiring Onizuka and always having his back was nice to have. Then, there was the vice principal and I am gonna be straight up honest. I hated this man with a passion. Like one he molests girls on a train. Two care more for his car than a student’s life. Three, wasted chapters with him getting pages of inner dialogue. To lead to him still being a pervert that hesitated to save a student’s life when it came to his car. I just wish he didn’t get the goodish ending treatment.

Now the plot with the crazy stalker teacher was one that was so damn entertaining that I loved his plot from beginning to end. But, of all the characters including the main character Onizuka. There was one that stood head above the rest to me.

Urumi Kanzaki

She to me is hands down the best character in this show. As she is one that I just loved from her introduction, To her true introduction, to what she became now. As her character being the smartest in the series. While also going against one of the dumbest characters was fun to watch. Seeing her backstory and why she hates teachers was beautiful. Seeing her relationship with her mother and everything that she was about. Overall she to me is one of the most fully developed characters and on par with Onizuka as the best in the series.

Leading to my overall problem with the series. Being her character arc with her mother. Should have been the last arc of the story. Not the New Principal that entered and her squad of teachers that break all the rules. As their characters were ones that I didn’t feel as deeply about along with other problems.

The Overall Plot Towards The End

Now this is a story that I cared more about the students than I ever did for the overall narrative. As it seemed that the plots did seem very repetitive at a certain point of the story. Which is also the part of the reason that I put the story on a way overdue hold in the first place. As the introduction to the Principal’s grandson felt like a repeat of Urumi’s arc. Just with a different character. As towards the end of the manga I felt that it was at a point that it needed to end soon. With the author kinda realizing that it’s a step too late.

With the arc where nearly everything was solved with Onizuka becoming a true teacher. Everyone’s arc with the exception of Miyabi. To then they revert him back to a substitute under a whole new principle and regime. It felt so unnecessary to me as they started to reach the DragonBall Problem of constantly raising the stakes and limits of a series to the point that you are battling gods. So the whole new regime thing was something that I was not a fan of. But, wit got through it with some new characters. I love the girl that is a fighter that did it due to her past.

Miyabi

As we got the conclusion to their plots the student that I now really dislike, Miyabi Aizawa. Who despite everything was technically the main antagonist of the story. With her being the final student in the original class not on Onizuka’s side. As I was really interested in her backstory to why she led all the students to hate teachers in that class. Along with traumatizing some teachers.

What was her reason for it? Well it was one that to me I disliked for many reasons. One being her backstory was way too similar to Urumi. With her having a teacher that she liked but something happened that ruined their relationship. But, with Urumi being one that was a curse of being smart. Miyabi’s was one of being in love with her teacher and after a rejection from the teacher after he let her meet his fiancee. She cried the r word and had the class hate on the teacher off a lie. To me that ruined the character and a little bit of the class’s passion was one that I hated. Even though the teacher was a ahole that led her on and never rejected her or set her straight about their relationship.

To me if it happened that night was real then her character would have been damn near up there for even having the will to fight back to the teachers. While being justified for her childish actions for a reason. Along with why she hated Onizuka until the final volume. But, her reasons were just not it. Man. Her character could have been so much better. But, they botched it to me. But, overall still a great series.

Final Thoughts

I am happy to just complete this series. As this was a manga that has just been sitting on bookmarked for a while. But, overall a great read, with amazing characters, a solid story, and a lot of lessons that you can take to life. I loved it and that is my thoughts on this manga.

Thanks to everyone that took the time to read this. I am trying to blog constantly and this was one of the posts that was just a ,just for me. So I am glad to get done. Until next time be better than you were yesterday. Until then subscribe and follow me on twitter @sakedez