Shonan Junai Gumi - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

is a manga

Manga

Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...

by Tohru Fujisawa which was published from March 1990 to December 1996, and initially released in 31 volumes. It has subsequently been released in a deluxe edition of 15 volumes, from May to December 2000, and the pocket-size print run, which began in May 2005, is currently at the 10th volume. Five 50 minute anime

Anime

is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....

OVAs

Original video animation

, abbreviated as media , are animated films and series made specially for release in home-video formats. The term originated in relation to Japanese animation...

were released on VHS in the early 1990s, which basically followed the storyline of the manga, note that in one episode there will be two-in one instead. A live action

Live action

In filmmaking, video production, and other media, the term live action refers to cinematography, videography not produced using animation...

drama

Japanese television drama

, also called , are a staple of Japanese television and are broadcast daily. All major TV networks in Japan produce a variety of drama series including murder romance, comedy, detective stories, horror, and many others...

and a few live action

Live action

In filmmaking, video production, and other media, the term live action refers to cinematography, videography not produced using animation...

movies were also released under the name in Japan. This is the manga that originally featured the character Eikichi Onizuka, who would later go on to appear in the worldwide hit Great Teacher Onizuka
Great Teacher Onizuka
, officially abbreviated as GTO, is a Japanese shōnen manga written and illustrated by Tohru Fujisawa. It was originally serialized in Weekly Shōnen Magazine from May 1997 to April 2002. The story focuses on 22-year-old ex-bōsōzoku member Eikichi Onizuka, who becomes a teacher at a private high...

(or "GTO" as it is often called).

The deluxe edition of the manga has been licensed for North America by Tokyopop

Tokyopop

Tokyopop, styled TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa, and Western manga-style works. The existing German publishing division produces German translations of licensed Japanese properties and original English-language manga, as well...

, which retitled it GTO: The Early Years, although the editions retain Shonan Junai Gumi as a subtitle. The first volume was released in June 2006. The Tokyopop editions ended with volume 10. Publisher Vertical Inc

Vertical Inc

Vertical Inc, headquartered in New York, United States, is a Japanese novel and manga company founded in 2001 by Hiroki Sakai. In February 2011 the company was bought by Kodansha and Dai Nippon Printing .-Titles:...

will continue the series beginning February 2012.

Plot

The story of Shonan Junai Gumi deals with the Oni-Baku (Demon Explosion) duo, consisting of Eikichi Onizuka and Ryuji Danma, and their quest to lose their virginity and reach maturity. They are widely feared bōsōzoku

Bosozoku

is a Japanese subculture associated with motorcycle clubs and gangs.-Traits and history:The word bōsōzoku is also applied to motorcycle gangs, who share an interest in modifications for motorcycles, such as removing the mufflers so that more noise is produced...

, and are known for their tenacity and viciousness in a fight. However, this lifestyle does not exactly endear them to the opposite gender, so they decide to change their ways. However, this is easier said than done. As the story unfolds, we meet the Oni-Baku's wide range of friends and foes, and the crazy situations they all get into. The story is initially a gag manga, but more serious issues present themselves as it continues, eventually striking a balance similar to that of GTO (which this manga predates).

Oni-Baku-gumi and friends

Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

ese Live action actor
Japanese television drama
, also called , are a staple of Japanese television and are broadcast daily. All major TV networks in Japan produce a variety of drama series including murder romance, comedy, detective stories, horror, and many others...

: Naoki Miyashita

A former member of the Bousou Tenshi 暴走天使 (Berserk Angels) biker gang, otherwise known as the Midnight Angels, Eikichi looked on the leader Kyousuke Masaki as an elder brother. He met Ryuji Danma at Junior High (see Bad Company

Bad Company (manga)

is a one volume prequel to Shonan Junai Gumi which was followed by the better known series Great Teacher Onizuka. It was created by Tooru Fujisawa while he was still working on Great Teacher Onizuka...

), where there was animosity between them, but it settled down into the strong friendship they now share. Deadly in a fight but not so skilled when it comes to dealing with women, Eikichi is a nice guy at heart (as seen in GTO) and despite his rowdy behaviour, he always manages to help people out. He lives with his mother in an apartment. Eikichi rides a Kawasaki

Kawasaki Heavy Industries

is an international corporation based in Japan. It has headquarters in both Chūō-ku, Kobe and Minato, Tokyo.The company is named after its founder Shōzō Kawasaki and has no connection with the city of Kawasaki, Kanagawa....

Zephyr 1100, but is also the owner of Masaki's ZII.

Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

ese Live action actor
Japanese television drama
, also called , are a staple of Japanese television and are broadcast daily. All major TV networks in Japan produce a variety of drama series including murder romance, comedy, detective stories, horror, and many others...

: Shougyou Yamaguchi

The other member of the Oni-baku(Devil-bomb) duo, Ryuji is taller and maybe slightly more restrained than his partner, although get in his bad books and you're in for big trouble. He has more luck with women, having had a relationship with his teacher Ayumi, and later Nagisa (seen in GTO). Ryuji's family are nice, normal people, who appear quite wealthy, who totally disapprove of his 'bad behaviour', however his elder sister Yoko allows him to stay at her home when he needs to. His younger brother is called Yoshitaka. Ryuji rides a Honda

Honda

is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...

CBX-400F, as seen in Bad Company.

Along with his partner Kamata, he is feared as Kamakura no Kyouken (The Mad Dogs of Kamakura). This duo were renowned for their brutality, including shoving pencils through people's noses. (Which proves to be very ironic). However after being beaten by the Oni-Baku, the pair decided to join their gang. Saejima has a malevolent face, so much so that girls are afraid of him and assume he is a Yakuza

Yakuza

, also known as , are members of traditional organized crime syndicates in Japan. The Japanese police, and media by request of the police, call them bōryokudan , literally "violence group", while the yakuza call themselves "ninkyō dantai" , "chivalrous organizations". The yakuza are notoriously...

. He, like Ryuji, comes from a fairly well-to-do family, who are terrified of him- his sisters speak to him through a lock on their bedroom door, and his parents jump at his slightest movement. Saejima rides a Kawasaki

Kawasaki Heavy Industries

. In GTO manga, he's a corrupt police officer. In GTO anime, he also appears in shorts where he gives updates from Shonan characters as well as having his criminal acts highlighted.

Kamata first appeared as a bad guy with his buddy Saejima, but when the Oni-Baku beat them they changed their ways. Kamata is shown to be incredibly strong, beating whole gangs when he's in a bad mood. He has a younger sibling, Kaoru, who causes all sorts of misunderstandings. Kamata has a painful history- he spent his childhood with his best friend Natsu and his older sister, but her rape at the hands of a vicious gang caused her to commit suicide. Natsu then killed the perpetrators, but Jun had arrived with some adults who took him away, shouting 'Traitor!' at his former friend. Jun leaves Shonan

Shonan

is the name of a region along the coast of Sagami Bay in central Japan. Centered on Enoshima, an island about 50 kilometers southwest of Tokyo, the Shōnan region stretches from Ōiso in the west to Hayama in the east, including Chigasaki, Kamakura and Hiratsuka...

for the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, honoring a promise he made, but makes an appearance in the final volume working in a bar. Kamata rides a Honda

Honda

Steed.

From Iwamisawa in Hokkaidō, Abe appears as a serial womaniser, attracting the girls left right and centre with his expensive clothes and confident personality. This understandably irritated the Oni-Baku, until they persuade him to reveal his secrets. He joins the gang, and is a loyal friend in numerous situations, such as the Midnight Angels affair and the fight with Kamata and Saejima. Abe vanishes midway through the manga, but since no mention is made of it, he is probably supposed to still be around but not in the spotlight. Abe apparently rides a Honda CBX 1000. In GTO we learn from Saejima that he had become the owner of several stores, but recently has fallen onto hard times and now manages a single store (Saejima also claims he is bald and impotent).

Voiced by: Takumi Yamazaki
Takumi Yamazaki
is a Japanese voice actor.-Anime/OVA:* Wiseman and Harald Hoerwick in .hack* Naobi/Yata in .hack//Roots* Doctor West in Demonbane* Hanemaru in Flame of Recca* Joe Hayakawa in Final Fantasy: Unlimited* Bansai Kawakami in Gintama* George de Sand in G Gundam...

(Ep. 1, 2), Toshiyuki Morikawa
Toshiyuki Morikawa
is a prolific Japanese male voice actor from Yokohama, Kanagawa, was affiliated with Arts Vision. Lately, however, he has become the head of that a voice actor company he founded in Apr 2011. His name is also sometimes mistranslated as Tomoyuki...

(Ep. 4)

A student at Enoshima Yonchuu Junior High School before coming to Tsujidou, Tsukai was a member of the 'Shitennou' (Four Heavenly Kings, meaning the strongest guys at the school). He was also a kohai of Kunito Nakajo, meaning he has knowledge of things other members of the Oni-Baku gang don't. He has a crush on Yui Itou, and later in the series she becomes his girlfriend (In GTO, they are married). Tsukai is a strong fighter, and often has to overcome harsh odds to win, but always seems to come out on top. That said, he is not quite in the Oni-Baku's league.

Makoto is a loyal member of the Oni-Baku-gumi and despite his reasonably limited fighting skills he is always there to support his friends. He is very successful with women, and later settles on a girl called Mami. He was bullied by Saejima and Kamata before their reformation and was later manipulated to betray Eikichi when the Kamakura

Kamakura, Kanagawa

is a city located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, about south-south-west of Tokyo. It used to be also called .Although Kamakura proper is today rather small, it is often described in history books as a former de facto capital of Japan as the seat of the Shogunate and of the Regency during the...

and Shonan

Shonan

gangs first met. However, he was brave enough to remain loyal to his friends.

Makoto is notable for being one of the few characters to actually change their hairdo over the course of the series, which he does a number of times.

Katsuyuki is the leader of the K.T. Butai (Katsuyuki Tsumoto Fighting Group), a kind of ‘sub-unit’ of the Oni-Baku gang, consisting of Yasuo, Atsushi, Saegusa, Kitamura and numerous other students. He has a hair-trigger temper, and as such can cause a lot of trouble without thinking about it. He has a rivalry with Tamura, and a long-standing grudge against Kenkichi Hino. He once fought Eikichi, but was beaten and decided to adopt him as a role model

Role model

The term role model generally means any "person who serves as an example, whose behaviour is emulated by others".The term first appeared in Robert K. Merton's socialization research of medical students...

. He is loyal to the Oni-Baku and will fight anyone who badmouths them, but his main allegiance is to Eikichi.

A member of Katsuyuki's gang, Yasuo is incredibly loyal to 'Ka-chan' (as he calls him) and therefore also to Onizuka (although he initially disliked the Oni-Baku's control over everyone in their school). He holds a major grudge against Enoshima Shogyou (Enoshou) students, and is mainly seen in conflict with them. Although not a major character, Yasuo appears fairly often, even having starring roles in certain chapters. He rides a Yamaha

Yamaha Motor Company

, is a Japanese motorized vehicle-producing company. Yamaha Motor is part of Yamaha Corporation and its headquarter is located in Iwata, Shizuoka. Along with expanding Yamaha Corporation into the world's biggest piano maker, then Yamaha CEO Genichi Kawakami took Yamaha into the field of motorized...

XJ-R, and has a girlfriend called Mayumi.

Bearing a resemblance to both Saejima and Makoto, Saegusa is another member of the K.T. Butai. He is not a major character, but appears with his 'boss' and his friends at various times. Saegusa is not afraid of a fight, as shown by his actions in a cafe full of Enoshou students while being vastly outnumbered, and appears in many fights as backup. He rides a Honda

Honda

CB-SF.

The least regularly seen of the K.T. Butai, Kitamura is still present from time to time as a minor character. He is present when the Oni-Baku meet Saejima's new partner Kiwamezawa, and is jumpy at his every move (considering Kiwamezawa is 6'8" tall). Besides his appearances in minor capacities, Kitamura is not a very important character.

Yet another member of the K.T. Butai, Atsushi is the recipient of numerous injuries at the hands of the Oni-Baku-gumi's enemies- he is attacked by the zombie

Zombie

Zombie is a term used to denote an animated corpse brought back to life by mystical means such as witchcraft. The term is often figuratively applied to describe a hypnotized person bereft of consciousness and self-awareness, yet ambulant and able to respond to surrounding stimuli...

-like Yagyou Atsuki, and later is smashed in the throat by one of Joey's DOA gang members with a piece of wood. However, he is present in the major fights, and always remains loyal to his senpai

Senpai

and are an essential element of Japanese seniority-based status relationships, similar to the way that family and other relationships are decided based on age, with even twins being divided into elder and younger sibling...

Onizuka, and his friend Katsuyuki.

Itou first appears to clue the Oni-Baku in on their opponents Kamata and Saejima. She graduated from the same Junior High as they did. She develops a crush on Eikichi, but he is too busy fighting with the others over Kaoru, and this leads to a fight between Tsukai and Onizuka. She is Tsukai’s girlfriend for the duration of the series and in GTO we learn from Saejima that the two are married.She is the first girl to be considered a part of the Oni-Baku-gumi, and mainly appears in later volumes at their gatherings.

Formerly a fat and rather unattractive girl who was defended by Eikichi in the past, Shinomi reappears as a beautiful young woman who is involved with Takezawa Akira of the Idaten gang. After Takezawa is hospitalised after fighting Eikichi and he breaks up with her, she dyes her hair blonde and befriends the Oni-Baku-gumi. She has an attraction to Eikichi throughout the series, but since he sees her more like a sister he is reluctant to embark on a relationship with her. She becomes a friend of Nagisa’s, and is often seen hanging around with her. Shinomi is feisty and packs a good punch, and personality-wise is the female Eikichi, so they are pretty well suited. Shinomi appears in GTO as Tomoko's makeup artist, and at the end of the series seems to catch on to the identity of Tomoko and Mayu's teacher. Afterwards, she appears again in GTO: Shonan 14 Days as the second caretaker at White Swan.

Nagisa first appears working in the Marine House seafood restaurant as a waitress, catching Ryuji's attention with her t-back bikini. However, although she seems sweet and innocent, she actually suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder

Dissociative identity disorder

Dissociative identity disorder is a psychiatric diagnosis and describes a condition in which a person displays multiple distinct identities , each with its own pattern of perceiving and interacting with the environment....

, and has an evil side who calls herself Yasha. She is a member of the Midnight Angels gang under Junya Akutsu, and is his girlfriend. Her mental disorder arose after he raped her in the past. Ryuji saves her life, and she eventually overcomes her problems and becomes his girlfriend. They are still together in GTO.

Inspired by his grandfather's dying words to become a 'strong man', the small and bullied Yoshio decides to change his life by joining the Oni-Baku-gumi. However, his overzealous approach to fighting gets him in trouble with Eikichi and Ryuji. He then takes control of the Atsuki Yagyou gang, who have been ruining the Oni-Baku's reputation, leading to a confrontation. He pulls a gun

Gun

A gun is a muzzle or breech-loaded projectile-firing weapon. There are various definitions depending on the nation and branch of service. A "gun" may be distinguished from other firearms in being a crew-served weapon such as a howitzer or mortar, as opposed to a small arm like a rifle or pistol,...

on Eikichi, but because it is old it misfires, injuring his hands. He never appears again after this.

Foes

An eyebrow-less boxing

Boxing

Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...

champion who tricks Eikichi with a knuckle-duster and evasive maneuvers- he finally wins by smashing Eikichi with a street sign. While a reasonably good fighter, he only won because Eikichi wasn’t expecting him to be trained- the next time they cross paths, Ryuji takes down the whole gang singlehanded while Eikichi beats Machida’s teeth out, taking the boxer’s punches and hitting him back harder.

A moustachioed yakuza

Yakuza

successor, and formerly the Oni-Baku’s sempai. They totally dominated him and made his life hell (we also see this in Bad Company

Bad Company (manga)

) but really he just gets what he deserves most of the time. He doesn’t really appear much after this, but we see his reaction to the Oni-Baku's fate in the final volume-he is, unsurprisingly, not too saddened by the news.

Formerly of Kyokuto High School, Okubo (known as Eguriya (Slasher) Okubo because of his vicious use of a knife

Knife

A knife is a cutting tool with an exposed cutting edge or blade, hand-held or otherwise, with or without a handle. Knives were used at least two-and-a-half million years ago, as evidenced by the Oldowan tools...

in fights) of the Madara gang causes trouble for the Oni-Baku when he appears- it turns out he had previously attacked Eikichi and stabbed him in the back during a fight, and wants to finish him for good this time. However, Eikichi gets the better of him in their fight, and beats him to within an inch of his life despite having a broken foot.

The younger brother of Ayumi's deceased fiancé, Fumiya wants to destroy her new relationship with Ryuji. A student at Kyokuto High school, Fumiya has a large gang who do his bidding, one member of which is Asakura Yoshiaki. Fumiya is defeated by Ryuji after kidnapping Ayumi, and later appears as an ally. He rides a Yamaha V-Max.

The second leader of the Midnight Angels gang, Akutsu was a friend and kohai of Kyousuke Masaki, and was jealous of Eikichi taking some of Masaki's attention years before. He reappears full of plans to reclaim the Midnight Angels' place as the greatest of all Shonan

Shonan

gangs, with the Idaten (previously led by Akira Takezawa) under his control. He is also in control of Nagisa, and tries to get her to kill Ryuji, although she ends up injured herself. Akutsu has a penchant for setting petrol fires, and has made a nemesis of Toshiki Kamishima of the Satsuriku Butai (Butcher Fighting Gang) for causing him serious injuries in this way when they were both members of the second-generation Midnight Angels. He is beaten by Onizuka and Kamishima, and returns later in the series assisting the Oni-Baku in times of need.

Leader of the Blue Rose gang, Kashiya is a Yakuza successor. He is always smoking, and is known as the 'Tobacco Guy'. He controls a lot of smaller gangs such as DOA, and never directly gets involved with fighting himself if he can avoid it. He has a history with Kunito Nakajo, and the two often clash over events in Shonan

Shonan

The leader of the Idaten gang, Takezawa is the boyfriend of Shinomi Fujisaki. However, after being hospitalised by Onizuka he disappears and breaks up with her. His gang fall under the control of Akutsu and the Midnight Angels, but he returns to reclaim leadership and despite Akutsu's orders the gang will not attack Takezawa. He later appears when Eikichi finds a new girlfriend in Misato Hazuki, recognising her as a former Idaten member, even though she is now very different than she once was.

Leader of the DOA gang, who operate as part of the Blue Rose coalition

Coalition

A coalition is a pact or treaty among individuals or groups, during which they cooperate in joint action, each in their own self-interest, joining forces together for a common cause. This alliance may be temporary or a matter of convenience. A coalition thus differs from a more formal covenant...

, Joey is impervious to pain as a side effect of the medicine

Medicine

Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....

he takes to counteract his illness. He previously had a girlfriend Yoko, who met a tragic end, and this haunts him even now. Joey comes up against the Oni-Baku in a fight, which ends in a stalemate, and races Onizuka, but crashes and falls into the ocean. His brother saves him, and he appears to gain some sense of the mistakes he had made in his life.

Known as 'Shinigami' Natsu, is half American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

and half Japanese

Japanese people

The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...

, was the best friend of Jun Kamata when they were young, until his elder sister Fuyuka committed suicide

Suicide

Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...

after being violently attacked and raped by a gang of thugs. Natsu went and slaughtered the perpetrators, but a worried Jun had gathered some adults to help find him, and they took Natsu away, calling his friend a traitor. Over the next few years, Natsu viciously beat and killed any who opposed him, earning the hatred of the Yokohama

Yokohama

is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...

Kihei. This ultimately caused his death, as Nakagaki shot him in the back as he was helping Kamata up. Honouring a childhood promise to Natsu, Kamata left Shonan

Shonan

for the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

soon after.

(Yokohama Kihei No. 1)

First appearing in Volume 8, Nakagaki is a nasty piece of work whose aim is to simply prove that his gang are more powerful than the Shonan

Shonan

gangs. He interferes in a fight between Katsuyuki and Tamura, and with Mauchi beats them both down. The two of them also take out a diner full of Enoshou students with no assistance. Nakagaki has a grudge against Natsu (a flashback in volume 8 explains his facial scar), and kills him during the fight with the Oni-Baku and Nakajo’s gang with a bullet in the chest. Eikichi then beats Nakagaki to a pulp.

(Yokohama Kihei No. 2)

Mauchi is not a very talkative character (and often wears a surgical mask) so it’s easy to underestimate him and assume he’s just a lackey for Nakagaki. However, he beats up numerous gang members through the Yokohama

Yokohama

arc and while Nakajo is able to take him down with ease, Nakagaki summarily beats Nakajo by smashing a chair over his head. They operate well as a unit, as seen when they beat up Katsuyuki and Tamura. Mauchi is quite resilient, since he takes a blow to the neck with an iron bar and gets up shortly after and fights Ryuji. Kamata beats him down after Onizuka obliterates Nakagaki.

Formerly of the Inamura subdivision of the second-generation Midnight Angels, now the leader of the Satsuriku Butai, Kamishima leads Kamakura's Satsuriku Butai against his nemesis Junya Akutsu, who caused the scars on his face and body by dousing him in petrol and setting him alight during a fight for control of Shonan some time previously. He is also against the Oni-Baku-gumi, making the fight three-way. He is thoroughly beaten by Akutsu, and later caught in an explosion the latter caused. He rides a Kawasaki

Kawasaki Heavy Industries

GPZ900R. Kamishima later appears in the conflict with the Atsuki Yagyou gang, who are ruining the Oni-Baku’s reputation with violent attacks. Here he is wrapped in bandages, and has not fully recovered from his recent injuries, but appears at the end of the series in an institution

Institution

An institution is any structure or mechanism of social order and cooperation governing the behavior of a set of individuals within a given human community...

fully healed save for his original scars. However he does appear to have been driven totally insane.

Other characters

Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

ese Live action actor
Japanese television drama
, also called , are a staple of Japanese television and are broadcast daily. All major TV networks in Japan produce a variety of drama series including murder romance, comedy, detective stories, horror, and many others...

: Nin Nakayama

The Oni-Baku meet Ayumi and Mariko at Yoron Shima in volume 1; while Eikichi sees it as a chance to ‘get lucky’, we get the impression that Ryuji is greatly taken with Ayumi. Despite the revelation that the two women are not students as they claim, but are actually teachers at their new school, the romance continues for a time, despite Fumiya Shindouji’s attempts to break them up (it turns out Ayumi was engaged to his brother, who died). However, when the pair decide to marry, Ayumi realizes that she would be ruining Ryuji’s life by denying him the experiences of youth, and she leaves on a train. Ryuji is understandably heartbroken by this turn of events. Well, at least until he meets Nagisa. But even then Ayumi, in her rare appearances, manages to turn his head, to Nagisa’s extreme consternation.

The Oni-Baku meet Ayumi and Mariko at Yoron Shima in volume 1; Eikichi sees it as a chance to ‘get lucky’ and is constantly trying to grope Mariko.

With the revelation that the two women are not students as they claim, but are actually teacher

Teacher

A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...

s at their new school, Eikichi initially seeks revenge on Mariko but eventually they get along. When Ayumi leaves, Mariko remains an occasional member of the SJG cast and mainly helps the pair out of difficult situations. She is also the daughter of a Yakuza

Yakuza

boss, and a former member of Kadena Nao's 'Purple Haze' gang.

Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

ese Live action actor
Japanese television drama
, also called , are a staple of Japanese television and are broadcast daily. All major TV networks in Japan produce a variety of drama series including murder romance, comedy, detective stories, horror, and many others...

: Kawagiko Ritsu

A former car club member and street racer, Kadena is a teacher at Tsujikou, taking over from the absent Nanno. She uses her beauty to inspire her male students to work hard, and entices the girls with attractive university

University

A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...

guys. She feels responsible for her younger brother Kazuhito being in a coma, because he crashed his car in a race with her. Onizuka lifts her out of her bad mood by racing her, showing that it can be fun if you aren't too reckless. She later 'helps' set Shinomi up with Eikichi, but things don't quite go right.

In the anime

Anime

adaptation of Great Teacher Onizuka

Great Teacher Onizuka

, officially abbreviated as GTO, is a Japanese shōnen manga written and illustrated by Tohru Fujisawa. It was originally serialized in Weekly Shōnen Magazine from May 1997 to April 2002. The story focuses on 22-year-old ex-bōsōzoku member Eikichi Onizuka, who becomes a teacher at a private high...

, Nao Kadena takes the role of the school nurse played by Naoko Moritaka in the manga. Her techniques and past are remarkably similar to her character in Shonan Junai Gumi - though she was clearly introduced as a brand new acquaintance to the existing cast. In later storylines her actions were adaptations of Moritaka's from the manga.

Minamino, or ‘Nanno’ as he is universally known, appears in volume 5 as a yakuza

Yakuza

-esque teacher recruited to whip the delinquents into shape, which he does quite a good job of until he is challenged to a one-on-one fight against Ryuji, who refuses to accept his bullying tactics. Eikichi, Abe and Saejima, who know that even Ryuji is no match for Nanno’s ‘Hokuto Shin Ken’ style martial arts

Martial arts

Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....

, dig around until they find an incriminating fact- Nanno has a lolita complex and bring the girl that got him in trouble, Myou-chan (who always has a black strip over her eyes) to the fight, and threaten to tell everyone if he doesn’t lose to Ryuji. So Ryuji wins, and Nanno is forced to be the Oni-Baku-gumi’s slave. He leaves the school after fighting Kiwamezawa and trying to escape the police.

A friend of the Oni-Baku since their Midnight Angel days, he runs the Sato family garage

Filling station

A filling station, also known as a fueling station, garage, gasbar , gas station , petrol bunk , petrol pump , petrol garage, petrol kiosk , petrol station "'servo"' in Australia or service station, is a facility which sells fuel and lubricants...

and repair shop. He first appears to tell Eikichi that his car design won’t win the exhibition

Trade fair

A trade fair is an exhibition organized so that companies in a specific industry can showcase and demonstrate their latest products, service, study activities of rivals and examine recent market trends and opportunities...

, and gets taken hostage

Hostage

A hostage is a person or entity which is held by a captor. The original definition meant that this was handed over by one of two belligerent parties to the other or seized as security for the carrying out of an agreement, or as a preventive measure against certain acts of war...

by Yokokawa until his KS Benz is repaired. He later appears in the Akutsu affair, and at various other times when someone needs a bike fixed, or Onizuka wants to use Masaki’s ZII.

Nakajo is the main leader of all the Enoshima gangs, he is a student at Enoshima Shogyou High School. He was Tsukai’s senpai

Senpai

at Enoshima Yonchuu Junior High, and previously controlled the Enoshima subdivision of the second-generation Midnight Angels. Nakajo has numerous facial scars, and works at the Select petrol station. In the past, the Oni-Baku beat his entire gang, which means there is some tension between them, but Nakajo is a useful ally in many conflicts, such as against the Yokohama Kihei and the Atsuki Yagyou. Despite the constant ill will between the Enoshima and Tsujikou students, Nakajo remains detached from most of the fighting until later volumes, and at the end of the story he challenges Eikichi to a one on one fight.

Tamura first appears as the second-in-command

Second-in-command

The Second-in-Command is the deputy commander of any British Army or Royal Marines unit, from battalion or regiment downwards. He or she is thus the equivalent of an Executive Officer in the United States Army...

of Toshiki Kamishima, in the Satsuriku Butai of Kamakura. Here his rivalry with Katsuyuki begins, as the two clash with each other on numerous occasions. He is fighting Katsuyuki when the two are thoroughly thrashed by Nakagaki and Mauchi, the leaders of the Yokohama Kihei. The resulting hospital

Hospital

A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....

stay sees the two fighting over the attentions of the pretty nurse Nene Mihara (formerly a member of a widely respected gang), but in dealing with Sakaki Ashura they put aside their differences. Later Tamura is Nakajo’s assistant, and still rivals with Katsuyuki.

Onizuka's mom

The long suffering Mrs. Onizuka tries her hardest to tolerate Eikichi’s punkass behaviour, but eventually has to kick him out to keep her apartment. She herself is rather a tough lady, and apparently had her son at a young age. She works as a club hostess, according to the GTO B.A.D. Action guidebooks. Eikichi’s dad is never seen, but he doesn’t seem to live with them. Mrs. Onizuka is still an attractive looking woman, with long brown(?) wavy hair. She does seem to dress older though.

An underling of Fumiya’s (and therefore a Kyokuto student), Yoshiaki is beaten when the Oni-Baku take Fumiya down. He appears in the next volume under the control of Okubo, and is a reluctant pawn because Okubo kidnaps his girlfriend Natsumi. He turns on Okubo and helps Onizuka by getting Ryuji and the Oni-Baku-gumi to come to his aid (he was already suffering a broken foot, which had him at something of a disadvantage against an entire gang of armed punks). He appears after these events with Natsumi, and they appear to have returned to life as normal, and is seen during the Midnight Angels conflict causing problems for the police

Police

The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...

with his gang.

2m (6’8) tall, Kiwamezawa first appears purchasing Sailor Moon
Sailor Moon
Sailor Moon, known as , is a media franchise created by manga artist Naoko Takeuchi. Fred Patten credits Takeuchi with popularizing the concept of a team of magical girls, and Paul Gravett credits the series with "revitalizing" the magical-girl genre itself...

magazines. He is a student at Kamakura Ryokuryou Kou, and Saejima recruits him as part of the ‘New Kamakura Combi’ after Kamata leaves. We also see his family, consisting of 5 siblings (all of whom look exactly like him, including the girls) and his attractive young looking mother, who is married to a 4 feet (1.2 m) tall, amiable looking man who cannot possibly have fathered the enormous Kiwamezawa clan. When a delivery man arrives who looks identical to Kiwamezawa, however, Saejima puts two and two together. It doesn’t seem like any of the family have done the same though. Kiwamezawa also appears when Saejima is hospitalised after a second altercation with some pencils.

Sakaki transfers to Tsujikou from Asahikawa Nanryou High School in Hokkaidō

Hokkaido

, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...

, and calls himself ‘Kita no Shogun’ (The General of the North), ‘Hokkai no Maou’ (The Demon King of the North Sea) and ‘Okhotsk no kaidanji’ (Okhotsk's 'Mr. Nice Guy'). He seems to be impervious to pain, (even though he bleeds) since he takes numerous beatings to no real effect. His father is a famous boxer, known as 'Sandbag Sakaki'- his son shares his ability to absorb damage. It appears that he takes down Onizuka and Tsukai, and Katsuyuki and Tamura try to get revenge on him for this, however Tamura is injured and Katsuyuki has to find Ryuji. When they confront him, a huge gang of Asahikawa Nanryou High School students, led by Higashida, arrive, but they beat Sakaki up for causing trouble and apologise to the Oni-Baku for his behaviour. It also turns out that he hadn’t beaten Eikichi up, but Katsuyuki stabs him repeatedly anyway. He later appears during the Atsuki Yagyou crisis as a new student at the Oni-Baku's high school, where he is ignored by everyone (save Saejima, who finds him incredibly annoying).

She is Jun Kamata’s younger sister. She first appears when the Oni-Baku-gumi arrange their ‘get-together’. Her brother bumps into her and recognises her (apparently they haven’t seen each other for a while) and spends the whole evening trying to keep the others away. Eikichi is obsessed with Kaoru and doesn’t pay any attention to Itou at all, which results in a fight with Tsukai. In actuality, however, ‘she’ is really male, which shocks Onizuka when he finds out. Kaoru appears during the Natsu saga, and tells Eikichi about her brother’s predicament. She is something of a minor character. Kaoru first chose to diguise himself to get money from the boys that he brings to his house by hitting their whole body, but eikichi beats him to search kaoru in the house, and kaoru then fell in love of him...

Misato appears at the karaoke

Karaoke

is a form of interactive entertainment or video game in which amateur singers sing along with recorded music using a microphone and public address system. The music is typically a well-known pop song minus the lead vocal. Lyrics are usually displayed on a video screen, along with a moving symbol,...

club where she meets Eikichi, who has been left by the group of girls who were in his booth and is now feeling sorry for himself. They get along well, and Eikichi naturally falls for her. She cooks for him, and she offers to have sex with him, but he refuses (basically since he’s too nervous). The two of them come across Shinomi and Takezawa, and he recognises her- she was a member of his gang in the past, but as a man. Naturally this is bad for Eikichi, and when she reveals the truth to him, he can’t handle it and she leaves. Eikichi does seem to have rather bad luck when it comes to women.

A kohai of Ryuji’s from junior high (but apparently the one from which he transferred, since Hino is not familiar with Eikichi), Hino has an intense hatred of Katsuyuki, who gave him the scar on his right eyebrow. Their feud almost separates the Oni-Baku duo, despite Tsukai’s efforts to get everyone to get along, culminating in a fight on the beach where Tsukai beats the crap out of both of them; however by this time the Oni-Baku have already made up. Joey of DOA later beats him up for being in his territory putting up Oni-Baku stickers, but Ryuji forgives him after beating the crap out of about 20 DOA gang members. In the 'feud' in the final volume, he is (obviously) on Ryuji’s side.

The leader of the Enbutou female biker gang in the Blue Rose coalition, Saya appears in volume 11 after spotting Eikichi and the gang escaping from the police after fighting Joey at the railway. She runs into Eikichi when buying some porn and beers, and the two get talking. She then rides off with her gang. She turns up in volume 12, and clashes with Shinomi over her attempts to seduce Eikichi. In volume 15 she is present at the final fight on the rooftop, and she is one of the few people to stay and show her respects to the Oni-Baku at the end.

This 3rd Year Hatsuchuu Middle School student has a major crush on Ryuji, even collecting photographs in a series of scrapbooks. (Her friends are lusting after Eikichi at the same time) Her ambition is to get into Tsujikou, despite her brother pointing out the sub-standard school records. She decides she wants to be Ryuji’s girlfriend (obviously she doesn’t know him at all, or she’d have known about Nagisa…) and follows him around, ending up sitting next to him in a pachinko

Pachinko

is a type of game originating in Japan, and used as both a form of recreational arcade game and much more frequently as a gambling device, filling a niche in gambling in Japan comparable to that of the slot machine in Western gambling. A pachinko machine resembles a vertical pinball machine, but...

parlour. He helps her win a big payout of balls, but when she goes to thank him he’s already gone. She watches the Oni-Baku clowning around for a while, and somehow gets over her crush. The next day, she receives her results and finds that she can now go to Tsujikou.

A senior member of the Bousou Tenshi/Midnight Angels (Kanburen= Executive Members’ Group), Midouji appears near the end of the Midnight Angels affair with a group of senior members, which shocks Akutsu. They watch the fight between Onizuka and Akutsu, and are present at the conclusion of the race, when Akutsu is carted off to hospital. He also appears at the climactic rooftop battle, and pays his respects later on. Midouji also appears in Bad Company

Bad Company (manga)

, and is apparently rather humourless and taciturn, as he finds the youthful antics of the new members rather annoying, particularly when the Bousou Tenshi are trying to conduct a serious biking run.

Formerly a member of the SPEED motorcycle gang, Machiruda knows Eikichi's family from the past (the GTO B.A.D. Action 200 II guidebook mentions Onizuka's dad being the first-generation leader of the SPEED gang) and is on good terms with Eikichi during the DOA crisis despite never appearing before then. He now owns a café/restaurant, named after his old gang, with his partner Misako. He is involved in the business with Mafuyu and Zelda.

Misako is formerly of the Speed motorcycle gang, and appeared to be rather intimidating in the past. She co-owns/manages the Speed café with Machiruda, and now appears very good natured and relaxed (almost stoned, in fact).

The possessor of mighty ‘Chounoryoku’ or psychic powers, Kyoma appears when Harumurata of Gochuu Middle School and Samehara of the Satsuriku Butai, in an attempt to find Makoto, turn up at Tsujikou. They first attack a teacher but are threatened by Kamata and Saejima, but Kyoma turns up and scares them off, since they’ve heard of his reputation. However, it turns out that his powers are limited to lifting girls’ skirts and bursting buttons off people’s coats, which annoys Saejima because such a big deal has been made of it all.

A schoolmate of Nagisa's; he asks her to marry him, despite knowing about Ryuji, but she laughs it off, but agrees to a date with him (at the time she's angry at Ryuji for taking her for granted and only wanting to sleep with her). Ryuji spies on them, but when Saijou asks Nagisa to go with him to Tokyo she turns him down, saying she's already happy. Ryuji makes more of an effort hereafter. He's a skilled karate practitioner, as Ryuji sees through the window of his dojo smashing breeze blocks to powder.

The Original Leader of the 1st generation Midnight Angels gang is Eikichi Onizuka and Ryuji Danma's idol, he is a legendary street racer who passed away on a corner that Onizuka races Akutsu on. His jacket unique to the entire Midnight Angels gang in the anime is in Onizuka's possession. At the end of the series Onizuka is seen cremating the jacket as a way for honoring him.

In the GTO manga he makes an appearance in Onizuka's vision urging him to become the greatest teacher in Japan.

Episodes List

Shonan Junai Gumi!

(湘南純愛組!)

Shonan Junai Gumi! 2

(湘南純愛組!2)

Shonan Junai Gumi! 3 Runaway Angel of Hell

(湘南純愛組!3 地獄の暴走天使)

Shonan Junai Gumi! 4 Hunting Death

(湘南純愛組!4 死神狩り)

Shonan Junai Gumi! 5 Forever Onibaku

(湘南純愛組!5 鬼爆よ永遠に)

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