“Shonan Junai Gumi”, the story of how it all began for the popular anime/manga series “GTO”, will be adapted into an original live-action drama on Amazon Prime Video. The cast, visuals, and comments from the staff have been released and the streaming will begin from Feb. 28, 2020.

“Shonan Junai Gumi” is a manga starring Onizuka Eikichi of “GTO” by Fujisawa Tooru that represents the 90s. The story depicting the youth of the two legendary badasses, Onizuka Eikichi and Danma Ryuuji, an episode 0 of “GTO”.

The cast, visuals, and comments from the staff have been released. The protagonist Onizuka Eikichi will be played by Kanichirou (TV series “Grand Maison Tokyo” etc.) and his partner Danma Ryuuji by Kaneko Daichi (TV series “Ossan's Love).

The visuals depict Onizuka Eikichi and Danma Ryuuji standing beside the signboard that writes “Tsujidou High School Entrance Ceremony”while another shows them riding their bikes, and so on.

Original live-action drama “Shonan Junai Gumi” will begin streaming on Amazon Prime Video from, Feb. 28, 2020(Fri).

<Comments are as below>
【Kanichiro (as Onizuka Eikichi)】
My generation knows Onizuka Eikichi from “GTO” and I never heard of “Shonan Junai Gumi” until I was offered this role. It starts off as a comedy and it becomes more of a bad-boy manga as the story proceeds. It's interesting how it has two styles mixed together. Onizuka, in particular, is a character with both a comical and serious side. I tried my best to express both sides of the character. There are many bad-boy films out there, but we worked on the film believing that the chemistry between Kaneko-kun and I would make this show different from the others. I hope you all would layback and enjoy the funny but cool drama!

【Kaneko Daichi (Danma Ryuuji)】
I know there are many fans of the original work and that made me really nervous. I haven't had many chances to play the role of a bad-boy but I tried my best to portray Danma Ryuuji. We worked hard to depict both the funny comedy scenes and the cool fighting scenes of the Oni-Baku pair. The interaction with Kanichirou-kun as Eikichi went really well so please look forward to it. I hope everyone can feel our boiling passion for the shooting and enjoy the series more than once!

【Uchida Eiji （Director)】
In a nutshell, it's a teen drama that's like “Ponytail wa Furimukanai” and “Maido Osawagase Shimasu” put together. The younger generation might not get it but to me, as a returnee, Shonan Junai Gumi was a dream manga that lets me depict everything I missed from the Japanese bad-boy culture of the 80s and 90s fashion and bikes. Check out the legendary teen drama swimming against the current of time with bikes, fights, and the ABC of love (an old Japanese sexual terminology used to express how far you went with your partner like bases)… We aim for the classic Daiei dramas! We won't be needing helmets for our bikes!

【Kodama Takashi (Head of Amazon Prime Video Japan Content Department)】
I'm very grateful to be able to create an Amazon Original Drama series with two of the up and coming actors, Kanichirou-shi and Kaneko Daichi-shi. I'm looking forward to releasing this teen drama filled with friendship as the first Amazon Original of 2020.

(C)Fujisawa Tooru・Kodansha/Shonan Junai Gumi Production Committee