Series Set to Debut on Showtime Networks' "SHO Next" this December.
As the legendary Great Teacher Onizuka would put it... school's in session! TOKYOPOP Inc. is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with Showtime Networks Inc. to bring the critically acclaimed and hilarious GTO anime to TV viewers. The 43-episode series begins airing on the Network's SHO Next channel in December.
Based on Tohru Fujisawa's hugely popular manga, GTO is the story of Eikichi Onizuka-a 22-year-old ex-biker who becomes a teacher to make a difference. Unfortunately, he's also crude, foul-mouthed, and has a hair-trigger temper! Using his street smarts to deal with colleagues, students and troublemakers, Onizuka finds that he, too, has many lessons to learn as he strives to become the greatest high school teacher in the world!
A runaway hit in Japan, GTO inspired both a blockbuster movie and long-running live-action television series-Tokyo's equivalent to M.A.S.H. for its claim to the most watched finale in TV history. This real-life urban drama is loaded with enough comedy and action to make it a phenomenon here in the United States as well. In fact, TOKYOPOP has already exceeded sales expectations with its GTO manga and DVD series.
"GTO's comedic wit makes it the perfect fit for the SHO Next audience," said Steve Galloway, TOKYOPOP's Executive Director of Development. "The dialogue is sharp, and the series is filled with characters and situations that a lot of people will relate to-whether familiar with anime or not."
"Showtime is pleased to bring this hit series to an American audience," said Gary Garfinkel, Showtime Networks Vice President of Acquisitions. "With the increasing popularity of anime, we feel fortunate to have acquired this quality-driven series and view GTO as an ideal show for our SHO Next audience."
The series was brought into Showtime by Director of Acquisitions Larry Greenberg who negotiated the deal with TOKYOPOP's Steve Galloway.
This deal marks TOKYOPOP's third anime property on television -- Reign: The Conqueror aired on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim this year, and Rave Master is set to debut on Cartoon Network's Toonami block in 2004.
