GTO: 14 Days in Shonan, Volume 5 (Great Teacher Onizuka)
“I thought I was done withGreat Teacher Onizuka. All throughout college, I plowed my way through the series… All was well and good, until just the other day, when Vertical dropped the first volume ofGreat Teacher Onizuka: 14 Days in Shonanin my mailbox… Suffice to say, the first chapter grabbed me almost immediately. It was the sameGreat Teacher Onizukahumor I remember, and most importantly, I reacted the same to it as I had when I was stuck in my college dorm on those long Syracuse winter nights.” —Japanator“As a character explicitly points out, it’s painfully evident that parental selfishness has given [these teens] severe reason to distrust adults and that they’re not about to give Onizuka a second chance if he lets them down. As a result, the manga is dealing with the same Onizuka, but watching him walk a much narrower tight rope… It’s intriguing to consider how the manga might react to the new twist in its careful balance act and how14 Daysmight consequently develop in subtly different ways than the original.” —Ain’tit Cool News“I have never read aGTOcomic before this, so the prospect of reading what amounts to a spin-off was a bit intimidating. Luckily the premise is pretty simple… I liken this book toColumbo. Anyone who has ever watched aColumboepisode knows that Columbo is going to solve the case. The real pleasure comes from seeing how the bumbling detective puts it all together… The figures are strong and confident, and the backgrounds are stunning.” —Stumptown Trade Review“I loved it… The most surprising thing about14 Days in Shonanis its ability to address serious social problems without devolving into an Afterschool Special. The hand-to-hand combat and barrage of condom jokes helps mitigate against didacticism, to be sure, but Fujisawa is skillful enough to make the students’ personal troubles a meaningful—and sometimes moving—part of the story, inspiring Onizuka to new heights of creativity (and silliness) in his efforts to reach them. Highly recommended.” —The Manga Critic