== Meditations on realism via the *GTO* anime and live action shows

Once upon a time, back in the days of anime clubs in
Toronto, there was a particular anime club that made a lot
of interesting and odd programming choices. One of them was
that they started showing the [[*Great Teacher Onizuka*
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Teacher_Onizuka]] anime series, but
then partway through decided that it was too close to the manga so they
switched to showing the live action version instead. This gave us an
interesting compare and contrast between the two, since both series
covered essentially the same story but somewhat differently.

What I found especially interesting (and what has stuck with me ever
since) is some of the changes made in the live action version, which
I have always assumed were done to make it feel more realistic (in
general I remember the live action version as less crazy than the anime,
although still periodically crazy). Two changes have especially stuck in
my memory.

The first change is that the live action reduces Onizuka's living quarters
significantly. In the anime (and the manga) he winds up basically living
on the roof of the school in a relatively cool pad full of cool stuff.
In the live action series he has your basic tiny cramped mini-apartment
that is essentially devoid of coolness, which I assume is what someone
in his circumstances could rent and have in real life.

(The next bit involves a spoiler and some dark stuff, and I'm operating
from a decade-old and imperfect memory.)

The second change requires some background explanation. Onizuka is sweet
on Fuyutsuki, one of the other teachers at his high school, but she is
also pursued and creepily stalked by another teacher, Teshigawara, who
eventually descends to attempted date rape. In the anime this attempted
date rape doesn't get very far; Fuyutsuki is never in any real danger
and the situation is rapidly defused. In the live action series things
are significantly darker. Teshigawara successfully drugs Fuyutsuki and
comes much closer to success before she is able to break free.

Now, bearing in mind [[the problem of interpretation
InterpretationProblem]], it has always struck me as interesting that
the producers of the live action show appear to have felt the need to
make Fuyutsuki's situation significantly worse in order to make it feel
more realistic. I can easily believe that the live action version is
more true to life, but it seems an odd thing for a drama to actually
admit (especially one that was otherwise relatively cheerful, goofy, and
upbeat).