Manga & Anime Talk 3: Great Teacher Onizuka (GTO) Spin Off Manga's

[This post is rated R for Language & Subtleties. Read at your own risk]

Hello, it's Mimi again! How you all doin'?

Ok, guys... So, this is officially my third post in just March 2016 alone. Seems like I have a lot of times on my hand, huh? Wrong! I don't actually.... Haha, yet rather strangely I still manage to find some time to write on this blog. Well, when you're really that interested in something, then nothing is going to stop you from doing it, I guess (just like my case here).

You know that I only write in here only when I have something fun to share, right? No? Wait....

Don't tell me that for as long as I been writing on this blog, no one actually... CARES? Oh, my.. Is my face getting red now? Have I been writing this only for my own gratification? (눈_눈):  You mean whenever I write or rant in here, nobody actually gives a f**k? Like there won't be any hard feelings or consequences, even when I'm writing shitty things about shitty people on the net? Seriously... like no impact at ALL??

Oh, well...

Sounds like somebody (me) is living in a different dimension than another bunch (famous people) whom couldn't afford to make any blunders since it's going to cost them. Well guys, I don't know what else to say about this except;

'Thanks internet for this double standard thing! Anonymity and Indifference. That's all I needed... Why am I the only one manage to escape? I don't know what I didn't do, but this is freaking COOL, man!! (´∇｀)b'

Anyway, moving on....

About 4 years ago, I wrote this post. Yes, if you guys already clicked on it, then you know what it's all about. It's a special post, solely dedicated for one of my favorite anime/manga in the world; Great Teacher Onizuka, commonly known as 'GTO'. Haha.... I still remember my determination back then when I was writing this post. I was highly determined that I even ransacked the whole internet just to find the right info and image about it and as the result of that; GTO become the second highest page views for this blog. Pretty cool huh? Well, maybe not so cool considering this is non-profitable blog and nobody gives a sh*t, but hey.... I'm still proud about it anyway.

So, four years had passed since then, and along the way, a lot of things had been happening and changing in the anime/manga industry. For starter, I'm so freaking happy that the original author of GTO, Tohru Fujisawa had decided to continue the GTO storyline by adding more arc to it. Other words for that would be... SPIN OFF's!!! Oh, yeah...

Seriously, I had never been so glad of hearing that word before the new serialization of GTO's comes out. Like, really... I'm so... so glad (╥﹏╥). After the original manga series ended (rather abruptly, I think) in 2002, Tohru-sensei had been working on other manga project that I don't really gives rats about and it kinds of  put a damper on my interest in GTO. I mean, don't get me wrong... It's not that I don't like this manga anymore, but I'm just so sick of waiting! *Spoiler alert* When will Onizuka-sensei is going to regain his consciousness?? Finally, on 2014 - my wishes come true. I found the scanlations for GTO: Shonan 14 Days, thanks to the hard work by people from Mangafox and Mangareader community. 

Hello sensei.
Long time no see, huh?
Picture source credit: http://www.manga-news.com/

Ok, so here's a little confession of mine takes place. When I first read it, I don't really like this spin-off's GTO manga so much. For those who had been following GTO for a long time, you guys probably already knows what it takes to make a great GTO manga chapter; Onizuka-sensei (of course!), the school (Holy Forest Academy), other teachers and students, and a little on the sidelines; some ecchi-ecchi stuff to keeps the wheels going. That, to me - would make a quite great GTO chapter. Oh yeah, and the hidden life lesson/values and whatever along the way. That would be great too. But, wanna guess what I get when I read this manga? 

None of that. 

Yeah, sure Onizuka is still an ecchi/kind teacher as ever but other than that, the settings and all the characters in it are different. For starter, because of some stupid blunder at his old school (Holy Forest), Onizuka is now on the run. So, where would he go? Shonan of course (since it is his hometown). Now that he's in Shonan, Onizuka had nowhere to go but eventually he kinda find refuge at a troubled youth home called 'White Swan' and runs by gorgeous female teacher called Ayame. The readers are later introduced with a few new teenage characters who seems decent enough, but inside a mess! (of course they have to be, or else Onizuka won't be able to help them). Mind in your head that I'm just writing brief synopsis based on my memory recollection and it wasn't a good one. I dunno, man... This manga seems like a GTO, but doesn't really feels like GTO, if you know what I mean. Even the story line itself sometimes seems a bit out of place and forced. It wasn't until after the end of 7th volume (I think), I began to get the GTO vibes around the manga and again, getting comfy with Onizuka-sensei, once more. So, I finished reading GTO Shonan around September last year (because the silly me didn't know that it had been fully translated since July 2014) and yeah, all is good again between me and GTO.

However, as much as I'm happy that all's well that ends well with this manga; I was left with an empty hole in my heart. No more GTO, I thought to myself. No more perverted Onizuka-sensei... Well, that sucks... What am I gonna do now? Should I re-read the manga again? Of course not. It's not like reading it would make it any better... The story is ALREADY good, just as it is. I could re-watch the anime but it only have the same effect as reading the manga. So, what more can I do? Hell, for what it's worst I just do whatever any manga/anime fan would. 

I seek another manga to satisfy my needs. Hehehe...

Which, wasn't really a bad idea, at first. I found myself a couple of decent manga/anime (Natsume Yuujinchou, Skip Beat!, Ookami Shoujo..., Kamisama Kiss.../Blush-DC... blah blah), but here's what I should've consider first before getting into all those; done more research about GTO's. When the manga wrapped up, I should've watch out for news on the internet about Tohru-sensei new work like a true fan. Yeah, I should've done that. But, guess what? I didn't... So, I was running semi-happily emotion in the manga land with all of these other (quite great/some are just nice/hentai.... opss) manga until I have an unexpected run-in (no pun intended) with GTO again. Okay, fellas... I just found yet another spin-off's off GTO and its written/illustrated by none other than Tohru-senpai himself! I found out about this new manga series about two weeks ago (cause I am missing Onizuka-sensei) and stumble upon my luck. As this post is written, I am now I'm at the 3rd volume (chapter 41). See how love prevails?? Haha, is this a happy ending or not? You bet it is (for me anyway). 

The new GTO Spin-Off's Series: GTO - Paradise Lost

The new GTO spin-off is titled as GTO: Paradise Lost and it had been serialized since 2014. Yep, that's right... 2014!! Oh, shi*e... Really, I should done my research earlier, or I else I wouldn't be so out of loop like this! Onizuka-sensei, please forgive me (╥﹏╥)... Now, despite of the pretty innocent, ecchi-hinting title; this manga doesn't have a smooth sail, especially towards its titular character. Well, if you are quite a fan of GTO and were curious about what 'Paradise Lost' is all about, then please buckle your seat and read this singular intro to the manga below taken solely from mangafox.com;

GTO: Paradise Lost -

'Onizuka finds himself in prison.'

What? That's IT? Onizuka is in jail? WTF? Hey, come on mangafox...surely you can give better explanation than just THAT? I mean it sure a big leap from teacher to become a prisoner... How did Onizuka even get there at the first place? Did he get framed, molested, raped, killed someone or what? Tohru-sensei, is this FOR real? What's happened to that Great Teacher Onizuka? Remember him when he used to be that cool teacher and had helped a lot of his troubled student? Come on, you gotta give me more detail about this. Naze? Naze? Naze???!!! <---- (Like A True Otaku, I Scream).

Haha, relax guys... I'm just messing with ya. I told you that I read the manga already didn't I? So, I know what's going on. So far, it had been revealed that Onizuka is in prison because he's accused of abducting one of his student (no name for now) and this whole manga series bounces back and forth from Onizuka life when he's still outside and inside of the prison. I mean, true enough - the guy needs to have a backstory and all in order to land himself in there and that's exactly what he does. Part of real action, part of reminiscing; just like he did in Shonan 14 days. No surprises there, everything is going according to plan. And I'm quite glad that Tohru-sensei had decided to bring back all the characters from GTO in this new manga (especially Uchiyamada-sensei). Kinda miss that baldy teacher. (‾◡◝ )> But, looking at these two spins-off does make one (girl) wonder... 

'Nee, Tohru-sensei... naze ka Onizuka boku ga kirai?' (Lolz for my broken Japanese)

Haha, cause it's freaking true fellas! From one spin-off's to another, Tohru-sensei had been putting Onizuka under a hot water without a moment of hesitation. You don't believe me? Well, let see here... The first spin's-off depicts Onizuka's life when he's in a run for something he didn't (purposely) do which thankfully - ends well, but now that poor guy is in JAIL? I mean, I know I'm not supposed to be complaining when Tohru-sensei had generously resurrected GTO again and again for us fans, but when will this 24 (no longer 22) year old virgin are going to get laid, find his true love, and get his happy ending? A dirty fan would say, oh come on Onizuka-sensei... just freaking f**k already!!! What are you waiting for? Now, that he's in jail, perhaps we could finally see some of that action (subtleties), but this manga is no BL. This is GTO world, man!!! And ecchi one at that too... I mean, this is not Bleach where there is no love arc existed anywhere (you can ship them all you want, just not going to happen) or School Rumble where the main character is so clueless about who truly loves her and keep on going at the wrong guy... Hell, no! This manga supposed to be more fun than that!

So, that's why Tohru-sensei, enough with torturing Onizuka and putting him in deep sh*t already... Starts developing something more meaningful like his future relationship for once or some backstory about Onizuka parents (manga always gets better when their parents starts involved anyway (Naruto, Bleach), ask anyone) instead of this endless cycle of ....... Even Naruto gets married to Hinata in the end and conceived Baruto, so what are you going to say about that, Tohru-sensei? Will mah Onizuka-sensei get the same ending or will he be a creepy sex pedo next? Huh? Huh? I hope you aren't thinking the latter, sensei cause if you are... then I'm gonna burn my lappy and never look at any manga ever again. Period.

Okay guys, that's it for my Manga & Anime Talk - Part 3. Sorry, if I get a little bit carried away... As you probably could smell it, I'm a big fan of this manga/anime so yeah, it pretty pisses me off when my favorite manga arc kinda of run in a circle. Since I been following this manga for 4 years now, I wanna see something more exciting or developed about Onizuka, especially in his personal relationship department. Tohru-sensei, if you're reading this... this is a fan wish and I didn't mean to cause any harm. This is the first time I ever complain about manga and I only mean well. Gomenasai and keep on drawing/writing this awesome series. 

Love from a fan: Mimi Said

The Tale of Big Bad Wolf Sale & Awesome Posters

Muahaha... baru tak sampai 3 hari aku update blog, hari ni aku update lagi. Well, apa leh buat kalau aku ada story nak mari lagi. Ngahaha. Sorry not so sorry yeah since this is mah blog... So, like it or not momma's gonna write anything she wanted in here. *wink...wink*

Okay. Berbalik semula kepada title entry di atas; Big Bad Wolf Sales (BBW). Yes, satu nama yang cukup sinonim dengan pesta buku di Malaysia. Pesta yang di adakan beberapa kali dalam setahun ni memang mendapat sambutan hangat daripada pengunjung terutamanya dari kalangan student dan parents. Heh, mana-mana student yang nak habiskan saki-baki BB1M, parents yang nak mencari buku coloring untuk anak-anak, atau adults sekadar nak cuci-cuci mata or mencari poster-poster hebat - tak fikir mana dah, pasti akan bertandang ke sini.   

Dan aku sebagai seorang student and book lovers, turut tidak terkecuali.  

Sebenarnya aku dah lama nak buat entry pasal book fair seperti BBW ni. Lama sesangat dah. Cuma macam biasa, aku ada sikit malas bila datang nak mengulas/buat review mengenai benda yang aku dah buat. So, that's why this entry got delayed sampai ke hari ni. But, since today I'm in a good mood and 'terlebih' rajin sikit... aku fikir apa salahnya kalau aku update jer kat sini. Kang aku malas lagi kang, tergendala plak lagi (lolz)...

Orite, let me get straight to the heart of this story. Sepanjang hayat aku, aku dah attend BBW 3 kali (2014, 2015 and 2016, respectively). Aku masih ingat lagi time aku first-first datang sini dulu (2014). Back then aku masih lagi study kat UKM and baru je received my third BB1M. So, korang faham-faham jelah bertapa melonjak nya aku bila dapat tahu yang ada BBW dekat Mines time tu. Haha... siap set the date lagi dengan family aku untuk ke sana time weekend agar dapat mengangkut buku. Time tu baucer aku masih full lagi, so level excitement aku memang tahap tak terkawal dah. Dalam hati aku siap berkata-kata; 

"Hehe... book fair biasanya big event. Gerenti banyak buku dapat beli ni... Nak beli berapa ek? Mesti sampai tak cukup satu trolley kan? Kan? KAN?"...  Haha, betapa tamak haloba nya aku time tuh. Yes, hakikat ini memang takleh di nafikan... 

Tapi... dalam excited-excited aku tuh, aku tak tahu yang that year yang aku pergi tu actually cam sengal sikit. Instead of dapat choose buku yang aku suka and then bayar di kaunter - aku telah di'paksa' untuk membeli kotak. Tarak kotak, takleh beli buku. My reaction at the time like... what the fak? Aku ingat lagi ada dua jenis kotak time tu; M & L. Yang M tu price dia RM69 lau tak silap, yang L pulak RM99. Pergh, price tag dia... Nasib je aku ada baucer time tu, klu tak bye-bye-la-BBW-jangan-harap-aku-nak-beli la jawabnya... Anyway, long story short - aku beli dua kotak bersaiz L (one for me, another for my parents) and yeah after that sesi sumbat-menyumbat buku dalam kotak tak kira kualiti pun bermula. Huu... menyesal je aku pergi that year masa diorang wat stupid rules tu sebab sampai sekarang buku-buku tu semua aku masih tak habis baca lagi (-.-):

Heh... kalau dah banyak ni buku, cube cite camne aku nak habiskan??

So, selepas tu, aku kinda stop membeli buku sekejap. Biasalah, dah terlajak perahu kenalah berundur kan? Aku reflect balik mistake yang aku dah buat di BBW Mines dulu. Okay, kali ni no more reckless and senseless buying (or stuffing, in my case), aku akan beli buku yang aku betul-betul minat jer. Kalau diaorang suruh aku beli kotak lagi, maka akan ku amik kotak tu semua and sumbat-sumbat mereka kat dalam tu. Amik ko. Obsess sangat ngan kotak kan? Haik, ter-over plak marahnya aku di situ. Hehe... excuse me. Anyway, last Dec BBW buat sekali lagi event ni, but this time aku dah ready. Nak pakai baucer aku memang tarak la, but I still decide to give BBW another chance...

Hello guys.
Since Mines dekat dengan uni bro aku,
aku pun invite dia untuk join sekali
even though dia tak berapa nak minat pun.
Bagus budak ni ikut je aku tanpa banyak songeh.
#adikmithali

Entrance Big Bad Wolf 2015 @ Mines.
Welcome back, Mimi.

Big Bad Sign
.#Neonlights #hurtmyeyes #butiloveit

Masa aku pergi ni BBW dah revoke dah pembelian kotak-kotak ni semua. Baguslah. Cuma yang tak berapa nak syioknya, banyak title buku kali ni yang memang masyuk dengan soul aku dan aku teringin nak beli tapi tak dapat coz tak bawak cukup $$$. Aku beli mana yang mampu jeh asalkan aku puas hati. Adalah dalam 5-6 buah aku beli. Sempat je aku join newsletter dia lepas tu in case BBW ada buat event camni lagi ini the foreseeable future. Sori takde gambar buku yang dapat aku show-off kan masa aku ke sini pasal terlupa nak amik itu hari.

Disebabkan aku join newsletter dia, about three months later, aku dapat notification from BBW crew yang sekarang ni dia orang tengah held event dekat MITC Ayer Keroh, Melaka. Aku fikir ok jugak tu, since buku yang aku beli hari tu pun dekat habis baca dah. Aku tak pergi dengan bro aku kali ni, tapi dengan ayah aku. Kalau nak tahu, ayah aku pun lebih kurang sama je macam aku. We share the same passion in reading, although our taste is a bit different. Ayah aku minat baca buku pasal war, military, history, chopper, etc... while myself minat buku macam biography, crime, literature, travel, and romance je.

Antara buku-buku yang di pamerkan di BBW MITC Ayer Keroh, Melaka

Seperti visit aku di BBW Mines 2015, buku yang aku pilih adalah lebih mementingkan kualiti dari kuantiti. Disebabkan MITC ni taklah sebesar Mines tu, so dapatlah aku tawaf semua tempat. Cuma section cooking, malay novels, and children books je aku elakkan pasal aku dah beli novel kat PWTC International Book Fair aritu. 

Setelah puas berlegar-legar dan membayar harga buku, maka aku pun melangkah pergi. Malas nak duduk sini lelama (karang aku cair untuk beli buku lagi lak). OK, target aku sekarang nak cepat sampai ke gate keluar, but belum jauh pun aku berjalan, langkah ku terhenti apabila terlihat poster kat bawah ni;

OMG! Games of Thrones (GoT) da...
♪ Dun dun ta ra dun dun... ta ra dun dun (lagu starting GoT) ♫ 
Sekali ngan abang Heisenberg from 'Breaking Bad' lak tuh.
Compassion please... 

And this!
Oh Miss Monroe.... Why are you always such a tease? ;)

And thizz!!!
My Lady Hepburn.
Hail to the Queen of Cuteness Overload!

Omigod. Situasi sebegini memang kasi aku rambang mata, wokeh? Dahla I die-hard Audrey Hepburn. Cis... Poster macam ni agak mahal (sebab exclusive and printed in UK you) and dah pastinya tarak dalam budget aku... Hai, ape leh buat... next time perhaps?

But wait... baru je aku nak give up tetiba aku ternampak lak section poster yang ni. RM10.00? Biar betul. Besar KOT! Ko biar betul nak jual mende alah ni RM10.00 jer??? Haha... banyak kali aku tatap price tag tuh untuk pastikan ianya tak berubah. Aku ni kalau nak beli barang memang berkira sket... Oklah, maybe uolls' leh kata yang poster camni biasanya reject-reject punya jer... Oh, well... cuba ko tengok gambar poster ni betul-betul. Lu orang tau tak poster ni quote from whom? Tau tak? Tau tak???......

This guy.
(Picture courtesy Google image)

Ok. Siapa yang angkat tangan jawab Brad Pitt tadi, sila jangan terkejut kalau aku kata jawapan korang tu salah. Brad Pit tak pernah wat quote camtu dalam life dia, okeh? Haha... tak caye gi tanya Jen or Angie. So, kalau bukan Brad Pit yang quote, apekehal lak aku show-off gambar dia kat sini? Adakah sebab dia hensem dedulu or had I lost my mind already? No my fren... Memang bukan Brad Pitt yang bagi direct quote ni, but his character does! Kalau nak taulah, quote bagi poster ni datangnya dari character yang di mainkan oleh beliau iaitu Tyler Durden dalam movie, yes as it already stated there - 'Fight Club'. Honestly, dah banyak movie aku tengok dalam hidup aku - tapi Fight Club lah yang paling leave deep impression to my core. Yep, definitely one of my favorites. Bukan Titanic, Twilight, mahupun Harry Potter yer anda-anda semua... tapi Fight Club! Banyak valuable lesson pasal life and hidden message dapat di interpret dalam movie ni. Nak tau best tak best dia, gi tengok sendiri ye.

Sebab aku fans movie ini, maka harus mendapatkan 
poster besar gila gedabak tapi so cheap liao ni.
This is definitely going on my wall.
(p/s: tetiba terbayang lak shirtless Tyler Durden/Brad Pit
masa dia bagi quote nih....mhhmm...)

Yep. Dah betul lah tagline tu HP.
Compared to Tyler Durden & The Narrator,
ko sangat undesirable di mataku. Wakaka...
But don't get me wrong, I still <3 Daniel Radcliff.wokeh and his movies.

Aku tak bawak beg besar-besar masa shopping buku.
Berat kot. So, aku bawak beg saiz camni.
Buku yang korang nampak adalah antara yang aku
beli di BBW Mines last year.

Selesai shopping buku, aku terus ke AEON Bandaraya untuk beli groceries sikit. Yes, memang itulah kerja aku kalau barang kat rumah dah habis or ada family member yang request.  Biasa aku beli fresh ingredient cam sayur and buah-buahan je, tapi ikut selera isi rumah gak. If ada yang feelin'-feelin' nak buat steamboat @ BBQ grill malam tu ke apa - maka dengan pantasnya aku akan ke meat and freezer section untuk mencari ingredient yang sesuai. Tapi hari ni aku just beli yang biasa je coz my bro tak balik lagi...Tak syiok la nak mengrill bagai kalau budak ni takde... :(

What's in my grocery bag?
Sayur overloaded and roti yang aku beli kat La Boheme

Semua yang aku suka jer.
Crime ada, manga ada, and 3 biography of course.

Selalu aku jarang nak beli magazine-magazine ni, tapi memandangkan mag yang kat bawah ni bukan calang-calang (LIFE) and ada  pic Grace Kelly lak tuh, agar sukar untuk aku menolak. Aku taklah fan dia sangat and film-film dia, yang aku tengok pun baru satu je (Rear Window, 1954), but boleh la dari takde sebab aku suka dengan pic wedding dia. 

 Your Serene Highness Grace 
Huu... aku nak mag Audrey sebenarnya...  Tak pun James Dean or Tippi Hedren ker..
Leh gitau aku mane nak dapat ni?

Oklah guys, sampai sini jelah post aku kali ni. Ni pun dah berjela-jela dah ni, wat penat je korang scroll. Huhu, banyak kan gambar yang aku bombarded kat sini kali ni? Saje je nak share experience aku sepanjang visit aku ke BBW untuk tatapan semua. Diharap korang happy membacanya. Sebelum aku chow, aku hadiahkan korang lagi satu gambar, this ever delicious Vanilla muffin... 

Enjoy and goodbye!

The one with enough book to read this year: Mimi Said