Takashi Sorimachi's highly anticipated return as Eikichi Onizuka in the new GTO drama has already stirred up a storm among long-time fans, all thanks to a single, iconic character name dropped in the premiere episode. The series sees a 52-year-old Onizuka, the legendary "Great Teacher Onizuka," back in the classroom after years away. This time, he's at Seishin Academy, where he runs into Koji Nakamaru, the head of student affairs – who also happened to be the head of academics back at Musashino Seirin Academy in the original 1998 GTO. 
Their reunion plays out with a classic comedic beat: Onizuka greets Nakamaru but struggles to recall his name, only remembering him as "one of the two guys at Musashino Seirin who treated me like crap." Then, it hits him! "Ah, I remember now! It's Uchiyamada!" Nakamaru, naturally, immediately snaps back, "It's Nakamaru!"
But it was that brief mention of "Uchiyamada" that truly resonated with viewers. Principal Uchiyamada was an unforgettable character in the 1998 GTO, brilliantly portrayed by the late Akira Nakao, who passed away in 2024. By having Onizuka utter that name once more, the new series delivers a heartfelt nod to the original cast and characters, a touching tribute that didn't go unnoticed by fans who've been following the series since day one. 
Social media lit up with comments like, "Hearing Uchiyamada's name from Onizuka was awesome," "The Reiwa-era GTO mentioning Uchiyamada is so kind," and "It really hit home for those of us who grew up with GTO." Just one line, but it perfectly rekindled memories of Akira Nakao and the classic GTO for an entire generation of fans.
via： ORICON NEWS