| Shonan Junai Gumi! | |
 | |
| Manga Information | |
| Written by | |
| Published by |
Kodansha (Japan) |
| Magazine | |
| Genre |
Action, Drama, School, & Slice of Life |
| Original Run |
March 1990 – September 1996 |
| Volumes |
31 (Original Japanese Version), |
| List of Volumes | |
Shōnan Pure Love Gang! (湘南純愛組! Shōnan Jun'ai Gumi!) is a manga by Tohru Fujisawa which was published from March 1990 to September 1996 and compiled in 31 volumes. It has been re-released in a deluxe edition of 15 volumes, from May to December 2000, and in a pocket-size print run, which began in May 2005, is at the 10th volume. Five 50-minute anime OVAs were released on VHS in the early 1990s. A Live Action Japanese TV Drama episodes were released in Japan. This is the manga that introduced the character Eikichi Onizuka, who later appeared in the hit Great Teacher Onizuka (GTO).
The deluxe edition of the manga has been licensed for North America by Tokyopop, which retitled it GTO: The Early Years, although the editions retain Shonan Junai Gumi as a subtitle. The first volume was released in June 2006. The Tokyopop editions ended with volume 10. Publisher Vertical Inc continued and concluded the series in 2012.[1]
In 2020, Amazon Prime released an 8-episode live-action adaptation.
Plot[]
The story of Shonan Junai Gumi deals with the Oni-Baku (Demon Explosion) duo, consisting of Eikichi Onizuka and Ryuji Danma, and their quest to lose their virginity and reach maturity. They are widely feared bōsōzoku, and are known for their tenacity and viciousness in a fight. However, this lifestyle does not endear them to the opposite gender, so they decide to change their ways. However, this is easier said than done. As the story unfolds, we meet the Oni-Baku's wide range of friends and foes, and the crazy situations they all get into. The story begins as a gag manga, but more serious issues present themselves as it continues, eventually striking a balance similar to that of GTO (which this manga predates).
Characters[]
Oni-Baku-gumi and friends[]
Eikichi Onizuka (鬼塚英吉 Onizuka Eikichi)
- Voiced by: Issei Futamata
- Japanese Live action actor: Naoki Miyashita
A former member of the Bousou Tenshi 暴走天使 (Berserk Angels) biker gang, otherwise known as the Midnight Angels, Eikichi looked on the leader Kyousuke Masaki as an elder brother. He met Ryuji Danma at Junior High (see Bad Company), where there was animosity between them, but it settled down into the strong friendship they now share. Deadly in a fight but not so skilled when it comes to dealing with women, Eikichi is a nice guy at heart (as seen in GTO) and despite his rowdy behaviour, he always manages to help people out. He lives with his mother in an apartment. Eikichi rides a Kawasaki Zephyr 1100, but is also the owner of Masaki's ZII.
Ryuji Danma (弾間龍二 Danma Ryūji)
- Voiced by: Hideyuki Hori
- Japanese Live action actor: Yamaguchi Yoshiyuki
The other member of the Oni-baku (Devil-bomb) duo, Ryuji is taller and maybe slightly more restrained than his partner, although get in his bad books and you're in for big trouble. He has more luck with women, having had a relationship with his teacher Ayumi, and later Nagisa (seen in GTO). Ryuji's family are nice, normal people, who appear quite wealthy, who totally disapprove of his 'bad behaviour', however his elder sister Yoko allows him to stay at her home when he needs to. His younger brother is called Yoshitaka. Ryuji rides a Honda CBX-400F, as seen in Bad Company. He is a mechanic and runs a motorbike store in GTO and GTO: Paradise Lost. He is also involved in illegal races in GT-R.
Toshiyuki Saejima (冴島俊行 Saejima Toshiyuki)
- Voiced by: Ken Narita
Along with his partner Kamata, he is feared as Kamakura no Kyouken (the Mad Dogs of Kamakura). This duo were renowned for their brutality, including shoving pencils through people's noses (which proves to be very ironic). However after being beaten by the Oni-Baku, the pair decided to join their gang. Saejima has a malevolent face, so much so that girls are afraid of him and assume he is a Yakuza. He, like Ryuji, comes from a fairly well-to-do family, who are terrified of him- his sisters speak to him through a lock on their bedroom door, and his parents jump at his slightest movement. Saejima rides a Kawasaki. In GTO manga, he's a corrupt police officer. In GTO anime, he also appears in shorts where he gives updates from Shonan characters as well as having his criminal acts highlighted. In Ino-Head Gargoyle, supposedly taking place after GTO, we see him as police officer in Inokashira Park joining forces once again with Jun Kamata in acts at the edge of legality.
Jun Kamata (鎌田純 Kamata Jun) Voiced by: Nobuyuki Hiyama Kamata first appeared as a bad guy with his buddy Saejima, but when the Oni-Baku beat them they changed their ways. Kamata is shown to be incredibly strong, beating whole gangs when he's in a bad mood. He has a younger sibling, Kaoru, who causes all sorts of misunderstandings. Kamata has a painful history- he spent his childhood with his best friend Natsu and his older sister, but her rape at the hands of a vicious gang caused her to commit suicide. Natsu then killed the perpetrators, but Jun had arrived with some adults who took him away, shouting 'Traitor!' at his former friend. Jun leaves Shonan for the United States, honoring a promise he made, but makes an appearance in the final volume working in a bar. Kamata rides a Honda Steed. He comes back to Japan in Ino-Head Gargoyle taking the role of a junior officer to avenge what drug dealers did to his little brother. He is helped by Saejima, Nakajo and Akustsu.
Hiroshi Abe (阿部寛 Abe Hiroshi) Voiced by: Masaki Aizawa From Iwamisawa in Hokkaidō, Abe appears as a serial womaniser, attracting the girls left right and centre with his expensive clothes and confident personality. This understandably irritated the Oni-Baku, until they persuade him to reveal his secrets. He joins the gang, and is a loyal friend in numerous situations, such as the Midnight Angels affair and the fight with Kamata and Saejima. Abe vanishes midway through the manga, but since no mention is made of it, he is probably supposed to still be around but not in the spotlight. Abe apparently rides a Honda CBX 1000. In GTO we learn from Saejima that he had become the owner of several stores, but recently has fallen onto hard times and now manages a single store (Saejima also claims he is bald and impotent).
Tsuyoshi Tsukai (塚井強 Tsukai Tsuyoshi) Voiced by: Takumi Yamazaki (Ep. 1, 2), Toshiyuki Morikawa (Ep. 4) A student at Enoshima Yonchuu Junior High School before coming to Tsujidou, Tsukai was a member of the 'Shitennou' (Four Heavenly Kings, meaning the strongest guys at the school). He was also a kohai of Kunito Nakajo, meaning he has knowledge of things other members of the Oni-Baku gang don't. He has a crush on Yui Itou, and later in the series she becomes his girlfriend. Tsukai is a strong fighter, and often has to overcome harsh odds to win, but always seems to come out on top. That said, he is not quite in the Oni-Baku's league. By the time of GTO Saejima says he is married to Itou and they had a child. He also says he joined an athletic club and in GTO: Shonan 14 days we see he still hasn't stopped to be a biker along with Katsuyuki.
Makoto Hashiri (走真 Hashiri Makoto) Voiced by: Nobutoshi Canna Makoto is a loyal member of the Oni-Baku-gumi and despite his reasonably limited fighting skills he is always there to support his friends. He is very successful with women, and later settles on a girl called Mami. He was bullied by Saejima and Kamata before their reformation and was later manipulated to betray Eikichi when the Kamakura and Shonan gangs first met. However, he was brave enough to remain loyal to his friends. Makoto is notable for being one of the few characters to actually change their hairdo over the course of the series, which he does a number of times.
Katsuyuki Tsumoto (津元克幸 Tsumoto Katsuyuki) Voiced by: Showtaro Morikubo Katsuyuki is the leader of the K.T. Butai (Katsuyuki Tsumoto Fighting Group), a kind of ‘sub-unit’ of the Oni-Baku gang, consisting of Yasuo, Atsushi, Saegusa, Kitamura and numerous other students. He has a hair-trigger temper, and as such can cause a lot of trouble without thinking about it. He has a rivalry with Tamura, and a long-standing grudge against Kenkichi Hino. He once fought Eikichi, but was beaten and decided to adopt him as a role model. He is loyal to the Oni-Baku and will fight anyone who badmouths them, but his main allegiance is to Eikichi. During GTO: Shonan 14 days we see he is working in junkyard but he still finds time to be in a biker gang along with Tsukai.
Yasuo (ヤスオ) A member of Katsuyuki's gang, Yasuo is incredibly loyal to 'Ka-chan' (as he calls him) and therefore also to Onizuka (although he initially disliked the Oni-Baku's control over everyone in their school). He holds a major grudge against Enoshima Shogyou (Enoshou) students, and is mainly seen in conflict with them. Although not a major character, Yasuo appears fairly often, even having starring roles in certain chapters. He rides a Yamaha XJ-R, and has a girlfriend called Mayumi.
Saegusa (三草) Bearing a resemblance to both Saejima and Makoto, Saegusa is another member of the K.T. Butai. He is not a major character, but appears with his 'boss' and his friends at various times. Saegusa is not afraid of a fight, as shown by his actions in a cafe full of Enoshou students while being vastly outnumbered, and appears in many fights as backup. He rides a Honda CB-SF.
Kitamura (北村) The least regularly seen of the K.T. Butai, Kitamura is still present from time to time as a minor character. He is present when the Oni-Baku meet Saejima's new partner Kiwamezawa, and is jumpy at his every move (considering Kiwamezawa is 6'8" tall). Besides his appearances in minor capacities, Kitamura is not a very important character.
Atsushi Honma (あつし Atsushi) Yet another member of the K.T. Butai, Atsushi is the recipient of numerous injuries at the hands of the Oni-Baku-gumi's enemies- he is attacked by the zombie-like Yagyou Atsuki, and later is smashed in the throat by one of Joey's DOA gang members with a piece of wood. However, he is present in the major fights, and always remains loyal to his senpai Onizuka, and his friend Katsuyuki.
Yui Itou (伊藤唯 Itō Yui) Voiced by: Hekiru Shiina Itou first appears to clue the Oni-Baku in on their opponents Kamata and Saejima. She graduated from the same Junior High as they did. She develops a crush on Eikichi, but he is too busy fighting with the others over Kaoru, and this leads to a fight between Tsukai and Onizuka. She is Tsukai’s girlfriend for the duration of the series and in GTO we learn from Saejima that the two are married with a child. She is the first girl to be considered a part of the Oni-Baku-gumi, and mainly appears in later volumes at their gatherings.
Shinomi Fujisaki (藤崎志乃美 Fujisaki Shinomi) Shinomi had been a fat and rather unattractive girl who was defended by Eikichi. She reappears as a beautiful young woman who is involved with Takezawa Akira of the Idaten gang. After Takezawa is hospitalised after fighting Eikichi and he breaks up with her, she dyes her hair blonde and befriends the Oni-Baku-gumi. She has an attraction to Eikichi throughout the series, but since he sees her more like a sister he is reluctant to embark on a relationship with her. She becomes a friend of Nagisa’s, and is often seen hanging around with her. Shinomi is feisty and packs a good punch, and personality-wise is the female Eikichi, so they are pretty well suited. Shinomi appears in GTO as Tomoko's makeup artist, and at the end of the series seems to catch on to the identity of Tomoko and Mayu's teacher. Afterwards, she appears again in GTO: Shonan 14 Days as the second caretaker at White Swan.
Nagisa Nagase (長瀬渚 Nagase Nagisa) Voiced by: Megumi Hayashibara Nagisa first appears working in the Marine House seafood restaurant as a waitress, catching Ryuji's attention with her t-back bikini. However, although she seems sweet and innocent, she suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder, and has an evil side who calls herself Yasha. She is a member of the Midnight Angels gang under Junya Akutsu, and is his girlfriend. Her mental disorder arose after he raped her in the past. Ryuji saves her life, and she eventually overcomes her problems and becomes his girlfriend. They are still together in GTO.
Yoshio Tamaru (田丸善男 Tamaru Yoshio) Inspired by his grandfather's dying words to become a 'strong man', the small and bullied Yoshio decides to change his life by joining the Oni-Baku-gumi. However, his overzealous approach to fighting gets him in trouble with Eikichi and Ryuji. He then takes control of the Atsuki Yagyou gang, who have been ruining the Oni-Baku's reputation, leading to a confrontation. He pulls a gun on Eikichi, but because it is old it misfires, injuring his hands. He never appears again after this.
Manga Volumes[]
The manga volumes have also been published in several countries, namely:
- French - France and other French-speaking countries like Canada.
- Italian - Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei.
- Chinese - China, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia.
- English - United States and Canada.
| # | Japanese | English | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Publisher: Kodansha | Publisher: TOKYOPOP | |||
| Release date | ISBN | Release date | ISBN | |
| 1 | ||||
Chapters List:
|
[[]] Cover Character(s): Ryuji Danma Eikichi Onizuka English Version: Eikichi Onizuka Pages: |
[[File: | ||
| 2 | ||||
Chapters List:
|
[[]] Cover Character(s): Ryuji Danma Eikichi Onizuka English Version: Ryuji Danma Pages: |
[[File: | ||
| 3 | ||||
Chapters List:
|
[[]] Cover Character(s): Eikichi Onizuka English Version: Ayumi Murakoshi Pages: |
[[File: | ||
| 4 | ||||
Chapters List:
|
[[]] Cover Character(s): Eikichi Onizuka English Version: Mariko Izumo Pages: |
[[File: | ||
| 5 | ||||
Chapters List:
|
[[]] Cover Character(s): Eikichi Onizuka Ryuji Danma English Version: Toshiyuki Saejima Pages: |
[[File: | ||
| 6 | ||||
Chapters List:
|
[[]] Cover Character(s): Ryuji Danma Ayumi Murakoshi English Version: Jun Kamata Pages: |
[[File: | ||
| 7 | ||||
Chapters List:
|
[[]] Cover Character(s): Eikichi Onizuka English Version: Nagisa Nagase Pages: |
[[File: | ||
| 8 | ||||
Chapters List:
|
[[]] Cover Character(s): Eikichi Onizuka Ryuji Danma Tsuyoshi Tsukai Jun Kamata Toshiyuki Saejima English Version: Shinomi Fujisaki (?) Pages: |
[[File: | ||
| 9 | ||||
Chapters List:
|
[[]] Cover Character(s): Eikichi Onizuka Ryuji Danma Toshiyuki Saejima Tsuyoshi Tsukai Jun Kamata Katsuyuki Tsumoto English Version: Kunito Nakajo Pages: |
[[File: | ||
| 10 | ||||
Chapters List:
|
[[]] Cover Character(s): Ryuji Danma (?) English Version: Junya Akutsu Pages: |
[[File: | ||
| 11 | ||||
Chapters List:
|
[[]] Cover Character(s): Eikichi Onizuka Ryuji Danma English Version: Fumiya Shindoji Pages: |
[[File: | ||
| 12 | ||||
Chapters List:
|
[[]] Cover Character(s): Eikichi Onizuka (chibi) Ryuji Danma (chibi) Nagisa Nagase Makoto Hashiri (chibi) Shinomi Fujisaki (chibi) Jun Kamata (chibi) Toshiyuki Saejima (chibi) English Version: Katsuyuki Tsumoto Pages: |
[[File: | ||
| 13 | ||||
Chapters List:
|
[[]] Cover Character(s): Eikichi Onizuka Ryuji Danma English Version: Nao Kadena (?) Pages: |
[[File: | ||
| 14 | ||||
Chapters List:
|
[[]] Cover Character(s): Nagisa Nagase Shinomi Fujisaki (?) English Version: Saya Minazuki Pages: |
[[File: | ||
| 15 | ||||
Chapters List:
|
[[]] Cover Character(s): Eikichi Onizuka English Version: Eikichi Onizuka Ryuji Danma Pages: |
[[File: | ||
| 16 | ||||
Chapters List:
|
[[]] Cover Character(s): Natsuki Smith-Mizuki Pages: |
| ||
| 17 | ||||
Chapters List:
|
[[]] Cover Character(s): Jun Kamata (?) Pages: |
| ||
| 18 | ||||
Chapters List:
|
[[]] Cover Character(s): Ryuji Danma (?) Pages: |
| ||
| 19 | ||||
Chapters List:
|
[[]] Cover Character(s): Eikichi Onizuka Ryuji Danma Pages: |
| ||
| 20 | ||||
Chapters List:
|
[[]] Cover Character(s): Eikichi Onizuka Pages: |
| ||
| 21 | ||||
Chapters List:
|
SJG - Volume 21 Cover Character(s): Pages: |
| ||
| 22 | May 1995 | |||
Chapters List:
|
SJG - Volume 22 Cover Character(s): Eikichi Onizuka (?) Pages: |
| ||
| 23 | July 1995 | |||
Chapters List:
|
SJG - Volume 23 Cover Character(s): Eikichi Onizuka Ryuji Danma Pages: |
| ||
| 24 | October 1995 | |||
Chapters List:
|
SJG - Volume 24 Cover Character(s): Eikichi Onizuka Ryuji Danma Pages: |
| ||
| 25 | December 1995 | |||
Chapters List:
|
SJG - Volume 25 Cover Character(s): Eikichi Onizuka Ryuji Danma Pages: |
| ||
| 26 | February 1996 | |||
Chapters List:
|
SJG - Volume 26 Cover Character(s): Nao Kadena Eikichi Onizuka Ryuji Danma Pages: |
| ||
| 27 | April 1996 | |||
Chapters List:
|
SJG - Volume 27 Cover Character(s): Ryuji Danma Nagisa Nagase Pages: |
| ||
| 28 | June 1996 | |||
Chapters List:
|
SJG - Volume 28 Cover Character(s): Eikichi Onizuka Ryuji Danma Pages: |
| ||
| 29 | August 1996 | |||
Chapters List:
|
SJG - Volume 29 Cover Character(s): Eikichi Onizuka Ryuji Danma Pages: |
| ||
| 30 | October 1996 | |||
Chapters List:
|
SJG - Volume 30 Cover Character(s): Eikichi Onizuka Ryuji Danma Pages: |
| ||
| 31 | December 1996 | |||
Chapters List:
|
SJG - Volume 31 Cover Character(s): Eikichi Onizuka, Ryuji Danma, Nagisa Nagase, Shinomi Fujisaki, Tsuyoshi Tsukai, Toshiyuki Saejima, Jun Kamata, Yui Itou, Makoto Hashiri, Ayumi Murakoshi, Mariko Izumo, Ms. Onizuka, Mafuyu Aoki, Junya Akutsu, Ashura Sakaki, Usagi Kiwamezawa, Saya Minazuki, Yoko Minamino, Katsuyuki Tsumoto, Yasuo, Atsushi Honma, Natsuki Smith-Mizuki, Junji Kashiya, Masami Sato, others (at least 75 characters total) Pages: |
| ||
OVA Episode list[]
| Ep. # | Title | Length | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shonan Junai Gumi! Down the Delinquent Highway! (湘南純愛組!: 高速道路の犯人の下！) | 51 minutes | January 21, 1994 |
| 2 | Shonan Junai Gumi! 2 (湘南純愛組!2) | 48 minutes | September 23, 1994 |
| 3 | Shonan Junai Gumi! 3 Runaway Angel of Hell (湘南純愛組!3 地獄の暴走天使) | 44 minutes | June 23, 1995 |
| 4 | Shonan Junai Gumi! 4 Hunting Death (湘南純愛組!4 死神狩り) | 44 minutes | May 24, 1996 |
| 5 | Shonan Junai Gumi! 5 Forever Onibaku (湘南純愛組!5 鬼爆よ永遠に) | 44 minutes | January 24, 1997 |
Trivia[]
- The city that the Oni-Baku live in is never named, but based on the location of Tsujido, it is most likely Fujisawa. This is further reinforced by GTO: Shonan 14 Days mentioning Jiro Makita as being the mayor of "F-City".[2]