Bad Company

Bad Company was published in 1997 as a prequel to the iconic manga series GTO (Great Teacher Onizuka). Written and illustrated by Tohru Fujisawa, the volume serves as an origin story for the central duo of Eikichi Onizuka and Ryuji Danma, collectively known as the Oni-Baku. The narrative explores their initial meeting and the early days of their rebellious high school life in Shonan, grounding the later, more comedic tone of GTO in the gritty, delinquent-focused tradition of nineties Japanese shonen manga.

Fujisawa’s art style in this volume captures the kinetic, aggressive energy of the 'yankee' subculture popular in manga at the time. The character designs emphasize the slicked-back pompadours and customized school uniforms synonymous with the archetype. Upon its release, the volume was well-received by readers for providing necessary context to the Oni-Baku's fierce bond, and it remains a foundational text for fans looking to understand the narrative roots of Fujisawa's most famous protagonist.