Sasuke's character analysis and evaluation: The trajectory of growth and conflict

Sasuke: A Ninja Tale from the Warring States Period

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

comics

■ Broadcast period

September 3, 1968 - March 25, 1969 Broadcast every Tuesday from 19:00 to 19:30

■Broadcasting station

TBS Network

■Frequencies

half an hour

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 29

■Original Story

Sanpei Shirato (Akame Production)

■ Production

TCJ (now Eiken), TBS

■Works

©Sanpei Shirato ©Eiken

■ Story

It is the end of the Sengoku period. Tokugawa Ieyasu, who finally took control of the country, is afraid of the remnants of the Sanada clan, the Sarutobi ninja, who are trying to kill him, and orders their elimination. The last surviving ninja who served the Sanada clan, Oozaru Daisuke, is also targeted, and his wife sacrifices herself to save the life of her young son. Sasuke learns various ninjutsu and ninja knowledge from his father, Oozaru, and continues his wandering journey, defeating assassins who attack him, and grows as a person.

■Explanation

This is a TV anime adaptation of a series that ran in Kobunsha's manga magazine "Shonen." The original author, Sanpei Shirato's unique, rough lines are reproduced in cel animation, while the art is styled in ink painting, and numerous other creative ideas have been put into the production to bring out the appeal of the work. Perhaps as a result, the show recorded high viewer ratings right from the start of its broadcast. It was so popular that some episodes exceeded 20%.

■Cast

・Sasuke/Kenbo Raimon ・Great Ape Daisuke/Takashi Toyama ・Mother/Michiko Hirai ・Hattori Hanzo/Gorou Naya ・Tokugawa Ieyasu/Yoshiya Nemoto

■ Main staff

・Original work: Sanpei Shirato (Akame Production)
Chief Director: Kiyoshi Onishi Screenplay: Junji Tashiro Character Design: Mitsuo Kimura Direction: Kiyoshi Onishi, Yuji Torii, Mineharu Yamaguchi, Osamu Murayama, Kozo Takagaki, Isao Kawachi, Toru Murayama Music: Masashi Tanaka Art Director: Toshihiro Osumi

■ Main Characters

・Sasuke is the main character. Although he is still a young boy, he uses a variety of ninjutsu techniques to fight his enemies.
・Great Ape Daisuke Sasuke's father and a member of the Sarutobi ninja group. He guides Sasuke's growth as his teacher.
・She had a kind and gentle personality and was the mother of Sasuke. She was killed by a ninja who was chasing a great ape.
Sasuke the Stone Monkey: One of the Sarutobi ninjas, he has quadruplets who look very similar to Sasuke.
Tokugawa Ieyasu The shogun who unified the country. He ordered the elimination of the ninjas who were trying to kill him.
Hattori Hanzo: A ninja who targets the Sarutobi ninja group, including Sasuke and his son. The leader of the government secret service.
- Yagyu Tajima no Kami The head of the Yagyu clan, he leads the Yagyu ninja group that is pursuing Sasuke and the others.
・Daughter of the Kuki clan who was killed by the Onihime Great Ape. She targets Sasuke and his son for revenge.

■ Theme songs and music

・OP, ED title ・"Sasuke's Theme"
・Composition: Masashi Tanaka ・Ending theme
・"Sasuke"
Lyrics by Hisazumi Miura; Music by Masashi Tanaka; Singer by Honey Knights

Sasuke: The Appeal and Evaluation of a Ninja Tale from the Warring States Period

"Sasuke" is a ninja story set in the final days of the Warring States period, and is a television anime series based on the original work by Sanpei Shirato. It was broadcast on TBS from 1968 to 1969, and recorded high viewer ratings and captivated many viewers despite its short run of 29 episodes. This work skillfully combined the historical background of the Warring States period with the world of ninjas, deeply moving and exciting viewers.

The appeal of the story

The story of Sasuke begins with Tokugawa Ieyasu, who has unified Japan, attempting to eliminate the remnants of the Sanada clan, the Sarutobi Ninja. The protagonist Sasuke is depicted as continuing his wandering journey, defeating assassins who attack him while learning ninjutsu from his father, Great Ape Daisuke. This story depicts the harsh reality of the Warring States period and the way of life of a ninja in a realistic way, deeply moving viewers. Additionally, family love and bonds are also depicted as important themes, such as Sasuke's growth, his bond with his father, and his mother's sacrifice.

Character Appeal

Sasuke's character is portrayed as a boy who still retains a youthful look but who is able to use a wide variety of ninjutsu techniques. His growth and fighting style left a strong impression on viewers. Sasuke's father, Great Ape Daisuke, is an important character who guides Sasuke as his teacher, and his way of life as a ninja also impressed viewers. Furthermore, historical figures such as Tokugawa Ieyasu, Hattori Hanzo, and Yagyu Tajima no Kami also appear, creating a realistic atmosphere of the Warring States period.

The charm of animation

The animation of Sasuke uses many creative ideas to enhance the appeal of the work, such as recreating Sanpei Shirato's unique rough lines with cel animation and using ink painting-style art. This allows the harshness of the Warring States period and the world of the ninja to be portrayed realistically, deeply moving viewers. The music, composed by Masashi Tanaka, is also an important element in enhancing the atmosphere of the work.

Viewer ratings and popularity

Sasuke recorded high viewer ratings immediately after it began airing, with some episodes exceeding 20%. This shows the appeal of the series and the high level of support from its viewers. It has also been well received by viewers, and has spawned a large fanbase. This popularity is due to the high quality of the series' story, characters, and animation, and is the result of the deep emotions and excitement it has provided to its viewers.

Ratings and Recommendations

Sasuke is highly acclaimed as a ninja story set in the Warring States period, and is a work that has received strong support from viewers. It has been praised for many elements, including an appealing story, appealing characters, and high quality animation. In particular, the story, which skillfully combines the historical background of the Warring States period with the world of ninjas, deeply moved viewers. Additionally, family love and bonds are also depicted as important themes, such as Sasuke's growth, his bond with his father, and his mother's sacrifice. These elements are likely the reasons why the show made such a strong impression on viewers and received such high praise.

The reason we recommend Sasuke is that it has been highly praised as a ninja story set in the Warring States period, and is a work that has been well-received by viewers. It has been praised for many elements, including the appeal of the story, the appeal of the characters, and the high quality of the animation. In particular, the story, which skillfully combines the historical background of the Warring States period with the world of ninjas, deeply moved viewers. Additionally, family love and bonds are also depicted as important themes, such as Sasuke's growth, his bond with his father, and his mother's sacrifice. These elements are likely the reasons why the film left such a strong impression on viewers and received such high praise.

Related information

The original work of Sasuke is the manga "Sasuke" by Sanpei Shirato, which was serialized in Kobunsha's manga magazine "Shonen". The TV anime series based on this original work was produced by TCJ (now Eiken) and TBS, and aired from 1968 to 1969. The theme song for Sasuke was composed by Masashi Tanaka and sung by Honey Knights. These related information are also important factors in understanding the appeal of Sasuke.

summary

Sasuke is highly regarded as a ninja story set in the Warring States period, and is a work that is well supported by viewers. Many elements have been praised, including the appeal of the story, the appeal of the characters, and the high quality of the animation. In particular, the story, which skillfully combines the historical background of the Warring States period with the world of ninjas, left a deep impression on viewers. In addition, family love and bonds, such as Sasuke's growth and bond with his father, and his mother's sacrifice, are also depicted as important themes. These elements are the reason why it left a strong impression on viewers and was highly praised. The reason why I recommend Sasuke is because it is highly regarded as a ninja story set in the Warring States period, and is a work that is well supported by viewers. Many elements have been praised, including the appeal of the story, the appeal of the characters, and the high quality of the animation. In particular, the story, which skillfully combines the historical background of the Warring States period with the world of ninjas, left a deep impression on viewers. In addition, family love and bonds, such as Sasuke's growth and bond with his father, and his mother's sacrifice, are also depicted as important themes. These elements are the reason why it left a strong impression on viewers and was highly praised.