The appeal and reviews of "Flying Ghost Ship": An adventure you can't miss

A comprehensive review and recommendation of Flying Ghost Ship - Soratobu Yuureisen

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

comics

■ Release date

July 20, 1969 - January 1, 0000

■Distribution company

Toei

■ Eirin Number

15794

■Frequencies

60 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

Shotaro Ishimori (from "Ghost Ship" published by Kodama Press)

■ Director

Hiroshi Ikeda (director)

■ Production

Toei Animation

■Works

© Ishimori Productions, Toei

■ Story

Arashiyama Hayato rescues the president and wife of Kuroshio Bussan, who had been involved in an accident. While transporting the couple to a mansion, Hayato encounters the Ghost Captain. Afterwards, a giant robot called Golem, claiming to be the Ghost Captain's messenger, appears and begins to destroy the city. What is the true identity of the Ghost Captain, and what is his purpose?

■Explanation

It was made as an anti-child sci-fi film and was shown at the "Toei Manga Festival 1696 Summer". Based on the original work by Shotaro Ishinomori, it was adapted to emphasize social satire. Later, a part of the story was re-edited and broadcast on television. Recommended by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare's Central Welfare Council and the Best Film Appreciation Society. Wide-color version.

■Cast

・Hayato Arashiyama/Masako Nozawa・Chairman Kuroshio/Akio Tanaka・Chairman Kuroshio's wife/Kyoko Satomi・Ruriko/Yukiko Okada・Arashiyama/Akira Nagoya・Captain of the Ghost Ship/Gorou Naya・Chief Haniwa/Kosei Tomita

■ Main staff

・Original work: Shotaro Ishinomori (currently Shotaro Ishinomori / from "Ghost Ship" published by Kodama Press)
・Production / Hiroshi Okawa・Planning / Masajiro Seki, Seiichi Moro, Yoshifumi Hatano・Production assistant / Yoshiharu Furusawa, Matsuji Kishimoto・Screenplay / Masaki Tsuji, Hiroshi Ikeda・Director / Hiroshi Ikeda・Chief animation director / Yoichi Kodabe・Key animation / Reiko Okuyama, Sadao Kikuchi, Michihiro Kanayama, Akemi Ota, Hideki Mori, Hayao Miyazaki, Takashi Abe・Art / Isamu Ueda・Color design / Hidenobu Hata・Finishing inspection / Masatoyo Ogura, Atsuko Nishimoto・Color matching / Ayahiko Nakagomi・Special effects / Tomie Hayashi・Cinematography / Yukio Katayama, Hiroshi Takeda・Editing / Hitoshi Komura・Music / Kosuke Onozaki・Sound recording / Isao Hatano・Sound effects / Noriyoshi Ohira・Developing / Toei Chemical Industry KK
・Record/Setsuko Matoba

■ Main Characters

・Arashiyama Hayato The protagonist is a young boy. Filled with a sense of justice, he learns the true identity of Chairman Kuroshio and the mastermind, and runs around trying to make it public at the risk of his life.

Chairman Kuroshio The chairman of Kuroshio Products, famous for its soft drink Boa Juice. He developed and exported weapons in the basement of his mansion.

・Golem A giant robot suddenly appears in the city. Claiming to be the messenger of the Ghost Captain, it destroys the city.

・Foster father of Arashiyama Hayato. He rescued a baby that washed up on the shore and raised it as his own. He was hit by debris from a building destroyed by the Golem and was seriously injured, losing his life.

The captain of the ghost ship who declared that he would take revenge on Chairman Kuroshio. A mysterious man with a skull face, his true identity is Hayato's real father.

■ Related works

・Simultaneous screening (Toei Manga Festival)
"The Secret of Akko-chan"
"Extraordinary Ataro"
Live-action "Pop-up Adventure Movie Akakage"
Live-action film "Japanese Macaques: Their Groups and Lives"

■ Theme songs and music

・Theme song/OP "Flying Ghost Ship"
・Composition: Kosuke Onozaki ・Singing: Studio Female Chorus

・ED／"Hayato's Theme"
Lyrics by Mao Tsuji, Music by Kosuke Onozaki, Vocals by Hiroshi Izumiya and Honey Knights

・Insert song: "Boisjus' Song"
Lyrics by Masaki Tsuji Music by Kosuke Onozaki Singers by Junpei Takiguchi and Ayako Hori

■Detailed evaluation

"Flying Ghost Ship" is a Toei animated film released in 1969, based on the novel "Ghost Ship" by Shotaro Ishinomori. This work was produced as an anti-child sci-fi film, different from the children's animations of the time, and is characterized by its emphasis on social satire. Below, we will take a closer look at the story, characters, production background, music, and subsequent influences.

story

The story begins with the adventures of a young boy, Arashiyama Hayato, who rescues the president and his wife of Kuroshio Bussan. Hayato encounters the Ghost Captain in the mansion where he transports the couple, and then a giant robot called Golem, claiming to be the Ghost Captain's messenger, begins to destroy the town. It becomes clear that the Ghost Captain is actually Hayato's real father, and that his goal is to take revenge on Chairman Kuroshio. This story is not just an adventure tale, but aims to convey a profound message to children by depicting the dark side of society and corporate corruption.

character

The protagonist, Arashiyama Hayato, is a boy with a strong sense of justice. He is a brave character who discovers the true identity of Chairman Kuroshio and the mastermind, and risks his life to reveal it. Chairman Kuroshio is the president of a company famous for its soft drink Boa Juice, and secretly develops and exports weapons. The Golem is a giant robot that destroys the city as the Ghost Captain's messenger, making a visual impact. Arashiyama is Hayato's adoptive father, and a tragic character who loses his life due to the Golem's destruction. The Ghost Captain is Hayato's real father, and a mysterious character who acts to exact revenge against Chairman Kuroshio. These characters play important roles in deepening the theme of the story.

Background

"Flying Ghost Ship" was released as part of the "Toei Manga Festival 1696 Summer." The series is a collection of animations aimed at children, but "Flying Ghost Ship" stands out among them, emphasizing social satire. Director Ikeda Hiroshi adapted the script based on Shotaro Ishinomori's original work to include a deeper message. In addition, the production was led by staff who would later go on to lead the anime industry, including animation director Kodabe Yoichi and Miyazaki Hayao, who participated in the key drawings. Thanks to the efforts of these staff members, the work was highly acclaimed.

music

The music was composed by Kosuke Onozaki, and included the theme song "Flying Ghost Ship," the ending theme "Hayato's Theme," and the insert song "Boisjus' Song." These songs not only enhanced the atmosphere of the story, but also left a deep impression on viewers. The theme song "Flying Ghost Ship" in particular is characterized by the powerful singing of the studio female chorus, and has come to symbolize the theme of the work.

Later impacts

"Flying Ghost Ship" was highly praised when it was released, and was highly recognized in society, having been recommended by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare's Central Welfare Council and the Best Film Appreciation Society. Later, a portion of the film was edited and broadcast on television, allowing the message to reach a wider audience. This work influenced later animation works and can be said to be a pioneer of works depicting social satire.

■Recommendation details

"Flying Ghost Ship" is an animation aimed at children, but it is notable for its emphasis on social satire. The visually striking characters and storyline, which is packed with deep messages, leave a strong impression on viewers. Furthermore, the efforts of the staff involved in the production have earned it high praise. This work can be enjoyed by both children and adults, and it will make you think about the dark side of society and corporate corruption. We recommend that you give it a watch.