"Star of the Giants" review: A reevaluation of the emotion and excitement of "Go Go Go Hiouma"

The appeal and evaluation of "Star of the Giants: Go Go Hiouma"

"Star of the Giants: Go Go Hiouma" is a Japanese animated film released in 1969, based on the manga of the same name written by Ikki Kajiwara and illustrated by Noboru Kawasaki. This work is a moving story about the growth and challenges of a young baseball player named Hiouma Hoshi, and continues to be loved by many fans. Below, we will introduce detailed information and reviews of this work, as well as recommended points.

Overview

"Star of the Giants: Go Go Hiyoma" begins with the story of Seiun High School's baseball team after they make it to Koshien. During the final against Koyo High School, Hiyoma injures the nail on his thumb after receiving a broken bat with his left hand in the semi-finals. However, the sight of Hiyoma continuing to throw the bloodstained ball with all his might strikes a strong chord with the audience. With the score at 0-0 in the bottom of the ninth inning, they are narrowly defeated by a walk-off home run from Hanagata Mitsuru, but thanks to Hanagata's efforts, they are able to take the Giants' entrance test. This moving film depicts Hiyoma's indomitable spirit and the bond he shares with his teammates.

Public Information

• Media : Theatre
• Original Media : Manga
• Release Date : December 20, 1969
• Distributor : Toho
• Eirin number : 16157
• Duration : 70 minutes
• Episode number : 1

Production information

• Original author : Ikki Kajiwara (original author), Noboru Kawasaki (illustrator)
• Director : Tadao Nagahama, Kyosuke Mikuriya
• Animation Production : Tokyo Movie
• Copyright : ©Kazuo Kajiwara, Noboru Kawasaki/Kodansha, TMS

story

The Seiun High School baseball team, which made it to Koshien, advanced to the finals against Koyo High School, led by Hanagata. However, Hiyuma injured the nail on his thumb after catching a broken bat with his left hand in the semi-finals. Hiyuma threw a bloody ball with all his might, but with the score at 0-0 in the bottom of the ninth inning, Hanagata hit a walk-off home run and Hiyuma lost. His reputation was in ruins and there was no hope of him being scouted, but thanks to Hanagata, who knew the situation, he was able to take the Giants' entrance test...

cast

• Hoshi Hikaru: Toru Furuya
• Star Ittetsu: Seizo Kato
• Akiko Hoshi: Fuyumi Shiraishi
• Chuta Ban: Joji Yanami
• Hanagata Mitsuru: Makio Inoue
• Tetsuji Kawakami: Tadashi Nakamura
• Joji Hayami: Michio Usami

Main Staff

• Screenplay: Tadao Nagahama, Seiji Matsuoka, Toru Sawaki, Jiro Saito, Haruya Yamazaki
• Animation Director: Daikichirou Kusube
• Art design: Reiji Koyama
• Art Director: Isamu Kageyama
• Director of photography: Tatsumasa Shimizu
• Music: Takeo Watanabe
• Directed by: Tadao Nagahama, Kyosuke Mikuriya
• Cooperation: Yomiuri Television, Yomiuri Giants

Appeal and evaluation of the work

"Star of the Giants: Go Go Hiouma" is highly acclaimed not only as a sports anime, but also as a youth drama. In particular, the indomitable spirit and hard work of the main character, Hiouma Hoshi, have touched many viewers. In addition, the storytelling of the original author, Ikki Kajiwara, and the dynamic drawings of Noboru Kawasaki are faithfully reproduced in the movie.

The appeal of this work is the story of Hiyoma's growth and challenges. The sight of Hiyoma rising from his defeat at Koshien and taking the Giants' entrance exam gives viewers courage and hope. Also not to be missed are the human dramas depicted through his rivalry with Hanagata Mitsuru and the strict training he receives from his father, Ittetsu.

Furthermore, the passionate voice acting of Hikaru Hoshi by Toru Furuya is also a factor in raising the acclaim of this work. Furuya's performance, which realistically expresses Hikaru's suffering and joy, strikes a strong chord with viewers. The other cast members also bring their characters to life, raising the quality of the entire work.

Recommended points

Here are some reasons why we recommend "Star of the Giants: Go Go Hiouma."

• Inspiring story : The story of Hiyoma's growth and challenges will deeply touch the viewers. In particular, the scene where he rises from his defeat at Koshien will give courage to many people.
• Realistic characters : The characters, including Hikaru Hoshi, are realistic and appealing. In particular, the rivalry between Hikaru and Hanagata Mitsuru has the power to draw viewers in.
• High production quality : The storytelling and artwork of the original work are faithfully reproduced, and the quality of the film is very high. In particular, the dynamic depiction of the match scenes is a sight to behold.
• Great voice acting : The performances of the voice actors, including Toru Furuya, make the characters feel more real, especially Furuya's passionate performance as the voice of Hiyuma.

Related works and recommendations

If you enjoyed "Star of the Giants: Go Go Hiouma," we also recommend the following related works:

• Star of the Giants series : The manga and TV anime series on which this work is based are also very interesting. In particular, the episodes depicting the growth of Hiyoma are very moving.
• "Ashita no Joe" : A boxing manga also written by Ikki Kajiwara, it tells the story of youth and challenge. It has a common theme with "Star of the Giants", but is inspiring through a different sport.
• "Captain Tsubasa" : A youth sports manga themed around soccer, depicting the efforts and growth of the main character. Like "Star of the Giants," you can enjoy a moving story told through sports.

summary

"Star of the Giants: Go Go Hiouma" is a moving work that depicts the indomitable spirit and hard work of Hoshi Hiouma. The sight of Hiouma rising from his defeat at Koshien and taking the entrance exam for the Giants gives courage and hope to viewers. The storytelling and drawings of the original work are faithfully reproduced, and the quality of the film is very high. Don't miss the passionate performances of the voice actors, including Furuya Toru. If you enjoyed this work, we also recommend related works such as the "Star of the Giants" series, "Ashita no Joe," and "Captain Tsubasa." Be sure to enjoy this moving youth sports drama.