The appeal and evaluation of "Bakuhatsu Goro": A thorough analysis of explosive entertainment

Bakuhatsu Goro - Bakuhatsu Goro -

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

comics

■ Broadcast period

Broadcast from April 3, 1970 to September 25, 1970 every Friday from 19:00 to 19:30

■Broadcasting station

TBS Network

■Frequencies

half an hour

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 26

■Original Story

Naoki Tsuji

■ Production

TBS TCJ Video Center (now Eiken)

■Works

©TBS

■ Story

Aozora Gakuen is a junior high school where sports are popular. There is a transfer student who throws the dominant judo club members around one after another. The boy's name is Goro Oishi. Goro joins the newspaper club, but due to his natural athletic ability, he is in high demand from various sports clubs.
Meanwhile, Goro, who has a strong sense of justice but also gets angry easily, throws himself into the middle of the incident.

■Explanation

This work is an anime adaptation of the manga "Bakuhatsu Taisho" by Naoki Tsuji, which was serialized in Kodansha's monthly manga magazine "Bokura." It is a hot-blooded coming-of-age story depicting the hero, Goro Oishi, a righteous man who hates anything crooked, brilliantly solving various incidents that occur at school.
The opening scene, which starts with the passionate cry of "Bakuhatsu Goro!!", has a great impact and grabs the hearts of viewers. The character designs, which make use of Naoki Tsuji's touch, are also excellent.

■Cast

Goro Oishi/Teruo Nakayama/Mayumi Saegusa/Kazuko Sugiyama/Ippei Wajima/Kiyoshi Komiyama/Kuranosuke/Toshiya Ueda/Captain Arakuma/Shigeyuki Hosoi/Onimaru/Koji Yada

■ Main staff

・Original animation (original manga) / Naoki Tsuji ・Screenplay / Michio Yoshioka, Junji Tashiro, Akira Adachi, Masaki Tsuji, Susumu Takaku ・Direction / Yuno Torii, Hiroyuki Okada, and others ・Chief animator / Setsuo Keuchi, Hideshige Tsukikawa ・Art chief (art director) / Toshihiro Osumi, and others ・Effects / Tokyo Effect Studio ・Music / Ichiro Tsukasa ・Production / TBS TCJ Animation Center (now Eiken)

■ Main Characters

Goro Oishi is a cheerful, good-natured young man, but he is short-tempered and quick to get into fights. He has excellent athletic ability.
Mayumi Saegusa: The head of the newspaper club. She has a bit of a competitive spirit. She has a hard time dealing with Goro.
Wajima Ippei: Goro's classmate who works as a photographer in the newspaper club.
・Captain of the Arakuma Judo Club. He has a tough look, but he is also a man of justice and good manners.
・Onimaru Judo Club member. A hot-tempered troublemaker who often stirs up trouble.

■ Theme songs and music

・OP
・"Bombing Goro"
Lyrics: Jun Hashimoto Music: Shoji Wada Song: The Wonders Ending theme:
・"Tears are friends"
Lyrics by Jun Hashimoto, Music by Shoji Wada, Sung by The Wonders

・"Aozora Gakuen School Song/Aozora Gakuen Cheer Song"
Lyrics: Haruo Hayashi Music: Ichiro Tsukasa Singer: The Wonders Released by: King Records

■Detailed evaluation and recommendation

In the world of Japanese animation in the 1970s, "Bakuhatsu Goro" captivated many viewers with its unique hot-bloodedness and story filled with a sense of justice. This work is based on the original manga "Bakuhatsu Taisho" by Naoki Tsuji, and while faithfully retaining the essence of the original, it also draws viewers in with the dynamic expressions that are unique to anime.

The main character, Oishi Goro, is a boy with a strong sense of justice who hates anything crooked. His cry of "Explosion Goro!!" leaves a strong impression on the viewers' minds. This cry is also used at the beginning of the opening theme song, and has the effect of immediately drawing the viewers' hearts in. Goro's character also has a short temper and a tendency to get into fights, but underneath that lies a hidden kindness that cares for his friends. This multifaceted character is one of the reasons why he evokes deep sympathy from the viewers.

Goro's school, Aozora Academy, is depicted as a school that is very active in sports, with a variety of club activities taking place, such as the Judo Club and the Newspaper Club. In particular, the conflicts and cooperation with the Judo Club are important elements of the story. The captain of the Judo Club, Arakuma, is a tough-looking character with a strong sense of justice, and his relationship with Goro adds excitement to the story. Problem children such as Onimaru also appear, and there are many scenes in which Goro's sense of justice is put to the test by causing trouble within the school.

Mayumi Saegusa, the president of the newspaper club, has a competitive personality and gives Goro a hard time, but she is an important character who supports his actions. Her presence adds depth to Goro's actions and balances the story as a whole. Additionally, Ippei Wajima works as the newspaper club's cameraman and supports Goro as his classmate. The relationships woven by these characters leave a deep impression on the viewer.

The production staff for this work is also impressive, with a list of talented writers including Michio Yoshioka, Junji Tashiro, Akira Adachi, Masaki Tsuji, and Susumu Takakuwa. The direction is also handled by experienced staff such as Yuyuki Torii and Hiroyuki Okada, making the story development and character movements very smooth and easy to follow. Additionally, the team of chief animators Setsuo Keuchi and Hideshige Tsukikawa has achieved beautiful character designs that make the most of the touch of the original work. Thanks to the efforts of the art staff, including chief art director Toshihiro Osumi, the backgrounds and scenery of Aozora Academy are also realistically drawn.

Musically, the theme songs and insert songs composed by Shiichiro liven up the atmosphere of the series. In particular, the opening theme "Bakuhatsu Goro" and the ending theme "Namida wa Tomodachi" resonate deeply with viewers thanks to The Wonders' powerful voice and composition by Shoji Wada. Additionally, the Aozora Academy school song and cheer song, composed by Shiichiro and with lyrics by Haruo Hayashi, are also important elements in livening up the atmosphere of the school. These songs were released by King Records and are still loved by fans today.

"Bakuhatsu Goro" was broadcast on TBS from April 3 to September 25, 1970, with a total of 26 episodes airing in a 30-minute slot every Friday from 7:00 to 7:30 p.m. The show had high ratings during its broadcast period, and many children were enthusiastic about Goro's exploits. In particular, the scene in which Goro throws a judo club member and the scene in which he solves a case left a strong impression on viewers.

This series is not only praised as a passionate youth story, but also as a work that depicts a sense of justice, friendship, and bonds between friends. Goro's actions make viewers think about what justice and friendship are. The realistic portrayal of school life and the passion of club activities are also part of the appeal, and many viewers were able to enjoy the series by relating it to their own youth.

The first point that makes me recommend this show is the character of the main character, Goro Oishi. His sense of justice and passion evokes strong sympathy in the viewer and adds excitement to the entire story. In addition, the portrayal of the club activities and human relationships at Aozora Academy is also excellent, allowing the viewer to experience the realistic atmosphere of school life. Furthermore, the music is also excellent, with many excellent songs and plenty of elements that will draw the viewer in.

This work can be said to be a milestone in Japanese animation in the 1970s, and is still loved by many fans today. It is a must-watch for those who like passionate youth stories and stories filled with a sense of justice. Also, those who are interested in music and character design will be able to feel the attention to detail of the production staff. "Bakuhatsu Goro" is a timeless masterpiece that moves and resonates with viewers.