Yaemon the Train: The Great Adventure of D51: A deep review of the fascinating story and characters

"Yaemon the Train: The Great Adventure of D51" - An animated film that combines nostalgia and modernity

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

Picture books

■ Release date

March 16, 1974 - January 1, 0000

■Distribution company

Toei

■ Eirin Number

17887

■Frequencies

62 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

Hiroyuki Agawa "Yaemon the Train"

■ Director

Takeshi Tamiya

■ Production

Toei Animation

■ Story

Yaemon, an old steam locomotive, makes a disgraceful mistake by getting stuck at a railroad crossing, and is ridiculed by his fellow locomotives, and is even taken to a rural locomotive depot. His good friend Masa and his friends bring him back to town, but the stationmasters get together and decide to scrap Yaemon. Then, a gang of three breaks in, opens the safe, steals all the tickets, and escapes on the diesel locomotive Hi-Hi. No one tries to chase after them, so Yaemon does it himself.

■Explanation

This is one of the animated films shown at the Toei Manga Festival on March 16, 1973. It is based on the picture book "Yaemon the Train." Taking advantage of the steam locomotive boom at the time, the main character Yaemon appears on a D51 model train, which is different from the original, and other major changes were made. One third of the film is live-action footage, and it is an attempt to combine animation and live-action.

■Cast

・Yaemon/Kazuo Kumakura・Tadashi/Kyoko Satomi・Gonta/Hidekatsu Shibata・Jumbo/Joji Yanami・Haihai/Keisuke Yamashita・Mach/Sachiko Chijimatsu

■ Main staff

・Original story by Hiroyuki Agawa・Producer by Junichi Tobishi・Production manager by Seiichi Moro・Planning by Ken Ariga, Kenji Yokoyama, Hideo Kamo・Screenplay by Hideaki Yamamoto, Isao Matsumoto・Direction by Takeshi Tamiya・Chief animation director by Akira Daikuhara・Art by Tadanao Tsuji・Cinematography by Yukio Katayama, Toshiharu Takei・Live-action cinematography by Kimihiro Sugiyama・Editing by Hitoshi Komura・Music by Takeo Watanabe

・Theme song "Yaemon the Train"
Lyrics by Shinobu Urakawa Music by Takeo Watanabe Vocals by Ichiro Mizuki and Royal Knights

■ Main Characters

・Yaemon
D51 type steam locomotive. He is quite old and is mocked by those around him.

A primary school student who attends the elementary school in Yaemon's locomotive depot. His late father was Yaemon's driver.

・An electric locomotive that makes fun of Gonta and Emon.

・Boss of the Jumbo Gang. He works with his comrades Entotsu and Kid.

・A diesel locomotive that is always with Gonta. He takes Yaemon to the engine depot in the countryside.

- Mach Shinkansen. Urges Yaemon to go back to the countryside.

■ Related works

・"Inazuman" 3D pop-up movie
・"Mazinger Z vs. Dr. Hell"
・Kamen Rider X
・"Miracle Girl Limit-chan"
・"Cutie Honey"

The appeal and evaluation of "Yaemon the Train: The Great Adventure of D51"

"Yaemon the Train: The Great Adventure of D51" is a theatrical animation produced by Toei Animation and released in 1974. This work is based on Hiroyuki Agawa's picture book "Yaemon the Train," and depicts the adventures of the steam locomotive Yaemon against the backdrop of the steam locomotive boom at the time. Below, we will take a closer look at the appeal and reviews of this work.

The appeal of the story

The story of this film depicts the efforts of an old steam locomotive named Yaemon, who struggles to get back the ticket that was stolen from a gang, despite being mocked by his peers. Yaemon's character is portrayed as brave and courageous even in his old age, and he is a figure that gives courage and hope to children. The friendship between Yaemon and Tadashi is also an important element of the story, and there are many heartwarming scenes.

Particularly memorable is the scene where Yaemon chases the gang. The visual expression, which combines animation and live action, was a novel attempt that made full use of the technology of the time, and it has a visual impact. The sense of crisis that Yaemon may be scrapped also adds tension to the story.

Character Appeal

Yaemon appears as a D51 steam locomotive and is portrayed as a strong-willed character even in old age. Kazuo Kumakura's voice acting also adds depth to Yaemon's character. Yaemon's friend Tadashi, who supports Yaemon with the memories of his late father, is also impressive in his voice acting.

On the other hand, the villain characters, such as Gonta, who makes fun of Yaemon, and Jumbo, the gang boss, are also attractive. Jumbo's character in particular has a strong presence as a villain and adds tension to the story. In addition, the other locomotives, such as Haihai and Mach, are also drawn as unique characters, adding excitement to the story.

The appeal of visual expression

The film's visual expression is extremely unique in that it combines animation and live action. The visual expression, which makes full use of the technology of the time, has a visual impact and provides children with a fresh surprise. In addition, the realistic depiction of the steam locomotive and Emon's movements enhances the sense of realism of the story.

In particular, in the scene where Yaemon chases the gang, animation and live action are seamlessly blended together, creating a visual impact. Yaemon's facial expressions and movements are depicted in detail, visually expressing the character's emotions. These visual expressions make full use of the technology of the time, and enhance the appeal of the work.

The appeal of music

The music for this series was composed by Takeo Watanabe, who also composed the theme song "Yaemon the Train." The vocals by Ichiro Mizuki and the Royal Knights also add to the atmosphere of the series. The music in the series is also an important element in livening up Yaemon's adventure, evoking the emotions of the viewer.

In particular, the music in the scene where Yaemon chases the gang heightens the tension and stirs the emotions of the viewer. The music in the scene depicting the friendship between Yaemon and Tadashi also creates a heartwarming atmosphere. These pieces of music are important elements that enhance the appeal of the work.

Ratings and Recommendations

"Yaemon the Train: The Great Adventure of D51" is highly acclaimed as a work depicting the adventures of the steam locomotive Yaemon, set against the backdrop of the steam locomotive boom at the time. In particular, the fusion of animation and live action is highly praised as a novel attempt that made full use of the technology of the time. The character of Yaemon is also portrayed as brave and courageous even in old age, and is highly regarded as a presence that gives courage and hope to children.

The recommended points are as follows:

• A novel visual expression that combines animation and live action
• The brave figure of the old steam locomotive Yaemon
• Yaemon and Tadashi's heartwarming friendship
• Music by Takeo Watanabe and theme song by Ichiro Mizuki
• A story set against the backdrop of the steam locomotive boom of the time

For these reasons, I recommend "Yaemon the Train: The Great Adventure of D51" as a work that can be enjoyed by both children and adults. It is also recommended for those who want to experience the visual expression that makes full use of the technology of the time and the charm of steam locomotives.

Comparison with related works

This work has its own unique appeal compared to other works shown at the Toei Manga Festival. In particular, it was loved by many children because it was shown alongside popular works of the time such as "Inazuman: The Pop-up Movie" and "Mazinger Z vs. Dr. Hell." In addition, the visual expression and characters of this work stand out compared to other Toei works such as "Kamen Rider X," "Miracle Girl Limit-chan," and "Cutie Honey."

In particular, compared to "Inazuman: The Pop-Up Movie," the originality of this work's visual expression stands out. Also, compared to "Mazinger Z vs. Dr. Hell," the appeal of Yaemon's character stands out. Even compared to these works, this work has its own unique appeal, and has been loved by many viewers.

summary

"Yaemon the Train: The Great Adventure of D51" is highly acclaimed as a work depicting the adventures of the steam locomotive Yaemon, set against the backdrop of the steam locomotive boom at the time. In particular, the fusion of animation and live action is highly praised as a novel attempt that made full use of the technology of the time. The character of Yaemon is also portrayed as brave and courageous even in old age, and is highly regarded as a presence that gives courage and hope to children.

The reasons for recommending this film include the innovative visual expression of a fusion of animation and live action, the brave figure of the aged steam locomotive Yaemon, the heartwarming friendship between Yaemon and Tadashi, the music by Takeo Watanabe and the theme song by Ichiro Mizuki, and the story set against the backdrop of the steam locomotive boom at the time. For these reasons, we recommend "Yaemon the Train: The Great Adventure of D51" as a work that can be enjoyed by both children and adults. We also recommend it to those who want to experience the visual expression that makes full use of the technology of the time and the charm of steam locomotives.