The appeal and problems of Dame Oyaji: satire and empathy towards modern society

"Dame Oyaji": The appeal of this comedy anime that depicts the sorrows of Showa-era salarymen

■Overview of the work

"Dame Oyaji" is a TV anime series based on the manga of the same name by Mitsutoshi Furuya, which was broadcast on Tokyo 12 Channel from April 2nd to October 9th, 1974. It consists of 26 episodes, each 26 minutes long, and the broadcast time changed to Tuesdays, Fridays, and Wednesdays during the broadcast period. This work depicts in a humorous style the sorrow of the main character, Damesuke Ameno, who is treated as incompetent at work and is cruelly bullied by his wife and children at home.

■ Story

Amano Damesuke is treated as a useless employee at work, and at home he endures the relentless bullying from his wife and children. He works hard for his family, but he is abused and denied food every day, even though he earns too little. Damesuke's miserable life is one that gives viewers laughter and sympathy at the same time.

■Explanation

"Dame Oyaji" is based on the original manga by Mitsutoshi Furuya, and depicts the sorrows of a Showa era salaryman in a humorous style. The protagonist, Damesuke, is treated as incompetent at work, and is bullied by his wife and children at home. This work became a hot topic because comedian and character actor Akira Oizumi plays the lead role and sings the theme song. Oizumi's unique voice and acting bring out the character of Damesuke even more.

■Cast

• Amano Damesuke: Akira Oizumi
• Ameno Octopus Boy: Raimon Kenbo
• Fuyuko Ameno: Yura Aida, Keiko Nishioka (date of change unknown)
• Yukiko Amano: Akiko Inose, Kazuko Nagasawa (date of change unknown)

■ Main staff

• Producer: Saijo Katsumaro
• Planning: Seiichi Nishino
• Production manager: Kazuichi Tsurumi
• Composition: Toyohiro Ando
• Animation directors: Fumio Ikeno, Shinichi Fujii, Eiji Tanaka
• Photo: Tokinori Tobacco
• Edited by Junko Yoneyama
• Color setting: Noriko Imai
• Special art: Motoko Shibasaki
• Music: Amp
• Song selection: Keigo Tsunoda
• Sound effects: E&M Planning Center
• Recording studio: Bancho Studio
• Recording adjustment: Kazuo Harada
• Developed by Toyo Developing Lab
• Cooperation: Fujio Pro, Art Studio
• Produced by: NAC

■Theme song

OP

• "The Song of the Bad Dad"
• Lyricist: Sumiaki-kun
• Composer: Sumiaki-kun
• Arrangement: Sumiaki-kun
• Vocals: Ko Oizumi, Kenbo Raimon, Sakamoto Children's Choir

ED

• "Theme of Bad Father Love"
• Lyricist: Goro Goro
• Composer: Goro Go
• Arrangement: Goro Goro
• Sung by: Pen and Pencil

■ Main Characters

Amano Damesuke

The protagonist is an ordinary salaryman born in the Taisho era. He cannot look his wife Fuyuko in the eye because her parents paid off his past debts. He is a pathetic father who endures harsh bullying from his wife, daughter, and son, and continues to work like a horse for his family.

Fuyuko Amano

She is Damesuke's older wife and goes by the nickname Onibaba. Her hobby is to bully her unsuccessful husband Damesuke by letting out her daily frustrations and stress in hysterical outbursts. She has a sly and cunning personality.

Yukiko Amano

A female college student and the eldest daughter of the Amano family. She is beautiful and has a great figure, but her personality is cold and cruel, just like Onibaba.

Ameno Octopus Boy

He is the eldest son of the Ameno family and an elementary school student. Together with Onibaba and his sister, he takes out his daily frustrations on Damesuke, but sometimes he also shows concern for Damesuke.

■Subtitle

• Episode 1: "Fleeting Happiness" "The Mouth is the Source of Disaster" (1974/04/02)
• Episode 2: "Three Wishes" "Takobo's Wish" (1974/04/09)
• Episode 3: "Magic Mask" "Sad, Frustrating Payday" (1974/04/16)
• Episode 4: "Substitute Test" "Horrifying Wife Counselor" (1974/04/23)
• Episode 5: "The House of Fried Shrimp" and "Onibaba's Class Reunion" (1974/04/30)
• Episode 6: "I want to be free" "Please give me the President's Award" (1974/05/07)
• Episode 7: "Marry Me" "Even the Moon is Crying, No Men" (1974/05/14)
• Episode 8: "Gambaranakucha Intensive Training" "Scream Operation" (1974/05/21)
• Episode 9: "No Hiking" "Pencil Bag" (1974/05/28)
• Episode 10: "The Bully of the End" and "The Cursed Straw Doll" (1974/06/04)
• Episode 11: "Takobo's Diary" "I want to be a stone" (1974/06/11)
• Episode 12: "Uri Geller, the Bad Dad" and "The Book That Will Help Your Husband Succeed" (1974/06/18)
• Episode 13: "The Ocean is So Wide and Sad" and "Fleeting Dreams" (1974/06/25)
• Episode 14: "Takobo Runs Away" "Just Wait and See" (1974/07/12)
• Episode 15: "Crime and Punishment" "The Real Ghost" (1974/07/19)
• Episode 16: "Psychic Mission: The Final Chapter" "I Want a Car" (1974/08/02)
• Episode 17: "Face or Heart?" "The Cohabitation Era" (1974/08/09)
• Episode 18: "Rokubee's Bad Model" "Operation Evaporation Chikuwa" (1974/08/16)
• Episode 19: "Report Card Revealed" "Childhood and the Summer Sky" (1974/08/23)
• Episode 20: "The Painful One Hundred Million Yen" and "Good Marriage" (1974/08/30)
• Episode 21: "Unforgivable Betrayal" "The Festival Wasshoi Sumo Tournament" (September 6, 1974)
• Episode 22: "Cute Pet" and "Takobo's Birthday" (1974/09/13)
• Episode 23: "The Bad Dad Teacher Makes His Appearance" "Don't Get Married" (1974/09/20)
• Episode 24: "A Strange and Strange Sports Day" and "Typhoon Incident" (1974/09/27)
• Episode 25: "The Ameno Family's Drifting Adventure" "The Love and Sincerity of a Useless Father" (1974/10/02)
• Episode 26: "Takobo's younger brother" "My younger brother's name is Ikataro" (1974/10/09)

■ Evaluation and impressions

"Dame Oyaji" was well received by many viewers as a comedy-style depiction of the sorrows of Showa-era office workers. In particular, the harsh treatment the main character, Damesuke, receives at work and at home has been praised for evoking laughter and sympathy in viewers at the same time. In addition, Oizumi Akira's unique voice and acting further enhanced Damesuke's character, leaving a strong impression on viewers.

The work reflects the Showa period and satirizes the social and domestic problems of the time. In particular, the theme of bullying from wives and children symbolizes the domestic violence and domestic violence issues of the time, and encourages viewers to think deeply.

In addition, the subtitles and stories of each episode are also very unique, and are designed to keep viewers interested. For example, in episodes such as "The Magic Mask" and "Uri Geller, the Bad Dad," Damesuke tries various ways to escape from his family's bullying, providing laughs to viewers.

■ Recommendation points

"Dame Oyaji" is popular with many viewers as a comedy-style depiction of the sorrows of Showa-era office workers. In particular, the harsh treatment the main character, Damesuke, receives at work and at home has been praised for evoking laughter and sympathy in viewers at the same time. In addition, Oizumi Akira's unique voice and acting further enhance Damesuke's character, leaving a strong impression on viewers.

The show reflects the Showa era and satirizes the social and domestic problems of the time. In particular, the theme of bullying from wives and children symbolizes the domestic violence and domestic violence issues of the time, and encourages viewers to think deeply. The subtitles and stories of each episode are also very unique, and are designed to keep viewers interested. For example, in episodes such as "The Magic Mask" and "Uri Geller, the Useless Dad," Damesuke is shown trying various ways to escape the bullying from his family, providing laughs to the viewers.

"Dame Oyaji" is popular with many viewers as a comedy-style depiction of the sorrows of Showa-era office workers. In particular, the harsh treatment the protagonist Damesuke receives at work and at home has been praised for making viewers laugh and sympathize at the same time. In addition, Oizumi Akira's unique voice and acting further enhance Damesuke's character, leaving a strong impression on viewers. The work reflects the Showa era and satirizes the social and domestic problems of the time. In particular, the theme of bullying from wives and children symbolizes the domestic violence and domestic violence issues of the time, and encourages viewers to think deeply. In addition, the subtitles and stories of each episode are very unique, and are designed to keep viewers from getting bored. For example, Damesuke is depicted trying to escape the bullying from his family by various means, such as "The Magic Mask" and "Uri Geller of the Bad Father," providing laughter to viewers.