"I Am Tetsubei" review: What is Tetsubei's story and what is its appeal?

"I am Tetsuhei": A story of growth from a wild child to a kendo boy

The TV anime series "Ore wa Tetsubei" aired from 1977 to 1978 and is based on the manga of the same name by Chiba Tetsuya. This anime tells the story of the protagonist, Uesugi Tetsubei, who grows from a wild child into a kendo boy. Below, we will take a closer look at the appeal of this work, the production background, cast and staff, and recommended points for viewers.

story

Uesugi Tetsuhei is a 14-year-old boy. He lives with his father, who wanders the mountains in search of buried treasure. He has no academic ability or common sense, and is the epitome of barbarism. However, one day he encounters kendo, and using his athletic ability and leadership skills, he begins to pursue the path of kendo. Tetsuhei gradually grows up in this unrestrained life, and transforms into a strong, strong kendo boy.

Commentary

"Ore wa Tetsubei" is based on a school kendo manga serialized in "Weekly Shonen Magazine" by Chiba Tetsuya from the mid-1970s. Shin-Ei Animation was in charge of the actual production of the anime, which may seem surprising now. In addition, famous staff such as Nagahama Tadao and Kondo Yoshifumi participated in the direction, showing the luxury of the production team at the time.

cast

The main cast is as follows:

• Uesugi Tetsuhei: Masako Nozawa
• Hiromi Uesugi: Masao Imanishi
• Shinobu Uesugi: Akiko Tsuboi
• Tae Uesugi: Naoko Kyoda
• Kenichi: Takashi Tsumura
• Yoshiyuki: Toru Furuya
• Yuriko: Chiyoko Kawashima
• Momoe: Keiko Han
• Kanako: Makoto Takasaka
• Yoshioka: Shozo Iizuka
• Miura: Naoki Tatsuta
• Furuhat: Yoko Matsuoka

Many of the voice actors were popular at the time, which added to the appeal of the work.

Main Staff

The production staff is as follows:

• Original work: Tetsuya Chiba's "I am Tetsuhei", serialized in Weekly Shonen Magazine
• Produced by: Koichi Motohashi
• Production management: Mitsuru Takakuwa
• Planning: Shoji Sato
• Music: Chumei Watanabe
• Assistant Director: Shigenori Yoshida (director)
• Directed by: Tadao Nagahama and Shigenori Yoshida
• Producers: Ihiro Ooba, Soichi Bekshi
• Screenplay: Shunichi Yukimuro, Yoshiaki Yoshida, Taketoyo Oshima, Soji Yoshikawa, Koichi Mizuide, Seiji Matsuoka
• Storyboard: Shigetoshi Yoshida, Hiroshi Fukutomi, Tsutomu Shibayama, Seiji Okuda, Hajime Zama, Yoshifumi Kondo, Satoshi Dezaki, Motoyuki Takada, Makoto Nakahara, Tsutomu Kobayashi
• Character design: Daikichirou Kusube
• Animation directors: Daikichirou Kusube, Toshiyuki Honda, Sadayoshi Tominaga
• Layout (scene setting): Yasuo Otsuka, Tsutomu Shibayama, and others
• Art director: Seihei Kawamoto, Goichi Kudo
• Director of photography: Tatsumasa Shimizu, Nobuo Koyama
• Recording Director: Noriyoshi Matsuura
• Color designation: Yoko Hosouchi, Mitsuko Yamaki
• Illustrations: Yoshifumi Kondo, Tomekichi Takeuchi, Eiichi Nakamura, Toshiyuki Honda, Hisatoshi Motoki
• Finishing touch: Studio Robin
• Background: Goichi Kudo, Nobuaki Numai, Kenichi Kawai
• Photo: TransArts
• Mixer: Tsuguo Nakatogawa
• Effects: Hidenori Ishida
• Recording studio: Shinsaka Studio
• Literature: Seiji Matsuoka
• Photo lab: Tokyo Photo lab
• Edited by: Hiroko Koshino
• Director: Shigenori Yoshida
• Assistant Director: Toshifumi Takizawa
• Production desk: Yoshifusa Sanada
• Produced by: Shinei Animation
• Production cooperation: Tokyo Animation Film, Atelier Roku, Audio Planning You, Studio Mates, Studio Life, and others.
• Production: Nippon Animation, Fuji TV

These staff members are highly regarded in their respective fields, and it was through their hands that "I Am Tetsubei" was completed.

subtitle

The subtitles for all 28 episodes are as follows:

• 01: The Mysterious Bully (1977/09/12)
• 02: Secret of Father and Son (1977/09/19)
• 03: Dynamite and Buried Treasure (1977/09/26)
• 04: Mominoki Gakuen Showdown (1977/10/03)
• 05: Farewell to the Town of Meisen (1977/10/10)
• 06: Reunion after 12 years (1977/10/17)
• 07: Ghosts of the Uesugi Family (1977/10/24)
• 08: Let's go, Tomato Swordplay (1977/10/31)
• 09: School is my playground (1977/11/07)
• 10. A Crying Rampage (1977/11/14)
• 11. The Sports Club's Outcast (11/21/1977)
• 12: Training is fun (1977/11/28)
• 13: My Little Lover Comes to Tokyo (1977/12/05)
• 14: After School Three-Round Match (12/12/1977)
• 15: Leave the Fighting to Me (1977/12/19)
• 16: I Did It! Sword Fighting (1977/12/26)
• 17: Enough with the autographs (1978/01/09)
• 18: I'm Not Giving Up on the Kendo Club (1978/01/16)
• 19: Grandpa Sone is cool (1978/01/23)
• 20: Let's go with the cute girl!! (1978/01/30)
• 21: Dad's Great Escape Plan (1978/02/06)
• 22: The Return of the Wild Boy (1978/02/13)
• 23: Training camps are fun! (1978/02/20)
• 24: Let's eat rice balls and do our best! (1978/02/27)
• 25: Hey, I'm Alive! (1978/03/06)
• 26: I got a match! (1978/03/13)
• 27: Go all out! (1978/03/20)
• 28: I did it, Iron Dragonfly Swordsmanship! (1978/03/27)

Theme songs and music

The opening and ending themes are as follows:

• OP "I am Tetsuhei"
• Lyricist: Yasutomi Yasugo
• Composer: Chumei Watanabe
• Arrangement: Chumei Watanabe
• Sung by Fusako Fujimoto, Korogi '73, Columbia Yurikago-kai
• Ending theme: "Crab, Crab"
• Lyrics: Tetsuya Chiba, Yasutomi Yasugo
• Composer: Chumei Watanabe
• Arrangement: Chumei Watanabe
• Sung by Fusako Fujimoto, Korogi '73, Columbia Yurikago-kai

Appeal and recommendation points of the work

"I Am Tetsubei" depicts the importance of growth, friendship, and hard work through the story of the protagonist who grows from a wild child into a kendo boy. Tetsubei's character is fascinating and inspiring as he gradually matures from his initial savagery. Also, the brilliance of youth and the bonds with friends depicted through the sport of kendo are not to be missed.

Furthermore, the work features the participation of many famous staff and voice actors from that time, and the quality of the production is evident. In particular, the direction of Tadao Nagahama and Yoshifumi Kondo gives the work depth and power. Chumei Watanabe's music also enhances the atmosphere of the work and has the power to draw the viewer in.

Here are some recommendations for viewers:

• A moving story of growth: Through Tetsubei's growth, you can feel the importance of hard work and the value of friendship.
• The appeal of Kendo: The brilliance of youth and the bonds between friends depicted through the sport of Kendo are moving.
• A stellar cast and crew: The production is of high quality, with many of the famous staff and voice actors from the time taking part.
• Nostalgia and freshness: Although it was made in the 1970s, it still has a fresh appeal when viewed today.

As mentioned above, "I Am Tetsubei" is a moving story of growth, the charm of kendo, and a work that conveys the high quality of the production by a luxurious staff and cast. Please watch it once and experience its charm.