Review of "Gekisou! Ruben Kaiser - Speed ​​and Passion"

Ruben Kayser: A Formula 1 racing anime of speed and passion

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Broadcast period

October 10, 1977 - February 8, 1978
October 10, 1977 to February 6, 1978 Every Monday 19:00-19:30
17 episodes, 30 minutes each

■Broadcasting station

TV Asahi

■Frequencies

half an hour

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 17

■Original Story

Odo Isao

■ Director

Chief Director/Yuji Nunokawa

■ Production

Production cooperation: Toei/Wako Productions

■ Story

F1 driver Shunsuke Hayami, who was kicked out of his team for wrecking his car, is scouted by his father's old friend Ginjiro Arashi. Shunsuke joins the Kaiser team run by Ginjiro and competes in the F1 championship, driving the team's ultra-high-performance car, the Ruben Kaiser Formula 1.

■Explanation

This work is one of the anime works produced in response to the supercar boom that swept Japan in the late 1970s. It was produced by Toei Headquarters, not the animation production company Toei Animation. It was produced with the cooperation of manga artist Sugaya Mitsuru, who is knowledgeable about motorsports, professional racing driver Hoshino Kazuyoshi, and Suzuka Circuit, with the aim of creating a full-fledged racing anime program.

In the 1970s, Japan saw a rapid development of car culture and a boom in supercars. In this context, the appearance of an anime based on F1 racing was a fresh experience for viewers. In particular, the realistic portrayal of the technology and strategies of F1 races at the time made it enjoyable for adults as well as children. In addition, the intensity and sense of speed of the racing scenes are highly praised, considering the level of technology at the time.

Motorsports experts and actual racing drivers were involved in the production of this work, and its realism sets it apart from other anime works. In particular, the racing scenes supervised by Kazuyoshi Hoshino succeeded in conveying the excitement of a real F1 race to the viewers. In addition, Mitsuru Sugaya's original character designs vividly portrayed the personalities of racing drivers, adding depth to the story.

■Cast

・Shunsuke Hayami/Yuji Mitsuya/Ginjiro Arashi/Goro Naya/Jody Collins/Osamu Ichikawa/Yohei Takagi/Ritsuo Sawa/Ryoko Takagi/Naoko Takahashi, Mayumi Tanaka/Narrator/Ichiro Murakoshi

The cast of this work includes many popular voice actors from the time, who bring out the charm of the characters to the fullest. Mitsuya Yuji's Hayami Shunsuke exudes youth and passion, while also realistically portraying the anguish and growth process he sometimes shows. Naya Goro's Arashi Ginjiro is a character who is both strict and warm, and has left a deep impression on viewers. Ichikawa Osamu, who plays Jodie Collins, skillfully expresses the strength and humanity of a rival, adding tension to the story.

■ Main staff

・Original work by Odo Isao・Supervision by Hoshino Kazuyoshi and Inagaki Kenzo・Planning by Matsunaga Hide, Iijima Kei and Abe Seiji・Producers by Usui Yuyake and Honda Tsuyoshi・Chief Director by Nunokawa Yuji・Character design by Sugaya Mitsuru・Animation characters by Okasako Nobuhiro・Mechanic design by Murakami Katsuji and Design Office Mechaman・Screenplay by Tamura Tatsuo, Murayama Shozo and Tomita Sukehiro・Music by Kikuchi Shunsuke・Sound recording director by Ishida Tadakata・Casting cooperation by Theatre Echo・Planning cooperation by Suzuka Circuit・Production cooperation by Wako Productions・Production by TV Asahi, Toei and Daihiro

The production staff for this series is made up of experts from various fields, and their high quality is reflected throughout the series. In particular, the realism of the racing scenes supervised by Kazuyoshi Hoshino and the unique character designs by Mitsuru Sugaya left a strong impression on viewers. In addition, Shunsuke Kikuchi's music was an important element in enhancing the sense of speed and dramatic development of the races.

■ Main Characters

Shunsuke Hayami is a racing driver who belongs to the Kaiser Team. He competes in the F1 Championship with the Ruben Kaiser Formula 1, a car left behind by his late father, Georg Kaiser.

Arashi Ginjiro is the owner of the Kaiser team, a racer who was once called the legendary racer. He scouts Shunsuke, the son of his best friend, to join the team and trains him rigorously to help him grow.

Jody Collins
The F1 champion and a strong rival to Shunsuke.

The daughter of the owner of the team that Shunsuke was fired from. Although she treats Shunsuke with a haughty attitude, she is concerned about him having been transferred to a minor league team.

Hayami Shunsuke is the central character of the story, and his growth and challenges move viewers. In particular, his struggle to carry out his father's will resonated with many viewers. Arashi Ginjiro is portrayed as a strict leader, but also a father figure who warmly watches over Shunsuke's growth. Jodie Collins plays an important role as Shunsuke's rival, adding tension to the story and encouraging his growth. Takagi Ryoko brings out Shunsuke's humanity through her relationship with him, adding depth to the story.

■ Main robot items

・Ruben Kaiser Fumuller 1
A formula car designed by Georg Kayser. It is a six-wheeled vehicle with two rear axles on each side. It was inspired by the Tyrrell P34, a four-wheeled F1 car that was the subject of discussion at the time of the program's production.

The Ruben Kaiser Fümuller 1 is the iconic car of the series, and its design and performance left a strong impression on viewers. In particular, its innovative six-wheeled design reflected the technological innovations of the time in F1 racing, and attracted viewers' interest. It also played a central role in the story as the car that carried on Georg Kaiser's legacy.

■Subtitle

Episode 1: Start! Japan Grand Prix (10/10/1977)
・Episode 2: Full throttle!
・Episode 3: The Amazing Six-Wheel Vehicle ・Episode 4: A Spin Turn of Will ・Episode 5: A Dangerous Snow and Ice Rally
・Episode 6: The Cup Dedicated to Mother ・Episode 7: Who is the Deadly Training for?
Episode 8: Beat the Big Machines Episode 9: The Daredevil F1 Guy Episode 10: The Friendship of a Small Bird Episode 11: First Time in the Monte Carlo Rally Episode 12: The Man Who Disappeared from the Circuit Episode 13: Let's Go! South African GP
・Episode 14/Try and win!
Episode 15: Turnaround! Monaco GP
Episode 16: Behold! The Pride of a Racer Episode 17: The Start to Glory (February 6, 1978)

The subtitles of each episode encapsulated the thrill and drama of the race, heightening the viewers' expectations. In particular, episodes such as "The Incredible Six-Wheeler" and "The Monaco GP: A Turnaround" left a strong impression on viewers and excited them as the story unfolded. Additionally, episodes such as "The Cup Dedicated to My Mother" and "The Friendship of a Little Bird" depicted human dramas outside of the race, capturing the hearts of viewers.

■ Theme songs and music

・OP1
・Gekisou! Ruben Kaiser ・Lyrics by Saburo Yatsude ・Music and arrangement by Shunsuke Kikuchi ・Singer by Isao Sasaki, Korogi '73

・ED1
・Because it's the path you chose・Lyrics by Saburo Yatsude・Composition and Arrangement by Shunsuke Kikuchi・Singer by Isao Sasaki

The opening theme, "Gekisou! Ruben Kaiser," is a masterpiece that sings of the speed and passion of the race, and had the effect of lifting the hearts of the viewers. In particular, Sasaki Isao and Orogi '73's powerful singing voice remains in the memory as a symbol of the theme of the work. The ending theme, "Omae ga Erenda Michi Dakara," is an inspiring song that sings of Hayami Shunsuke's growth and challenges, and resonated deeply with the viewers.

■ Evaluation and recommendation

"Gekisou! Ruben Kayser" is an F1 racing anime that was produced against the backdrop of the supercar boom of the 1970s and was loved by many viewers. Its realistic racing scenes and deep human drama were popular with a wide range of people, from children to adults. Also, considering the level of technology at the time, the intensity and sense of speed of the racing scenes are highly praised.

The appeal of this work is undoubtedly the story of Hayami Shunsuke's growth and challenges. The way he follows his father's will and competes in the F1 championship moves the audience. Characters such as Arashi Ginjiro and Jody Collins also add depth to the story and capture the hearts of the audience. Furthermore, the innovative design and performance of the Ruben Kayser Fümuller 1 attracted the interest of the audience and became the symbol of the work.

The reasons why I recommend this work are as follows:

• Realistic Race Scenes: The race scenes supervised by Kazuyoshi Hoshino succeeded in conveying the excitement of a real F1 race to viewers.
• Deep human drama: The story depicts deep human drama, including Hayami Shunsuke's growth and challenges, and his relationships with Arashi Ginjiro and Jodie Collins.
• A Novelty Machine: The Ruben Kaiser Fumuller 1's innovative six-wheeled design captured the interest of viewers.
• Famous Theme Song : The opening theme "Gekisou! Ruben Kaiser" and the ending theme "Omae ga Eranda Michi Dakara" are masterpieces that symbolize the theme of the work.

"Gekisou! Ruben Kayser" is a masterpiece anime that depicts the speed and passion of F1 racing, and is a work that will move and excite viewers. It is a work that should be watched at least once, especially by viewers who love racing and those who remember the supercar boom of the 1970s. It is also a work that can be recommended to viewers who want to enjoy a deep human drama.