The appeal and evaluation of "Ichikyu-san": New possibilities for baseball anime

"Ichikyu-san": A deep dive into Shinji Mizushima's third baseball anime

■Overview of the work

"Ikkyu-san" is a baseball anime series written by Shinji Mizushima that aired in 1978. It tells the story of Sanada Ikkyu, a descendant of a ninja, who joins the Giant Academy baseball team despite having no baseball experience and aims to play in Koshien. Although it was only broadcast for a short period of 26 episodes, the unique setting of combining baseball and ninjas became a hot topic.

■ Story

Sanada Ippyū was born as a descendant of a ninja and joined the Giants Academy baseball team. However, he had no experience playing baseball. Meanwhile, the three baseball players, Horita Mikichi, Ikkaku Shiro, and Tsukasa Koji, join the team, and the team's ace Otomo Shun and others harbor resentment towards the coach, Iwakaze Goro. However, thanks to the efforts of Ippyū and his friends, the team advances through the Koshien Tournament.

■Explanation

"Ichikyu-san" is the third installment of Shinji Mizushima's baseball anime series. The setting of combining the descendants of ninjas with high school baseball is very unusual, and it gave viewers a fresh surprise. However, it is regrettable that it only has 26 episodes compared to the original, and if it had been broadcast for longer, it may have gained more fans.

■Cast

The voice actors for the main characters are as follows:

• Sanada Ippyū: Mizushima Yutaka
• Wu Kuro: Kazuya Tatekabe
• Shun Otomo: Kazuyuki Sogabe
• Mikiyo Hotta: Toshio Furukawa
• Koji Tsukasa: Toru Furuya
• Shiro Ikkaku: Masaya Taki
• Goro Iwaki: Akio Nojima
• Harashima: Koji Yada
• Renjiro Gomi: Shojiro Kihara
• Nakazawa: Yuji Mitsuya
• Three Stripes: Masato Tsujimura
• Rentaro Gomi: Shozo Iizuka
• Reiko Ashida: Chiyoko Kawashima
• Yasutake: Masako Nozawa
• Michi: Sanae Takagi

■ Main staff

The main staff involved in the production are as follows:

• Screenplay: Seiji Matsuoka, Ryuzo Nakanishi, Taketomi Oshima, Koichi Mitsuide
• Music: Masaji Maruyama, Toyohisa Araki
• Animation director: Toshiyuki Honda, Sadayoshi Tominaga
• Art director: Goichi Kudo
• Director of photography: Tatsumasa Shimizu, Nobuo Kobayashi
• Recording Director: Noriyoshi Matsuura
• Color designation: Yoko Hosouchi
• Illustrations: Tomekichi Takeuchi, Shinichi Suzuki, Michiyo Yamada, Yoshihiro Owada, and others
• Background: Ken Kawai and Nobuo Numai
• Photo: TransArts
• Literature: Eiji Okabe, Seiji Matsuoka
• Recording studio: Shinsaka Studio
• Edited by: Kazuo Inoue and Hiroko Koshino
• Storyboard: Masu Masu, Shigetsugu Yoshida, Taketomi Oshima, Koichi Mitsuide
• Assistant Directors: Makoto Moriwaki, Ryo Hirahara
• Production desk: Yoshifusa Sanada
• Produced by: Shinei Animation
• Directed by: Hiroshi Fukutomi
• Producer: Ihiro Oba
• Production: Nippon Animation, Fuji Television

■Subtitle

The subtitles and broadcast dates for each episode are as follows:

• Episode 01: One ball appears (1978/04/10)
• Episode 02: First At-Bat (1978/04/17)
• Episode 03: One Ball and Three Ball Players (1978/04/24)
• Episode 04: One pitch vs. a fastball (1978/05/01)
• Episode 05: One Pitch, One Throw (1978/05/08)
• Episode 06: One big hit (1978/05/15)
• Episode 07: Go for it! (1978/05/22)
• Episode 08: Roar the ball (1978/05/29)
• Episode 09: One-ball training (1978/06/05)
• Episode 10: Run the bases (1978/06/12)
• Episode 11: One-ball assault (1978/06/19)
• Episode 12: One big jump (1978/06/26)
• Episode 13: The Scream of a Ball (1978/07/03)
• Episode 14: One ball of existence (1978/07/17)
• Episode 15: One ball, one road (1978/07/24)
• Episode 16: One Pitch Lesson (1978/07/31)
• Episode 17: Unbeatable (1978/08/07)
• Episode 18: One ball and two (1978/08/14)
• Episode 19: One Ball Hymn (1978/08/21)
• Episode 20: Go for it (1978/09/04)
• Episode 21: Put your soul into each pitch (1978/09/11)
• Episode 22: One Pitch, One Hit (1978/09/18)
• Episode 23: Dreaming of a Pitch (1978/09/25)
• Episode 24: No Regrets About This Pitch (1978/10/09)
• Episode 25: Aim for the Glorious Pitch! (1978/10/16)
• Episode 26: Hear the Poetry of a Ball (1978/10/23)

■ Related works

Ichikyu-san is also related to other baseball anime series by Shinji Mizushima, in particular:

• Dokaben
• Baseball Fanatic's Song

■ Theme songs and music

The opening and ending themes are as follows:

Opening Theme

• "I can hear the song of youth"
• Lyricist: Yasutomi Yasugo
• Composer: Toyohisa Araki
• Arrangement: Masahito Maruyama
• Vocals: Toyohisa Araki

Ending Theme

• "One ball."
• Lyricist: Yasutomi Yasugo
• Composer: Toyohisa Araki
• Arrangement: Masahito Maruyama
• Vocals: Mitsuko Horie

These songs were released by Nippon Columbia and the record number is SCS-412.

■ Evaluation and recommendation

"Ichikyu-san" is a particularly unique work among Shinji Mizushima's baseball anime series. With the addition of the setting of a ninja descendant, it is not just a baseball anime, but can also be enjoyed as a story of adventure and growth. Although it was only broadcast for a short period of 26 episodes, each episode depicts Ichikyu's growth and the bonds of the team, and has the power to draw viewers in.

What is particularly impressive is how Ikkyu contributes to the team using his ninja skills despite having no experience in baseball. This shows the importance of overcoming difficulties through hard work and ingenuity. The friendship and conflict between Ikkyu and the three baseball players also add depth to the story and move the viewers.

In terms of music, the opening and ending theme songs composed by Toyohisa Araki add to the atmosphere of the work. In particular, the ending theme "Ichikyu-san" by Mitsuko Horie's voice gently envelops Ichikyu's feelings, leaving a lasting impression on viewers.

"Ichikyu-san" is recommended not only for baseball fans, but also for those who like sports anime and youth dramas. Although it is a short series, it is packed with a rich story and charm of characters. Please give it a watch.

■ Detailed information and supplementary information

Let's take a closer look at the production background and staff behind "Ichikyu-san." Director Hiroshi Fukutomi had already directed many works at the time, and he used that experience to complete this work. In addition, the screenwriters Seiji Matsuoka and Ryuzo Nakanishi faithfully reproduced Shinji Mizushima's original work while successfully bringing out the appeal of a TV anime.

Animation directors Toshiyuki Honda and Sadayoshi Tominaga meticulously depicted the characters' movements and expressions, visually expressing Ippyū's growth and his relationship with the three pitchers. Art director Goichi Kudo realistically depicted the backdrops of the baseball field and school, creating an environment that immerses the viewer in the story.

On the music side, Masaji Maruyama and Toyohisa Araki teamed up to provide background music that matched the atmosphere of the work. In particular, the music that brings out the tension and excitement of the match scenes touches the hearts of viewers. Yasutomi Yasugo, who wrote the lyrics for the theme song, also deeply moved viewers by incorporating the passion and friendship of youth into the lyrics.

"Ichikyu-san" has gained many fans since it was first broadcast, and it still boasts enduring popularity. In particular, the innovative setting of combining baseball and ninjas sets it apart from other baseball anime. Although the number of episodes is short, the story that depicts the growth of the characters and the bonds between the team continues to inspire viewers.

The related works "Dokaben" and "Yakyūkyō no Uta" are also highly acclaimed baseball anime series by Shinji Mizushima. By watching these works together, you can gain a deeper understanding of Shinji Mizushima's passion and perspective on baseball.

"Ichikyu-san" is not only a baseball anime, but also a youth drama that can be enjoyed. Please watch it once and experience its charm.