Go Tabuchi!! First Laugh Part 3 review: What is the appeal of a delinquent life?

Go Tabuchi-kun!! First Laugh Part 3: Ah, the Rebellious Life

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

comics

■ Release date

December 13, 1980 - January 1, 0000

■Distribution company

Toho Towa

■ Eirin Number

110256

■Frequencies

95 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

Ishii Hisaichi

■ Director

Tsutomu Shibayama

■Works

©Hisaichi Ishii/Futabasha, TMS

■ Story

The Seibu Lions and Tabuchi-kun, and the Yakult Swallows and Yasuda are still lackluster. But they spend their days carefree. Tabuchi-kun plays rock-paper-scissors with Miyoko for housework, and Yasuda holds a magic pitching class for children... How will Tabuchi-kun and his team perform in the new season?

■Explanation

This is the third film in the series based on the baseball four-frame manga "Ganbare!! Tabuchi-kun" by Hisaichi Ishii. It contains not only actual baseball scenes, but also commercial material and material based on the draft meeting.

■Cast

・Tabuchi / Toshiyuki Nishida ・Mrs. Miyoko / Terumi Niki ・Yasuda / Takeshi Aono ・Director Nemoto / Kenji Utsumi ・Owner Tsutsumi / Kaneta Kimotsuki ・Hirooka / Michio Hazama

■ Main staff

・Original story by Hisaichi Ishii ・Director by Tsutomu Shibayama ・Screenplay by Hideo Takayashiki ・Chief animation directors by Osamu Kobayashi and Minoru Maeda ・Music by Hiroki Inui ・Theme song
OP
"Good luck!! Tabuchi-kun!!"
Sung by Crazy Party Lyrics by Fumiko Okada Music by Kaname Nemoto Arrangement by Hiroki Inui
ED
"If you try hard, you'll find love"
Sung by Crazy Party Lyrics by Akira Ito Music by Eiichi Ohtaki Arrangement by Hiroki Inui

■ Main Characters

・Catcher for the Seibu Lions. He is obese and slow, so even if he hits a home run, he is often out at first base. He sometimes leads a self-indulgent life, but he is a good person at heart.

Mrs. Miyoko Tabuchi's wife. She supports her useless husband with all her heart, but sometimes she shows her violent side. The couple has a very good relationship.

・Yasuda is a pitcher for the Yakult Swallows. He is a bad friend of Tabuchi's and has a bad mouth, and often heckles during games.

・Coach Nemoto is the coach of the Seibu Lions. Because he is the coach of a small team, he is always giving his players a hard time.

Owner of the Seibu Lions. He comes up with ideas for events that use Tabuchi-kun, but the players have a hard time with them.

Hirooka is the former manager of the Yakult Swallows. He later became a commentator for baseball broadcasts. He doesn't get along well with Yasuda.

■Detailed evaluation

"Ganbare!! Tabuchi-kun!! First Laughs Part 3: Ah, Rebellious Life" is the third film in the series based on Ishii Hisaichi's popular four-panel baseball manga "Ganbare!! Tabuchi-kun," and was released on December 13, 1980. Although the story is set in the world of baseball, it is notable for its humorous and satirical story development. Below, we will explain in detail the appeal and highlights of this work, as well as its background.

The appeal of the story

The story of this series depicts the daily lives of the still lackluster Seibu Lions and Tabuchi-kun, and the Yakult Swallows and Yasuda. Scenes such as Tabuchi-kun playing rock-paper-scissors with Miyoko for housework and Yasuda holding a magic pitching class for children provide viewers with laughs. The series also depicts their struggles in preparation for the new season, making it enjoyable for both baseball fans and general viewers.

Character Appeal

Tabuchi is a catcher for the Seibu Lions, a slow runner due to his obesity, who often gets out at first base even when he hits a home run. However, his self-indulgent lifestyle and the fact that he is a good person at heart make him appealing to viewers. Miyoko is Tabuchi's wife, and although she can sometimes show a violent side, the good relationship between the couple is clear. Yasuda is a pitcher for the Yakult Swallows, and is a humorous character who is Tabuchi's bad friend and often heckles the team during games. The individual personalities of these characters add to the appeal of the entire work.

Background and influences

"Ganbare!! Tabuchi-kun" began serialization in Futabasha's manga magazine Manga Action in 1976, and became a popular four-panel manga about baseball. It was also adapted into a film series, with three films released between 1979 and 1980. This is the third film in the series, and it was directed by Shibayama Tsutomu, who also directed Lupin III. The screenplay was written by Takayashiki Hideo, the animation directors were Kobayashi Osamu and Maeda Minoru, the music was by Inui Hiroki, and the theme song was by Crazy Party. The combined efforts of these staff members have raised the quality of the work.

Attractions and reviews

The highlight of this series is not only the baseball scenes, but also the many humorous scenes with motifs of commercials and the draft meeting. In particular, the rock-paper-scissors match between Tabuchi-kun and Miyoko and Yasuda's magic ball class will provide viewers with laughs. There are also many scenes that satirize the world of baseball, providing baseball fans with a new perspective to enjoy. The storyline, which combines humor and satire, and the appeal of the unique characters were highly praised, and the series was well received by viewers at the time.

■Recommendation details

"Ganbare!! Tabuchi-kun!! First Laughs Vol. 3: Ah, a Rebellious Life" is a work recommended not only for baseball fans, but also for viewers who enjoy humor. In particular, it is a must-see for those who want to enjoy the exploits of unique characters such as Tabuchi-kun and Yasuda. There are also many scenes that satirize the world of baseball, so it is recommended for those who want to know about the behind-the-scenes of baseball and the human relationships of players. Furthermore, it is recommended as a valuable resource for those who want to know the history of Japanese movies and animations from the 1980s.

Related information

The original work of this film, "Ganbare!! Tabuchi-kun", continues to be loved by many fans even today. You can get more detailed information from the book published by Futabasha and feature articles in various media. In addition, the other films in the series are available on DVD and through streaming services, so if you're interested, be sure to check them out.