Glick's Adventure: A thorough review of the fascinating story and character depth

The Adventures of Glick: A story of a chipmunk's journey and growth

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

novel

■ Release date

July 21, 1981 - January 1, 0000

■Distribution company

Joint Film National Association Conference

■ Eirin Number

110507

■Frequencies

85 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

Atsuo Saito

■ Director

Hideo Nishimaki

■ Production

Animation Production: Studio Furumi

■ Story

Glick, a chipmunk, was kept by humans along with his sister Flak in an apartment in the city. He is told by his carrier pigeon Pipo about a northern forest where many squirrels live. Growing in love with the forest, Glick sets off on a journey alone. He learns about the vastness and beauty of nature, and the harshness of living freely.

■Explanation

The film is based on a children's novel by Atsuo Saito, which won the Newcomer's Award from the Japan Association of Children's Literature Writers. It is the first of a trilogy consisting of "The Adventures of Glick," "The Adventurers: Gamba and His Fifteen Friends," and "The Adventures of Gamba and the Otter," and was made into a feature-length animated feature film. The second film, "The Adventurers: Gamba and His Fifteen Friends," was made into a television series called "The Adventures of Gamba."

■Cast

・Glick/Yutaka Mizushima ・Nonnon/Yoko Asagami ・Pippo/Kosei Tomita ・Gamba/Takeshi Aono ・Flack/Rihoko Yoshida

■ Main staff

・Original story/Atsuo Saito・Director/Hideo Nishimaki・Screenplay/Yasuo Tanami・Character layout/Yoshio Kabashima・Direction/Mineo Fuji・Chief animation directors/Takeshi Yamazaki, Hiroshi Kuzuoka・Art director/Azuma Nakachika・Director of photography/Yoshihiro Yuzuki・Editor/Kazuo Inoue・Music/Reijiro Koroku・Animation production/Studio Furumi・Production/Kyodo Eiga Nationwide Series Conference, Studio Furumi

■ Main Characters

Glick: A chipmunk kept by humans. He sets off on a journey to the northern forest where his many friends live.

・The sewer rat that Gamba Grick first encountered on his journey.

A disabled chipmunk girl that Nonnon met at the zoo. She follows Glick on his journey and decides to join him on his journey.

■Detailed evaluation and recommendation

■ Background and production process of the work

The Adventures of Glick is a 1981 Japanese animated film based on a children's novel by Atsuo Saito. It is the first of Atsuo Saito's trilogy and the beginning of the story that continues with Gamba the Adventurer and Gamba the Otter. The original novel won the Newcomer's Award from the Japan Association of Children's Writers and is highly regarded for its literary merit.

The animation was produced by Studio Furumi, and the director was Nishimaki Hideo, a director with a long history in children's animation, and the work was completed under his guidance. The script was written by Tanami Yasuo, the character layout was by Kabashima Yoshio, and the animation directors were Yamazaki Takeshi and Kuzuoka Hiroshi. It can be said that the cooperation of these staff members brought out the best in the original work.

■ The appeal of the story

The story of "The Adventures of Glick" is about Glick, a chipmunk kept in an apartment in the city, who sets off on a journey to the northern forest. Glick hears about the northern forest from his carrier pigeon, Pipo, and dreams of meeting the many squirrels who live there. Glick grows as he interacts with the various animals he meets along the way and experiences the harshness of nature. This story depicts the longing for freedom and the importance of self-actualization, and is deeply moving for children and adults alike.

Particularly impressive are the interactions with Gumba the sewer rat and Nonnon the disabled chipmunk that Glick meets on his journey. Gumba teaches Glick the harshness of nature, and Nonnon accompanies Glick on his journey and becomes his emotional support. Through these characters, the importance of friendship and mutual help is depicted, which will leave a deep impression on the audience.

■ Animation techniques and expressions

The animation in "The Adventures of Glick" reflects the technical standards of the 1980s, but is also very carefully drawn. The natural scenery and animal movements in particular have the warmth and realism that only hand-drawn animation can provide. The technical skills of Studio Furumi's animation directors Takeshi Yamazaki and Hiroshi Kuzuoka shine, as Glick and the other characters' expressions and movements are drawn very vividly.

Additionally, the background art by art director Azuma Nakachika is also superb, realistically recreating the beauty of the forest and the hustle and bustle of the city. Thanks to the skills of cinematographer Yoshihiro Yusaku, the entire film has a consistent beauty. The music, by Reijiro Koroku, is also in charge, and the moving melodies that match the development of the story further enhance the appeal of the film.

■ Social impact and evaluation

"The Adventures of Glick" has been widely loved by children since its release, and has gained many fans. In particular, the themes of longing for freedom and self-actualization have been praised as something that gives children dreams and hope. It has also been highly praised for its depiction of the beauty and harshness of the natural environment, and has even been used as part of environmental education.

This work marked the beginning of the story that would later lead to the "Gamba no Bouken" series, and had a major influence on subsequent animation works. In particular, the format of an adventure story told from the perspective of animals has influenced many works. Characters such as Glick and Gamba are still beloved today as famous characters in the history of animation.

■ Recommendations and how to watch

"The Adventures of Glick" is a work that can be recommended to a wide range of generations, from children to adults. It is a must-see for those who enjoy stories that have themes of longing for freedom and self-actualization, as well as those who enjoy animation that depicts the beauty and harshness of the natural environment.

This work can be viewed on DVD or Blu-ray. It may also be distributed through streaming services, so that is another way to watch it. Furthermore, by reading the original novel, you can gain a deeper understanding of the background of the story and the feelings of the characters.

■ Related works and series

"The Adventures of Glick" is the first of Atsuo Saito's trilogy, and is part of a series that continues with "Adventurers: Gamba and his 15 companions" and "The Adventures of Gamba and the Otter." In particular, "Adventurers: Gamba and his 15 companions" was made into a TV series called "Gamba's Adventures," which also became very popular.

These works depict themes of friendship and adventure through characters like Glick and Gamba, and can be enjoyed throughout the series, or they can be enjoyed independently, meaning you'll have a great time no matter which one you start with.

■ Summary

"The Adventures of Glick" is a touching story about the chipmunk Glick who sets off on a journey to the northern forest. The animation, which depicts the themes of longing for freedom and self-actualization, as well as the beauty and harshness of the natural environment, has been loved by a wide range of generations, from children to adults. The careful drawings by Studio Furumi and the moving music also enhance the charm of the work, so we highly recommend that you give it a watch. You can also get even deeper impressions by enjoying the related "Gamba's Adventure" series.