The appeal and evaluation of "Attacker YOU!": A monumental sports anime

"Attacker YOU!": A masterpiece anime depicting the charm of volleyball and the brilliance of youth

■Overview of the work

"Attacker YOU!" is a sports anime that aired on TV Tokyo from 1984 to 1985 and was based on Shizuo Koizumi's novel "Now, the White Ball Lives: The True Story of Ito-Yokado Volleyball." The series follows the growth of a cheerful and athletic girl, Hazuki Yu, through volleyball, and was created against the backdrop of the success of the Japanese women's volleyball team at the Los Angeles Olympics. The 58-episode series is known as a masterpiece that conveys to viewers the charm of volleyball and the brilliance of youth.

■ Story

Hazuki Yu was raised by her grandparents after her parents divorced, but then her father took her in and moved to Tokyo, where she transferred to Hikawa Junior High School. Soon after transferring, she was scouted by Daimon Matsugoro, the volleyball club coach, who saw her excellent athletic ability and welcomed her into the team. At first, Yu looked down on volleyball as just "playing with a ball," but gradually she was drawn to the sport's depth and charm. As she practiced with her teammates and took on matches, she grew not only as a volleyball player, but also as a person. Her story of growth has continued to inspire and encourage viewers.

■ Characters

Hazuki Yu

The protagonist, Hazuki Yu, is a bright and lively girl who moved to Tokyo from the countryside. After her parents divorced, she was raised by her grandparents, but then her father took her in and she began a new life. She transferred to Hikawa Junior High School, where she joined the volleyball club and her hidden talent blossomed. Her open and straightforward personality has an appeal that draws people around her. She also cherishes her pet pigeon named Rocky, and his affectionate side is also depicted. As the story progresses, Yu becomes active on the corporate team and the All Japan team, and eventually grows to the point where she can aim for the Olympics.

Hayase Nami

Hayase Nami, the ace attacker of Hikawa Junior High School's girls' volleyball team and later captain, is Yu's closest rival and friend. Her special move, the "ceiling serve," is an important weapon that can determine the outcome of a match. Nami grows up alongside Yu, and as they compete with each other, their passion for volleyball continues to burn. Her presence is essential to Yu's growth, and the friendship between the two is one of the central themes of the story.

Sunny Hazuki

Sunny Hazuki, Yu's younger brother with a different mother, is a lively kindergartener. He adores his older sister Yu and adds color to the story as her cheerleader. Sunny's innocent smile and actions provide healing and laughter to viewers, and serve to emphasize the bond between Yu and her family.

Daimon Matsugoro

Daimon Matsugoro, a teacher at Hikawa Junior High School and the head coach of the girls' volleyball team, is a typical Spartan coach. However, behind his strictness lies deep love and trust for his players. Matsugoro's coaching supports the growth of the team members, including Yu, and shows them the path to self-realization through volleyball. His character symbolizes the importance of coaches in sports anime.

■ Background and influences

"Attacker YOU!" was created against the backdrop of the success of the Japanese women's volleyball team at the Los Angeles Olympics. Produced to celebrate the success of the Olympics and to widely promote the appeal of volleyball, the show succeeded in conveying to viewers the joy of sports and the brilliance of youth. In addition, the manga was serialized in Nakayoshi (Kodansha) by manga artist Junji Makimura, who also designed the original characters, and gained even more fans.

This series was hugely popular not only in Japan, but also in Italy and France, and in 2008 a sequel, "Attacker YOU! The Road to Kanama Daru," was produced and broadcast overseas. This earned Attacker YOU! international acclaim, and it can be said that it has made a major contribution to the popularity of the sport of volleyball.

■Broadcast information

"Attacker YOU!" aired on TV Tokyo from April 13, 1984 to June 21, 1985, every Friday from 7:30 to 8:00 p.m. The 58-episode series was broadcast in 30-minute slots, providing viewers with something to look forward to every week. In addition, at the end of each episode, a sponsoring sporting goods manufacturer gave away volleyballs to viewers, which was a creative way to increase the viewers' sense of participation.

■ Staff

Many talented staff members were involved in the production of "Attacker YOU!". The original story was written by Shizuo Koizumi, the original character design was by Junji Makimura, the planning was by Seiichi Nishino (Nac), the producers were Heita Gotsu (TV Tokyo) and Hiroshi Toida (Nac), the general director was Kazuyuki Okasako, the series composition was Hideki Sonoda, the art directors were Ken Kawai and Kazuhiro Arai, the color design was by Mitsutoshi Kubota, Yoko Mitsuhashi, and Noriko Iguchi, the editor was Shuichi Kakesu, the music was Shiro Sagisu, the music director was Morihiro Nagata, the casting cooperation was Production Baobab, the production cooperation was Shaft, Kino Production, and others, and the production was handled by TV Tokyo and Nac. Thanks to the cooperation of these staff members, "Attacker YOU!" was completed as a high-quality animation work.

■Cast

The cast of "Attacker YOU!" included many talented voice actors, including Kobayashi Yuko as Hazuki Yu, Matsui Naoko as Hayase Nami, Akiyama Maruna as Hazuki Sunny, and Sasaoka Shigezo as Daimon Matsugoro. Their performances expressed the personalities and emotions of the characters realistically, deeply moving the viewers. In particular, Kobayashi Yuko's role as Hazuki Yu captured the hearts of the viewers as she realistically portrayed her brightness and growth.

■ Theme songs and music

The opening theme "Seishun Prelude" and the ending theme "TWINKLE, TWINKLE" of "Attacker YOU!" were written by Miura Tomoko, composed by Kamei Toshio, arranged by Sagisu Shiro, and sung by Kamo Harumi. These songs symbolize the story's themes of youth and friendship, and resonated deeply with viewers. Sagisu Shiro's music also effectively portrayed the tension and emotion of the matches, enhancing the quality of the entire series.

■ Episode

The episodes of "Attacker YOU!" focus on depicting Hazuki Yu's growth and passion for volleyball. Starting from episode 1, "Yu, the Transfer Student with a Child," to episode 58, "Fly! Tomorrow's Ace," the story of her challenges and growth unfolds. Each episode draws in viewers with a variety of elements, including the tension of a match, the depth of friendship, and confrontations with rivals. Episodes that left a strong impression on viewers include "The Rivals! First Match," in which Yu takes on her first match, and "Attack the Corporate Team!", in which she challenges a corporate team.

■ Related works

A related work to "Attacker YOU!" was "New Attacker YOU! Road to the Gold Medal," which aired in 2008. This sequel depicts the further growth and challenges of Hazuki Yu, and has been highly praised overseas. There are also original novels and manga series, so you can enjoy the world of this work from multiple angles.

■ Evaluation and recommendation

"Attacker YOU!" has been highly praised not only as a sports anime, but also as a youth drama. This work, which depicts the growth and friendship of Hazuki Yu, her rivalry, and her passion for volleyball, has continued to inspire and encourage viewers. It can also be said that the international acclaim it has received has contributed to the spread of the sport of volleyball.

The reasons why I recommend this work are as follows:

• The Brilliance of Youth : Hazuki Yu's story of growth and friendship will allow viewers to feel the brilliance of youth and provide an opportunity to reflect on their own lives.
• The appeal of sports : Volleyball match scenes convey the fun and tension of sports to viewers, arousing their interest in sports.
• Appeal of the characters : The personalities and growth of the characters, including Hazuki Yu, deeply move the viewer and draw them into the story.
• The power of music : The opening and ending songs, as well as the music that livens up the match scenes, elevate the quality of the entire work and resonate with the viewers.
• International acclaim : The film's popularity in Italy and France, as well as the resulting sequel, are testament to its universal appeal.

For these reasons, "Attacker YOU!" is a work that can be recommended to anyone who loves sports anime and youth dramas. The story of Hazuki Yu's growth and challenges will inspire and encourage viewers, and will help them rediscover the charm of sports and the brilliance of youth.