The appeal and reviews of "City Hunter": The perfect balance of action and humor

City Hunter: A world of hard-boiled action woven by the legendary sweeper

■Overview of the work

City Hunter is a TV anime series based on the popular manga by Hojo Tsukasa, which aired on Yomiuri TV from April 6, 1987 to March 28, 1988, every Monday from 7:00 to 7:30 PM. The 51-episode series is divided into 30-minute segments and follows the exploits of Ryo Saeba, a legendary sweeper who is well-known in the underworld. It was produced by Yomiuri TV and Nippon Sunrise (written as "Sunrise" from episode 15 onwards), and directed by Kodama Kenji. Copyright belongs to Hojo Tsukasa/NSP, Yomiuri TV, and Sunrise.

■ Story

Ryo Saeba is a master gunner known in the underworld as the City Hunter, a legendary sweeper (rogue cleaner) who handles all kinds of cases, including detective, bodyguard, and spy, with the best skills. He is always approached by beautiful women with difficult problems and reasons, who write the request code "XYZ" on the message board at the east exit of Shinjuku Station, and his dangerous work begins. In one case, Ryo's longtime partner, former elite detective Hideyuki Makimura, loses his life, and his sister, Kaori Makimura, becomes his new partner. Ryo always makes lewd advances on his clients and is punished by Kaori, but he solves many difficult cases with his superhuman abilities.

■Explanation

"City Hunter" is a hard-boiled action series with each episode being a complete story, based on a popular manga that was serialized in "Weekly Shonen Jump." It was Sunrise's first TV series adaptation of a serialized manga. The original work is considered to be part of the "golden age of Jump" along with "Kinnikuman" and "Fist of the North Star," and the combination of the manga and anime garnered huge popularity. As the original series continued for a long time, three sequel series and a special edition were produced after this work. The anime version was well-received for its original developments not found in the original work, and the action scenes that used firearms and cars.

■Cast

• Ryo Saeba: Akira Kamiya
• Hideyuki Makimura: Hideyuki Tanaka
• Kaori Makimura: Kazue Ikura
• Saeko Nogami: Yoko Asagami
• Umibozu: Tesshō Genda
• Reika: Yoshino Takamori

■ Main staff

• Planning: Michihiko Suwa (Yomiuri TV)
• Original author: Hojo Tsukasa
• Character design: Sachiko Kamimura
• Mechanical design: Mika Akitaka (episodes 27-51)
• Art director: Mitsuharu Miyamae, Junichi Azuma
• Chief animation director: Takeo Kitahara
• Director of photography: Ichita Furubayashi
• Edited by: Tsurubuchi Films
• Sound Director: Yasuo Urakami
• Music: Ryoichi Kuniyoshi (episodes 1-26), Tatsumi Yano (episodes 7-51)
• Director: Kenji Kodama
• Producers: Masuro Ueda (Nippon Sunrise, from episode 15 onwards referred to as "Sunrise"), Michihiko Suwa (Yomiuri TV)

■Subtitle

• Episode 1: The Stylish Sweeper XYZ is a Dangerous Cocktail
• Episode 2: Kill me!! Aiming is not suitable for a beautiful woman
• Episode 3: Don't let love disappear! Ten counts to tomorrow
• Episode 4: The beautiful woman vanishes! The boutique is an invitation to darkness
• Episode 5: Goodbye Makimura: A Tearful Birthday on a Rainy Night
• Episode 6: The last shot for the actress who doesn't fall in love
• Episode 7: A Heart-Shaking Gunshot and a Sad, Lonely Girl
• Episode 8: One-Hand Shots on Beautiful Women!? Don't Touch the Female Detectives
• Episode 9: The Gambling Queen's Magnificent Love Gamble
• Episode 10: Dangerous tutor! Cooking with love for a high school girl (sukeban)
• Episode 11: The Leotard Beauty Loves Tulips
• Episode 12: Children are a blessing! A bulging beauty from a dangerous country
• Episode 13: 16-year-old announces marriage! A passionate kiss for an idol
• Episode 14: My enemy is a beautiful woman? The biggest hell of beautiful women in history!!
• Episode 15: Is ■ a female university lecturer? Protect Rei's daughter
• Episode 16: The Instructor Story of the Cheeky Stewardess
• Episode 17: Beautiful summer designer ■ has high leg
• Episode 18: A summer night prophecy?! A prayer man gives love lessons
• Episode 19: The Beach Memories Audition is Full of Danger
• Episode 20: The Princess Comes Down from the Mountain - A Long Day
• Episode 21: The Invisible Sniper and Saeko's Dangerous Game
• Episode 22: Cheers to the Cupid Diamond of Love!!
• Episode 23: Poison wasps buzzing! A bride falls from the sky
• Episode 24: A rosy hospital stay? The target of the white-coated angel
• Episode 25: International friendship of love?! Rival is a blonde beauty
• Episode 26: What is love? ■'s correct love lesson
• Episode 27: The Legend of the Innocent Long-legged Man and Umibozu
• Episode 28: The Legend of the Innocent Long-legged Man and Umibozu
• Episode 29: The request fee is 500 yen!? Fairytale beauties are ■ to your liking
• Episode 30: A love rival appears!? I'll have Kaori
• Episode 31: Love at its finest! Run through the maiden's heart!
• Episode 32: Don't Die!! Hard-Boiled Magnum
• Episode 33: Go Umibozu! A Hard First Love Concerto
• Episode 34: Shock!! ■'s Fatherhood Declaration
• Episode 35: The Secret Bulge Interview with the Beautiful Newscaster ■
• Episode 36: College Girl Ai's Tough Guy! Someone's After Me
• Episode 37: Shinjuku Jingi Straight! A beautiful woman in a kimono wants to be a disciple
• Episode 38: Shinjuku Jingi Straight! A beautiful woman in a kimono wants to be a disciple
• Episode 39: Princess Kaguya is mad! Memory loss is a problem for the ■
• Episode 40: Bulging Partner! The Fee is After the Shower
• Episode 41: Saeko's Sister is a Female Detective - The Bold Secret of the Passionate Lady
• Episode 42: Saeko's Sister is a Female Detective - The Passionate Lady's Great Detective Story
• Episode 43: A Woman's Heart Cookie: Anniversary, Mole on the Breast, and Song of First Love
• Episode 44: We asked 100 kids!? ■ is our hero
• Episode 45: The three sisters are calling! ■-chan's skiing paradise
• Episode 46: Stealing is thrilling! Let's go towards tomorrow!!
• Episode 47: Bulges are a miracle cure!? Beautiful hustler and the ball trail of love
• Episode 48: Come spring, widow of love! Now take off your mourning clothes...
• Episode 49: The lost sister Mokkori is guided by love!!
• Episode 50: The Strongest Enemy in History!! ■ and Kaori's Last Match
• Episode 51: The Strongest Enemy in History!! Toka's Last Match

＊■ is a member of the furry genre

■Detailed review

"City Hunter" is a work that breathed new life into the world of Japanese animation in the late 1980s, and its influence has not faded to this day. The original manga was already hugely popular when it was serialized in "Weekly Shonen Jump," but its appeal spread even further when it was made into an anime. In particular, the balance of humor and seriousness possessed by the main character Ryo Saeba, and the fusion of his lewd side and hard-boiled action were major elements that attracted viewers.

The director of the anime version, Kenji Kodama, kept the essence of the original work close to his heart, but added his own unique developments and direction to the anime, providing fresh surprises to viewers. In particular, the action scenes using firearms and cars made the most of the technology available at the time, creating realistic and powerful images. These scenes left a strong impression on viewers and succeeded in raising the quality of the entire work.

In addition, character designer Sachiko Kamimura optimized the original characters for the anime, maximizing their visual appeal. In particular, the designs that highlight the individuality of each character, such as Ryo Saeba's cool appearance and lewd expression, Kaori Makimura's cuteness and strength, and Umibozu's boldness, captured the hearts of viewers.

Music was also an important element in enhancing the appeal of this work. The background music, created by Kuniyoshi Ryoichi and Yano Tatsumi, enhanced the atmosphere of each scene and stirred the emotions of the viewers. In particular, the theme song that plays during Ryo Saeba's scenes of success is deeply etched in the memories of viewers and is still loved by many fans today.

■Character Analysis

Ryo Saeba : The protagonist, Ryo Saeba, is a famous sweeper in the underworld and an expert gunman. His character is a perfect blend of a cool, hard-boiled side and a perverted, humorous side. This contrast leaves a strong impression on viewers and enhances the appeal of the work. Akira Kamiya's performance as a voice actor also adds depth to Ryo's character.

Makimura Kaori : Ryo's new partner, Makimura Kaori, is the younger sister of Makimura Hideyuki, a former elite detective. Although she constantly criticizes Ryo for his lewd behavior, she trusts him and together they solve difficult cases. Ikura Kazue's voice acting perfectly expresses Kaori's cuteness and strength.

Umibozu : Ryo's friend and informant, Umibozu is a lively and humorous character. His presence adds a comical element to the show and entertains the audience. Tesshō Genda's voice acting makes Umibozu's character even more appealing.

■Influence and evaluation of the work

"City Hunter" had a major impact on the Japanese anime world in the late 1980s. It is especially noteworthy that the original manga and anime created a synergistic effect, winning over many fans. Furthermore, the success of the work led to the production of sequel series and special editions, further increasing its popularity.

The series was also very well received by viewers, especially the character of Ryo Saeba and the hard-boiled world he lives in. The original plot and action scenes of the anime were also highly praised, and the overall quality of the series was praised.

■ Recommendations and related works

If you enjoyed City Hunter, we also recommend the following works:

• "Cat's Eye" : Also based on an original work by Tsukasa Hojo, this is a thriller action film with sisters as the main characters. Like "City Hunter," it is an appealing work that combines humor and seriousness.
• "Lupin the Third" : Based on an original story by Monkey Punch, this is an action comedy that depicts the exploits of Lupin the Third. Like "City Hunter," this is an appealing work that features the humor and action of the main character.
• "Gall Force" : A science fiction action film produced by Sunrise, with a storyline featuring female characters. Like "City Hunter," this film showcases Sunrise's technical capabilities.

"City Hunter" is a work that attracts viewers with its unique worldview, attractive characters, and high-quality animation. In particular, Ryo Saeba's exploits and the story of the unique characters surrounding him left a strong impression on viewers, making it a work that has been loved for a long time. Please watch this work and experience its charm for yourself.