Sakigake!! Otokojuku - A thorough review of the legendary anime about raising boys

Sakigake!! Otokojuku - comprehensive information and detailed reviews

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

comics

■ Broadcast period

February 25, 1988 to November 14, 1988 Every Thursday 19:00-19:30 (until March 24, 1988)
Every Monday from 7:00pm to 7:30pm (since April 4, 1988)

■Broadcasting station

CX

■Frequencies

half an hour

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 34

■Original Story

・Original work: Akira Miyashita

■ Director

・Direction: Nobutaka Nishizawa

■ Production

Produced by CX and Toei (animation)

■ Story

An 8mm film was being shown in a room in the Ministry of Education (not the Ministry of Education). At first glance, the content looked like a fierce action film, like a battlefield somewhere. However, what is even more fascinating is that this is a scene from a class currently taking place in a certain school in Japan. The name of that school is none other than the well-known "Otokojuku." What may be considered dangerous in the general public is normal at Otokojuku. And the match between Otokojuku and the Australian Academy League... unfolded into Otokojuku's most famous deadly battle, the "Kyora Daiyon Kyosatsu."

■Explanation

The transition from passionate, hard-core comedy to hard-fighting is almost the same as in Akira Miyashita's original manga. The trailers were funny, with a gag touch in which Momotaro introduces postcards from viewers in a DJ-like style.

■Cast

・Momotaro/Hideyuki Hori・Togashi/Ken Yamaguchi・Toramaru/Yusaku Yara・Hidemaro/Noriko Tsukase・Etajima/Daisuke Gori・Date/Hiroshi Suzuoki・Jay/Banjō Ginga・Matsuo/Shigeharu Matsuda・Tazawa/Masato Hirano・Hien/Keiichi Nanba・Raiden/Shozo Iizuka・Onihige/Shigeru Chiba・Tsubakiyama/Kazuhiro Nakata・Jaki/Hideyuki Tanaka

■ Main staff

・Original story by Akira Miyashita・Planning by Yoshinobu Nakao, Yoshio Takami, Satoya Higashii・Production by Tokiji Kabuki・Screenplay by Susumu Takakuwa, Hiroshi Toda, Azuma Shimizu, and others・Series director by Nobutaka Nishizawa・Direction by Toshihiko Arisako, Hiromichi Matano, Yasuo Yamayoshi, and others・Character design by Masami Suda・Art design by Kenji Matsumoto・Music by Shunsuke Kikuchi

■ Theme songs and music

・OP
・To the tainted sadness...
Lyrics: SEPIA
・Composition: Fujimaru Yoshino
Arrangement: Fujimaru Yoshino Vocals: Isseifubi SEPIA

・ED
・How Many Times Have We Known? Lyrics by SEPIA
・Composition: Fujimaru Yoshino
Arrangement: Fujimaru Yoshino Vocals: Isseifubi SEPIA

■ Detailed assessment and omnidirectional information

1. Background and history of the work

"Sakigake!! Otokojuku" is a Japanese manga by Akira Miyashita that was serialized in "Weekly Shonen Jump" from 1985 to 1991. The work took the world by storm with its extreme depictions and unique humor, and was broadcast as a TV anime series in 1988. The anime version closely follows the essence of the original work while making the most of its visual expressiveness.

2. The appeal of the story

The story of "Sakigake!! Otokojuku" follows the protagonist Momotaro as he enrolls in a special school called "Otokojuku," and depicts the harsh training and battles that unfold there. Unlike ordinary schools, Otokojuku students are constantly exposed to life-threatening danger, but they also learn strength and friendship. In particular, the showdown between Otokojuku and the Australian Academy will leave a strong impression on viewers and will be remembered as the climax of the story.

3. The appeal of the characters

Each character in "Sakigake!! Otokojuku" is unique and charming. The main character, Momotaro, is a hot-blooded man with a strong sense of justice, and his growth and fighting style draws viewers in. Additionally, supporting characters such as Togashi, Toramaru, and Hidemaro each have depth, and their friendships and conflicts add excitement to the story. In particular, enemy characters such as Oni Hige and Jaki also have strong personalities that leave a strong impression on viewers.

4. Animation and Production

The animation of "Sakigake!! Otokojuku" is characterized by its dynamic direction while faithfully reproducing the extreme depictions of the original work. In particular, the battle scenes are full of powerful action and have the power to draw viewers in. The trailer also has a unique humorous touch, with Momotaro reading letters from viewers in a DJ-like style, which provided laughs to the viewers while also building anticipation for the next episode.

5. Music and Theme Song

The music for "Sakigake!! Otokojuku" was composed by Shunsuke Kikuchi, and played an important role in enhancing the atmosphere of the work. In particular, the opening theme "Ojirichatta Kanashimi ni..." and the ending theme "Iki Jidai Arimashite" were sung by the popular group SEPIA, leaving a strong impression of the work's worldview. These songs are deeply loved by viewers and can be said to be symbols of the work.

6. Social impact and evaluation

"Sakigake!! Otokojuku" won many fans due to its extreme depictions and humor. It became a big topic among young people in Japan in the late 1980s, sparking a boom that could be called a social phenomenon. The themes of "strength" and "friendship" in the work also deeply moved viewers and influenced many people. The anime version was also highly acclaimed, just like the original work, and is still loved by many fans today.

7. Recommendations and Related Works

For those who enjoyed "Sakigake!! Otokojuku", we also recommend "Otokozaka" and "Otokojuku", both of which are by Akira Miyashita. Like "Sakigake!! Otokojuku", these works are also characterized by their extreme depictions and humor, and are loved by fans. We also recommend "Fist of the North Star" and "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure", which are also hot-blooded action manga. Like "Sakigake!! Otokojuku", these works will attract viewers with their strong characters and storylines.

8. Summary

"Sakigake!! Otokojuku" is a work that has won many fans thanks to its extreme depictions and humor, as well as its strong characters and storyline. The anime version has also faithfully retained the essence of the original work, making the most of its visual expressiveness. In particular, the confrontation between Otokojuku and Gogakuren, and Momotaro's growth and fighting style, left a strong impression on viewers and enhanced the appeal of the work. The music and theme songs also left a strong impression of the worldview of the work, deeply moving viewers. "Sakigake!! Otokojuku" can be said to be an eternal masterpiece that continues to be loved by many fans even today.