The appeal and reputation of "Shounen Ashibe": A deep look into the penguin friendship story

Boy Ashibe - Shounen Ashibe -

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

comics

■ Broadcast period

April 4, 1991 - December 28, 1991
April 4, 1991 - December 28, 1991 Every Thursday 19:00 - 19:30

■Broadcasting station

TBS

■Frequencies

half an hour

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 37

■Original Story

・Original work by Hiromi Morishita

■ Director

Director: Susumu Ishizaki

■ Production

Produced by Nippon Eizo, Nihon Eizo Agency, TBS
・Animation production cooperation/Nippon Animation ・Animation production/Lifework

■Works

© Hiromi Morishita, Shonen Ashibe/Shueisha, Weekly Young Jump

■ Story

Ashibe rescues a baby spotted seal that fell off the back of a truck. The baby is named Goma-chan and becomes a beloved member of the Ashiya family.

■Explanation

This is an animated version of the manga of the same name by Hiromi Morishita. It revolves around the everyday life of a bright and lively boy named Ashibe and his baby spotted seal named Goma-chan. An OVA was produced first, and a TV anime series was later broadcast. A total of 111 episodes were produced, with each episode consisting of three episodes.

■Cast

・Ashiya Ashibe/Sakamoto Chinatsu ・Goma-chan/Koorogi Satomi ・Anan Sugao/Suzuki Mie

■ Main staff

・Producer: Mitsuo Sejima・Planning: Toshiyasu Nakamura, Hiroshi Inoue・Original Story: Hiromi Morishita・Director: Susumu Ishizaki・Series Composition: Taeko Higashi・Music: Toshiyuki Arakawa・Character Design: Mitsuo Shindo, Noriko Shibata・Art Director: Mitsuharu Miyamae, Toshihisa Toshino・Animation Production Cooperation: Nippon Animation・Animation Production: Lifework・Director of Photography: Hitoshi Kaneko・Cinematography: Animation Film・Editing: Tomoaki Tsurubuchi, Fumie Kataishi・Title: Maki Pro・Sound Director: Hiroyuki Hayase・Sound Editing: Chiaki Sato, Koji Kubota・Sound Effects: Hidenori Arai (Fizz Sound Creation)
Studios: Abaco Studio, Takt Studio Development: Tokyo Development Laboratory Production: Nippon Eizo, Nihon Eizo Agency, TBS

■ Main Characters

・Ashiya Ashibe
A boy in the first grade of elementary school. He is Goma-chan's owner, and has many friends due to his cheerful personality.

Goma-chan is a baby spotted seal. He falls off the back of a truck and is rescued by Ashibe, becoming a member of the Ashiya family.

・Anan Sugao
Ashibe's taciturn and expressionless classmate and best friend. Due to his father's job transfer, he travels from place to place, including Nepal and an isolated French island.

■Subtitle

Episode 1: "The day Goma-chan came to our house", "Sugao-kun, the philanthropist", "Grandpa loves lots of things" (1991/04/04)
Episode 2: "Tendou Sensei's Love", "Liang Liang's Dad", "Goma-chan's Troubles"
Episode 3: "Grandpa's Secretary," "Sugao Goes to Nepal," and "Dad's Hobby"
Episode 4: "Goma-chan and the Sakata Brothers", "Sugao from Nepal", "Kanji-kun's Job Hunting"
Episode 5: "Mother's Day," "Sugao's Tutor," "Mao-chan Gets Into an Accident"
Episode 6: "Grandpa's Job," "The Swan I Admire," and "Liang Liang's Shop"
Episode 7: "Season of Love," "Nepali Festival," "Salaryman Kanji-kun"
Episode 8: "Ready, Set, Go!", "Liang Liang's First Love", "My Uncle"
Episode 9: "Goma-chan's Rival", "The Yeti Has Arrived", "Ajida-kun's Nemesis"
Episode 10: "A Day in the Life of Goma-chan," "The Good Yeti," "Liang Liang and Hitoshi-kun"
Episode 11: "Ashibe's Birthday", "Pool Time, Yay!", "It's Hard Being a Guest"
Episode 12: "Goma-chan's Sad Street Corner," "Adventure Family," "Grandpa is Strong"
Episode 13: "Goma-chan's Pool Play", "Peppepe's Fan Club", "Goodbye Hitoshi-kun"
Episode 14: "Goma-chan flew away!?" "Yuma doesn't come back" "Tendou sensei has a love illness"
Episode 15: "Akki and Goma-chan", "Where are you going for summer vacation?", "A karaoke show at the wedding"
Episode 16: "Goma-chan, please carry me on your back." "How about some Yeti buns?" "Take me to a restaurant."
Episode 17: "Grandpa's Pool," "Let's All Play," and "Akki's Delivery"
Episode 18: "Goma-chan likes ice cream," "The hidden room in the beach house," "The Yamamoto brothers are popular with schoolgirls"
Episode 19: "Goma-chan was asked out!?" "The unpopular old man" "Dad's birthday"
Episode 20: "Goma-chan's Goldfish Scooping", "Dad's Gift", "Ashibe Goes to Nepal!"
Episode 21: "Will I meet Sugao-kun?", "Tendou-sensei likes dates", "My cooking"
Episode 22: "The new semester starts today," "Goma-chan, it's a typhoon!", "Duel with Sakata!"
Episode 23: "Grandpa is amazing!" "Sugao is an artist" "Well-mannered dad"
Episode 24: "It's the big athletic meet!" "There's a ghost in the picture!!" "Goma-chan sees them off"
Episode 25: "Goma-chan's field trip," "Sugao-kun who wants to be a delinquent," and "Goma-chan also likes hot springs."
Episode 26: "Goma-chan's Calligraphy Class" "Goma-chan is Missing!" "Even if it's cold, I'll still swim"
Episode 27: "Steal Sesame", "The Yeti is a Copycat", "Let's Go Fishing"
Episode 28: "Goma-chan's Gratitude," "A Gift from Nepal," "Tonight's Feast"
Episode 29: "Stop Fighting," "Sports Day in Nepal," "Even Goma-chan is Strong"
Episode 30: "Goma-chan, is reading the newspaper?!" "Waiting for Dr. Tendo" "Who ate the persimmon?"
Episode 31: "Goma-chan Ate a Blowfish!", "Playing in the Snow with the Yeti", "Autumn of Music"
Episode 32: "Helping Goma-chan", "Yeti's Punishment", "It's Snow! It's Skiing!"
・Episode 33: "Ashibe Doesn't Go to Cram School", "Treasure Hunt in Nepal", "Tendou Sensei's Date"
Episode 34: "The Circus Has Come," "Lots of Housewives," "Dad's Souvenir"
Episode 35: "Goma-chan runs away from home", "Congratulations, Minami-sensei", "The piranha bites"
Episode 36: "Tendou Sensei's Christmas," "Yeti's Present," and "Letter to Santa"
Episode 37: "Goma-chan's Ambush", "I won't catch a cold", "Goma-chan's Snowman" (1991/12/28)

■ Related works

・Boy Ashibe (OVA)
・Boy Ashibe 2 (OVA)
・Shounen Ashibe 3 (OVA)
・Ashibe 2 (TV anime)

■ Theme songs and music

・OP1
・Little Darling・Lyrics by Takashi Matsumoto・Music by Natsumi Hirai・Arrangement by Akira Inoue・Singer by Eriko Tamura

・OP2
・Leave it to me! Chin Tong Shan ・Lyrics by Arihiro Nakata ・Music by Koji Makaino ・Arrangement by Koji Makaino ・Singer by Eriko Tamura

・ED1
・Love's Nightingale ・Lyrics by Takashi Matsumoto ・Music by Mioko Yamaguchi ・Arrangement by Akira Inoue ・Singer by Eriko Tamura

・ED2
・Little Darling・Lyrics by Takashi Matsumoto・Music by Natsumi Hirai・Arrangement by Akira Inoue・Singer by Eriko Tamura

The appeal and evaluation of Shounen Ashibe

"Boy Ashibe" is a Japanese animated television series that aired in 1991 and is based on the manga of the same name by Hiromi Morishita. The series tells the heartwarming story of the daily life of a bright and energetic boy named Ashibe and his rescued baby spotted seal, Goma-chan. Below, we will take a closer look at the appeal and reviews of "Boy Ashibe."

The appeal of the story

The story of "Boy Ashibe" begins with Ashibe rescuing a baby spotted seal that fell off the back of a truck. The baby, named Goma-chan, is depicted as being loved and treated as a member of the Ashiya family. The relationship between Ashibe and Goma-chan goes beyond that of a simple owner and pet, and gives the viewer a sense of the bond between them as members of a family. This bond is at the heart of the story, giving viewers a warm feeling.

Each episode depicts the daily lives of Ashibe and Goma-chan, and shows them growing through their interactions with their friends and family. In particular, the episode about Ashibe's best friend, Sugao-kun, shows the depth of their friendship, and by depicting Sugao-kun's life on the move due to his father's job transfer, it teaches us the importance of intercultural understanding and friendship.

Character Appeal

Each character in "Boy Ashibe" is unique and charming. The main character, Ashibe, is a bright and energetic boy in the first grade of elementary school who has many friends and is a kindhearted boy who cherishes Goma-chan. Goma-chan is a cute baby spotted seal, but he also shows his intelligence by helping Ashibe at times. Sugao is silent and expressionless, but he leaves an impression on viewers as he cherishes his friendship with Ashibe. His life of travel due to his father's job transfer teaches viewers the importance of understanding different cultures.

In addition, many other unique characters such as Dr. Tendo, Liang Liang, and Kanji-kun appear and enrich the story. The everyday episodes woven by these characters bring smiles and emotions to viewers.

Animation and Music

The animation of "Ashibe" has a 1990s feel to it, but the character designs and background art are carefully drawn. In particular, Goma-chan's adorable movements and expressions are areas where the animation technique shines. The music also plays an important role in adding excitement to the story, and the opening theme "Little Darling" and the ending theme "Ai no Nightingale" sung by Tamura Eriko are memorable masterpieces that remain in the viewers' hearts.

Evaluation and impact

"Shounen Ashibe" has been loved by children since it was first broadcast, and has gained many fans. In particular, Goma-chan's cuteness and the bond between Goma-chan and Ashibe touched viewers' hearts and taught them the importance of family love and friendship. In addition, an OVA series and a sequel TV anime series were produced, proving its popularity.

This work is not only an anime for children, but also enjoyable for adults, and has been praised for being able to be watched by the whole family. Furthermore, by featuring a rare animal, the spotted seal, as the main character, it can be said to have helped raise interest in animal welfare and the natural environment.

Related works and recommendations

"Boy Ashibe" was also produced as an OVA series, with "Boy Ashibe," "Boy Ashibe 2," and "Boy Ashibe 3," each depicting a different episode. A sequel, the TV anime series "Boy Ashibe 2," was also broadcast, allowing you to enjoy further developments in the story. By watching these related works together, you can gain a deeper understanding of the world of "Boy Ashibe."

The reason I recommend "Boy Ashibe" is because it is a work that combines a heartwarming story depicting the importance of family love and friendship, unique and attractive characters, and careful animation and music. It is especially suitable as an anime to show to children, and adults can also enjoy it. You will be moved by the cuteness of Goma-chan and the bond with Ashibe, and it will be an opportunity to reaffirm the bonds with your family and friends.

Above, we have explained in detail the appeal and evaluation of "Shounen Ashibe." This is a wonderful anime that brings smiles and emotions to viewers and teaches the importance of family love and friendship. Please watch it and feel its charm.