The appeal and evaluation of "Ashibe 2": The success of the sequel and a new adventure

"Shounen Ashibe 2" - Welcome to the heartwarming world of comedy

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

comics

■ Broadcast period

October 3, 1992 - March 27, 1993
October 3, 1992 - March 27, 1993 Every Saturday from 17:30 to 18:00
30 minutes, 3 sessions, total of 75

■Broadcasting station

TBS

■Frequencies

half an hour

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 25

■Original Story

Hiromi Morishita

■ Director

Susumu Ishizaki

■ Production

Produced by TBS and Nippon Eizo

■Works

© Hiromi Morishita/OOP/Shueisha, TBS, Nippon Eizou

■ Story

Ashibe was playing happily with his friends Yuuma, Yamao and others today, but he still wasn't satisfied, so in his dream he takes Yuuma and Goma-chan up into the clouds! With the adults around them getting involved, Ashibe and his friends begin another fun day.

■Explanation

This is a TV anime adaptation of Hiromi Morishita's four-panel comic strip about the daily life of a baby spotted seal named Goma-chan, elementary school student Ashibe, and their fun-loving friends. It is a heartwarming comedy series. It was revived 10 months after the previous series ended. During the time this series was being broadcast, Ashibe and Goma-chan were used as commercial characters for Yokohama Rubber's studless tire "Gardex" (now "Ice Guard") as a tie-up, and the series gained recognition among the public.

■Cast

・Ashiya Ashibe / Chinatsu Sakamoto ・Goma-chan / Satomi Koorogi ・Ashibe's father / Naoki Tatsuta ・Ashibe's mother / Maki Horikoshi

■ Main staff

Producers: Mitsuo Sejima, Hiroshi Inoue (TBS)
・Planning by Toshiyasu Nakamura ・Original story by Hiromi Morishita (published by Shueisha in Weekly Young Jump)
・Director: Susumu Ishizaki ・Series Composition: Miho Maruo ・Music: Toshiyuki Arakawa ・Character Design: Mitsuo Shindo ・Art Director: Mitsuharu Miyamae ・Director of Photography: Kazushi Torikoshi ・Sound Director: Hiroyuki Hayase ・Sound Production: Audio-Visual System (now Sun Onkyo)
Animation production cooperation: Nippon Animation Animation production: Lifework Original drawings: Anime Spot, VAP
・Production cooperation: Lifework (Toru Komori)
Produced by Nippon Eizo and TBS
・OP1
・"Love in SUN Cue"
Lyrics: Naoyuki Osawa; Composition and Arrangement: Koichi Hirai; Singer: Hikaru Kusaka; ED1
・"Leave it to me! Chin Tong Shan '93"
Lyrics: Arihiro Nakata; Composition: Koji Makaino; Arrangement: Koichi Hirai; Singer: ACB

■ Main Characters

・A first grade elementary school student and the owner of Ashiya Ashibegoma-chan. He has a friendly personality and has many friends regardless of age or gender.

Goma-chan is a baby spotted seal and a member of the Ashiya family. Because of his cute appearance, he is loved by everyone as a mascot.

■Subtitle

Episode 1: "Ashibe's Pleasant Dream," "Goma-chan's Favorite Things," "Goma-chan's Room" (1992/10/03)
Episode 2: "Ashibe's video letter," "Goma-chan's leftovers," "Goma-chan goes to the department store"
Episode 3: "Autumn's Big Sports Day," "Ashibe Plays the Piano," "Energetic Sports"
Episode 4: "Fun Camping," "Goma-chan Loves the Rain," and "Got Lost on a Field Trip!"
Episode 5: "Thank you, Mom," "Kind Dad," and "Akki and the Puppy"
Episode 6: "Goma-chan's nose is the best in the world?!" "Autumn is tough when you have an appetite" "Akki looks like someone"
Episode 7: "Grandpa's Art in Autumn," "Ashibe Digs a Hole," "Freshly Picked is Delicious"
Episode 8: "Goma-chan, the Idol" "Goma-chan has caught a cold" "Sugao's gift"
Episode 9: "Ashibe's House-sitting," "Goma-chan Becomes a Delinquent," and "Mao-chan's Dad"
Episode 10: "Let's write our names!", "My beloved Dr. Tendo", "Big brother wants to play too"
Episode 11: "Thank you, Goma-chan," "Does it suit me, Goma-chan?", "Ballet is powerful"
Episode 12: "Christmas in Nepal," "Tendou Sensei's Lunch Box," and "A Present on Christmas Eve"
Episode 13: "Goma-chan's Friends," "Akki's Favorite Store," "Yukiya Konkon"
Episode 14: "It's tough being a teacher," "Dad's present," "Mr. Wang's matchmaking"
Episode 15: "Ashibe's Elegant Trip," "Sakata's Present," and "Mysterious Hairstyle"
Episode 16: "When an Earthquake Hits," "Peppepe's Troubles," "Is Goma-chan Real?"
Episode 17: "Stubborn Mao-chan", "Goma-chan and the Grandfather", "Face painting is difficult"
Episode 18: "Chit-chan's Ribbon," "The Store Goma-chan Hates," and "I Want the Vase So Badly"
Episode 19: "Everyone's Yeti," "Goma-chan's Valentine," and "The Little Bird from the Himalayas"
Episode 20: "I'll Train You", "Goma-chan's Misfortune", "When You're Hungry, Everything Tastes Good"
Episode 21: "Girls' Festival," "Akki's Cooking," and "Goma-chan Fire Prevention"
Episode 22: "Goma-chan Special!", "Nepal Observation Diary", "Mom has a cold"
Episode 23: "What kind of house do you like?" "I don't know who's the child" "Let's play in the big garden"
Episode 24: "I like collecting," "Akki wants to be a doctor," and "The Sakata brothers' spring break"
Episode 25: "Grandpa's Cherry Blossom Viewing", "Goodbye Yeti", "After all, Goma-chan is the best" (1993/03/27)

■ Related works

・OVA "Boy Ashibe"
・TV anime "Ashibe"

■ Theme songs and music

・OP1
・"Love in SUN Cue"
Lyrics: Naoyuki Osawa; Composition and Arrangement: Koichi Hirai; Singer: Hikaru Kusaka; ED1
・"Leave it to me! Chin Tong Shan '93"
Lyrics: Arihiro Nakata; Composition: Koji Makaino; Arrangement: Koichi Hirai

The appeal and evaluation of "Shounen Ashibe 2"

"Ashibe the Boy 2" is a heartwarming comedy anime based on the original work by Hiromi Morishita that was broadcast on TBS from 1992 to 1993. The series depicts the daily lives of Goma-chan, a baby spotted seal, Ashibe, an elementary school student, and their friends, providing viewers with smiles and healing.

The greatest appeal of this series is its warm atmosphere and the many gags that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike. Just watching the exchanges between Ashibe and Goma-chan will warm your heart. Each episode also has a different theme, allowing viewers to enjoy new discoveries and laughs every time. For example, "Autumn's Big Sports Day" shows Ashibe and his friends taking part in a sports day and struggling in various events. Also, in "Is Goma-chan's Nose the Best in the World?!", gags that make use of Goma-chan's unique characteristics are sure to make viewers laugh.

The charm of the characters cannot be overlooked. The main character, Ashibe, has a friendly personality and many friends, making him easy for viewers to relate to. Goma-chan captures the hearts of viewers with her adorable appearance and behavior. Ashibe's family and friends are also unique, each adding color to the story. In particular, there are many scenes in the interactions between Ashibe's father and mother that give a sense of the warmth of family, evoking sympathy from viewers.

Music is also an important element that enhances the appeal of this work. The opening theme "Ai ni SUN Q" features the bright singing voice of Hikaru Kusaka, and livens up the atmosphere of the anime. The ending theme "Leave it to us! Chin Tong Shan '93" entertains viewers with its fun singing by ACB. These songs are a trigger for viewers to remember the anime, and have become a long-loved presence.

The attention to detail of the production staff is also not to be missed. Director Ishizaki Susumu has directed the film with meticulous attention to detail in order to bring out the best in the original work. Character designer Shindo Mitsuo has faithfully reproduced the illustrations from the original work while adding movements and expressions unique to anime, making the characters even more appealing. Furthermore, composer Arakawa Toshiyuki has provided background music that matches each scene, helping to bring out the emotions of the viewer.

This work also attracted attention because it was revived just 10 months after the broadcast of its predecessor, "Shounen Ashibe." This is a testament to the high support from viewers and the passion of the production staff. In addition, Ashibe and Goma-chan, who were on the air at the time, were used as commercial characters for Yokohama Rubber's studless tire "Gardex," which also helped to increase the work's recognition. For viewers, this tie-up was a fun experience in which the world of anime and reality intersected, and it helped deepen their attachment to the work.

"Ashibe 2" has been highly praised as a heartwarming comedy anime. Viewers have commented that "the exchanges between Ashibe and Goma-chan are cute and soothing," "there are new gags every time, so you never get bored," and "it's fun to watch with the whole family." Experts have also praised it, saying, "despite being an anime for children, adults can enjoy it too," and "the characters have rich personalities and the story is fascinating."

This work is related to the OVA "Shounen Ashibe" and the TV anime "Shounen Ashibe", so you can enjoy the entire series. The OVA depicts the new adventures of Ashibe and Goma-chan, while the TV anime delves deeper into their daily lives. By watching these related works together, you will be able to understand and enjoy the world of "Shounen Ashibe" more deeply.

"Ashibe 2" is still loved by many fans as a monumental heartwarming comedy anime. This work, which depicts the fun daily life of Ashibe and Goma-chan, is a wonderful anime that brings smiles and healing to viewers and can be enjoyed with family and friends. Please watch it once and experience its charm.