"The Dying Chief": A thorough analysis of a unique drama that sways between imperfect death and life

"The Dying Chief" - A panic story about the world's most unlucky man

■Overview of the work

"The Chief Who Will Not Die" is a TV special that aired on TBS in 1994 and is an original anime work. It consists of two episodes, each 30 minutes long. The work was produced by Sunrise and directed by Kunihisa Sugishima.

■ Story

The narrator of the story, Kijima Ippei, is known as the unluckiest man in the world. In his long life, he has experienced astonishing bad luck, having been involved in 264 traffic accidents, 45 plane crashes, one gas explosion, and 187 cases of injury. He now lives as a cyborg in a vast mansion, but the panic he experienced when he was a section chief is at the heart of this work.

Episode 1: "Drunkenness! Panic!"

The first episode begins with a scene in which Kijima entertains Otawara, a client who is feared within the company as a legendary drunkard. In the middle of the entertainment, the elevator suddenly stops, trapping Kijima and Otawara inside. The presence of whiskey in the elevator causes panic as Otawara, a drunkard, goes on a rampage. This episode is depicted as an event that symbolizes just how serious Kijima's misfortune is.

Episode 2: Woman Troubles! Big Panic

In the second episode, the protagonist is Kijima, who is asked by President Hanazono, a major client, to accompany his daughter to play golf. However, the "daughter" who turns up is actually his gay "son", who attacks him in bed, causing him to panic. The president rushes to his aid in the nick of time, and Kijima goes on to marry the president's real daughter, achieving his current position, but he continues to be struck by unexpected misfortune.

■ Main staff

The director of this work is Kunihisa Sugishima, the character concept is by Hidenori Hara, the character design is by Yoshiko Hata, the script is by Azuma Shimizu and Akihiko Inari, and the music is by Akiyoshi Tanaka. Together, these staff members portray the unfortunate life of Ippei Kijima.

■Broadcast information

"The Chief Who Will Not Die" began airing on January 2, 1994, and was completed in two episodes. It was broadcast on TBS, and each episode was 30 minutes long.

■ Appeal and evaluation of the work

"The Chief Who Will Not Die" is an appealing work with its unique setting and humorous storyline. By depicting the unfortunate life of Kijima Ippei, it provides viewers with laughter and empathy. In addition, the panic scenes in each episode are well-thought-out to keep viewers from getting bored, highlighting the cleverness of the storytelling.

In particular, the drunken panic in the elevator in episode 1 and the womanizing panic at the golf course in episode 2 leave a strong impression on viewers. These scenes not only symbolize Kijima's misfortune, but also serve to delve deeper into his humanity and relationships with the people around him.

Furthermore, the humor and irony that can be seen throughout the work not only provide laughs to the audience, but also encourage them to reflect on the absurdity of life and the inexplicability of fate. Kijima's unfortunate life makes the audience think "I could be happy," but it also conveys the message that "life is unpredictable."

■Character Introduction

Ippei Kijima

The protagonist and narrator of the story. Known as the unluckiest man in the world, he has suffered many misfortunes, including traffic accidents and plane crashes. He currently lives as a cyborg, but the story depicts the panic he experienced when he was a section chief. His unfortunate life provides viewers with laughter and empathy.

Otawara

An alcoholic business partner who appears in the first episode. When he is trapped in an elevator, he drinks whiskey and causes a panic attack. His character is portrayed as a symbol of Kijima's misfortune.

President Hanazono

The president of a major client company appears in episode 2. He asks Kijima to accompany his daughter to play golf, but the daughter turns out to be the son of a homosexual. While he saves Kijima, he also has a major impact on his life.

■Production background and intent

"The Chief Who Will Not Die" was produced as an original anime work. Director Kunihisa Sugishima aimed to provide viewers with laughter and empathy through the unfortunate life of Ippei Kijima. In addition, screenwriters Azuma Shimizu and Akihiko Inari cleverly depicted panic scenes in each episode, creating storytelling that would not tire the viewers.

Character creator Hidenori Hara and character designer Yoshiko Hata created attractive characters for Kijima Ippei and the other characters, eliciting sympathy from viewers. Music composer Akiyoshi Tanaka provided music that enhanced the atmosphere of the entire work, eliciting emotions from viewers.

■Influence and evaluation of the work

"The Chief Who Will Not Die" was highly praised by viewers for its unique setting and humorous storyline. In particular, Kijima Ippei's unfortunate life provided viewers with laughter and empathy, and won him many fans. In addition, the panic scenes in each episode left a strong impression on viewers, enhancing the appeal of the work.

This work also gave viewers an opportunity to think about the "absurdity of life" and the "mystery of fate." Kijima's unfortunate life makes viewers think, "I could be happy," but it also conveys the message that "life is unpredictable." The combination of these elements allowed "The Dying Chief" to deeply move and sympathize with viewers.

■ Recommendations and related works

If you enjoyed "The Dying Chief," we also recommend the following works. These works also have appealing story developments full of humor and irony.

"Sazae-san"

It is one of Japan's most long-running anime series, and is a humorous depiction of the daily life of a family. Like "The Chief Who Will Not Die," it provides viewers with laughter and empathy.

"Crayon Shin-chan"

This work depicts the humorous daily life of the main character, Shinnosuke Nohara. Like "The Chief Who Will Not Die," it provides viewers with laughs and encourages them to reflect on the absurdity of life.

"Doraemon"

It depicts the adventures of the robot cat Doraemon from the future and the protagonist Nobita. Like "The Dying Chief," it provides viewers with laughter and empathy, and also makes them think about the absurdity of life.

Conclusion

"The Dying Chief" is an appealing work with its unique setting and humorous storyline. Through the unfortunate life of Kijima Ippei, it provided viewers with laughter and empathy, and gave them an opportunity to think about the absurdity of life and the incomprehensibility of fate. This work deeply moved and evoked empathy in viewers, and gained many fans. Please watch it at least once and experience the unfortunate life of Kijima Ippei.