Captain Tsubasa "The Strongest Enemy! Dutch Youth" Review: The Series' Greatest Battle

Captain Tsubasa "The Strongest Opponent! Dutch Youth" - Records of the Fierce Battle and its Appeal

■Overview of the work

Captain Tsubasa: The Strongest Enemy! Netherlands Youth is a short anime event that was released on November 6, 1994, and was produced as part of the Captain Tsubasa series. It is based on the manga of the same name by Yoichi Takahashi and published by Shueisha. The story follows the All Japan Youth team as they take on the powerful European team, Netherlands Youth, after the National High School Championships. It was directed by Yoshiyasu Furukawa and produced by JCSTAFF and Yomiuri Advertising, and is made up of one 48-minute episode.

■ Story

After the National High School Championships, the All Japan Youth team holds a training camp and invites the youth team of the European powerhouse, the Netherlands, to Japan for a friendly match. However, the Japanese team is no match for the fierce attack of the Dutch youth team led by ace Cluivoort, and suffers two defeats without scoring a single point. Then, in the final match, Ozora Tsubasa returns to Japan. With Tsubasa as captain, the All Japan Youth team regains its original strength. And with Tsubasa at the helm, the All Japan Youth team finally begins its counterattack against the Dutch youth team, which is full of top players.

■Explanation

This work was shown at the Shueisha-sponsored event "Jump Super Anime Tour '95," which began in October 1994. It was produced as a short anime for the "Captain Tsubasa" event, and is an animated adaptation of the original manga of the same name, written by Takahashi Yoichi and serialized in "Weekly Shonen Jump." Original elements were added to this work, and it was produced by almost the same staff and cast as the TV anime "Captain Tsubasa J." It was shown at the same time as "NINKU -Ninku- <Special Edition> Grave of the Knife."

■Cast

• Tsubasa Ozora: Yoko Kogayu
• Taro Misaki: Yuko Kobayashi
• Kojiro Hyuga: Nobuyuki Hiyama
• Genzo Wakabayashi: Shinichiro Miki
• Ken Wakashimazu: Hiroki Nakamura
• Jun Misugi: Megumi Ogata
• Hikaru Matsuyama: Masami Kikuchi
• Brian Clifort: Masami Kikuchi
• Ruth Chrisman: Toshiyuki Morikawa
• Leon Dick: Koji Tsujitani
• Johan Rensenbrink: Tetsuya Iwanaga
• Gerd Kaiser: Hiro Yuki

■ Main staff

• Original author: Yoichi Takahashi
• Planning: Weekly Shonen Jump Editorial Department, Shueisha Media Mix Editorial Department, Shueisha Publicity Department
• Music: Takeo Mirazu
• Screenplay: Junyasu Furukawa
• Directed by Hiroshi Tamada
• Character design and chief animation director: Nobuhiro Okasako
• Animation director: Minoru Yamazawa, Nobuyoshi Ando
• Art director: Shichiro Kobayashi
• Director of photography: Shinichi Sasano
• Sound Director: Shimizu Katsunori
• Director and storyboard: Junyasu Furukawa
• Produced by JCSTAFF, Yomiko Advertising
• Produced and written by: Shueisha

■ Main Characters

• Tsubasa Ozora: The main character. A Japanese soccer genius who is said to be the son of the ball. His motto is "The ball is my friend." He plays as a midfielder for Sao Paulo FC in Brazil. He is also the captain of the All Japan Youth team.
• Taro Misaki: Tsubasa's best friend, and the two are known as the "golden duo". Until Tsubasa returned to Japan, he temporarily served as captain of the All Japan Youth Team. His position is MF (midfielder).
• Kojiro Hyuga: A genius striker who has had a good rivalry with Tsubasa since childhood. He is a cool person, but he has a strong passion for soccer and always puts in effort. He is a selected player for the All Japan Youth team and plays as a forward.
• Genzo Wakabayashi: Japan Youth's proud goalkeeper. He is active in the German professional league. After a period of rivalry with Tsubasa, he became a close friend. His trademark is the cap he always wears during games.
• Jun Misugi: A versatile player who plays as a libero for the All Japan Youth team. When he was young, he was only able to play on the pitch for a few minutes due to a heart condition, but he has now almost completely recovered and is now on the national team.
• Hikaru Matsuyama: A main player for the Japan Youth team from Hokkaido. In addition to playing as a midfielder, he also plays defense. He is the type of person who polishes his talents through hard work and has leadership skills.
• Brian Clijford: Captain of the Dutch youth team, known as the "total football commander." He has a devastating shooting ability and destroys Wakabayashi's right arm.

■ Theme songs and music

• OP1: "Try!"
  Lyrics: Manabu Watanabe, Shogo Miyaji Composition: Manabu Watanabe, Shogo Miyaji Arrangement: Tetsuya Osaka, FACE FREE
  ・Song: FACE FREE
• ED1 "On the Wind Road"
  Lyrics: Manabu Watanabe Music: Shogo Miyaji Arrangement: Tetsuya Osaka, Tomoyoshi Murayama, FACE FREE
  ・Song: FACE FREE

■ Appeal and evaluation of the work

"Captain Tsubasa: The Strongest Enemy! Netherlands Youth" is a work that depicts a particularly heated battle among the Captain Tsubasa series. The setting of the All Japan Youth team playing against the powerful European country, the Netherlands Youth team, creates tension and excitement in the viewers. In particular, the scene where Ozora Tsubasa returns to Japan and leads the team as captain is very moving and captures the hearts of the viewers.

The appeal of this work is, above all, the growth and bonds of the characters. The individuality and growth of the main characters, such as Tsubasa Ozora, Taro Misaki, and Kojiro Hyuga, are depicted, and their passion for soccer is conveyed to the viewers. In addition, the members of the All Japan Youth Team come together as one to face the Dutch Youth Team, teaching us the importance of teamwork.

In addition, the match scenes, such as Clifford's powerful shots and Wakabayashi's struggle, are very realistic and powerful. The animation quality is also high, making it a visually enjoyable piece. The music, by Takeo Mirazu, also adds to the atmosphere of the work, and the opening theme "Try!" and the ending theme "Kaze no Michi de" are particularly memorable.

■ Recommendation points

Here are some reasons why I recommend this work:

• Hot Soccer Match: The match between Japan Youth and Netherlands Youth is filled with tension and excitement that draws the viewers in.
• Character Growth: Enjoy a moving storyline that depicts the growth and bonds of characters, including Tsubasa Ozora.
• Realistic match scenes: Match scenes, such as Clifford's shots and Wakabayashi's goalkeeping, are realistic and exciting.
• High-quality animation: High-quality animation produced by JCSTAFF provides a visual treat.
• Emotional Music: Takeo Miratsu's music and the theme song by FACE FREE really set the tone for the film.

■ Related works and series

"Captain Tsubasa: The Strongest Enemy! Dutch Youth" is a work produced as part of the Captain Tsubasa series. Throughout the series, the growth of Ozora Tsubasa and his passion for soccer are depicted, and you can enjoy different opponents and match scenes in each work. In particular, the TV anime "Captain Tsubasa J" was produced by the same staff and cast as this work, so you can enjoy the series more deeply by watching it consecutively.

The original manga is also very popular and has many fans. By reading the original, you can learn more about the characters' backgrounds and the details of the story. The Captain Tsubasa series is recommended not only for soccer fans, but also for those who like sports anime and youth stories.

■ Summary

"Captain Tsubasa: The Strongest Enemy! Netherlands Youth" is a work that depicts particularly heated battles among the Captain Tsubasa series, and is appealing for its character growth and bonds, realistic match scenes, high-quality animation, and moving music. The match between All Japan Youth and Netherlands Youth is full of tension and excitement that draws viewers in, and throughout the series you can feel Ozora Tsubasa's growth and passion for soccer. This is a work that we highly recommend to anyone who wants to enjoy the Captain Tsubasa series, or who likes soccer anime or youth stories.