The appeal and reviews of "Corporate Warrior YAMAZAKI LONG DISTANCE CALL": A must-see anime for businessmen

Corporate Warrior YAMAZAKI LONG DISTANCE CALL - Comprehensive evaluation and recommendation of Corporate Warrior YAMAZAKI LONG DISTANCE CALL

■ Public Media

OVA

■ Original Media

comics

■ Release date

October 25, 1997

■Frequencies

45 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

・Original work: Jun Tomizawa

■ Director

・Director: Tsuneo Tominaga

■ Production

Ripple Film

■ Story

Corporate warrior Yamazaki meets a delinquent girl named Rinko on his way to a job assignment. Rinko gets in his car with him, but is kicked out of the job. Feeling resentful, Rinko gathers information about Yamazaki. Not knowing Yamazaki's background, Rinko tells him about her overworked father and tells him to go home, but he refuses. Later, Yamazaki receives a phone call saying that he has taken care of Rinko, but it's a trap set by a corporate warrior from a rival company...!

■Explanation

This OVA is an adaptation of Jun Tomizawa's sci-fi business manga, serialized in Shueisha's Super Jump magazine. It is based on the first and third chapters of the original work, "Convenience Wars" and "LONG DISTANCE CALL." Jun Tomizawa's works skillfully combine the harshness of the business world with humor, and Yamazaki the Corporate Warrior is one example of this. This OVA faithfully retains the essence of the original work, while bringing out new appeal through its adaptation.

■Cast

・Takuro Yamazaki / Shigeru Chiba ・Rinko Kashima / Tomoko Kawakami ・Rika Nuki / Masako Katsuo ・Business Commando Suzuki / Kenichi Ogata ・Tashiro / Nobutoshi Hayashi ・Nishikawa / Tetsuo Sakaguchi ・Kaori Ozaki / Eriko Kawasaki ・Miri Ozaki / Aoi Mizuno (special appearance)
・Rinko's Mother / Mizuhara Rin ・Business Commando Sato / Horikawa Jin

■ Main staff

・Director and scriptwriter: Tsuneo Tominaga ・Character designer and chief animation director: Akira Kano ・Director: Musashi Sando ・Art director: Yoshiyuki Uchida ・Director of photography: Eiichi Okita ・Sound director: Susumu Aketagawa ・Music director: Nagisa Hagiwara ・Animation production: Ripple Film ・Planning and production: Corporate Warrior YAMAZAKI Project (Production Committee)
・Production cooperation: Bandai Music Entertainment

■ Main Characters

Takuro Yamazaki died from overwork during work, but became a business commando at NEO=SYSTEM in order to leave money for his wife and children. He proposes absurd ideas to protect the people suffering in the organization and his ideal of "the royal road of business." He fights mercilessly against his enemies, the business commandos, who behave aggressively.
A delinquent girl who has run away from home. She becomes a regular on the show as Yamazaki's assistant. She gives her honest opinions on the human resources and products of the company to which Yamazaki is dispatched, from the perspective of today's young people.
Kanri Kaya is a female engineer at NEO=SYSTEM, the company that has produced many business commandos like Yamazaki. She is a cool beauty with a business-like personality.

■Detailed evaluation and recommendation

Corporate Warrior YAMAZAKI LONG DISTANCE CALL was released as an OVA in 1997 and is based on the original manga by Jun Tomizawa. The story is characterized by its skillful blend of humor and the harshness of the business world, leaving a deep impression on viewers.

First, let's talk about the story. The film begins with Yamazaki, a corporate warrior, meeting a delinquent girl named Rinko on the way to his assigned workplace. Rinko gets into Yamazaki's car, but gets kicked out of the workplace. This incident prompts Rinko to start gathering information about Yamazaki, and, without knowing his background, she tells him about her overworked father and tries to convince him to come home. Yamazaki, however, refuses, and later calls to say he has taken care of Rinko, but it is a trap set by a corporate warrior from a rival company. The story skillfully depicts the competition of the business world and personal relationships, leaving a deep impression on viewers.

Next, let's evaluate the cast. Chiba Shigeru, who plays Yamazaki Takuro, realistically portrays the feelings of Yamazaki, who continues to fight as a business commando for his wife and children even after his death from overwork, and succeeds in drawing out the viewers' sympathy. Kawakami Tomoko, who plays Kashima Rinko, firmly portrays the character of Rinko as a delinquent girl, and deeply portrays her relationship with Yamazaki. Katsuo Masako, who plays Nuki Rika, plays a cool beauty and business-like female engineer, enhancing the atmosphere of the work as a whole. Other cast members, such as Ogata Kenichi as business commando Suzuki and Hayashi Nobutoshi as Tashiro, firmly portray their respective characters, enhancing the appeal of the work.

Let's also evaluate the main staff. Director and scriptwriter Tominaga Tsuneo has retained the essence of the original work while bringing out new charms through his film adaptation. Character designer and chief animation director Kano Akira has drawn out the individuality of each character, creating visuals that will stay in the viewers' minds. Director Sando Musei has skillfully directed the development of the story, succeeding in stirring the viewers' emotions. Art director Uchida Yoshiyuki has drawn out the background that expresses the harshness of the business world, enhancing the overall atmosphere of the work. Cinematographer Okita Eiichi has pursued the beauty of the images, succeeding in pleasing the viewers' visual sense. Sound director Aketagawa Susumu has carefully adjusted the voices and sound effects of each character, enhancing the appeal of the work. Music director Hagiwara Nagisa has provided music that skillfully expresses the harshness and humor of the business world, enhancing the overall atmosphere of the work. Ripple Film, in charge of animation production, has faithfully retained the essence of the original work while bringing out new appeal through its visual adaptation. Corporate Warrior YAMAZAKI Project (Production Committee), in charge of planning and production, has firmly established the concept of the work, creating a work that will stay in the viewers' hearts. Bandai Music Entertainment, which cooperated in the production, has enhanced the work's appeal in terms of music and sound.

Let's also evaluate the main characters. Yamazaki Takuro is a character who fights as a business commando for his wife and children even after dying from overwork, and his feelings are portrayed realistically. Kashima Michiko plays a delinquent girl character perfectly, and her relationship with Yamazaki is deeply portrayed. Nuki Rika plays a cool beauty and business-like female engineer, enhancing the overall atmosphere of the work. These characters skillfully express the harshness and humor of the business world, and leave a deep impression on the viewers.

Finally, let's talk about recommendations. Corporate Warrior Yamazaki Long Distance Call is characterized by a storyline that skillfully blends the harshness and humor of the business world, and is a work that leaves a deep impression on viewers. I would particularly recommend it to people in the business world and those interested in the issue of death from overwork. Also, because it was released in the form of an OVA, even people who don't have much time can easily watch it. Furthermore, fans of the original manga will also enjoy it as a film version. Overall, Corporate Warrior Yamazaki Long Distance Call is a work that skillfully expresses the harshness and humor of the business world, and it leaves a deep impression on viewers. I would definitely recommend giving it a watch.