"Tough Guys!" Review: A Story of Strength and Friendship

"Tough Guys": A modern hard-boiled action comedy masterpiece

■Overview of the work

"Tough Guys" is an original anime produced by Sunrise and released as an OVA on July 21, 2010. It consists of 4 episodes, each 25 minutes long, but densely packed, and was directed by Shintaro Kishimoto. It was distributed by Pony Canyon and published by Sunrise. The work is characterized by its unique visual expression, which combines CG and live action, and is loved by many viewers as a modern hard-boiled action comedy.

■ Story

"Tough Guys" is a work based on the theme of modern hard-boiled stories. It is depicted as a high-speed battle action hard-boiled comedy that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and genders. At the center of the story is a battle between insects and animals, in which humans also get caught up in the action. Each episode depicts a different battle, making it a work that exquisitely combines humor and action.

■Explanation

"Tough Guys" is a collaboration between Shintaro Kishimoto and Sunrise. Sunrise is a studio known for producing "Gundam," and for this work, they fully backed up Shintaro Kishimoto's creative talent. Producer Horiguchi and some of the staff worked on the production in parallel with the production of the Odaiba Gundam statue. This work is also characterized by its visual expression that combines CG and live action, with all the settings and backgrounds shot with live action cameras, and the characters played by actors. It was produced as a CG composite work, not a hand-drawn animation.

■Cast

The cast of "Tough Guys" is as follows:

• Woman (A): AYA EBISUMOTO
• Woman (B): Mana Iwasaki
• Man: Shohei Kawai

■ Main staff

The main staff of "Tough Guys" are as follows:

• Director: Shintaro Kishimoto
• Creator: Shintaro Kishimoto
• Staff: SUNRISE
• Video cameraman: Eiichi Anzai
• Bike Stunt: Kalasawaisao (Friendship Cooperation)
• Produced by: Sunrise

■ Main Characters

The main characters of "Tough Guys" are as follows:

• Mantis: The main character of the story. Although the mantis is just an insect, it is no ordinary person. Wherever he goes, battles that modern people have forgotten will break out. He has fought and won them all, such as against an empty can in 2003, against a lycaenid butterfly in 2004, and against a brown cicada in 2005. He is the unknown, undefeated emperor of modern society who never gives up and always accepts a challenge. He is a lime green killer. No one knows where he comes from or where he will fight.
• Crawfish: Crawfish, introduced from America in the early 20th century, have now almost completely wiped out the native species in Japan and are rampant throughout the country. In EP01, after a typhoon, a crawfish happens to wander on land from a flooded river, where it encounters a worthy opponent. Its huge claws have great fighting power.
• Actias artemis: A type of moth that is found in a wide range of areas. It was almost eaten by a praying mantis at night, but was lucky enough to be saved by a group of rampaging beetles that were not paying attention to what was ahead. It probably didn't even notice.
• Beetles: They are the kings of insects, and in this episode they behave arrogantly and tyrannically. They rule the trees and can fly despite their muscular bodies, but they are vegetarians and quite smelly.
• Crows: They are said to be the most intelligent of all birds, and in recent years, it has been discovered that some species of crows use tools. Their playing behavior has also been confirmed, and it is believed that this behavior was the cause of the recent battle. They may be a species that is truly suited to survival in the big city of Tokyo.
• Cockroach: A shiny, black-brown insect familiar to humans. It is believed to have appeared in the Carboniferous Period of the Paleozoic Era 300 million years ago, and is also called a "living fossil." It is thought to be ranked among the most unpopular insects, and does not have any hostility toward humans, but it would be a big problem if it did have any ill intentions.
• Woman (A): An unfortunate woman who always seems to get caught up in BATTLEs. Apparently, she actually used to do judo.
• Man: I'm an unfortunate guy who always ends up getting caught up in BATTLEs. I don't know if I have the sense to ride a 4-cylinder medium-sized bike these days.
• Woman (B): An ordinary office lady living in Tokyo. She hates bugs and accidentally gets caught up in their fight.

■Subtitle

The subtitles for "Tough Guys" are as follows:

• EP01: “Stormy Mantis” (2010/07/21)
• EP02: “Night Lord” (2010/07/21)
• EP03: “Sleeper Hold” (2010/07/21)
• EP00: “Black Antenna”/project trailer (2010/07/21)

■Detailed episode commentary

Each episode of "Tough Guys" focuses on the battles between insects and animals. Below is a detailed explanation of each episode.

EP01: "Stormy Mantis"

In this episode, a praying mantis appears as the main character. After a typhoon has passed, a crayfish emerges from a swollen river onto land and the praying mantis confronts it. A fierce battle unfolds, with the mantis's sharp front legs and the crayfish's giant claws intertwining, and humans also getting caught up in it. The mantis' undefeated fighting record is depicted, highlighting its role as an unknown warrior in modern society.

EP02: "Night Lord"

In this episode, set in a city at night, a praying mantis faces off against a giant water bug. The mantis is planning to eat the giant water bug as a midnight snack, but it is saved by the rampaging rhinoceros beetle army not paying attention to what is ahead. The collective behavior of the rhinoceros beetles is contrasted with the solitary behavior of the praying mantis, depicting the ecology of insects. The episode also depicts a battle in which humans are drawn into, creating an exquisite blend of humor and action.

EP03: "Sleeper Hold"

In this episode, the praying mantis faces off against the crow. The crow's intelligence and ability to use tools are depicted, and a battle unfolds. The crow's playful behavior is the cause of the battle, and humans are drawn into the battle. The praying mantis' undefeated fighting record is highlighted once again, highlighting its role as an unknown warrior in modern society.

EP00: “Black Antenna”/project trailer

This episode was created as a trailer for the project. It depicts Mantis's battle history and the highlights of each episode, providing an overview of the entire work. It depicts Mantis' undefeated battle history and the battles of each episode, conveying the appeal of the work to viewers.

■Production background and technical features

"Tough Guys" was produced as a collaboration between Sunrise and Shintaro Kishimoto. Sunrise is a studio known for producing "Gundam," and for this work, they fully backed up Shintaro Kishimoto's creative talent. Producer Horiguchi and some of the staff worked on the production in parallel with the production of the Odaiba Gundam statue. This work is also characterized by its visual expression that combines CG and live action, with all the settings and backgrounds shot with live action cameras, and the characters played by actors. It was produced as a CG composite work, not a hand-drawn animation.

■ Evaluation and acceptance

"Tough Guys" was loved by many viewers as a modern hard-boiled action comedy. It was highly praised for its unique story centered on the battles between insects and animals, and its visual expression that combined CG and live action. It was also supported by many fans as a work that combined the creative talent of Shintaro Kishimoto with the production capabilities of Sunrise. Viewers praised the work for its exquisite blend of humor and action.

■ Recommendations and related works

"Tough Guys" is recommended for viewers who enjoy a modern hard-boiled action comedy. It is also recommended for viewers who are interested in visual expression that combines CG and live action. Related works include the "Gundam" series produced by Sunrise and other works by Shintaro Kishimoto. These works can also be enjoyed as works that combine creative talent and production skills.

Conclusion

"Tough Guys" is a modern hard-boiled action comedy beloved by many viewers. It was highly praised for its unique storyline centered around battles between insects and animals, and its visual expression that combines CG and live action. It was also supported by many fans as a work that combines the creative talent of Shintaro Kishimoto with the production skills of Sunrise. Viewers have praised it for its exquisite blend of humor and action. We recommend that you give it a watch.