Showa Monogatari: The appeal and reputation of anime depicting a nostalgic era

Showa Monogatari - Reviews and Recommendations

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Release date

January 29, 2011 - January 1, 0000

■Distribution company

sink

■Frequencies

100 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■ Director

Masahiro Murakami (film director, series director)
Kenichi Ishikura, Yutaka Sato, Toru Ogihara, Ryo Tachiba, Yasumi Mikamoto, Kyosuke Mikuriya, Yoshikata Nitta, Hideki Takayama, Takahiro Kimura, Kunitoshi Okajima (all directed by)
Mitsuhiro Togo (TV version director), Hiroshi Kugimiya (TV version director)

■ Production

Production company: WOW WORLD Production: Showa Animation Production Committee (Think, WOW WORLD, tvk, Teletama, Chiba TV, Mie TV, KBS Kyoto, Sun TV)

■ Story

The Yamazaki family runs a small factory in Kamata, Ota Ward, Tokyo. The family consists of father Arizo, mother Kanoko, grandmother Yoshi, eldest son Taichi, a university student, eldest daughter Yuko, a high school student, and the protagonist, second son Kohei Yamazaki, a fifth-grader in elementary school.
Kohei is a lively boy who loves baseball and boys' manga. The New Year in the Yamazaki household does not begin peacefully as usual.
The stubborn craftsman-like Arizo and Taichi get into a huge fight right at the start of the New Year, high school student Yuko is on the verge of turning to delinquency, causing everyone to worry, and the factory is scammed by a regular customer.
The story of the Yamazaki family unfolds as they are joined by Goro, an employee, and Ryo, an animator who lives next door.
The Tokyo Olympics will be a catalyst for the family, as the feelings of this once fragmented family begin to come together.

■Explanation

First of all, why “animation for adults” now?
Despite concerns about a declining birthrate and aging population, as well as a shrinking domestic market, Japan has grown into an anime and manga powerhouse unparalleled in the world.
A person who is now 70 years old (born in 1940) was 12 years old when "Astro Boy" began serialization, and 11 years later (1963) the first full-scale Japanese TV anime series "Astro Boy" began broadcasting. Although the generation that grew up watching anime and manga already makes up the majority of the elderly, very little animation aimed at adults was produced at the time.
We assumed there was a high potential demand for animation aimed at adults, and after more than a year of research and three years of development, we have completed a completely new "TV manga (animation) for adults."

This is the industry's first original animation that targets seniors and the baby boomer generation, but can also be enjoyed by families. It took four and a half years to produce, aiming to develop a new market as a challenge to the domestic animation industry, which has been stagnating due to the Galapagos effect and the declining birthrate and aging population. The cuts and dialogue of the footage are completely different from recent animation works aimed at enthusiasts, and a slow, easy-to-understand directing method is used to make it easy to watch for seniors over 60 years old, faithfully recreating the scenery of 1964, which could be said to be Japan's original landscape, in high-quality animation using high vision.

By simultaneously producing a 13-episode 30-minute TV series and a 100-minute feature film, cinemas and TV broadcasts will be linked, and the series will be released and broadcast over a long period of time.
The theme is "Family ties" and "Japanese manufacturing."
The number of suicides has exceeded 30,000, and families and educational institutions are collapsing. In this modern age where there is an increasing need to reexamine the family, which is the foundation of life and communication, we have set a theme that will trigger a rethinking of family and human relationships, so that families can watch it with peace of mind, and also to encourage family members to look at each other in a new light.

The craftsmanship of the artisans who supported Japan's period of high economic growth! We have depicted the passionate figures of artisans who took pride in their work, believed in their skills, and took on new challenges. Our fathers and grandfathers were our seniors in life, who silently carried out their work...

■Cast

・Yuko Yamazaki/Misato Fukuen/Kohei Yamazaki/Shoya Chiba/Taichi Yamazaki/Makoto Aoki/Yuzo Yamazaki/Yasuno Matsumoto/Kanoko Yamazaki/Sakiko Tamagawa/Yoshi Yamazaki/Naoko Kyoda/Goro Tashiro/Masaaki Tsukada/Ryo Takayanagi/Wataru Takagi/Yusuke Sawatari/Hiroyuki Yoshino

■ Main staff

Scenario: Yasushi Hirano (Ultraman, City Hunter), Sukehiro Tomita (Sazae-san, Sailor Moon), Toshihisa Arakawa (Kamen Rider Kuuga, Sentai Series), Miho Maruo (Chibi Maruko-chan, Dragon Ball)
Series Director: Masahiro Murakami (General Producer of "NITABOH", General Producer and Animation Director of "August Symphony")
・TV version directors: Hiroshi Kugimiya (Doraemon, Crayon Shin-chan), Mitsuhiro Togo (Love Get CHU: Miracle Voice Actor White Paper)
Producers: Hiroaki Takeuchi (The Animatrix, Voices of a Distant Star), Miseon Song (Love Rollercoaster)
・Character design, animation director: Tatsuo Yanagi (Lupin III: The Golden Legend of Babylon)
Supervisor: Tetsuo Kanno (original producer of "Doraemon" and "Ninja Hattori-kun")
・Sound Director: Yasunori Honda ("Mach GoGoGo", "The Genie Family")
・Music: Hayashi Gido ("Piyotama", "Virtual Trip Liquid Crystal")
Animation production: WOW Corporation, Think Inc., Net6

■ Main Characters

・Yuko Yamazaki (17)
The eldest daughter. Second year at a metropolitan high school. Cheerful personality. She worries about being tall. She has a crush on a senior at her high school (Sawatari).
・Yamazaki Kohei (12)
The second son. A sixth-grader in elementary school. He is always cheerful and full of energy, but sometimes he overdoes it and gets scolded. He loves baseball.
Taichi Yamazaki (20)
The eldest son. A third-year student at a science and engineering university. He is trying to get a job at a manufacturer and is clashing with Arizo. He is good at looking after his younger sisters and brothers.
Yuzo Yamazaki (45)
Father. President of Yamazaki Manufacturing. He is a stubborn craftsman who is always in a bad mood, but he worries about his family.
・Yamazaki Yoshiko (40)
Mother. She helps with accounting at the factory. She is usually kind, but once she makes up her mind, she won't change her mind.
・Yamazaki Yoshi (68)
Grandmother. Arisuzu's mother. She worships her late husband every day. A moody old woman whose Buddhist altar is like her lover.
Goro Tashiro (55)
A craftsman. An employee of the previous generation. A craftsman-like and always gentle. Nicknamed Goro-san. He is like family to the Yamazaki family, and even eats meals together.
Ryo Takayanagi (24)
Neighbor. An animator who lives in the apartment next door. Nicknamed Ryo-san.
・Yusuke Sawatari (19)
Senior. Yuko's senior in high school. After graduating from high school, she got a job at a clothing store in Ginza. She is a member of the Miyuki tribe.
Setsuko Otani (17)
Friend. Yuko's classmate. Childhood friend of Sawatari's friend Tajima.
Hiroko Takeuchi (17)
Friend. Yuko's classmate. Well-informed and talkative.
・Toshiya Kasai (12)
Friend. Kouhei's best friend. He has a delinquent older brother and is precocious.
・Shinichi Miyamoto (12)
Friend. Kouhei's best friend. Timid.

■Review

Showa Monogatari is an animated film set in Kamata, Ota Ward, Tokyo in 1964, with the themes of family ties and Japanese craftsmanship. Although the film is primarily targeted at seniors, it can be enjoyed by a wide range of generations. Below, we will explain in detail the appeal and highlights of the film.

The appeal of the story

The story of Showa Monogatari revolves around the daily life of the Yamazaki family. The protagonist, Yamazaki Kohei, is a lively fifth grader who loves baseball and boys' manga. Various events in the family are depicted from his perspective. Family problems arise one after another, such as a big fight between father Arizo and eldest son Taichi at the start of the new year, eldest daughter Yuko on the verge of delinquency, and the factory being scammed by a regular customer. However, even in the midst of all this, the family's bonds are tested, and the process in which the family's feelings are ultimately united in the wake of the Tokyo Olympics is a moving one.

Character Appeal

Each member of the Yamazaki family has their own unique personality, making it never boring to watch. In particular, the main character, Kohei, is portrayed as a lively boy who loves baseball. His actions and words bring brightness and liveliness to the story. Each family member also has a distinct character, such as the father, Arizo, a stubborn craftsman, the eldest daughter, Yuko, who has a bright personality, and the eldest son, Taichi, who is a science and technology university student. Furthermore, the people around them, such as employee Goro-san and the animator Yoshi-san next door, also add depth to the story.

The appeal of video and music

Showa Monogatari faithfully recreates the scenes of 1964 using high-definition, high-quality animation. The cuts and dialogue are delivered slowly and in an easy-to-understand manner to make them easy for seniors to watch. The music has also been chosen to evoke the atmosphere of the Showa era, allowing viewers to feel the world of the story even more deeply. In particular, the music by Hayashi Weidang evokes nostalgia for the Showa era while also enhancing the moving story.

Thematic Depth

The themes of Showa Monogatari are "family ties" and "Japanese craftsmanship." In modern society, it is said that the home and education sectors are collapsing. In this climate, the story depicts themes that encourage people to reaffirm family ties and reconsider relationships between people. It also depicts the craftsmanship spirit of the artisans who supported Japan's period of high economic growth, and is inspiring to see the craftsmen take pride in their work, believe in their skills, and take on new challenges. These themes will resonate with a wide range of generations, not just seniors.

■Recommendation

Showa Monogatari is an animated film that is perfect for watching with the family. In particular, seniors and baby boomers will resonate with the story, which depicts nostalgic scenes from the Showa era and family ties. It will also be a good opportunity for the younger generation to learn about Japan's period of high economic growth and the craftsmanship of artisans. Furthermore, watching it with your family will help you reaffirm the bonds you have with each other and give you an opportunity to reconsider the relationships between people. Please watch it with your family and share the excitement and empathy.

■ Additional Information

Showa Monogatari was produced simultaneously as a 13-episode 30-minute TV series and a 100-minute feature film. The TV series was broadcast on tvk, Teletama, Chiba TV, Mie TV, KBS Kyoto, and Sun TV, while the feature film was shown in cinemas nationwide. DVDs and Blu-rays have also been released, so you can enjoy it at home. In addition, related books and merchandise are also available for sale, which is great news for fans.

■ Related works

The following are some of the works related to the Showa Era:

• "Astro Boy" - Like Showa Monogatari, which depicts the scene in 1964, this work is set in the Showa era. It is a nostalgic work for the generation that grew up watching anime and manga.
• "Sazae-san" - Like other Showa-era stories that depict family ties, this is a work that depicts the daily life of a family. You can feel the atmosphere of a Showa-era home.
• "Chibi Maruko-chan" - Like Showa Monogatari, this work is set in the Showa era. It depicts the daily life of a family from the perspective of the main character, Maruko.

■ Summary

Showa Monogatari is an animated film set in Kamata, Ota Ward, Tokyo in 1964, with the themes of family ties and Japanese manufacturing. While the main target audience is seniors, it is enjoyable for a wide range of generations. There are plenty of highlights to enjoy, including the story, characters, the appeal of the visuals and music, and the depth of the theme. Be sure to watch it with your family and share your emotions and empathy. Also, check out related works and enjoy the Showa era scenes and family ties.