The appeal and evaluation of the fourth series of Shonen Ashibe GO!GO!Goma-chan: A story of new adventures and growth

Shonen Ashibe GO!GO!Goma-chan 4th Series Review and Recommendation

Overview

"Ashibe Go! Go! Goma-chan Season 4" is a TV anime series based on the popular manga "Ashibe Go! Go! Goma-chan" by Hiromi Morishita. It was broadcast on NHK Educational TV from April 2, 2019 to December 17, 2019, and entertained viewers with its 24 short episodes of 10 minutes each. The animation was produced by Bridge and Fuushio Studio, and the director was Nobuhiro Kondo. The series depicts the daily life of the main characters Ashibe and Goma-chan the spotted seal, and revolves around the fun interactions they have with their family and friends.

■ Story

This anime is full of cute and sometimes surreal scenes as it depicts the daily lives of first-grader Ashibe and his spotted seal, Goma-chan, at home, at school, and with their neighbors. Ashibe's cheerful personality and Goma-chan's lovability combine to create a show that the whole family can enjoy. Each episode features a different theme or event, depicting Ashibe and Goma-chan's growth, friendship, and familial love. For example, there are episodes in which Goma-chan meets new friends, and Ashibe grows through helping others. Seasonal events such as Christmas and sports days are also included, allowing viewers to feel the change of seasons.

■ Characters

The charm of this series lies in the individuality and charm of the characters. The main character, Ashibe, has an amazingly loud voice, a cheerful personality, and quickly becomes friends with anyone. Goma-chan is a baby spotted seal that Ashibe found, and is loved by everyone as an idol. Ashibe's family and friends are also unique in their own way. Ashibe's father is a carpenter with an Edokko temperament, and Ashibe's mother is serious and does all the housework well, but also has a playful side. A variety of characters, such as Ashibe's best friend Sugao-kun, his classmates Yuma-kun, Mao-chan, Yumiko-chan, Sakata, and Sakata's older brother, add excitement to the story. In addition, many unique characters appear, such as Dr. Tendo, Dr. Sugao, Chit-chan, Yeti, Ashibe's Grandpa, Peppeppe Soran Arema, Hirao, Makoto-chan, and Goro, adding color to the story.

■Cast

The voice cast is also impressive, with Kawamura Rie playing Ashibe and Toyama Nao playing Goma-chan. The voice actors who were perfect for each character were chosen: Kenjiro Tsuda as Ashibe's father, Chinatsu Akasaki as Ashibe's mother, Nao Toyama as Sugao-kun, Ayane Sakura as Yuma-kun, Ami Fukushima as Mao-chan, Aoi Koga as Yumiko-chan, Hayate Matsuda as Sakata, Rina Kitagawa as Sakata's brother, Koji Yusa as Tendou-sensei, Daisuke Kishio as Sugao's teacher, Chinatsu Akasaki as Chit-chan, Kenjiro Tsuda as Yeti, Daisuke Kishio as Ashibe's grandfather, Rina Kitagawa as Peppeppe Soran Arema, Sayuri Matsumura as Hirao, Yuka Ozaki as Makoto-chan, and Daisuke Kishio as Goro. Their acting brings out the charm of the characters even more.

■ Staff

Based on the original work "Shounen Ashibe" by Hiromi Morishita, the director is Nobuhiro Kondo, the series composition is Masashi Togawa, the character design is Yuki Hishinuma, the cinematographer is Yusuke Sasano, the art director is Mitsuharu Miyamae, the color design is Akiko Inoue, the sound director is Yukio Nagasaki, and the music is Kenji Kato and Hiromi Mizutani. The animation is produced by Shin-Ei Animation and studio Palette, and the production is Team Goma. It can be said that the skill and passion of each staff member has led to the success of this series.

■Subtitle

The subtitles of each episode are also appealing, starting with episode 1, "Goma-chan's House," and ending with episode 24, "Goma-chan's Christmas, Part 2." Each episode, such as episode 2, "Photo-chan's Angelic Singing Voice," episode 5, "Sakata's Carp," and episode 17, "A Difficult Sports Day," features a different theme or event, and depicts the daily lives of Ashibe and Goma-chan in a fun way.

■ Theme songs and music

The opening theme is "Smile! Smile! Smile!", with lyrics, composition and arrangement by Kitagawa Shori (ROUND TABLE) and vocals by Ozaki Yuka. The ending theme is "Come on! Come on!", with lyrics by Sonar Pocket, composition by Watanabe "anchang" Takahiko and NAOKI-T, arrangement by NAOKI-T and vocals by Sonar Pocket. These songs liven up the atmosphere of the anime and provide a fun time for viewers.

■ Evaluation and recommendation

"Ashibe Go! Go! Goma-chan Season 4" is an anime that can be enjoyed by both children and adults. The story depicts the daily lives of Ashibe and Goma-chan, and is full of heartwarming and funny scenes that the whole family can enjoy. The characters are rich in personality and charm, and have the power to draw viewers in. Also, do not miss the skills of the luxurious voice actors and staff. The opening and ending songs also liven up the atmosphere of the anime, providing viewers with a fun time. This series is an anime that I would like to recommend to many people as a work that depicts the small happiness, friendship, and family love of everyday life. It is a work that I would especially recommend to families with children and adults looking for healing.

■Detailed information

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

comics

■ Broadcast period

April 2, 2019 - December 17, 2019
18:45～

■Broadcasting station

NHK Educational TV

■Frequencies

10 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 24

■Original Story

Hiromi Morishita

■ Director

Nobuhiro Kondo

■ Production

Animation production: Bridge, Fuushio Studio

■Works

©Hiromi Morishita・OOP/Team Goma