The dog also walks and hits an anime. No.11] Fans of the original work and the previous anime will be satisfied!　GAMBA Gamba and Friends" reborn with new appeal

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A new masterpiece born from a careful reading of the original children's literature

What are "Jurassic Park" and "The Rising Titan" both about? In this country, there has been a masterpiece depicting the horror of being eaten, surrounded, and overrun for 40 years. It was a children's book. The book is called "The Adventurers: Gamba and 15 Friends" by Atsuo Saito, a children's author. It is a story about the adventures of animals, with a mouse as the main character. This masterpiece has been revived as a new 3DCG animation film.

Gamba, a town mouse who lives a carefree life in the city with his buddy Mampuku, suddenly decides that he wants to see the sea, and heads for a seaside town. There, Gamba meets a rowdy sailor rat named Yoisho, Gakusha, and others, as well as a boy island rat named Chuta who comes to him for help. The island rats are being attacked by the Noroi tribe of white weasels and are on the verge of extinction. Gamba and his friends go to the island to help the island rats, but a deadly battle with the dreaded Noroi clan awaits them.

The seven friends, including Chuta, rally together and embark on a desperate battle in response to the SOS, taking on the strong with the weak many in tow. This development is an inverted survival story similar to the movie "Seven Samurai," and it is heartwarming to see it again.

In the anime "Gamba's Adventure" (broadcast in 1975) by director Osamu Izaki of "Treasure Island" and "Ashita no Joe 2," the rats were designed as two-and-a-half-headed characters wearing key items such as clothes and hats. At first glance, they appear to be cute characters designed for children.

However, the battles depicted in the film were relentlessly confronted with despair. The horror of Noroi, the huge, overwhelming, and incomparably cruel white weasel, traumatized children. That is why the story of the rats who never gave up and fought back left such a strong impression on children, and it has become an unforgettable "masterpiece" of animation, even as adults.

When I heard the news that "The Adventurers: Gamba and His 15 Friends" was to be animated again using CG animation, I felt a sense of joy that this masterpiece would receive new attention. At the same time, I felt disappointed if it was a half-baked, childish work because the previous animation was so wonderful. I had half expectations and half anxiety. However, as a fan of the original, I couldn't help but watch the movie. It was with these feelings that I went to the movie theater, but as it turned out, my fears were completely unfounded.

I was enchanted by the mysteriousness and horror of the neutral Noroi.

The film is a good entertainment filled with thrills and excitement. Gamba is a young, naive, brave, and orthodox protagonist who does not take advantage of the strong and is kind to the weak. Chuta's older sister, Ushioji, is a family-oriented, smart, beautiful, decisive, and dynamic heroine who is also a legitimate heroine. These two animals, which are a rarity in today's anime, lead the story in a fresh and relaxed manner without being obnoxious.

In the original story, the fifteen rats that board the island are reduced to seven for a variety of reasons. Because of this, their individual personalities and stories are clearly depicted without blurring.

The excitement of Gamba, who grew up in a town, when he leaves his familiar place of residence and sets off to see the sea out of a longing for the unknown. How Yoisho and Gamba, who come from different backgrounds, physiques, and experiences, come to recognize each other, and so on. One of the most striking aspects of the story is the relationship between Bobo and Ikasama.

The laid-back Bobo is not a fighter and is not much use in a fight. Ikasama, an outlaw type, cannot understand why Bobo has volunteered for such a battle. But as the situation grows more and more serious, Ikama gradually understands Bobo and realizes that he came to this island because he wanted to and is happy now, and that he is lucky to be here. This is one of the episodes that was carefully extracted from the original story and made use of it in a more impressive way.

...... and I could go on and on, but the character that stands out in this work is the white weasel Noroi. To be honest, I thought it would never surpass the horror of the Dezaki anime version of Noroi, but I was wrong!

Noroi is voiced by Mansai Nomura, a Kyogen actor. His neutral and sexy voice, the way he speaks, his theatrical and exaggerated gestures. I thought, "This déjà vu is ...... yes, that's it!" (Note: Berg Katze is the name of the villain in "Science Ninja Team Gatchaman").

No, however, this is truly terrifying. In the scene where Noroi tries to win over the rats with a gift of food, which also appears in the original story, the ulterior motive of his luring words is truly frightening. The devil's whispering.

The huge, towering weasel is depicted from the point of view of the rats. The sheer number of enemies lined up under the moonlight. The malice that is closing in on us. And the sharpness of the weasel's claws, which are swung with all their might. The audience gets a taste of the world from the point of view of a rat, as seen by the "weak who are being eaten.

That is why Gamba's bravery stands out. Ushioji's bravery shines through. We can sympathize with the overwhelmingly small existence of the people who fight to the death with their willpower and pride, and fight to survive together.

Tense climax, dynamic CG action

The final battle is a tense, hand-clenched affair. The final battle is a tense and tense affair that will leave you sweating.

The CG characters wear accessories, stand up on two hind legs like humans, and talk to each other, but when they run, they act like animals on all four legs without losing their animal-like qualities.

It is difficult to depict animal fighting in animation. Bipedal robots can use human movements as a reference for their fighting, but the movements of animals running around on all four legs, jumping, biting, and swinging at each other are completely different from those of human beings. And the "wild movements" of animals are not well portrayed by CG animation, which is always too neat and tidy.

However, the climactic battle between the weasels and the rats was well worth seeing. The climax of the battle between Itachi and the mice was a sight to behold. and "What?" surprises are in store for both fans of the original and Izaki's anime, so you are sure to enjoy the film.

Masako Nozawa, who played the main character Gamba in "The Adventures of Gamba," played the role of Tsuburi, the leader of the giant sandpipers who meet the rats. The fact that Tsuburi is a woman is a change in the film, but she is so good at the role that you don't feel it.

The beauty of "children's literature" is that it does not stop at the consumption of enjoyment, but rather shows children a glimpse of the depth and horror of this world, and leaves something in their hearts. Stories that seemed like fantasy in a distant world may suddenly make sense to you after some time has passed, when you are confronted with something real, or when you have become an adult.

As a fan, I am very happy that "The Adventurers: Gamba and His 15 Friends" has been revived as a work with a charm that is still relevant today.

Fans of "Gamba's Adventure" will enjoy the new story of "Gamba" and his friends with fresh feelings. The reasons for the differences between "Gakusha's Adventure" and "Gamba's Adventure," such as why Gakusha is handsome, are all in the original novel, so it is a good idea to touch the original story to learn about them.

Readers of the original "The Adventurers: Gamba and his 15 Friends" will once again enjoy the world of the rats that will be visualized and the island scenery with a sense of scale that is typical of movies. The experience of flying and falling through the sky, and passing under the belly of the weasels for dear life, can only be experienced in an animated film.

And those who see it for the first time will be happy. From now on, you will be able to experience the heart-pounding adventures of these small, brave rats without any prior knowledge.

（Text by YAMAYU)