Gamba no Bōken

Gamba no Bōken
Gamba and his friends
ガンバの冒険
(Ganba no Bōken)
Genre Adventure
Anime television series
Directed by Osamu Dezaki
Music by Takeo Yamashita
Studio Tokyo Movie
Original network NTV
Original run April 7, 1975 – September 29, 1975
Episodes 26
Anime film
Bōkenshatachi: Gamba to 7-biki no Naka Ma
Directed by Shinzo Azaki
Studio Tokyo Movie Shinsha
Released March 4, 1984
Runtime 93 minutes
Anime film
Gamba to Kawauso no Bōken
Directed by Shunji Ōga
Music by Hiroaki Kondo
Studio Tokyo Movie Shinsha
Released July 20, 1991
Game
Gamba no Bōken: The Puzzle Action
Publisher Bandai
Genre Puzzle, Action
Platform PlayStation
Released March 4, 2003
Anime film
Gamba: Gamba to Nakama-tachi
Directed by Tomohiro Kawamura
Yoshihiro Komori
Written by Ryota Kosawa
Music by Benjamin Wallfisch
Studio Shirogumi
Licensed by Toei Company
Released October 10, 2015
Runtime 92 minutes

Gamba no Bōken (ガンバの冒険, lit. Adventures of Gamba) is a Japanese anime series based on the 1972 eponymous novel, Bōkenshyatachi: Ganba to 15-hiki no Nakao by Atsuo Saitoh and directed by Osamu Dezaki. Its 26 episodes were broadcast on NTV between April 7, 1975 and September 29, 1975. A first movie was released March 4, 1984. The series has been adapted into a movie, titled Ganba to Kawauso no Bōken (ガンバとカワウソの冒険, lit. The Adventures of Gamba and Sea Otter), which was released in Japan by Tokyo Movie Shinsha on July 20, 1991. On March 4, 2003 Bandai released a puzzle and action PlayStation game called Gamba no Bōken: The Puzzle Action. A 3D CG animated film adaptation was released in Japan on October 10, 2015, titled Gamba: Gamba to Nakama-tachi (GAMBA ガンバと仲間たち)[1] (English dub titled Air Bound).

Plot

Gamba, a brown mouse, embarks on a sailing journey with his childhood friend. They gather experienced mice sailors at a harbour. They encounter Chūta, a mouse who has been injured and is seeking help. He appeals for Gamba and Bōbo to assist him in defending the island of Yumemishima and its inhabitants from the cruel and wicked invading Noroi Clan. Gamba elects to sail to Yumemishima with Chūta to help defend the island, and Gamba recruits more mice to join their cause on the island.

Characters

Main characters

Gamba (ガンバ, Ganba)
Voiced by: Masako Nozawa, Yūki Kaji (2015 film) (Japanese); Nash Grier (English)
The town mouse, who calls himself "Ganbari-ya no Gamba" (がんばり屋のガンバ, "Gamba of the Eager Beaver"). He is always energetic, full of curiosity, and has a strong sense of justice. He takes a trip to show the sea to his close friend Bōbo, and meets Chūta at the harbour when they arrive. Gamba and his friends are out on a journey to heed the wishes of Chūta, to defeat Noroi who rules Noroi Island. He is named Gavin in the English film dub.
Bobo (ボーボ, Bōbo)
Voiced by: Ranko Mizuki, Yasuhiro Takato (2015 film) (Japanese); Max Mittelman (English)
The Gamba's best friend. He is a gluttonous, green-furred and an easygoing town mouse. His name is the result of him being absentminded.
Manpuku (マンプク)
Voiced by: Wataru Takagi (Japanese); Jimmy Tatro (English)
A mouse who appears only in the 2015 film. He is named Matthew in the English dub.
Yoisho (ヨイショ)
Voiced by: Kenji Utsumi, Akio Ōtsuka (2015 film) (Japanese); Imari Williams (English)
The kind hearted captain of sailor mice. He has a daughter named Yuri, is very dependable and is calmer than Gamba. He lost his right eye to Noroi. He is named Rusty in the English film dub.
Gakusha (ガクシャ)
Voiced by: Kei Tomiyama, Shuuichi Ikeda (2015 film) (Japanese); Crispin Freeman (English)
One of Yoisho's childhood friends. He is knowledgeable, clever, and wears big glasses. He is named Grayson in the English film dub.
Shijin (シジン)
Voiced by: Akira Shimada
The wandering doctor mouse. Every time he gets drunk, he reads poetry out loud.
Ikasama (イカサマ)
Voiced by: Junko Hori, Keiji Fujiwara (2015 film) (Japanese); Ray Chase (English)
He is a gambler and good at fraud. He is also called a "swift runner" because he is light-footed. He is named Ace in the English film dub.
Chūta (忠太)
Voiced by: Hiroko Kikuchi, Akiko Yajima (2015 anime) (Japanese); Michelle Ruff (English)
An insular mouse who comes to the town for help. He is a younger brother of Shioji. He is named Chester in the English film dub.
Noroi (ノロイ)
Voiced by: Chikao Ōtsuka, Mansai Nomura (2015 film) (Japanese); Jon Lovitz (English)
The leader weasel with snow-white fur and red eyes. He is a cruel and bloodthirsty killer and when his red eyes shine eerily in the dark, he can apply hypnotism. He is named Winston in the English film dub.

Sub characters

Shioji (潮路)
Voiced by: Kazuko Yanaga, Sayaka Kanda (2015 film) (Japanese); Justine Ezarik (English)
The granddaughter of the elder mouse Shuro from Yumemishima, and is an older sister of Chūta. She is named Shelly in the English film dub.
Toragorō (トラゴロー)
Voiced by: Ken'ichi Ogata
The traveler mouse who is on his way home from a ten year trip. He uses Gamba to avoid danger. He is modeled on Torajirō of "Otoko wa Tsurai yo."
Tsuburi (ツブリ)
Voiced by: Shunsuke Shima, Masako Nozawa (2015 film) (Japanese); Wendee Lee (English)
The head of the streaked shearwaters. All of his subordinates, his wives, and his eggs were slaughtered by Noroi. Tsuburi is depicted as a female in the film, and she is named Theresa in the English dub.

Episode listing

# Title Original air date
01 "Out to Sea, To Adventure!"
"Bōkenda umi e deyou!" (冒険だ海へ出よう!) 		April 7, 1975
Tired of going hungry and being hunted, Gamba and Bōbo head to the harbor. Chūta, a wounded mouse has escaped from the notorious Noroi and only Gamba is willing to help her get back to Dreamer Island. Later he is joined by Bōbo, Yoisho, Gakusha, Shijin and Ikasama. 
02 "Gamba Goes Nuts Onboard"
"Ganba, -sen de dai abare" (ガンバ、船で大暴れ) 		April 14, 1975
Gamba and Bōbo have trouble adjusting to the ship's rocking and become seasick. Chūta briefs the mouse crew about the carnage at the claws of the Noroi Clan, decimating his people that he needed to find the bravest of mice to combat the evil clan. 
03 "Mission: Save Chūta!"
"Chūta u sukue! Dai sakusen" (忠太を救え! 大作戦) 		April 21, 1975
With Chūta's condition worsening, Gamba and Bōbo with help from Ikasama procure some antibiotics, battling with an angry mouse gang and avoiding a vicious cat on the way. The three mice barely make it back to the departing ship, but Chūta is shortly cured. 
04 "Battered by a Storm"
"Arashi ni yara rete mettameta" (嵐にやられてメッタメタ) 		April 28, 1975
After the mice rescue Chūta from a cage trap, the ship soon gets caught in a storm. With the ship rapidly sinking, the mice are forced to jump overboard and swim away. Bobo is separated from the others, but they find him in a crate of apples. 
05 "What Awaits on Battleship Island?"
"Nani ga tobidasu? Gunkantō" (なにが飛び出す? 軍艦島) 		May 5, 1975
Gamba and his friends are stranded on a rusty battleship with a Grouper guarding the only food source. After an exhausting day, Gamba and lures the grouper away to the seagulls, allowing the mice to eat and finish Gakusha's new submarine invention. 
06 "Fun, Fun Diving"
"Tanoshī tanoshī sensuikan" (たのしいたのしい潜水艦) 		May 12, 1975
While the submarine heads south, Yoisho tells the mice about his deadly encounter with Noroi, which cost him his right eye and was rescued by Gakusha. After a run in with a whale, the mice are shipwrecked on a rock spire. They swim their way to a nearby island. 
07 "Scary, Scary Black Shadow"
"Buki nabu kimina kuroi kage" (ぶきなぶきみな黒い影) 		May 19, 1975
As the mice begin to settle on the island, they are attacked by a shadow creature. The squirrels Creek and Iena tell them about the black fox Zakuri. Seeing the squirrels' situation similar to Chūta's, the mice decide to combat Zakuri. 
08 "Bōbo's First Love"
"Bōbo ga hajimete koi o shita" (ボーボが初めて恋をした) 		May 26, 1975
After the mice narrowly escape Zakuri's trap, Creek is angered that the mice's actions have gotten two squirrels killed by Zakuri. Bōbo has developed a crush on Iena, but after she is taken by Zakuri, the mice and squirrels are determined to deal with Zakuri for good. 
09 "Difficult Battle With The Black Fox"
"Kuro gitsune to no kurushī tatakai" (黒ギツネとの苦しい戦い) 		June 2, 1975
The mice and squirrels pursue Zakuri, but they lose him. Ikasama learns the location of Zakuri's lair. As Bōbo lures Zakuri away, Creek rescues Iena. During a chase, Zakuri fatally wounds Creek, but he retaliates by skewering the black fox dead with a sharp stick. 
10 "Seven Split Boards Going Their Separate Ways"
"Kajitte wakareta nanatsu no ikada" (かじって別れた七つのイカダ) 		June 9, 1975
The mice are relaxing in the ocean, until an oil tanker runs into them, losing Gamba who gets paralysed from a sprained tail. After a brief fight, the mice decide to look for Gamba by themselves. Gamba is rescued by a dolphin and the mice happily reunite at Tengu Rock. 
11 "After Toragorō, The Swindler!"
"Petenshi Toragorō o oe!" (ぺてん師トラゴローを追え!) 		June 16, 1975
The mice are joined by a mouse named Toragorō, who wants to rejoin his family. Toragorō almost gets the mice killed, but then discovers that his family left him behind. Seeing how depressed he is, the mice forgive him and renew his ambition to look for his loved ones. 
12 "A Party, A Fight, An Uproar"
"Matsurida kenkada ōsōdō" (祭りだ 喧嘩だ 大騒動) 		June 23, 1975
The mice enter a town and are soon in the middle of a human festival. They all have fun except for Chūta, who wishes to return home. Chūta and Shijin are cornered by stray dogs, but their friends send the pack right into a crowd of humans. 
13 "Special Training!! Operation Moo-moo"
"Tokkun!! Mōmō dai sakusen" (特訓!!モーモー大作戦) 		June 30, 1975
The mice have a hard climb up the hills. In a field, they practice they fighting and stealth skills on a cow, with Gamba ultimately defeating it. Gamba lets his pride get to his head and puts himself and some of his friends in danger. 
14 "Attack of a Pack of Hunting Dogs"
"Osoikakaru ryōken no mure" (襲いかかる猟犬の群れ) 		July 7, 1975
After surviving a tornado, Gamba and his friends are met by a lost young rabbit Pyon. They are pursued by a hunter and his dogs and Pyon is captured. The mice rescue Pyon and bring him home, before resuming their journey. 
15 "Gamba Kidnapped by an Eagle"
"Taka ni sarawa reta Ganba" (鷹にさらわれたガンバ) 		July 14, 1975
After the mice scale Crow's Peak, Gamba is captured by an eagle. Gamba escapes, but sustains weakening injuries. A lonely mountaineer helps him to recuperate, allowing Gamba to continue his climb. 
16 "Climbing Formidable Crow Peak!"
"Ma no karasu-dake o nobore!" (魔のカラス岳を登れ!) 		July 21, 1975
Bobo, Ikasama and Chuta are attacked by a murder of crows, while Yoisho, Shijin and Gakusha are caught in an avalanche. Gamba comes to their rescue. Reunited, the seven mice finally reach the top of Crow's Peak. 
17 "Run, Run, For The Weasel Is Near"
"Hashire, hashire, Noroi wa chikai" (走れ走れノロイは近い) 		July 28, 1975
18 "Curious, Fat Mice"
"Kimyōna futotta nezumi-tachi" (奇妙なふとったネズミたち) 		August 4, 1975
19 "Streaked Shearwater Sinking in Darkness"
"Yami ni hisomu oomizunagi tori" (闇に潜むオオミズナギ鳥) 		August 11, 1975
20 "I Saw a White Weasel!"
"Shiro itachi Noroi o mita!" (白イタチノロイを見た!) 		August 18, 1975
21 "13 Eyes Wet With Tears"
"Namida ni nureta 13 no hitomi" (涙にぬれた13の瞳) 		August 25, 1975
22 "Friends from Across the Sea"
"Umi o watatte kita nakama" (海を渡って来た仲間) 		September 1, 1975
23 "Traitor's Fortress"
"Uragiri no toride" (裏切りの砦) 		September 8, 1975
24 "Whispers Of A White Devil"
"Shiroi akumano sasayaki" (白い悪魔のささやき) 		September 15, 1975
25 "Grotto Of Hell"
"Jigoku no iwaana" (地獄の岩穴) 		September 22, 1975
26 "The Last Battle: The Great Whirlpool"
"Saigonotatakai dai uzumaki" (最後の戦い大うずまき) 		September 29, 1975
In this final episode, in one scene, all the gang, including Ganba, makes a bite each other, so the blood is dispersed, and Noroi dies. His body goes into the swirl, including many weasels, so the peace returns to the island, after the death of Shuro. So Chūta stays with their family, while Ganba and the other mice, returns to Tokyo. 

Theme songs

Opening theme: "Ganba no uta" (The Gamba Song) Ending theme: "Bōkenshatachi no Ballad" (The Ballad of the Adventurer)

Reception

In a 2006 poll of Japanese celebrities conducted by TV Asahi, Gamba no Bōken was ranked as respondents' 22nd favorite TV anime out of 100, beating many other series including: One Piece, Naruto, Pokémon, Evangelion, and Fullmetal Alchemist.[2]

References

  1. ↑ "Gamba Film's Trailer, Additional Voice Cast Unveiled". Anime News Network. 17 July 2015. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  2. ↑ "Japan's Favorite TV Anime - News [2006-10-12]". Anime News Network. 13 October 2006. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
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