The Gutsy Frog Explained

Ja Kanji:ど根性ガエル
Ja Romaji:Dokonjō Gaeru
Genre:Gag comedy[1]
Type:manga
Author:Yasumi Yoshizawa
Publisher:Shueisha
Imprint:Jump Comics
Magazine:Weekly Shōnen Jump
First:July 27, 1970
Last:June 14, 1976
Volumes:27
Type:tv series
Director:
Music:Kenjiro Hirose
Studio:Tokyo Movie
Network:JNN (ABC, TBS)
First:October 7, 1972
Last:September 28, 1974
Episodes:103 (206 segments)
Type:tv series
The Gutsy Frog 2
Director:Tsutomu Shibayama
Music:Reijirō Koroku
Studio:Tokyo Movie Shinsha
Network:NNS (Nippon TV)
First:September 7, 1981
Last:March 29, 1982
Episodes:30 (60 segments)
Type:film
New Gutsy Frog: The Gutsy Pillow
Director:Tsutomu Shibayama
Studio:Tokyo Movie Shinsha
Music:Reijirō Koroku
Runtime:38 minutes
Type:drama
Director:
  • Shintarō Sugawara
  • Shunsuke Kariyama
  • Shunpei Maruya
  • Yūma Suzuki
Producer:
  • Hibiki Itō
  • Hidehiro Kawano
  • Hiroko Okura
Music:Hajime Sakita
Studio:
  • Nippon TV
  • AX-ON Inc.
Network:Nippon TV
First:July 11, 2015
Last:September 19, 2015
Episodes:10

[2] is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yasumi Yoshizawa. It was serialized in Shueisha's manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump from July 1970 to June 1976, with its chapters collected in twenty-seven volumes. A 103-episode anime television series by Tokyo Movie was broadcast on ABC and TBS from October 1972 to September 1974; a second anime television series, titled The Gutsy Frog 2 (known in Japan as New Gutsy Frog), was broadcast on Nippon TV from September 1981 to March 1982. An anime film was released in March 1982. A ten-episode television drama aired on Nippon TV from July to September 2015.

Summary

While frog Pyonkichi is hopping in an empty lot in Nerima, Tokyo's Shakujii Park, middle schooler Hiroshi trips over a rock and squashes him. However, Pyonkichi is reborn as an imprint on the front of Hiroshi's shirt and now gives him advice and commentary on his life.

Characters

A frog who is crushed by Hiroshi, but his spirit lives on as a talking frog on his shirt, becoming a . Because said shirt is Hiroshi's only good shirt, he is always forced to travel around and interact with Hiroshi. They are equally obstinate and gluttonous and are always arguing like siblings. He is capable of jumping around and forcing Hiroshi to come along with him. He possesses incredible strength, and through his arms and teeth he is able to lift extremely heavy objects. Hiroshi's mother treats Pyonkichi as her own child. Pyonkichi is attracted to females of all species; including cats, frogs and humans. His title comes from his frequent acts of "gutsyness".
  • The middle schooler who fell on Pyonkichi. He is never seen without his sunglasses, which he wears perched on his head. Though his school has a uniform policy, he is, for some reason, allowed to wear his one good shirt. He is not good academically or in athletics (except bowling). He frequently engages in duels with other boys including Gorilla-Imo. Hiroshi is recognised as the class comedian due to his mischievous acts, and consequently is scolded often by his teachers. His girlfriend is Kyoko, whom he stays with most of the time. Though he still does not miss an opportunity of seeing out other women, especially older ones. Pyonkichi and Hiroshi behave like siblings; encouraging, quarrelling and caring deeply for each other. Married to Kyoko in the Solmac advertisement series produced by the original animators.
  • Hiroshi's girlfriend. She is the daughter of a rather wealthy family, yet is a strong minded girl who will stand up for herself and participate in pranks despite being kind-hearted. She initially pretends to dislike Hiroshi, but harbours feelings for him since their first encounter, as she wants Hiroshi to propose to her on their first date. Becomes friends with him after he meets Pyonkichi, whom she believes is a cute shirt design. She gets good grades in school, and her hobbies include ice skating. Kyoko does not always respond to Hiroshi's advances, especially in the public, and is often linked with other boys. But at the end of the day it's a two way-street, as she is seen getting immensely jealous when Hiroshi is seen with other girls; and there is a mutual understanding with Hiroshi about them dating. She spends most of her time with Hiroshi, and is married to him in the Solmac advertisement series produced by the original animators.
  • Hiroshi's sidekick. Despite his diminutive size, he is actually only a year younger than Hiroshi, who he addresses as senpai. His girlfriend is Misaka.
  • /
  • The school bully, and Hiroshi's rival for Kyoko's attention. Initially he spends most of his time bullying others and duelling with other boys, but gradually reduces the degree of his acts. Hiroshi and Gorira become friends later on, becoming partners in numerous pranks. He loves cats, and his family business is a fish shop. In the Solmac CM, he has taken over the fish shop.
    Addressed as "Ume" by everyone, he is an earnest young man who works as a sushi chef. Having grown up at the local orphanage, he cares deeply for the children there and plays Santa for them every Christmas. He is very much in love with Miss Yoshiko, which puts him at odds with Mr. Minami. At the end of the original, Yoshiko and Ume-san are linked together. Repeated acts include teasing couples while delivering sushi and subsequently getting injured; and peeping into Yoshiko's classroom with the help of a ladder.
  • The new boy at school, he is completely selfish and rude towards everyone. Umesaburo initially believes that Shimpachi's bad behavior is because his family is extremely poor, but it turns out that his family is actually rather wealthy and of high social standing.
  • The English teacher at Hiroshi's school. Both Umesaburo and Mr. Minami are in love with her, which annoys her.
  • Hiroshi's childhood sweetheart. It was she who gave him the sunglasses that he wears constantly. Kuniko is a flirtatious girl who charms all the boys, saving most of her attention for Hiroshi, which, naturally, does not sit well with Kyoko.
  • A teacher at Hiroshi's school. He references his 25 years' teaching experience in nearly every episode of the anime.
  • Another teacher at Hiroshi's school. He is constantly dueling with Umesaburo for Yoshiko's affection. He is proud of his car, the Buran-go, and often offers to drive Yoshiko around in it.
  • Mrs. Kaizuka
  • Hiroshi's long-suffering mother. Because Hiroshi's father is deceased, she is the money earner for the family, working as a tailor and seamstress out of the modest home where she and Hiroshi live.

    Media

    Manga

    Written and illustrated by, The Gutsy Frog was serialized in Shueisha's manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump from July 27, 1970,[3] to June 14, 1976.[4] Shueisha collected its chapters in twenty-seven volumes, released from February 28, 1971, to October 9, 1976.[5]

    Anime

    A 103-episode anime television series (consisting of two segments of 15 minutes each), produced by Tokyo Movie and Asahi Broadcasting, was broadcast on ABC and TBS from October 7, 1972, to September 28, 1974.[6] [7]

    Another 30-episode anime television series (also consisting of two segments of 15 minutes each), titled The Gutsy Frog 2 or, was broadcast on Nippon TV from September 7, 1981, to March 29, 1982.[8] An anime film, titled, premiered on March 13, 1982.[9]

    The original anime series aired in the United States on United Television Broadcasting (UTB) in 2014.[10]

    Other media

    In 2013, an American TV-movie remake of The Gutsy Frog was reported to be in development, presumably as a pilot for a new TV series.[11] The pilot film was to contain both live action and CGI animation and to feature a cast including Frankie Jonas as "Frankie" (Hiroshi) as well as Maxwell Perry Cotton, Mischa Barton, and others, and features both American and Japanese names among the production staff although TMS is not reported to be involved in the remake.

    A live-action dorama version of the story premiered in Japan in July 2015 on Nippon TV. The series is set in 2015 Japan and features a grown-up Hiroshi and Kyoko and a computer-generated Pyonkichi. The cast included Kenichi Matsuyama as Hiroshi and former AKB48 singer Atsuko Maeda as Kyoko.[12]

    A sequel manga in collaboration with Sanrio and written and drawn by Yasumi's daughter Yuuko Ootsuki, called Dokonjō!! Kero Kero Keroppi is about the daughter of Hiroshi named Hiroko and Keroppi in a situation similar to Pyonkichi[13]

    Reception

    In 2005, Japanese television network TV Asahi conducted a "Top 100" nationwide survey; The Gutsy Frog placed 100th.[14] In 2006, TV Asahi conducted an online poll for the top one hundred anime, and The Gutsy Frog placed 56th in the "Celebrity List".[15] In 2013, animator Masaaki Yuasa recommended among other anime, The Gutsy Frog, highlighting episodes 145 and 146.[16]

    External links

    Notes and References

    1. Web site: Loo. Egan. Kenichi Matsuyama Stars in Shonen Jump Comedy Dokonjo Gaeru's Live-Action Sequel. Anime News Network. March 22, 2020. May 3, 2015. live-action television series based on Yasumi Yoshizawa's popular gag comedy manga Dokonjo Gaeru..
    2. Web site: The Gutsy Frog. TMS Entertainment. March 6, 2022.
    3. Web site: ja:週刊少年ジャンプ1970年31. https://mediaarts-db.bunka.go.jp/id/M616363. Media Arts Database. Agency for Cultural Affairs. March 6, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220306160410/https://mediaarts-db.bunka.go.jp/id/M616363. March 6, 2022. ja. live.
    4. Web site: ja:週刊少年ジャンプ1976年24. https://mediaarts-db.bunka.go.jp/id/M544507. Media Arts Database. Agency for Cultural Affairs. March 6, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220306160405/https://mediaarts-db.bunka.go.jp/id/M544507. March 6, 2022. ja. live.
    5. Web site: ja:ど根性ガエル. https://www.shueisha.co.jp/books/search/search.html?seriesid=51595&order=1. Shueisha. March 6, 2022. https://archive.today/20220306225325/https://www.shueisha.co.jp/books/search/search.html?seriesid=51595&order=1. March 6, 2022. ja. live.
    6. Web site: ja:ど根性ガエル. https://mediaarts-db.bunka.go.jp/id/C7481. Media Arts Database. Agency for Cultural Affairs. March 6, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220306210823/https://mediaarts-db.bunka.go.jp/id/C7481. March 6, 2022. ja. live.
    7. Web site: ja:ど根性ガエル. https://mangapedia.com/ど根性ガエル-jskdiki0e. . Voyage Group. March 6, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20200813144000/https://mangapedia.com/ど根性ガエル-jskdiki0e. August 13, 2020. ja. live.
    8. Web site: ja:新ど根性ガエル. https://mediaarts-db.bunka.go.jp/id/C7945. Media Arts Database. Agency for Cultural Affairs. March 6, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20211218135653/https://mediaarts-db.bunka.go.jp/id/C7945. December 18, 2021. ja. live.
    9. Web site: ja:新・ど根性ガエル ど根性・夢枕. https://www.tms-e.co.jp/alltitles/1980s/013301.html. TMS Entertainment. March 6, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20211019044452/https://www.tms-e.co.jp/alltitles/1980s/013301.html. October 19, 2021. ja. live.
    10. Web site: The Gutsy Frog at UTB Hollywood (English). UTB 18.2 (KSCI). dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20141020061700/http://utbhollywood.com/en/program/anime/thegutsyfrog/. 20 October 2014.
    11. Web site: Mischa Barton working with Jonas Brother, making movies. KABC-TV Los Angeles; from OnTheRedCarpet.com. 20 October 2014.
    12. http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2015/05/27/ex-akb48-atsuko-maeda-to-play-heroine-kyoko-in-dokonjo-gaeru-tv-drama-adaptation Ex-AKB48 Atsuko Maeda to Play Heroine Kyoko in "Dokonjo Gaeru" TV Drama Adaptation
    13. Web site: Keroppi Stars as a Gutsy Frog in "Dokonjō Gaeru" Sequel.
    14. Web site: TV Asahi Top 100 Anime, Part 2. Anime News Network. 23 September 2005. 12 April 2008.
    15. Web site: Japan's Favorite TV Anime. 13 October 2006. Anime News Network. 5 August 2014.
    16. News: Ghost in the Shell Director Oshii Praises Kick-Heart in Ad. 8 September 2013. Anime News Network. 5 August 2014.

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