Sugata Sanshiro

When Orphan released Botchan, I mentioned that YES raws had an equally good rip of the 1981 TV special, Sugata Sanshirou, just waiting to be translated. It's taken almost two years, but Orphan is finally releasing an English version of that show.

Sugata Sanshirou is based on a novel by Tomita Tsuneo, but most people know the work from Akira Kurosawa's 1943 movie of the same name - his directorial debut. The novel, the movie, and the anime are all about the early days of judo and its emergence from the many competing schools of jiujitsu (martial arts) in the late 19th century. The anime's namesake hero is a rough-and-tumble country boy, who comes to Tokyo and works as a rickshaw puller. His real goal, though, is to find a jiujitsu master worthy of his raw talent. Sanshirou defeats the city's dojo masters one after another. Eventually, he runs into the drunken and seemingly effete Yano Shougorou, founder of the Seidoukan school of judo. Despite his inebriated state, Yano effortlessly throws Sanshirou into the river, and Sanshirou becomes Yano's pupil and disciple.

Fast forward four years. Sanshirou is now a talented pupil, but he is still wild and undisciplined, to the despair of both Yano and Sanshirou's good friend Natsume Kinnosuke (who becomes the author Natsume Souseki). When Sanshirou saves Takako, a viscount's daughter, they begins a whirlwind romance that takes him to the upper reaches of Meiji society. However, his untamed temper gets him into trouble. He loses Takako and is almost thrown out of the Seidoukan dojo. Only by standing in a frozen pond until he nearly dies does he convince Yano that he has the discipline to succeed at judo.

The third act concerns a showdown between judo and jiujitsu, in the form of a city-wide martial arts contest. Sanshirou is chosen to represent judo. Meanwhile, he has met a lovely young girl, Otomi. She turns out to be the daughter of Murai Hansuke, coach of the police dojo and the designated representative of jiujitsu. Complicating matters is the sinister Higaki Gennosuke, who covets both Murai's job and his daughter. Higaki hires a karate master to attack Murai, causing the coach to lose his match to Sanshirou as a result. Worse yet, Murai dies of his injuries. This serves to bring Sanshirou and Otomi closer together. Enraged by the failure of his schemes, Higaki challenges Sanshirou to a duel to the death. You can guess how it turns out.

Although Sugata Sanshirou sounds melodramatic and violent, it's actually mostly an episodic comedy, with a dash of romance. Sanshirou is a good-natured but headsstrong young man, and he tumbles from one scrape to another. His romance with Takako is not serious; his romance with Otomi is. Throughout, Natsume is a loyal if exasperated wingman, and Yano a patient if disapproving master. Higaki makes a thoroughly hissable villain. Indeed, the only real flaw is the presence of a live-action narrator, Sanyuutei Enjou. He shows up randomly to explain gaps in the timeline and speed up the story. He's a distraction, and despite what he seems to think, he's not funny.

As with Botchan, the visuals by TMS reinforce the comedic tone, with a bright palette and distinctive character designs by Monkey Punch. The voice cast includes:

• Saijou Hideki (Sugata Sanshirou) was best known as a singer. He played the title role in Botchan and Junji in Kuroi Ame ni Utarete, both Orphan releases.
• Iwasaki Yoshimi (Murai Otomi) was also a singer. Her only other anime was the recent movie Ryuu to Sobakasu no Hime (Belle).
• Miyagawa Youichi (Murai Hansuke) was featured in Anime Himitsu no Hanazono, Little Twins, and Future War 198X.
• Chikao Ootsuka (Gennosuke Higaki) played Nezumi in the first GeGeGe no Kitaro series, Zenigata in the Lupin III pilot film, Goemon in Lupin III Part 1, Hook in Peter Pan no Bouken, Tora in the Ushio to Tora OVAs, Joseph JoeStar in the first JoJo's Bizarre Adventures OVAs, and Yoran Pailsen in the Armored Trooper Votoms franchise. He appeared in several Tezuka Osamu TV specials and played Yamada, the villain in Kosuke-sama Rikimaru-sama: Konpeitou no Ryuu, all Orphan releases.
• Nozawa Nachi (Yano Shougorou) played Lupin in the original Lupin III pilot film, Axel von Fersen in The Rose of Versailles, Cobra in the Space Cobra franchise, and Deimos in Bride of Deimos. He also played Ladin in Tobin o Akira, Taka in Kasei Yakyoku, Black Jack in Marine Express and Bremen 4, and Takeru in Izumo (1991), all Orphan releases.
• Tomiyama Kei (Nastume Kinnosuke) played the title roles in Sabu to Ichi Torimono Hikae, Roppou Yabure, and the original Tiger Mask, as well as Lingham in Genmu Senki Leda, Sir Jogo  in SF Saiyuuki Starzinger, Susumu in the Yamato franchise, and Wen Li in Legend of the Galactic Heroes. He also played leading roles in Ginga Tansa 2100-nen: Border Planet, Bremen 4, Grimm Douwa: Kin no Tori, the Sangokushi TV specials, and Yousei Ou, all Orphan releases.
• Katou Osamu (Monma Saburou, proprietor of a rival dojo) had featured roles in dozens of series, including Sabu to Ichi Torimono Hikae, Ashita no Joe, Great Mazinger, Koutetsu Jeeg, and Galaxy Express 999.
• Yoshida Rihoko (Takako, the Viscount's daughter) played Megu-chan in Majokko Megu-chan, Monsley in Future Boy Conan, Maria Grace Fleed in UFO Robo Grendizer, Michiru in Getter Robo, Clara Sesemann in Alps no Shoujo Heidi, Rosalie Lamorliere in The Rose of Versailles, Kurama in Urusei Yatsura, and Machiko in Maicchingu Machiko-sensei. She appeared in numerous other World Masterpiece Theater series, including  Anne of Green Gables, Honoo no Alpen Rose, Katry the Cow Girl, Shoukoushi Cedie, Lucy May of the Southern Rainbow, Marco: 3000 Leagues in Search of Mother, Perrine, and Pollyanna. She played Holy Mother in Gude Crest, and Diaochan in the first Sangokushi movie, both Orphan releases.
• Sanyuutei Enjou (narrator) also narrated Yattokame Tanteiden.

The director, Mikamoto Yasumi, mostly did episode direction and storyboards.

kokujin-kun translated. ninjacloud timed. I edited and typeset; lots of signs. Nemesis and Uchuu did QC. The raw is a webrip, encoded by YES, and looks great. A 480p raw is also available, if anyone wants to make a standard definition version.

Because of the intrusive live-action sequences, Sugata Sanshiro suffers a bit in comparison to Botchan, but it's still a terrific production that puts most modern anime to shame. You can get the show from the usual torrent site or from IRC bot Orphan|Arutha in channels #nibl or #news on irc.rizon.net.