Game Center Arashi
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| Game Center Arashi | |
|---|---|
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| ゲームセンターあらし (Game Center Storm) |
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| Genre | Shōnen, Action |
| TV anime | |
| Directed by | Tameo Ogawa |
| Studio | Shin'ei Doga |
| Network | Japan: NTV Hong Kong: TVB |
| Original run | April 5, 1982 – September 27, 1982 |
| No. of episodes | 26 |
| Manga | |
| Authored by | Mitsuru Sugaya |
| Publisher | Shogakukan |
| Serialized in | |
| Original run | 1978 – 1984 |
| No. of volumes | 17 |
Game Center Arashi (Japanese: ゲームセンターあらし, Cantonese: 電子神童) was a popular anime series aired in 1982 in Japan and Hong Kong. In Japanese, the word "Arashi" means "storm". In Hong Kong, the show translates to "Electronic Prodigy".
The series was considered iconic in Asia, since it came at a time when the public was exposing to video games for the first time. The manga and TV series opened the imagination and possibilities of what gaming entertainment was about, while boosting its popularity as a new phenomenon.
Contents |
[edit] Original Story
The story is about a young boy named Arashi Ishino (石野あらし Ishino Arashi) who is obsessed with video games. He would spend all his time trying to beat the games and conquer the local arcades. He would meet competitors like Satoru Daimonji (大文字さとる Daimonji Satoru) and Ishii, who would try to out match him with higher scores. At certain point in each episode, he would display his special skill of unleashing a top which will spin so fast that both the top and his hands would catch on fire. On release, the spin would land on or near the cabinet panels, turning the ordinary button into a turbo button thus giving him a major advantage. His appearance is known for being bucktoothed, and he always wears a hat labeled "Arashi" with a picture of a sprited alien.
[edit] Concept
The story is based on the Japanese manga by Mitsuru Sugaya in the CoroCoro Comic which ran from 1978 to 1984 and sold over 5 million copies. It is the first animation to place a gamer as the lead character and have the plot revolve around life with competitive gaming. Some of the games featured in the show include Space Invaders, Breakout, Galaxian, though they were not explicitly titled as such. Some of his gaming techniques even have special names like "Blazed Top", "Vacuum Hurricane Shot", "Fish Stance".[1]
[edit] Staff
| Function | Names |
|---|---|
| Director | Tameo Ogawa |
| Screenwriter | Soji Yoshikawa |
| Character Design | Mitsuru Sugi-yama |
| Animator | Kazuyuki Okaseko |
| Song Writer | Koji Makaino |
| Opening Theme Song Performer | Ichiro Mizuki |
| Ending Theme Song Performer | Satomi Mashima |
[edit] Characters
| Name | Voices by |
|---|---|
| Arashi Ishino | Satomi Mashima |
| Satoru Daimonji | Eiko Yamada |
| Ippeita Tsukikage (月影一平太 Tsukikage Ippeita) | Kenichi Ogata |
[edit] Original broadcast
| Broadcast day | Episodes |
|---|---|
| 1982/4/5 | 1. Defeat the big computer!! |
| 1982/4/12 | 2. Super secret skill!! Scene of flame |
| 1982/4/19 | 3. It came out!! Necessary shooting munsaruto |
| 1982/4/26 | 4. The heart of love burns in the game |
| 1982/5/3 | 5. Decisive battle!! Guarantee comb un |
| 1982/5/10 | 6. Destruction!! Alien of fear |
| 1982/5/17 | 7. Intense it is painful!! Carious tooth alien |
| 1982/5/24 | 8. It is game of the man!! Eye Kawahara of rhinoceros |
| 1982/5/31 | 9. Certain Victory! TV game hell |
| 1982/6/7 | 10. Dracula who reanimates |
| 1982/6/14 | 11. To withstand the super intensive training of death and be able to pull out!! |
| 1982/6/21 | 12. TV game spy large maneuvers |
| 1982/6/28 | 13. Why super boin becomes matter of concern |
| 1982/7/5 | 14. Unexpected!! Ton men Daio puzzle |
| 1982/7/12 | 15. Sneak away from the black hole!! |
| 1982/7/19 | 16. The coming out of Arashi’s tooth!! |
| 1982/7/26 | 17. The younger brother was born! |
| 1982/8/2 | 18. High treason point!! Surfing game!! |
| 1982/8/9 | 19. The hamburger already the large quantity |
| 1982/8/16 | 20. Mystery! Slow residence |
| 1982/8/23 | 21. Summer is! It is the game! It is lodging together! |
| 1982/8/30 | 22. Good-bye you take!? |
| 1982/9/6 | 23. Fight!! Game soldier Arashi |
| 1982/9/13 | 24. SOS from heaven Part-I |
| 1982/9/20 | 25. SOS from heaven Part-II |
| 1982/9/27 | 26. As for enemy of Arashi Arashi?! |
[edit] Video games
In 1999, the series spawned a playstation novel called Game Center Arashi R.
[edit] Spinoffs
In 2002 the manga Arcade Gamer Fubuki reused the concept of a powerful gamer in the arcades, which also spawned a TV series of the same name. The show would use entirely different characters and plots, modernizing while separating itself from the 1982 counterpart.
[edit] Trivia
- In 2004 Microsoft Tokyo used the character of Game Center Arashi as a mascot to boost Xbox sales and image.
- In the Cantonese subtitles, the opening refers to video games as "TV games."
- It was aired in Japan every week Monday 7:00pm to 7:30pm.
- The Italian name is Molletta il terribile.
[edit] Screenshots
 Arashi Promoting Space Invaders |
[edit] References
- ^ Clements, Jonathan. McCarthy Helen. [2006] (2006). The Anime Encyclopedia: Revised & Expanded Edition. Berkeley, CA: Stone Bridge Press. ISBN 978-1-933330-10-5
