Otoko wa Tsurai yo

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Statue of Tora-san

Otoko wa tsurai yo (男はつらいよ, "It's tough being a man") is a Japanese film series starring Kiyoshi Atsumi as "Tora-san" (寅さん), a kind-hearted vagabond who is always unlucky in love. Spanning 48 installments (1969–95)[1], it was considered by the Guinness Book of World Records to be the longest movie series in the world, although it was recently replaced by the Huang Fei-Hong series.[citation needed] All of the films (except episodes 3 and 4) were directed by Yoji Yamada, who also wrote all the screenplays.

All of the Tora-san movies had the same basic plot. Tora-san, a traveling salesman, arrives in some remote town planning to peddle his wares to the locals. He meets the "Madonna" - a local single woman and tells her that if she is ever in Tokyo to look him up at his family's Dango shop. He then heads back home to Shibamata, Katsushika, Tokyo and drops in unexpectedly on his family who run a traditional sweet shop. Sure enough, the damsel in distress ends up visiting Tora-san in Tokyo, and he falls madly in love with her. However, in his shy efforts to win her heart, he usually ends up inadvertently helping bring her together with an old boyfriend or another man; Tora-san invariably ends up heartbroken at the end of the movie. Each film featured a different leading lady, called a Madonna, and a different region of Japan. (There were also episodes that featured scenes in Arizona and Vienna.) Two films were usually made each year, one for summer and one for New Year release.

On 27 June 2009 AnimEigo announced the planned release of the first four Otoko wa tsurai yo films on DVD.[2]

Contents

[edit] Television origin

Preceding the first theatrical film of Otoko wa tsurai yo, a teledrama version was broadcast from 1968 to 1969. It was originally titled "Gukei (or "Gukyou")-Kenmai" (愚兄賢妹), meaning "Goofy Brother and Wise Sister." The name comes from the final subtitle of Naite tamaruka (泣いてたまるか). (The star of Naite tamaruka is also Atsumi Kiyoshi.)

Kobayashi Shun'ichi renamed the show Otoko wa tsurai yo. In the final episode of the TV series, Torajiro dies of a snakebite. This denouement made the audience angry and a film version of Otoko wa tsurai yo followed. Initially, Shochiku (松竹), the distributing agency, was not enthusiastic, but Yamada Yoji's persuasiveness ultimately prevailed. With the exception of Morikawa Shin, the supporting cast of the television version did not reprise their roles in the film series.

[edit] Cast

[edit] TV Series

  • Atsumi Kiyoshi as Kuruma Torajiro 車寅次郎：渥美清
  • Nagayama Aiko as Sakura さくら：長山藍子
  • Morikawa Shin as Kuruma Tatsuzou 車竜造（おいちゃん）：森川信
  • Sugiyama Tokuko as Kuruma Tsune 車つね（おばちゃん）：杉山とく子
  • Sato Gajiro as Yuujirou (Torajiro's little brother) 雄二郎：佐藤蛾次郎
  • Igawa Hisashi as Suwa Hiroshi (a doctor) 諏訪博士（医師）：井川比佐志

[edit] Films

[edit] Anime

[edit] Film Series

Number Title Japan Release Date US Release Date
1 "It's Tough Being a Man"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo")
(男はつらいよ)		 August 27, 1969 July 18, 1974
2 "Tora-San's Cherished Mother"
("Zoku otoko wa tsurai yo")
続・男はつらいよ		 November 15, 1969 July 1, 1970
3 "Tora-san, His Tender Love"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Fuuten no Tora")
男はつらいよ フーテンの寅		 January 15, 1970 October 20, 1973
4 "Tora-san's Grand Scheme"
("Shin otoko wa tsurai yo")
新・男はつらいよ		 February 27, 1970 July 25, 1973
5 "Tora-san's Runaway"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Boukyou hen")
男はつらいよ 望郷篇		 August 25,1970 May 28, 1971
6 "Tora-san's Shattered Romance"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Junjô hen")
男はつらいよ 純情篇		 January 15, 1971 September 1, 1971
7 "Tora-san, the Good Samaritan"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Funto hen")
男はつらいよ 奮闘篇		 April 28, 1971 June 25, 1975
8 "Tora-san's Love Call"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajiro koiuta")
男はつらいよ 寅次郎恋歌		 December 29, 1971 April 14, 1973
9 "Tora-san's Dear Old Home"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Shibamata bojo")
男はつらいよ 柴又慕情		 August 5, 1972 March 10, 1974
10 "Tora-san's Dream-Come-True"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajiro yumemakura")
男はつらいよ 寅次郎夢枕		 December 29, 1972 May 1973
11 "Tora-san's Forget Me Not"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajiro wasurenagusa")
男はつらいよ 寅次郎忘れな草		 August 4, 1973 January 4, 1974
12 "Tora-san Loves an Artist"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Watashi no tora-san")
男はつらいよ 私の寅さん		 December 26, 1973 May 22, 1974
13 "Tora-san's Lovesick"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajiro koiyatsure")
男はつらいよ 寅次郎恋やつれ		 August 10, 1974
14 "Tora-san's Lullaby"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajiro komoriuta")
男はつらいよ 寅次郎子守唄		 December 28, 1974 December 1975
15 "Tora-san's Rise and Fall"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajiro aiaigasa")
男はつらいよ 寅次郎相合い傘		 August 2, 1975 June 12, 1977
16 "Tora-san, the Intellectual"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Katsushika risshihen")
男はつらいよ 葛飾立志篇		 December 27, 1975 December 31, 1976
17 "Tora-san's Sunrise and Sunset"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajiro yuuyake koyake")
男はつらいよ 寅次郎夕焼け小焼け
（仮タイトルは「男はつらいよ 柴又の伊達男」）		 July 24, 1976 May 6, 1977
18 "Tora's Pure Love"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajiro junjoshishu")
男はつらいよ 寅次郎純情詩集		 December 25, 1976
19 "Tora-san Meets His Lordship"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajiro to tonosama")
男はつらいよ 寅次郎と殿様		 August 6, 1977 August 25, 1978
20 "Tora-san Plays Cupid"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajiro gambare!")
男はつらいよ 寅次郎頑張れ!		 December 24, 1977
21 "Stage-struck Tora-san"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajiro wagamichi wo yuku")
男はつらいよ 寅次郎わが道をゆく		 August 5, 1978
22 "Talk of the Town Tora-san"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Uwasa no torajiro")
男はつらいよ 噂の寅次郎		 December 27, 1978 September 28, 1979
23 "Tora-san, the Matchmaker"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Tonderu Torajiro")
男はつらいよ 翔んでる寅次郎		 August 4, 1979 May 1980
24 "Tora-san's Dream of Spring"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajiro haru no yume")
男はつらいよ 寅次郎春の夢		 December 28, 1979 June 1, 1980
25 "Tora's Tropical Fever"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajiro haibisukasu no hana")
男はつらいよ 寅次郎ハイビスカスの花		 August 2, 1980 December 26, 1980
26 "Foster Daddy, Tora!"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajiro kamome uta")
男はつらいよ 寅次郎かもめ歌		 December 28, 1980
27 "Tora-san's Love in Osaka"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Naniwa no koi no Torajiro")
男はつらいよ 浪花の恋の寅次郎		 August 8, 1981 January 1, 1982
28 "Tora-san's Promise"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajiro kamifusen")
男はつらいよ 寅次郎紙風船		 December 29, 1981 June 1982
29 "Hearts and Flowers for Tora-san"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajiro ajisai no koi")
男はつらいよ 寅次郎あじさいの恋		 August 7, 1982 December 24, 1982
30 "Tora-san, the Expert"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Hana mo arashi mo Torajiro")
男はつらいよ 花も嵐も寅次郎		 December 28, 1982
31 "Tora-san's Song of Love"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Tabi to onna to Torajiro")
男はつらいよ 旅と女と寅次郎		 August 6, 1983 January 20, 1984
32 "Tora-san Goes Religious?"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Kuchibue o fuku Torajirô")
男はつらいよ 口笛を吹く寅次郎		 December 28, 1983 June 29, 1984
33 "Marriage Counselor Tora-san"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Yogiri ni musebu torajiro")
男はつらいよ 夜霧にむせぶ寅次郎		 August 4, 1984 December 21, 1984
34 "Tora-san's Forbidden Love"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajiro shinjitsu ichiro")
男はつらいよ 寅次郎真実一路		 December 28, 1984 May 1985
35 "Tora-san, the Go-between"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajiro renaijuku")
男はつらいよ 寅次郎恋愛塾		 August 3, 1985
36 "Tora-san's Island Encounter"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Shibamata yori ai wo komete")
男はつらいよ 柴又より愛をこめて		 December 28, 1985
37 "Tora-san's Bluebird Fantasy"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Shiawase no aoi tori")
男はつらいよ 幸福の青い鳥		 December 20, 1986 June 1987
38 "Tora-san Goes North"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Shiretoko bojo")
男はつらいよ 知床慕情		 August 15, 1987 January 11, 1990
39 "Tora-san Plays Daddy"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajiro monogatari")
男はつらいよ 寅次郎物語		 December 26, 1987
40 "Tora-san's Salad-Day Memorial"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajiro sarada kinenbi")
男はつらいよ 寅次郎サラダ記念日		 December 24, 1988
41 "Tora-San Goes to Vienna"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajiro kokoro no tabiji")
男はつらいよ 寅次郎心の旅路		 August 5, 1989 November 1989
42 "Tora-san, My Uncle"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Boku no ojisan")
男はつらいよ ぼくの伯父さん		 December 27, 1989 January 11, 1990
43 "Tora-san Takes a Vacation"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajiro no kyuujitsu")
男はつらいよ 寅次郎の休日		 December 22, 1990
44 "Tora-san Confesses"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajiro no kokuhaku")
男はつらいよ 寅次郎の告白		 December 21, 1991 March 1992
45 "Tora-San Makes Excuses"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajiro no seishun")
男はつらいよ 寅次郎の青春		 December 26, 1992
46 "Tora-san's Matchmaker"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajiro no endan")
男はつらいよ 寅次郎の縁談		 December 25, 1993
47 ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Haikei, Kuruma Torajiro sama")
男はつらいよ 拝啓車寅次郎様		 December 23, 1994
48 ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajiro kurenai no hana")
男はつらいよ 寅次郎紅の花		 December 23, 1995
Special "Tora's Tropical Fever"
("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajiro haibisukasu no hana tokubetsuhen")
男はつらいよ 寅次郎ハイビスカスの花 特別篇		 December 1997

[edit] Madonnas

Each movie had a female lead with whom Tora-san would fall head over heels. These characters were referred to as Madonnas. Each Madonna was played by an ingenue who was popular at the time of the movie's release. The list of Madonnas is as follows:

Movie # Madonna played by: Role:
1 光本幸子（Mitsumoto Sachiko） Fuyuko, the Priest's daughter.
2 佐藤オリエ（Sato Orie） Tsubouchi Natsuko, the English teacher's daughter
3 新珠三千代（Aratama Michiyo） O-Shizu, the ryokan kamisan
4 栗原小巻（Kurihara Komaki） Usami Haruko, the kindergarten teacher
5 長山藍子（Nagayama Aiko） Setsuko, the fried tofu shopkeeper's daughter
6 若尾文子（Wakao Ayako） Akashi Yuko, the niece of Tsune's cousin's husband
7 榊原るみ　（Sakakibara Rumi） Ota Hanako, the disabled school assistant from Aomori
8 池内淳子　（Ikeuchi Junko） Rokuhara Takako, the coffee shop owner
9 吉永小百合（Yoshinaga Sayuri） Utako, the writer's daughter
10 八千草薫（Yachigusa Kaoru） Chiyo, the barber
11 浅岡ルリ子（Asaoka Ruriko） Lily, the lounge singer
12 岸恵子（Kishi Keiko） Ritsuko, the artist
13 吉永小百合（Yoshinaga Sayuri） Utako, the writer's daughter
14 十朱幸代（Toake Yukiyo） Kyoko, the nurse
15 浅岡ルリ子（Asaoka Ruriko） Lily, the lounge singer
16 樫山文枝（Kashiyama Fumie) Reiko, the grad student / instructor of archeology
17 太地喜和子（Taichi Kiwako) Botan, the geisha
18 京マチ子（Kyo Machiko） Yagyu Aya, Mitsuo's teacher's mother
19 真野 響子（Maya Kyouko) Mariko, the lordship's daughter in law
20 藤村 志保　（Fujimura Shiho） Fujiko, the electrician's sister
21 木の実ナナ　（Kinomi Nana） Nanako, the SKD dancer
22 大原 麗子（Oohara Reiko) Sanae, the divorcee
23 桃井かおり（Momoi Kaori） Hitomi, the runaway bride
24 香川京子（Kagawa Kyouko） Keiko, the English teacher's mother
25 浅岡ルリ子（Asaoka Ruriko） Lily, the lounge singer
26 伊藤 蘭（Ito Ran) Sumire
27 松坂 慶子（Matsuzaka Keiko) Fumi
28 音無 美紀子（Otonashi Mikiko) N/A
29 いしだあゆみ (Ishida Ayumi) N/A
30 田中 裕子（Tanaka Yuko) Keiko
31 都 はるみ（Miyako Harumi) Harumi Kyo
32 竹下 景子（Takeshita Keiko) Tomoko
33 中原理恵（Nakahara Rie) Fuuko, the hairdresser
34 大原 麗子（Oohara Reiko) Fujiko
35 樋口 可南子（Higuchi Kanako) Wakana Egami
36 栗原 小巻（Kurihara Komaki) Machiko, the junior high school teacher
37 志穂美 悦子（Shihomi Etsuko) Miho
38 竹下 景子（Takeshita Keiko) Rinko
39 秋吉 久美子（Akiyoshi Kumiko) Takai Takako
40 三田 佳子（Mita Yoshiko) Machiko, the doctor
41 竹下 景子（Takeshita Keiko) Kumiko
42 後藤 久美子（Gotou Kumiko) Oikawa Izumi, Mitsuo's girlfriend
43 後藤 久美子（Gotou Kumiko) Oikawa Izumi, Mitsuo's girlfriend
44 後藤 久美子（Gotou Kumiko) Oikawa Izumi, Mitsuo's girlfriend
45 後藤 久美子（Gotou Kumiko) Oikawa Izumi, Mitsuo's girlfriend
46 松坂 慶子（Matsuzaka Keiko) Sakaide Yoko
47 かたせ 梨乃 （Katase Rino) Miya Noriko
48 浅岡ルリ子（Asaoka Ruriko） Lily, the lounge singer

[edit] References

General
Specific
  1. ^ "The World of Tora-San" (in Japanese). Matsutake Kabushiki Kaisha. http://www.tora-san.jp/. Retrieved on 2009-05-25. 
  2. ^ "Coming to America this November!". AnimEigo, 27 June 2009. Accessed 28 June 2009.

[edit] Further reading

  • "Tora-san" in Schilling, Mark. The Encyclopedia of Japanese Pop Culture. New York: Weatherhill, 1997, pp. 268–272. ISBN 9780834803800.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otoko_wa_Tsurai_yo"
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