Gamba no Bouken

Gamba no Bōken
Gamba and his friends
ガンバの冒険 (Ganba no Bōken)
Genre	Adventure
Created by	Atsuo Saitoh
Anime television series
Directed by	Osamu Dezaki
Produced by	Tōru Ueno Sankichirō Kusube
Written by	Mitsuru Majima Yutaka Kaneko Sōji Yoshikawa Hideo Takayashiki Atsushi Yamatoya Yoshio Takeuchi
Music by	Takeo Yamashita
Studio	TMS Entertainment Madhouse
Original network	Nippon TV
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
Video 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, Bōkenshatachi: Ganba to 15-hiki no Nakama (冒険者たち ガンバと15ひきの仲間, lit. The Adventurers: Gamba and His Fifteen Companions) by Atsuo Saitoh and directed by Osamu Dezaki. Its 26 episodes were broadcast on Nippon TV between April 7, 1975 and September 29, 1975 and was animated by Tokyo Movie Shinsha and Madhouse. A first movie was released March 4, 1984 and was animated by Tokyo Movie Shinsha. 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 Otters), which was released in Japan on July 20, 1991 and again was animated by TMS. 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), which was later released in the United States by Lionsgate and Grindstone Entertainment Group in 2017 under the title 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 harbor 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. His sensitive nose helps him to find food. He is made into a secondary character in the 2015 film.

Manpuku (マンプク)

Voiced by: Wataru Takagi (Japanese); Jimmy Tatro (English)

A mouse who appears only in the 2015 film. He takes on Bobo's original role from the 70s anime. 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, wears big glasses and has quite a short tail. 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. He also has sensitive ears that pick up sound the other mice cannot hear.

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 film) (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!" Transliteration: "Bōkenda umi e deyou!" (Japanese: 冒険だ海へ出よう!)	April 7, 1975 (1975-04-07)
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 him get back to Dreamer Island. Later he is joined by Bōbo, Yoisho, Gakusha, Shijin and Ikasama.
02	"Gamba Goes Nuts Onboard" Transliteration: "Ganba, -sen de dai abare" (Japanese: ガンバ、船で大暴れ)	April 14, 1975 (1975-04-14)
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!" Transliteration: "Chūta u sukue! Dai sakusen" (Japanese: 忠太を救え! 大作戦)	April 21, 1975 (1975-04-21)
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" Transliteration: "Arashi ni yara rete mettameta" (Japanese: 嵐にやられてメッタメタ)	April 28, 1975 (1975-04-28)
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?" Transliteration: "Nani ga tobidasu? Gunkantō" (Japanese: なにが飛び出す? 軍艦島)	May 5, 1975 (1975-05-05)
Gamba and his friends are stranded on a rusty battleship with a Grouper guarding the only food source. After an exhausting day, Gamba lures the grouper away to the seagulls, allowing the mice to eat and finish Gakusha's new submarine invention.
06	"Fun, Fun Diving" Transliteration: "Tanoshī tanoshī sensuikan" (Japanese: たのしいたのしい潜水艦)	May 12, 1975 (1975-05-12)
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" Transliteration: "Buki nabu kimina kuroi kage" (Japanese: ぶきなぶきみな黒い影)	May 19, 1975 (1975-05-19)
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" Transliteration: "Bōbo ga hajimete koi o shita" (Japanese: ボーボが初めて恋をした)	May 26, 1975 (1975-05-26)
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" Transliteration: "Kuro gitsune to no kurushī tatakai" (Japanese: 黒ギツネとの苦しい戦い)	June 2, 1975 (1975-06-02)
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" Transliteration: "Kajitte wakareta nanatsu no ikada" (Japanese: かじって別れた七つのイカダ)	June 9, 1975 (1975-06-09)
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!" Transliteration: "Petenshi Toragorō o oe!" (Japanese: ぺてん師トラゴローを追え!)	June 16, 1975 (1975-06-16)
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" Transliteration: "Matsurida kenkada ōsōdō" (Japanese: 祭りだ 喧嘩だ 大騒動)	June 23, 1975 (1975-06-23)
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" Transliteration: "Tokkun!! Mōmō dai sakusen" (Japanese: 特訓!!モーモー大作戦)	June 30, 1975 (1975-06-30)
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" Transliteration: "Osoikakaru ryōken no mure" (Japanese: 襲いかかる猟犬の群れ)	July 7, 1975 (1975-07-07)
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" Transliteration: "Taka ni sarawa reta Ganba" (Japanese: 鷹にさらわれたガンバ)	July 14, 1975 (1975-07-14)
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!" Transliteration: "Ma no karasu-dake o nobore!" (Japanese: 魔のカラス岳を登れ!)	July 21, 1975 (1975-07-21)
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" Transliteration: "Hashire, hashire, Noroi wa chikai" (Japanese: 走れ走れノロイは近い)	July 28, 1975 (1975-07-28)
On their descent from Crow's peak, the mice take it in turns to be group leader. When Bobo gets caught by a speeding train, they learn to work together and are able to rescue him and reach the coast.
18	"Curious, Fat Mice" Transliteration: "Kimyōna futotta nezumi-tachi" (Japanese: 奇妙なふとったネズミたち)	August 4, 1975 (1975-08-04)
The mice get some grain from a takakura, which is inhabited by large mice, who are revealed to be hiding in fear from Noroi. The large mice regain their courage when their leader Ichirou kills a ferocious cat to save Gamba.
19	"Streaked Shearwater Sinking in Darkness" Transliteration: "Yami ni hisomu oomizunagi tori" (Japanese: 闇に潜むオオミズナギ鳥)	August 11, 1975 (1975-08-11)
The mice are unable to cross the treacherous sea currents. They are met by seabirds led by Tsuburi, who were attacked by the weasels not so long ago. Aided by the seabirds, Gamba and his friends parachute on to Dreamer Island.
20	"We Saw a White Weasel!" Transliteration: "Shiro itachi Noroi o mita!" (Japanese: 白イタチノロイを見た!)	August 18, 1975 (1975-08-18)
The mice traverse around Dreamer Island, but are ambushed by killer weasels. Noroi calls off the weasels. Chuta's family is nowhere to be found and Noroi confronts the mice. Gamba and his friends barely make their escape.
21	"13 Eyes Wet With Tears" Transliteration: "Namida ni nureta 13 no hitomi" (Japanese: 涙にぬれた13の瞳)	August 25, 1975 (1975-08-25)
Noroi ambushes mice again. As they venture down a hole, Chuta is finally reunited with his family. The mouse colony make preparations for the weasels' imminent attack. Gamba gets hurt protecting Shioji from weasels, but the mice drive them away with sulfur.
22	"Friends from Across the Sea" Transliteration: "Umi o watatte kita nakama" (Japanese: 海を渡って来た仲間)	September 1, 1975 (1975-09-01)
Gamba sets off with Bobo, Yoisho and Gakusha. With aid from Ichirou's group, they get rice supplies. They receive further aid from a large addition of mouse survivors. Despite Noroi's interventions, they are able to get the supplies to the crater.
23	"Traitor Amid the Fortress" Transliteration: "Uragiri no toride" (Japanese: 裏切りの砦)	September 8, 1975 (1975-09-08)
As an abundance of mice take shelter in the fortress, the rice supply is destroyed and Ichirou falls to his death. It turns out Taichi is being forced to undermine the mice since Noroi is subjecting his little brother Junta to torture.
24	"The Whisper of the White Demon" Transliteration: "Shiroi akumano sasayaki" (Japanese: 白い悪魔のささやき)	September 15, 1975 (1975-09-15)
The mouse population is forced to evacuate and they relocate to a sea cove. Noroi attempts to bait the mice into turning themselves over, but Taichi sacrifices himself to bring the mice back to their senses.
25	"Hell's Grotto" Transliteration: "Jigoku no iwaana" (Japanese: 地獄の岩穴)	September 22, 1975 (1975-09-22)
While attempting to gather food Gamba, Yoisho and the Elder mouse are ambushed by weasels but are rescued by Tsuburi, who provides all the mice with food. Shortly the weasels launch an attack. The battle is won, but the Elder is fatally wounded. Gakasha realises that tonight is the time the waters of the sea are calm.
26	"The Great Sprial: Our Final Battle" Transliteration: "Saigonotatakai dai uzumaki" (Japanese: 最後の戦い大うずまき)	September 29, 1975 (1975-09-29)
The mice swim across the sea to the safety of a far island. Gamba and his friends distract the weasels, while Chuta looks for Tsuburi. Tsuburi and the seabirds rescue the mice, while the weasels all perish in whirlpools. Noroi survives and attempts one last attack on the mice, but Gamba and his friends bite him to death. Chuta remains with his family, while Gamba sets sail back to Tokyo with his friends.

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.

External links

• Official TMS Entertainment Gamba no Bōken website (in Japanese)
• Official Tokyo MX Gamba no Bōken website (in Japanese)
• Gamba no Bouken (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
• Gamba to Kawauso no Boken (film) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
• Gamba no Bouken at IMDb
• Gamba to Kawauso no Boken at IMDb
• Gamba: Gamba to Nakama-tachi (film) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia