"ANIME"
(Japanese Animation)

WELCOME TO DAVID'S EXCELLENT WRITING CLASS!!
HI-11D

SEMESTER ONE, JULY 1999


DORAEMON
by Midori Yoda, Akiko Tanaka, Sanae Tsuchida, and Masami Yamaguchi


Doraemon is a very popular animation show in Japan. There are many characters, such as Nobita, Shizuka, Giant, Suneo, and Doraemon. Doraemon has a fourth dimension pocket. The main tools in the pocket are his "takekopter" (like a helicopter propellor that allows him to fly), Dokodemo Doa ("go anywhere door"), "small light," "big light," etc.. Doraemon's three sizes are all the same. Doraemon is a cat style robot, but he is afraid of mice. After his ears were eaten by them, his body color changed to blue. He likes dorayaki (a Japanese bean curd snack) so much! Nobita is Doraemon's best friend. He is weak, and he is often bullied by Giant (a very big boy) and Suneo (Giant's friend who always sides with Giant), and he always needs Doraemon's help. Nobita is in love with a girl named Shizuka. Doraemon's job is to help Nobita win Shizuka's heart. We think Nobita and Shizuka will get married someday. The stories of Doraemon always introduce new tools to help Nobita. They look like the same stories, but we never feel bored. Doraemon gives us dreams. Doraemon is forever! We hope that we be will be able to get our own Doraemon cat robots in the future.


DRAGON BALL
by Hiroko Suzuki, Nobuko Tada, Keisuke Shiroyama, Fumihide Umeda, and Atsuhiko Takei

Dragon Ball is a very famous animation for young boys in Japan, and this story lasted a long time--more than five years. There are several main characters in this story. Some of the main characters are Son Goku, Chi-Chi, Son Gohan, and Kamesennin.

Son Goku is a very pure and strong man, and he has a tail. Also, he has a wife, Chi -Chi, and she is a hysterical and very strict person. Also, they have a child, Son Gohan, and he is a polite, intelligent, and strong gentleman. Also, Son Goku and Son Gohan's budo master (Japanese martial artist) is Kamesennin. He is an old aged person, and very strong.

In the stories, the characters look for seven "Dragon Balls" because if someone can gather them all, their dreams will come true. However, they must fight other enemies to get the "Dragon Balls." Dragon Ball includes these types of stories, and this show is an endless fighting TV show. Unfortunately, Dragon Ball is no longer on TV. Therefore, if we want to watch it, we must rent a video tape at a rental video store.

TOTORO
by Kimiko Uesugi, Makiko Watanabe, Risako Ueda, and Chinatsu Yasuki

"TOTORO" is a Japanese animation cartoon. This animation was created by Hayao Miyazaki. All generations love this animation. First, we would like to introduce the main characters, and second, we want to introduce minor characters, and finally, we would like to introduce the story.

The main characters are Totoro, Satsuki, and May.

Totoros are gods of the forest. There are three kinds of Totoro: big Totoro, middle Totoro and little Totoro. Their food is nuts. Big Totoro has a huge body and is gray color. He always sleeps in the forest. He can call "Nekobus" (the cat bus) and wind. Middle Totoro is blue color,and little Totoro is white color.

Satsuki is a girl who is about 11 years old. She has short black hair. She is cheerful, active, and kind. She always takes after her sister.

May is 5 years old. She is Satuski's little sister. She has a big voice and has pig tails hair. She is cheerful, pure, and active.

The other characters are:

Father: He wears black frame glasses. He is a university professer.

Mother: She is in the hospital and has long black hair and looks kind and beautiful.

Kanta: Satsuki's friend , a shy boy. His grand mother is a landlady of Satsuki's house.

"Nekobus": Cat bus. He is 12 feet tall, and he has a big mouth and a nice smile. He can go anywhere.

Makkurokurosuke: It is made of soot and is black and small (about the size of a baseball). It has only two eyes and can fly. It lives in a group in an abandoned house.

Sample Story

On A sunny day, father moved with Satsuki and May to a big old house like a ghost house by car with heavy baggage. Then Satsuki and May met Totoro, Makkurorurosuke, and Nekobasu which were not seen by anyone but the child. One day, May tried to go alone to a hospital where her mother stayed because May knew that her mother became worse, but she lost her way. All the village people tried to find May, but she was not found. Satsuki was at a loss, then she went to Totoro to help her. After she could go to her sister by Nekobasu, and they could see their healthy mother. If we do not lose a heart like children, Totoro will appear and will help to grant our wish as in the case of Satsuki and May, and it may be a message from Hayao Miyazaki.

SAZAE-SAN
by Yurina Tsuchiyama, Ayako Tsumura, Asami Yamada,
and Sayaka Takada

Sazae-san is a popular animation show on Sunday nights. It is popular with all generations. There are several main charactors: Sazae, Katsuo, Wakame, Namihei, Fune, Masuo, Tarao, and Tama. Sazae is a housewife. Her personality is careless but cheeful. Her hair has three big curls. Katsuo is Sazae's brother. He is in the fifth grade of an elementary school forever. He is a sly boy. Wakame is Sazae's sister. She is in the third grade of an elementary school. She always wears a miniskirt. We can see her expanding pants. Namihei is Sazae's father. He has only one hair on top of his head! Fune is Sazae's mother. She is very gentle. She is also a housewife. Masuo is Sazae's husband. He is a salaryman. In Japan, couples usualy live with the husband's parents, but he lives with Sazae's family. Tarao is Sazae and Masuo's son. He is three years old. He is cute. Tama is a white cat which Sazae's family keeps. This animation describes Japanese traditional family style. We can feel a sense of closeness. Let's enjoy watching "Sazae - san!"

CHIBI MARUKO-CHAN
by Ryoko Suzuki, Namiko Yoshida, Yukari Tagawa, and Yuki Yamagishi

Chibimaruko-chan is very popular in the world. All generations of people like it in Japan. The show is on early Sunday nights. There are several characters in the family and the school. Chibimaruko-chan is the main character's nickname. Her real name is Momoko Sakura. Her nickname is "Chibi" (shorty) because she is very short. Most Japanese girls are called by their names plus "Chan" (literally meaning child). Chibi Maruko-Chan is an elementary student. She has a round face and always has a children's school satchel. She likes an old idol named Momoe Yamaguchi! In her family, there are five people. Her grand father, Tomozo, likes haiku (a traditional, three-line Japanese poem). Also, he is an elderly senior person. Her father is Hiroshi, and her mother is Sumire. In school, she has many friends. Tamae is her best friend. Another is a characteristic person. Boo-Taro looks like a pig. In short, Maruko connects with many interesting people. Also, she is interesting.

A Sensational Singer Hikki
by Yasuo, Sayaka, Akihiro, and Masaru

Recently, many women singers have appeared in the Japanese music scene. Also, most of them are teenagers. For example, Hikaru Utada, Mai Kuraki, and Yuki Koyanagi are popular singers now. Hikaru Utada, whose nickname is Hikki,Eis the most popular and talented singer in Japan. We would like to talk about her early life, her career, her abilities, and her later life.

First, she was in special surroundings in her early life. Because her parents were musicians and lived in New York, she was born and spent her early life there. In Japan, she went to an American school, so she can speak English very well. Moreover she has loved singing songs since her childhood, and she released CDs in the United States.

Next, she started her career with great success. Her first single CD, AutomaticEsold more than a million copies. Also, her first album, First LoveEhas been a best seller album in Japan. However, she rarely appears in public. She only appears on TV during her vacations. Therefore, it is difficult to get her concert tickets.

Moreover, she is different from other female singers in making songs by herself. She can make lyrics which are written about love and herself, and songs while she is taking a rest or relaxing. Also, she is always humming, so it may be easy for her to make songs. In addition to this, she can draw pictures. She drew her latest CD art work.

Last, she became the richest singer in Japan, and she will go to Colombia University. Her life is brilliant, but her family has some troubles. Her parents were going to divorce, but they changed their minds. In short, Hikaru Utada is a promising young singer who has great abilities and a future. Also, we hope she will be more famous all over the world, and someday, she will get a Grammy Award. We cannot help taking our eyes off her all the time!


1