| Outline |
Bokura Mangaka Tokiwasou MonogatariThis animation revolves around four manga artists who were influenced by Osamu Tezuka, namely, Shotaro Ishimori, Fujiko F Fujio (Hiroshi Fujimoto), Fujiko Fujio A (Motoo Abiko), and Fujio Akatsuka, and portrays their youthful days at Tokiwaso, which is an actual apartment house. When each artist appears on screen, characters of their respective major works appear too, and the artists’ private lives are depicted in ensemble casting and full of comedy.The story begins with a scene in which Shotaro Ishimori, Hiroshi Fujimoto, Motoo Abiko, and Fujio Akatsuka read the manga Shin Takarajima (New Treasure Island) for the first time. After that, since Hiroshi Fujimoto and Motoo Abiko had sent their original manga to Osamu Tezuka under the pseudonym of Fujiko Fujio, they are encouraged to move to Tokyo, and the two start living in Tokiwaso, where the story takes place.The details of the story include discussions among the manga artists, interaction with editors and senior artists such as Hiroo Terada, the poor but fun lives they lived, as well as their hardships. The later part of the story covers the time when Tokiwaso’s members helped Fujio Akatsuka recover from a slump up to when Osomatsu-kun was released and created a sensation. In the epilogue it is noted that Tokiwaso was closed down in the mid-50’s to 60s’, and the story ends.Bokura Mangaka Tokiwasou Monogatari was produced by Toei Animation Co., Ltd. and Fuji Television Network Inc. in 1981. Shotaro Ishimori himself did the character design, and the director was Shinichi Suzuki, who actually lived in Tokiwaso and also appears in the program. Tokiwaso is scheduled to be reproduced as a memorial hall in 2020. |
