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Information

Title (English) Human Scramble

Title (Japanese) Ningen Kousaten

Advertising
Fantasy Novel

Notes

Classification -

Synopsis Series of melodramas.

Review I just watched the first episode of "Ningen Kousaten"/"Human Scramble", a new late night anthology melodrama anime on TV Tokyo. It's based upon a Shogakukan manga series and produced by Pony Canyon and Tomax. This is one of those series that makes me wonder why they bothered to make it as an animation - this sort of dramatic anthology has been done as live action TV for 50 years.
In the first episode, Akira, a boxer, becomes World Champion and gives a suitable story to the Press as to how he became a boxer. He doesn't fit the stereotype of a boxer - he is from a wealthy family and is intelligent. But what we find out as Akira reminisces to himself is that he really got into boxing because he hates his mother. When Akira was little his mother always worked to provide a good life for them but was never around for Akira. One time when Akira had to come home by himself in the rain he got into an argument with his mother which ended up with her accidentally pushing him into his overflowing toy box, from which he got a permanent scar on his face.
Akira became a "tough" because of this - he didn't want to tell anyone that his mother gave him the scar. And eventually he started boxing as a means to channel his anger. Back to the present, Akira is surprised that his manager is still around. The Manager is mad at Akira because he told a story to the Press instead of how he really got into boxing. Akira couldn't understand how his Manager knew that he hated his mother, until the manager tells Akira that all along in his career his mother called to support him and to get the manager to keep him. Akira is astonished at this.
It is now raining out, and Akira's mother is locking up the fancy restaurant that she owns. As she steps out she realized that she doesn't have her umbrella. Up steps Akira with an umbrella for her. She thanks him and he asks her, for the first time, to come to see his fancy penthouse. Now that he has forgiven her, they walk off together. But wait - there is a "surprise" ending, which changes everything, and essentially makes the entire melodrama pointless.
Huh? Don't the writers of these sorts of stories have editors who can prevent them from doing this sort of sophomoric stuff? I'm not that keen on melodrama as is, but when it slips into this sort of trite clich� it is utterly unforgivable.
Bad writing aside, how was the first episode of "Ningen Kousaten" as an animation? (BTW - I don't know why they chose "Human Scramble" as a translation for the title. The literal translation "Human Intersection" would have been more appropriate, as the stories deal with the human lives "intersecting" with each other.) The animation was quite static, even the boxing scenes. The character animation was very similar in style to that of "Yawara" or "Master Keaton". The background music and themes were tolerable but not memorable. All-in-all, I didn't see anything in "Ningen Kousaten" that made me want to go back for more.
(Dave Baranyi)

Credits Series dir: Kazunari Kume
Creators: Masao Yajime and Kenshi Hirokane (manga)

Episodes

Release

TV Showing See the whole series for free? This series may be syndicated to regional cable, satellite or terrestial TV stations. For Europe click here.

Date 2003 April 6 -

Production Pony Canyon, Tomax

Broadcaster TV Tokyo

Animation

References & Help Look up the latest data on this title at:
Richard Llewellyn's Animated Divots, or
Anime News Network (see Encyclopedia section) ,
or in "The Anime Encyclopedia" (Clements & McCarthy, Stone Bridge Press, 2001).
Help & further information.

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Information
Title (English)	Human Scramble
Title (Japanese)	Ningen Kousaten
Advertising Fantasy Novel
Notes
Classification	-
Synopsis	Series of melodramas.
Review	I just watched the first episode of "Ningen Kousaten"/"Human Scramble", a new late night anthology melodrama anime on TV Tokyo. It's based upon a Shogakukan manga series and produced by Pony Canyon and Tomax. This is one of those series that makes me wonder why they bothered to make it as an animation - this sort of dramatic anthology has been done as live action TV for 50 years. In the first episode, Akira, a boxer, becomes World Champion and gives a suitable story to the Press as to how he became a boxer. He doesn't fit the stereotype of a boxer - he is from a wealthy family and is intelligent. But what we find out as Akira reminisces to himself is that he really got into boxing because he hates his mother. When Akira was little his mother always worked to provide a good life for them but was never around for Akira. One time when Akira had to come home by himself in the rain he got into an argument with his mother which ended up with her accidentally pushing him into his overflowing toy box, from which he got a permanent scar on his face. Akira became a "tough" because of this - he didn't want to tell anyone that his mother gave him the scar. And eventually he started boxing as a means to channel his anger. Back to the present, Akira is surprised that his manager is still around. The Manager is mad at Akira because he told a story to the Press instead of how he really got into boxing. Akira couldn't understand how his Manager knew that he hated his mother, until the manager tells Akira that all along in his career his mother called to support him and to get the manager to keep him. Akira is astonished at this. It is now raining out, and Akira's mother is locking up the fancy restaurant that she owns. As she steps out she realized that she doesn't have her umbrella. Up steps Akira with an umbrella for her. She thanks him and he asks her, for the first time, to come to see his fancy penthouse. Now that he has forgiven her, they walk off together. But wait - there is a "surprise" ending, which changes everything, and essentially makes the entire melodrama pointless. Huh? Don't the writers of these sorts of stories have editors who can prevent them from doing this sort of sophomoric stuff? I'm not that keen on melodrama as is, but when it slips into this sort of trite clich� it is utterly unforgivable. Bad writing aside, how was the first episode of "Ningen Kousaten" as an animation? (BTW - I don't know why they chose "Human Scramble" as a translation for the title. The literal translation "Human Intersection" would have been more appropriate, as the stories deal with the human lives "intersecting" with each other.) The animation was quite static, even the boxing scenes. The character animation was very similar in style to that of "Yawara" or "Master Keaton". The background music and themes were tolerable but not memorable. All-in-all, I didn't see anything in "Ningen Kousaten" that made me want to go back for more. (Dave Baranyi)
Credits	Series dir: Kazunari Kume Creators: Masao Yajime and Kenshi Hirokane (manga)
Episodes
Release
TV Showing	See the whole series for free? This series may be syndicated to regional cable, satellite or terrestial TV stations. For Europe click here.
Date	2003 April 6 -
Production	Pony Canyon, Tomax
Broadcaster	TV Tokyo
Animation
References & Help	Look up the latest data on this title at: Richard Llewellyn's Animated Divots, or Anime News Network (see Encyclopedia section) , or in "The Anime Encyclopedia" (Clements & McCarthy, Stone Bridge Press, 2001). Help & further information.