View source for Ganbare, Kickers!

{{short description|Manga series}}
{{refimprove|date=June 2021}}
{{Infobox animanga/Header
| name            = Ganbare, Kickers!
| image           = Ganbare, Kickers.png
| caption         = Anime logo
| ja_kanji        = がんばれ!キッカーズ
| ja_romaji       = Ganbare! Kikkāzu
| genre           = [[Sport]], [[Comedy]], [[Drama]]
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Print
| type            = manga
| author          = Noriaki Nagai
| publisher       = [[Shogakukan]]
| demographic     = ''[[Children's anime and manga|Kodomo]]''
| magazine        = [[CoroCoro Comic]]
| first           = November 1984
| last            = March 1989
| volumes         = 20
| volume_list     = 
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Video
| type            = tv series
| director        = Akira Shigino
| producer        = Haruhiko Akamine<br/>Kunitaka Okada<br/>Takaichi Matsumoto<br/>[[Yuji Nunokawa]] (Executive producer)
| writer          = [[Sukehiro Tomita]]<br/>Hiroshi Kaneko<br/>Isao Shizutani<br/>Mitsuo Aimono
| music           = Jun Irie
| studio          = [[Studio Pierrot]]
| network         = [[Nippon Television Network System|NNS]] ([[Nippon TV|NTV]])
| first           = October 15, 1986
| last            = January 5, 1988
| episodes        = 26 + OVA
| episode_list    = 
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Footer}}

{{nihongo|'''''Ganbare, Kickers!'''''|がんばれ!キッカーズ|Ganbare! Kikkāzu|roughly translated ''Fight, Kickers!''}} is a [[Association football|soccer]] kid [[manga]] by Noriaki Nagai. It was published by [[Shogakukan]] in ''[[CoroCoro Comic]]'' magazine from 1985 to 1989 and collected into 20 volumes.<ref name="ShogakukanAward">{{cite web|url=http://comics.shogakukan.co.jp/mangasho/rist.html |script-title=ja:小学館漫画賞：歴代受賞者 |publisher=Shogakukan |language=ja |access-date=2008-06-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929094941/http://comics.shogakukan.co.jp/mangasho/rist.html |archive-date=2007-09-29 }}</ref>

The manga was turned into an [[anime]] series by [[Studio Pierrot]] in 1986&ndash;1988. It consists of 26 episodes and one OVA, but only 23 episodes aired in [[Japan]] during the initial broadcast from October 1986 to March 1987, and the last three instead aired as a TV special in January 1988. In 1988 the anime arrived to [[Europe, the Middle East and Africa|EMEA]] in its [[dubbing (filmmaking)|dubbed]] version and had some success in the Middle East (''الهداف Al Haddaf''), Iran (''فوتبالیست‌ها''), South Korea (''내일은 축구왕''), Italy (''Palla al centro per Rudy''), Spain (''Supergol''), France (''But Pour Rudy''), Poland (''Piłkarze'') and especially in Germany and Austria (''Kickers''). In [[Malaysia]], the anime was aired on [[TV1 (Malaysia)|TV1]] [[Radio Televisyen Malaysia|RTM]] in 1990s, [[Awesome TV]] in 2020. In [[Indonesia]], the anime was aired on [[Indosiar]] in 1995-1997, [[MNCTV|TPI]] in 2003, [[Bali TV]] in 2005.

== Story ==

The story is about an enthusiastic kid soccer team at the Kitahara [[elementary school]], who struggle without a competent [[Striker (association football)|striker]], when little Kakeru Daichi's (大地翔 Daichi Kakeru) family moves into the town. He immediately applies to join the team, keen to use his skills gained in the kid team of famous soccer club "The Falcons". With Kakeru the team becomes complete in every sense and he motivates the team to challenge the "Red Devils", a strong secondary school team whose [[Goalkeeper (association football)|goalkeeper]] Uesugi is considered undefeatable. They lose 10 to 1, but Kakeru's scoring a single goal is still a small miracle. Under the strong leadership of their own goalkeeper Masaru Hongo, Kickers then enter the kid championship and fight their way up through hard won victories. Meanwhile, Hongo falls in love with Ayumi Daichi (大地歩 Daichi Ayumi), Kakeru's cute, sporty sister. In turn the striker enamours Akuna Yukie, a fragile, angelic pianist girl, who happens to be Uesugi's much younger sister. These affairs lead to some embarrassingly funny situations as well as numerous complications with the team's devoted and jealous [[cheerleader]] trio.

For a short while, Kickers gain a professional [[athletic trainer|trainer]] whose instructions help them win their way to the [[semi-final]]s, just to meet the Red Devils once again. After a dramatic match, that spans two 20 minute episodes, Uesugi fends off Kakeru's final freescore and so the Kickers are out! The devastated team is soon divided by the arrival of Harry, a famous junior talent, who has been fired from three big name teams already for subversive behaviour. He infiltrates and splits Kickers, but his rudeness and Hongo's strong leadership re-unite the team. Harry then seduces Ayumi and assembles a faux team out of the school's scum so he can defeat the Kickers almost alone. Although the naive Kakeru is no match for the older and much stronger Harry, the Kickers's teamwork spirit and Uesugi's support secures a victory in this dirty match and Harry is devastated. The anime series ends with a [[wikt:redeem|redeem]]ed Harry reconciling with the Kickers, before leaving the town to play overseas.

==Crew==
:Original story: Noriaki Nagai
:Series Director: Akira Shigino
:Series Composition: [[Sukehiro Tomita]]
:Script: Hiroshi Kaneko, Isao Shizutani, Mitsuo Aimono, Sukehiro Tomita
:Episode Director: Akira Shigino, Harumi Tamano, Kazu Yokota, Minoru Shinbayashi, Roku Iwata, Shigeru Morikawa
:Storyboard: Akira Shigino, Harumi Tamano, Kazu Yokota, Makoto Moriwaki, Minoru Shinbayashi, Roku Iwata, Shigeru Morikawa, Takayuki Kaneko
:Art Director: Satoshi Miura
:Art design: Masahiro Sato 
:Character Design: Takeshi Ozaka
:Animation Director: Takeshi Ozaka, Katsuichi Nakayama, Masami Shimoda, Mitsuo Shindo, Takafumi Hayashi
:Composer: Jun Irie
:Director of Photography: Hitoshi Kaneko
:Editing: Masanori Sakamoto
:Sound Director: Naoko Asari
:Sound Effects: Kazutoshi Sato
:Production manager: Reiko Fukakusa
:Producer: Haruhiko Akamine (NTV), Kunitaka Okada (I&S), Takaichi Matsumoto (Pierrot)
:Executive producer: Yuji Nunokawa

==Voice actors==
:[[Tomiko Suzuki]] - Kakeru Daichi
:[[Yuko Kobayashi]] - Akuna Yukie
:[[Ikue Ohtani]] - Kiyoshi Hara
:[[Kazue Ikura]] - Masaru Hongō
:[[Tarako (singer)|Tarako]] - Taichi
:[[Michie Tomizawa]] - Tetsuya
:[[Urara Takano]] - Mamoru
:[[Eiko Hisamura]] - Hikaru Uesugi
:[[Chieko Honda]] - Ayumi Daichi

== Episode list ==
{{Episode table
|overall=
|title=
|airdate=
|episodes=
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber       = 1
| Title               = Hara! Is This Really the Soccer Club?
| TranslitTitle       = Harā! Hontoni Kore ga Sakkā-bu?
| NativeTitle         = はらァー！ほんとにこれがサッカー部？
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
| OriginalAirDate     = {{Start date|1986|10|15}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber       = 2
| Title               = Taichi Guz Saved the Onboro Team!
| TranslitTitle       = Guzu no Taichi ga Onboro Chīmu o Sukutta!
| NativeTitle         = グズの太一がオンボロチームを救った！
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
| OriginalAirDate     = {{Start date|1986|10|22}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber       = 3
| Title               = Stop Deco and Soccer!
| TranslitTitle       = Deko, Sakkā Nante Yamete Shimae!
| NativeTitle         = デコ、サッカーなんてやめてしまえ！
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
| OriginalAirDate     = {{Start date|1986|10|29}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber       = 4
| Title               = Confrontation with That Uesugi! Nanyo Match Kick-off!!
| TranslitTitle       = Ano Uesugi to Taiketsu da! Nan'yō-sen Kikkuofu!!
| NativeTitle         = あの上杉と対決だ！南陽戦キックオフ！！
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
| OriginalAirDate     = {{Start date|1986|11|05}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber       = 5
| Title               = I Won't Give Up! I'll Definitely Get One Point!
| TranslitTitle       = Akirame nai zo! Zettai 1-ten Totte Yaru!
| NativeTitle         = あきらめないぞ！絶対１点とってやる！
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
| OriginalAirDate     = {{Start date|1986|11|12}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber       = 6
| Title               = It is a Such a Fool! Is the Captain Naughty?
| TranslitTitle       = Son'na Baka na! Kyaputen wa Etchi da?
| NativeTitle         = そんなバカな！キャプテンはエッチだ？
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
| OriginalAirDate     = {{Start date|1986|11|19}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber       = 7
| Title               = Get it! Friendship Soccer Ball Flying in the Sky
| TranslitTitle       = Todoke! Sora ni Mau Yūjō no Sakkā Bōru
| NativeTitle         = とどけ！空に舞う友情のサッカーボール
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
| OriginalAirDate     = {{Start date|1986|11|26}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber       = 8
| Title               = Hara, Kenta-kun's Phantom Super Shoot
| TranslitTitle       = Harā, Kenta-kun no Maboroshi no Sūpā Shūto
| NativeTitle         = はらァー、健太君の幻のスーパーシュート
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
| OriginalAirDate     = {{Start date|1986|12|03}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber       = 9
| Title               = A Big Pinch! Kickers Who Can't Kick the Ball
| TranslitTitle       = Dai Pinchi! Bōru no Kerenai Kikkāzu
| NativeTitle         = 大ピンチ！ボールのけれないキッカーズ
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
| OriginalAirDate     = {{Start date|1986|12|10}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber       = 10
| Title               = Eh Kenta and Deco Leave! Struggling with Rough Play
| TranslitTitle       = Etsu Kenta to Deko Taijō! Rafu Purē ni Kusen
| NativeTitle         = えっ健太とデコ退場！ラフプレーに苦戦
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
| OriginalAirDate     = {{Start date|1986|12|17}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber       = 11
| Title               = Opposition to Marriage!? A Strange Challenge Letter Received by Mamoru
| TranslitTitle       = Kekkon Hantai!? Mamoru-kun ga Uketa Hen'na Chōsen-jō
| NativeTitle         = 結婚反対！？守くんがうけたヘンな挑戦状
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
| OriginalAirDate     = {{Start date|1987|01|07|}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber       = 12
| Title               = Both Gaku and Akina Won the Championship! Kickers Cheer
| TranslitTitle       = Gaku mo Akina mo Yūshōda! Kikkāzu ga Ōen-dan
| NativeTitle         = 学も明菜も優勝だ！キッカーズが応援団
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
| OriginalAirDate     = {{Start date|1987|01|14}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber       = 13
| Title               = Blow Off Computer Soccer!
| TranslitTitle       = Konpyūtā Sakkā o Buttobase!
| NativeTitle         = コンピューターサッカーをぶっとばせ！
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
| OriginalAirDate     = {{Start date|1987|01|21}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber       = 14
| Title               = Don't be Stupid! Decide on a Double-Speed Shoot!!
| TranslitTitle       = Baka ni Suru na! Baisoku Shūto o Kimero!!
| NativeTitle         = バカにするな！倍速シュートを決めろ！！
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
| OriginalAirDate     = {{Start date|1987|01|28}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber       = 15
| Title               = Tetsuya's Special Dish! Feeling is Kickers Detective Team
| TranslitTitle       = Tetsuya no Tokudane! Kibun wa Kikkāzu Tantei-dan
| NativeTitle         = 哲也の特ダネ！気分はキッカーズ探偵団
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
| OriginalAirDate     = {{Start date|1987|08|26}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber       = 16
| Title               = Get It! A Ridiculous Coach has Arrived
| TranslitTitle       = Getsu! Tondemonai Kōchi ga Yatteki ta
| NativeTitle         = ゲッ！とんでもないコーチがやって来た
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
| OriginalAirDate     = {{Start date|1987|02|04}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber       = 17
| Title               = Kickers' Big Mom Valentine's Day!
| TranslitTitle       = Kikkāzu no Dai Mome Barentain Dē!
| NativeTitle         = キッカーズの大もめバレンタインデー！
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
| OriginalAirDate     = {{Start date|1987|02|11}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber       = 18
| Title               = What's Wrong? Coach Who Left During the Match
| TranslitTitle       = Dō Shita no? Shiai-chū ni Tachisatta Kōchi
| NativeTitle         = どうしたの？試合中に立ち去ったコーチ
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
| OriginalAirDate     = {{Start date|1987|02|18}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber       = 19
| Title               = It's an Official Game! But I Had a Problem with the Baseball Club
| TranslitTitle       = Sā Kōshiki-senda! Demo Nodamabu to Torabu tta
| NativeTitle         = さあ公式戦だ！でも野球部とトラブった
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
| OriginalAirDate     = {{Start date|1987|02|25}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber       = 20
| Title               = I found it! White? Eightback Weaknesses
| TranslitTitle       = Mitsuketa zo! Shiro? Eito Bakku no Jakuten
| NativeTitle         = 見つけたぞ！白？エイトバックの弱点
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
| OriginalAirDate     = {{Start date|1987|03|03}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber       = 21
| Title               = A Mysterious Team Appears! Is the Second Game a Big Battle?
| TranslitTitle       = Nazo no Chīmu Shutsugen! Dai 2 Shiai wa Dai Ransen?
| NativeTitle         = ナゾのチーム出現！第２試合は大乱戦？
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
| OriginalAirDate     = {{Start date|1987|03|11}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber       = 22
| Title               = GO! A Fierce Battle with Rival Uesugi has Begun
| TranslitTitle       = GO! Raibaru Uesugi to no Nettō ga Hajimatta
| NativeTitle         = ＧＯ！ライバル上杉との熱闘が始まった
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
| OriginalAirDate     = {{Start date|1987|03|18}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber       = 23
| Title               = You are a Shooting Star! Burn Kickers
| TranslitTitle       = Kimi wa Nagareboshi! Moetsukiro Kikkāzu
| NativeTitle         = 君は流れ星！燃えつきろキッカーズ
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
| OriginalAirDate     = {{Start date|1987|03|25}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber       = OVA
| Title               = Our Legend
| TranslitTitle       = Bokutachi no Densetsu
| NativeTitle         = ぼくたちの伝説
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
| OriginalAirDate     = {{Start date|1987|08|21}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber       = 24
| Title               = Alone Ace Striker
| TranslitTitle       = Hitori Botchi no Ēsu Sutoraikā
| NativeTitle         = ひとりぼっちのエースストライカー
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
| OriginalAirDate     = {{Start date|1988|01|05}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber       = 25
| Title               = The Mystery of the Red Rose Given to Ayumi
| TranslitTitle       = Ayumu-chan ni Okura Reta Akai Bara no Nazo
| NativeTitle         = 歩ちゃんに贈られた赤いバラのなぞ
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
| OriginalAirDate     = {{Start date|1988|01|05}}
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber       = 26
| Title               = Defeat the Outlaw Group, the Jackals!
| TranslitTitle       = Autorō Shūdan Jakkaruzu o Taose!
| NativeTitle         = アウトロー集団ジャッカルズを倒せ！
| NativeTitleLangCode = ja
| OriginalAirDate     = {{Start date|1988|01|05}}
}}
}}

== References ==
<references/>

== External links ==
* [http://en.pierrot.jp/archive/1985/tv80_14.html Studio Pierrot official site]
* [http://pierrot.jp/archive/1985/tv80_14.html Studio Pierrot official site] {{in lang|ja}}
* [http://www.pokito.de/6709.html RTL II "Pokito" - official German website with full episode descriptions]{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
* {{ann|anime|480}}
* {{IMDb title|0294086}}

{{Shogakukan Manga Award - Children}}
{{Pierrot (company)}}

[[Category:1985 manga]]
[[Category:1986 anime television series debuts]]
[[Category:Association football in anime and manga]]
[[Category:CoroCoro Comic]]
[[Category:Nippon Television original programming]]
[[Category:Pierrot (company)]]
[[Category:Shōnen manga]]
[[Category:Shogakukan franchises]]
[[Category:Shogakukan manga]]
[[Category:Winners of the Shogakukan Manga Award for children's manga]]