Game Center Arashi
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese manga
by Mitsuru Sugaya
, which ran in CoroCoro Comic
from 1978 to 1984. It sold over 5 million copies and won the 1983 Shogakukan Manga Award
for children's manga. The series was adapted as a popular anime
television show that aired in 1982 in Japan
on Mondays from 7:00pm to 7:30pm.; and in Hong Kong
.
In Japanese, the word "Arashi" means "storm". In Hong Kong
, the show aired under the title 電子神童, which translates to "Electronic Prodigy". The series was considered iconic
in Asia
, since it came at a time when the public was being exposed to video games for the first time. The manga
and TV series opened the imagination and possibilities of what gaming entertainment was about, while boosting its popularity as a new phenomenon
.
. He would meet competitors like Satoru Daimonji and Ishii, who would try to out match him with higher scores. At a certain point in each episode, he would display his special skill of unleashing a top
which will spin so fast that both the top and his hands would catch on fire. On release, the spin would land on or near the cabinet
panels, turning the ordinary button into a turbo button
thus giving him a major advantage. His appearance is known for being bucktoothed, and he always wears a hat labeled "Arashi" with a picture of a sprited
alien.
Game Center Arashi was the first animation with a gamer
as the lead character and have the plot revolve around life with competitive gaming. Some of the games featured in the show include Space Invaders
, Breakout, Galaxian
, though they were not explicitly named. Some of Arashi's gaming techniques even have special names like "Blazed Top", "Vacuum Hurricane Shot", "Fish Stance".
novel
called Game Center Arashi R. In 2004 Microsoft
Tokyo
used the character of Arashi as a mascot to boost Xbox
sales and image.
While the 2002 manga Arcade Gamer Fubuki reused the concept of a powerful gamer in the arcades, and also spawned a TV series of the same name, that show used entirely different characters and plots, modernizing while separating itself from the 1982 counterpart.
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
by Mitsuru Sugaya
Mitsuru Sugaya
, is a Japanese manga artist, novelist, an author of instructional comics, and a racing writer. Sugaya wrote and illustrated Game Center Arashi, a manga. He Also Drew A Manga tied to the Japanese Spiderman Show From The 70's and also drew the manga adaptations of all Kamen rider Series from Ichigo...
, which ran in CoroCoro Comic
CoroCoro Comic
is a Japanese monthly manga magazine published by Shogakukan, starting on May 15, 1977. Its main target is elementary school aged boys, younger than the readers of shōnen manga...
from 1978 to 1984. It sold over 5 million copies and won the 1983 Shogakukan Manga Award
Shogakukan Manga Award
The is one of Japan's major manga awards, sponsored by Shogakukan Publishing. It has been awarded annually for serialized manga since 1955 and features candidates from a number of publishers.The current award categories are:...
for children's manga. The series was adapted as a popular anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
television show that aired in 1982 in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
on Mondays from 7:00pm to 7:30pm.; and in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
.
In Japanese, the word "Arashi" means "storm". In Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, the show aired under the title 電子神童, which translates to "Electronic Prodigy". The series was considered iconic
Cultural icon
A cultural icon can be a symbol, logo, picture, name, face, person, building or other image that is readily recognized and generally represents an object or concept with great cultural significance to a wide cultural group...
in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, since it came at a time when the public was being exposed to video games for the first time. The manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
and TV series opened the imagination and possibilities of what gaming entertainment was about, while boosting its popularity as a new phenomenon
Phenomenon
A phenomenon , plural phenomena, is any observable occurrence. Phenomena are often, but not always, understood as 'appearances' or 'experiences'...
.
Story
The story is about a young boy named Arashi Ishino who is obsessed with video games. He would spend all his time trying to beat the games and conquer the local arcadesArcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
. He would meet competitors like Satoru Daimonji and Ishii, who would try to out match him with higher scores. At a certain point in each episode, he would display his special skill of unleashing a top
Top
A top is a toy that can be spun on an axis, balancing on a point. This motion is produced in the most simple forms of top by twirling the stem using the fingers. More sophisticated tops are spun by by holding the axis firmly while pulling a string or twisting a stick or pushing an auger as shown...
which will spin so fast that both the top and his hands would catch on fire. On release, the spin would land on or near the cabinet
Arcade cabinet
A video game arcade cabinet, also known as a video arcade machine or video coin-op, is the housing within which a video arcade game's hardware resides. Most cabinets designed since the mid-1980s conform to the JAMMA wiring standard...
panels, turning the ordinary button into a turbo button
Turbo button
A turbo button refers to a button on a piece of electronic equipment, which makes the equipment run faster in some way. Although the name is based on that of a forced induction air compressor which makes a car go faster, automotive turbochargers are not manually operated, but are directly linked...
thus giving him a major advantage. His appearance is known for being bucktoothed, and he always wears a hat labeled "Arashi" with a picture of a sprited
Sprite (computer graphics)
In computer graphics, a sprite is a two-dimensional image or animation that is integrated into a larger scene...
alien.
Game Center Arashi was the first animation with a gamer
Gamer
Historically, the term "gamer" usually referred to someone who played role-playing games and wargames. Since they became very popular, the term has included players of video games...
as the lead character and have the plot revolve around life with competitive gaming. Some of the games featured in the show include Space Invaders
Space Invaders
is an arcade video game designed by Tomohiro Nishikado, and released in 1978. It was originally manufactured and sold by Taito in Japan, and was later licensed for production in the United States by the Midway division of Bally. Space Invaders is one of the earliest shooting games and the aim is to...
, Breakout, Galaxian
Galaxian
is an arcade game developed by Namco in 1979. It was published by Namco in Japan and was imported to North America by Midway in 1980. A fixed shooter-style game in which the player controls a spaceship at the bottom of the screen and shoots enemies descending in various directions, it was designed...
, though they were not explicitly named. Some of Arashi's gaming techniques even have special names like "Blazed Top", "Vacuum Hurricane Shot", "Fish Stance".
Characters
Staff
| Function | Names |
|---|---|
| Director | Tameo Ogawa |
| Screenwriter | Soji Yoshikawa Soji Yoshikawa is an animator, a scriptwriter, a director of anime, and a stage director. He has worked under the aliases , , and . He dropped out of senior high school, entered an Mushi Production, and became an animator... |
| Character Design | Mitsuru Sugi-yama |
| Animator | Kazuyuki Okaseko |
| Song Writer | Koji Makaino |
| Opening Theme Song Performer | Ichirou Mizuki Ichirou Mizuki , better known by his stage name , is a Japanese vocalist, lyrist, composer, voice actor and actor best known for his work on theme songs for anime and tokusatsu. For over 40 years, he has recorded over 1200 songs for Japanese film, television, video and video games. He is referred to by fans and... |
| Ending Theme Song Performer | Satomi Mashima |
Original broadcast
| Broadcast day | Episodes |
|---|---|
| 1982/4/5 | 1. Defeat the big computer!! |
| 1982/4/12 | 2. Super secret skill!! Scene of flame |
| 1982/4/19 | 3. It came out!! Necessary shooting munsaruto |
| 1982/4/26 | 4. The heart of love burns in the game |
| 1982/5/3 | 5. Decisive battle!! Guarantee comb un |
| 1982/5/10 | 6. Destruction!! Alien of fear |
| 1982/5/17 | 7. Intense it is painful!! Carious tooth alien |
| 1982/5/24 | 8. It is game of the man!! Eye Kawahara of rhinoceros |
| 1982/5/31 | 9. Certain Victory! TV Game Heaven |
| 1982/6/7 | 10. Dracula who reanimates |
| 1982/6/14 | 11. To withstand the super intensive training of death and be able to pull out!! |
| 1982/6/21 | 12. TV game spy large maneuvers |
| 1982/6/28 | 13. Why super boin becomes matter of concern |
| 1982/7/5 | 14. Unexpected!! Ton men Daio puzzle |
| 1982/7/12 | 15. Sneak away from the black hole!! |
| 1982/7/19 | 16. The coming out of Arashi's tooth!! |
| 1982/7/26 | 17. The younger brother was born! |
| 1982/8/2 | 18. High treason point!! Surfing game!! |
| 1982/8/9 | 19. The hamburger already the large quantity |
| 1982/8/16 | 20. Mystery! Slow residence |
| 1982/8/23 | 21. Summer is! It is the game! It is lodging together! |
| 1982/8/30 | 22. Good-bye you take!? |
| 1982/9/6 | 23. Fight!! Game soldier Arashi |
| 1982/9/13 | 24. SOS from heaven Part-I |
| 1982/9/20 | 25. SOS from heaven Part-II |
| 1982/9/27 | 26. As for enemy of Arashi Arashi?! |
Additional versions and appearances
In 1999, the series spawned a PlayStationPlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
called Game Center Arashi R. In 2004 Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
used the character of Arashi as a mascot to boost Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
sales and image.
While the 2002 manga Arcade Gamer Fubuki reused the concept of a powerful gamer in the arcades, and also spawned a TV series of the same name, that show used entirely different characters and plots, modernizing while separating itself from the 1982 counterpart.