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StatusFinished AiringSeasonWinter 1985StudioMadhouse, Project Team ArgosSourceNovel
Story
Synopsis
Seventeen-year-old Akihiko Nomura, nicknamed Bobby by his friends, is an aloof high school youth completely indifferent to academic expectations. Alienated from his strict traditional father and quiet mother, Bobby pours his entire soul into his beloved motorcycle, meticulously cleaning, tuning, and cruising across the asphalt. His solitary lifestyle shifts when a magazine photograph of his motorcycle journey catches the eye of an unknown teenage girl, who sends him an introspective romantic letter. Exchanging awkward, brief replies with his unseen pen pal, Bobby quits school to work at a biker garage, chasing personal freedom on two wheels.
⚠ Background — may contain spoilers
Renowned animation studio Madhouse and Project Team Argos produced this poignant forty-four-minute coming-of-age theatrical feature, released in Japanese cinemas in March 1985. Directed by Toshio Hirata and adapted from the popular novel by Yoshio Kataoka, the movie featured character designs and animation direction by master animator Akio Sugino. Pop idol Hironobu Nomura provided the voice of the protagonist and performed the evocative theme song. Celebrated for its gentle pacing, melancholic 1980s youth culture, and gorgeous pastel cinematography, the short remains a celebrated retro classic.
