Otoko wa Tsurai yo

Otoko wa Tsurai yo
Poster for the No.18 "Tora's Pure Love" (1976)
Directed by	Yōji Yamada
Written by	Yōji Yamada Yoshitaka Asama et al.
Starring	Kiyoshi Atsumi Chieko Baishō Chishu Ryu
Music by	Naozumi Yamamoto
Cinematography	Tetsuo Takaba
Distributed by	Shochiku (Japan)
Release date(s)	1969　-　1995
Running time	110 - 140 min.
Country	Japan
Language	Japanese

Otoko wa tsurai yo (男はつらいよ, "It's tough being a man") is a Japanese film series starring Kiyoshi Atsumi as "Tora-san" (寅さん), a kind-hearted vagabond who is always unlucky in love. The series itself is often referred to as "Torasan" by its fans.^[1] Spanning 48 installments released between 1969 and 1995,^[2] All of the Otoko wa tsurai yo films except episodes 3 and 4 were directed by Yōji Yamada, who also wrote (or co-wrote) all the screenplays. The series was considered by the Guinness Book of World Records to be the longest movie series in the world, until it was surpassed by the Huang Fei-Hong series. However, unlike the Otoko wa tsurai yo series, it was not principally helmed by one director.^[3]

Each film featured a different leading lady, called a Madonna, and a different region of Japan. (There were also episodes that featured scenes in Arizona and Vienna.) Two films were usually made each year between 1969–1989, one for summer and one for New Year release. From 1990-1995 only one film was made each year, for New Year release. AnimEigo released the series for the first time in the United States in 2009 under the title "Tora-san".^[4]

The film series ended after Atsumi's declining health and death from lung cancer at age 68 without Tora-san ever settling down and finding domestic happiness. Atsumi was so identified with the Tora-san character that his death was also considered by fans to be the death of Tora-san. Director Yamada decided not to continue the series after Atsumi's death. However, he instead reworked a Tora-san script stuck in development as "Niji wo Tsukamu Otoko" starring Nishida Toshiyuki as a traveling cinema operator. Although "Niji" was a tribute to movies in general, the final scenes were Yamada's touching, loving post-humous tribute to the Tora-san series and to Atsumi Kiyoshi. Almost all of the principal actors from "Otoko wa Tsurai yo" have cameos in the "Niji" film, and the Tora-san character even makes a surprise cameo appearance near the end of the movie hinting that perhaps Tora is still out there somewhere. The film ends with a dedication to Atsumi Kiyoshi.

Basic Plot

All of the Tora-san movies had the same basic plot with some minor variations. Kuruma Torajirō (or Tora-san), a traveling salesman whose sole possessions include only the contents of a small suitcase, the clothes on his back and some pocket money, wanders from town to town peddling his wares. He yearns to return to his home in Shibamata, Katsushika, Tokyo. His sole surviving family members include Sakura (his kind-hearted half-sister), Hiroshi (Sakura's husband), Mitsuo (Sakura and Hiroshi's son), Tatsuzō (Tora-san's elderly uncle) and Tsune (Tora-san's elderly aunt). Tatsuzō and Tsune run a traditional sweets (Dango) shop in Shibamata. The film often begins with Tora-san dreaming of doing grand deeds, anxious to be worthy of his family, usually resulting in disappointment and subsequent awakening.

Tora-san unexpectedly drops in on his family. While the family is glad to see him, Tora-san's stay eventually causes some kind of ruckus and usually a violent family argument ensues. He then storms off with his belongings just as suddenly as he arrived.

Some time later, he arrives in some remote town planning to peddle his wares to the locals. There, he meets the "Madonna", a local damsel in distress. Tora-san usually tells the damsel to look him up at his family's dango shop in Shibamata. The damsel takes him up on his offer and Tora-san invariably returns. Torasan falls head over heels in love with her (though he always seems oblivious to his own feelings). However, in his shy efforts to win the Madonna's heart, Tora usually ends up inadvertently bringing her together with an old flame or another man. Tora-san invariably ends up heartbroken but puts on a brave face and wanders off again on his journey to heal his broken heart.

Television origin

Preceding the first theatrical film of Otoko wa tsurai yo, a teledrama version was broadcast from 1968 to 1969. It was originally titled "Gukei (or "Gukyō")-Kenmai" (愚兄賢妹), meaning "Goofy Brother and Wise Sister." The name comes from the final subtitle of Naite tamaruka (泣いてたまるか). (The star of Naite tamaruka is also Atsumi Kiyoshi.)

Kobayashi Shun'ichi renamed the show Otoko wa tsurai yo. In the final episode of the TV series, Torajirō dies of a snakebite. This denouement made the audience angry and a film version of Otoko wa tsurai yo followed. Initially, Shochiku (松竹), the distributing agency, was not enthusiastic, but Yōji Yamada's persuasiveness ultimately prevailed. With the exception of Morikawa Shin, the supporting cast of the television version did not reprise their roles in the film series - though Sato Gajiro appears in several of the films as "Gen-chan" and Nagayama Aiko is the Madonna in the 6th film.

Cast

TV Series

• Atsumi Kiyoshi as Kuruma Torajirō 車寅次郎：渥美清
• Nagayama Aiko as Sakura さくら：長山藍子
• Morikawa Shin as Kuruma Tatsuzō 車竜造（おいちゃん）：森川信
• Sugiyama Tokuko as Kuruma Tsune 車つね（おばちゃん）：杉山とく子
• Satō Gajirō as Yūjirō (Torajiro's little brother) 雄二郎：佐藤蛾次郎
• Hisashi Igawa as Suwa Hiroshi (a doctor) 諏訪博士（医師）：井川比佐志

Films

• Atsumi Kiyoshi as Kuruma Torajirō 車寅次郎:渥美清
• Baishō Chieko as Suwa Sakura 諏訪さくら:倍賞千恵子
• Maeda Gin as Suwa Hiroshi 諏訪博:前田吟
• Morikawa Shin - as Kuruma Tatsuzō (in Films #1 to #8) 車竜造（おいちゃん）:森川信
• Matsumura Tatsuo - as Kuruma Tatsuzō (in Films #9 to #13) 車竜造（おいちゃん）:松村達雄
• Shimojō Masami as Kuruma Tatsuzō (in Films #14 to #48)車竜造（おいちゃん）:下條正巳

• Mizaki Chieko as Kuruma Tsune 車つね（おばちゃん）:三崎千恵子
• Yoshioka Hidetaka as Suwa Mitsuo 諏訪満男:吉岡秀隆（第27作～第48作）
• Dazai Hisao as Boss (Katsura Umetarō) 社長・タコ社長（桂梅太郎）:太宰久雄
• Ryū Chishū as Gozen-sama 御前様:笠智衆
• Satō Gajirō as Genkō 源公:佐藤蛾次郎

Anime

• Kōichi Yamadera as Torajirō Kuruma
• Yumi Tōma as Lilly
• Mari Okamoto as Sakura Suwa
• Hōchū Ōtsuka as Hiroshi Suwa
• Minori Yada as Tatsuzō Kuruma
• Mie Azuma as Tsune Kuruma
• Mine Eken as Umetarō Katsura
• Ryūji Saikachi as Gozen-sama
• Naoki Tatsuta as Genkō

Film Series

Number	Title	Japan Release Date	US Release Date
1	It's Tough Being a Man ("Otoko wa tsurai yo") (男はつらいよ)	August 27, 1969	July 18, 1974
2	Tora-San's Cherished Mother ("Zoku otoko wa tsurai yo") 続・男はつらいよ	November 15, 1969	July 1, 1970
3	Tora-san, His Tender Love ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Fuuten no Tora") 男はつらいよ フーテンの寅	January 15, 1970	October 20, 1973
4	Tora-san's Grand Scheme ("Shin otoko wa tsurai yo") 新・男はつらいよ	February 27, 1970	July 25, 1973
5	Tora-san's Runaway ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Bōkyō hen") 男はつらいよ 望郷篇	August 25, 1970	May 28, 1971
6	Tora-san's Shattered Romance ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Junjō hen") 男はつらいよ 純情篇	January 15, 1971	September 1, 1971
7	Tora-san, the Good Samaritan ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Funtō hen") 男はつらいよ 奮闘篇	April 28, 1971	June 25, 1975
8	Tora-san's Love Call ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajirō koiuta") 男はつらいよ 寅次郎恋歌	December 29, 1971	April 14, 1973
9	Tora-san's Dear Old Home ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Shibamata bōjō") 男はつらいよ 柴又慕情	August 5, 1972	March 10, 1974
10	Tora-san's Dream-Come-True ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajirō yumemakura") 男はつらいよ 寅次郎夢枕	December 29, 1972	May 1973
11	Tora-san's Forget Me Not ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajirō wasurenagusa") 男はつらいよ 寅次郎忘れな草	August 4, 1973	January 4, 1974
12	Tora-san Loves an Artist ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Watashi no tora-san") 男はつらいよ 私の寅さん	December 26, 1973	May 22, 1974
13	Tora-san's Lovesick ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajirō koiyatsure") 男はつらいよ 寅次郎恋やつれ	August 10, 1974
14	Tora-san's Lullaby ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajirō komoriuta") 男はつらいよ 寅次郎子守唄	December 28, 1974	December 1975
15	Tora-san's Rise and Fall ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajirō aiaigasa") 男はつらいよ 寅次郎相合い傘	August 2, 1975	June 12, 1977
16	Tora-san, the Intellectual ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Katsushika risshihen") 男はつらいよ 葛飾立志篇	December 27, 1975	December 31, 1976
17	Tora-san's Sunrise and Sunset ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajirō yūyake koyake") 男はつらいよ 寅次郎夕焼け小焼け （仮タイトルは「男はつらいよ 柴又の伊達男」）	July 24, 1976	May 6, 1977
18	Tora's Pure Love ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajirō junjōshishū") 男はつらいよ 寅次郎純情詩集	December 25, 1976
19	Tora-san Meets His Lordship ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajirō to tonosama") 男はつらいよ 寅次郎と殿様	August 6, 1977	August 25, 1978
20	Tora-san Plays Cupid ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajirō gambare!") 男はつらいよ 寅次郎頑張れ!	December 24, 1977
21	Stage-Struck Tora-san ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajirō wagamichi wo yuku") 男はつらいよ 寅次郎わが道をゆく	August 5, 1978
22	Talk of the Town Tora-san ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Uwasa no torajirō") 男はつらいよ 噂の寅次郎	December 27, 1978	September 28, 1979
23	Tora-san, the Matchmaker ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Tonderu Torajirō") 男はつらいよ 翔んでる寅次郎	August 4, 1979	May 1980
24	Tora-san's Dream of Spring ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajirō haru no yume") 男はつらいよ 寅次郎春の夢	December 28, 1979	June 1, 1980
25	Tora's Tropical Fever ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajirō haibisukasu no hana") 男はつらいよ 寅次郎ハイビスカスの花	August 2, 1980	December 26, 1980
26	Foster Daddy, Tora! ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajirō kamome uta") 男はつらいよ 寅次郎かもめ歌	December 28, 1980
27	Tora-san's Love in Osaka ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Naniwa no koi no Torajirō") 男はつらいよ 浪花の恋の寅次郎	August 8, 1981	January 1, 1982
28	Tora-san's Promise ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajirō kamifūsen") 男はつらいよ 寅次郎紙風船	December 29, 1981	June 1982
29	Hearts and Flowers for Tora-san ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajirō ajisai no koi") 男はつらいよ 寅次郎あじさいの恋	August 7, 1982	December 24, 1982
30	Tora-san, the Expert ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Hana mo arashi mo Torajirō") 男はつらいよ 花も嵐も寅次郎	December 28, 1982
31	Tora-san's Song of Love ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Tabi to onna to Torajirō") 男はつらいよ 旅と女と寅次郎	August 6, 1983	January 20, 1984
32	Tora-san Goes Religious? ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Kuchibue o fuku Torajirō") 男はつらいよ 口笛を吹く寅次郎	December 28, 1983	June 29, 1984
33	Marriage Counselor Tora-san ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Yogiri ni musebu torajirō") 男はつらいよ 夜霧にむせぶ寅次郎	August 4, 1984	December 21, 1984
34	Tora-san's Forbidden Love ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajirō shinjitsu ichiro") 男はつらいよ 寅次郎真実一路	December 28, 1984	May 1985
35	Tora-san, the Go-Between ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajirō ren'aijuku") 男はつらいよ 寅次郎恋愛塾	August 3, 1985
36	Tora-san's Island Encounter ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Shibamata yori ai wo komete") 男はつらいよ 柴又より愛をこめて	December 28, 1985
37	Tora-san's Bluebird Fantasy ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Shiawase no aoi tori") 男はつらいよ 幸福の青い鳥	December 20, 1986	June 1987
38	Tora-san Goes North ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Shiretoko bojō") 男はつらいよ 知床慕情	August 15, 1987	January 11, 1990
39	Tora-san Plays Daddy ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajirō monogatari") 男はつらいよ 寅次郎物語	December 26, 1987
40	Tora-san's Salad-Day Memorial ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajirō sarada kinenbi") 男はつらいよ 寅次郎サラダ記念日	December 24, 1988
41	Tora-San Goes to Vienna ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajirō kokoro no tabiji") 男はつらいよ 寅次郎心の旅路	August 5, 1989	November 1989
42	Tora-san, My Uncle ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Boku no ojisan") 男はつらいよ ぼくの伯父さん	December 27, 1989	January 11, 1990
43	Tora-san Takes a Vacation ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajirō no kyūjitsu") 男はつらいよ 寅次郎の休日	December 22, 1990
44	Tora-san Confesses ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajirō no kokuhaku") 男はつらいよ 寅次郎の告白	December 21, 1991	March 1992
45	Tora-San Makes Excuses ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajirō no seishun") 男はつらいよ 寅次郎の青春	December 26, 1992
46	Tora-san's Matchmaker ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajirō no endan") 男はつらいよ 寅次郎の縁談	December 25, 1993
47	Tora-san's Easy Advice ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Haikei, Kuruma Torajirō sama") 男はつらいよ 拝啓車寅次郎様	December 23, 1994
48	Tora-san to the Rescue ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajirō kurenai no hana") 男はつらいよ 寅次郎紅の花	December 23, 1995
Special	Tora's Tropical Fever ("Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajirō haibisukasu no hana tokubetsuhen") 男はつらいよ 寅次郎ハイビスカスの花 特別篇	December 1997

Madonnas

Each movie had a female guest star with whom Tora-san would usually fall head over heels (Although in the latter movies, Tora would play more of a surrogate father figure to the younger female stars.) These characters were referred to as Madonnas. Each Madonna was played by an ingenue who was popular at the time of the movie's release. The list of Madonnas is as follows:

Movie #	Madonna played by:	Role:
1	光本幸子(Mitsumoto Sachiko)	Fuyuko, the Taishaku-ten Priest's daughter.
2	佐藤オリエ(Sato Orie)	Tsubouchi Natsuko, the English teacher's daughter
3	新珠三千代(Aratama Michiyo)	O-Shizu, the ryokan kamisan
4	栗原小巻(Kurihara Komaki)	Usami Haruko, the kindergarten teacher
5	長山藍子(Nagayama Aiko)	Setsuko, the fried tofu shopkeeper's daughter
6	若尾文子(Wakao Ayako)	Akashi Yuko, the niece of Tsune's cousin's husband
7	榊原るみ(Sakakibara Rumi)	Ota Hanako, the disabled school assistant from Aomori
8	池内淳子(Ikeuchi Junko)	Rokuhara Takako, the coffee shop owner
9	吉永小百合(Yoshinaga Sayuri)	Utako, the tourist / writer's daughter
10	八千草薫(Yachigusa Kaoru)	Chiyo, the barber
11	浅岡ルリ子(Asaoka Ruriko)	Lily, the lounge singer
12	岸恵子(Kishi Keiko)	Ritsuko, the artist
13	吉永小百合(Yoshinaga Sayuri)	Utako, the writer's daughter
14	十朱幸代(Toake Yukiyo)	Kyoko, the nurse
15	浅岡ルリ子(Asaoka Ruriko)	Lily, the lounge singer
16	樫山文枝(Kashiyama Fumie)	Reiko, the grad student / instructor of archeology
17	太地喜和子(Taichi Kiwako)	Botan, the geisha
18	京マチ子(Kyo Machiko)	Yagyu Aya, Mitsuo's teacher's mother
19	真野響子(Maya Kyouko)	Mariko, the lordship's daughter in law
20	藤村志保(Fujimura Shiho)	Fujiko, the electrician's sister
21	木の実ナナ(Kinomi Nana)	Nanako, the SKD dancer
22	大原麗子(Oohara Reiko)	Sanae, the divorcee
23	桃井かおり(Momoi Kaori)	Hitomi, the runaway bride
24	香川京子(Kagawa Kyouko)	Keiko, the English teacher's mother
25	浅岡ルリ子(Asaoka Ruriko)	Lily, the lounge singer
26	伊藤蘭(Ito Ran)	Sumire, the school dropout
27	松坂慶子(Matsuzaka Keiko)	Fumi, the Osaka geisha
28	音無美紀子(Otonashi Mikiko)	Mitsue, the tekiya's widow
29	いしだあゆみ(Ishida Ayumi)	Kagari, the maid
30	田中裕子(Tanaka Yuko)	Keiko Ogawa, the tourist / department store worker
31	都はるみ(Miyako Harumi)	Harumi Kyo, the enka singer
32	竹下景子(Takeshita Keiko)	Tomoko, the Rendai-ji priest's daughter
33	中原理恵(Nakahara Rie)	Fuuko, the hairdresser
34	大原麗子(Oohara Reiko)	Fujiko, the missing salaryman's wife
35	樋口可南子(Higuchi Kanako)	Wakana Egami, the Catholic lady's granddaughter
36	栗原小巻(Kurihara Komaki)	Machiko, the junior high school teacher
37	志穂美悦子(Shihomi Etsuko)	Miho, the Kabuki actor's daughter
38	竹下景子(Takeshita Keiko)	Rinko, the veteranarian's daughter
39	秋吉久美子(Akiyoshi Kumiko)	Takai Takako
40	三田佳子(Mita Yoshiko)	Machiko, the doctor
41	竹下景子(Takeshita Keiko)	Kumiko, the tourguide
42	後藤久美子(Gotou Kumiko); 檀ふみ (Dan Fumi)	Oikawa Izumi, Mitsuo's girlfriend; Izumi's mother
43	後藤久美子(Gotou Kumiko)/ 夏木マリ (Natsuki Mari)	Oikawa Izumi, Mitsuo's girlfriend
44	後藤久美子(Gotou Kumiko) / 吉田日出子 (Yoshida Hideko)	Oikawa Izumi, Mitsuo's girlfriend
45	後藤久美子(Gotou Kumiko)/ 風吹ジュン (Fubuki Jun)	Oikawa Izumi, Mitsuo's girlfriend
46	松坂慶子(Matsuzaka Keiko)	Sakaide Yoko
47	かたせ梨乃(Katase Rino)	Miya Noriko, the photographer
48	浅岡ルリ子(Asaoka Ruriko）	Lily, the lounge singer

References

General

• "Yoji Yamada's Films at IMDb". Internet Movie Database. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0945282/. Retrieved 2009-05-25. 

Specific

1. ^ Shochiku's official website
2. ^ "The World of Tora-San" (in Japanese). Matsutake Kabushiki Kaisha. http://www.tora-san.jp/. Retrieved 2009-05-25. 
3. ^ "TORA-SAN, OUR LOVABLE TRAMP" (in German). molodezhnaja.ch. http://www.molodezhnaja.ch/torasan1.htm. Retrieved 2010-01-12. "Das brachte ihm bzw. der Serie einen Eintrag ins Guinness-Buch der Rekorde, auch wenn die "Wong Fei Hung"-Serie aus Hongkong mit Kwan Tak Hing es auf beinahe hundert gebracht haben soll - wenn auch nicht unter demselben Regisseur." 
4. ^ AnimEigo's official website

Further reading

• "Tora-san" in Schilling, Mark. The Encyclopedia of Japanese Pop Culture. New York: Weatherhill, 1997, pp. 268–272. ISBN 9780834803800.