Shounan Bakusouzoku

About Shounan Bakusouzoku

If you are hunting for a new action series, Shounan Bakusouzoku (湘南爆走族) deserves a look (1986). The setup goes like this. In short: In Japan, the country that inspired the slogan "Born to be Mild," the blood of young men still runs hot. In the old days they'd go off into the country and hack each other up with swords, but these days, what with school, that isn't very practical.

Beyond that: Some of them do something very un-Japanese. They strap on a big bike, roar around annoying people, and pound anyone they consider dishonorable. Now meet Eguchi Yousuke, leader of a high-school Biker gang AND the school's handicrafts club.

With action at the core, fight choreography, pacing and sound design carry much of the weight. Voice work is led by Kaneto Shiozawa as Yousuke Eguchi and Ken Yamaguchi as Akira Ishikawa. If you count yourself among viewers who like fast, high-impact fights, put it on your list. The run is 12 episodes in total, so you know what you are signing up for.

Production & Appeal

Animation is handled by Toei Animation, so the studio's house style defines how Shounan Bakusouzoku looks and moves on screen. The action focus matters here: fight choreography, pacing and sound design carry much of the weight. At 7.6/10 it earns a solid reception, a safe pick for fans of the genre. Voice casting, including Kaneto Shiozawa as Yousuke Eguchi, adds to the appeal for fans who follow seiyuu. Released in 1986, it competed with that season's other new series for attention.