Shounan Bakusouzoku English Sub & Dub

About Shounan Bakusouzoku

Shounan Bakusouzoku (湘南爆走族) arrives as an action anime by Toei Animation (1986), and the premise is easy to summarize. 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.

Another thread: 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.

In an action series like this, 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. It will appeal most to viewers who like fast, high-impact fights. With 12 episodes in total, there is enough room for the story to develop.

Production & Appeal

Animation is handled by Toei Animation, so the studio's house style defines how Shounan Bakusouzoku looks and moves on screen. Within the action category, fight choreography, pacing and sound design carry much of the weight. A 7.6/10 score points to a dependable, well-liked series. On the casting side, Kaneto Shiozawa voicing Yousuke Eguchi gives the lead role a recognizable voice. Released in 1986, it competed with that season's other new series for attention.