Smart-san English Sub & Dub

About Smart-san

Here is what Smart-san (はいからさんが通る) is about, retold in plain terms: a drama, romance and slice of life anime by Nippon Animation (1978). In short: Set in the 1920s, Haikara-san ga Tooru is the story of the high-spirited tomboy Benio and her relationship with a handsome half-German soldier named Shinobu. Benio is a very outgoing and athletic girl with firm ideas about being able to live her life as she aims to.

Along the way, when she first runs into Shinobu, she dislikes him intensely, even though he manages to help her out of a series of embarrassing mishaps. She is therefore surprised when she stumbles on out that she has been forced into an arranged marriage and that her husband-to-be is none other than Shinobu! The story then has many twists and turns, as Shinobu has to confront in the war, Benio has to wrangle with the idea of getting married, and getting along with her future in-laws and employer.

With drama at the core, character writing and emotional payoff matter more than spectacle. Voice work is led by Keiko Yokozawa as Benio Hanamura and Katsuji Mori as Shinobu Ijuuin. This one is best suited to viewers who prefer story and feelings over flashy action. At 42 episodes in total, it is easy to plan a viewing schedule.

Production & Appeal

Animation is handled by Nippon Animation, so the studio's house style defines how Smart-san looks and moves on screen. Because it leans on drama, character writing and emotional payoff matter more than spectacle. With a 6.9/10 score, it is more of a niche pick than a universal crowd-pleaser. On the casting side, Keiko Yokozawa voicing Benio Hanamura gives the lead role a recognizable voice. Released in 1978, it competed with that season's other new series for attention.