Golden Boy

Original Title: GOLDEN BOY - さすらいのお勉強野郎
Romanized: Golden Boy - Sasurai no Obenkyou-yarou
Literal: Wandering Study-punk

Plot Synopsis

Meet Kintaro Oe, age 25. Kintaro refers to himself as a freeter, a person who takes on various odd jobs. The strange thing about him is that after achieving all the credits required to graduate college, he quit. He now travels the world on his mountain bike in search of knowledge, because, after all, 'Study is life!'

Reader Review

Rating: 4 / 5
Reviewer: Sixpack
Review Date: 2005-11-29

I have to say, I have watched this anime about 30 times already, and I am still not bored of it. In fact, I am quite addicted to it, and I keep watching it every time I am feeling a bit down. Golden Boy is the ultimate Guy-Feel-Good comedy. The feeling I got from watching it can only compare to the feeling I got while watching Forrest Gump for the first time. The stories are uplifting, and quite well written, while Kintaro has to be one of the best characters, not only in anime, but in entertainment...

One of the main advantages of this series is that it resembles real life. Sure, the anime art is there, Kintaro's expressions are pure Manga magic, but other than that, you really do get the feeling that it COULD happen to you. You identify with the character. His response to the world is the one most of us guys give. He reacts like we react in the real world.

I mean, come on, how many times have we fantasized about someone and then said "perish the thought", or how many times did we get excited over working somewhere because there is a number of bodacious women working there with us? As a result, you care and root for the character... You WANT him to get the girl. The fact that he manages to capture her heart, to win her over, to prove his worth, something that many of us don't always achieve, is a catharsis, a delight that uplifts us.

I don't think many women will actually "get" Golden Boy. The women may be stereotyped at a certain extent, but they also seemed realistic. We meet an Ice Queen, a tease, a nice girl, a worker, and wild woman. I think these descriptions are enough to make someone imagine them. Yet, they are smart, they seem realistic, and their reactions do resemble real life. Personally I have met many girls like the "tease" Naoko, or "Ice Queens" like the President. Men will certainly recognize some types too! I don't know about the ladies...

The manga is not published in the USA, United Kingdom, or Greece, which, I think, is a shame. Sure it is an H title, but it beats lots of other H titles out there. It has the same brand of humor as Milo Manara, sexual, daring, with wonderful art, yet accessible and realistic. It utilizes the "Hidden Camera" concept, often used by Manara, to bring eroticism to the masses, and it works! It may be an H title, but you do read it with both hands, and you do laugh at the story and the situations. As far as I know the nearest you get in obtaining a copy is to contact "Dynamic Publications" in Italy... and pray you have someone who reads Italian or Japanese living near you.

Guys shouldn't miss this, it is the ultimate feel-good experience. Kintaro is you, with all your advantages and disadvantages, all your impulses and repulsions. He is who you want, and don't want to be at the same time! Pack a sixpack, a pizza, call all your friends and get ready for some serious laughter.

Women... You may dismiss this as an all male comedy, but the ladies here are really smart, and you might identify yourselves in there! Kintaro gives you some very good advice for life! And you WILL laugh as hard as us... Just look at Kintaro's face!

US DVD Review

The bilingual DVD includes the entire series on a single, budget priced disc. The English audio is also remastered in Dolby 5.1.

Content Guide

Appropriate for older teens only; rated 17-up by ADV.

Violence: 1 - Mostly comedic, but there were a few realistic fights.

Nudity: 4 - See Official Review.

Sex/Mature Themes: 4 - Ditto.

Language: 5 - The actual swearing was low, but this was some of the raunchiest dialogue I've heard.

Notes and Trivia

Based on a 1993 comic by Tatsuya Egawa, not available in English as of this writing.

Availability

6 OAVs, available on a single "Essential Anime" DVD collection. Was originally available on six subtitled or dubbed VHS volumes or hybrid LaserDiscs, all out of print.

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