Aa Harimanada

ああ播磨灘 / Ah Harima-nada / Aah Harimanada
Aa Harimanada
Genres: Combat Sports, Martial Arts, Seinen, Sports
Themes: Combat Sports, Martial Arts
Demographics: Seinen
Studios: E&G Films
Producers: TV Tokyo
Rating: 6.11 / 10
Rank: #9517
Popularity: #11589
Users Listed: 2,401
Users Scored: 883
NSFW: No
Last Updated: 03/13/2022
Aired: April 23, 1992 – October 1, 1992 (Spring)
Type: tv
Source: manga
Age Rating: PG 13
Episodes: 23

Synopsis:

The world of professional sumo wrestling is thrown into disarray with the arrival of Harimanada, a newcomer whose unconventional approach and audacious ambitions immediately provoke a strong reaction. Driven by a bold claim to surpass a historic champion's unparalleled winning streak, he sets his sights on dominating the sport. His outspoken confidence ignites resentment among established wrestlers, who view his challenge as a direct affront to their prestige.

The series follows Harimanada’s relentless climb through the ranks, depicting the rigorous training, intense rivalries, and psychological battles inherent in sumo. It explores themes of ambition, legacy, and the clash between tradition and innovation within a deeply respected cultural practice. Expect a narrative focused on the dedication required for mastery and the personal sacrifices made in pursuit of greatness.

Characters:

  • Yamagata, Isao (Main) - Voice Actors: Ootsuka, Akio
  • Chairman Atagoyama (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Fujimoto, Yuzuru
  • Hokudouzan (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Wakamoto, Norio
  • Okami-san (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Mayama, Ako
  • Raikou (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Ogata, Kenichi
  • Tachikaze (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Sasaoka, Shigezou

Staff:

  • Okazaki, Yukio (Director, Episode Director, Storyboard)
  • Kamijou, Osamu (Episode Director, Animation Director)
  • Kanazawa, Katsuma (Episode Director, Storyboard)
  • Koizumi, Kenzou (Episode Director, Storyboard, Animation Director)
  • Nakano, Yorimichi (Episode Director, Storyboard)
  • Satou, Masato (Episode Director, Storyboard)
  • Katayama, Keiji (Theme Song Composition, Theme Song Lyrics, Theme Song Performance)
  • Amano, Masamichi (Music)
  • Arai, Yutaka (Animation Director, Character Design)
  • Hattori, Ichirou (Animation Director)
  • Kawamura, Akio (Animation Director)
  • Matsumoto, Katsuji (Animation Director)
  • Nagao, Hitoshi (Art Director)
  • Sadayasu, Kei (Original Creator)

Reviews:

  • User Tsuki_215 (Score: 5/10):
    Story 4 The story is the weakest aspect of Aa Harimanada, it doesn't have much of a story line. The plot revolves around Harimanada disregard for Sumo tradition which doesn't go down well with the Sumo sports authority(SSA). Rest of the anime revolves around the tussle between Harimanada and the authority. The story is simplistic and there aren't any/many twist and turns in it. The good thing is that there aren't any fillers . Art 5 For a 90's anime the art is okay. One gripe i had was that the faces of many of the antagonists looked similar and i couldn't tell the difference. Also someof the background scene were used repeatedly and in some instance you couldn't tell whether the crowd were upset or happy.nnSound 6nnThe background music in this anime was good and enhanced quality of different scenes in the anime. The voice acting was spot on and portrayed the characters pretty well.nnCharacter 4nnThe characters in the anime including main character were one dimensional. Neither the protagonist nor the antagonist motivation for what they did were fleshed out. While the anime did make a flimsy attempt at showing why the SSA was upset with Harimanada, but it felt contrived. Nor was any attempt made to explain why Harimanada had such disregard for Sumo traditions and why he started acting up after he became yokuzuna and not before.nnEnjoyment 6nnWhile the story is weak and characters are one dimensional. Harimanada's rebellious nature and overwhelming strength will make you enjoy the show. Even though the story is predictable you will still want to know how Harimanada takes on the Sumo world from the get go.nnThe strongest aspect of the anime is it's fight scene's.There are lot of them and it is not unusual to see 3 fight scene in one episode. Even though some of the fight scene are predictable you still would want to see how the fight goes. Also, some fight are pretty intense. nnOverall 5nnWho should watch this anime?nnPeople who want simplistic story line with lot's of fight scene.nPeople who want to see a character who has overwhelming strength and fighting sense.nPeople who want to watch an old anime to get a feel of the art style and sound quality.nnWho should not watch this anime?nnPeople who want to see an anime with deep or a good story line.nPeople who want to know about world of Sumo.nnIf this anime was a cuisine/food you can compare it to Popcorn. Popcorn has no meaningful nutrition value and it wont fill your stomach, but if you want something to eat as a way to pass time than this anime will do.
  • User ruffledrow (Score: 5/10):
    So what do you get when you have an anime about a Sumo who declares that he's going to break that he will break Showa Futabayama's record of 69 consecutive wins, and if he ever lost, no matter how sly the means, he would retire then and there? You get an anime with low tension where the main character never grows or progresses, the same Harima from the first episode remains the same in the final episode. So much controversy in the association because the main protagonist, Harima, can't for the life of him take one match off from wearing a mask, even I wasgetting annoyed along with the hecklers in the anime.nnSo Aah! Harimanada has a simple plot that one can follow easily, though this is because it's absolutely repetitive and too bland for a series like this. There's a good number of wrestlers and most get backstories, you get to see their personalities shine if only for a little bit. They have the same goals (albeit, they all have the same goal) and the risks they'll take to put down the masked annoyance. Is it sad to say that I rooted for Harima's opponents to win since they respect the traditions of Sumo far highly than Harima, but because of the series' premise, it leads to disappointment before matches begin.nnI do like the character designs, mostly the Sumo wrestlers, I love the thick stroke they have in matches, giving the wrestlers a lot of weight to them. Shame about the animation though because you can tell the studio didn't have the budget to make more dynamic fights: Repeated frames, lack of movement, moments going on for longer than they should, you name it. At the very least, I may have gained some very basic knowledge of Sumo wrestling and that lifestyle too, so that's cool. And some fights were at least decent even though you know the outcome. nnAah! Harimanada is quite average but had potential to be so much better. Every character are decent, the sumo wrestlers were very interesting characters apart from Harima, who is a douchebag, I think he's meant to be a heel wrestler, but the anime's pacing is sloppy and the story progression is rather flat. If you want a Sumo anime where you just care about the fights, I'd say watch a few episodes, and if you somehow get hooked into the series, then I'm happy for you, but if you get bored with it after episode 3-4, don't worry, you ain't missing much.

External Links:

Related Anime/Manga:

  • Aa Harimanada (manga - Adaptation)