Ganbare, Kickers! facts for kids

Ganbare, Kickers!
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Quick facts for kids がんばれ!キッカーズ (Ganbare! Kikkāzu)
Genre	Sport, Comedy, Drama
Manga
Written by	Noriaki Nagai
Published by	Shogakukan
Demographic	Kodomo, Shōnen
Magazine	CoroCoro Comic
Original run	1985 – 1989
Volumes	20
Anime television series
Directed by	Akira Shigino
Produced by	Haruhiko Akamine Kunitaka Okada Takaichi Matsumoto Yuji Nunokawa (Executive producer)
Written by	Sukehiro Tomita Hiroshi Kaneko Isao Shizutani Mitsuo Aimono
Music by	Jun Irie
Studio	Studio Pierrot
Network	NTV
Original run	October 15, 1986 – March 25, 1987
Episodes	26

Ganbare, Kickers! (がんばれ!キッカーズ, Ganbare! Kikkāzu, roughly translated Fight, Kickers!) is a fun soccer story. It started as a manga (Japanese comic book) created by Noriaki Nagai. The manga was published in a magazine called CoroCoro Comic from 1985 to 1989.

Later, the story was made into an anime (Japanese animated TV show) by Studio Pierrot. This anime aired in Japan from 1986 to 1987. It had 26 episodes and one special longer episode. Ganbare, Kickers! became popular in many parts of the world, including Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

The Story of the Kickers

The story follows a group of young soccer players at Kitahara elementary school. Their team, the Kickers, is enthusiastic but struggles to score goals. Everything changes when Kakeru Daichi moves to town. Kakeru is a skilled player who used to be part of a famous soccer club. He joins the Kickers, and his arrival makes the team feel complete.

Facing the Red Devils

Kakeru inspires the Kickers to challenge a strong team called the "Red Devils." This team is from a secondary school, and their goalkeeper, Uesugi, is known for being almost impossible to beat. The Kickers lose their first match against the Red Devils with a score of 10 to 1. However, Kakeru manages to score one goal, which is a big achievement against such a tough opponent.

The Championship Journey

Under the strong leadership of their own goalkeeper, Masaru Hongo, the Kickers enter the kid's championship. They work hard and win many difficult matches. As the team plays, some friendships and crushes develop. Hongo, the captain, starts to like Ayumi Daichi, who is Kakeru's sporty sister. Kakeru, on the other hand, is interested in Akuna Yukie, a kind pianist who is also Uesugi's younger sister. These relationships sometimes lead to funny or tricky situations with the team's dedicated cheerleaders.

A New Coach and Big Challenges

For a while, the Kickers get help from a professional coach. His advice helps them win games and reach the semi-finals of the championship. Guess who they meet again? The Red Devils! This match is very exciting and lasts for two episodes. In the end, Uesugi, the Red Devils' goalkeeper, stops Kakeru's final shot. This means the Kickers are out of the tournament.

Harry Joins the Team

After their loss, the team feels sad. Then, a famous young player named Harry joins them. Harry has been kicked off other teams because he causes trouble. He tries to divide the Kickers, but their captain, Hongo, keeps the team together. Harry also likes Ayumi, Kakeru's sister.

Harry then creates his own team from other students to try and beat the Kickers. Even though Kakeru is younger and not as strong as Harry, the Kickers show great teamwork. With some help from Uesugi, they win this tough match. Harry is very upset by the loss. The anime series ends with Harry making up with the Kickers before he leaves to play soccer overseas.

Characters and Voice Actors

Here are some of the main characters and the talented people who voiced them:

• Kakeru Daichi: Tomiko Suzuki
• Akuna Yukie: Yuko Kobayashi
• Kiyoshi Hara: Ikue Ohtani
• Masaru Hongō: Kazue Ikura
• Taichi: Tarako
• Tetsuya: Michie Tomizawa
• Mamoru: Urara Takano
• Hikaru Uesugi: Eiko Hisamura
• Ayumi Daichi: Chieko Honda

Episode List

See also

In Spanish: Ganbare! Kickers para niños