was an
anime
is hand-drawn and computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japanese, (a term derived from a shortening of ...
series aired in 1977 in Japan. There were 23 episodes aired at 25 minutes each.
It is often mistakenly believed to be a spinoff of the earlier and more popular, series ''
Attack No. 1'' (1969-1971), due in part to the involvement of several staffers (including directors Kurokawa and Okabe and writer Yamazaki) who had worked on the prior series. It is not an official spinoff, and it is more likely to have been inspired by the popularity of ''Attack No. 1''.
It is also known in Europe as ''Smash'' (
French) and ''Mimì e le ragazze della pallavolo'' (
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
).
Original Story
The story is about Mimi Hijiiri, a student with just one school year remaining, who decides to revitalize a
volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Sum ...
team low on
morale
Morale, also known as esprit de corps (), is the capacity of a group's members to maintain belief in an institution or goal, particularly in the face of opposition or hardship. Morale is often referenced by authority figures as a generic value ...
from the death of one of its team members from an accident.
Concept
The series was strictly created as a tribute to the gold medal the
Japanese women's volleyball team earned in the 1976
Olympics.
[Clements, Jonathan. McCarthy Helen. ]006
Alec Trevelyan (006) is a fictional character and the main antagonist in the 1995 James Bond film '' GoldenEye'', the first film to feature actor Pierce Brosnan as Bond. Trevelyan is portrayed by actor Sean Bean. The likeness of Bean as Ale ...
(2006). The Anime Encyclopedia: Revised & Expanded Edition. Berkeley, CA: Stone Bridge Press.
Staff
*Directed by:
Fumio Kurokawa
*Series Composition:
Eiji Okabe
*Screenwriter:
Haruya Yamazaki
*Produced by:
Kôichi Motohashi
*Producer:
Ryûji Matsudo
*Creator:
Shiro Jinbo
*Music:
Nobuyoshi Koshibe
Nobuyoshi (written: 信吉, 信芳, 信義, 信喜, 信由, 経惟) is a masculine Japanese given name. Notable people with the name include:
*, Japanese photographer and artist
*, Japanese chief executive
*, Japanese sumo wrestler
*, Japanese com ...
*Cast:
Mami Koyama
is a Japanese actress, voice actress and narrator affiliated with Aoni Production. Her best-known voice roles include Ophiuchus Shaina in ''Saint Seiya'', Arale Norimaki in ''Dr. Slump'', Minky Momo in ''Magical Princess Minky Momo'', Lunch in ' ...
(Mimi Hijiri), Kaoru Kurusu (Rouki Sei),
Kazue Komiya
is a Japanese voice actress who is affiliated with Theater Echo.
Filmography
Anime television series
*''Aim for the Ace!'' (Kyoko Otowa)
*''Ashita no Nadja'' (Johanna)
*''Combat Mecha Xabungle'' (Greta Karas)
*''Fullmetal Alchemist'' (Lebi)
*' ...
(Yukari Sugihara),
Keiko Yokozawa (Sumie Nishii),
Rihoko Yoshida
is a businessperson and a former Japanese voice actress. Among her most noteworthy roles are Megu-chan in '' Majokko Megu-chan'', Monsley in ''Future Boy Conan'', Maria Grace Fleed in ''UFO Robo Grendizer'', Michiru in ''Getter Robo'', Klara in ...
(Asuka Ichijou) etc.
Reaction
While the show would eventually aired in the European market in the 1980s in countries such as
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
and
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
, the plot and concept was too similar to its predecessor
Attack No. 1 and ratings were low. The show ceased production after only 23 episodes.
Trivia
* In the French version "Smash", Mimi is Virginia Tessier. In the Italian dub, she is Mimi Miceri and she's half-Japanese and half Italian. In both languages, most of the other character names were changed as well.
*
Mitsuko Horie
is a Japanese actress, voice actress and singer. She was born in Yamato, Kanagawa.
She has voiced several characters throughout her career, such as Sailor Galaxia in '' Sailor Moon: Sailor Stars'' and Remi in the Nippon Animation World Master ...
performed both the opening and ending theme songs in the original Japanese version.
References
External links
*
''Attack on Tomorrow!''on Nippon Animation's website
''Attack on Tomorrow!''on Nippon Animation's website
{{Nippon Animation
1977 anime television series debuts
Manga series
Nippon Animation
Romance anime and manga
Shōjo manga
Volleyball in anime and manga