is a series of ten Japanese

action comedy The action comedy is a film genre that applies to action films where humor plays a much more central role. While early films feature stuntwork and humor, academic Cynthia King wrote that the genre only came into its own as a mainstay of the America ...

films produced by Toei and released from 1975 to 1979. All ten films in the series were directed by

Norifumi Suzuki , was a Japanese film director and screenwriter. He is best known for the '' Torakku Yarō'' series. Biography Suzuki was born in 1933 in Shizuoka. He dropped out of Ritsumeikan University's Department of Economics, and subsequently joined To ...

and starred

Bunta Sugawara was a Japanese actor who appeared in almost 200 feature films. Dropping out of Waseda University, he worked as a model before entering the film industry in 1956. After years of work, Sugawara finally established himself as a famous actor at the ...

as Momojiro Hoshi ("Ichibanboshi" or "first star") and

Kinya Aikawa as was a Japanese actor, tarento and voice actor. He was born in Tokyo and died in 2015 of lung cancer. Filmography Acting roles Films * '' Torakku Yarō'' series (1975-1979) * ''The Battle of Port Arthur'' (1980) * '' Edo Porn'' (1981) ...

as Kinzo Matsushita, also known as "Jonathan". The title ''Torakku Yaro'' means "truck guys" or "truck rascals", and the films involve two

trucker A truck driver (commonly referred to as a trucker, teamster or driver in the United States and Canada; a truckie in Australia and New Zealand; an HGV driver in the United Kingdom, Ireland and the European Union, a lorry driver, or driver in ...

s and their various escapades as they travel around Japan in highly decorated trucks. The plot formula is similar to the ''

Otoko wa Tsurai yo is a Japanese film series starring Kiyoshi Atsumi as Torajirō Kuruma, whose nickname is , a kind-hearted vagabond who is always unlucky in love. The series itself is often referred to as "''Tora-san''" by its fans. Spanning 48 installments rel ...

'' films. Each time Momojiro falls in love with a woman (the "Madonna") and then ends up having to help her romance with another man. The stories end with Momojiro having to race his truck to meet a deadline to rejoin the couple.

Regulars

Momojiro Hoshi, nicknamed "Ichibanboshi", played by

. Kinzo Matsushita, nicknamed "Yamome no Jonathan", played by

. Kimie Matsushita, the wife of Kinzo Matsushita, played by

Masumi Harukawa , born , is a Japanese actress. Filmography * 1961: '' Girls of the Night'' * 1963: '' The Insect Woman'' * 1964: '' Unholy Desire'' * 1964: '' Kunoichi Keshō'' * 1965: '' House of Terrors'' * 1966: '' The Threat'' * 1967: '' Zatoichi's Cane Sw ...

Films

Theme music

All the films have the same theme song, ''Ichibanboshi Blues'' by

Ryudo Uzaki is a Japanese musician, composer, and actor. His group, the Down Town Boogie-Woogie Band, was one of the most prominent 1970s Japanese rock bands. He also composed many of Momoe Yamaguchi's songs with Yoko Aki. Uzaki has also worked as a film co ...

and

Yoko Aki is a Japanese songwriter, actress, novelist and essayist. With her husband, Ryudo Uzaki, she has written many songs for other singers, with Aki as lyricist and Uzaki as composer. They are especially famous for a series of hit songs of Momoe Yama ...

performed by the Down Town Boogie Woogie Band.

References

* Japanese film series Trucker films 1970s Japanese films {{1970s-Japan-film-stub