Neighborhood Story

Neighborhood Story (Japanese: ご近所物語, Hepburn: Gokinjo Monogatari) is a manga by Ai Yazawa. It was published by Shueisha from 1995 to 1998 in the magazine Ribon. It was adapted by Toei Animation as a 50-episode anime series which aired on TV Asahi from September 10, 1995, to September 1, 1996, with merchandise created by Bandai. There was a movie made in 1996, and a drama CD and soundtrack were also produced.

Neighborhood Story
Cover of Neighborhood Story first volume as published by Shueisha featuring Mikako Kouda
ご近所物語
(Gokinjo Monogatari)
GenreRomance
Manga
Written byAi Yazawa
Published byShueisha
English publisher
MagazineRibon
DemographicShōjo
Original runFebruary 1995October 1997
Volumes7
Anime television series
Directed byAtsutoshi Umezawa
Produced byKōichirō Fujita (ABC)
Yasuo Kameyama (ASATSU)
Takashi Horiuchi (ASATSU)
Hiromi Seki (Toei Animation)
Written byAya Matsui
Music byMasahiro Kawasaki
StudioToei Animation
Original networkTV Asahi
Original run September 10, 1995 September 1, 1996
Episodes50
Anime film
Directed byJunji Shimizu
Hiroshi Tanaka (assistant)
Produced byTan Takaiwa
Tomio Anzai
Tsutomu Tomari
Written byYumi Kageyama
Music byMasahiro Kawasaki
StudioToei Animation
ReleasedMarch 2, 1996
Runtime30 minutes

In Japan, the manga has been republished in a deluxe edition (dubbed "Complete Edition") in two formats: an aizōban version of four volumes in 2005[2] and a bunkoban version of five volumes in 2011-2012.[3]

Viz Media announced on February 3, 2023 that they will publish the manga (the aizōban version) in English under their Shojo Beat imprint starting Fall 2023.[4]

Story

Mikako Kōda and Tsutomu Yamaguchi are students who attend Yazawa Art Academy, a special high school for the arts in Tokyo (named after the author, who makes a cameo appearance as the school's principal). They reside in the same apartment building where they have built a long-standing friendship since infancy. However, as has been humorously pointed out by their apartment manager, Mikako and Tsutomu's feelings have undergone an unmistakable metamorphosis.

Mikako and Tsutomu's friends inside and outside of the Akindo club also detect this change and wonder one thing: Will Mikako and Tsutomu embrace what is already community discourse or will they deteriorate into leading very bitter adult lives of not-at-all-significant brevity and dysphoria?

Main characters

Primary characters

Mikako Kouda (幸田 実果子, Kōda Mikako)
Voiced by: Rumi Shishido
The protagonist of the story, Mikako is driven by her dream of becoming a fashion designer and having all the stores sell her handiwork under the brand name "Happy Berry". Mikako is at her most conspicuous when she is inspired or in a stormy mood for one reason or another. The former earns her the admiration of her classmates while the latter incenses her teacher Ms. Hamada who thinks nothing of keeping her after school to revise her clumsy handiwork. Mikako has a ferocious rivalry with Mariko who she fears will wield Tsutomu to his detriment along with unrealistic expectations of Tsutomu that leads to a very vivacious and adversarial discourse that often inflames matters on many occasions.
Tsutomu Yamaguchi (山口 ツトム, Yamaguchi Tsutomu)
Voiced by: Kappei Yamaguchi
Unlike his fiery friend and next-door neighbor Mikako, Tsutomu is somewhat equivocal in regards what he wishes to do with his life as he synthesizes abstract art from odds and ends that he has found here and there but not his feelings about Mikako as his prologue is rife with instances where he has interceded on her behalf or otherwise come to her rescue. Tsutomu follows Mikako's lead in forming the street market club Akindo while seeming to operate according to the proverb "Keep moving forward by doing your best in the moment." Unfortunately, as much of a chivalrous knight as he has been that has long embraced being in love with Mikako, Tsutomu is not perfect. Tsutomu's eerie corporeal similarity to the Manbou lead singer Ken Nakagawa from "Tenshi Nanka Ja Nai” has caused several fangirls mistaking him for the musician and fanatically accosting him for an autograph, being given a love letter, or being chased around all over the place. In addition to being frightened of Mikako forcing him to forego the world and the rest of his life, Tsutomu also has a very accommodating »aim to please« personality that affords easy coercion/manipulation (or in Mariko's case, seduction). Tsutomu's chaotic conduct often frustrates Mikako into prosecuting a fierce adversarial divergent concourse that has led to several impulsive comments about which neither adolescent is really sincere.

Akindo members

Risa Kanzaki (神崎 リサ, Kanzaki Risa)
Voiced by: Shiho Niiyama
Mikako’s best female friend, Risa comes from Hokkaido and her dream is to design children’s clothes. She lives with her boyfriend Takeshi, a guitarist for a local band, and is Mikako’s biggest supporter as well as (later in the series) the mother of Arashi whose best friend is George from Paradise Kiss.
Mai Oota (太田 麻衣, Ōta Mai)
Voiced by: Wakana Yamazaki
Also known as P, she is a friend of Mikako and Risa’s. Mai wears Lolita-style clothing and always carries her stuffed animal Pucci Francois with her. She makes stuffed animals to sell at Akindo and falls for Seiji.
Jiro Nishino (西野 ジロー, Nishino Jirō)
Voiced by: Kyousei Tsukui
Has purple hair and always wears sunglasses, though Mikako gets to see his eyes during the last volume of the manga. He is close friends with Tsutomu and Yuusuke and is a computer programmer that creates various computer games.
Yuusuke Tashiro (田代 勇介, Tashiro Yūsuke)
Voiced by: Toshiyuki Morikawa
Tsutomu’s best friend, Yuusuke studies painting at Yazawa (although half-heartedly) and has feelings for Mariko. He’s very gruff, but has a good heart and rides a motorcycle.

Ancillary characters

Hamada (浜田)
Voiced by: Junko Hagimori
Ms. Hamada is the strict teacher of the fashion design and sewing lab classes at Yazawa that has no qualms about detaining a student after school for inattentive or clumsy handiwork -- a trap that Mikako often instigates when she is upset for one reason or another. Strangely enough, Mikako is not sent packing by Ms. Hamada's abrasive personality or having her handiwork harshly appraised and even goes so far as to identify clumsy textile handiwork that would instigate an after-school detention at Ms. Hamada's hands. She was also the professor for Seiji and the cast of Paradise Kiss.
Noriji Sunami (陶波 法司, Sunami Noriji)
Voiced by: Takeshi Aono
Noriji is the old-fashioned but well-intentioned manager of the apartment complex where Mikako and Tsutomu live. It is his good-natured teasing that inspires the epiphany as to the metamorphosis in their mutual feelings that Mikako and Tsutomu undergo throughout the series. Noriji also has a bit of a crush on Ruriko and demonstrates an almost paternal concern when Mikako's status is unknown.

Kouda family

Miwako Sakurada (櫻田 実和子, Sakurada Miwako)
Miwako is spawned as a result of her parents finally seeing the light in regards to their childish conduct and how it adversely affects Mikako. Unfortunately, little Miwako does not get to begin her postnatal life until Paradise Kiss whose inception is several years after "Neighborhood Story".
Ruriko Kouda (幸田 留里子, Kōda Ruriko)
Voiced by: Yōko Kawanami
Although she is Mikako's mother, Ruriko often acts more like a co-dependent elder sister than a mother whose irresponsibility forces Mikako to maintain their home life by herself. Ruriko is often seen sleeping the morning away after all-night deadline crunches due to her job as a shoujo manga author.
Hirohiko Sakurada (櫻田 広彦, Sakurada Hirohiko)
Voiced by: Yusaku Yara
Considering the conduct he demonstrates with his daughter and the sometimes erratic hours photographers like him are required to keep, Hirohiko's divorce from Ruriko when Mikako was young was probably caused by both Hirohiko and Ruriko growing apart because they failed to do the work necessary to maintain their marriage. Fortunately, Hirohiko comes back onto the scene and does the work alongside Ruriko necessary for the two eventually reconcile and remarry. Hirohiko is also a crucial force for Tsutomu deciding what to do with his life.

Nakasu family

Mariko Nakasu (中須 茉莉子, Nakasu Mariko)
Voiced by: Yumi Tōma
Nicknamed “Body Ko” for her usual, sultry appearance. She is popular at school and has had many boyfriends, but admits she's tired of dating men who only want her for sex. She is in love with her childhood friend from Yokohama, Shuuichi. After going out with Tsutomu for a short amount of time, she begin a volatile relationship with Yuusuke which lasts for almost the whole length of the series.

She later marries her Shuuichi, and has a son.

Shintarou Nakasu (中須 新太郎, Nakasu Shintarō)
Voiced by: Chizu Yonemoto
Body Ko’s little brother, he sculpts dolls and sports dreadlocks (much to Mariko's chagrin). He studies ceramics and gives his sister advice, though she doesn't want to hear it most of the time.

Tertiary characters

Ayumi Oikawa (及川 歩, Oikawa Ayumi)
Voiced by: Yūko Minaguchi
Tsutomu’s classmate who owns the shed where the group creates Akindo’s headquarters and she creates large, abstract 3-D sculptures. She likes Yuusuke and admires his paintings, but she is jealous of his relationship with Mariko.

She later marries Yuusuke (which now makes her Ayumi Toshiro) and she is last seen pregnant with his child.

Hiroaki Tokumori (徳森 浩昭, Tokumori Hiroaki)
Voiced by: Hideyuki Tanaka
Owns a bar which is frequented by the characters who live in Mikako’s apartment complex. Father of (later in the series) Hiroyuki Tokumori from Paradise Kiss.

Initially considered an 'older-brother' type figure to Miwako, his role is late replaced by Seiji.

Seiji Kisaragi (如月 星次, Kisaragi Seiji)
A “sparkling foreigner” who applies for the job of manga assistant for Mikako’s mother. He is saving up money to study abroad. He used to go to Yazawa for fashion, but dropped out when he realized that his passion was in hairstyling. He becomes a close friend of Mikako’s and appears in Paradise Kiss.
Shuuji Araya (新谷 修司, Araya Shūji)
Mariko's childhood friend from Yokohama. Has a girlfriend when first introduced. He later breaks up with her and the series ends with Mariko and he married, with a son.

Anime

An animated adaptation of the manga ran for 50 episodes from September 10, 1995, through September 1, 1996. Produced by Toei Animation, Asahi Broadcasting Corporation and Asatsu-DK, the series is directed by Atsutoshi Umezawa, with Aya Matsui handling series composition, Yoshihiko Umakoshi designing the characters and Masahiro Kawasaki composing the music. A DVD box set containing all episodes was released on September 28, 2005. The opening theme is "He.Ro.I.Ne", the first ending theme is "Don't You Know?!" and the second ending theme is "NG!", all sung by Rumi Shishido. The animated Gokinjo Monogatari movie has a 30-minute runtime and was released on March 2, 1996. It is an alternate retelling of the beginning of the series. It was released theatrically as a back-to-back presentation alongside Dragon Ball: The Path to Power. Ai Yazawa, the original author of the manga, makes a cameo appearance in the final episode, voicing a flea market customer.

The adaptation features a high amount of original episodes that don´t affect the plot since the original story was not completed at the time of the TV broadcast. The last chapter to be adapted is volume 4 chapter 17 in episode 49.

No. Title Directed by Written by Original air date
1"I Can't Stop Thinking Of Him!"
Transcription: "Kininaru yatsu!" (Japanese: 気になるアイツ!)
Atsutoshi UmezawaAya MatsuiSeptember 10, 1995 (1995-09-10)
2"Just a Childhood Friend!"
Transcription: "Osananajimi tte yatsu!" (Japanese: 幼なじみってやつ!)
Tōru YamadaAya MatsuiSeptember 17, 1995 (1995-09-17)
3"A Nice Body-ko!"
Transcription: "Naisu na badi-ko!!" (Japanese: ナイスなバディ子!!)
Yoshihiro OkaYumi KageyamaSeptember 24, 1995 (1995-09-24)
4"The One In Love Has Already Lost!"
Transcription: "Hamatta hō no make!" (Japanese: ハマった方の負け!)
Akinori YabeYumi KageyamaOctober 1, 1995 (1995-10-01)
5"The Flaming-Hot Blonde Girl!"
Transcription: "Moeru patsukin onna!" (Japanese: 燃えるパツキン女!)
Yasuo YamayoshiGenki YoshimuraOctober 8, 1995 (1995-10-08)
6"Let's Make A Circle!"
Transcription: "Sākuru shiyō ze!" (Japanese: サークルしようぜ!)
Ryō TachibaAya MatsuiOctober 15, 1995 (1995-10-15)
7"Tsutomu or Akindo?"
Transcription: "Tsutomu ka Akindo ka" (Japanese: ツトムかアキンドか)
Tōru YamadaAya MatsuiOctober 22, 1995 (1995-10-22)
8"Flea Market!"
Transcription: "Furī māketto!" (Japanese: フリーマーケット!)
Atsutoshi UmezawaAya MatsuiOctober 29, 1995 (1995-10-29)
9"The Lover of My Sinful Mama!"
Transcription: "Tsumibukaki mama no koibito!" (Japanese: 罪深きママの恋人!)
Yoshihiro OkaYumi KageyamaNovember 12, 1995 (1995-11-12)
10"Love Expectation Relay"
Transcription: "Koi no omowaku rirē" (Japanese: 恋のおもわくリレー)
Hiroshi ShidaraYumi KageyamaNovember 19, 1995 (1995-11-19)
11"For Real? A Double date?"
Transcription: "W dēto tte maji?" (Japanese: Wデートって本気(マジ))
Akinori YabeGenki YoshimuraNovember 26, 1995 (1995-11-26)
12"Tsutomu's Been Dumped!"
Transcription: "Furareta Tsutomu!" (Japanese: フラレたツトム!)
Ryō TachibaYumi KageyamaDecember 3, 1995 (1995-12-03)
13"Motorbike Misunderstanding"
Transcription: "Baiku ni kansuru gokai" (Japanese: バイクに関する誤解)
Yasuo YamayoshiGenki YoshimuraDecember 10, 1995 (1995-12-10)
14"Pii's Panic"
Transcription: "Pii-chan panikku" (Japanese: ピイちゃんパニック)
Tōru YamadaYumi KageyamaDecember 17, 1995 (1995-12-17)
15"A Present to Santa"
Transcription: "Santa e no okurimono" (Japanese: サンタへの贈りもの)
Yoshihiro OkaAya MatsuiDecember 24, 1995 (1995-12-24)
16"A Love Prayer! Happy New Year"
Transcription: "Renai kigan! Hatsumōde" (Japanese: 恋愛祈願!初もうで)
Atsutoshi UmezawaGenki YoshimuraJanuary 7, 1996 (1996-01-07)
17"Body-ko and Shintarou!!"
Transcription: "Badi-ko to Shintarō" (Japanese: バディ子と新太郎!!)
Akinori YabeYumi KageyamaJanuary 14, 1996 (1996-01-14)
18"Friendship? Or Romance?"
Transcription: "Yūjō ka? Renai ka?" (Japanese: 友情か?恋愛か?)
Yasuo YamayoshiYumi KageyamaJanuary 21, 1996 (1996-01-21)
19"Revealed! Risa's Boyfriend!"
Transcription: "Hakkaku!! Risa no kareshi!" (Japanese: 発覚!! リサの彼氏!)
Ryō TachibaAya MatsuiJanuary 28, 1996 (1996-01-28)
20"Lessons in Love At The Flea Market"
Transcription: "Furima de koi no obenkyō" (Japanese: フリマで恋のお勉強)
Tōru YamadaAya MatsuiFebruary 4, 1996 (1996-02-04)
21"If I'm Honest..."
Transcription: "Sunao ni naretara..." (Japanese: 素直になれたら…)
Yoshihiro OkaGenki YoshimuraFebruary 11, 1996 (1996-02-11)
22"Who's Oikawa Ayumi?!"
Transcription: "Oikawa Ayumi tte nanimono?!" (Japanese: 及川歩って何者?!)
Atsutoshi UmezawaGenki YoshimuraFebruary 18, 1996 (1996-02-18)
23"The Alighting Angel!"
Transcription: "Maiorita tenshi!" (Japanese: 舞い降りた天使!)
Akinori YabeGenki YoshimuraFebruary 25, 1996 (1996-02-25)
24"All Grown Up"
Transcription: "Otona ni nacchatta" (Japanese: 大人になっちゃった)
Hiroshi ShidaraYumi KageyamaMarch 3, 1996 (1996-03-03)
25"Delusions of the Duo"
Transcription: "Futari ni kansuru mōsō" (Japanese: 二人に関する妄想)
Ryō TachibaGenki YoshimuraMarch 10, 1996 (1996-03-10)
26"Fired Up At The Hot Springs!"
Transcription: "Onsen de meramera!" (Japanese: 温泉でメラメラ!)
Yasuo YamayoshiYumi KageyamaMarch 17, 1996 (1996-03-17)
27"Body-ko's Gripe"
Transcription: "Badi-ko no iraira" (Japanese: バディ子のイライラ)
Tōru YamadaYumi KageyamaMarch 24, 1996 (1996-03-24)
28"Why So Sullen?"
Transcription: "Fukigen no riyū wa?" (Japanese: フキゲンの理由は?)
Atsutoshi UmezawaYumi KageyamaMarch 31, 1996 (1996-03-31)
29"Flea Market Again!"
Transcription: "Furima agein!" (Japanese: フリマ・アゲイン!)
Yoshihiro OkaYumi KageyamaApril 7, 1996 (1996-04-07)
30"Step-By-Step With Dreams and Romance!"
Transcription: "Koi mo yume mo ippozutsu!" (Japanese: 恋も夢も一歩ずつ!)
Akinori YabeYumi KageyamaApril 14, 1996 (1996-04-14)
31"Omigosh! Teacher Again..."
Transcription: "Doki! Shishō futatabi..." (Japanese: ドキッ!師匠再び…)
Ryō TachibaGenki YoshimuraApril 21, 1996 (1996-04-21)
32"Robots Entwining The Hearts"
Transcription: "Kokoro o tsunagu robotto" (Japanese: 心をつなぐロボット)
Yasuo YamayoshiGenki YoshimuraApril 28, 1996 (1996-04-28)
33"The Guy Who Fell For The Vapid Girl"
Transcription: "Karui onnna ni horeta yatsu" (Japanese: 軽い女に惚れたヤツ)
Atsutoshi UmezawaAya MatsuiMay 5, 1996 (1996-05-05)
34"A Night With An Angel... Risa!"
Transcription: "Ichiya no tenshi... Risa!" (Japanese: 一夜の天使…リサ!)
Yoshihiro OkaYumi KageyamaMay 12, 1996 (1996-05-12)
35"Feeling Heartbroken - Ayumi!"
Transcription: "Setsunai omoi - Ayumi!" (Japanese: せつない想い・歩!)
Akinori YabeYumi KageyamaMay 19, 1996 (1996-05-19)
36"Body-ko's Melancholy"
Transcription: "Badi-ko no yūutsu" (Japanese: バディ子のゆううつ)
Ryō TachibaGenki YoshimuraMay 26, 1996 (1996-05-26)
37"I Still Don't Want To Go Back..."
Transcription: "Mada kaeritakunai..." (Japanese: まだ帰りたくない…)
Yasuo YamayoshiGenki YoshimuraJune 2, 1996 (1996-06-02)
38"Making the Most of 16"
Transcription: "Hanpa janai 16-sai" (Japanese: ハンパじゃない16才)
Hiroshi ShidaraAya MatsuiJune 9, 1996 (1996-06-09)
39"What I Want the Most..."
Transcription: "Ichiban hoshii mono wa..." (Japanese: 一番ほしいものは…)
Atsutoshi UmezawaYumi KageyamaJune 16, 1996 (1996-06-16)
40"The Albums With No Pictures"
Transcription: "Shashin no nai arubamu" (Japanese: 写真のないアルバム)
Akinori YabeYumi KageyamaJune 23, 1996 (1996-06-23)
41"A Message For Papa"
Transcription: "Papa e no messēji" (Japanese: パパへのメッセージ)
Yoshihiro OkaYumi KageyamaJune 30, 1996 (1996-06-30)
42"Papa's Blue Skies"
Transcription: "Papa no aoi sora" (Japanese: パパの青い空)
Ryō TachibaYumi KageyamaJuly 7, 1996 (1996-07-07)
43"Mama, Why...?"
Transcription: "Mama, dōshite...?" (Japanese: ママ、どうして…?)
Yasuo YamayoshiGenki YoshimuraJuly 14, 1996 (1996-07-14)
44"Storm Warnings"
Transcription: "Arashi no maebure" (Japanese: 嵐のまえぶれ)
Atsutoshi UmezawaYumi KageyamaJuly 21, 1996 (1996-07-21)
45"Bad At Lying"
Transcription: "Uso o tsuku no wa... heta" (Japanese: 嘘をつくのは…ヘタ)
Akinori YabeAya MatsuiJuly 28, 1996 (1996-07-28)
46"Before I Say I'm in Love With You..."
Transcription: "Aishiteru nante..." (Japanese: 愛してるなんて…)
Yoshihiro OkaYumi KageyamaAugust 4, 1996 (1996-08-04)
47"Mama!..."
Transcription: "Mama!..." (Japanese: ママ!…)
Ryō TachibaYumi KageyamaAugust 11, 1996 (1996-08-11)
48"The Love You Have ..."
Transcription: ""Ai" tte yatsu..." (Japanese: ″愛″ってやつ…)
Yasuo YamayoshiYumi KageyamaAugust 18, 1996 (1996-08-18)
49"The Second Proposal"
Transcription: "Nidome no puropōzu" (Japanese: 二度めのプロポーズ)
Atsutoshi UmezawaAya MatsuiAugust 25, 1996 (1996-08-25)
50"Thank You, Everyone"
Transcription: "Arigatō, minna" (Japanese: ありがとう、みんな)
Akinori YabeGenki YoshimuraSeptember 1, 1996 (1996-09-01)

References

  1. Saabedra, Humberto (February 3, 2023). "More JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, SPY x FAMILY Guidebook Lead VIZ Media's Fall 2023 Slate". Crunchyroll. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
  2. "ご近所物語 完全版 1 (愛蔵版コミックス)". Shueisha Japan. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  3. "ご近所物語 完全版 1 (集英社文庫(コミック版))". Shueisha Japan. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  4. Saabedra, Humberto (February 3, 2023). "More JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, SPY x FAMILY Guidebook Lead VIZ Media's Fall 2023 Slate". Crunchyroll. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
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