Manga Hana no Kakaricho (Theatrical)

まんが はなのかかりちょう げきじょうばん

Aired: 1981

A theatrical anime film produced by Tokyo Movie Shinsha (now TMS Entertainment) and distributed by Shochiku. Based on the 1976-77 TV anime 'Manga Hana no Kakaricho,' itself adapted from Shunji Sonoyama's salaryman 4-koma manga, the film distills the gentle workplace satire of the original into a feature-length picture. Hero Jiro Hanada is an ordinary mid-level section chief at a Tokyo trading company, navigating promotion politics, after-hours drinking with clients, and quietly bittersweet domestic life with his family. The film's relaxed humor and Korogi '73's mellow opening song 'Hana no Kakaricho' typify the work's warmth. Originally released as a double bill with 'Manzai Taikoki,' the film today serves as a valuable animated time capsule of early-1980s salaryman culture and is increasingly appreciated as such.