Truck Yarō (トラック野郎, Torakku Yarō, lit. "Truck Guys" or "Truck Rascals") is a series of ten Japanese action comedy films produced by Toei and released from 1975 to 1979. All ten films in the series were directed by Norifumi Suzuki and starred Bunta Sugawara as Momojiro Hoshi ("Ichibanboshi" or "first star") and Kinya Aikawa as Kinzo Matsushita, also known as "Jonathan". The title Torakku Yaro means "truck guys" or "truck rascals", and the films involve two truckers and their various escapades as they travel around Japan in highly decorated trucks.

Main character Momojiro Hoshi's truck "Ichibanboshi" (10th work "Hometown Express" version, exhibited at Japan Truck Show 2016)

The plot formula is similar to the Otoko wa Tsurai yo 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

edit

Momojiro Hoshi, nicknamed "Ichibanboshi", played by Bunta Sugawara.

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

Kimie Matsushita, the wife of Kinzo Matsushita, played by Masumi Harukawa

Films

edit
No. Subtitle In Japanese Date Female lead
("Madonna")
Other cast
1 Go-iken Muyō 御意見無用 1975 Yutaka Nakajima Rikiya Yasuoka, Ryudo Uzaki and the Down Town Boogie Woogie Band
2 Bakusō Ichibanboshi 爆走一番星 1975 Shizue Abe
3 Bōkyō Ichibanboshi 望郷一番星 1976 Yoko Shimada
4 Tenka Gomen 天下御免 1976 Kaoru Yumi
5 Dokyō Ichibanboshi 度胸一番星 1977 Nagisa Katahira
6 Otoko Ippiki Momojirō 男一匹桃次郎 1977 Masako Natsume Yoshi Katō, Masaaki Sakai, Tomisaburo Wakayama, Kentaro Shimizu
7 Totsugeki Ichibanboshi 突撃一番星 1978 Mieko Harada
8 Ichibanboshi Kita e Kaeru 一番星北へ帰る 1978 Naoko Otani
9 Neppū 5000 Kiro 熱風5000キロ 1979 Miyuki Ono
10 Furusato Tokkyūbin 故郷特急便 1979 Sayuri Ishikawa, Aiko Morishita

Theme music

edit

All the films have the same theme song, Ichibanboshi Blues by Ryudo Uzaki and Yoko Aki performed by the Down Town Boogie Woogie Band.

References

edit
  • Suzuki, Noribumi; Yasuo Miyazaki; Shin Ogawa (2010). Eiga torakku yarō daizenshū: Nihon saigo no anākī puroguramu pikuchā no densetsu. Tokyo: Yōsensha. ISBN 978-4-86248-468-0.