Golden Boy - Treasure Hunt (Vol. 1)

...this anime isn't for everyone because it does involve rampant sexual desire and a lot of very severe toilet worship. But then again, Kintaro Oe is such a well meaning, likeable character that it becomes very funny. Plus, he always seems to get caught praising women's toilets! There is very little that can be called 'common' in the writing, animation or art on Golden Boy. The story concerns a 25 year old college drop out named Kintaro Oe who goes on a quest to study study study life in all corners of Japan. He takes prodigious notes in a small notebook he carries with him. His faithful steed is the Mikazuki 5- a ten speed bike that is always featured. The poor Kintaro is a man on fire in all ways; he wants to excel at any job he takes, always overly helpful, inventive and sexually aware of the ladies around him. In the end it beomes a clash of the sexes as Kintaro infuriates the women with his hormonal intensity but once martyred is found out for being sincere, thoughtful and hard working. In these times where sex is either a pure hedonistic achievement or seen as completely inappropriate to the androgenous, aesexual crowd Egawa plays a straight line into the depths of the male psyche. For the everyman in today's world Kintaro voices the broiling nature of male sexuality repressed just below the surface of public expression. And the way it unfolds through out the six stories, with six very different types of women and jobs is absolutely brilliant.

The art staff was a kind of primer for Escaflowne, and then the excellent Cowboy Bebop. Kawamoto Toshihiro is the character designer, animation director who brings Egawa's work to life. The goofy range of expressions and acting is so lively (Kintaro's design changes to match his mood- he can be realistic for intensity, or simplistic for goofiness) and the timing and animation is above par for Japanese animation. The directors and aritists of Golden Boy did a terrific job with all the storytelling, humor and art direction.

Golden Boy is sweet, sexy, intense, horrifying, gratifying and very very entertaining....go see Golden Boy (if you are a mature audience). This is not only an immensely entertaining anime, but an intensely paced series that has nothing to do with mecha, monsters or blood and gore. To me it is a milestone in animation history and one that shouldn't be thoughtlessly tossed aside by anyone who is considered an authority in anime or animation.


Sex and speed -- a classic   July 7, 1999
6 out of 7 found this review helpful

Kintaro's fifth job is as a scullery worker in the sprawling country estate of one of the richest men in Japan. Although we never meet him, we do meet his daughter, a 20 year-old geisha whose sheer elegance and grace sends Kintaro into a flushed tizzy.

This dark-eyed beauty is not without her secrets, however. After being dismissed for his distracted efforts, Kintaro follows the young heiress to a secret building, where he learns her hidden shame -- she makes love to a motorcycle she calls "Bimo-chan". Regular human men, she says, are weak and pathetic compared to the awesome, gas-combusting power of her motorbike. Not without her sense of fair play, she offers herself to Kintaro...provided he beat her in a race through a winding mountain pass.

The ensuing bike race is perhaps one of the funniest animated sequences on film, rewarding numerous replays. Exciting and hysterical, this outlandish, unlikely race elevates Kintaro to the level of super hero.

Overall, this is by far the strongest in the Golden Boy series, sporting some _seriously_ well-done animation, particularly during the race sequence. It also makes terrific use of music, as do all of the films. This is also one of the raunchiest episodes, containing gratuitous nudity and self-gratification with a motorcycle. That having been said, this is a can't-miss for any anime fan.

_Avoid_ the dubbed version at all costs. The original voices in this episode are a treat.


Golden boy is GOLDEN   June 25, 2002
4 out of 4 found this review helpful

To me, this has to be the FUNNIEST anime series of all time. True the humer mainly consists of perverted toilet humer but ISN'T THAT THE POINT? When I watched this series I instantly fell in love with the characters. AND I PROMISE THAT YOU WILL TO. Another thing that I noticed about this series is unlike most, the dubbing is excellent. I myself prefer to watch anime in the original japanese, but the dubbing cast has done an breath taking job. I would even venture to say that it is better than the original jap. This DVD contains the first 3 episodes in the 6 episode series in which the main character Kintaro though three diffent jobs such as a working for a computer software company whose whole staff consists of women, a person working on a election campain, and working at a noodle shop.
I really suggest the series to any fan of anime. Though not really for young children. But more along the lines of teens and young adults


One for the money!   March 15, 2002
Laura Lea May (Salisbury, NC United States)
2 out of 3 found this review helpful

Kintaro Oe is a 25 year old freeter as he calls himself. this is an anime about men and the way their minds work towards women they like or have sexual feelings about! I am female and I loved it I thought it was hilarious!!! WATCH THIS SHOW!!!!


absolute must see   November 6, 2003
2 out of 3 found this review helpful

This is some of the funniest anime I have ever seen and I have seen more than my fair share. Any heterosexual red blooded male who likes anime will love this series. The innuendo and suggestive scenes are woven into the story in a perfectly hilarious fashion.
The artwork is very true to the manga form, and the emotional expressions of the characters are a joy to watch.

The only downside to this series is that there are only 6 of them. However, on the positive side, since there are only 6 episodes it's easy to watch them all in one or two sittings. The cool thing is the last episode ties in to all of the previous ones, and brings the story to a full circle but still leaving it open ended for our main character to continue on into new adventures.