Hustle Punch

Hustle Punch
ハッスルパンチ
Genre	Adventure
Written by	Hiroshi Ikeda Motonari Wakai
Directed by	Hiroshi Ikeda
Music by	Asei Kobayashi
Country of origin	Japan
Original language	Japanese
No. of episodes	26
Production
Producers	Yu Saito Yoshifumi Hatao
Production company	Toei Animation
Original release
Network	NET
Release	November 1, 1965 (1965-11-01) – April 25, 1966 (1966-04-25)

Hustle Punch (ハッスルパンチ, Hassuru Panchi) is a Japanese adventure anime series created by Yasuji Mori and produced by Toei Animation. Its 26 episodes were aired on November 1, 1965, to April 25, 1966, on NET.

Plot

The plot involves the adventures of three friends, Punch (a bear), Touch (a mouse), and Bun (a weasel), who all live in a scrapyard by themselves. Each episode has the three main characters stop the evil plans of Professor Garigari, a wolf who wants to build his own city over their hometown, including the scrapyard.

Characters

Punch (パンチ)

Voiced by: Nobuyo Ōyama

The titular main character, Punch is an orphan bear who is literally hard-headed, making it impossible for him to be hit on the head, much to his advantage. Punch also uses his head to break holes in walls, having to just run into the wall with his head in front and smash through. He may be the oldest of the trio as he is capable of driving a car and even an airplane (though it might attribute more to his size than age since he's also the tallest).

Touch (タッチ)

Voiced by: Yoko Mizugaki

A mouse who is really into fashion and jewelry. Because of her small size, she often sneaks in and out through small spaces, usually to help out Punch and Bun. She even uses her cute charms to get Nu to help her out, mostly whenever she is in Garigari's clutches.

Bun (ブン)

Voiced by: Chiharu Kuri

A weasel who uses a slingshot as a weapon, and is an expert shot. In the English-sub, he is identified as "Boom".

Professor Garigari/Garigari Hakase (ガリガリ博士)

Voiced by: Jōji Yanami

The main antagonist, Garigari is a wolf and a professional inventor who uses his devices to commit crimes such as robbing banks or making counterfeit money. His main goal is to wipe out the city in order to make his own town in honor of his ancestors. He first plans on getting rid of the scrapyard where Punch, Touch, and Bun live, which is why the kids make sure his plans always fail. Professor Garigari would later reappear a decade later as an antagonist in Toei's third Puss in Boots film, Puss in Boots: Around The World in 80 Days, released in 1976.

Black (ブラック)

Voiced by: Hiroshi Ōtake

A black cat who is one of Garigari's henchmen. He often carries around a pistol to threaten the orphans, but he always misses his targets due to his poor shooting skills. This often leads to Bun teasing him, which annoys him. While Black is boastful and self-confident, when Garigari is around, he is easily frightened.

Nu (ヌー)

Voiced by: Takuzou Kamiyama

Garigari's other henchmen who is a dimwitted pig. While Nu respects Black and follows Garigari's orders out of fear, sometimes he shows a soft side towards the orphans, especially Touch, who often flatters him into doing something for her and her friends.

Episode listing

#	Title	Original air date
01	"Throw Out the Trash!" Transliteration: "Jamamono wa Oidase" (Japanese: じゃまものは追い出せ)	November 1, 1965 (1965-11-01)
02	"Red Star Caper" Transliteration: "Reddosutā no Kanata" (Japanese: レッドスターの彼方)	November 8, 1965 (1965-11-08)
03	"Black Benny's Secret" Transliteration: "Burakkubenī no Himitsu" (Japanese: ブラックベニーの秘密)	November 15, 1965 (1965-11-15)
04	"Run! Ponzka" Transliteration: "Hashire! Pontsukā" (Japanese: 走れ!ポンツカー)	November 22, 1965 (1965-11-22)
05	"Following a Mysterious Thief" Transliteration: "Nazo no Kaitō o Oe" (Japanese: 謎の怪盗を追え)	November 29, 1965 (1965-11-29)
06	"Disappeared Wallet" Transliteration: "Kieta Satsutaba" (Japanese: 消えた札束)	December 6, 1965 (1965-12-06)
07	"Garigari's Voyage" Transliteration: "Garigari Gō Kōkaigi" (Japanese: ガリガリ号航海記)	December 13, 1965 (1965-12-13)
08	"Large Circus Big Circus" Transliteration: "Sokonuke dai Sākasu" (Japanese: 底抜け大サーカス)	December 20, 1965 (1965-12-20)
09	"Braggart Black" Transliteration: "Horafuki Burakku" (Japanese: ほらふきブラック)	December 27, 1965 (1965-12-27)
10	"Find a Donut" Transliteration: "Dōnattsu o sagase" (Japanese: ドーナッツを探せ)	January 3, 1966 (1966-01-03)
11	"Bell and Dynamite" Transliteration: "Suzu to Dainamaito" (Japanese: 鈴とダイナマイト)	January 10, 1966 (1966-01-10)
12	"Petanco's Uproar" Transliteration: "Pettanko Sōdō" (Japanese: ペッタンコ騒動)	January 17, 1966 (1966-01-17)
13	"Animal Remodeling Machine" Transliteration: "Dōbutsu Kaizōki" (Japanese: 動物改造機)	January 24, 1966 (1966-01-24)
14	"Chisel the Highway" Transliteration: "Haiuei o Suttoba Se" (Japanese: ハイウェイをすっとばせ)	January 31, 1966 (1966-01-31)
15	"Cheers with Shackling Extract" Transliteration: "Shakkuriekisu de Kanpai" (Japanese: シャックリエキスで乾杯)	February 7, 1966 (1966-02-07)
16	"A Longing to Travel Abroad" Transliteration: "Akogare no Gaikoku Ryokō" (Japanese: あこがれの外国旅行)	February 14, 1966 (1966-02-14)
17	"Kuroko and a Necklace" Transliteration: "Kyūkanchō to Nekkuresu" (Japanese: 九官鳥とネックレス)	February 21, 1966 (1966-02-21)
18	"The Legacy of the Garigari Family" Transliteration: "Garigari Ie no Isan" (Japanese: ガリガリ家の遺産)	February 28, 1966 (1966-02-28)
19	"Catch Up Big Things" Transliteration: "Ōmono wo Tsuriagero" (Japanese: 大物を釣り上げろ)	March 7, 1966 (1966-03-07)
20	"A Very Happy Day" Transliteration: "Totemo Yukaina Hi" (Japanese: とても愉快な日)	March 14, 1966 (1966-03-14)
21	"Do You Want to Fly Away?" Transliteration: "Tobase te Tamaru Ka" (Japanese: 飛ばせてたまるか)	March 21, 1966 (1966-03-21)
22	"I'm Superman" Transliteration: "Boku wa Sūpāman" (Japanese: 僕はスーパーマン)	March 28, 1966 (1966-03-28)
23	"Where is the Buddha?" Transliteration: "Bakudan wa Doko Da" (Japanese: ばくだんは何処だ)	April 4, 1966 (1966-04-04)
24	"Mischief Hypnotism" Transliteration: "Itazura Saiminjutsu" (Japanese: いたずら催眠術)	April 11, 1966 (1966-04-11)
25	"Earthquake Sells" Transliteration: "Jishin Urimasu" (Japanese: 地震売ります)	April 18, 1966 (1966-04-18)
26	"Peshanco Large Race" Transliteration: "Peshanko dai Rēsu" (Japanese: ペシャンコ大レース)	April 25, 1966 (1966-04-25)

Home media

The complete series was released on DVD on January 25, 2006. A digital remaster version in DVD box set was later released on February 26, 2016.

External links

• Hustle Punch (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia