GO SUGAR!
Original title: Ganbare genki
Characters: Sugar Peper, Peter "Steel Fist" Peper, Sugar's Mother, Sugar's Maternal Grandfather, Kenny Seki, Mr. Mishima, Brisco, Gym Owner, Lestamano, Isadora
Author: Yu Koyama
Production: Toei Animation, Fuji TV
Regia: Rintaro, Akinori Nagaoka, Masahiro Sasaki
| Country: Japan
Year: 16 July 1980
Gender: Sportsman
Episodes: 35
Duration: 21 minutes
Recommended age: Children from 6 to 12 years old |
The cartoon Forza Sugar! (Ganbare! Genki) made by Toei Animation in 1980 was taken from the manga by Yu Koyama, for a total of 35 episodes lasting 22 minutes each. In Italy it was known in 1983 on various local broadcasters, distinguished by the initials sung by Rocking Horse (the same as Candy Candy). 
The protagonist is Sugar, a motherless child who lives with his father, who is forced to be a boxer in order to give his son a dignified life. In the ring, his father is doing very well, to the point of challenging the world champion Kenji Seki. This leads to grueling workouts and weight loss in order to be more agile and agile during the match.
Unfortunately the world champion proves to be stronger and more merciless than expected, so Sugar's father loses the match and is hospitalized for a severe head injury. His concern is not to disappoint his son, so he escapes from the hospital to take Sugar to the Luna Park. This gesture will cost him his life, so Sugar swears revenge on his father's killer. Sugar begins a 10 year life of hard training, along with his coach Mr. Mishima, which will lead him to challenge champion Kenji Seki. During the episodes, Sugar will learn some little tricks from Mr. Mishima, engaged to his elementary school teacher, Miss Ashika, who become reference points for little Sugar as adoptive parents.
Unfortunately Mishita is a victim of alcoholism and this causes him a serious illness that will lead to his death. His aim is therefore to be able to make Sugar become a boxing champion. To soften the dramatic tones of the cartoon we think Cirillo and Pallina, the two friends of Sugar, great funny guys always ready to combine some gaffe and Isadora a girl who falls in love with the young boxer. When the day comes to meet Kenji Seki, he reveals to Sugar all his grief for causing the death of his father, whom he highly esteemed both as a boxer and as a man. This will make Sugar understand that every person, even the apparently nastiest one, always hides their human side. The series traces the success of Rocky Joe, another cartoon set in boxing. by Gianluigi Piludu
Forza Sugar and all names, images and trademarks are copyright Toei Animation and those entitled to it and are used here for cognitive and informative purposes.
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