Touch 3: Don't Pass Me By (1987)
A 1987 Japanese animated drama uncovering the secrets behind a high school baseball team's demanding new coach.
Touch 3: Don't Pass Me By - Movie Information
- Original Title: タッチ3 君が通り過ぎたあとに
- Release Year: 1987
- Directed by: Akinori Nagaoka
- Type: Movie
- Genres: Drama, Animation, Romance
- Runtime: 1h 23m
- Original Language: Japanese
- Spoken Languages: Japanese
- Release Date (Theatrical): April 11, 1987 (Japan)
- Alternative Titles: Touch . La Odisea de Tatsuya (ES), 接触之强棒出击 (CN), Touch Film 3: Après ton passage (FR), 터치 극장판 3 - 네가 지나가버린 후에 (KR), Touch 3: Don't Pass Me By (JP)
- Production Companies: TOHO, ADK, Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Fuji Television Network
- Production Countries: Japan
Touch 3: Don't Pass Me By - Plot
Due to sickness, the coach position of the Meisei High School baseball team is handed to Eijiro Kashiwaba. He is a ruthless man who forces the team to enter a Spartan training procedure. Tatsuya and Minami slowly discover stories about his past and wonder what his true intentions are.
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Touch 3: Don't Pass Me By - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Akinori Nagaoka
Main Cast
- Yuji Mitsuya
- Noriko Hidaka
- Hayashiya Shōzō IX
- Hideyuki Tanaka
- Kenji Utsumi
- Kazuhiko Inoue
Writers
- Yumiko Takaboshi
- Gisaburō Sugii
Producers
- Tadashi Okabe
- Masamichi Fujiwara
Touch 3: Don't Pass Me By - FAQs
What is Touch 3: Don't Pass Me By about?
Touch 3: Don't Pass Me By follows Tatsuya Uesugi and Minami Asakura as their high school baseball team comes under the iron grip of a new coach, Eijiro Kashiwaba. As his brutal training methods push the team to its limits, the two leads dig into his mysterious past to understand what truly drives him.
Is Touch 3 a standalone film or part of a series?
Touch 3: Don't Pass Me By is the third theatrical film in the Touch anime franchise, based on Mitsuru Adachi's beloved manga. While it builds on characters and relationships established in the earlier films and TV series, it presents a self-contained story centered on the team's new coach and his hidden backstory.
Who are the main voice actors in Touch 3?
The main cast features Yuji Mitsuya as Tatsuya Uesugi and Noriko Hidaka as Minami Asakura. Hideyuki Tanaka voices the stern new coach Eijiro Kashiwaba, while Hayashiya Shōzō IX, Kenji Utsumi, and Kazuhiko Inoue round out the supporting cast.
What themes does Touch 3: Don't Pass Me By explore?
Beyond baseball, the film digs into themes of grief, redemption, and the weight of the past. The mystery surrounding Coach Kashiwaba's harsh methods gives the story an emotional depth that goes well beyond sports drama, touching on how personal loss can shape — and sometimes distort — a person's ambitions.
Who directed Touch 3: Don't Pass Me By?
The film was directed by Akinori Nagaoka. It was produced by TOHO, ADK, Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, and Fuji Television Network, and released in Japan on April 11, 1987.
Is Touch 3: Don't Pass Me By based on a manga?
Yes, it draws from Mitsuru Adachi's iconic manga Touch, which ran in Weekly Shōnen Sunday from 1981 to 1986. Adachi's work is celebrated for blending sports action with coming-of-age romance, and the theatrical films expanded on the story told in the long-running TV anime series.
How long is Touch 3: Don't Pass Me By?
The film runs 83 minutes — a compact, focused runtime that keeps the emotional story tight without overstaying its welcome. It's a brisk watch that packs in character development, baseball drama, and a satisfying mystery about the coach's troubled past.
What are some similar anime films to Touch 3?
If you enjoy Touch 3's blend of sports, drama, and heartfelt storytelling, you might also like The Anthem of the Heart (2015) or Clannad: The Motion Picture (2007). Both share that emotional, character-driven approach that makes classic Japanese animated films so enduring.
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