Yawara! (1989)
A beloved classic anime following a teenage judo prodigy caught between Olympic destiny and the dream of an ordinary life.
Yawara! - Series Information
- Original Title: YAWARA!
- First Air Year: 1989
- Last Air Year: 1992
- Created by: Naoki Urasawa
- Type: TV Series
- Genres: Animation, Comedy, Drama
- Episode Runtime: Average runtime per episode (25 minutes)
- Number of Seasons: 1
- Number of Episodes: 124
- Status: Ended
- Original Language: Japanese
- Spoken Languages: Japanese
- First Air Date: October 16, 1989 (Australia - PG)
- Networks: Nippon TV
- Production Companies: Madhouse
- Production Countries: Japan
- Alternative Titles: 柔道英雌 (TW), Yawara! A Fashionable Judo Girl (FR), 以柔克刚 (CN)
Yawara! - Plot
Inokuma Yawara is just another young high school girl. Well, not quite - for Yawara is being raised by her grandfather, 7th dan Judo master Inokuma Jigorou, to be Japan's great hope for the women's Judo competition at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. All the same, Yawara just wants to live a normal life...
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Yawara! - Cast & Crew
Creator(s)
- Naoki Urasawa
Main Cast
- Yuko Minaguchi
- Ichiro Nagai
- Toshihiko Seki
- Yoshino Takamori
- Akira Kamiya
- Masashi Sugawara
- Chiyoko Kawashima
- Masashi Hirose
- Akira Shimada
- Atsuko Mine
Writers
- Naoki Urasawa
- Toshiki Inoue
- Yoshiyuki Suga
Yawara! - FAQs
Is Yawara! based on a manga or true story?
Yawara! is based on Naoki Urasawa's manga of the same name, serialized in Big Comic Spirits from 1986 to 1993. The character of Yawara is widely believed to have been inspired by real-life Japanese judo champion Ryoko Tamura, though the story itself is fictional.
Where can you watch Yawara! online?
Streaming availability for Yawara! is limited due to its age and licensing status. You can check current regional streaming options on JustWatch, which aggregates up-to-date platform availability. Physical media releases and fan-subtitled archives have historically been the primary way Western audiences have accessed the series.
Who are the main voice actors in Yawara!?
The principal voice cast includes Yuko Minaguchi as Yawara, Ichiro Nagai as her grandfather Jigoro, Toshihiko Seki as Matsuda, Yoshino Takamori as Sayaka, and Akira Kamiya as Kazamatsuri. The ensemble cast helped define the warm and comedic tone of the series.
How many episodes does Yawara! have?
Yawara! consists of 124 episodes across one main season, which aired on Nippon TV from October 1989 to September 1992. There is also a specials season containing one additional episode, bringing the total episode count to 125 including supplementary content.
What is Yawara! about?
Yawara! follows Inokuma Yawara, a gifted teenage girl trained since childhood by her grandfather, a seventh-dan judo master, to compete at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Despite her extraordinary talent, Yawara craves a normal life — creating a charming tension between duty, ambition, and personal freedom.
Who created the Yawara! anime series?
Yawara! was created by Naoki Urasawa, the acclaimed manga artist also known for Monster, 20th Century Boys, and Pluto. The anime adaptation was produced by Madhouse studio and broadcast on Nippon TV, with scripts written by Urasawa alongside Toshiki Inoue and Yoshiyuki Suga.
When did Yawara! first air on television?
Yawara! premiered on October 16, 1989, on Nippon TV in Japan. The series ran for three years, concluding in 1992 — the same year as the Barcelona Olympics that serves as the narrative's central goal, giving the story a satisfying real-world temporal resonance.
Is Yawara! worth watching for non-judo fans?
Absolutely. While judo is central to the plot, Yawara! succeeds as a coming-of-age comedy-drama about identity, family expectations, and self-determination. Its humor, endearing characters, and emotional warmth make it accessible and enjoyable even for viewers with no prior interest in martial arts or sports anime.
More About Yawara!
Explore further details about Yawara! on these authoritative external resources.