Crush Gear, known in Japan as , is a Japanese anime television series produced by Sunrise. It aired from October 2001 to January 2003, with 68 episodes. The series is about people throwing mechanical vehicles called "Gears" into a large ring to fight and "crush" one another. The story centers on Kouya Marino, a young boy who loves Crush Gear and dreams of becoming the world champion.
A spin-off series, titled Crush Gear Nitro, aired from February 2003 to January 2004.
Plot
Crush Gear is a fictional sport of battling machines that can be customized for maximum impact. Opponents meet at games where they Gear Fight, and the winner is determined when a fighter's Gear is able to push its opponent off the battlefield.
Gekitou! Crush Gear Turbo tells the story of Kouya Marino, an eleven-year-old boy who is a member of the Tobita Club, a Japanese Crush Gear team led by his late older brother, Yuhya Marino—the Asian Cup champion who was qualified for the World Cup finals—, who died in a tragic accident four years ago. Kouya's skills are nowhere near his brother's, and is nearly disqualified when he arrived late at the clubhouse for an elimination match. Yuhya's former teammate, Takeshi Manganji quits the team and forms a club of his own, forcing the rest of the members to join his new group, the Manganji Club. As the Tobita Club is facing the threat of extinction, Kouya refuses to give up and comes to inherit a Crush Gear from his late brother, the Garuda Eagle. Kouya must find a way to reinstate the Tobita Club back to its former glory. With the help of his new teammates, he eventually develops his techniques in Gear Fighting and comes to feel that Crush Gear is an important friend, leading him to victory. By recognizing the same feelings in his opponent, he becomes friends even with his rival.
Characters
Main characters
The main protagonist of the series and the captain of the Tobita Club, Kouya is a young Gear Fighter who aims to be the number one in the Crush Gear world. Naotake Furusato, producer of Crush Gear Turbo, said that the creators "lost a lot of sleep over" trying to name the main character. Furusato credits director Shūji Iuchi with the final naming. The creators decided to use "Kouya" as the name "had a ring to it like brothers would have and that made it kind of realistic" and that the name literally means "wilderness" and "sounded right for a main character". Furusato added that the name "Kouya" made him want to see the character "grow up big and strong".
A Gear Fighter and member of the Tobita Club, Jirou is a former baseball pitcher who likes to eat red-bean buns. He is Kouya's closest teammate and friend. Jirou has a crush on the team's deputy owner, Lilika.
A Gear Fighter and member of the Tobita Club, Kyousuke is known as a genius Gear Master, a mechanic with superior skills in tuning, maintaining and customizing Crush Gears. He was Kuroudo's former teammate in Team Griffon.
A Gear Fighter and member of the Tobita Club, Kuroudo is a kendo swordsman with an excellent sense of hearing. He was Kyousuke's former teammate in Team Griffon. Furusato said that Kuroudo's name originates from a samurai in the Edo period.
Kouya's childhood friend and the young manager of the Tobita Club team, Kaoru often provides informations about various Gear Fighters to her teammates.
The leader of the Manganji Club and Kouya's rival, Manganji is a powerful Gear Fighter who comes from a wealthy family that runs their own business company. Furusato described the name "Manganji" as having "an image of wealth" – He added that "Japanese people are suckers for names that end in "ji"! (laughs)"
A key member of the Tobita Club serving as the team's deputy owner, Lilika is managing the group alongside Kaoru and she is watching over the members.
Recurring characters
A genius Gear Fighter and Kouya's deceased older brother, Yuhya was the late former captain of the Tobita Club and the former champion of the Asia Cup tournament. Four years prior to the start of the series, he was killed in an unfortunate accident just before the final match of the World Cup tournament. Yuhya often appears in flashbacks. Furusato said that Yuhya's name was decided on early in the production.
Kouya and Yuhya's mother, who owns a café called La Mére du Marino.
Kouya and Yuhya's father and Marimo's husband.
Manganji's father, who is the president of the Manganji Group corporation.
Manganji's loyal sidekick and a member of the Manganji Club.
Manganji's loyal sidekick and a member of the Manganji Club.
A Gear Fighter and member of the Central Club, a team consisting of Gear Fighters from central Japan.