This work, "Oi! Tombo", will be animated in 2024, but what kind of setting is Hinoshima, the setting for the first season of this anime? This time, I would like to introduce the Tokara Islands, including Nakanoshima, which was the inspiration for the image of Hinoshima, the setting of this work. I will also introduce the influence that Hinoshima, the setting of this work, had on the main character, Oi Tombo, so fans who have become interested in Hinoshima through this work should definitely check it out. In addition, the environment of Hinoshima, where Tombo grew up, plays a very important role in the work, so it is worth reading for those who are also interested in the story of this work. Even fans who usually only check out the content related to the story and are not very interested in the setting, this time the setting is directly connected to the story, so be sure to check it out.
What is the Tokara Islands?
The Tokara Islands, where the story takes place, are an archipelago located southwest of Kagoshima Prefecture, and are a region made up of several small islands. Although it is often confused with the Nansei Islands and Okinawa, it is an independent region that is different from those regions. It is not an area with much tourism, so there may be many fans who have never heard of it.
Islands rich in nature
The Tokara Islands are sparsely populated, and many natural landscapes remain to this day. Rather than the mixed forests that form after human development, the area is dominated by virgin forests that have been largely untouched by human hands, making it an area where you can enjoy the ancient nature that existed before humans arrived.
A mecca for anglers
The Tokara Islands have high sea temperatures all year round, and are home to a variety of fishery resources. This makes it a dream environment for those who enjoy fishing as a hobby, and many anglers visit. At the beginning of this work, an old man appears who visits the Tokara Islands to fish.
The image of Hinoshima comes from Nakanoshima
The setting of this work is the Tokara Islands, and it seems that the story is set on an island called Nakanoshima in the Tokara Islands. Nakanoshima is the largest island in Toshima Village in terms of both area and population, and can be said to be the center of the Tokara Islands. It can be said that it is a relatively easy area to visit in the Tokara Islands.
The most difficult pilgrimage
As such, Nakanoshima, which is the inspiration for the setting of Hinoshima in this work, is one of the most difficult areas to visit as a pilgrimage destination for anime works. In addition to the advantage of being able to experience the world view of this work, Nakanoshima is a spot where you can enjoy many creatures that cannot be seen on the mainland, such as the Tokara horse, Tokara sawtooth stag beetle, and Tokara goat, which are endemic to the Tokara Islands. It is highly recommended as a tourist spot, but it is unfortunate that it is difficult to access because of this.
Poor Access
As mentioned at the beginning of the film, the Tokara Islands do not have an airport, so the only way to access them is by ferry. Therefore, while Okinawa Prefecture is farther away, Nakanoshima is an area that can only be reached in a few hours compared to Okinawa Prefecture, which has an airport. It is a shame that you can only reach it by long ferry rides. I'm sure there are many fans who would have liked to visit Nakanoshima after watching this film if it had been a little easier to get to.
You need a long break
Therefore, it can be said that you need a long break to get to Nakanoshima. It is not an area where you can just take a day off and drop in, so if you want to visit Nakanoshima, you need to take a long break in advance. The disadvantage of having to take such a long break is what leads to the low number of tourists in Nakanoshima.
The longing for a place that is difficult to reach
It is very difficult to reach Nakanoshima, but it can be said that the poor accessibility of the place has allowed the natural scenery to remain, and in a sense, the charm of Nakanoshima lies in its inaccessibility. The longing for a place that is difficult to reach still drives some tourists to Nakanoshima.
The climate of the Tokara Islands helped Tombo become a golfer
Nakanoshima has such a rich natural environment, but in the story, it is the nature of Nakanoshima that creates the genius golf girl, Tombo. From here, I would like to briefly introduce the influence that Hinoshima, also known as Nakanoshima, has on Tombo and her role in the story.
A climate where you can play golf all year round
In the story, Tombo shows off her golfing skills that even the professional golfer Igaiga is amazed by. The reason she was able to hone her golfing skills to this extent is probably because the Tokara Islands are an environment where you can play golf all year round. Normally, to practice golf, you have to pay a lot of money, travel a long distance, and go to a golf course, but in Nakanoshima, which boasts a vast area, you can easily play golf as long as you build a golf course. This makes it possible to take on the risk of practicing at a golf course almost every day.
The wind is strong along the coast
And above all, Nakanoshima has a tropical climate and there is nothing to block the wind, so strong sea breezes blow from the sea all the time. Therefore, if you play golf in Nakanoshima, you need the skills to overcome the strong sea breezes of Nakanoshima. It seems that playing golf in such a harsh environment has given Tombo extraordinary approach skills.
Inspired by the rich nature
Tonbo also got inspiration for golf from the creatures that live in the Tokara Islands. In the story, we can see that he uses the nature of the Tokara Islands to his advantage, such as by understanding the air currents in the sky from gliding birds. Such an overwhelming intuition for nature is probably something he could only have acquired by living in the Tokara Islands. In this way, it can be said that most of Tonbo's unique talent in this work was bestowed upon him by the nature of the Tokara Islands.
Interaction with the people on the island
And in the story, the personalities of the people living in the Tokara Islands also have a big impact on Tombo. Unlike people on the mainland, many of the people living on the Tokara Islands have very warm personalities, and Tombo, who grew up freely among them, grew into a sincere golf player.
Everyone knows each other
The Tokara Islands are not very populated, and everyone in the area knows each other. For this reason, there is little awareness of crime prevention, and many characters are very sociable. In the story, Tombo and Igaiga were able to have their fateful encounter because Tombo had no fear of Igaiga, an outsider.
Circumstances unique to the Tokara Islands
The people of the island accepted Igaiga even though they knew he had some shady past. The reason behind this is that the Tokara Islands are far from Honshu, and many people with scars on their legs have visited the islands since ancient times. In this work, Igaiga, who also becomes Tombo's master, was able to get close to Tombo because of circumstances unique to the people of the Tokara Islands.
Differences in personality from the mainland
In this way, the work depicts the big differences in personality between people living on the mainland and those living on Hinoshima. Igaiga himself was once banished from the golf world after gambling on golf with the yakuza, so he was a dirty mainlander, but his personality will change as he interacts with the cheerful residents of the Tokara Islands.
The Dark Side of Depopulation
Thus, the Tokara Islands still retain their natural scenery and gave Tombo his talent as a golfer, but the Tokara Islands also hide a dark side unique to modern Japanese society. From here, I would like to introduce the problems that the Tokara Islands are currently facing.
A middle school student living alone
The Tokara Islands are currently suffering from a serious depopulation problem. Tombo is the only middle school student living on Hinoshima, and the story depicts almost no young people remaining on the island. It is obvious that there will be a labor shortage if the aging population continues to progress in the future.
Young people heading to the mainland
Even though Hinoshima is aging, young people are still heading to the mainland. In an area like Hinoshima, it is difficult to find a job, and many young people want to go to the mainland and live a richer life. In this work, Tombo also leaves Hinoshima to fulfill her dream, depicting the serious depopulation problem of Hinoshima in this work. Tombo's choice to leave Hinoshima is an inevitable choice considering her success as a golfer, but considering the future depopulation problem of the Tokara Islands, it is not a scene to be happy about. Many fans are probably worried about the remaining Grandpa Gon.
Continuously aging
As you can see, the aging problem is currently a serious issue in the Tokara Islands. It may be very difficult to move to the Tokara Islands, but if many tourists visit, the economy of the area will be revitalized and young people will return, so please visit Nakanoshima, the sacred place of this work, to support the aging problem of the Tokara Islands.
The nature of Tokara depicted in the anime
Thus, Hinoshima is depicted very attractively in the original work, and it can be said that this nature will also be vividly depicted in the anime version of "Oi! Tombo", which will start airing this year in 2024. It is also a particularly noteworthy element in the anime version of this work, so be sure to pay attention to the nature of the Tokara Islands.
Pay attention to the vividly drawn Hinoshima! !
It is said that anime works are superior to manga works, especially when it comes to depicting nature. After all, the scenery can be depicted in vivid colors, and the anime version can depict realistic depictions of nature with movement. The nature of the Tokara Islands is depicted very beautifully in the original work, but it can be said that you can experience it more realistically in the anime version.
The lives of the people are carefully depicted
In addition, this work depicts not only the nature of the Tokara Islands, but also the lives, food, clothing and shelter of the people living in the Tokara Islands very realistically, so please pay attention to what the lives of the people of the Tokara Islands are like in the anime version. In the anime version, you can also enjoy the more realistic acting of the voice actors, so I think you will feel closer to the residents of the Tokara Islands.
Golf courses rich in nature
And above all, this is an anime work based on golf, so please pay attention to how the golf courses rich in nature unique to the Tokara Islands will be animated. Golf Digest Co., Ltd. has fully backed this work as a golf setting supervision, so you can expect a very detailed depiction of golf. I think there will be many golf courses that are faithful to the original, so I would like to pay attention to this as well.
Summary
What did you think? This time, we have introduced Nakanoshima and the Tokara Islands, which were the inspiration for the image of Hinoshima that appears in this work "Oi! Tombo". Although it is not an area that can be easily visited as a pilgrimage, it is an area with many attractions, so if you have a long vacation, please visit the Tokara Islands. Also, fans who cannot visit the Tokara Islands on a trip or other trip will be able to experience a more realistic Tokara Islands nature in the anime version of this work, so please pay attention to the depiction of the Tokara Islands in the anime version of this work.
