Hustle Punch
English title: Hustle Punch
Japanese title: ハッスルパンチ
Type: TV
Episodes: 26
Premiered: fall 1965
Source: Original
Genres: Comedy, Fantasy
Studios: Toei Animation
Duration: 25 min per ep
Rating: G - All Ages

The show centers around three hobos that live in a broken car on top of a junkyard: Punch, Touch, and Boom. Punch is a bear who is literally strong-headed: his head is as hard as a rock, and nothing can knock him down. Boom the weasel is an expert shot, using not a gun, but a slingshot. Touch the mouse takes advantage of her smallness in order to get into small holes and sneaking into things without the villains knowing.

Gari-Gari is a mad scientist wolf who wants to build a mansion over the junkyard, constantly thinking up evil plans to get the money needed to buy the property, whether it’s creating a machine that creates counterfeit 10 yen (about 10 cents in US money) or stealing priceless paintings and selling it to a high bidder. He is an inventor, creating things that can aid him into doing his deed. If Gari-Gari buys the junkyard, this of course means that the three heroes will have no place to stay, so they constantly thwart his schemes. Gari-Gari has two henchmen working for him: Black and Nyu. Black is a gangster cat who welds a gun, often shooting at Punch and the gang with it. Nyu is a simple-minded pig who has big strength.

(Source: Cartoon Research)

*Based on Hustle Punch by Mori Yasuji, serialized in Manga O.