is a series of ten Japanese action comedy films produced by Toei and released from 1975 to 1979. All ten films in the series were directed by Norifumi Suzuki and starred Bunta Sugawara as Momojiro Hoshi ("Ichibanboshi" or "first star") and Kinya Aikawa as Kinzo Matsushita, also known as "Jonathan". The title Torakku Yaro means "truck guys" or "truck rascals", and the films involve two truckers and their various escapades as they travel around Japan in highly decorated trucks.
The plot formula is similar to the Otoko wa Tsurai yo films. Each time Momojiro falls in love with a woman (the "Madonna") and then ends up having to help her romance with another man. The stories end with Momojiro having to race his truck to meet a deadline to rejoin the couple.
Regulars
Momojiro Hoshi, nicknamed "Ichibanboshi", played by Bunta Sugawara.
Kinzo Matsushita, nicknamed "Yamome no Jonathan", played by Kinya Aikawa.
Kimie Matsushita, the wife of Kinzo Matsushita, played by Masumi Harukawa
Films
No.SubtitleIn JapaneseDateFemale lead ("Madonna")Other cast1Go-iken Muyō御意見無用1975Yutaka NakajimaRikiya Yasuoka, Ryudo Uzaki and the Down Town Boogie Woogie Band2Bakusō Ichibanboshi爆走一番星1975Shizue Abe3Bōkyō Ichibanboshi望郷一番星1976Yoko Shimada4Tenka Gomen天下御免1976Kaoru Yumi5Dokyō Ichibanboshi度胸一番星1977Nagisa Katahira6Otoko Ippiki Momojirō男一匹桃次郎1977 Masako Natsume Yoshi Katō, Masaaki Sakai, Tomisaburo Wakayama, Kentaro Shimizu7Totsugeki Ichibanboshi突撃一番星 1978Mieko Harada8Ichibanboshi Kita e Kaeru一番星北へ帰る1978Naoko Otani9Neppū 5000 Kiro熱風5000キロ1979Miyuki Ono10Furusato Tokkyūbin故郷特急便1979Sayuri Ishikawa, Aiko Morishita
Theme music
All the films have the same theme song, Ichibanboshi Blues by Ryudo Uzaki and Yoko Aki performed by the Down Town Boogie Woogie Band.
References