Hey gang, earlier this year for the duration of the online Anime North convention, I delivered a virtual presentation all about what Jap animation became once take care of forty years in the past, assist in 1981. Properly, these convention panels, even online ones, transfer somewhat rapidly. When you aren’t cautious you’ll trail away out one thing. I do know I did! In instruct that’s why this day right here at Let’s Anime we’re going to rob that presentation and turn it into a column that all of us can abilities at our leisure.
Clearly, 1980 became once a immense year for Jap animation; immense movies, immense franchises, immense exhibits. But whenever you happen to belief 1980 became once packed with comic strip goodness, successfully, you hadn’t ain’t carried out seen nothin’ yet. 1981 made 1980 learn about take care of a indifferent Sunday at Grandma’s. Don’t factor in me? Simply learn about at what we’re taking a learn about in the beginning.
1981 had no notion this indicate became once going to change into a enormous world success. King Of Beasts Golion became once one in a long line of Toei worthy robot cartoons built spherical a toy – they actually designed the toy first and the indicate became once written spherical its five combining lion mecha robot beast fighters. Golion came and went in Japan without making too worthy of an impact, nonetheless when World Events Productions localized it as Voltron, it became once exactly what North American younger folks had been purchasing for. Voltron and its varied sequels, reboots, and remakes proceed to loom immense in our collective memories.
Meanwhile, American televangelist Pat Robertson became once purchasing for the capability to sell Bibles in Japan, and the ad company he hired informed him “assemble a comic strip.” Tatsunoko became once contracted and the cease consequence became once Anime Oyako Gekijo, or because it became once known as on CBN Cable, Superbook, the memoir of three younger folks and a time travelling robot experiencing bible tales. Superbook aired on cable and broadcast TV, became once launched on home video diverse times, and presently exists, take care of the Bible itself, in diverse assorted variations. We’ve written about Superbook and Flying Home and Superbook II ahead of!
Speaking of co-productions, the legendary Greek account of Ulysses got an anime makeover in Ulysses 31, a TMS-DIC co-production updating the Homeric account to the 31st century. The United States didn’t procure this indicate till just a few years later nonetheless these that saw it had been dazzled by the candy Osamu Dezaki animation, which blew away somewhat worthy the entirety else on the TV.
Over on the cable channels it’s good to possibly need been watching Nickelodeon after they aired MK Company/Visible 80/Toho’s Meiken Jori, or as we’re conscious of it, Belle & Sebastian. Engaging live-circulation movies and Scottish indie pop bands, this adaptation of the 1965 French novel is set a boy and his canines and one other canines on a toddle by the Pyrenees as they elude the cops and focus on mother. I’d command this one’s long unhurried for a North American DVD open.
Can a unhappy abandoned lady web happiness again in the paws of a ridiculous stray canines? Get out in Ohayo Spank! This 65 episode TMS sequence became once per the Nakayoshi manga by Shunichi Yukimuro and Shizue Takanashi, and located success in Japan and Europe. Sadly, Hi there Spank’s easiest North American foothold became once an English-narrated promo reel and a younger folks’s plastic chair.
The Robinson household gets marooned on a mysterious island in the Nippon Animation World Masterpiece Theater adaptation Swiss Family Robinson – Flone Of The Mysterious Island, per the novel by Johann David Wyss. The 1981 anime sequence provides a Robinson daughter to the solid and it’s good to possibly peek it in English on Amazon Prime, whenever you happen to must wish to know if they ever procure off that island!
One other western literary adaptation is MIC’s Shrimp Ladies teleseries, one among the varied times Louisa Could perhaps also Alcott’s novel has been translated into anime assemble. This model lasted 25 episodes and became once dubbed by Sound World Corporation, the equal these that dubbed Honey Honey and Leo The Lion. Did it exist in The United States previous just a few VHS tapes?
The Three Musketeers battle again, this time as canines, in Dogtanian, a co-production between Japan’s Nippon Animation and Spain’s BRB World. Loved by younger folks worldwide – there’s even an Afrikaans dub and an Albanian dub – one model of the English voices had been supplied by Americans living in Madrid.
Meanwhile over in Scotland, let’s command hi there to Hi there Sandybell, the Toei sequence about the younger Scots lady with an limitless canines and a cottage surrounded by flora. Will she indirectly be reunited with her mother? Will her romance with the beautiful prosperous child who lives in the castle up the hill indirectly be realized, or will her rival Kitty procure out? Receive the indicate and discover. Gorgeous warning: this indicate incorporates a personality named “Designate Brunch Wellington.”
1981 became once a immense year for romantic European gals. MIC’s Honey Honey, per the manga by Hideko Mizuno, is actually chased across the realm attributable to her cat Lily took place to swallow the priceless gem the Superstar Of The Amazon. It appears Princess Vegetation of Austria promised to marry whoever retrieved the jewel, which she had inserted inner a fish, gratifying some with out a doubt whimsical Central European tradition. A crew of ethnic stereotypes and beautiful masked thieves note Honey from Austria to Germany, France, England, Spain, Italy, Iraq, Japan, Norway and Russia easiest to total up in New York City. This 29-episode shoujo comedy became once dubbed into English by Sound World, aired in the US on Pat Robertson’s CBN Cable, and has easiest had just a few sporadic home video releases.
And in trendy day Japan, the glamourous younger teacher Miss Machiko is compelled to undergo a constant parade of sexual harassment from her traditional school class in a Studio Pierrot anime sequence that lasted 92 (!) episodes and impressed eight (!!!!) varied live-circulation variations, all per eight volumes of Takeshi Ebihara manga, attributable to Japan loves this extra or less thing, I bet. Don’t rob my note for it, peek it for yourself on Crunchyroll!
Japan additionally loves genuine wrestling and Tiger Veil II delivers the extra or less extremely effective masked grappling that conjures up hundreds of thousands of fans, and additionally conjures up Tatsuo Aku to don the titular conceal and change into the 2d Tiger Veil in this sequel to the early 70s Toei hit, which became once per the in vogue manga by Ikki Kajiwara and Naoki Tsuji, and which additionally impressed valid-life wrestlers, besides to a legacy in the ring and on TV that lasts to presently time.
The 65 episode Tatsunoko sequence Lag Kappei stars dinky excessive school sports activities champion Kappei and became once remarkably winning in the ratings, presumably thanks to Kappei’s panty fetish. Nope, now not kidding.
Etsumi Haruki’s Jarinko Chie, or Chie The Brat, or Downtown Legend as TMS would bear you call it, is the memoir of a moody Osaka lady named Chie and her ne’er attain successfully playing father, as Chie valiantly attempts to procure Dad meaningful employment and a reconciliation with mom.
Kenichi’s most efficient friend is the minute ninja Hattori, who has excellent ninja powers nonetheless is deathly anxious of frogs. Fixed with the manga by Fujiko A. Fujio, the Shin-ei anime sequence Ninja Hattori-kun lasted an spectacular six hundred and ninety-four (694!!) episodes.
You could perhaps know Akira Toriyama for Dragonball, nonetheless his first manga success became once Dr. Drag, the parable of a fumbling genius inventor and his finest advent, the robot lady Arale. Toei’s cartoony, vivid, crowded, and crazy Dr. Drag anime sequence ran for 243 episodes, ten movies, a 1997 remake, and at one point crossed over with this sequence —
Queen Millenia is per the Leiji Matsumoto manga of the equal title which became once serialized one net page a day, five days a week, for 1000 days, in the Sankei Shimbun and Nishinippon Sports activities newspapers. That became once the understanding, anyway. Toei Doga would animate 42 episodes about of the invention of La Steel, the Tenth planet, which now not easiest is on a collision course with Earth, nonetheless whose progressed civilization sends a queen to secretly rule over Earth each thousand years. What occurs when La Steel’s queen sides with the Earth folks? This mashup of the Princess Kaguya myth, the kook-science works of Immanuel Velikovsky, and the film When Worlds Collide would be edited alongside with the 1978 Captain Harlock anime and be confirmed in The United States as “Captain Harlock And The Queen Of 1000 Years.” And as mentioned, there became once that crossover with Dr. Drag.
Over at Tatsunoko, the Time Bokan sequence persisted with the fifth installment Yattodetaman, as Princess Karen and her robot guardian Daigoron trail back and forth assist in time to 1981 to recruit Wataru Toki and Koyomu Himekuri in a quest to capture the immortal fire-chicken Phoenix – no relation to Tezuka’s Hi no Tori.
Prince Mito and his staunch retainers home out in the worthy robot Daioja to glance the galactic empire in this fifty-episode Daybreak sci-fi update of the in vogue Mito Komon jidaigeki television sequence.
Additionally from Daybreak, Fang Of The Sun Dougram documents the guerrilla rebellion of planet Deloyer from the corrupt Earth Federation and its puppet authorities. Created by Ryosuke Takahashi, this valid robot sequence featured mecha designs by Gundam’s Kunio Okawara, and toys and model kits of this sequence’ mecha would appear in North The United States each badged as “Robotech” and below the Dougram label, whereas Dougram manga by Yoshihiro Moritou would inquire print in Kodansha’s Funny BonBon, now not to be puzzled with the entirely varied Dougram manga by Yu Okazaki, which became once running at the equal time in Hasten King, assemble up your tips Japan.
Robotic mayhem continues from TMS with God Mars! Earth is attacked by the Gishin put empire, led by the dark emperor Zule. Our easiest hope is Crasher Squad member Takeru Myojin, who it appears is truly a Gishin put alien with ESP powers and a six-god combination worthy robot that doubles as a planet-destroying bomb despatched to spoil the Earth! Fixed with the manga by Mitsuteru Yokoyama, TMS’s God Mars ran for 65 episodes of vivid, science fictiony, very now not-valid robot circulation, and it’s good to possibly peek it correct now streaming for free on Tubi.
Speaking of unreal robots, Sengoku Majin Goshogun is all about how the shadow illuminati Dokuga, secretly ruling the realm for Lord NeoNeros, comes below attack by Lawful Remark and the GoShogun crew, the explain of Beamler vitality to battle for the destiny of humanity! Ashi Pro’s Goshogun easiest lasted 26 episodes nonetheless its combine of vivid circulation and stress-free characters captured ample fans to procure a compilation film and a sequel OAV. Parts of the indicate had been dubbed into English as “Macron 1,” the tv broadcast model of which contains music video segments featuring covers of in vogue 80s tunes. The Jap sequence has been launched in North The United States by Discotek and is streaming on Retrocrush.
Hiro Taikai finds a gold cigarette lighter that in dilemma of serving to smokers to procure lung cancer, is truly the transforming sentient worthy robot Gold Lightan, despatched to defend the Earth from invasion by the Mechanic Dimension. This Tatsunoko sequence lasted 52 episodes and is streaming on HIDIVE!
From the studio that brought you Shrimp Ladies and Honey Honey comes Galaxy Cyclone Braiger, the fundamental in Yu Yamamoto’s J-9 sequence. Within the lawless Asteroid Belt, four outer put commandos for hire explain their expanding plasma worthy robot Braiger to defy the cult-chief crime-lord Khamen Khamen, who plans to explode Jupiter. Will he succeed? Get the discs from Discotek and discover!
Rumiko Takahashi’s outer put excessive school comedy Urusei Yatsura concerns itself with the tumultuous relationship between the put princess Lum and the Earthling reprobate Ataru, as a substitute of when it makes a speciality of their equally wacky chums and neighbors. Urusei Yatsura came to TV in 1981 courtesy Studio Pierrot, and its combine of girls, gags, and galactic shenanigans would closing 218 episodes, spawn six feature movies, appear in a Matthew Candy music video, and in overall unhappy-alien its capability into pop tradition legend. The sequence became once launched in English by AnimEigo and the pilot became once dubbed into English on two separate times.
That’s an dreadful lot of anime TV exhibits! Be part of us next time after we head to the film theater, aquire a stamp, some soda, a immense popcorn, and a few Twizzlers, and additionally rob a learn about at the Jap anime theatrical movies of 1981!
-Dave Merrill
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