Kaibutsu-kun
| Kaibutsu-kun | |
|
Volume 1 of the 'Kaibutsu-kun' manga. | |
| 怪物くん | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Horror, Comedy, Fantasy, Adventure |
| Manga | |
| Written by | Fujiko Fujio |
| Published by | Shōnen Gahosha |
| Demographic | Shōnen |
| Magazine | Shōnen King |
| Original run | January 1965 – May 1969 |
| Volumes | 15 |
| Anime television series | |
| Directed by | Masaaki Ohsumi |
| Studio |
Tokyo Movie Shinsha Studio Zero |
| Network | TBS |
| Original run | April 21, 1968 – March 23, 1969 |
| Episodes | 50 |
| Anime television series | |
| Directed by | Hiroshi Fukutomi |
| Studio | Shin-Ei Animation |
| Network | TV Asahi |
| Original run | September 2, 1980 – September 28, 1982 |
| Episodes | 94 |
| Anime film | |
| Kaibutsu-kun Demon Sword | |
| Directed by | Hiroshi Fukutomi |
| Studio | Shin-Ei Animation |
| Released | 13 March 1982 |
| Runtime | 52 minutes |
| Television drama | |
| Network |
Nippon Television Yomiuri Television |
| Original run | April 17, 2010 – June 12, 2010 |
| Episodes | 9 |
Kaibutsu-kun (Japanese: 怪物くん, Little Monster) is a shōnen manga and anime series by Fujiko Fujio named after its protagonist. The first anime series was broadcast on TBS from April 21, 1968 to March 23, 1969.[1] The second was broadcast on TV Asahi from September 2, 1980 to September 28, 1982.[2] A live action series was broadcast on Nippon Television and Yomiuri Television from April 17 to June 12, 2010.[3]
Plot
Kaibutsu-kun and his companions, Dracula, Wolfman, and Franken, travel from Monster Land to the Human Realm, where they encounter and battle several monsters, mainly assassins from the demon group Demonish.
Cast
- Tarou Kaibutsu (怪物太郎, Kaibutsu Tarō) - A little boy who can metamorph.
- Voiced by: Fuyumi Shiraishi ('68), Masako Nozawa ('80)
- Hiroshi Ichikawa (市川ヒロシ, Ichikawa Hiroshi) - Taro's friend, who lives with his sister Utako.
- Voiced by: Minori Matsushima ('68), Katsue Miwa ('80)
- Utako Ichikawa (市川歌子, Ichikawa Utako) - Hiroshi's older sister. Both are orphans who live in Arama-sō, a two-story Japanese apartment. She takes care of her brother. Caring and super-radiant forever.
- Voiced by: Mariko Mukai ('68), Chiyoko Kawashima ('80)
- Dracula (ドラキュラ Dorakyura) - He drinks tomato juice instead of human blood. In the TV drama series, he often puts English phrases in every sentence.
- Voiced by: Hiroshi Ohtake ('68), Kaneta Kimotsuki ('80)
- Wolfman (オオカミ男, Ookami-Otoko) - The housekeeper and also a cook. He puts "gansu" at the end of every sentence.
- Voiced by: Shingo Kanemoto ('68), Takuzou Kamiyama ('80)
- Franken (フランケン Furanken) - Like his Hollywood counterpart, he's big, and not too smart.
- Voiced by: Masao Imanishi ('68), Taro Sagami→ Shingo Kanemoto ('80)
- Kaibutsu Daiō (怪物大王, King Monster) Taro's father and King of Monsterland.
- Voiced by: Dai Kanai ('80)
- Kaiko-chan (怪子ちゃん) - Taro's girlfriend. She's super angry.
- Voiced by: Eiko Masuyama ('68, '80)
- Doctor Noh (ドクター・ノオ Dokutā Noo)
- Voiced by: Reizō Nomoto ('80)
- Fishman (半魚人)
- Voiced by: Shigeru Chiba ('80)
- Nonbirasu (ノンビラス)
- Voiced by: Ken'ichi Ogata ('80)
- Bem (ベム)
- Voiced by: Hiroshi Ohtake→ Shun Yashiro ('80)
- Demokin (プリンス・デモキン) - Prince of the demons.
- Voiced by: Eiko Yamada ('80)
- Ako (アコ) - Hiroshi's classmate and sorrowfully not girlfriend.
- Voiced by: Keiko Han ('80)
- Kizao (キザオ) - Hiroshi's classmate whose name is similar to a character in Obake no Q-taro. But is otherwise good and forever sad. And Ako's not boyfriend.
- Voiced by: Sanji Hase ('80)
- Banno (番野) - Hiroshi's big classmate.
- Voiced by: Kiyonobu Suzuki ('80)
Live-action TV drama series
A TV drama adaptation was aired on Nippon TV in 2010 with nine episodes. A drama special was aired on June 26, 2010 where the author of Kaibutsu-kun appears as a guest. A movie was released on November 26, 2011.
There are some differences between the anime and the TV drama series, especially for the setting and the characters. Neither Hiroshi's classmates in the anime appear in the TV drama series. The new characters are Wolfman's daughter, the landlady of Arama-sō and a policeman. The theme song for the TV drama series is Monster by Japanese boy band Arashi.
Plot
Kaibutsu-kun is a rambunctious prince of Kaibutsu Land. On the day of succession to the throne, he is ordered to go to the world of humans by the King of Kaibutsu Land for ascetic training. Kaibutsu-kun and his attendants, Dracula, Wolfman, and Franken, travel to the world of humans and encounter several monsters or humans belonging to the demon group led by Demorina who tries to set the prince of demon back on track and take over the world.
Main casts
- Satoshi Ohno as Kaibutsu-kun
- Norito Yashima as Dracula
- Ryuhei Ueshima as Wolfman
- Choi Hong-man as Franken
- Umika Kawashima as Ichikawa Utako
References
- ↑ 怪物くん (1968). allcinema (in Japanese). Stingray. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
- ↑ 怪物くん (1980～1982). allcinema (in Japanese). Stingray. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
- ↑ 怪物くん (2010). allcinema (in Japanese). Stingray. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
External links
- Official 2010 TV series website (Japanese)
- Info on the 1980s series (Japanese)
- Kaibutsu-kun (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
