Speaking of anime, are there any plans for Spirited Away, Wolf Children, Your Name, Brand New Animal, and Beastars?
Trying to Please Everyone: Or Converting multiple Pop Culture Utopias into a Timeline.
- Thread starter Marco Incognito
- Start date
Currently they'd be same as OTL but that may change. For Spirited Away, Miyazaki was inspired by some family friends and realized he didn't make a movie for 10 year old girls yet. However he strikes me as the type to make a film if he has an idea so it would likely be made. Spirited Away was one of three ideas Miyazaki had but It's hard to find details on just what those two other ideas were and that fact may save Spirited Away. Wolf Children and your Name were based off life experiences the creators had(friends having kids while he didn't and an Earthquake respectively) all of which seem parts of life difficult to butterfly. Brand New Animal's creation is a bit vague. Beastars or something like it could actually be released earlier as the Comic series Albedo: Erma Felma EDF(basically Zootopia in Space) would be adapted earlier, like in the late 80's at least so there could be someone inspired to do a dark take on it if the concept becomes popular at the time.
1974 in Anime
1974 in Anime
Hoshi no Ko Poron(1974-1975)
Translated as Star Child Poron. Poron is an alien child that comes to Earth but meets animals and assumes they are the dominant lifeform, ignoring humans. The show consisted of five minute shorts. The entirety of the cast was voiced by Masako Nozawa. The show has since gained a meme based following.
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1974)
The second Hayao Miyazaki/Takahata and Studio Ghibli film.
One thousand years have passed since an apocalyptic alien invasion known as the Seven Days of Fire destroyed civilization and a vast toxic jungle has grown on the Earth filled with giant insects. The Valley of the Wind is a kingdom which predicts a savior clad in blue robe in a golden field. Nausicaa is the princess of the Valley of the Wind and has been exploring the jungle and trying to understand the creatures including the giant Ohm insects, hoping to find a way for the jungle and humans to coexist.
One Day a cargo ship from the Kingdom of Tolmekia crashes in the valley despite Nausicaa trying to save it. The Princess onboard is from the Kingdom of Pejite and she pleads with Nausicaa to destroy the cargo before dying. The cargo turns out to be a giant alien warrior in an embryo, one of the beings that caused the seven days of Fire and was though destroyed when Earth retaliated with its nukes. The plane crashed after being attacked by Insects. One of the injured insects tries to attack by Nausicaa calms it down and lures it away from the village. Tolmekia troops led by Princess Kushana invade, and reveal that Tolmekia attacked the Kingdom of Peljit in order to obtain the Embryo with the ship desperately trying to fly away to prevent it from falling into their hands. Tolmekia attacks, killing Nausicaa’s father and capturing the Embryo. This causes Nausicaa to snap and attack the soldiers, killing several but is about to be killed when the sword master of the Valley Lord Yupa saves her. Kushana plans to raise the Giant Warrior as a weapon to destroy the toxic jungle. In gettin a wounded Nausicaa to safety and following her instructions of where to go, Yupa finds a secret area where Nausicaa has been experimenting with growing plants in healthy soil and water, but the soil and water in the jungle is toxic. Kushana’s forces find them and they are taken hostage rather than killed when they see her research.
As Nausicaa and the five hostages are being taken to Tolmekia, a Pejite fighter attacks and shoots down the planes carrying Nausicaa and the others, causing them and Kushana to crash into the toxic jungle and disturb several Ohm which Nausicaa calms down. Nausicaa goes to rescue the Pejite Pilot but both fall into quicksand only to find themselves in an area beneath with clean water and soil. Nausicaa realizes the plans purify the polluted soil and produce the clean water and soil underground. The Pejite Pilot is revealed to be Prince Asbel, twin brother of the Princess who died in Nausicaa’s arms. Nausicaa and Asbel travel to Pejite but find it ravaged by insects. A group of survivors there explain that they lured the insects to kill the invading Tolmekians. They have also done this with Tolmekia itself, destroying it and leaving only the military faction left and intend to do the same to the Valley. They capture Nausicaa when she tries to leave to warn the Valley but she escapes with the help of Asbel and a number of sympathizers. Nausicaa escapes on her glider and finds Pejite soldiers attacking the Ohm, and using a wounded baby to drive the Ohm to the Valley. The People of the Valley hide while the occupying Tolmekians open fire with tanks. Kushana awakens the Embryo of the Great Warrior but the creature is not ready to be born and begins falling apart. It is able to fire a powerful laser that obliterates everything it touches with the power of several atomic bombs but this is not enough and it dies, collapsing on Konasha as it does so, instigating a rebellion by the people of the Valley agains their oppressors. Nausicaa frees the baby Ohm and gains its trust. She tries stopping the Ohm horde with the baby but they are run over. The Ohm calm down and use golden tentacles to seemingly heal her, lifting her up into the sky where she wakes up, her dress stained in blue Ohm blood, resembling the prophecy about the savior in the Golden field as she carefully walked don the golden tendrils of the Ohm, which when put together resemble golden grass. The Ohm depart with the people of the Valley rebuilding with the help of the Pejite. Underneath the Toxic Jungle a non toxic tree sprouts.
The film was a massive success upon release, further cementing the duos great talent. It was also the debut of composer Joe Hisaishi. Disney would dub the film soon after[1].
Majokko Megu-chan(1974-1975)
Translated to Little Meg the Witch Girl. A manga was created by Tomô Inoue and Makiho Narita. The series conspired of 72 episodes produced by Toei Animation. While not the first magical girl show, the series proved influential to the genre. Most notably Sailor Moon. Megu-Chan follows a young witch sent to Earth as an initiation ritual as she is a contender to take the throne. She is adopted by a former witch named Mammi Kanzaki who gave up her royal ambitions of taking the throne to marry a mortal. Mammi uses magic to convince her family that Megu has always been their eldest child. Megu begins to change from a selfish brat to a kinder person after experiencing new and unpleasant emotions for the first time while battling monsters, magic users and the dark side of human nature, which is arguably her greatest enemy. The series dived into subject matter considered at the time too mature for children such as domestic violence, substance and abuse and affairs.
The show came about when Hiromi Productions, makes of the less successful Miracle Shoujo Limit-chan offered to make a darker Magical Girl show for Toei. The show also shared most of the Honey Idol staff. The show had several surprisingly voyeuristic scenes of the protagonist undressing. The theme song also boasts about Megu’s breasts and ability to charm boys, due to the lyricist also writing similar songs for J-Pop Idol Mom Yamaguchi. The show also had several male characters, usually depicted as villains, attempting to catch Megu nude. She was fortunately over 18 in the story. While the show itself has become obscure since its airing, it still inspired many later entries in the genre. One scene implies Little Meg the Witch Girl is set in the same world as Honey Idol, namely Honey Idol appearing performing a song on a TV screen[2].
Chargeman Ken!(1974)
A Science Fiction anime by Tetsuji Suzukawa and Eiji Tanaka by Knack Productions. The series is set in 2074 where aliens called Juralians attack Earth and are fought by the protagonist Ken Izumi as the hero Chargeman. Thee show was made by several of the staff of Astroganger. Episodes were made on a cheap 500,00 Yen per episode. As a result of the low budget the staff often skipped work to go to the Beach. Not even the voice actors are known[3].
Getter Robo(1974-1975)
Based on the Super Robot Manga by Ken Ishikawa and Go Nagai that ran concurrently. Produced by Toei Animation. The series was broadcast on Fuji TV. Go Nagai revived his original concept of creating a team of three which combined into a robot capable of changing into three different forms. The three protagonists are teenagers Ryoma Nagare, Hayato Jin, Musashi Tomoe, who pilot an Eagle, Jaguar and Bear respectively, each built for different terrain. They battle the Dinosaur Empire, a race of Dinosaurs which moved underground and now seek to reclaim the Earth[4].
Jack in the Beanstalk(1974)
An animated film by Group TAC and Nippon Herald films, in fact it was their first feature film. A musical fantasy film based on the fairy tale with a screenplay by Shūji Hirami. The plot is slightly different as Jack finds that a Witch has brainwashed a princess into marrying her giant son and sets out to save her after climbing the Beanstalk. The film would get a boost when it was chosen to appear in World Masterpiece Theatre[5].
Great Energer(1974-1975)
The Sequel to Energer Z following its success and the end of its run from 1972 to 1973. It was animated and released by Toei Animation. The series follows where Energer Z vs Demon Lord Dante left off. Energer Z protagonist Kouji Kabuto has seemingly died and his son Tetsuya Tsurugi is being raised as his successor, piloting a new Energer called Chogokin Z(Super Alloy Z). A new threat to humanity emerges in the Mycenae Empire and his battle beasts. Tetsuya is joined by a teammate in Jun Hono, a half japanese, half african American girl piloting the Venus Ace Energer robot. In a climactic battle, the original Energer is destroyed to the horror of Tetsuya(it is framed in a cinematic way as if he is watching his father die through the machine as the melting robot appears to shed a tear). Tetsuya is able to overcome his depression and fear to defeat the Battle Beasts and save the world. While not as successful as the original Energer, the series was still popular and successful, spawning a line of toys and merchandise.
Urikupen Kyūjotai(1974)
A Television series by Tatsunoko and directed by Hiroshi Sasagawa. The title was translated into Urikupen Rescue Team. It follows a rescue team in the fictional kingdom of Urukupen who rescue animals.
Hurricane Polymar(1974-1975)
A series by Tatsunoko Productions created by Tatsuo Yoshida. The protagonist Takeshi is given a special suit made of a polymer that allows him to shape shift, including into vehicles.
First Human Giatrus(1974-1976)
Based on the Manga by Shinji Sonoyama that ran from 1965 to 1975. It had two spinoffs focusing on supporting characters. Shinji Sonoyama won the 1976 Bungeishunjū Manga Award for Gag Manga[6]
Asteroid Ship Icarus(1974-1975)
The idea for the series is credited to Yoshinobu Nishizaki,Keisuke Fujikawa, Eiichi Yamamoto and Aritsune Toyota. It is a Live Action Series or tokusatsu, inspired by novels Methuselah's Children and Toyota's own Desecrated Earth along with then successful shipwreck films The Poseidon Adventure and Japan Sinks and the novel Lord of the Flies. The plot concerned a crew of humans from all over the world living in a hollowed out Asteroid as it seeks a new planet called Iscandar for humanity to live on following Earth becoming inhospitable due to an invasion. There was infighting among the crew and the threat of Alien robots called the Rajendora, who are revealed to have come from a home planet devastated like the Earth had been. The series invited many comparisons to the later series Galactica(1978-1980). Eiichi Yamamoto oversaw production. The Robots were fleshed out and several nods to World War II were added including the battle near Neptune paralleling Germany passing the Maginot Line. It is one of the most influential Tokusatsu series.
The series consisted of 52 Episodes, which oversaw the declining health of Captain Okita and the transformation of the young orphan Susumu Kodai into a mature adult and his romance with Yuki Mori. The series shifted to focus on the Icarus and a new generation of characters with the older cast serving as their mentors. The Show included an outer space version of Auschwitz, A baby born on the Icarus, Tension between the people on the Icarus and Dessler as Icarus looked for a new home planet, and a touching story focusing on the Space Battleship Arizona(a nod to the most famous of the American ships sunk at Pearl Harbor). This led to the introduction of an interstellar empire based on America. There was also a romantic interest for Sanada and more focus and development for Captain Dan Hammer, along with a look at the Shalabart religion. The series still cut down much such as the journey to Iscandar, though did feature the introduction of Captain Harlock, who was Susumu Kodai's brother[7]
Calimero(1974-1978)
Callimero is based on a character that appeared in the Italian show Carosello during advertisements. A popular icon in Italy, Calimero is a black chick in a family of yellow chickens who wears half of his egg shell on his head. At the end of each episode it was revealed Callimero isn’t black, just very dirty and would be cleaned by the advertised cleaning product of the day. Toei Animation picked up the license to produce. The English release is known for its catchy country sounding theme song[8]
Notes
[1] The film replaces the OTL, Heidi, Girl of the Alps in release date. OTL the film was made by Takahata after Pippi Longstocking failed. Since it didn’t ITTL there’s not need to make the film. Naussicaa was Ghibli’s first film OTL but was made in 1984, meaning it’s now 10 years earlier. Miyazaki OTL made a Lupin III episode called Wings of the Albatross with basically a proto Naussicaa in 1980. Since he started working on the show ITTL, something similar happened, resulting in early Naussicaa. I didn’t go into detail as the plot is similar to OTL. Joe Hisaishi made his TV debut on First Human Giatrus. He went on to do the music for all but one Miyazaki film. The same applies ITTL except he has started much earlier along with Ghibli.
As for Heidi: Girl of the Alps. It’s OTL reception has been given to TTL’s Pippi Longstocking. It’s still a classic to this day, draws Japanese tourists to Sweden, stamps with the character appear on posts, and Japanese bands cover the theme song.
[2] OTL the show was surprisingly sexual for the time, though this is based on Honey Cutie doing the same thing. ITTL Honey Cutie basically did the same thing as this show so most of the influence which Little Witch Meg had is now had by TTL’s Honey Idol.
[3] OTL Chargeman Ken! Became popular when it was randomly included on a DVD Box Set by Line Communications. Which does not happen ITTL, depriving the world of at least one source for memes.
[4] Getter Robo is famous for introducing the concept of a team of heroes each with a Mecha that can combine into one single Mecha. OTL Go Nagai conceived the idea but was vetoed from using it in Mazinger Z. ITTL Go Nagai had more creative freedom and did indeed use it, so this show did not introduce the concept.
[5] OTL Heidi Girl of the Alps aired as part of World Masterpiece Theatre and is seen as the best thing they’ve ever played. Heidi doesn’t exist ITTL due to Pippi Longstocking being made, which ITTL was featured as part of World Masterpiece Theatre in its television debut in 1973 and it was a megahit. This year however, since they rely on adaptations of European tales, which are fairly scarce this year OTL besides Heidi, they were forced to pick Jack and the Beanstalk, which in general is just weird. So while 1974 was their best year OTL thanks to Heidi, ITTL 1973 was their best year thanks to Pippi and 1974 is their worst year instead thanks to Jack and the Beanstalk.
[6] Joe Hisaishi began his career OTL on First Human Giatrus in 1974. He would later do the music of all but one Miyazaki film, starting with Nausicaa. ITTL, interestingly he still does the music on Nausicaa despite the film coming out 10 years earlier, it’s just that it’s his first film. He still did the music on all but one Miyazaki film ITTL too, as he hadn’t started working until after Pippi Longstocking was released, making it the only film he didn’t work on.
[7] OTL this concept became Space Battleship Yamato, with the robots replaced by aliens and the asteroid replaced by a the World War II era Yamato retrofitted into a space vessel. The changes came about due to the the overseer of the project changing twice. First it was Eiichi Yamamoto, then Toshio Masuda, who worked on the World War II film Tora! Tora! Tora!. ITTL he never became director on that film as he did so after Akira Kurosawa was fired(Due to attempting to change the script, which was meant to depict both sides of the Pearl Harbor attack and he was rewriting the American portion which had its own director, and casting not actors but investors to fund his future film). ITTL Kurosawa played nice and made the film, so he doesn’t have that credit. Due to Eiichi Yamamoto staying on, Manga artist Leiji Matsumoto isn’t brought on to rewrite the series into “Space Battleship Yamato”. The series ran longer than OTL for the planned 52 episodes.
[8] ITTL the Calimero theme song is somewhat similar sounding to OTL’s Canyonero song from the Simpsons episode “The Last Temptation of Krust”.
And now for one show that has been butterflied away: Barbapapaa. Barbapapa was conceived OTL as a 1970 Children’s book by French-American Couple Annete Tilson and Talus Taylor. It came about when Talus Taylor, who was American overheard a child at Luxembourg Garden saying “Baa Baa Baa Baa” asking for “Barbe a Papa” which is French for Cotton Candy and translates to Daddy’s Beard because of what it visually looks like. Taylor and his wife Annette Tilson then brainstormed the character. Due to thelarge number of coincidences this required(The trip to the Garden on that day, the random kid asking for Cotton Candy, Etc…), Barbapapa does not exist ITTL. The butterflies got him. Probably because he was made of Cotton Candy.
Hoshi no Ko Poron(1974-1975)
Translated as Star Child Poron. Poron is an alien child that comes to Earth but meets animals and assumes they are the dominant lifeform, ignoring humans. The show consisted of five minute shorts. The entirety of the cast was voiced by Masako Nozawa. The show has since gained a meme based following.
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1974)
The second Hayao Miyazaki/Takahata and Studio Ghibli film.
One thousand years have passed since an apocalyptic alien invasion known as the Seven Days of Fire destroyed civilization and a vast toxic jungle has grown on the Earth filled with giant insects. The Valley of the Wind is a kingdom which predicts a savior clad in blue robe in a golden field. Nausicaa is the princess of the Valley of the Wind and has been exploring the jungle and trying to understand the creatures including the giant Ohm insects, hoping to find a way for the jungle and humans to coexist.
One Day a cargo ship from the Kingdom of Tolmekia crashes in the valley despite Nausicaa trying to save it. The Princess onboard is from the Kingdom of Pejite and she pleads with Nausicaa to destroy the cargo before dying. The cargo turns out to be a giant alien warrior in an embryo, one of the beings that caused the seven days of Fire and was though destroyed when Earth retaliated with its nukes. The plane crashed after being attacked by Insects. One of the injured insects tries to attack by Nausicaa calms it down and lures it away from the village. Tolmekia troops led by Princess Kushana invade, and reveal that Tolmekia attacked the Kingdom of Peljit in order to obtain the Embryo with the ship desperately trying to fly away to prevent it from falling into their hands. Tolmekia attacks, killing Nausicaa’s father and capturing the Embryo. This causes Nausicaa to snap and attack the soldiers, killing several but is about to be killed when the sword master of the Valley Lord Yupa saves her. Kushana plans to raise the Giant Warrior as a weapon to destroy the toxic jungle. In gettin a wounded Nausicaa to safety and following her instructions of where to go, Yupa finds a secret area where Nausicaa has been experimenting with growing plants in healthy soil and water, but the soil and water in the jungle is toxic. Kushana’s forces find them and they are taken hostage rather than killed when they see her research.
As Nausicaa and the five hostages are being taken to Tolmekia, a Pejite fighter attacks and shoots down the planes carrying Nausicaa and the others, causing them and Kushana to crash into the toxic jungle and disturb several Ohm which Nausicaa calms down. Nausicaa goes to rescue the Pejite Pilot but both fall into quicksand only to find themselves in an area beneath with clean water and soil. Nausicaa realizes the plans purify the polluted soil and produce the clean water and soil underground. The Pejite Pilot is revealed to be Prince Asbel, twin brother of the Princess who died in Nausicaa’s arms. Nausicaa and Asbel travel to Pejite but find it ravaged by insects. A group of survivors there explain that they lured the insects to kill the invading Tolmekians. They have also done this with Tolmekia itself, destroying it and leaving only the military faction left and intend to do the same to the Valley. They capture Nausicaa when she tries to leave to warn the Valley but she escapes with the help of Asbel and a number of sympathizers. Nausicaa escapes on her glider and finds Pejite soldiers attacking the Ohm, and using a wounded baby to drive the Ohm to the Valley. The People of the Valley hide while the occupying Tolmekians open fire with tanks. Kushana awakens the Embryo of the Great Warrior but the creature is not ready to be born and begins falling apart. It is able to fire a powerful laser that obliterates everything it touches with the power of several atomic bombs but this is not enough and it dies, collapsing on Konasha as it does so, instigating a rebellion by the people of the Valley agains their oppressors. Nausicaa frees the baby Ohm and gains its trust. She tries stopping the Ohm horde with the baby but they are run over. The Ohm calm down and use golden tentacles to seemingly heal her, lifting her up into the sky where she wakes up, her dress stained in blue Ohm blood, resembling the prophecy about the savior in the Golden field as she carefully walked don the golden tendrils of the Ohm, which when put together resemble golden grass. The Ohm depart with the people of the Valley rebuilding with the help of the Pejite. Underneath the Toxic Jungle a non toxic tree sprouts.
The film was a massive success upon release, further cementing the duos great talent. It was also the debut of composer Joe Hisaishi. Disney would dub the film soon after[1].
Majokko Megu-chan(1974-1975)
Translated to Little Meg the Witch Girl. A manga was created by Tomô Inoue and Makiho Narita. The series conspired of 72 episodes produced by Toei Animation. While not the first magical girl show, the series proved influential to the genre. Most notably Sailor Moon. Megu-Chan follows a young witch sent to Earth as an initiation ritual as she is a contender to take the throne. She is adopted by a former witch named Mammi Kanzaki who gave up her royal ambitions of taking the throne to marry a mortal. Mammi uses magic to convince her family that Megu has always been their eldest child. Megu begins to change from a selfish brat to a kinder person after experiencing new and unpleasant emotions for the first time while battling monsters, magic users and the dark side of human nature, which is arguably her greatest enemy. The series dived into subject matter considered at the time too mature for children such as domestic violence, substance and abuse and affairs.
The show came about when Hiromi Productions, makes of the less successful Miracle Shoujo Limit-chan offered to make a darker Magical Girl show for Toei. The show also shared most of the Honey Idol staff. The show had several surprisingly voyeuristic scenes of the protagonist undressing. The theme song also boasts about Megu’s breasts and ability to charm boys, due to the lyricist also writing similar songs for J-Pop Idol Mom Yamaguchi. The show also had several male characters, usually depicted as villains, attempting to catch Megu nude. She was fortunately over 18 in the story. While the show itself has become obscure since its airing, it still inspired many later entries in the genre. One scene implies Little Meg the Witch Girl is set in the same world as Honey Idol, namely Honey Idol appearing performing a song on a TV screen[2].
Chargeman Ken!(1974)
A Science Fiction anime by Tetsuji Suzukawa and Eiji Tanaka by Knack Productions. The series is set in 2074 where aliens called Juralians attack Earth and are fought by the protagonist Ken Izumi as the hero Chargeman. Thee show was made by several of the staff of Astroganger. Episodes were made on a cheap 500,00 Yen per episode. As a result of the low budget the staff often skipped work to go to the Beach. Not even the voice actors are known[3].
Getter Robo(1974-1975)
Based on the Super Robot Manga by Ken Ishikawa and Go Nagai that ran concurrently. Produced by Toei Animation. The series was broadcast on Fuji TV. Go Nagai revived his original concept of creating a team of three which combined into a robot capable of changing into three different forms. The three protagonists are teenagers Ryoma Nagare, Hayato Jin, Musashi Tomoe, who pilot an Eagle, Jaguar and Bear respectively, each built for different terrain. They battle the Dinosaur Empire, a race of Dinosaurs which moved underground and now seek to reclaim the Earth[4].
Jack in the Beanstalk(1974)
An animated film by Group TAC and Nippon Herald films, in fact it was their first feature film. A musical fantasy film based on the fairy tale with a screenplay by Shūji Hirami. The plot is slightly different as Jack finds that a Witch has brainwashed a princess into marrying her giant son and sets out to save her after climbing the Beanstalk. The film would get a boost when it was chosen to appear in World Masterpiece Theatre[5].
Great Energer(1974-1975)
The Sequel to Energer Z following its success and the end of its run from 1972 to 1973. It was animated and released by Toei Animation. The series follows where Energer Z vs Demon Lord Dante left off. Energer Z protagonist Kouji Kabuto has seemingly died and his son Tetsuya Tsurugi is being raised as his successor, piloting a new Energer called Chogokin Z(Super Alloy Z). A new threat to humanity emerges in the Mycenae Empire and his battle beasts. Tetsuya is joined by a teammate in Jun Hono, a half japanese, half african American girl piloting the Venus Ace Energer robot. In a climactic battle, the original Energer is destroyed to the horror of Tetsuya(it is framed in a cinematic way as if he is watching his father die through the machine as the melting robot appears to shed a tear). Tetsuya is able to overcome his depression and fear to defeat the Battle Beasts and save the world. While not as successful as the original Energer, the series was still popular and successful, spawning a line of toys and merchandise.
Urikupen Kyūjotai(1974)
A Television series by Tatsunoko and directed by Hiroshi Sasagawa. The title was translated into Urikupen Rescue Team. It follows a rescue team in the fictional kingdom of Urukupen who rescue animals.
Hurricane Polymar(1974-1975)
A series by Tatsunoko Productions created by Tatsuo Yoshida. The protagonist Takeshi is given a special suit made of a polymer that allows him to shape shift, including into vehicles.
First Human Giatrus(1974-1976)
Based on the Manga by Shinji Sonoyama that ran from 1965 to 1975. It had two spinoffs focusing on supporting characters. Shinji Sonoyama won the 1976 Bungeishunjū Manga Award for Gag Manga[6]
Asteroid Ship Icarus(1974-1975)
The idea for the series is credited to Yoshinobu Nishizaki,Keisuke Fujikawa, Eiichi Yamamoto and Aritsune Toyota. It is a Live Action Series or tokusatsu, inspired by novels Methuselah's Children and Toyota's own Desecrated Earth along with then successful shipwreck films The Poseidon Adventure and Japan Sinks and the novel Lord of the Flies. The plot concerned a crew of humans from all over the world living in a hollowed out Asteroid as it seeks a new planet called Iscandar for humanity to live on following Earth becoming inhospitable due to an invasion. There was infighting among the crew and the threat of Alien robots called the Rajendora, who are revealed to have come from a home planet devastated like the Earth had been. The series invited many comparisons to the later series Galactica(1978-1980). Eiichi Yamamoto oversaw production. The Robots were fleshed out and several nods to World War II were added including the battle near Neptune paralleling Germany passing the Maginot Line. It is one of the most influential Tokusatsu series.
The series consisted of 52 Episodes, which oversaw the declining health of Captain Okita and the transformation of the young orphan Susumu Kodai into a mature adult and his romance with Yuki Mori. The series shifted to focus on the Icarus and a new generation of characters with the older cast serving as their mentors. The Show included an outer space version of Auschwitz, A baby born on the Icarus, Tension between the people on the Icarus and Dessler as Icarus looked for a new home planet, and a touching story focusing on the Space Battleship Arizona(a nod to the most famous of the American ships sunk at Pearl Harbor). This led to the introduction of an interstellar empire based on America. There was also a romantic interest for Sanada and more focus and development for Captain Dan Hammer, along with a look at the Shalabart religion. The series still cut down much such as the journey to Iscandar, though did feature the introduction of Captain Harlock, who was Susumu Kodai's brother[7]
Calimero(1974-1978)
Callimero is based on a character that appeared in the Italian show Carosello during advertisements. A popular icon in Italy, Calimero is a black chick in a family of yellow chickens who wears half of his egg shell on his head. At the end of each episode it was revealed Callimero isn’t black, just very dirty and would be cleaned by the advertised cleaning product of the day. Toei Animation picked up the license to produce. The English release is known for its catchy country sounding theme song[8]
Notes
[1] The film replaces the OTL, Heidi, Girl of the Alps in release date. OTL the film was made by Takahata after Pippi Longstocking failed. Since it didn’t ITTL there’s not need to make the film. Naussicaa was Ghibli’s first film OTL but was made in 1984, meaning it’s now 10 years earlier. Miyazaki OTL made a Lupin III episode called Wings of the Albatross with basically a proto Naussicaa in 1980. Since he started working on the show ITTL, something similar happened, resulting in early Naussicaa. I didn’t go into detail as the plot is similar to OTL. Joe Hisaishi made his TV debut on First Human Giatrus. He went on to do the music for all but one Miyazaki film. The same applies ITTL except he has started much earlier along with Ghibli.
As for Heidi: Girl of the Alps. It’s OTL reception has been given to TTL’s Pippi Longstocking. It’s still a classic to this day, draws Japanese tourists to Sweden, stamps with the character appear on posts, and Japanese bands cover the theme song.
[2] OTL the show was surprisingly sexual for the time, though this is based on Honey Cutie doing the same thing. ITTL Honey Cutie basically did the same thing as this show so most of the influence which Little Witch Meg had is now had by TTL’s Honey Idol.
[3] OTL Chargeman Ken! Became popular when it was randomly included on a DVD Box Set by Line Communications. Which does not happen ITTL, depriving the world of at least one source for memes.
[4] Getter Robo is famous for introducing the concept of a team of heroes each with a Mecha that can combine into one single Mecha. OTL Go Nagai conceived the idea but was vetoed from using it in Mazinger Z. ITTL Go Nagai had more creative freedom and did indeed use it, so this show did not introduce the concept.
[5] OTL Heidi Girl of the Alps aired as part of World Masterpiece Theatre and is seen as the best thing they’ve ever played. Heidi doesn’t exist ITTL due to Pippi Longstocking being made, which ITTL was featured as part of World Masterpiece Theatre in its television debut in 1973 and it was a megahit. This year however, since they rely on adaptations of European tales, which are fairly scarce this year OTL besides Heidi, they were forced to pick Jack and the Beanstalk, which in general is just weird. So while 1974 was their best year OTL thanks to Heidi, ITTL 1973 was their best year thanks to Pippi and 1974 is their worst year instead thanks to Jack and the Beanstalk.
[6] Joe Hisaishi began his career OTL on First Human Giatrus in 1974. He would later do the music of all but one Miyazaki film, starting with Nausicaa. ITTL, interestingly he still does the music on Nausicaa despite the film coming out 10 years earlier, it’s just that it’s his first film. He still did the music on all but one Miyazaki film ITTL too, as he hadn’t started working until after Pippi Longstocking was released, making it the only film he didn’t work on.
[7] OTL this concept became Space Battleship Yamato, with the robots replaced by aliens and the asteroid replaced by a the World War II era Yamato retrofitted into a space vessel. The changes came about due to the the overseer of the project changing twice. First it was Eiichi Yamamoto, then Toshio Masuda, who worked on the World War II film Tora! Tora! Tora!. ITTL he never became director on that film as he did so after Akira Kurosawa was fired(Due to attempting to change the script, which was meant to depict both sides of the Pearl Harbor attack and he was rewriting the American portion which had its own director, and casting not actors but investors to fund his future film). ITTL Kurosawa played nice and made the film, so he doesn’t have that credit. Due to Eiichi Yamamoto staying on, Manga artist Leiji Matsumoto isn’t brought on to rewrite the series into “Space Battleship Yamato”. The series ran longer than OTL for the planned 52 episodes.
[8] ITTL the Calimero theme song is somewhat similar sounding to OTL’s Canyonero song from the Simpsons episode “The Last Temptation of Krust”.
And now for one show that has been butterflied away: Barbapapaa. Barbapapa was conceived OTL as a 1970 Children’s book by French-American Couple Annete Tilson and Talus Taylor. It came about when Talus Taylor, who was American overheard a child at Luxembourg Garden saying “Baa Baa Baa Baa” asking for “Barbe a Papa” which is French for Cotton Candy and translates to Daddy’s Beard because of what it visually looks like. Taylor and his wife Annette Tilson then brainstormed the character. Due to thelarge number of coincidences this required(The trip to the Garden on that day, the random kid asking for Cotton Candy, Etc…), Barbapapa does not exist ITTL. The butterflies got him. Probably because he was made of Cotton Candy.
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1975 in Anime
1975 in Anime
A Dog of Flanders(1975)
An Adaptation of the 1872 novel by Ouida( a pseudonym of Maria Louise Ramé). The series ran for 52 episodes and was produced by Nippon Animation. It follows a boy and his dog in 19th century Holland. The series premiered as part of World Masterpiece Theater. Extensive research was done to be accurate to 19th Century Flanders. The show aired on Fuji TV. It is fairly faithful to the book. The theme song remains popular to this day.
Great Energer vs Getter Robo(1975)
A series by Go Nagai and Ken Ishikawa, crossing over both series. Like Energer Z vs Demon Lord Dante, it is an in canon crossover. The series focuses on an alien monster attacking Earth. The casts of Great Energer and Getter Robo both have a rivalry with each other but are reluctantly forced to work together to defeat this monster.
Hans Christian Andersen’s the Little Mermaid(1975)
Based on the 1837 Fairy Tale. The series it is fairly faithful to its source material.
La Seine no Hoshi(1975)
A series by Sunrise released on Fuji TV. It lasted 39 episodes. In English it was translated to “Star of the Seine”(Seine is a river in Northern France). The series is loosely based on the. 1963 film, the Black Tulip, itself based loosely on the Alexandre Dumas novel the Black Tulip. It was created by Mitsuru Kaneko and directed by Masaaki Osumi and Yoshiyuki Tomino. Written by Soji Yoshikawa with character designs by Akio Sugino with music by Shunsuke Kikuchi. The story follows Simone, a heroine who creates the identity of La Seine No Hoshi. Donning a red mask to battle aristocrats after they killed her parents.
Don Chuck Monogatari(1975)
Translated into Don Chuck Story. The series was by Knack Productions. It aired on Tokyo Channel 12.
Gamba No Nouken(1975)
Translated to Adventures of Gamba. Based on the 1972 novel The Adventures of The Adventurers: Gamba and his fifteen Companions by Atsuo Saitoh and directed by Osamu Dezaki. It was broadcast on Nippon TV and animated by Tokyo Movie Shinsha and Madhouse. The series followed a brown mouse named Gamba who meets a mouse named Chuta who has been injured and asks Gamba to help him protect the residents of an island from the invading Noroi Clan.
Getter Robo G(1975-1976)
Created by Go Nagai and Ken Ishikawa and produced on Toei Animation as a direct sequel on Fuji TV. Mattel released a toy collection based on the series. The plot centers on a new threat in the Hundred Demon Empire threatening Earth after the defeat of the Dinosaur Empire and the death of Musashi Tomoe. The three machines included the Getter Dragon, Liger, and Poseidon.
Tekkaman: The Space Knight(1975)
A Series by Tatsunoko Productions. In the future of the 21st century, Humanity is searching for a Second Earth after being forced to abandon their original planet. An alien race known as “Walderians” attack them. Dr.Amachi augments a human to become a Tekkamean and battle the alien menace. The series ran for 52 episodes[1]. It was adapted by William Winckler Productions, which stayed as true to the original Japanese as possible, with little editing of violence as possible and maintaining the original Japanese music and sound effects. Plans were made to dub the 1975 Anime series Tekkaman. William Winckler Productions declined to adapt the series unless toys were made. Tatsunoko relented and toys were produced for the American market, beginning a trend of toys accompanying every release of a new Show. WWP thus licensed Neo Human Casshern and Hurricane Polymar with toys as well.
Arabian Nights: Sinbad’s Adventures(1975)
A 52 episode series. Directed by Fumio Kurokawa. Produced by Nippon Animation. Based on Sinbad the Sailor. Sinbad in the series is a young boy, the son of a merchant from Baghdad forbidden from going on adventures by his uncle Ali but given a talking bird named Shera. Sinbad goes on an adventure with his uncle but is lost at sea when a whale attacks the ship. When he gets home he learns his parents disappeared after going to search for him and goes out to look for them. On his journeys. Sinbad meets and befriends Aladdin and Ali Baba and encounters many creatures like the Roc, Mermaids, Lilliputians and so on as well as reenacting several stories from 1001 Arabian Knights. Sinbad ultimately battles a sorceress who has ensnared his family, freeing them upon her defeat.
Naughty Ancient Kum-Kum(1975-1976)
A series created by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko and Metropolis Director Rintaro. It was broadcast on TBS. It follow a naughty boy in Prehistoric Times that pranks other prehistoric people and creatures.
Time Bokan(1975-1976)
Airing on Fuji TV Saturdays at 6:30pm, Time Bokan ran for 61 30 minute episodes and produced by Tatsunoko Productions in partnership Topcraft. The plot begins with Dr.Kieta, who invents an insect shaped time machine called Time Bokan. He tests it but then during his trip, the time machine returns without him, with a talking parrot and a gemstone called a Dynamond. His assistant Tanpei willingly goes in the machine to find the professor. Tanpei encounters villains after the Dynamond.
Steel Jeeg(1975-1976)
Created by Go Nagai and Tatsuya Yasuda, directed by Masayuki Akehi and produced by Toei Doga. Directed . It aired on NET and ran as a manga.The series follows Hiroshi Shiba, who is turned into a cyborg by his father Professor Shiba after being mortally wounded. Shiba uses a an ancient and powerful relic from the Jamatai Kingdom. Queen Himika of the Jaatai kingdom reawakens and and seeks out the bell to use it to conquer Earth, killing Professor Shiba. Shiba uploaded his brain into a supercomputer and provided Hiroshi with a robot, Steel Jeeg, to battle the Jamatai Kingdom.
Raideen the Brave(1975-1976)
A super robot series produced by Tohokushinsha, Asahi News Agency and Sunrise and airing on NET. The Demon Empire, after Millennia of sleep, awaken to attack Earth. A boy named Akira Hibiki is summoned to the location of a giant robot built on the lost continent of Mu, Raideen. Akira is revealed as a descendant of the people of Mu and helps Raideen battle the Demon Empire. The series featured the first robot with mythical origins rather than origins based on science. Raideen is also depicted as sentient. He was also capable of transforming and his toy, released in January 1975 by Popy, was the first example of a toy that could transform. The future creator of Gundam, Yoshiyuki Tomino worked on the series, along with Yasuhiko Yoshikazu for the first time since they worked together on Wandering Sun. The show found immense success in America as well. Mattel released toys for the series and Marvel Comics released a licensed comic.
Uchu Enban Daisenso(1975-1977)
Toei Doga wanted a their entry in the Energer Z series. Go Nagai instead pitched a stand alone series which became Uchu Enban Daisenso. Go Nagai has gone on record to say he does not consider the serious part of the Energer franchise(not to say it isn’t canon, just that it shouldn’t be considered an entry in the Energer series but as its own thing). The series was translated into Battle of the Space Saucers. The series depicted an alien race called the Yaban fleeing their dying home planet and invading Earth. Fortunately one of the survivors of the destruction of Planet Fleed, Duke Fleed, had fled o Earth after stealing a robot named Gattaiger, who now uses Gattaiger to protect the Earth against his own people in their invasion. The series was Produced by Toei Doga and Dynamic Planning and broadcast on Fuji TV. Mattel released a toy line. The series had a large level of popularity in the Middle East, France and Italy. Toei, in a repetition of a smaller element in what caused Miyazaki and Takahata to leave in 1968, refused to pay Go Nagai royalty for overseas sales. Nagai sued Toei for the royalties but Toei, remembering the Miyazaki and Takahata debacle, caved in and paid Nagai, keeping him on. However, the relationship between Nagai and Toei was already strained as is as he had sued in 1972 for injuring his hand due to Toei’s mistreatment of him, leading to changing laws in the country. It seemed the relationship between the two couldn’t take another hit[2].
The Adventures of Pepero, Boy of the Andes(1975-1976)
A 26 episode series that aired on NET Network. The series follows the young boy Pepero, who goes on a journey looking for his father, who went missing looking for El Dorado.
Laura the Prairie Girl(1975-1976)
A Series based on little House in the Big Woods and Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder.
Notes
Maya the Bee was released this year OTL but was release five years earlier ITTL. This ironically means it ends ITTL the year it started OTL.
[1] OTL Tekkaman was intended for 52 episodes but was cancelled after 26 due to low ratings and losing its sponsor. It does just good enough ITTL to conclude.
[2] OTL Uchu Enban Daisenso became its own film. However, it was conceived as a spinoff of Mazinger Z by Go Nagai. As stated Toei wanted another installment in the series but Go Nagai wanted a separate spinoff, leading to Grendizer, which fans criticized for having a very loose connection to the series. ITTL Go Nagai got his wish. While its a common misconception that show did badly, that’s only because it did less well than other Mazinger installments. ITTL it is instead compared to his other series due to having no connection to Mazinger Z.
A Dog of Flanders(1975)
An Adaptation of the 1872 novel by Ouida( a pseudonym of Maria Louise Ramé). The series ran for 52 episodes and was produced by Nippon Animation. It follows a boy and his dog in 19th century Holland. The series premiered as part of World Masterpiece Theater. Extensive research was done to be accurate to 19th Century Flanders. The show aired on Fuji TV. It is fairly faithful to the book. The theme song remains popular to this day.
Great Energer vs Getter Robo(1975)
A series by Go Nagai and Ken Ishikawa, crossing over both series. Like Energer Z vs Demon Lord Dante, it is an in canon crossover. The series focuses on an alien monster attacking Earth. The casts of Great Energer and Getter Robo both have a rivalry with each other but are reluctantly forced to work together to defeat this monster.
Hans Christian Andersen’s the Little Mermaid(1975)
Based on the 1837 Fairy Tale. The series it is fairly faithful to its source material.
La Seine no Hoshi(1975)
A series by Sunrise released on Fuji TV. It lasted 39 episodes. In English it was translated to “Star of the Seine”(Seine is a river in Northern France). The series is loosely based on the. 1963 film, the Black Tulip, itself based loosely on the Alexandre Dumas novel the Black Tulip. It was created by Mitsuru Kaneko and directed by Masaaki Osumi and Yoshiyuki Tomino. Written by Soji Yoshikawa with character designs by Akio Sugino with music by Shunsuke Kikuchi. The story follows Simone, a heroine who creates the identity of La Seine No Hoshi. Donning a red mask to battle aristocrats after they killed her parents.
Don Chuck Monogatari(1975)
Translated into Don Chuck Story. The series was by Knack Productions. It aired on Tokyo Channel 12.
Gamba No Nouken(1975)
Translated to Adventures of Gamba. Based on the 1972 novel The Adventures of The Adventurers: Gamba and his fifteen Companions by Atsuo Saitoh and directed by Osamu Dezaki. It was broadcast on Nippon TV and animated by Tokyo Movie Shinsha and Madhouse. The series followed a brown mouse named Gamba who meets a mouse named Chuta who has been injured and asks Gamba to help him protect the residents of an island from the invading Noroi Clan.
Getter Robo G(1975-1976)
Created by Go Nagai and Ken Ishikawa and produced on Toei Animation as a direct sequel on Fuji TV. Mattel released a toy collection based on the series. The plot centers on a new threat in the Hundred Demon Empire threatening Earth after the defeat of the Dinosaur Empire and the death of Musashi Tomoe. The three machines included the Getter Dragon, Liger, and Poseidon.
Tekkaman: The Space Knight(1975)
A Series by Tatsunoko Productions. In the future of the 21st century, Humanity is searching for a Second Earth after being forced to abandon their original planet. An alien race known as “Walderians” attack them. Dr.Amachi augments a human to become a Tekkamean and battle the alien menace. The series ran for 52 episodes[1]. It was adapted by William Winckler Productions, which stayed as true to the original Japanese as possible, with little editing of violence as possible and maintaining the original Japanese music and sound effects. Plans were made to dub the 1975 Anime series Tekkaman. William Winckler Productions declined to adapt the series unless toys were made. Tatsunoko relented and toys were produced for the American market, beginning a trend of toys accompanying every release of a new Show. WWP thus licensed Neo Human Casshern and Hurricane Polymar with toys as well.
Arabian Nights: Sinbad’s Adventures(1975)
A 52 episode series. Directed by Fumio Kurokawa. Produced by Nippon Animation. Based on Sinbad the Sailor. Sinbad in the series is a young boy, the son of a merchant from Baghdad forbidden from going on adventures by his uncle Ali but given a talking bird named Shera. Sinbad goes on an adventure with his uncle but is lost at sea when a whale attacks the ship. When he gets home he learns his parents disappeared after going to search for him and goes out to look for them. On his journeys. Sinbad meets and befriends Aladdin and Ali Baba and encounters many creatures like the Roc, Mermaids, Lilliputians and so on as well as reenacting several stories from 1001 Arabian Knights. Sinbad ultimately battles a sorceress who has ensnared his family, freeing them upon her defeat.
Naughty Ancient Kum-Kum(1975-1976)
A series created by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko and Metropolis Director Rintaro. It was broadcast on TBS. It follow a naughty boy in Prehistoric Times that pranks other prehistoric people and creatures.
Time Bokan(1975-1976)
Airing on Fuji TV Saturdays at 6:30pm, Time Bokan ran for 61 30 minute episodes and produced by Tatsunoko Productions in partnership Topcraft. The plot begins with Dr.Kieta, who invents an insect shaped time machine called Time Bokan. He tests it but then during his trip, the time machine returns without him, with a talking parrot and a gemstone called a Dynamond. His assistant Tanpei willingly goes in the machine to find the professor. Tanpei encounters villains after the Dynamond.
Steel Jeeg(1975-1976)
Created by Go Nagai and Tatsuya Yasuda, directed by Masayuki Akehi and produced by Toei Doga. Directed . It aired on NET and ran as a manga.The series follows Hiroshi Shiba, who is turned into a cyborg by his father Professor Shiba after being mortally wounded. Shiba uses a an ancient and powerful relic from the Jamatai Kingdom. Queen Himika of the Jaatai kingdom reawakens and and seeks out the bell to use it to conquer Earth, killing Professor Shiba. Shiba uploaded his brain into a supercomputer and provided Hiroshi with a robot, Steel Jeeg, to battle the Jamatai Kingdom.
Raideen the Brave(1975-1976)
A super robot series produced by Tohokushinsha, Asahi News Agency and Sunrise and airing on NET. The Demon Empire, after Millennia of sleep, awaken to attack Earth. A boy named Akira Hibiki is summoned to the location of a giant robot built on the lost continent of Mu, Raideen. Akira is revealed as a descendant of the people of Mu and helps Raideen battle the Demon Empire. The series featured the first robot with mythical origins rather than origins based on science. Raideen is also depicted as sentient. He was also capable of transforming and his toy, released in January 1975 by Popy, was the first example of a toy that could transform. The future creator of Gundam, Yoshiyuki Tomino worked on the series, along with Yasuhiko Yoshikazu for the first time since they worked together on Wandering Sun. The show found immense success in America as well. Mattel released toys for the series and Marvel Comics released a licensed comic.
Uchu Enban Daisenso(1975-1977)
Toei Doga wanted a their entry in the Energer Z series. Go Nagai instead pitched a stand alone series which became Uchu Enban Daisenso. Go Nagai has gone on record to say he does not consider the serious part of the Energer franchise(not to say it isn’t canon, just that it shouldn’t be considered an entry in the Energer series but as its own thing). The series was translated into Battle of the Space Saucers. The series depicted an alien race called the Yaban fleeing their dying home planet and invading Earth. Fortunately one of the survivors of the destruction of Planet Fleed, Duke Fleed, had fled o Earth after stealing a robot named Gattaiger, who now uses Gattaiger to protect the Earth against his own people in their invasion. The series was Produced by Toei Doga and Dynamic Planning and broadcast on Fuji TV. Mattel released a toy line. The series had a large level of popularity in the Middle East, France and Italy. Toei, in a repetition of a smaller element in what caused Miyazaki and Takahata to leave in 1968, refused to pay Go Nagai royalty for overseas sales. Nagai sued Toei for the royalties but Toei, remembering the Miyazaki and Takahata debacle, caved in and paid Nagai, keeping him on. However, the relationship between Nagai and Toei was already strained as is as he had sued in 1972 for injuring his hand due to Toei’s mistreatment of him, leading to changing laws in the country. It seemed the relationship between the two couldn’t take another hit[2].
The Adventures of Pepero, Boy of the Andes(1975-1976)
A 26 episode series that aired on NET Network. The series follows the young boy Pepero, who goes on a journey looking for his father, who went missing looking for El Dorado.
Laura the Prairie Girl(1975-1976)
A Series based on little House in the Big Woods and Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder.
Notes
Maya the Bee was released this year OTL but was release five years earlier ITTL. This ironically means it ends ITTL the year it started OTL.
[1] OTL Tekkaman was intended for 52 episodes but was cancelled after 26 due to low ratings and losing its sponsor. It does just good enough ITTL to conclude.
[2] OTL Uchu Enban Daisenso became its own film. However, it was conceived as a spinoff of Mazinger Z by Go Nagai. As stated Toei wanted another installment in the series but Go Nagai wanted a separate spinoff, leading to Grendizer, which fans criticized for having a very loose connection to the series. ITTL Go Nagai got his wish. While its a common misconception that show did badly, that’s only because it did less well than other Mazinger installments. ITTL it is instead compared to his other series due to having no connection to Mazinger Z.
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Low ratings and the sponsor decided to ditch them...so we ended up with the cliffhanger ending (that btw is epic on his own way....yeah loved Tekkaman as a kid like i loved the other two tatsunoko superhero inspired show Hurricane Polymar and Kyashan).
Edit: Ouch no Goldrake/Grendizer as pictured OTL? Damn always loved the look of that robot, plus as a personal opinion i always thought that Actarus/Duke Fleed is less famous because he cater more towards western sensibilities (older and more mature and a lot and i mean a lot less hot blooded of Kojy and Tetsuja, hell if Vega never attacked he was happy to stay at the farm and probably marry Venusia even if in possession of one of the most powerfull weapon of the universe)
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Sorry but yeah, though Go Nagai still has that design in the back of his mind and could use it for something later on.
1976 in Anime
1976 in Anime
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn(1976)
Based on the Mark Twain books, the series adapted the first two novels. The adaptation of the Adventures of Tom Sawyer portion was faithful. The Second part, the adventures of Huckleberry Finn took many more liberties. Huckleberry Finn’s father is much more abusive and Tom Sawyer helps him escape and fake his death. As a result Tom Sawyer is a character in the book for most of the adventure while he was absent for most of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The adaptation thankfully treated the black escaped slave character Jim with respect. He is the only adult and does everything he can to protect the boys, at one point, preventing them from seeing a dead body, which he buries. The boys must save him when he is captured in the conclusion of the series[1]
From the Apennines to the Andes(1976)
An Animated series directed by Isao Takahata and part of Studio Ghibli which aired on Fuji TV. Loosely based on the novel Heart(Coure) by Italian author Edmondo De Amicis. The film aired as part of World Masterpiece Theater. The series was dubbed in many countries and was an immediate success. Countries that received a dub and within which it was an instant success include Iran, Portugal, Brazil, Peru, Spain, Venezuela, Colombia, Germany, Chile, Turkey, Malaysia, the Philippines, the Arab World, and Israel. The plot centered on a boy named Marco who lives in Genoa, Italy in 1881, during a depression period. His father, Pietro Rossi manages a hospital that treats poor patients and so the family struggles financially. His mother Anna Rossi, goes to Argentina to work as a maid but then her letters home stop coming after one letter says she is sick. With his father busy and his older brother an adult in Milan, Marco runs away from home to find hid mother, taking with him his brother’s pet monkey Amedeo and they sneak onto a ship bound for Brazil. He arrives in South America and has many adventures trying to uncover the mystery of what happened. He find out the letters from his mother were stolen by his uncle. A common theme is how human kindness is rewarded. For example, at one point Marco has struggled for some time to make enough money to buy a train ticket, but learns a young girl is dying and needs an operation and sacrifices the money he has to pay for her operation, risking a dangerous journey on foot. This pays off as when he finds his mother alive but very sick and in need of an operation, the kindness of those he helped comes back and they learn of his predicament and help pay for the operation, reuniting the family[2]
Grendizer Z(1976-1977)
A Series created by Go Nagai and Gosaku Ota as the third installment of the Energer Franchise. The titular robot could transform into a jet. The main antagonists were the Gaira aliens, who seeked to conquer Earth in secret from an arctic base. Scientist Dr.Yan was captured and forced to create a robot for the invaders but he allowed his daughter, Rita to escape with his creation Grendizer Z. Rita went to Tetsuya Tsurugi for help and he joined the battle. The series had toys made by Popy[3].
Devine Demon-Dragon Gaiking(1976-1977)
Gaiking was one of the few series to use real locations outside Japan in its setting and the first to have a mobile carrier for the robots. It also had toys by Mattel. Gaiking was the first of Toei’s series not based on an existing Manga. The invading aliens are called the Dark Horror Army, who come from planet Zela, which is facing destruction by a black hole. Their invasion of Earth is opposed by the Super Robot Gaiking and the carrier Daikū Maryū, which sported Dinosaur based designs. The pilot of Gaiking was former baseball star Sanshiro Tsuwabuki, who had latent psychic abilities but was the only one with such bailies to survive due to the experiments in using them and assassination by alien agents, which injured him and ended his sporting career.
The series however, got Toei into legal trouble. While the studio claimed the original idea was by Kunio Nakatani, Akio Sugino and Dan Kobayashi. It was actually conceived by Go Nagai, who was not credited as Toei didn’t want to pay royalties. This began a legal battle in which, seeing it as the third strike, following the 1972 court case on Go Nagai suffering injury to his hand due to overwork, and this second case of not crediting him so soon after the previous one. Go Nagai left Toei, still attempting to sue them.
Little Lulu and Her Little Friends(1976-1977)
An adaptation of the American comic strip by Marjorie Henderson Buell. Directed by Fumio Kurokawa. The series was produced by Nippon Animation.
Abaranger(1976-1977)
A mecha Anime by Tatsunoko Productions. It was the first Anime to feature a female lead main character(if one does not count Grendizer which only partly featured Rita alongside Tetsuya). Like Tatsunoko’s Science Ninja Team Gatchaman, this series features a group of young adults fighting an invasion by rock people from the center of the Earth. The show faced bad timing as it aired in the same time slot as Uchu Enban Daisenso on Fuji TV and the game show Up Down Quiz on Mainichi Broadcasting System. What saved the show was Go Nagai’s departure from Toei and his announcement that he would work on the series. The toy line was made by an independent company in Takara’s Magnemo toy line. The toys could combine and transform like in the show, something which was previously difficult to accomplish with series like Getter Robo[4].
Galactic Warrior Apolon(1976-1977)
Based on the Manga created by Tetsu Kariya. The series featured 15 year old orphan Akira as the pilot in defeating the demons with the power of the 108 stars of Destiny[5].
Reideen the Superior(1976-1977)
The Toei Staff, collectively known under the pseudonym Saburo Yatsude, later known for the creation of Golion, had long wanted to make a Reideen sequel, which was finally sold by Tadao Nagaham to Takashi Lijima. The new threat of the series were aliens from the planet Campbell[6]. It was animated by Nippon Sunrise like the original, produced by Toei Animation and aired on TV Asahi(formerly NET, having been bought by the newspaper Asahi Shinbun)[7]. The network also began airing Tatsunoko’s the Adventures of Pinocchio[8].
Magne Robo Gakeen(1976-1977)
A series by Toei which aired on TV Asahi. The series begins with Doctor Kazuki learning of an invasion of Earth by the Izaru and builds a robot.His daughter Mai becomes the pilot along with Takeru Hojo, Takara released the Robotman Gakeen toy in the Henshin Cyborg robotman series[9].
Dokaben(1976-1979)
A Baseball Manga by Shinji Mizushima that ran from 1972 to 1981. The series was immensely popular in Japan, possibly the most popular sports manga of all time, holding the highest number of volumes at the time. The series follows Taro Yamada and his teammates Iwaka, Tonoma, and Satonaka on their High School Baseball team in Takaoka Middle School, though they transfer to Meikun High School due to their skills in the sport. The art style was unique for the time. The characters were made very rubbery with more movement and speed lines were used along lots of black and simple body figures.
Castle in the Sky(1976)
The third film by Hayao Miyazaki. Myazaki visited a coal miners strike in Wales in 1972 to prepare, drawing similarities to the coal miners in Japan.
An Airship carrying a young girl named Sheeta, who is being watched by government agent Muska is attacked by Captain Dola and her air pirate sons, who seek Sheeta’s blue crystal pendant. Sheeta escapes by jumping off and floats down thanks to the pendant. She is found unconscious by a boy named Pazu, who takes her to his home. Pazo has pictures of sightings of the floating City of Laputa taken by his father. Pazu mentions the legend about how an explorer named Gulliver(possibly Pazu’s father) discovered the floating City and that the inhabitants were fascinated by the stories he told about life beyond the floating City and ultimately abandoned Laputa, which too many had become too perfect and dull. Pazu and Sheeta are attacked by both Dola’s Pirates and Muska’s men. They fall into the mine but the amulet saves them by slowing their fall. Sheeta reveals to Pazu that she is a member of the Laputa royal family that left the city and the two groups are after he for her amulet. Muska captures them and takes them to a fortress where he reveals a broken Laputa robot, intending to make Sheeta reveal Laputa’s location as he is shown to have an amulet himself but needs two to point to Laputa’s location. Sheeta agrees if they let Pazu go, which they do. He ends up joining up with Dola’s Pirates since they plan to rescue Sheeta. Sheeta casts a spell which activates the amulet, which points in the direction of Laputa. The robot is activated and it wreaks havoc until it is destroyed by the military airship the Goliath. Pazu rescues Sheeta but Muska steals the Amulet. The two children join Dola’s pirates in pursuit. They see a storm which Pazu recognizes from his father’s stories as concealing Laputa and asks the pirates to fly into it. The Goliath attacks them and the two children fall off into the clouds.
Sheeta and Pazu find their fall has been broke by Laputa’s gravity. It is a land where nature and animals thrive in the abandoned ruins, including a robot which is still active as plants and animals grow on it and is friendly towards them. The tranquility is interrupted by an explosion as the Army attacks. Muska pursues Sheeta while Pazu frees the captive Pirates.Sheets is cornered in Laputa and reveals he is also a member of the royal line. Using Sheeta’s crystal he prepareds to activate the dormant robot army on Laputa and use them to conquer the world, betraying his own men and destroying the Goliath when they realize what he is doing and try to stop him. Sheeta is horrified and steal back the amulet before running away, giving it to Pazu through a crack in the wall while Muska chases her to the abandoned throne room. Sheets rebuffs Muska’s claims as the people of Laputa chose to live on the Earth because that was where they belonged. Pazu arrives and with Sheeta, uses the crystal to tell all the Robots to help them but Muska with his own crystal counters this, leading to the robots fighting each other and against themselves. Sheeta and Pazu come up with the idea to make the robots self destruct, which they do. They whisper the command and Muska asks what they said before the robots begin exploding as he panics and begins telling them to stop but is too late. The explosion cause the floor under Muska to collapse and he falls to his death. Pazu and Sheeta nearly fall but are saved by tree roots which remain floating. Laputa is devastated from the explosions.The children are saved by the Pirates who took back their craft and grabbed some of the treasure before they left. The pirates and children then flew away as Laputa ascends further and further away, seen reaching stationary orbit above Earth.
Disney once more dubbed the film. It was a massive hit[10].
Candy Candy(1976-1979)
Based on the Novel series by Keiko Nagita, which ran from 1975 to 1979, running concurrently with its anime adaptation. The series follows Candice “Candy” White Ardley. A blonde girl with freckles, pig tails and green eyes. The manga was illustrated by Yumiko Igarashi and worked on the Japanese Magazine Nakayoshi. It was made out of a desire to recreate the “Masterpiece” that was Pippi Longstocking using the classic European literature style popular at the time, aimed mostly at young girls. The series won the 1st Kodansha Manga Award in 1977 in the Shojo(aimed at girls) genre, and was adapted by Toei Animation.
Candy is an abandoned orphan, taken up in an orphanage, who at the beginning of the story in the 20th century, says goodbye to her adopted best friend Annie and goes off to cry, meeting a mysterious boy on a hill that comforts her, though she doesn’t know who he is. When she is adopted, her adopted family, the Leagans, treat her poorly as a servant and falsely accuse Candy of stealing, sending her off to the family farm in Mexico where she is saved by William Ardley, a member of a wealthy family who tutors Candy into adulthood. Candy is sent to St.Paul’s College in London and meet several girls, including the Leagan children who try to have her expelled. This leads to Candy’s friend Terry Granchester, taking the blame and being expelled in Candy’s place. Candy decides to leave soon after and both travel to the United States where Candy serves as a nurse in Chicago during World War I. Terry became an actor but an actress named Susanna saved his life during an accident and becomes disabled, dooming her acting career. Terry is left to take care of a now suicidal Susanna rather than look for Candy. Candy discovered what happened without being told by Terry and sacrificed her own happiness to leave Terry. She then returned to Chicago.
Candy began to care for a WWI vet with amnesia named Albert, gradually falling in love with him. When his memory returns he reveals that he was the boy on the hill she met at the beginning of the story. The two begin a relationship. Candy then receives a newspaper revealing Susanna has died and a letter from a T.G.(most likely assumed to be Terry Granchester) that is a statement of love to her. Candy is left uncertain of whether to go to meet him or remain with Albert. The story flashes forward to an epilogue where Candy, now older, is happy with her choice and is with the man she loves. It is not revealed in the novel or the Manga who she ended up with and remains a mystery for the ages[11].
Notes
[1] OTL only the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was adapted. Here they go ahead and adapt both books similar to Laurie the Prairie Girl. As stated this means adding Tom Sawyer to the events of the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Originally there is a plot where Finn meets Sawyer’s relatives and pretends to be him and when Tom Sawyer shows up he plays along. This is tweaked a bit as the relatives see Finn first and mistake him for Sawyer. Since Jim has been captured this allows Sawyer to try and rescue Jim. Unlike the novel. the Anime doesn’t use the N word.
[2] Largely same as OTL though it was called 3000 Leagues in Search of Mother. The rumor will spread that Takahata had a fascination with monkeys ITTL due to his involvement with Pippi Longstocking, who also had a monkey as does the protagonist of this film. There's likely a monkey named Takahata as a one off joke in an Anime ITTL.
[3] Groizer X OTL was a side project to the next Mazinger Z installment. ITTL because Go Nagai got the side project he wanted to make. TTL’s Groizer X was rewritten from a side project to the main project with Groizer X resembling OTL’s Grendizer Z in both series and titular robot. Admittedly one complaint is Tetsuya shares the spotlight with Rita as the main character since this is her story. OTL it had toys by Namco rather than the most popular at the time Popy. Due to being a Mazinger Z installment ITTL, they went with Popy instead.
[4] OTL the series was called Gowappa 5 Godam with Abaranger being a working title. As ITTL it got crushed in the ratings. ITTL I threw it a Go Nagai shaped bone.
[5] OTL the Anime adaptation added many elements such as making the protagonist an American football play and more super robot elements, including adding more UFO elements. ITTL its much more faithful to the manga.
[6] OTL the staff who worked on Combattler V were pushing to make a sequel to Raideen the Brave but were forced to make Combattler V instead. ITTL they succeeded, butterflying away Combattler V. A consequence of this is it may have just killed the Robot Romance trilogy of which Combattler was the first entry. Though it may have just been postponed.
[7] I admit I hadn’t thought of how the TV Channels themselves would be affected by butterflies and had kept in NET’s transformation into TV Asahi. Here’s a brief history on what I’d change regarding TV stations in Japan.
A brief history. NHK and Nippon TV were launched in 1953. Most of the program was seen as vulgar and criticized by well known critic Sōichi Ōya. This led to several education focused TV stations opening after Ota complained the programs made the people of Japan into idiots. Among the stations founded were NHK educational TV and Tokyo Education Television as a tentative name before it changed to Nippon Education Television and started broadcasting in 1959. New stations appeared: New Japan Broadcasting Company(OTL renamed to Mainichi Broadcasting System Inc), and Nishinippon Broadcasting(OTL they went under but returned after given financial support from Asahi Shinbum, becoming Kyushi Asahi Broadcasting. NET began airing programs on both including the wedding of the Crown Prince Akihito and Empress Michiko. Due to by law needing to devote 50% of its airtime to education programming and 20% children’s programming, NET began to fall apart to 5% viewership. Worse, Unlike OTL, Television Nishinippon did not switch to become part of FNN/FNS, so NET never had a chance to increased their own allowed time. What saved NET was passing off foreign animated shows and films as educational, namely teaching children about growing up, the cultures and English literature. Finally it shook off its restriction legally and In 1960 it changed its name to Nippon Entertainment Television(OTL it became NET TV, ITTL due to shaking off the shackles earlier, it became Nippon Entertainment Television, but is usually abbreviated as NET TV anyway).
The change led to a clash between Hiroshi Ogawa of Toei who wanted more entertainment programs and Yoshio Akio from Obunsha who wanted more education programs as was intended when the station was created, fearing the station had become the very thing it was supposed to counter. Ultimately Akio won and forced Ogawa out, damaging the power of Toei. Since that point, NET TV’s ratings, including those of foreign films, began to rise. NET TV still broadcasted Educational programs but for a limited time in the mornings. In 1969, they shifted all their programs to color. In 1973, the Ministry of Posts abolished laws about requiring educational programming but NET kept on at a limited capacity(OTL they did not and abandoned education programming the same month). Then in 1975, Nikkei Newspaper sold NET TV to TV Asahi and it became TV Asahi.
[8] Piccolino no Bokan, an anime series adaptation of the Adventures of Pinocchio has been butterflied away due to Nippon TV gaining the rights to broadcast Tatsunoko’s version. There’s no need to to remake it now. Personally thought, I see about 10 years or so to be the ideal time for a remake, even of a classic story. At least every decade or so technology has improved enough that there’d be a noticeable visual improvement.
[9] OTL the Henshin Cyborg line was terminated in 1974 and the Victory Series and Robotman line became part of the Microman series. ITTL Gakeen appears in the Henshin Cyborg line.
[10] There are some adverted butterflies here when it comes to Castle in the Sky. OTL a robot resembling the ones in Castle in the Sky appeared in a Miyazaki written episode of Lupin III. Something similar happened ITTL but years earlier. Myazaki also had OTL worked on a series called Future Boy Conan in 1978 which had similarities to Castle in the Sky, but has not ITTL so Castle in the Sky is visually close to that film as well as its OTL counterpart. Another very close call to Butterflies is that Myazaki went to Wales for research during the Coal Miner’s Strike in 1984 to prepare for OTL’s 1986 released Castle in the Sky. However there have been multiple Coal Miner’s Strikes in the UK, including one in 1972, which may have been the one Miyazaki witnessed ITTL while researching for Castle in the Sky.
[11] OTL the Epilogue was added in 2010 by the author, and according to her was what she would have made without restrictions(drafts of the story dated to the 1970’s support her claim). ITTL it is included due to her having more creative freedom. While Candy is a few years older in the Anime when she meets the boy on the hill(6 or 7 in the Book, 10 in the Anime), another anime only change, her pet Raccoon, doesn’t exist ITTL, being created for the anime. Also OTL the Italian version added a very fanfictiony ending where Candy meets Terry at the train station and they ended up together. Neither the author nor Toei had anything to do with that version. that ending doesn't exist ITTL outside of italian fanfiction.
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn(1976)
Based on the Mark Twain books, the series adapted the first two novels. The adaptation of the Adventures of Tom Sawyer portion was faithful. The Second part, the adventures of Huckleberry Finn took many more liberties. Huckleberry Finn’s father is much more abusive and Tom Sawyer helps him escape and fake his death. As a result Tom Sawyer is a character in the book for most of the adventure while he was absent for most of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The adaptation thankfully treated the black escaped slave character Jim with respect. He is the only adult and does everything he can to protect the boys, at one point, preventing them from seeing a dead body, which he buries. The boys must save him when he is captured in the conclusion of the series[1]
From the Apennines to the Andes(1976)
An Animated series directed by Isao Takahata and part of Studio Ghibli which aired on Fuji TV. Loosely based on the novel Heart(Coure) by Italian author Edmondo De Amicis. The film aired as part of World Masterpiece Theater. The series was dubbed in many countries and was an immediate success. Countries that received a dub and within which it was an instant success include Iran, Portugal, Brazil, Peru, Spain, Venezuela, Colombia, Germany, Chile, Turkey, Malaysia, the Philippines, the Arab World, and Israel. The plot centered on a boy named Marco who lives in Genoa, Italy in 1881, during a depression period. His father, Pietro Rossi manages a hospital that treats poor patients and so the family struggles financially. His mother Anna Rossi, goes to Argentina to work as a maid but then her letters home stop coming after one letter says she is sick. With his father busy and his older brother an adult in Milan, Marco runs away from home to find hid mother, taking with him his brother’s pet monkey Amedeo and they sneak onto a ship bound for Brazil. He arrives in South America and has many adventures trying to uncover the mystery of what happened. He find out the letters from his mother were stolen by his uncle. A common theme is how human kindness is rewarded. For example, at one point Marco has struggled for some time to make enough money to buy a train ticket, but learns a young girl is dying and needs an operation and sacrifices the money he has to pay for her operation, risking a dangerous journey on foot. This pays off as when he finds his mother alive but very sick and in need of an operation, the kindness of those he helped comes back and they learn of his predicament and help pay for the operation, reuniting the family[2]
Grendizer Z(1976-1977)
A Series created by Go Nagai and Gosaku Ota as the third installment of the Energer Franchise. The titular robot could transform into a jet. The main antagonists were the Gaira aliens, who seeked to conquer Earth in secret from an arctic base. Scientist Dr.Yan was captured and forced to create a robot for the invaders but he allowed his daughter, Rita to escape with his creation Grendizer Z. Rita went to Tetsuya Tsurugi for help and he joined the battle. The series had toys made by Popy[3].
Devine Demon-Dragon Gaiking(1976-1977)
Gaiking was one of the few series to use real locations outside Japan in its setting and the first to have a mobile carrier for the robots. It also had toys by Mattel. Gaiking was the first of Toei’s series not based on an existing Manga. The invading aliens are called the Dark Horror Army, who come from planet Zela, which is facing destruction by a black hole. Their invasion of Earth is opposed by the Super Robot Gaiking and the carrier Daikū Maryū, which sported Dinosaur based designs. The pilot of Gaiking was former baseball star Sanshiro Tsuwabuki, who had latent psychic abilities but was the only one with such bailies to survive due to the experiments in using them and assassination by alien agents, which injured him and ended his sporting career.
The series however, got Toei into legal trouble. While the studio claimed the original idea was by Kunio Nakatani, Akio Sugino and Dan Kobayashi. It was actually conceived by Go Nagai, who was not credited as Toei didn’t want to pay royalties. This began a legal battle in which, seeing it as the third strike, following the 1972 court case on Go Nagai suffering injury to his hand due to overwork, and this second case of not crediting him so soon after the previous one. Go Nagai left Toei, still attempting to sue them.
Little Lulu and Her Little Friends(1976-1977)
An adaptation of the American comic strip by Marjorie Henderson Buell. Directed by Fumio Kurokawa. The series was produced by Nippon Animation.
Abaranger(1976-1977)
A mecha Anime by Tatsunoko Productions. It was the first Anime to feature a female lead main character(if one does not count Grendizer which only partly featured Rita alongside Tetsuya). Like Tatsunoko’s Science Ninja Team Gatchaman, this series features a group of young adults fighting an invasion by rock people from the center of the Earth. The show faced bad timing as it aired in the same time slot as Uchu Enban Daisenso on Fuji TV and the game show Up Down Quiz on Mainichi Broadcasting System. What saved the show was Go Nagai’s departure from Toei and his announcement that he would work on the series. The toy line was made by an independent company in Takara’s Magnemo toy line. The toys could combine and transform like in the show, something which was previously difficult to accomplish with series like Getter Robo[4].
Galactic Warrior Apolon(1976-1977)
Based on the Manga created by Tetsu Kariya. The series featured 15 year old orphan Akira as the pilot in defeating the demons with the power of the 108 stars of Destiny[5].
Reideen the Superior(1976-1977)
The Toei Staff, collectively known under the pseudonym Saburo Yatsude, later known for the creation of Golion, had long wanted to make a Reideen sequel, which was finally sold by Tadao Nagaham to Takashi Lijima. The new threat of the series were aliens from the planet Campbell[6]. It was animated by Nippon Sunrise like the original, produced by Toei Animation and aired on TV Asahi(formerly NET, having been bought by the newspaper Asahi Shinbun)[7]. The network also began airing Tatsunoko’s the Adventures of Pinocchio[8].
Magne Robo Gakeen(1976-1977)
A series by Toei which aired on TV Asahi. The series begins with Doctor Kazuki learning of an invasion of Earth by the Izaru and builds a robot.His daughter Mai becomes the pilot along with Takeru Hojo, Takara released the Robotman Gakeen toy in the Henshin Cyborg robotman series[9].
Dokaben(1976-1979)
A Baseball Manga by Shinji Mizushima that ran from 1972 to 1981. The series was immensely popular in Japan, possibly the most popular sports manga of all time, holding the highest number of volumes at the time. The series follows Taro Yamada and his teammates Iwaka, Tonoma, and Satonaka on their High School Baseball team in Takaoka Middle School, though they transfer to Meikun High School due to their skills in the sport. The art style was unique for the time. The characters were made very rubbery with more movement and speed lines were used along lots of black and simple body figures.
Castle in the Sky(1976)
The third film by Hayao Miyazaki. Myazaki visited a coal miners strike in Wales in 1972 to prepare, drawing similarities to the coal miners in Japan.
An Airship carrying a young girl named Sheeta, who is being watched by government agent Muska is attacked by Captain Dola and her air pirate sons, who seek Sheeta’s blue crystal pendant. Sheeta escapes by jumping off and floats down thanks to the pendant. She is found unconscious by a boy named Pazu, who takes her to his home. Pazo has pictures of sightings of the floating City of Laputa taken by his father. Pazu mentions the legend about how an explorer named Gulliver(possibly Pazu’s father) discovered the floating City and that the inhabitants were fascinated by the stories he told about life beyond the floating City and ultimately abandoned Laputa, which too many had become too perfect and dull. Pazu and Sheeta are attacked by both Dola’s Pirates and Muska’s men. They fall into the mine but the amulet saves them by slowing their fall. Sheeta reveals to Pazu that she is a member of the Laputa royal family that left the city and the two groups are after he for her amulet. Muska captures them and takes them to a fortress where he reveals a broken Laputa robot, intending to make Sheeta reveal Laputa’s location as he is shown to have an amulet himself but needs two to point to Laputa’s location. Sheeta agrees if they let Pazu go, which they do. He ends up joining up with Dola’s Pirates since they plan to rescue Sheeta. Sheeta casts a spell which activates the amulet, which points in the direction of Laputa. The robot is activated and it wreaks havoc until it is destroyed by the military airship the Goliath. Pazu rescues Sheeta but Muska steals the Amulet. The two children join Dola’s pirates in pursuit. They see a storm which Pazu recognizes from his father’s stories as concealing Laputa and asks the pirates to fly into it. The Goliath attacks them and the two children fall off into the clouds.
Sheeta and Pazu find their fall has been broke by Laputa’s gravity. It is a land where nature and animals thrive in the abandoned ruins, including a robot which is still active as plants and animals grow on it and is friendly towards them. The tranquility is interrupted by an explosion as the Army attacks. Muska pursues Sheeta while Pazu frees the captive Pirates.Sheets is cornered in Laputa and reveals he is also a member of the royal line. Using Sheeta’s crystal he prepareds to activate the dormant robot army on Laputa and use them to conquer the world, betraying his own men and destroying the Goliath when they realize what he is doing and try to stop him. Sheeta is horrified and steal back the amulet before running away, giving it to Pazu through a crack in the wall while Muska chases her to the abandoned throne room. Sheets rebuffs Muska’s claims as the people of Laputa chose to live on the Earth because that was where they belonged. Pazu arrives and with Sheeta, uses the crystal to tell all the Robots to help them but Muska with his own crystal counters this, leading to the robots fighting each other and against themselves. Sheeta and Pazu come up with the idea to make the robots self destruct, which they do. They whisper the command and Muska asks what they said before the robots begin exploding as he panics and begins telling them to stop but is too late. The explosion cause the floor under Muska to collapse and he falls to his death. Pazu and Sheeta nearly fall but are saved by tree roots which remain floating. Laputa is devastated from the explosions.The children are saved by the Pirates who took back their craft and grabbed some of the treasure before they left. The pirates and children then flew away as Laputa ascends further and further away, seen reaching stationary orbit above Earth.
Disney once more dubbed the film. It was a massive hit[10].
Candy Candy(1976-1979)
Based on the Novel series by Keiko Nagita, which ran from 1975 to 1979, running concurrently with its anime adaptation. The series follows Candice “Candy” White Ardley. A blonde girl with freckles, pig tails and green eyes. The manga was illustrated by Yumiko Igarashi and worked on the Japanese Magazine Nakayoshi. It was made out of a desire to recreate the “Masterpiece” that was Pippi Longstocking using the classic European literature style popular at the time, aimed mostly at young girls. The series won the 1st Kodansha Manga Award in 1977 in the Shojo(aimed at girls) genre, and was adapted by Toei Animation.
Candy is an abandoned orphan, taken up in an orphanage, who at the beginning of the story in the 20th century, says goodbye to her adopted best friend Annie and goes off to cry, meeting a mysterious boy on a hill that comforts her, though she doesn’t know who he is. When she is adopted, her adopted family, the Leagans, treat her poorly as a servant and falsely accuse Candy of stealing, sending her off to the family farm in Mexico where she is saved by William Ardley, a member of a wealthy family who tutors Candy into adulthood. Candy is sent to St.Paul’s College in London and meet several girls, including the Leagan children who try to have her expelled. This leads to Candy’s friend Terry Granchester, taking the blame and being expelled in Candy’s place. Candy decides to leave soon after and both travel to the United States where Candy serves as a nurse in Chicago during World War I. Terry became an actor but an actress named Susanna saved his life during an accident and becomes disabled, dooming her acting career. Terry is left to take care of a now suicidal Susanna rather than look for Candy. Candy discovered what happened without being told by Terry and sacrificed her own happiness to leave Terry. She then returned to Chicago.
Candy began to care for a WWI vet with amnesia named Albert, gradually falling in love with him. When his memory returns he reveals that he was the boy on the hill she met at the beginning of the story. The two begin a relationship. Candy then receives a newspaper revealing Susanna has died and a letter from a T.G.(most likely assumed to be Terry Granchester) that is a statement of love to her. Candy is left uncertain of whether to go to meet him or remain with Albert. The story flashes forward to an epilogue where Candy, now older, is happy with her choice and is with the man she loves. It is not revealed in the novel or the Manga who she ended up with and remains a mystery for the ages[11].
Notes
[1] OTL only the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was adapted. Here they go ahead and adapt both books similar to Laurie the Prairie Girl. As stated this means adding Tom Sawyer to the events of the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Originally there is a plot where Finn meets Sawyer’s relatives and pretends to be him and when Tom Sawyer shows up he plays along. This is tweaked a bit as the relatives see Finn first and mistake him for Sawyer. Since Jim has been captured this allows Sawyer to try and rescue Jim. Unlike the novel. the Anime doesn’t use the N word.
[2] Largely same as OTL though it was called 3000 Leagues in Search of Mother. The rumor will spread that Takahata had a fascination with monkeys ITTL due to his involvement with Pippi Longstocking, who also had a monkey as does the protagonist of this film. There's likely a monkey named Takahata as a one off joke in an Anime ITTL.
[3] Groizer X OTL was a side project to the next Mazinger Z installment. ITTL because Go Nagai got the side project he wanted to make. TTL’s Groizer X was rewritten from a side project to the main project with Groizer X resembling OTL’s Grendizer Z in both series and titular robot. Admittedly one complaint is Tetsuya shares the spotlight with Rita as the main character since this is her story. OTL it had toys by Namco rather than the most popular at the time Popy. Due to being a Mazinger Z installment ITTL, they went with Popy instead.
[4] OTL the series was called Gowappa 5 Godam with Abaranger being a working title. As ITTL it got crushed in the ratings. ITTL I threw it a Go Nagai shaped bone.
[5] OTL the Anime adaptation added many elements such as making the protagonist an American football play and more super robot elements, including adding more UFO elements. ITTL its much more faithful to the manga.
[6] OTL the staff who worked on Combattler V were pushing to make a sequel to Raideen the Brave but were forced to make Combattler V instead. ITTL they succeeded, butterflying away Combattler V. A consequence of this is it may have just killed the Robot Romance trilogy of which Combattler was the first entry. Though it may have just been postponed.
[7] I admit I hadn’t thought of how the TV Channels themselves would be affected by butterflies and had kept in NET’s transformation into TV Asahi. Here’s a brief history on what I’d change regarding TV stations in Japan.
A brief history. NHK and Nippon TV were launched in 1953. Most of the program was seen as vulgar and criticized by well known critic Sōichi Ōya. This led to several education focused TV stations opening after Ota complained the programs made the people of Japan into idiots. Among the stations founded were NHK educational TV and Tokyo Education Television as a tentative name before it changed to Nippon Education Television and started broadcasting in 1959. New stations appeared: New Japan Broadcasting Company(OTL renamed to Mainichi Broadcasting System Inc), and Nishinippon Broadcasting(OTL they went under but returned after given financial support from Asahi Shinbum, becoming Kyushi Asahi Broadcasting. NET began airing programs on both including the wedding of the Crown Prince Akihito and Empress Michiko. Due to by law needing to devote 50% of its airtime to education programming and 20% children’s programming, NET began to fall apart to 5% viewership. Worse, Unlike OTL, Television Nishinippon did not switch to become part of FNN/FNS, so NET never had a chance to increased their own allowed time. What saved NET was passing off foreign animated shows and films as educational, namely teaching children about growing up, the cultures and English literature. Finally it shook off its restriction legally and In 1960 it changed its name to Nippon Entertainment Television(OTL it became NET TV, ITTL due to shaking off the shackles earlier, it became Nippon Entertainment Television, but is usually abbreviated as NET TV anyway).
The change led to a clash between Hiroshi Ogawa of Toei who wanted more entertainment programs and Yoshio Akio from Obunsha who wanted more education programs as was intended when the station was created, fearing the station had become the very thing it was supposed to counter. Ultimately Akio won and forced Ogawa out, damaging the power of Toei. Since that point, NET TV’s ratings, including those of foreign films, began to rise. NET TV still broadcasted Educational programs but for a limited time in the mornings. In 1969, they shifted all their programs to color. In 1973, the Ministry of Posts abolished laws about requiring educational programming but NET kept on at a limited capacity(OTL they did not and abandoned education programming the same month). Then in 1975, Nikkei Newspaper sold NET TV to TV Asahi and it became TV Asahi.
[8] Piccolino no Bokan, an anime series adaptation of the Adventures of Pinocchio has been butterflied away due to Nippon TV gaining the rights to broadcast Tatsunoko’s version. There’s no need to to remake it now. Personally thought, I see about 10 years or so to be the ideal time for a remake, even of a classic story. At least every decade or so technology has improved enough that there’d be a noticeable visual improvement.
[9] OTL the Henshin Cyborg line was terminated in 1974 and the Victory Series and Robotman line became part of the Microman series. ITTL Gakeen appears in the Henshin Cyborg line.
[10] There are some adverted butterflies here when it comes to Castle in the Sky. OTL a robot resembling the ones in Castle in the Sky appeared in a Miyazaki written episode of Lupin III. Something similar happened ITTL but years earlier. Myazaki also had OTL worked on a series called Future Boy Conan in 1978 which had similarities to Castle in the Sky, but has not ITTL so Castle in the Sky is visually close to that film as well as its OTL counterpart. Another very close call to Butterflies is that Myazaki went to Wales for research during the Coal Miner’s Strike in 1984 to prepare for OTL’s 1986 released Castle in the Sky. However there have been multiple Coal Miner’s Strikes in the UK, including one in 1972, which may have been the one Miyazaki witnessed ITTL while researching for Castle in the Sky.
[11] OTL the Epilogue was added in 2010 by the author, and according to her was what she would have made without restrictions(drafts of the story dated to the 1970’s support her claim). ITTL it is included due to her having more creative freedom. While Candy is a few years older in the Anime when she meets the boy on the hill(6 or 7 in the Book, 10 in the Anime), another anime only change, her pet Raccoon, doesn’t exist ITTL, being created for the anime. Also OTL the Italian version added a very fanfictiony ending where Candy meets Terry at the train station and they ended up together. Neither the author nor Toei had anything to do with that version. that ending doesn't exist ITTL outside of italian fanfiction.
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It’s always nice to see how us westerners and other non-Japanese and foreigners are portrayed in anime.
What? How can she come up with this - it's actually a work without a denouement! Hundreds of episodes later - and so not to solve a love conflict? I can imagine how angry the fans of the original were ...
it’s not that hard to come up with the idea of “I’m going to write an epilogue but just be even more vague about the ending.”
1977 in Anime
1977 in Anime
Planet of the Apes(1977)
Based on both the original 1963 book and the 1968 Film Adaptation. Adapted by Studio Madhouse. The series premiered on World Masterpiece Theatre and aired on NBC. The film has an interesting origin dating back to 1972’s Pippi Longstocking. That film began a Monkey craze. While small due to the cost and rarity of Squirrel Monkeys, other monkeys were also popular. Sweden, which had once suffered problems with pet monkeys, allegedly had a government official call Japan and warn them about the Monkeys. While a rumor. It was later proven correct when declassified years later and the audio became public. Soon after throughout Japan, there were reports of Monkey attacks, one even got a hold of a Katana.Some people set those monkeys loose or allowed them to escape, causing damage to the ecosystem that was fortunately contained, making Japan join one of the few countries to declare war on an animal[1].
The Mighty Atom(1977-1978)
Airing on Fuji TV. A remake of the 1960’s The Mighty Atom series made in order to introduce the character and series to color. The series was made by Osamu Tezuka and adapted many of the original stories. It was distributed by Walt Disney, who saw The Mighty Atom as “Japan’s Mickey Mouse”. The series was noticeably darker than its predecessor but carried over the same themes of a robot with a heart. The English version kept some of the more violent moments including in one episode, Atom being beheaded and appearing to die, but being later repaired thanks to being a robot. There was a heavier focus on action compared to the 60’s show. The show also aired all 52 Episodes. At Tezuka’s request, the original actors from the 60’s show were kept. Its success led to Tezuka making plans for adaptations of Black Jack and Buddha [2].
Mechander Robo(1977)
A series produced by Tokyo Agency and animated by Wako Productions. The show was constantly facing bankruptcy and sponsors pulling out their support until Go Nagai joined productions after departing Toei and helped turn the series around. It aired on Tokyo channel 12. The series begins with an alien race attacking and taking over 95% of Earth. Doctor Shikishima builds a robot: Mechander Robo to fight the invaders. The protagonists mother was transformed into a cyborg now leading the hunt for Mechander Robo on the invaders side. The series had an interesting gimmick for fights. The Aliens had a defense system of satellites around the planet which would take three minutes to fire if they detected Mechander Robo, meaning each fight had a time limit of under three minutes[3].
Planetary Robot Danguard Ace(1977-1978)
Created by Keiji Matsumoto with Dan Kobayashi and directed by Tomoharu Katsumata via Toei Animation and airing on Fuji TV. Danguard Ace is set in a future where Earth’s natural resources have been depleted and they now seek out a mysterious tenth planet called Promete. However, the evil Mr.Doppler takes control of the army and the Tenth Planet for himself. Earth’s forces are defeated by Doppler’s own army, all except for one remaining Mecha, the titular Danguard Ace. Takuma Ichimonji becomes its pilot. He is the son of a man who betrayed the Promete exploration team, leading to their deaths and now seeks redemption. Many noted the similarities between the series and Space Asteroid Icarus.The series was adapted faithfully by William Winckler, who’d also adapted Tekkaman as faithfully as possible. Marvel comics produced a toyline for the series[4].
The Rose Flower and Joe(1977)
A short animation by Takashi Yanase(Creator of Anpanman). The short follows a kind dog who falls in love with a pink rose and decides to protect it from danger with his life as other animals try to destroy it. The ending is very bittersweet.
Attack on Tomorrow(1977)
A Sequel to Attack No. 1 with several of the staff including the director Kurokawa and the writer Yamazaki returning. Inspired by the then recent success of the Japanese Women’s Volleyball team at the 1976 Olympics, the protagonist of Attack No. 1, Kozue Ayuhara, has gone from a high school student to an Olympic athlete competing at the games, going from clashing with rival schools to rival countries[5].
Chogattai Majustu Robo Ginguiser(1977)
Often shortened simply to Ginguiser. Produced by Nippon Animation and Ashi Productions. The series premise revolves around the “Spheres of Anderes” created by an alien Empire called the Sazoriani to defeat an enemy race called the Plasmani. In the present, the Sazoriani want to retrieve the Spheres from Earth, where the last battle took place and on which the weapon was used. A descendant of the alien race, Plasman, built the titular Mecha Ginguiser and gave the four robots that combined to form it to four children to battle the aliens. The series would have remained obscure were it not for the Mecha Internet community discovering and taking a liking to it.
Supercar Gattiger(1977-1978)
Created by Hitoshi Chiaki and Inspired by the manga Hideharu Imamites. Produced by Wako Productions. The series began with Professor Kabuki revealing five advanced combining vehicles and their drivers, only to be murdered for his secrets by the criminal organization the Demon Empire. The team then sets out to oppose the plans of the Empire and save the world.
Chodenji Robo Combattler V(1977-1978)
A Series by Toei Animation and animated by Nippon Sunrise. It is the first part of the Robot Romance Trilogy. Toei had been asking for a new Mecha series since the same team completed Raideen, but allowed them to finish that series first in exchange for an original property. “Combattler” is a portmanteau of the words Combine, Combat and Battle. The V in the title represents both “Victory” and the number 5, the number of pilots. At the time of its production NET TV became TV Asahi. The toy company Popy proposed the idea of a gun like finishing attack which was approved by Tadao Nagahama, who had complete creative control. The plot was inspired by From the Apennines to the Andes, though the creators had the main characters search for their father instead of their mother. Nagahama brought on Shinya Sadamitsu and Yoshiyuki Tomino as producer and art director. Airing on TV Asahi, the series replaced Raideen the Superior.
The plot revolves around a distant planet called Boazan, which is centuries ahead of Earth. The planet is separated by a caste system where those with horns are the elite and the hornless are treated as slaves. The Chief Science Minister La Gour is exposed as a hornless pretending to have horns by the convincing Zu Zambajil, who wants power for himself. Hornless rebels free La Gour, who attempts an insurrection but is defeated with La Gour fleeing to Earth and starting a family under the name “Professor Kentaro Goh”.
When Boazan makes contact with Earth, Got returns as an ambassador asking for peace but disappears and is presumed dead. The Boazanians invade and devastate Earth under now Emperor Zu Zambajil. To face this overwhelming threat, the three children of Professor Goh: Kenichi, Daijiro and Hiroshi along with new members Ippei and Megumi, where all are given Professor Goh’s greatest creation, the Combattler, to fight the invaders[6]
The series had a huge cultural impact. In addition to “Combattler” becoming common slang for when machines combined into one, such as “Combattler Series” or “Combattler Anime”. The series also may have started a revolution.
The series aired in Indonesia, Cuba and the Philippines. In the latter, President(and dictator) Ferdinand Marcos banned the series, calling it violent and harmful to children. However, many saw the show as being banned due to its revolutionary themes. Marcos attacked Japan in the press for the perceived attack. On a whim, the Japanese Government chose to look into Marcos and to their shock, discovered that he and his family had been Japanese spies during World War II. They chose to publicly reveal their files on him. This exposed the lies Marcos had told about his military service, already heavily debated. He was a traitor.Riots led mostly by teens, some of which called themselves “Combattlers” broke out. The changes that came afterwards saw the Marcos government fall apart, completed with the election of Benigno Aquino to the Presidency and the return of Democracy[7]
Did An Anime cause a revolution? Snopes would say no Many would say that it was destined to happen because of many political changes. Another rumor built around this is that allegedly upon hearing of Combattler’s impact on the Philippines, A sequel was immediately greelit. Nagaham allegedly said something loosely translated as “Let’s see what Dictator we can overthrow this time.”
Monarch: The Big Bear of Tallac(1977)
Based on the novel of the same name by Ernest Thompton Seton. Directed by Yoshio Kuroda and Broadcasted on Asahi Broadcasting Corporation.
Balatack(1977-1978)
Produced by Toei Animation. The series follows five teenagers, Yuji, Yuri, Mac, and Dicky as they fight an evil alien force with the titular combining robot Balatack. The series aired on TV Asahi on Sundays between 18:00 and 18:25. It was loosely based on Himitsu Sentai Gorenger and its sequel, using a similar team of color coded fighters.
Space Asteroid Icarus(1977 Film)
A Film adaptation of the TV show, also in live action, compressing its plot to film length. It was directed by Toshio Masuda and Noboru Ishiguro. It was the most expensive live action film at the time. It was released a few months after Star Wars and this likely helped the film, as it was seen as “Japan’s Star Wars” outside of the country. It even outperformed Star Wars at the Japanese Box Office, becoming a huge success[8].
Ippatsu Kanta-kun(1977-1978)
Created by Tatsuo Yoshida of Tatsunoko Productions in partnership with Topcraft. It aired on Fuji TV. Kanta Tobase loves baseball but his mother has forbidden it due to his father dying in a baseball accident. Despite her protests, Kanata does not given up and continues to follow his dreams.
Temple the Balloonist(1977-1978)
Created by Tatsuo Yoshida of Tatsunoko Productions. Airing on Fuji TV. Temple(based on Shirley Temple) is a young girl who one day gets los then a hot air balloon she is on blows away, separating her from her parents, who she sets out to find, along the way meeting the drummer boy Tam Tam and making many animal friends.
Yatterman(1977-1979)
A series by Tatsunoko Productions and the last one worked on by Tatsuo Yoshida before his death of Liver Cancer. The series aired on Fuji TV. Originally intended as the second part of the Time Bokan series, it instead became its own entity, delaying its production, which was due to the show having little in the way of Time Bokan elements. The Series follows the search for the Skull Stone, the pieces of which are scattered around the world. Once assembles they will reveal the world’s largest gold deposit. The villainess Doronbo and her minions search for the Stone while being opposed by two masked superhero children, Yatterman and Yatterwoman, along with their robot Yatterdog. The show is a satire of the Sentai genre, the villains are incompetent and seek only to become rich. As a result, Doronbo is often considered one of the main characters alongside Yatterman. There are also parodies such as Yashington(of George Washington) and the region of Yametai, an ancient country in Japan which is a parody of Yamatai, but also means “I want to Stop”.
In the News
Tatsuo Yoshida. Head of Tatsunoko Productions, has been diagnosed with Liver Cancer. At the suggestion of his Doctor, Yoshida has stepped down as head of Tatsunoko Productions to lighten his workload. as the stress was causing health problems. Yoshida was born in 1932, growing up in War Torn Japan as a self taught artist and working at local newspapers in Kyoto. He became a manga artist. An early work was adapting Superman Comics into Manga or “Supermanga” as it came to be known. A Manga by his brother Toyoharu Yoshida, Judo Boy, was adapted, which inspired Yoshida to find Tatsunoko Productions with Yoshida and his other brother Kenji. When Yoshida’s own Manga Mach Go Go Go won the Shogakukan Manga Award in 1966. He chose that as the first series to be adapted and it became a hit. After this Yoshida committed himself fully to creating anime for Tatsunoko. His credits include Oraa Guzura Dado(1967), Dokachin the Primitive Boy(1968), Judo Boy(1969), The Genie Family(1969), Science Ninja Team Gatchaman(1972), Casshan(1973), Hurricane Polymar(1974), Tekkaman: Space Knight(1975), Abaranger(1976),Ippatsu Kanata-Kun(1977), Temple the Balloonist(1977) and Yatterman(1977). Tatsuo Yoshida has been succeeded as head of Tatsunoko by his brother Toyoharu[9].
Nobody’s Boy: Reimi(1977-1978)
Based on French Author’s Hector Malot’s 1878 novel Sans Famille(Without Family). The series follows a young boy traveling with a group of player sin hopes of raising enough money to see his foster family again.
Lupin the Third Part II(1977-1978)
Produced by Studio Ghibli and airing on Nippon TV. Miyazaki was reluctant to return but the owners of the name wanted to continue and the prospect of international adventures intrigued Miyazaki, leafing to his final contribution to the series in a 1978 film before handing it off as he felt his desire for art was holding the series back and it now wanted to be taken in a different direction. It needed to grow as a franchise and go off on its own. Moe too the original cast was kept in. Some changes include Goemon becoming a member of Lupin’s team. Bob Bergen returned to providing Lupin’s English voice. A problem arose concerning copyright when Maurice LeBlanc’s estate attempted to sue, but this fell apart as the show never explicitly stated Lupin was directly related to Arsene Lupin, LeBlanc’s creation[10].
Dinosaur War Izenborg(1977-1978)
Produced by Tsubarya Productions and airing on TV Tokyo . The series is similar conceptually to Getter Robo as Dinosaurs reappear on Earth in the then future year of 1986, led by Dinosaur Satan Gottes and seek to reclaim the Earth and wipe out humanity. The d Force assembles to protect humanity. The crew were badly injured and turned into Cyborgs referred to as “Aizenborgs”.
Super Machine Zambot 3(1977-1978)
A series by Yoshiyuki Tomino and Yoshitake Suzuki with character designs by Yoshikazu Yosuhiko. Produced by Sunrise. An ancient being known as Gaizok destroyed the planet Beal with the three families of Jim, Kamie and Kamikita. The families contrasted machines to battle the inevitable Gaizok invasion of Earth. The show became interesting as it took several realistic looks and deconstruction of the genre. It started off as a seemingly normal Super Robot Anime as was so popular at the time, but instead it provided elements such as explaining logically why children needed to be the pilots of these specific Mechas, child abuse, showing the civilian casualties caused by the villains and the heroes despite their attempts to reduce casualties, leading to the public distrusting the heroes and blaming them for the invasion. Several protagonists were also killed in the end. The series is seen as a forerunner towards the much Darker Gundam that was on the horizon and would inspire a shift in the Mecha Genre as a whole. Sotires in the genre became more mature, sophisticated and darker, not that those three always came together[11].
Wakakusa no Charlotte(1977-1978)
Translated simply as Charlotte. Produced by Nippon Animation and based on an original story by the screnwriter Shun’Ichi Yukimuro and not an existing Manga or novel. It was Nippon Animation’s first Shojo series. It replaced a Dog of Flanders in the Weekdays 4pm Timeslot. Charlotte is a young girl who lives a wonderful life when things gradually get worse and worse, beginning with the arrival of a package from her though dead mother and her father dying, along with Charlotte meeting a strange boy. Despite mediocre ratings, it was allowed to complete its series, ending at 26 Episodes.
Angie Girl(1977-1978)
Produced by Nippon Animation and directed by Fumio Kurokawa, airing on ABC. The series followed a Gypsy girl traveling Spain looking for her mother, once more inspired by From the Alpennines to the Andes[12].
The Snow Queen(1977)
A Disney Film but made in collaborations with Mushi Productions including Osamu Tezuka. The film begins with the creation by devils of an enchanted mirror that shows only the ugliness of the world. When the devils went to show it to God’s face he smashed it and the shards fell to Earth and lodged in the eyes of people. One fell into the eyes of Kay, a young boy and he runs away from home, eventually being brough to the Snow Queen. His friend Gerda sets out to stop him. Disney had in the past created a half live action and half animated film on Hans Christian Anderson starring Danny Kaye in 1952 but couldn’t fit the Snow Queen in, leading it to be adapted in full later on[13].
Notes
[1] OTL Rascal the Raccoon was released, based on the 1963 book. The series focused on a boy raising a wild raccoon, though it proves to be a difficult pet and he eventually releases it to the wild. The popularity of the series led to many people in Japan buying pet Raccoons, not native to the country. Unfortunately, they quickly discovered what the protagonist of the anime did and saw how difficult they were. Unfortunately, they took another page from the Anime and let them go, causing huge damage to the ecosystem as the raccoons had no natural predator and caused countless damage to temples and historic landmarks. An attempted purge of raccoons in the country sadly failed. As a result Rascal the Raccoon isn’t as popular nowadays but the Japanese seem to have no grudge towards him and he remains a mascot in some places(In the anime, Rascal is depicted as adorable while also as a realistic animal with Masako Nazawa “voicing” the creature).
None of that happened ITTL due to butterflies. The Monkey madness that took its place ITTL happened around the release of Pippi Longstocking and was less bad since Monkey’s aren’t a cheap pet. The incident in turn led to Planet of the Apes being made adapted instead of Rascal the Raccoon. So the show that started an animal controversy has been replaced by a film created by one. Also by an amusing coincidence(and I didn’t plan this), The original books of Planet of the Apes and Rascal the Raccoon both came out in 1963.
Oh and also this butterflies away the 1975 Return to the Planet of the Apes Animated Series since the creators basically just exported the work to Japan.
Madhouse was the selected studio to bring this project to life just for pun. As Chartlon Heston said in the 1968 film “This is a Madhouse! A Madhouse!”.
Finally below is a video example of an incident in Sweden involving a pet Monkey just to give an idea on why its a bad idea:
[2] OTL Osamu Tezuka wanted to adapt Astro Boy into color, but Mushi Productions went bankrupt and Tezuka’s characters went into questionable copyright status, forcing him to make the “Very Similar” to Astro character of Jetter Mars for Toei. Reception to Jetter Mars was mixed because some saw him as an Astro ripoff when they could just have the real Astro and others accepted him as his own thing. Tezuka lost interest both when reception was mixed and he got the rights to his characters back, making the Astro Boy series he wanted in 1980. Regarding the 80’s show, OTL in the English dub only one of the 52 episodes was not dubbed and cut out. It’s a two parter revolving around the villain Atlas. As a result there is a continuity error in the English version since only the second part of the two parter was shown. ITTL all episodes were shown.
[3] OTL Mechander Robo struggled financially as stated, leading to it recycling much animation. I chose to keep it and not butterfly it away for one reason. Not because it was popular in Korea though that may have helped. It’s appearance in the Video Game Super Robot Wars. Yes, the Smash Bros of Mecha franchises, Super Robot Wars includes Mechas from across pop culture, more so ITTL. In that series, Mechander Robo has a gimmick where any fight with them has a time limit. Tweaked a bit ITTL as the series is a fighting game and not turn based, but when the timer hits three minutes, the battlefield will basically be nuked by the aliens from its home series. ITTL Super Robot Wars is more of a multiplayer fighting game with slightly different cutscenes depending on just how close the match is to when the bombardment commences, such as the winning Mecha barely escaping the attack if its down to just a few seconds.
[4] Due to Matsumoto not working on what would become Space Battleship Yamato OTL, this is instead his most famous Anime Series, on par with the popularity of OTL’s Space Battleship Yamato. The comparisons with the live action Astroid Ship Icarus are more easily forgiven here because of the different medium as Asteroid Ship Icarus is live action ITTL.
[5] OTL Attack on Tomorrow, despite sharing many of the same staff as Attack No.1 and being about a girl playing volleyball, was not a sequel to Attack No.1. It was inspired by Attack No. 1’s popularity but the similarities ended up killing the show as it was too similar to its Predecessor, leading to low ratings and only 23 episodes. ITTL they embraced the similarities and made it a sequel, leading to greater success from fans who want to see the characters all grown up. The Olympics depicted are most likely the 1980 Olympic Games just to make the character a bit older as Attack No. 1 ended in 1971 with the character still a high schooler. Making it the future on release date. What could go wrong with setting a series during the Olympics in 1980?
[6] Raideen the Brave’s sequel was made ITTL, and Combattler pushed back. Since the former used the latter’s OTL villains, the resulting Combattler series becomes a combination of itself and its own sequel Voltes V. As if that’s not confusing enough. ITTL the character of Heinel does not exist as OTL he was created to satiate studio requests.
[7] Ok a lot to explain. OTL Voltes V was banned after a few episodes by President Marcos in the Philippines and the generation that protested are called the Voltes V Generation. ITTL the revolution that overthrew Marcos occurred earlier and its good timing. If you think an Anime causing a revolution even allegedly is ridiculous I’d like to point out that the TV show Dallas caused a revolution in Romania.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/hotel-dallas-shows-how-tv-865438/
Marcos ITTL had a slightly different life but his father OTL was arrested for helping the Japanese. Marcos himself was arrested with his family OTL but pardoned as the Judge was a former criminal with a similar history that had reformed and believed Marcos deserved a second chance like he had. Different Judge ITTL means he is found guilty. During the Japanese invasion, like OTL he has somehow escaped prison through unknown means, but mentions being freed from the Japanese. Post War he is elected in 1965, boasting on claims of being the most decorated War hero of the Philippines. Claims which are later revealed to be false. ITTL he was a Japanese spy and Japan exposes this, leading to an earlier overthrow in 1977 instead of 1986, Finally, Marcos’s eventual successor ITTL Benigno Aquino Jr, was a rival of his he “Probably” had assassinated
[8] OTL Space Battleship Yamato was an animated film compiling the Anime Series. It also held the OTL record for most expensive animated film, supposing Takahata’s Horus, Prince of the Sun from 1968. ITTL that title goes to Castle in the Sky. Just about every Ghibli film tends to break that record and they may have begun early but that doesn’t mean that changes.
[9] While I usually try to avert deaths. I couldn’t find any indication to what caused Tatsuo Yoshida’s Liver Cancer. If it was caused by smoking he could’ve given that up earlier but I couldn’t prove for certain. His career is slightly different as he won the Shogakukan Award in 1972 for Honeybee Hutch, ITTL he won in 1966 for Mach Go Go Go. He was also succeeded by Kenji, not Toyoharu due to Toyoharu’s Judo Boy series winning an award ITTL. A minor note is OTL Yoshida did work on a Superman manga adapting Superman Comics. ITTL however it crossed over with the “Batmanga” at the time while before Superman stories featuring Batman were adapted weirdly due to Batman being less popular in Japan.
Shogakukan Manga Award Winners(Continued from the 1966-1967 in Anime Post).
OTL:
1966: No Award Given
1967: Sabu to Ichi Torimono Hikae, Shotaro Ishinomori
1968: Animal 1, INakappe Taisho, Noboru Kawasaki
1969: Fire! Hideoko Mizuno
1970: Glass no Shiro, Mask Watanabe, Gag Ojisan and Oya Baka Tengoku, Ryuzan Aki (tie)
1971: Hana Ichimonme,Shinji Nagashima, Minashigo Hutch, Tatsuo Yoshida)
1972: Tōchan no Kawaii Oyome-san and Hashire! Boro, Hiroshi Asuna
1973: Otoko Doahō Kōshien and Deba to Batto, Shinji Mizushima
1974: The Drifting Classroom, Kazuo Umezu
ITTL:
1966: Mach Go Go Go, Tatsuo Yoshida
1967: Sabu to Ichi Torimono Hikae, Shotaro Ishinomori
1968: Attack No 1, Chickako Urano
1969: Doraemon, Fujio F.Fujio
1970: Lone Wolf and Cub, Kazuo Koike
1971: Demon Lord Dante, Go Nagai
1972: Lady Snowblood, Kazuo Koike
1973: Barefoot Gen, Keiji Nazawa,
1974: Getter Robo. Go Nagai
[10] The Situation with Lupin III is very different ITTL. Lupin the Third OTL was cancelled but became popular in syndication. The second series to an extent tried to bring Lupin back to his violent routes but ITTL Miyazaki’s popularity since the end of the first Lupin series means his version is essentially ‘The definitive Version” and the owners of the Lupin character are smart enough to realize making him a Manga accurate violent sociopath would alienate their core audience. Also Miyazaki isn’t the kind of guy to make very many sequels and wants to do new things. He has one idea, OTL’s Castle of Cagliostro, and then he’s done with the series being sold to someone else who can better handle it. Essentially Lupin III wants to be franchise but Ghibli doesn’t really do things that way.
[11] OTL Zaram 3 was rejected and did not do well. Evidently audiences weren’t ready for a deconstruction of the genre. ITTL…they are. Usually when someone make something deconstructing a Genre, It Ironically ends up reviving the genre as people try to imitate it. Scream did this for the horror Genre, Watchmen for Superheroes, and Neon Genesis Evangelion for Mecha. Expect all Mecha series to suddenly get darker and deconstruct the genre too.
[12] OTL Angie Girl changed for unknown reasons to become about Sherlock Holmes’s niece trying to solve a mystery on her own. That change did not occur ITTL.
[13] OTL an anime adaptation of the Snow Queen film was released but not by Mushi Productions. Disney conceived a Snow Queen FIlm following a failed attempt to make a join Disney/Live Action film that Goldwyn would partly adapt OTL. Disney died and the idea evolved into Frozen. While the details will likely be altered when I cover Disney, Frozen will not exist ITTL due to the Snow Queen being made.
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1978 in Anime
1978 in Anime
Nobody’s Girl: Remi(1978)
A series by Nippon Animation, released as part of World Masterpiece Theater. Since it was a sequel to Nobody’s Boy: Remi. A deal was made. Nobody’s Boy: Remi aired on World Masterpiece Theater first and was followed after It concluded immediately with Nobody’s Girl: Remi. It is based on the novel En Famille(which translated to With Family) by Hector Malot, who also wrote “Without Family” or “Nobody’s Boy”. This novel was also called “Nobody’s Girl”. To tie into the success of Nobody’s Boy: Remi. The series was renamed to Nobody’s Girl: Remi. It made a bizarre but interesting choice of making the series a sequel to the first. To do this, Remi was revealed to have been a girl. A retcon from the previous series but not one necessarily contradicted. Remi, now revealed to have been a girl pretending to be a boy to get adopted, is lost and seeks to reunite with her family. The series takes on an entirely new meaning in the present day that made the series more popular. A girl that spent her life acting like a boy because the world was unfair to her. A character coming out as a girl to her family, fearing what they will think. These elements has resonated with transgender groups in the modern day[1]
Ringing Bell(1978)
Based on the storybook created by Takashi Yanase, creator of Anpanman, who also directed the film. The film has a dark and violent story for a children’s film which led to criticism as it scarred kids who watched it. Ringing Bell was produced by Sanrio and shown alongside an American 1977 film called the Mouse and his Child. The film centers on a lamb named Chirin who’s mother is killed protecting him from a wolf. Chirin vows revenge and hunts the Wolf but is quickly and easily defeated each time. He then surprises the Wolf by asking him to train him. The Wolf, interested, amused and wanting a challenge, accepts. Years of training turn Chirin into a ruthless killer, having forgotten his quest for vengeance. Then Chirin and the Wolf attack the other lambs and Chirin snaps back at the Wold, leading to a fight where Chirin kills the Wolf with his horns. The Wolf is actually happy to have been beaten, declaring Chirin a wolf like him. Chirin is alienated by his own flock out of fear at what he’s become and returns to the wild. He is never seen again but the ringing of his bell can be heard on some nights.
Space Pirate Captain Harlock(1978-1979)
Set in the world of Spaceship Asteroid Icarus(The titular protagonist is later revealed to be the brother of the protagonist of Spaceship Asteroid Icarus). Created by Leiji Matsumoto. The series follows the titular Captain, an outcast turned Space Pirate who rebelled against Earth’s government when it was subjugated by alien invaders and now battles a human empire with this Pirate Ship the Yamato. The series was adapted by Rintaro(Director of Metropolis)[2] and produced by Toei Animation.
Brave Commander Daimos(1978-1979)
Produced by Toei Animation with aid from Sunrise and a toy sponsorship by Popy. Tadao Nagahama based the series around Romeo and Juliet. Inspired by the darker shift in the genre, the “Invading Aliens” are actually refugees from the planet Baam headed towards Earth to negotiate peacefully only for peace talks to fall apart when their leader is assassinated. The pilot of the Super Robot Daimos meets and falls in love with a mysterious girl named Erika, who is revealed to be the daughter of the dead Baam-Seijin Leader. The series combined Mecha with martial arts. With martial artist Kazutoshi Takahashi providing reference to the Martial art poses. The series lasted 50 episodes to focus on the Daimobic Base crew helping the Beam Empire settle on Mars.The Series aired on TV Asahi, replacing Combattler’s Timeslot. The Popy ties created were die cast and could transform as in the show. There were also replicas os some of the cars seen on the show. While not nearly as revolutionary, except perhaps to the Genre, Daimos as still a success and seen as a worthy successor to the previous Combattler. Future projects were put on hold when Nagahama and his wife contracted Hepatitis while traveling to the Philippines, where they received a warm welcome due to Combattler’s impact. Nagahama’s wife would tragically pass away from the disease while Nagahama would survive. The personal tragedy left him in a state of depression for some time. In the Philippines the event is sometimes referred to as “Marcos’s Revenge”suggesting the Spirit of the deceased Dictator Nagahama’s anime helped overthrow seemed revenge out and, unable to harm him, took his love’s life instead[3].
Starzinger(1978-1979)
Written by Leiji Matsumoto and directed by Yugo Serikawa. The story is a Sci-Fi retelling of Journey to the West. The series follows Aurora, Princess of the Moon and her three cyborg companions Kugo, Djorgo, and Hakka as they travel to the Great King planet to restore the galaxy energy. The series was produced by Toei Animation and aired on Fuji TV.
The Incredible Tide(1978)
A Post apocalyptic film produced by Nippon Animation and released on NHK. It is an adaptation of the 1970 Alexander Keys novel The Incredible Tide. Conan is a boy who lives in a small island on an Earth ravaged by World War II, which threw the Earth off its Axis. He discovers a new society has appeared very different from the one he knew and goes onto travel this new world. Miyazaki was critical of the film not liking its depressing tone with its children protagonists saying “You can tell adults how awful the world is, but you should never tell children the world of hopeless. You should tell them there is hope and that they can make it better.”[4]
High School Baseball Ninja(1978)
Based on the Manga by Shinji Mizushima that ran from 1975 to 1977. The series follows High School Student Ikkyū Sanada, who though he knows nothing about the sport, turns out to be amazing at baseball, due to being the descendant of a Ninja.
Haikara-San: Here Comes Miss Modern(1978-1979)
Usually translated as simply “Here comes Miss Modern.” A Shojo Manga by Wiki Yamato. Based on the Manga that ran from 1975 to 1977 by Kodansha in the magazine Shojo Friend, which won the 1st Shogakukan Manga Award for Shojo in 1977(The Shogakukan Manga Award had in 1977 added three categories, Shonen (aimed at boys), Shojo(aimed at girls) and Children’s. The Anime was made by Nippon Animation aired on TV Asahi.
The series follows Benio Hanamura, a 17 year old School girl in 1920’s Tokyo. She is a feminist by modern standards. She practices Kendo, drinks Sake and dresses in western clothes rather than traditional japanese, dislikes housework, reads book, and campaigns for women’s rights. Her friends include Tamaki, a woman who is equally invested in women’s rights as her but act more feminine and Ranmaru, a man who grew up playing female roles in a Kabuki theater and has acquired very feminine traits. Benio is horrified to learn she has been assigned to an arranged marriage and begins to do everything to humiliate her soon to be husband Shinobu. It is revealed that Shinobu’s grandmother fell in love with a member of the Hanamura family but was unable to marry him due to their social standings and died alone. Benio’s plans to ruin the marriage fail as Shinobu genuinely loves her and she starts to fall for him, until he is sent off to war. Benio becomes a reporter to be able to cover the war, meeting Tosei, her sexist boss who is revealed to hate women due to traumatic abuse by his mother as a child but actually gets along well with Benio because of how unfeminine she asks. She falsely hears Benio is dead and attempts suicide by drowning in Sake, only succeeding in getting drunk before deciding to move on.
Years later a Russian Noble Couple visits Tokyo and the Count is revealed to be an amnesiac Shinobu, who believes he is the husband of Countess Lalissa, who lost her husband’s who was also Shinobu’s twin brother. Benio is faced with ruining the Countess’s Happiness as she is dying of Tuberculosis and believes Shinobu to be the dead man…Then the 1923 Kanto Earthquake hits…Lalissa is injured and tells Shinobu the truth before she dies. After Lalissa dies, Shinobu runs to save Benio under the rubble she is trapped under. Benio’s boss Tosei saves them both. Beni and Shinobu finally marry.
The series remains popular to this day in Japan, seeing frequent reprints alongside Candy Candy.The Anime had character designs by future Ranma 1/2 director Tsutomu Shibayama. The ratings for the show almost led to its cancellation until the all female musical theatre group Takarazuka Revue approached the creators with the offer to adapt the story, having taken a liking to it. Candy Candy was also adapted. This announcement helped save the show[5].
The Adventures of the Little Prince(1978-1979)
Based on the children’s book The Little Prince by Antione de Saint-Exupery. Animated by Knock Productions. The series aired on TV Asahi. Yoshikazu Yasuhiko directed the series. 39 episodes were made. It is an extension of the book’s plot. The Little Prince lives on a small planet. He falls in love with a single rose capable of speech, but then feels the rose is taking advantage of him as he does everything for it. He then travels to other similar small planets with people on them and then to Earth, where most of the adventures take place. The Little Prince finally decides to return to see his rose and explains to a pilot he met on his journey that in order to return to his world he must give up his corporeal body on Earth. The Pilot is unsure if he believes this despite the strange thing the Little Prince has demonstrated to be able to do. A Snake which told the Prince he could take him back home finally bites the Little Prince at his request and he falls over, or at least his body, disappears, leaving it uncertain and up to interpretation if the Little Prince is dead or not.
Science Ninja Team Gatchaman: The Movie(1978)
Inspired by the success of Spaceship Asteroid Icarus. It was decided by Tatsunoko to create what would become known as “Compilation Movies” combining elements from the show into a film. In this case Gatchaman. Sandy Franks, who was simply passing by a convention when he noticed it. He originally wanted to rename it “Battle for the Planets” but decided against this as Gatchaman already had a following in the US. Gatchaman proved fairly easy to adapt as the series was fairly episodic. The film if anything could act as the series finale with Galactor defeated at its end.
Uchu Majin Daikengo(1978-1979)
Shortened to Daikengo internationally. The series was produced by Tori Pro and an uncredited Toei Animation and Studio New. Tori Pro was a studio launched by Jinzo Toriumi, who had just left Tatsunoko Productions along with Satoshi Suyama and Akiyoshi Sakai. The three believed that Tatsunoko would go downhill after Yoshida’s death and like Miyazaki and Takahata had done, they too could find their own studio. The series follows Space Genie Daikengo, who flies through space in order to establish peace. Onbard is Prince Ryger who fled his planet to defeat a menace and save his people, Cleo, the daughter of a corrupt Prime Minister and two small robots named Anike and Otoke. The main villain is the evil Lady Baracross and her army, which they battle with the aid of the titular Daikengo. The series aired locally on Kyushu Asahi Broadcasting on Fridays at 5pm. It was a hit and Takatoku Toys went on to get the rights to make more toys based on other properties.
Invincible Steel Man Daitarn 3(1978-1979)
A show by Yoshiyuki Tomino and Hajime Yatate. Animated by Sunrise. Airing on Nagoya TV the show rode the coattails of the early success of Zambot 3 and this show had most of the same staff. The hero Banjo Haran was based on James Bond. He was given a butler named Garrison Tokida as homage to Batman’s butler Alfred. The series begins with Scientist Sozo Haran conducting research on Mars where he creates androids with the ability to think for themselves. They call themselves Meganoids and rebel, killing the doctor and his family except for his young son Banjo Haran. Banjo escapes with the robot Daitarn 3 built with super metals from Mars and takes up fighting against the Meganoids. Like Zambot 3, the series shows being a Mecha pilot is not fun and the Meganoids are also shown to have personalities of their own rather than stock foot soldiers to be slaughtered.
Farewell to Spaceship Asteroid Icarus(1978)
The Sequel to 1977’s Live Action film adaptation(made concurrently with that film). The film continues the story by having the Icarus crew be confronted by the Gamillas, the aliens who created their robotic enemies and now seek to conquer Earth, led by Zwordar the Great. The crew is aided by the woman Teresa. The Gamillas even revive the Icarus crew’s most hated enemies, the Rajendora. A massive battle destroys the forces of both Earth and the Gamillas and the Icarus, Asteroid covering. In the final battle, Susumu Kodai tells the survivors to flee before sacrificing himself by piloting the Icarus directly onto the Gamillas Home Planet. The Gamillas were drawn as reptilean for a reason. Thus concluding the live action series in a bittersweet manner[6].
Ore Wa Teppei(1978-1979)
Based on the Manga by Tetsuya Chiba that ran from 1973 to 1981 and won the 1st Shogakukan Manga Award for Children. The series followed Teppei Uesugi, who lived with his father in the forest searching for buried treasure. His father died, leaving him alone. When his uncle finds him he is taken back to society where he is revealed to belong to a rich family with many siblings, forcing him to reenter civilization. In the anime Mask Nozawa played Teppei, amusingly her most famous role would be another wild boy.
Majokko Tickle(1978-1979)
Made by Go Nagai under Nippon Sunrise and airing on TV Asahi. The series is close in style to Honey Idol or Sally the Witch, being created for an audience or pre teen girls. The series brought back the magical girl genre, which had disappeared since 1975’s Majokko Megu-chan. Masaki Tsuji scripted several episodes, being a long time friend of Go Nagai who worked on Demon Lord Dante, Dororon Emma-sun and Honey Idol. The series was the first to feature a “Split” to the hero as the human teenage girl is a different person to her “Sister” the heroine she transforms to. This was possibly inspired by the Pink Lady Pop Duo, who performed actions in Unison and were popular in the late 70’s. The duo even performed the soundtrack and were featured in animated form in one scene where the characters watched their performance. Tiko is a shy schoolgirl who received a book from her father on her eleventh birthday. When she opened it she released a mischievous fairy called Tickle. Tickle and Tiko get a long well and Tiko wishes Tickle could be her friend. This results in Tickle casting a spell that makes the family think Tickle is Tiko’s sister Tickle is mischievous but also much more confident, but doesn’t know how to handle situations that can’t be solved with violence, which Tiko helps her with. Today Majokko Tickle remains an obscure work like Honey Idol[7].
Galaxy Express 999(1978-1981)
Based on the Manga by Leiji Matsumoto that ran from 1977-1981, which won the Shogakukan Manga Award for Shonen in 1978. Inspired by the 1934 Kenji Miyazawa novel Night on the Galactic Railroad. The series is set in a world where humans can transfer their minds to robot bodies. Impoverished ten year old Tetsuro Hoshino, wanting to live forever and can do so if he boards the Galaxy Express 999 space train. Tetsuro and his mother try boarding but Count Mecha and his gang kill Tetsuro’s mother while they try to board the train. Tetsuro himself nearly died but wakes up by a fireplace in the home of a beautiful and mysterious woman named Maetal who looks exactly like his dead mother. Maetal promises to give Tetsuro a ticket to the train if he kills the Count. Tetsuro does so by breaking into his mansion and flees onto the train with Maetel, becoming fugitives On the journey, Testsuro meets many people, robots and aliens. He finds that most of the people who became robots either regret it, are miserable, or have become horrible people. There is also the reveal of Maetal's true identity.
Tetsuo and Mattel arrive at the Planet Prometheum, the planet’s final stop. Tetsuo is shocked by the cruelty of the robot people there and asks a dying robot man about life there. Tetsuo mentions Maetel’s name and the man is horrified, revealing Maetel is the daughter of Queen Prometheum, the ruler of the Machine Empire. Tetsuo confronts Maetel and angrily storms off. Maetel is revealed to be plotting the downfall of Prometheum with the help of her father, who’s mind was transferred to the Pendant Maetal had and talked to throughout the Journey. She destroys the Machine Empire with Tetsuo’s help. Afterwards Tetsuo and Maetel wait at a train station with Tetsuo planning to go back to Earth and change it for the better. Maetel disappears for a moment and leaves a letter saying they are parting ways and she can’t go with him. Tetsuo boards the train and the two part ways.
Gatchaman II(1978-1979)
The Direct sequel to the original Science Ninja Team Gatchaman set two years later(which would be 1976 in universe). In the finale to the original show, Leader X was defeated and Condor Joe was seemingly killed in a self sacrifice. However, Leader X mutated a young girl to become Gel Sadra, the new leader of Galactor. The return of the Organization also leads Gatchaman and the International Science Organization to return to active duty. The team is introduced to a new member called Getz the Hawk. The first episode shows Galactic killing his family and him wanting revenge, similar to the origins of the other members, however in the last moments of the first episode, he is revealed to be a Galactic agent planted onto the team. The team is also confronted by a mysterious figure, later revealed to be a still alive Joe the Condor. He was found injured and dying by an ex Galactor scientist and revived. Said scientist also believes that the same battle killed her husband and daughter, not knowing that her daughter has become Gel Sandra. When the Science Ninja team find out about Joe’s survival they try to bring him back but Getz the Hawk frames Joe for being brainwashed by Galactor. Joe ends up accidentally killing Getz, who’s last act is to frame Joe for his murder, leading to the Gatchaman team to believe Joe’s too far gone and actively try to kill him. In the end, Gel Sadra is defeated and contained and Joe’s name is cleared. Sandy Frank attempted to translate the series, not realizing it was a sequel, leading to a bizarre version which was overshadowed by higher quality dubs.
Treasure Island(1978-1979)
An Adaptation of the 1883 Robert Louis Stevenson novel of the same name. It is a fairly faithful adaptation, though it does change the framing device. The original book was simply told by Stevenson. The Anime changes it so a father, later revealed to be an adult Jim, is telling his son a story after the son shows a fascination with pirates, leading him to tell the story of his own experience with pirates[8].
Captain Future(1978-1979)
An adaptation of the Pulp Science Hero who appeared in his own Pulp Magazine from 1940 to 1944. Though created by Mort Weisinger and Leo Marguiles, the majority of the stories were written by Edmond Hamilton. The series features the titular Captain Newton, real name Curtis Newton and his adventures in space. The series made many wild assumptions about the solar system including planets and moons as sustaining life and alien races. Though Hamilton avoided answering what year the series was set whenever possible the year 1990 did get out. The series was adapted by Toei Animation with Hamilton’s blessing. 13 stories were adapted in 53 episodes. Despite the difference culture, the stories were true to the original down to the bizarre explanations which had become outdated such as the depiction of the Moon. The series was also translated into many more countries, landing Hamilton a following in France, Latin America, Spain, Taiwan, the Arabic World and so on and Hamilton soon found himself immensely popular[9].
Lupin The 3rd: The Castle of Cagliostro(1978)
There was a desire among the Lupin the 3rd staff to revive the series more faithfully to the Manga. Problem was this would make the character far more dark and gritty than the current owners Studio Ghibli were willing to allow. Miyazaki and Takahata were already reluctant to work on the series and tweaked it heavily from its original concept. Simply put, Miyazaki felt like he wasn’t the right fit for the series and it was time to let Lupin go. A bidding war started which was ultimately won by Tatsunoko, which was seen as a good fit for the style of comedy mixed with violence that the creators of the show wanted. The second series had barely been approved by Studio Ghibli, only when it was suggested the cast would go international rather than local, which piqued Miyazaki’s interest. He ultimately decided on returning to give Lupin a fond farewell in movie form. Since Miyazaki had brought Lupin to animated life, it felt much like sending a son on their own way to make their own path.
In 1968, Lupin III and Daisuke Jigen are involved in a chase with money, only to find the money is fake. They track it down to Cagliostro and see a girl running away from some men. While she is captured, she leaves Lupin a Signet ring. Lupin recognizes the woman as Clarisse, the princess of Cagliostro, who the Count of Cagliostro is forcing into an arranged marriage so that he can inherit the ring she has. The Count and the Princess both have a ring that when they combine will reveal the location of the fables treasure of Cagliostro, which the Count wishes to inherit.
A squad of assassins try to kill Lupin and Jigen but they escape and Lupin announces his intent to steal Clarisse(something he does to every famous treasure he intends to steal, making it more impressive when succeeds). Lupin summons Goemon Ishikawa XIII and intentionally tips off his nemesis Koichi Zenigata to provide a distraction. Lupin disguises himself as Zenigata and enters the castle while the real Zenigata is trapped In the castle catacombs. Lupin meets Fujiko Mine, who he also invited and is undercover. Lupin sneaks into Clarisse’s tower and gives back the ring. The Count ambushes them and sends Lupin down a trapdoor, only for the ring he gave Clarisse to be a fake which he uses to mock the Count.
Lupin encounters Zenigata in the catacombs and they align to help each other escape. They defeat assassins sent after them and find the source of the counterfeiting. Zenigata escapes with the evidence while Lupin starts a fire. He is wounded trying to escape and Clarisse if forced to offer the ring in exchange for Lupin’s life. The Count attempts to kill Lupi anyway by Fujiko Mine saves him. Lupin reveals to his companions that ten years earlier his life was saved by Clarisse after he was injured trying to find the treasure. Zenigata’s superiors refuse to reveal the Count’s Counterfeiting due to the possible political repercussions, forcing him to team up with Lupin’s gang to defeat the count.
Lupin disrupts the wedding between the Count and Clarisse and rescues her. Zenigata leads Fujiko Mine posing as reporter to the Count’s counterfeiting. The Count corners Lupin and Clarisse inside of a giant clocktower where they battle among the gears. The Count takes the ring and pushes Lupin and Clarisse off but they fall into the lake. The Count uses the two rings on the clock but his hand is caught in the mechanisms and he is crushed to death by the arms of the clock when they come together. The Lake drains to reveal the lake filled with ancient Roman Ruins, the treasure. Clarisse tells Lupin that she doesn’t want him to go and says she wishes she could be a thief like him but Lupin says she is too kind, pure and innocent and that they must part ways, believing that it isn’t goodbye. It’s only goodbye for now. Lupin says goodbye and jumps into his car with his friends as they take off with Zenigata chasing behind and vowing to Catch Lupin next time, all of them barely able to hid the smiles on their faces as they drive off into the sunset. And with that Miyazaki said goodbye to Lupin[10].
Notes
[1] OTL En Famille was adapted into The Story of Perrine. Nobody’s Boy: Remi would be remade into Remi, Nobody’s Girl, which changed the main character’s gender. ITTL Nobody’s Girl: Remi is the sequel.
[2] Rintaro worked on Metropolis in 2001 OTL. ITTL he worked on it much earlier, which is not impossible as his career began in 1952. Captain Harlock was originally going to be introduced as the brother of the protagonist of Space Battleship Yamato, but since Matsumoto was not involved in that series ITTL, the character was introduced later. He also got to use his idea for naming a spaceship Yamato by making it Harlock’s ship. That and Spaceship Asteroid Icarus introduced a galactic government based on America, making the connections far from subtle ITTL, and yes since Space Asteroid Icarus was Live Action, Captain Harlock is live action as well.
[3] OTL Tadao Nagahama and his wife contracted Hepatitis while traveling abroad. His wife survived but he did not. ITTL their fates are reversed.
[4] OTL this film was called Future Boy Conan and was the directorial debut of Hayao Miyazaki who was working at Nippon Animation after leaving Toei Animation. ITTL he went onto find Studio Ghibli earlier. This radically changes the film. Miyazaki’s version had a profound influence on him and environmentalism and adventure would resonate in his later works as he changed the film to an upbeat adventure as his belief is you should encourage children to change the world and enjoy it, not discourage them with how hopeless the world is. Without him the tone is much darker, closer to the original book and its more obscure compared to OTL.
[5] OTL the adaptation of Here Comes Miss Modern ended sooner due to low ratings. The Anime version revealed that the Russian Count was not Shinobu but Lalissa had found the real Shinobu indeed and he and Benio reunited with an epilogue explaining the rest. The Takarazuk Revue did adapt this series but in 2017.
As for the rewards. OTL the series won the Kodansha award for Shojo. To simplify things, the Shogakukan is basically the only one, or at least the main one, the Oscars of Manga if you will. It also opened up categories for Shonen, Shojo and Children at this time so its been changed go have won in that Shojo category.
[6] Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato was the animated sequel to the 1977 film and intended to end the franchise but fan backlash led to another film undoing its events. This will not be the case here.This means Space Battleship Yamato II. Considered the best by many in the series as it brought back the characters and retconned the end of Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato and has some of the best animation in the series by Studio Nue, is butterflied away but wasn’t going to happen anyway due to the franchise being live action ITTL. However I hope that the fact that TTL’s version is basically Japanese Star Wars in terms of popularity helps to ease the pain and would have some very impressive effects due to being the most expensive Live Action films in Japan at the time.
[7] Majokko Tickle OTL was interesting in how different it was compared to Go Nagai’s other stuff. No Nudity. No blood and gore. No dark themes. It shows Go Nagai can actually write for teen girls and also provides an idea tonally of what TTL’s Cutie Honey is like as without being asked to change it to be for boys, the two shows had the same audience.
[8] ITTL this is the first time the story of Treasure Island has been adapted into Anime due to Animal Treasure Island being butterflied away. It was Miyazaki’s idea while he was at Toei but ITTL he left before that point. The reason he hasn’t made it yet? Well its because, and Geekhis Khan beat me to this…Miyazaki is going to be involved ITTL’s Treasure Planet.
[9] OTL Edmond Hamilton died in February 1977 of complications from kidney surgery. ITTL he survived which was fortunate for him as OTL and TTL he soon became famous as Captain Future was adapted in an Anime and Star Wolf into a Tokatsu(live action show). Here he gets to enjoy his newfound fame. At age 74, when he travelled to France, Japan, Italy or Germany, he will be recognized, given the red carpet treatment and shown respect until his eventual death.
[10] OTL the Lupin film The Mystery of Mamo came in 1978 and Castle of Cagliostro in 1979. Mystery of Mamo was a hit but Castle of Cagliostro was not. ITTL their release date has been changed and Cagliostro is the hit due to Miyazaki being more well known ITTL. Miyazaki did return to the Lupin franchise OTL despite the fitting end Cagliostro would have been and directed a few episodes, one of which has a girl that looks like Nausicaa and a robot that looks like the one from Castle in the Sky, and has airplane scenes similar to Porco Rosso. ITTL it will be the last time Miyazaki works on the franchise.
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News of 1970: The Haneda Hijacking.
While working on The Rose of Versailles Post. I decided to give real world events their own posts as it felt clunky addressing them as footnotes. This is because the Rose of Versailles is connected to another real world event. As such here is a post recycling the old information. A Similar Post will follow and then we will most likely return to the more traditional Anime Post.
Among the hijackers were Moriaki Wakabayashi and Takashi Mizutani of the band Les Rallizes Dénudés(“The Naked Suitcases” in French). Their deaths effectively ended the band, which had been founded in 1967. What would shape the world would be North Korea’s reaction. Falsely believing this to be attack, the nation declared war. 20 years after they had concluded, the second Korean War was underway and it would pave the way for the downfall of the nation[1]
The Haneda Hijacking
The Haneda Hijacking of 1970, was an event in which members of the red army took control of a plane. Takamaro Tamiya stood up and announced her was taking the plane hostage. There was murmuring before he drew out a samurai sword. The hijackers shouted “We Are Ashita No Joe!” As a reference to the series when they took control of the planes with weapons including Katanas, handguns and pipe bombs. They demanded the plane fly to Cuba but were told the hijacked plane didn’t have enough fuel. Instead they demanded to be taken to Pyongyang, North Korea. They stopped to refuel in Fukuoka, where police convinced the men to release most of the hostages. The pilots were given a map to the Korean Peninsula with a note attached to tune to a specific frequency. Air traffic controllers intentionally gave the pilots false instructions and lured them to a South Korean airport, mocked up as a North Korean airport. This appeared to work and the hostages were released until the Hijackers realized the deception and took off to North Korea using the map provided to the Pilots. Unfortunately for them, when they entered North Korean airspace, they failed to properly report in due to still being on the frequency used by the pilots. This meant the hijackers were overheard. The audio of the hijackers conversation to North Korea, was recorded, which would later serve to help identify most of the members, when North Koran fighters shot them out of the sky. North Korea was a no fly zone and any aircraft ran the risk of being shot down.Among the hijackers were Moriaki Wakabayashi and Takashi Mizutani of the band Les Rallizes Dénudés(“The Naked Suitcases” in French). Their deaths effectively ended the band, which had been founded in 1967. What would shape the world would be North Korea’s reaction. Falsely believing this to be attack, the nation declared war. 20 years after they had concluded, the second Korean War was underway and it would pave the way for the downfall of the nation[1]
Notes
[1] Fairly close to OTL events though the Hijackers successfully defected to North Korea and several of them are still alive. Here is an unfinished video of the entire incident as it occurred OTL.
Because of their plane being destroyed, some of the hijackers are not identified ITTL, OTL they include Yasuhiro Shibata, Yoshimi Tanaka, Takamaro Tamiya, Takamaro Tamiya, Kintaro Yoshida, Takeshi Okamoto, Shiro Akagi, Kimihuro Uomoto and Moriaki Wakabayashi. The Mastermind of the operation Takaya Shiomi was not present but was arrested soon after both OTL and ITTL.
Is it wrong that I wanted to include what’s essentially North Korean 9/11? That’s a sentence I wrote down and felt I had to keep. In this case, the hijacked plane being seen as an attack and North Korea entering a costly war. Not nearly the same thing I know but it was the way I wrote it that convinced me to include it.
[1] Fairly close to OTL events though the Hijackers successfully defected to North Korea and several of them are still alive. Here is an unfinished video of the entire incident as it occurred OTL.
Because of their plane being destroyed, some of the hijackers are not identified ITTL, OTL they include Yasuhiro Shibata, Yoshimi Tanaka, Takamaro Tamiya, Takamaro Tamiya, Kintaro Yoshida, Takeshi Okamoto, Shiro Akagi, Kimihuro Uomoto and Moriaki Wakabayashi. The Mastermind of the operation Takaya Shiomi was not present but was arrested soon after both OTL and ITTL.
Is it wrong that I wanted to include what’s essentially North Korean 9/11? That’s a sentence I wrote down and felt I had to keep. In this case, the hijacked plane being seen as an attack and North Korea entering a costly war. Not nearly the same thing I know but it was the way I wrote it that convinced me to include it.
News of 1972
Karuizawa Incident
A student leftist movement had began in Japan in the 1960’s and had formed into violent factions. Following the Haneda Hijacking, and the murder of police and civilians, Japanese law enforcement cracked down hard.The United Red Army retreated to the Gunma Prefecture. One group, led by Hiroko Nagata, raided gun shops but were surprised and forced to flee by the quick response of the police, allowing the culprits to be identified and placed on the wanted list. The Red Army Faction, led by Tsuneo Moriaki and Kunio Bando, carried out a series of robberies at the same time. These events led to a nationwide manhunt which left the groups with little place to hide and both group fled to the Gumma Prefecture and both set up bases in the mountains. The Red Army set up a base in Yamanashi Prefecture using the stolen money. It was announced that a member of the group had been killed. The two group convened at the Keihin Group base at Mount Haruna. The two leaders, Mori and Nagata, believing someone had sold them out as the police had learned their identities and their was dissent among the group. The result was a violent purge of members, some were beaten, others were tied to trees and left to freeze to death. More shot one member when he asked for tissue. The police raided the area at this time, saving some of the members left to die and forcing the others to flee towards Karuizawa in the nearby Nagano Prefecture. Several remaining fugitives took control of a nearby lodge and took the building hostage.
The Police surrounded the lodge, shutting off electricity and demanded the release of the hostages. The parents of the students involved were brought in to beg their children to come out. But this failed. Due to the purge, one of the parents of the boys killed in the purge was brought in due to the extent not yet being fully known. The riot police finally assaulted the lodge with a wrecking ball and armored car brought in. A Final warning was made and the siege began. A wrecking ball crashed through a wall, killing one member and the police quickly took the first two floors, leaving the radicals on the top. A High Pressure hose was used to break down the walls follows by policemen welding mallets sledgehammers and chainsaws to cut through.A Baseball pitching machine equipped with rocks also assaulted the windows, allowing tear gas to be enter. Two policemen were killed in the assault several injured and one lost an eye but survived. Ultimately the radicals were overwhelmed and captured with the hostages rescued[1].
News coverage of the incident aired non top on NHK from its beginning to its end, peaking ratings. Traffic was recorded to have dropped and the footage of the police officers involved eating instant noodles helped to popularize the food in Japan.
Lod Airport Massacre
Three attackers arrived at Lod, near Tel Aviv. The three were members of the Japanese Red Army recruited by a Palestinian terrorist group Popular Front for Liberation of Palestine. All three opened fire indiscriminately with weapons concealed in violin cases. However, they proved inexperienced as while innocent victims were killed, one attacker gunned down another, and a grenade exploded, possibly accidentally, killing the thrower, while a third Kozo Okamoto was apprehended by police. Injured in the conflict was future Israeli President Aharon Katzir, who would be elected one year later in 1973[2].
The Karuizawa incident and Lod Airport Massacre, including Kozo Okamoto confessing to being a Japanese nationalists, led to a sharp backlash from the Japanese population against radical student leftist groups. The group drastically decreased in number of followers.
Notes
[1] Slightly different from OTL. Two unnamed innocent victims who were unfortunately in the line of fire during the purge and the police raid. ITTL they fortunately survive.
[2]Aharon Katzir was OTL tragically killed. He was an Israeli Presidential Candidate and his brother went onto win in 1973. OTL Kozo Okamoto is the only terrorist not killed and also the only one identified so his survival was necessary to
Yes I'm working on it now. It's just that the creator of the Rose of Versailles was was a member of the Communist Party and the tragic events led her to move away and create a manga about the french revolution which the Communist Party idolized since they were all about overthrowing the Emperor. Also Kirbopher I refuse to have you spam this thread with messages like this. They are not needed. I am going chronologically and its office. Delete this comment now and if you do it again I will report you. They are a waste of time and space. If you have a question ask it? If not I'd prefer you say nothing at all.
1979 in Anime
1979 in Anime
Unico(1979-1980)
Based on the Shojo Manga by Osamu Tezuka that ran from 1976 to 1979. Adapted by Mushi Productions under Tezuka himself. The titular character is a baby Unicorn with the power to make anyone happy. Unico’s first friend was the girl Psyche in Ancient Greece. Psyche is said to be so beautiful that the goddess Venus became jealous and deciding that Unico is making Psyche happy, abducted him, Venus then commands Zephyrus, the god of wind to take Unico far away to the hill of oblivion, which takes away one’s memories, in this case Unico’s ones of Psyche. However, Zephyrus has a change of heart and lets Unico go, Unico is left to wander with only vague memories of Psyche, traveling the land and making people happy. Unico on their journey befriends the little devil Beezle, who eventually learns to accept friendship only for Unico to be taken away by Zephyrus to protect him. Unico then encounters a black cat named Chao that wants to become a witch and goes on a journey to help her achieve her dream[1].
Anne of Green Gables(1979)
An entry into Nippon Animation’s World Masterpiece Theater. Based on the 1908 novel of the same same by Lucy Maud Montgomery. However it was directed by Isao Takahata, making it an unofficial Studio Ghibli film in many people’s eyes, The series follows Anne Shirley, a girl at an orphanage, accidentally sent to a couple called the Cuthberts who requested a boy, as time passes, Anne becomes an irreplaceable member of the family. Takahata stayed faithful to the original stories in contrast to taking liberties such as with From the Apennines to the Andes. Miyazaki also did some brief work on episodes. Yoichi Kotab, another person who worked on From the Apennines to the Andes, was brought back. Eiko Yamada provided the voice of Anne and would become a staple of World Masterpiece Theater. The show was well received in Japan and boosted attention of the source material. It often appears on lists of Best Anime series, at least those who rely on audience polls.
Bannertail: The Story of a Gray Squirrel(1979)
A Series by Nippon Animation based on the 1992 Children’s book Bannertail by Ernest Thompson Seton. It was directed by Fumio Kurokawa and aired on TV Asahi. The series followed a kind orphaned squirrel raised by a mother cat who goes on adventures in the forest. It proved popular among younger viewers in the Arabic and Persian worlds as well as Spain, Latin America, and Portugal.
Daikyouryu no Jidai(1979)
Translated to Age of the Great Dinosaurs. A Toei Animation series distributed by Ishimori Productions and directed by Shotaro Ishinomori and Hideki Takayama. It revolves around a group of kids transported back in time that are now forced to live in the Age of the Dinosaurs. The show has since become a mime, prior to that it was obscure.Based on the Shojo Manga by Osamu Tezuka that ran from 1976 to 1979. Adapted by Mushi Productions under Tezuka himself. The titular character is a baby Unicorn with the power to make anyone happy. Unico’s first friend was the girl Psyche in Ancient Greece. Psyche is said to be so beautiful that the goddess Venus became jealous and deciding that Unico is making Psyche happy, abducted him, Venus then commands Zephyrus, the god of wind to take Unico far away to the hill of oblivion, which takes away one’s memories, in this case Unico’s ones of Psyche. However, Zephyrus has a change of heart and lets Unico go, Unico is left to wander with only vague memories of Psyche, traveling the land and making people happy. Unico on their journey befriends the little devil Beezle, who eventually learns to accept friendship only for Unico to be taken away by Zephyrus to protect him. Unico then encounters a black cat named Chao that wants to become a witch and goes on a journey to help her achieve her dream[1].
Anne of Green Gables(1979)
An entry into Nippon Animation’s World Masterpiece Theater. Based on the 1908 novel of the same same by Lucy Maud Montgomery. However it was directed by Isao Takahata, making it an unofficial Studio Ghibli film in many people’s eyes, The series follows Anne Shirley, a girl at an orphanage, accidentally sent to a couple called the Cuthberts who requested a boy, as time passes, Anne becomes an irreplaceable member of the family. Takahata stayed faithful to the original stories in contrast to taking liberties such as with From the Apennines to the Andes. Miyazaki also did some brief work on episodes. Yoichi Kotab, another person who worked on From the Apennines to the Andes, was brought back. Eiko Yamada provided the voice of Anne and would become a staple of World Masterpiece Theater. The show was well received in Japan and boosted attention of the source material. It often appears on lists of Best Anime series, at least those who rely on audience polls.
Bannertail: The Story of a Gray Squirrel(1979)
A Series by Nippon Animation based on the 1992 Children’s book Bannertail by Ernest Thompson Seton. It was directed by Fumio Kurokawa and aired on TV Asahi. The series followed a kind orphaned squirrel raised by a mother cat who goes on adventures in the forest. It proved popular among younger viewers in the Arabic and Persian worlds as well as Spain, Latin America, and Portugal.
Daikyouryu no Jidai(1979)
Zenderman(1979-1980)
Part of the time Bokan series produced by Tatsunoko, who also produced Yatterman. It aired every Saturday from 6:30 to 7pm on Fuji TV. Directed by Hiroshi Sadagawa. The series follows Dr.Monja a scientist searching for the elixir of Life, which will grant immortality and eternal youth. He built the Time Tunnel and sent a team of youngsters to search for it through time while another group, the Akudama Trio, is after the same thing.
Doraemon(1979-2005)
A Children’s series created by Fujiko F.Fujio, based on the Manga of the same name, intended as the successor to the previous 1973 anime. Produced by Shin-Ei Animation and airing on TV Asahi. The creators attempted to have every mention of the 1973 Doraemon pulled but due to the series finding syndication in the US, this would prove impossible. The original studio Nippon TeleMovie Productions was going bankrupt and sold the original cels and storyboards to collectors while publicly claiming to have destroyed them in a kerosene fire in front of Fujiko F.Fujio at their request. The show would be rediscovered years later. Doraemon 1979 was released in the US courtesy of Ted Turner. Doraemon is a cat robot from the 22nd century that is sent back in time to protect Nobita Nobi by Nobi's future grandson, Sewashi Nobi. This is because Nobita would have grown up to be a man that fails, his company going bankrupt and his sons facing financial difficulties. Doraemon therefore helps Nobita improve as a person and help him in daily life. Other cast members include Shizuki Minamoto, who would become Nobita's future wife, as well two sometime bullies and sometime friends of Nobita named Gian and Suneo. Plots from episodes usually have Nobita using one of Doraemon's gadgets in a way that causes problems[2].
Nutcracker Fantasy(1979)
A joint Japanese American-Stop Motion film produced by Sanrio based loosely on Tchaikovsky’s the Nutcracker. Directed by Takeo Makamura and Shintaro Tsuji. The film would be nominated for a Saturn award. The style is similar to Rankin and Bass productions. While it is debatable. It is considered the first Stop Motion Anime to many.
Mobile Suit Gundam(1979-1980)
Mobile Suit Gundam was released in 1979. created by Yoshiyuki Tomino. Set in a Fictional universe using the fictional calendar of Universal Century year 0079, the Principality of Zeon declares independence from the Federation on Earth and declare war. Fighting occurs on every continent on Earth and in space colonies. Zeon has gained Mobile suits as weapons. Half of humanity perishes and the war reached a stalemate. At the start of the story, a new Federation Warship called the White Base arrives at a secret research base but are ambushed by Zeon forces. A young boy named Amuro Ray finds a Federation prototype RX-78-2 Gundam[3] after The original Gundam is destroyed by a Grunt Unit, and fights back using the suit, defeating the Zeon forces. Amuro then devotes himself to protecting White Base and its civilian crew. Zeon lieutenant Commander Char Aznable becomes a recurring antagonist to Amuro, who kills members of Zeon's Zabi family including Miharu, a love interest towards the character of Kai. Amuro also accidentally kills his love interest Lalah Sune during a battle with Char. Char pilots a Unit known as the Kikeroga and drops the colony of Luna II on Earth in a devastating and shocking moment[4]
Despite poor sales, the series was allowed to finish its planned 52 episodes. What helped was that the merchandise for the show sold rather well and the release of a Compilation Movie(condensing the series into film length) proved there was a market. In that same year, the 35-year-old eldest son of Bandai founder Naoto Yamashina, took over as company president. The younger and more aggressive Yamashina sought to operate Bandai in a way patterned more after an American company, going so far as to fire many of his father's senior executives and replace them with younger people closer to his age. Bandai began releasing model kits based off Gundam. Gundam's success in the West led to the proposal of a Gundam live action movie to capitalize on the success of Star Wars.
Ultraman: The Anime(1979-1980)
The first even animated incarnation of Ultraman. The series was worked as the same time as Gundam and is a continuation of the the live acton Ultraman series[5].
The Rose of Versailles(1979-1982)
Based on the Manga series written by Riyoko Ikeda. It originally appeared in the manga Magazine Margaret from 1972 to 1978. The series is a historical drama set during the French Revolution, focusing mostly on Marie Antionette and fictional character Oscar Francois De Jarjayes, commander of the royal guard. Creator Riyoko Ikeda joined the New Left in Japan, joining the Japanese Communist Party, which was partly inspired by the ideals of the French Revolution. Ikeda began her Manga career in 1967, mainly writing Shojo. Ikeda would become a member of the Year 24 Group, named after those born in 1949, the 24th year of the Showa era. Ikeda was nearly invited onto the Haneda Hijacking but declined. The terrorist attacks by the Communist Party of Japan led her to leave the movement. She studies the French Revolution for two years and proposed a biography of Marie Antionette to Shuiesha. It received little support but was published in the magazine Margaret. Ikeda relied frequently on fan feedback. This led the character of Rosalie to be replaced by Andrew when Rosalie proved to be unpopular. Ikeda’s depiction of Marie Antionette was that of a common Shojo protagonist, seeking love and being fairly innocent in contrast to most depictions of her. Her rivalry with Madame du Barry is also shown. The commander of the Royal Guard was made a woman as Ikeda felt she couldn’t convincingly write a man. The character became extremely popular and eclipsed Marie Antionette as the main character.
Rare for a Manga series at the time, but the characters were shown clearly aging. Ikeda ultimately chose not to kill Oscar but keep them on for a bit longer. The series continued and depicted the entirety of the French Revolution including the storming of the Bastille, Marie Antionette’s death and ending with the crowning of Napoleon as Emperor, who became a character in the series prior to the finale though towards the end Oscar and Andrew were killed off which is seen by many fans as one of the saddest Anime deaths at the time with many fan fiction rewriting the series to spare the two.
The series was popular enough to be adapted by the Takarazuka Revue which continue to this day and was translated into English and French. The Takarazuka Theater even has a statue of Oscar and Andre at its front. It also received a live action film adaptation by French director Jacques Demy the same year it became an Anime. It’s popularity in France led to Ikeda being awarded the Legion of Honor by the French Government for promoting French History and Culture. The Anime series adaptation was produced by TMS Entertainment and aired on Nippon TV, directed by Tadao Nagahama. After it’s success, Ikeda announced a sequel following Napoleon [6].
Galaxy Express 999(1979 Film)
Continuing a trend started in Live Action by Space Asteroid Icarus and Gatchaman. It was decided to turn Galaxy Express 999 into a “Compilation Movie” or a movie version of the show. Leiji Matsumoto, despite Galaxy Express 999 being animated, insisted on inserting Space Captain Harlock into the series despite him being introduced in Live Action. Warlock was produced by Toei and Galaxy Express 999 aired at around the same time. As Harlock was on TV, Farewell to Spaceship Asteroid Icarus crashed into theaters. Lei Matsumoto had worked on the film conceptually and with three successes under his film it was now he felt the perfect time to make Galaxy Express 999 a film. Toei hadn’t produced an animated hit for theaters since 1968’s The Sun Over Chikkisani. The Problem with adapting Galaxy Express 999 was that the Manga wasn’t finished yet. Since Matsumoto was working on both, the film ran the risk of spoiler the Manga’s end due to needing to be a self contained version of the story. Matsumoto therefore decided to make two films with the first film being an untitled part one, ending ambiguously as Maetel and Tetsuro continued their adventure.
The film opens with the same basic set up of Tetsuro living in the slums and seeing the train arrive. Tetsuo and his mom talk about boarding the train together and some time is spent setting up Tetsuro’s unpleasant life. He and his mother try boarding it but are captured by Count Mecha, a human hunting cyborg. Tetsuro fight s desperately to save his mother but is unable to injure the count and he kills his mother. Tetsuro is left for dead. He awakens to find he is being cared for by a woman named Maetel, who says she can get him on the train if she comes with him and he agrees. Tetsuo’s new motivation in this version is to get a robot body as he believes that will make him strong enough to kill Count Mecha.
The first stop is Saturn’s Moon of Titan, which has been made hospitable but has no laws and is anarchy. Maetel is kidnapped by bandits and Tetsuro is given a gun, hat and Poncho that belonged to her son Tochiro Oyama(a character from Captain Harlock). Tetsuro confronts the leader of the bandits Antares and reveals that they too have suffered under Count Mecha, who killed most of their families and offer to help Tetsuro in his mission, telling him to look for Emeraldas.
On their next stop of Pluto, they find people who have become machines and a miserable, having preserved their human bodies in the ice. Tetsuro is nearly drowned by the machine people but is saved by Maetel. After leaving they pass the ship the Queen Emeraldas and Tetsuro fires on them in order to get their attention. A fight ensues until Emeraldas sees Tochiro’s things and reveals she knows Tochiro and where to find him at their next stop. Tetsuro goes off into the wild and finds a dying Tochiro, who’s contracted an illness but after learning his mother sent Tetsuro, tasks him with activating a machine to transfer his mind into the supercomputer of the Yamato, the ship of Tochiro’s best friend and Tetsuro’s childhood hero Captain Harlock. Tetsuro buries Tochiro and leaves his hat at his grave but on his way back is attacked by Count Mecha and his gun stolen. Tetsuro is left for dead. He tries to confront the gang again at a saloon but before they can kill him he is saved by Captain Harlock. The two then meet up with Maetel and Emeraldas, who told Harlock about the boy looking for Tochiro. Emeraldas leaves without saying anything after being told Tochiro has died.
Tetsuro heads to the Time Castle in which Captain Mecha resides. He is shocked to find the taxidermied remains of his mother mounted over a fireplace. Tetsuro then encounters and fights Count Mecha with Antares arriving to help. Antares helps to distract Count Mecha’s man to allow Tetsuro to pursue the Count. Tetsuro shoots off one of Count Mecha’s arms. Antares sacrifices himself to save Tetsuro from Count Mecha but tells Tetsuro not to trust Maetel with his dying breath before exploding, allowing. Tetsuro to shoot Count Mecha in the head, killing him. Tetsuro reunited with Harlock and Maetel and reveals he no longer wants a robot body but wants to destroy Mechanization. Maetel and Tetsuro part ways with Harlock. Tetsuro then says goodbye to Maetel and vows to change the Earth for the better[7].
Hana No Ko Lunlun(1979-1980)
Translated into English a The Flower Child Lunlun. A magical girl series by Toei Animation. The Dub was done by William Winckler productions, known for the dub of Tekkaman and respected among Japanese Animation companies for his as faithful as possible translations. The series aired on TV Asahi. The story begins by explaining that plant spirits and fairies used to live in harmony with humanity until the rise of Humanity forced the plant spirits to leave to another world called the Flower Star. A talking cat and dog are sent to Earth to find a person to recruit to find a magical flower, the symbol of Flower Star’s ruling family. In France the two meet Lunlun Flower, a tomboyish orphan who lives in a flower shop with her paternal grandparents. Her mother is revealed to be descended from the Flower Star People and hey ask Lunlun to join them, which she accepts. She then goes on a Journey with the cat and Dog to find the flower and run into a pair of villains who want the flower for themselves. Lunlun is followed and helped by a flower photographer, which she develops a crush on and vice versa. He is confirmed later to be the Prince of Flower Star in disguise and asks Lunlun to be his queen. Lunlun refuses as she loved his identity as Serge and the Prince willingly returns to the Serge identity and leaves the throne to his brother.
Kujira no Josephina(1979)
Translated to Josephina the Whale. A Shonen series based on the book by Spanish writer José María Sánchez Silva. In the 1950’s Santiago, a boy living in Madrid, creates an imaginary friend in the titular Josephina the Whale.
Future Robot Daltanious(1979-1980)
The third entry in what is considered the Robot Romance trilogy created by Tadao Nagahama. The series aired on Tokyo Channel 12 and was produced by Toei Animation and Nippon Sunrise. In the distant future of 1995, the Earth has been conquered by the Zaar Empire with al cities destroyed. A war orphan name Kento and his companions find the cave of housing the secret base of Doctor Earl from the planet Helios and his robots, which when piloted can combine to form Daltanious. Doctor Earl entrusts Kento with saving the world and defeating the invaders. The robot in the series was the. First to have a Lion’s head on the chest as well as the use of a Mechanical Lion, which would become quite common. As with all other Super Robot Anime titles, the toys were done by Popy[8]
Space Carrier Blue Noah(1979-1980)
This series, depending on who you ask is either a spiritual successor or a ripoff of Spaceship Asteroid Icarus, funny enough by one of the original co creators. Yoshinobu Nishizaki. The series is set in 2052 where the Earth is at peace until aliens called the Death Force attack it, forcing a small band of survivors to search or a new home planet. The show has since faded into obscurity due to its similarities. Unlike the original Spaceship Asteroid Icarus, this series had to compete with Galactica, a live action show with a similar premise. The Earth is restored to normal and the aliens defeated at the series conclusion. Amusingly, later works in the Spaceship Asteroid Icarus universe reference the the title ship(it appears in the background of one shot), though its up for interpretation if this means the series is canon or if its just an Easter egg.
Lupin the Third: Mystery of Mamo(1979)
The first Lupin the Third Project developed by Tatsunoko. The film was intended to be more faithful to the Manga than the Miyazaki adaptation was, which would have had to be censored. The same staff was assembled with Yasuo Otsuka, a mentor or Miyazaki and Takahata, working on the film. Soji Yoshikawa did the storyboards and directed. Atsushi Yamatoya also worked on the film. Tsutomu Shibayama, who had created the character designs for the 1969 original pilot returned. Fuji Ohno returned to provide the jazz soundtrack and the main cast returned. Tatsunoko gave the film a budget comparable to major live action films. Mamo, a character from the manga was adapted for the first time. His appearance was based on Paul Williams’ character in 1974’s Phantom of the Paradise, who looked like a monster, a little boy, and an old man all at once according to the staff.
The Story begins with Inspector Zenigata entering a dark castle in Transylvania on the hunt for Lupin the Third, who he believes is after Vlad Tepes’s treasure. He opens e up a tomb to find Lupin jumping out with a cape and fake fangs which Zenigata calls Lupin’s “Dracula Cosplay” before chasing him through the castle. Lupin escapes and the title is dropped. The film picks up again with Zenigata following Lupin to Egypt, believing that he is searching for another treasure in an ancient tomb. He finds out that objects said to grant immortality are being stolen, both from Tepes’s tomb and a Mummy’s tomb. However, Lupin and his allies find someone else is after these objects and Lupin believes that whoever wants to live forever can’t be a good person. After a clash in Egypt, they also clash once more over the Philosopher’s Stone in Paris where they run into Fujiko Mine, who steals the Stone in order to infiltrate the villain’s side and gain their trust. Fujiko Mine meets Mamo, the leader, who finds the Stone Fujiko stole was a fake.
Mamo’s men ambush the Lupin gang and a fight ensues as Jigen and Goemon believe Fujiko betrayed them. The gang travel towards the ocean believing Fujiko is in trouble. They attempt to rescue Fujiko but she seems to betray them, causing Jigen and Goemon to leave as they believe Lupin’s been compromised by his feelings for Fujiko. They are later shown to be making their own plan independently to avoid risking Fujiko learning the plan through Lupin or anticipating it if Lupin came up with it. Fujiko is revealed to have planted a clue on Lupin to where Mamo is and he follows it. Jigen and Goemon are abducted by American Agents who explain how dangerous Mamo is, they do decipher Fujiko’s clue that Mamo’s base is on a Caribbean Island. Mamo is revealed to be an evil billionaire that wants to destroy all life on earth and restart it with himself as Adam and Fujiko as Eve, the two being made immortal by him. Lupin steals the Sorcerer’s Stone and flees with Fujiko. The US Army attacks Mamo’s base while Jigen and Goemon go inside and reunite with the group. Goemon has a brief sword battle with Mamo’s bodyguard Flinch, who is cut to pieces but revealed to be a robot, but Goemon breaks his sword in the process which falls into Lupin's hands when Goemon drops it and it falls down a chasm in the base. Mamo tries to rig a nuclear bomb to launch and begin his plan after taking Fujiko hostage but Lupin has rigged the bomb to explode. Mamo is pinned to the bomb by Lupin with the broken part of Goemon's sword and Lupin grabs Fujiko before fleeing and reuniting with the rest before the island explodes, taking Mamo with it. In the aftermath the characters reunited and flee from Zenigata into more adventures[9].
Taro the Dragon Boy(1979)
A film adaptation of a Japanese For Tale and a novel based it by Miyoko Matsutani. It originally started as a puppet series on Japanese television. In 1979 it was turned into an anime. Taro loves to eats sleep and fight. He has no direction in life until a Tengu(In Japanese Mythology a heavenly being similar to an angel that usually takes the form of a Monkey or a bird) gives him a special potion that makes him as strong as a hundred men but only when he is helping others. Taro thus begins helping others and begins to enjoy it. He saves a girl named Aya from the demon Akaoni and helps collect firewood while enjoying his super strength. His grandmother tells him his mother was turned into a Dragon and he searches for her but then the Demon Kurooni captures Aya. Akaoni agrees to help Taro save her as Kurooni was bullying him into attacking the villages. Aya then helps Taro search for his mother and find her. Her name is Tatsu. She reveals she was punished for hogging food away from the village for her unborn child. Taro then begins to help the villagers. Tatsu appears to die soon after, but is then transformed back into a human as the curse if lifted.
The New Voyages of Captain Harlock(1979)
Matsumoto, inspired by the 20 years later setting he introduced Captain Harlock into for the Galaxy Express 999 film, revived the character. The series allowed Matsumoto to combine Space Asteroid Icarus, Harlock and the Galaxy Express 999 settings together. The series includes flashbacks to explain what happened in the intervening 20 years. Because it was technically a sequel to Space Asteroid Icarus, it attracted many fans of that series disappointed with the ending, especially due to the Studio New animation and the return of Gamilas leader Desler as a cyborg after his seeming death in Farewell to Spaceship Asteroid Icarus. The character returned and became the nemesis of Captain Harlock, the brother of the deceased protagonist of Spaceship Asteroid Icarus, making their battle personal. However, rare for the time, Desler isn’t just a simple villain and goes through character development of his own. As a new even greater threat, the White Comet Empire, surfaces[10].
Aim for the Ace!(1979)
A Compilation film of 1973’s Aim for the Ace. The film was directed by Osamu Dezaki, written by Keisuke Fujikawa, with music by Koji Makaino and produced by Yutaka Fujioka with Tokyo Movie releasing, Toho releasing it to theaters in Japan. It was intended to test the waters for a new series originally intended to be a remake of the 1973’s series, but the popularity and release of Attack No. 1’s sequel Attack no Tomorrow, led to the planned series being rewritten into a sequel to the original.
Mighty Atom: Super Train(1979)
The Mighty Atom: Who’s recently concluded his appearance in color and as Tezuka’s most famous creation, receives top billing.
Black Jack: From the then ongoing Manga that began in 1973. Black Jack is a doctor who travels and will usually operate on anyone, though he usually charges ridiculous prices. While he’d yet to have had his own Anime series, he did appear as a guest star in an episode of the Mighty Atom, which he’d also done in the 1960’s series, so he’d already been established as living in Atom’s time period.
Princess Knight: The 1967 to 1968 show.
Jungle Emperor Leo: The 1965 to 1967 show
Metropolis: The 1973 film.
Don Dracula: A Manga released the same year revolving around Count Dracula and his child Vampire daughter being accidentally sent to Tokyo where slapstick comedy involving the Vampire ensues as they are also hunted by a relative of Van Helsing.
The Three Eyed One: From a Tezuka Manga that ran from 1974 to 1978. It followed a young boy named Hosuke Sharaku born with a third eye that he was forced to keep covered by a bandage. When the bandage was removed he became evil and tries to conquer the world with his magical powers and evil genius but became a kind boy is the bandage was stuck back on. It was revealed he was the descendant of an ancient civilization of similar people that tried to destroy the world.
The Plot takes place in the early 2000s, albeit the futuristic version that served as the setting for the Mighty Atom. Detective Shunsaku Ban is called to meet someone at a mansion but finds the man dead at his mansion. The assassin, who is wearing a costume, attacks him and then attempts to flee. A fight in the rain ensues and Ban cracks the assassin’s mask, revealing his face. He is knocked out during the storm. He awakens being cared for by Black Jack, who he mistakes for an assassin due to his scarred appearance. He is shocked further by the bill. As they are talking, the TV shows footage of the unveiling of the new Supertrain the Marine Express which will make a trip from Metropolis to Tokyo. However, the train is said to be able to travel through time as well as underwater and underground. It is mentioned that Mighty Atom’s father Dr.Ochanomizu, and the reformed Dr.Tenma worked on the train with Duke Red(from Metropolis), the latter of whom died before it was completed as per the events of the Metropolis film, and even then was becoming less and less involved in the project. Shunsaku Ban sees the assassin on the footage covering the train’s unveiling and leaves in a hurry, Black Jack follows him because he didn’t pay his bill.
Shunsaku Ban reunited with his nephew Kenichi, who is revealed to have been staying with Ochanomizu and Atom while Shunsaku Ban got a job as a teacher. Kenichi found Tina but badly damaged and Ochanomizu has been working on repairing her, having brought her from Metropolis to Japan to help fix her into a robot like Atom. It’s also mentioned Ban was a teacher at the school Mighty Atom goes to, which was because Tezuka reused Ban’s character model for the role in the 1977 Mighty Atom series, meaning that continuity wise, Metropolis took place after the Mighty Atom series). Black Jack confronts Ban but they reach a deal when Ban reveals the assassin he is pursing a man with a massive reward, which would pay off Black Jack’s bill and he proceeds to join the group. Atom recognizes the man as Ham Egg, the cruel circus owner that abused him once. Ham Egg is revealed to have captured Jungle Emperor Leo and intends to sell him in Tokyo when the train arrives. Jungle Emperor Leo also hates Ham Egg as in his home series, Ham Egg was the one who shot his father.
Prior to boarding the Marine Express, Tina and Kenichi are attacked by what appears to be Rock, which surprised them as Rock is supposed to be dead(while he did die in Metropolis, the film mentions his death as well as that of Duke Red’s during the news report covering the Marine Express while Kenichi is mentioned to have found Tina in Metropolis badly damaged, changes made so that even if a viewer hadn’t seen 1973’s Metropolis or any other of the shows then they would not be lost). Kenichi and Tina board the train at the last moment as a result of the chase when Atom rescues them. However several beings are seen boarding the train including a mysterious cloaked figure, his minion, a Vampire and his daughter, and Rock himself, who is badly damaged, revealing his sunglasses conceal robotic eyes.
After the train takes off several murders on the train begin to happen(of other Tezuka supporting characters besides the main ones). The culprits are revealed to be the stowaways. The mastermind is revealed to be Hosuke Sharaku, who has embraced his evil side. He found Rock and revived him as a cyborg, promising to make him fully human if he cooperated, specifically so Rock could crash the train which Rock accepts is a suicide mission out of hatred for what he’s become. Atom during the ride befriends Choco, the daughter of Dracula and the Vampire’s own incompetence leads to his easy defeat. Ham Egg is defeated by both Jungle Emperor Leo and Mighty Atom and Atom, who can speak to animals due to his programming, convinces Leo not to kill Ham Egg, though Ham Egg ends up dying son after anyway when Sharaku kills him for his failure. Sharaku however succeeds in his intended plan of sending the Train back in time to the era of the three eyed Civilization he is the last member of, intending to lead them to conquer the world. He succeeds, stranding the characters in the past while he disappears. The characters discover they’ve arrived in Sapphireland, home of Princess Knight. Sharaku meets what’s left of his people in the past and leads them to attempt an invasion of Sapphireland with the cast preparing to help defend the Kingdom, including Rock, who Sharaku honored the promise of and turned into a human, and Don Dracula, who was betrayed but survived. Princess Sapphire reveals that land has been under attack by the Sharaku’s people, who are mentioned as being the spawn of Demons, which led her to recruit a Demon hunter(Dororo) as well as be added by the mystical being Unico. It is explained that under Sapphireland is the mythical creature known as the Phoenix, discovered after part of the castle collapsed to reveal its sleeping form(implied to have happened during the final battle of Princess Knight). Sharaku intends to use the Phoenix’s ability to revive the dead to bring back the entirety of his civilization and conquer the world. The final battle commences(resulting in visuals such as Atom and Tina fighting side by side and Princess Knight riding Jungle Emperor Leo into battle). Sharaku’s people as shown to be “Glass Cannons” as explained, reality warpers tend to focus so much on altering things in front of them that they don’t bother altering themselves, meaning they are basically still human and can be killed if caught by surprise, allowing the cast to kill the Sharaku Gang by working together to surprise the attackers such as Shunsaku with a well placed Bullet to the third eye, Atom’s butt machine guns surprising one, Don Dracula biting one, and Black Jack injecting one with a syringe). With his forces being defeated, Sharaku attempts to reach the Marine Express. Tina’s presence in the train activates a protocol created by Duke Red and a message from him revealing his plan to have Tina destroy the train as he believed it could be used against him. Tina nearly gives into her programming and destroys the train but Atom and Kenichi stop her. Rock dies attempting to save Tina and Kenichi from Sharaku, who simply “Unmakes him” having brought him back to life. Atom is badly injured by Sharaku and is forced to crawl to the Marine Express and enter it to activate it, transporting himself, Sharaku and the others back into the future, however, the train comes apart as it is traveling and while one portion with most of the passengers returns to their “Present”, the portion with Atom and Sharaku splits off and is left drifting in space, where it approaches the sun. Atom uses the machines of the Train to pin Sharaku down and both plunge into the sun and are destroyed.
While the passengers find themselves back in their own time, they briefly mourn Atom, until the Phoenix appears before Atom and brings him back to life as a show go gratitude for their help in saving it, before it takes off once more. Black Jack reveals he took a coin from the past which when scanned is now worth millions(a nod to a 1960’s Cartoon episode where he did something similar). The final scene has the cast take a picture together which the film freeze frames on as the credits roll[11].
Notes
[1] Unico was never made a series OTL. It had a movie that was a pilot for a planned show that never materialized and two other films. ITTL with Tezuka running Mushi Productions and the success of Mighty Atom, he is able to get a Unico TV Show made without the need of a pilot since he's the boss.
[2] The 1973 Doraemon is largely considered lost OTL while ITTL it is not due to syndication. Ted Turner also wanted to bring Doraemon to America but never did while ITTL he does.
[3] Unlike OTL the Gundam is fully White ITTL as Tomino wished to homage Stormtroopers
[4]a story event Planned OTL but removed. It predates the OTL Axis Asteroid drop by 13 years, which is the birth of the trope “Colony Drop” though ITTL Spaceship Asteroid Icarus my have stolen its thunder and it snow called the Asteroid Drop. A minor note is the original Gundam was not successful and was cancelled before it finished until the toy sales proved successful and it was brought back, ITTL it at least got to finish its first series.
[5] I skim the details on this one since they’d likely be covered when I get to the Ultra Series Proper in Live Action TV, but the short answer to how the Ultraman series has changed is that the creator originally had plans for each series to be a take on a different genre. Ultra Q was a Twilight Zone style series, Ultra Seven was a Lost in Space style story and Ultraman was a superhero story. As a result any story with Ultraman in the title is uniquely part of that Superhero series specifically. The creator Eiji Tsuburaya lived longer ITTL as he took his doctor’s advice to take a break and not overwork himself. He also got his wish for the Ultraman series that later installments would have the capsule be transferred to a new person every series, keeping continuity. As a result when the Anime The Ultraman(sometimes with a star in the title OTL) came around it’s not set in its own continuity but in the same continuity as the rest of the series, which means it depicts a classic looking Ultraman in animation.
[6] OTL Ikeda killed off Oscar and Andre in Rose of Versailles, the two most popular characters, leading to a sharp decline in sales and she was forced by her publisher, who received mountains of fan letters asking for Oscar and Andrew to be brought back to life, to end the series. ITTL Ikeda kept the characters around for a bit longer and they outlive Marie Antionette(Symbolic as the two basically usurped Marie Antionette as the main characters of the Manga and now that she is dead they become the main focus). They still die but at the very end. OTL Ikeda later asked to finish the series and did so for six years. ITTL the Manga’s length is essentially its OTL length plus the six years it took her to write the rest years later. I was going to make it 10 years long as a joke about how the series is as long as the actual French Revolution but decided against it. It ending in 1978 works better as it means the show knows how the series will end, which helps in its production. They know what characters are important, they know what fans liked or didn't like. They can plan how to space out the plots for the episodes etc.
[7] Matsumoto considered splitting Galaxy Express 999 into two movies OTL but ultimately did not. The first film was to end after Tetsuro got revenge and the second film was the rest of the story focusing on Maetel's origins and the final destination of the Galaxy Express. ITTL he did split it in two, meaning there will be a sequel. As for continuity, Matsumoto has always been very lax on that(OTL Captain Harlock is in 2977 but has crossed over with other series regardless of when they are supposed to take place. Space Battleship Yamato is in 2201. Galaxy Express is in 2221). ITTL since Captain Harlock is a spinoff to Spaceship Asteroid Icarus, it is set around the same time that show is set in 2201. Galaxy Express 999 takes place in 2221, 20 years after both series, so the Harlock characters are 20 years older and also explains why Tetsuro looks up to Harlock as he’s been active since before Tetsuro was born and grew up hearing stories about him.
[8] Due to a different Production order, mainly the making of a sequel to Raideen the Brave, Tadao Nagahama’s Robot Romance Trilogy, which consisted of Chodenji Robot Combattler V, Chodenji Machine Voltes V, and Tosho Daimos OTL was pushed back, so now elements from the later series show up in the next installments, creating sort of a mix of series, as a result Chodenji Robot Combattler V was the first(with bits of Voltes thrown in), then Brave Commander Daimos, and the third is now Mirai Robo Daltanious, which wasn’t part of the trilogy OTL, except since Nagahama does not die in 1980 ITTL, the idea the three shows are a trilogy isn’t really thought of since he’s able to create more works.
[9] Since TTL’s Mystery of Mamo is being made by Tatsunoko ITTL, most of the OTL insane stuff is out, such as Mamo cloning Hitler and Napoleon(Hitler showing up for a like a brief moment. Lupin encounters him, nervously salutes, and Hitler just walks away and that’s it. Personally I’d have had Lupin pull out a gun and shoot Hitler), Mamo being revealed to be practically older than human history but surviving via cloning, and finally be revealed to be a giant brain that blows off into space. Instead Tatsunoko made him more or less a James Bond villain close to Moonraker’s Hugo Drax, who wanted to destroy all life on Earth except for a select few to repopulate the Earth and had a big burly henchman. Part of this is Miyazaki’s influence means Lupin is nicer. He’s a lot more like Wolf from the Bad Guys where he can’t resist the urge to do the right thing despite being a thief. Even if you move away from that, its still in his DNA ITTL. So Lupin is now actively stopping a villain’s plot. Fujiko Mine was hit with this as well as while she tries to act like her femme fatale version she’s also been Miyazaki’d and its mostly a cover so she can help Lupin from the inside. Now as for how the film did, it’s doesn’t do as well as Cagliostro. A reversal of OTL where Mystery of Mamo was a hit but Castle of Cagliostro wasn’t. Part of this is Miyazaki being a bigger name and also the plot being seen as a bit too similar as it involves saving a girl from marrying the main villain. I do like the irony that TTL’s Lupin is essentially the opposite of Manga Lupin and OTL’s Mystery of Mamo Lupin. If the two ever met they’d be mortal enemies.
[10] A Combination of OTL’s Yamato:The New Voyage and Space Battleship Yamato II. Matsumoto, who OTL cared little for continuity now loves it ITTL as it allows hims to explore many more of his ideas at once. Instead of Yamato II retconning the ending of Space Battleship Yamato as OTL, we have a continuation, which is personally a better way to retcon something, don’t say it never happened but use good writing to find a way to make it work. In this case because Captain Harlock is a sequel to TTL’s Space Battleship Yamato, It attracts fans of that series but is also better written as the disliked death of Yamato’s main character now fuels Harlock’s desire to avenge him by killing that series’s main villain when he finds out he is still alive. Harlock as a result of appearing in a live action show, getting his own live action show, appearing animated in Galaxy Express 999 and now getting his own Animated show, is much more popular ITTL.
[11] Undersea Super Train: Marine Express OTL did feature characters from Tezuka’s works, but they were radically different and basically alternate universe versions. Astro Boy didn’t know he was a robot. Princess Knight was Queen of the ancient continent of Mu, Rock was the hero, Dr.Ochanomizu was a jerk and so on. Which I'm not against as once again Tezuka saw his characters as actors that took on different roles. The plot involved the train and then traveling to the ancient land of Mu and battling Sharaku. The only person to return to the present was Shunsaku Ban in the original story. ITTL more Tezuka properties have been adapted and so there’s more to live up to, so there’s a lot more focus on Canon Welding all the series into a massive Crossover but maintaining continuity. Added into this version is Kenichi and Tina, Unico(Who has his own series ITTL) and Dororo(who ITTL was a megahit warranting his inclusion). OTL the film had Rock and Princess Sapphire end up together but that doesn’t happen here due to Princess Sapphire’s series having her end up with her canon love interest. Which means Rock gets a death by redemption instead.
Black Jack: From the then ongoing Manga that began in 1973. Black Jack is a doctor who travels and will usually operate on anyone, though he usually charges ridiculous prices. While he’d yet to have had his own Anime series, he did appear as a guest star in an episode of the Mighty Atom, which he’d also done in the 1960’s series, so he’d already been established as living in Atom’s time period.
Princess Knight: The 1967 to 1968 show.
Jungle Emperor Leo: The 1965 to 1967 show
Metropolis: The 1973 film.
Don Dracula: A Manga released the same year revolving around Count Dracula and his child Vampire daughter being accidentally sent to Tokyo where slapstick comedy involving the Vampire ensues as they are also hunted by a relative of Van Helsing.
The Three Eyed One: From a Tezuka Manga that ran from 1974 to 1978. It followed a young boy named Hosuke Sharaku born with a third eye that he was forced to keep covered by a bandage. When the bandage was removed he became evil and tries to conquer the world with his magical powers and evil genius but became a kind boy is the bandage was stuck back on. It was revealed he was the descendant of an ancient civilization of similar people that tried to destroy the world.
The Plot takes place in the early 2000s, albeit the futuristic version that served as the setting for the Mighty Atom. Detective Shunsaku Ban is called to meet someone at a mansion but finds the man dead at his mansion. The assassin, who is wearing a costume, attacks him and then attempts to flee. A fight in the rain ensues and Ban cracks the assassin’s mask, revealing his face. He is knocked out during the storm. He awakens being cared for by Black Jack, who he mistakes for an assassin due to his scarred appearance. He is shocked further by the bill. As they are talking, the TV shows footage of the unveiling of the new Supertrain the Marine Express which will make a trip from Metropolis to Tokyo. However, the train is said to be able to travel through time as well as underwater and underground. It is mentioned that Mighty Atom’s father Dr.Ochanomizu, and the reformed Dr.Tenma worked on the train with Duke Red(from Metropolis), the latter of whom died before it was completed as per the events of the Metropolis film, and even then was becoming less and less involved in the project. Shunsaku Ban sees the assassin on the footage covering the train’s unveiling and leaves in a hurry, Black Jack follows him because he didn’t pay his bill.
Shunsaku Ban reunited with his nephew Kenichi, who is revealed to have been staying with Ochanomizu and Atom while Shunsaku Ban got a job as a teacher. Kenichi found Tina but badly damaged and Ochanomizu has been working on repairing her, having brought her from Metropolis to Japan to help fix her into a robot like Atom. It’s also mentioned Ban was a teacher at the school Mighty Atom goes to, which was because Tezuka reused Ban’s character model for the role in the 1977 Mighty Atom series, meaning that continuity wise, Metropolis took place after the Mighty Atom series). Black Jack confronts Ban but they reach a deal when Ban reveals the assassin he is pursing a man with a massive reward, which would pay off Black Jack’s bill and he proceeds to join the group. Atom recognizes the man as Ham Egg, the cruel circus owner that abused him once. Ham Egg is revealed to have captured Jungle Emperor Leo and intends to sell him in Tokyo when the train arrives. Jungle Emperor Leo also hates Ham Egg as in his home series, Ham Egg was the one who shot his father.
Prior to boarding the Marine Express, Tina and Kenichi are attacked by what appears to be Rock, which surprised them as Rock is supposed to be dead(while he did die in Metropolis, the film mentions his death as well as that of Duke Red’s during the news report covering the Marine Express while Kenichi is mentioned to have found Tina in Metropolis badly damaged, changes made so that even if a viewer hadn’t seen 1973’s Metropolis or any other of the shows then they would not be lost). Kenichi and Tina board the train at the last moment as a result of the chase when Atom rescues them. However several beings are seen boarding the train including a mysterious cloaked figure, his minion, a Vampire and his daughter, and Rock himself, who is badly damaged, revealing his sunglasses conceal robotic eyes.
After the train takes off several murders on the train begin to happen(of other Tezuka supporting characters besides the main ones). The culprits are revealed to be the stowaways. The mastermind is revealed to be Hosuke Sharaku, who has embraced his evil side. He found Rock and revived him as a cyborg, promising to make him fully human if he cooperated, specifically so Rock could crash the train which Rock accepts is a suicide mission out of hatred for what he’s become. Atom during the ride befriends Choco, the daughter of Dracula and the Vampire’s own incompetence leads to his easy defeat. Ham Egg is defeated by both Jungle Emperor Leo and Mighty Atom and Atom, who can speak to animals due to his programming, convinces Leo not to kill Ham Egg, though Ham Egg ends up dying son after anyway when Sharaku kills him for his failure. Sharaku however succeeds in his intended plan of sending the Train back in time to the era of the three eyed Civilization he is the last member of, intending to lead them to conquer the world. He succeeds, stranding the characters in the past while he disappears. The characters discover they’ve arrived in Sapphireland, home of Princess Knight. Sharaku meets what’s left of his people in the past and leads them to attempt an invasion of Sapphireland with the cast preparing to help defend the Kingdom, including Rock, who Sharaku honored the promise of and turned into a human, and Don Dracula, who was betrayed but survived. Princess Sapphire reveals that land has been under attack by the Sharaku’s people, who are mentioned as being the spawn of Demons, which led her to recruit a Demon hunter(Dororo) as well as be added by the mystical being Unico. It is explained that under Sapphireland is the mythical creature known as the Phoenix, discovered after part of the castle collapsed to reveal its sleeping form(implied to have happened during the final battle of Princess Knight). Sharaku intends to use the Phoenix’s ability to revive the dead to bring back the entirety of his civilization and conquer the world. The final battle commences(resulting in visuals such as Atom and Tina fighting side by side and Princess Knight riding Jungle Emperor Leo into battle). Sharaku’s people as shown to be “Glass Cannons” as explained, reality warpers tend to focus so much on altering things in front of them that they don’t bother altering themselves, meaning they are basically still human and can be killed if caught by surprise, allowing the cast to kill the Sharaku Gang by working together to surprise the attackers such as Shunsaku with a well placed Bullet to the third eye, Atom’s butt machine guns surprising one, Don Dracula biting one, and Black Jack injecting one with a syringe). With his forces being defeated, Sharaku attempts to reach the Marine Express. Tina’s presence in the train activates a protocol created by Duke Red and a message from him revealing his plan to have Tina destroy the train as he believed it could be used against him. Tina nearly gives into her programming and destroys the train but Atom and Kenichi stop her. Rock dies attempting to save Tina and Kenichi from Sharaku, who simply “Unmakes him” having brought him back to life. Atom is badly injured by Sharaku and is forced to crawl to the Marine Express and enter it to activate it, transporting himself, Sharaku and the others back into the future, however, the train comes apart as it is traveling and while one portion with most of the passengers returns to their “Present”, the portion with Atom and Sharaku splits off and is left drifting in space, where it approaches the sun. Atom uses the machines of the Train to pin Sharaku down and both plunge into the sun and are destroyed.
While the passengers find themselves back in their own time, they briefly mourn Atom, until the Phoenix appears before Atom and brings him back to life as a show go gratitude for their help in saving it, before it takes off once more. Black Jack reveals he took a coin from the past which when scanned is now worth millions(a nod to a 1960’s Cartoon episode where he did something similar). The final scene has the cast take a picture together which the film freeze frames on as the credits roll[11].
Notes
[1] Unico was never made a series OTL. It had a movie that was a pilot for a planned show that never materialized and two other films. ITTL with Tezuka running Mushi Productions and the success of Mighty Atom, he is able to get a Unico TV Show made without the need of a pilot since he's the boss.
[2] The 1973 Doraemon is largely considered lost OTL while ITTL it is not due to syndication. Ted Turner also wanted to bring Doraemon to America but never did while ITTL he does.
[3] Unlike OTL the Gundam is fully White ITTL as Tomino wished to homage Stormtroopers
[4]a story event Planned OTL but removed. It predates the OTL Axis Asteroid drop by 13 years, which is the birth of the trope “Colony Drop” though ITTL Spaceship Asteroid Icarus my have stolen its thunder and it snow called the Asteroid Drop. A minor note is the original Gundam was not successful and was cancelled before it finished until the toy sales proved successful and it was brought back, ITTL it at least got to finish its first series.
[5] I skim the details on this one since they’d likely be covered when I get to the Ultra Series Proper in Live Action TV, but the short answer to how the Ultraman series has changed is that the creator originally had plans for each series to be a take on a different genre. Ultra Q was a Twilight Zone style series, Ultra Seven was a Lost in Space style story and Ultraman was a superhero story. As a result any story with Ultraman in the title is uniquely part of that Superhero series specifically. The creator Eiji Tsuburaya lived longer ITTL as he took his doctor’s advice to take a break and not overwork himself. He also got his wish for the Ultraman series that later installments would have the capsule be transferred to a new person every series, keeping continuity. As a result when the Anime The Ultraman(sometimes with a star in the title OTL) came around it’s not set in its own continuity but in the same continuity as the rest of the series, which means it depicts a classic looking Ultraman in animation.
[6] OTL Ikeda killed off Oscar and Andre in Rose of Versailles, the two most popular characters, leading to a sharp decline in sales and she was forced by her publisher, who received mountains of fan letters asking for Oscar and Andrew to be brought back to life, to end the series. ITTL Ikeda kept the characters around for a bit longer and they outlive Marie Antionette(Symbolic as the two basically usurped Marie Antionette as the main characters of the Manga and now that she is dead they become the main focus). They still die but at the very end. OTL Ikeda later asked to finish the series and did so for six years. ITTL the Manga’s length is essentially its OTL length plus the six years it took her to write the rest years later. I was going to make it 10 years long as a joke about how the series is as long as the actual French Revolution but decided against it. It ending in 1978 works better as it means the show knows how the series will end, which helps in its production. They know what characters are important, they know what fans liked or didn't like. They can plan how to space out the plots for the episodes etc.
[7] Matsumoto considered splitting Galaxy Express 999 into two movies OTL but ultimately did not. The first film was to end after Tetsuro got revenge and the second film was the rest of the story focusing on Maetel's origins and the final destination of the Galaxy Express. ITTL he did split it in two, meaning there will be a sequel. As for continuity, Matsumoto has always been very lax on that(OTL Captain Harlock is in 2977 but has crossed over with other series regardless of when they are supposed to take place. Space Battleship Yamato is in 2201. Galaxy Express is in 2221). ITTL since Captain Harlock is a spinoff to Spaceship Asteroid Icarus, it is set around the same time that show is set in 2201. Galaxy Express 999 takes place in 2221, 20 years after both series, so the Harlock characters are 20 years older and also explains why Tetsuro looks up to Harlock as he’s been active since before Tetsuro was born and grew up hearing stories about him.
[8] Due to a different Production order, mainly the making of a sequel to Raideen the Brave, Tadao Nagahama’s Robot Romance Trilogy, which consisted of Chodenji Robot Combattler V, Chodenji Machine Voltes V, and Tosho Daimos OTL was pushed back, so now elements from the later series show up in the next installments, creating sort of a mix of series, as a result Chodenji Robot Combattler V was the first(with bits of Voltes thrown in), then Brave Commander Daimos, and the third is now Mirai Robo Daltanious, which wasn’t part of the trilogy OTL, except since Nagahama does not die in 1980 ITTL, the idea the three shows are a trilogy isn’t really thought of since he’s able to create more works.
[9] Since TTL’s Mystery of Mamo is being made by Tatsunoko ITTL, most of the OTL insane stuff is out, such as Mamo cloning Hitler and Napoleon(Hitler showing up for a like a brief moment. Lupin encounters him, nervously salutes, and Hitler just walks away and that’s it. Personally I’d have had Lupin pull out a gun and shoot Hitler), Mamo being revealed to be practically older than human history but surviving via cloning, and finally be revealed to be a giant brain that blows off into space. Instead Tatsunoko made him more or less a James Bond villain close to Moonraker’s Hugo Drax, who wanted to destroy all life on Earth except for a select few to repopulate the Earth and had a big burly henchman. Part of this is Miyazaki’s influence means Lupin is nicer. He’s a lot more like Wolf from the Bad Guys where he can’t resist the urge to do the right thing despite being a thief. Even if you move away from that, its still in his DNA ITTL. So Lupin is now actively stopping a villain’s plot. Fujiko Mine was hit with this as well as while she tries to act like her femme fatale version she’s also been Miyazaki’d and its mostly a cover so she can help Lupin from the inside. Now as for how the film did, it’s doesn’t do as well as Cagliostro. A reversal of OTL where Mystery of Mamo was a hit but Castle of Cagliostro wasn’t. Part of this is Miyazaki being a bigger name and also the plot being seen as a bit too similar as it involves saving a girl from marrying the main villain. I do like the irony that TTL’s Lupin is essentially the opposite of Manga Lupin and OTL’s Mystery of Mamo Lupin. If the two ever met they’d be mortal enemies.
[10] A Combination of OTL’s Yamato:The New Voyage and Space Battleship Yamato II. Matsumoto, who OTL cared little for continuity now loves it ITTL as it allows hims to explore many more of his ideas at once. Instead of Yamato II retconning the ending of Space Battleship Yamato as OTL, we have a continuation, which is personally a better way to retcon something, don’t say it never happened but use good writing to find a way to make it work. In this case because Captain Harlock is a sequel to TTL’s Space Battleship Yamato, It attracts fans of that series but is also better written as the disliked death of Yamato’s main character now fuels Harlock’s desire to avenge him by killing that series’s main villain when he finds out he is still alive. Harlock as a result of appearing in a live action show, getting his own live action show, appearing animated in Galaxy Express 999 and now getting his own Animated show, is much more popular ITTL.
[11] Undersea Super Train: Marine Express OTL did feature characters from Tezuka’s works, but they were radically different and basically alternate universe versions. Astro Boy didn’t know he was a robot. Princess Knight was Queen of the ancient continent of Mu, Rock was the hero, Dr.Ochanomizu was a jerk and so on. Which I'm not against as once again Tezuka saw his characters as actors that took on different roles. The plot involved the train and then traveling to the ancient land of Mu and battling Sharaku. The only person to return to the present was Shunsaku Ban in the original story. ITTL more Tezuka properties have been adapted and so there’s more to live up to, so there’s a lot more focus on Canon Welding all the series into a massive Crossover but maintaining continuity. Added into this version is Kenichi and Tina, Unico(Who has his own series ITTL) and Dororo(who ITTL was a megahit warranting his inclusion). OTL the film had Rock and Princess Sapphire end up together but that doesn’t happen here due to Princess Sapphire’s series having her end up with her canon love interest. Which means Rock gets a death by redemption instead.
I still remember around the early 2000s there were re-runs of "3000 Leagues in Search of Mother", I remember I didnt wanted to miss any episode and wanted to know how it would conclude. Might be one of the first animes I ever watched along with Pokemon, Digimon or Yu Gi Oh.
I hope in this timeline there's an alternate version of you that enjoyed From the Apennines to the Andes.
Im certain that there would be an alternate version of me that did (unless butterflies somehow affect returns that is it)
Just a minor thing but after I ended up doing a summary of Castle of Cagliostro I decided to go back and do Nausicaa and Castle in the Sky. I realized even when the plot's the same I find myself adding slight differences. For Example the main villains of the Tolmek Kingdom in Nausicaa are mentioned in this version to have been destroyed. They invaded the Kingdom of Peljite and the Peljite goaded the giant bugs the Ohm into attacking and destroying the Kingdom, meaning the villain faction of the army is all that's left as well as the film villain being crushed by the giant Warrior they summoned and more of an epilogue. Castle in the Sky has references to Gulliver's Travels inserted back in, implying Gulliver is Pazu's father and Laputa being destroyed when the protagonists make the robots self destruct after the villain takes control of them. While they don't change the plot, they are still slight differences.