MONOCHROME ANIME: AKANE-CHAN

Toei-Doga’s 1968, 26 episode, black and white, anime TV series AKANE-CHAN あかねちゃん (LITTLE AKANE) was one of the first programs just for girls. Akane-chan was created by Tetsuya Chiba and appeared in weekly Shoujo Friend comics. Manga artist Tetsuya Chiba is well known for several titles like his baseball manga SHONEN GIANTS 少年ジャイアンツ,  HARISU NO KAZE ハリスの旋風 (HARRIS’ WHIRLWIND) and co-creator (with Asao Takamori/writer) of the mega popular boxing series ASHITA NO JOE あしたのジョー (TOMORROW’S JOE). The voice of Akane-chan and opening song vocalist was Minori Matsushima who also played Sayaka in MAZINGER Z マジンガーZ and Candice in CANDY CANDY キャンディ・キャンディ.

After living in the country with her uncle, Akane returns home and goes to a prestigious school. Being a confident and high spirited girl, Akane-chan quickly finds she does not fit in with the snobby school kids who look down on her. She soon befriends a misfit kid named Hidemaro (Hidebaro). The snot-nosed twerp is the object of ridicule and a bullies dream. Akane-chan feels bad for him and sticks up for the obnoxious boy. Later Akane-chan and Hidemaro take in a dog name Chibi. The three go on to have many misadventures innocently getting into trouble, usually with the right intentions.

Akane-chan is of course a comedy, yet has serious tones and good stories. Aside from the goofy characters and silliness, Akane (a good role model) is a kind person always helping animals and people in need. The TV show doesn’t even compare to the original manga which is highly detailed and beautiful like most shoujo works. The animation is simple but good. Be sure to check out Tetsuya Chiba’s other works, his art is stunning. ASHITA NO JOE was one of the most read comics in manga history.

SUPER GIANT

Shintoho’s SUPER GIANT (スーパージャイアンツ) (Starman) became Japan’s very first movie hero. With the success of the 1957 release of SUPER GIANT-KOTETSU NO KYOJIN, a total of nine features were made. The nine films were spliced together to make only four films and released in the US as ATOMIC RULERS OF THE WORLD, INVADERS FROM SPACE, ATTACK FROM SPACE, and EVIL BRAIN FROM OUTER SPACE. The formula used in the Super Giant stories would be seen over and over throughout the 50’s and 60’s in such features and TV shows like GEKKO KAMEN, NATIONAL KID, and NANA-IRO KAMEN. Super Giant was played by Shintoho’s contract actor Ken Utsui, who starred in over twenty films for the company before putting on the tights and taking on the super hero role. Super Giant was Japan’s version of Superman at the time.

Super Giant was sent into action by the Peace Council of the Emerald Planet to stop international crime organizations and evil aliens from threatening the Earth. Super Giant uses a cool watch-like device called the Globe-Meter which allows him to fly on or off the planet, speak any language, and locate sources of radiation. When fighting the bad guys, Super Giant uses an array of gymnastics, chops and kicks. My favorite is when he jumps up high in the air during battles or takes off flying, it sounds like a slide whistle is being played for a second.

I really dig the aliens from this series of films. There was nothing like them at the time. You can truly see how they inspired the Shocker monsters from Shotaro Ishinomori's KAMEN RIDER (1971). Even though Super Giant was a very simple character design, the content of the movies made up for it by a high margin. Super Giant sent the message of peace, justice and unity of all mankind. When the Super Giant (Starman as knew him) movies were on when I was a kid, it was a big deal. They always put a big grin on my grill. They were broadcast on Chicago WFLD-TV 32‘s Saturday afternoon Monstrous Movie. That was my source of Godzilla, Gamera, and anything AIP in the early 70’s.

GULLIVER NO UCHU RYOKO

In 1965 Toei Doga decided to do a new 80 minute animated sci-fi feature loosely based on Jonathan Swift’s GULLIVER’s TRAVEL’S titled GULLIVER NO UCHU RYOKO ガリバーの宇宙旅行 (GULLIVER’S SPACE TRAVELS). Hayao Miyazaki (MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO, PONYO) was an in-between animator on this one. He also added many key changes in the script.

The story begins with a young homeless boy Ted getting kicked out of a movie theater he snuck into showing Gulliver’s Travels. Later Ted meets a talking wind up soldier (Colonel) and a stray dog Mack who cheer him up after his string of bad luck by going to an amusement park. The three ride on a giant firework rocket to escape from some carny security guards and crash into a desolate forest. They soon find an old house where they meet Doctor Gulliver and his pet crow, Kuro. The Doctor shows Ted a giant telescope where they view a planet called the Blue Star of Hope. The Doctor tells about his many travels like Lilliput, but for his last great adventure he wants to go to this distant star. They all leave for the planet in a rocket ship the Doctor built designed for deep space travel called the Gulliver.

They finally reach their destination but they are forced to land on a near by purple star instead. The inhabitants are a race of abstract looking robot people. They meet a beautiful princess that explains they were drove to this star by robots that their ancestors made and are frequently attacked by them. They now spend everyday searching for a new star to live on. The evil robots were originally servants that rose against their creators and mechanized everything. Soon they are attacked by the metal servants and the Princess and Mack are kidnapped. Ted and Doctor Gulliver fly to the Blue Star and find that water can dismantle the robotic demons, and are able to stop them. When they finally find the Princess she is unconscious. Ted uses a little water to try and bring her to, but instead her robotic shell splits open to reveal a beautiful human girl underneath. The sun rises and Ted says “The Blue Star will be reborn, just like you”. Ted then wakes up on Earth. Was it real or a dream?

Like all early Toei Doga theatrical features, Gulliver’s Space Travels takes you away to a surreal dreamland. The visuals, as always are breathtaking and atmospheric. You get hooked with the combination of a classic folklore legend and giant robots! Swift would have smiled seeing the all around beauty of the animation along with a respectful take on Gulliver in this sci-fi epic adventure. Several times through out the film, the main message sent to the viewer is to never give up and there is always hope.