Time Bokan
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is a Japanese
anime is a Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, , in Japan and in Ja ...
series first aired on
Fuji TV JOCX-DTV (channel 8), branded as or , is a Japanese television station that serves the Kantō region as the flagship (broadcasting), flagship station of the Fuji News Network (FNN) and the Fuji Network System (FNS). The station is owned-and- ...
from October 4, 1975 to December 25, 1976 throughout
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
every Saturday at 6:30 pm, with a total of 61 thirty-minute episodes. It was produced by
Tatsunoko Production and often shortened to , is a Japanese animation company. The studio's name has a double meaning in Japanese: "Tatsu's child" (Tatsu is a nickname for Tatsuo) and " sea dragon", the inspiration for its seahorse logo. Tatsunoko Production was e ...
, who later produced a number of spin-off programs as part of the "Time Bokan Series". An anime re-imagining titled '' Time Bokan 24'' ran from October 1, 2016 to March 18, 2017.


Story

Dr. Kieta, a somewhat wacky but intelligent scientist, has finally succeeded in inventing insect-shaped time machines called "Time Bokan". To prove the machine's efficiency and safety, he decides to serve as the very first guinea pig for its maiden voyage. However, by the time his machine has returned, there's no trace of him inside. The only thing that it returns with is a talking parrot, along with a large gemstone called the , which is seemingly the most powerful and valuable jewel in the world. Now it's up to a search party, founded by Dr. Kieta's lab assistant Tanpei, to travel through time to find Dr. Kieta, but it seems that someone power hungry is looking for the "Dynamond" as well. The story starred two vividly opposing sides, the heroes, and the villains. Typical plots follow this format: * The heroes travel to a particular era or space during their search for Dr. Kieta, and their hunt for the nature of the Dynamond, meeting the famous historical figures (and some times fictional characters) in the process. * The heroes eventually encounter the villains. * The two sides battle each other with their time machines. * The villains always suffer a crushing defeat, either due to the smart foiling of their plans from the heroes, or due to the villains' own ineptitude.


Characters


Heroes

(voiced by Yoshiko Ōta): The loyal lab assistant of Dr. Kieta, Tanpei is a smart and sporty boy, aged 13. He is warm, pure, courageous, and is a genius mechanic. He is often seen sparring with Junko, his fellow assistant and Dr Kieta's granddaughter, comforting, or encouraging her. Tampei has been depicted as having a crush on her for more than once. Everybody in the team calls him "Tanpei-chan". Not much of his family and school background is given. (voiced by Mari Okamoto and Keiko Yokozawa in eps. 34-36): Junko is Dr. Kieta's 10 year-old granddaughter. She is a responsible young girl and is always lending a helping hand to others. She is gentle, caring, erudite, and resourceful. She misses her grandfather dearly, thus earning a lot of sympathy from the rest of her team as they search for him. She might seem a little whiny at first glance, but vows to become stronger under the influence of Tanpei, whom she has a crush on. (voiced by Reiko Katsura): A robot
sidekick A sidekick is a close companion or colleague who is, or is generally regarded as, subordinate to those whom they accompany. Origins The first recorded use of the term dates from 1896. It is believed to have originated in pickpocket slang of ...
created by Tanpei, he can appear pretty childish in both appearance and actions, but this is not always a hindrance. His power source is the winding key protruding from his back. Chorobo's features include also a
flamethrower A flamethrower is a ranged incendiary device designed to project a controllable jet of fire. First deployed by the Byzantine Empire in the 7th century AD, flamethrowers saw use in modern times during World War I, and more widely in World W ...
built into his nose, extendable limbs, and the ability to shock others with a significant amount of voltage output. Although a robot, he's seen briefly eating cream puffs in the second episode. (voiced by Ryūji Saikachi): Junko's grandfather and creator of the "Time Bokan" time machines. A famous scientist, he wasn't found until the 27th episode, but soon joined Tanpei's team on other journeys. (voiced by Junpei Takiguchi): A talking
parrot Parrots (Psittaciformes), also known as psittacines (), are birds with a strong curved beak, upright stance, and clawed feet. They are classified in four families that contain roughly 410 species in 101 genus (biology), genera, found mostly in ...
who seems to be the only source of information about Dr. Kieta's location after he was lost in time; he always makes random testimonies on that. The only thing he fears is probably his wife, Otake. It turns out that he accidentally triggered the time machine while Dr. Kieta was absent in a particular age (which turned out to be the present day), and returned to the lab with it. After the journey he took with our heroes, he reunited with his wife in the finale. His voice can be heard in the previews of upcoming episodes at the end of each episode before the ending theme. His name is a pun on his species. (voiced by Haru Endou): A bossy and impatient female parrot of Perasuke's kind and his wife. She is depicted with a distinct air of vanity and a body frame much larger than Perasuke's. She is also frequently kicking Perasuke about, despite her love for him. At the beginning of the series, she and Dr. Kieta are frequently soothing each other's eagerness of reunion.


Villains

Commonly known as the "Time Skeletons" ("タイム ガイコツ") through the show, the three villains portrayed in this show were even more familiar to the audience than the heroes, mainly due to their renowned stupidity, shown by their inevitable fate of always suffering a crushing defeat in each episode. They also were the inspiration for the " Team Rocket" trio in the ''
Pokémon is a Japanese media franchise consisting of List of Pokémon video games, video games, Pokémon (TV series), animated series and List of Pokémon films, films, Pokémon Trading Card Game, a trading card game, and other related media. The fran ...
'' TV series, and by extension a number of similar anime villains. (voiced by Noriko Ohara): Majo, 30 years old, is the attractive blonde female leader of the trio. Her character was written as a "vain villainess"
stereotype In social psychology, a stereotype is a generalization, generalized belief about a particular category of people. It is an expectation that people might have about every person of a particular group. The type of expectation can vary; it can ...
; accordingly, she often acts and speaks as if she were the most beautiful and intelligent character in the entire series. Of the trio, she is the most enthusiastic about capturing the "Dynamond", but ends up doing virtually nothing except bossing her two henchmen around, invariably cursing them after the "defeat" sequence in each episode, as well as ending up naked as a result of some misfortune. Her name is derived from the Japanese word "魔女" (majo), which means "
witch Witchcraft is the use of magic by a person called a witch. Traditionally, "witchcraft" means the use of magic to inflict supernatural harm or misfortune on others, and this remains the most common and widespread meaning. According to ''Enc ...
". (voiced by Jouji Yanami): The "brainiac" henchman of Majo, aged 25. He used to work undercover for Dr. Kieda, therefore he is usually employed to build a new and different
mecha In science fiction, or mechs are giant robots or machines, typically depicted as piloted, humanoid walking vehicles. The term was first used in Japanese (language), Japanese after shortening the English loanword or , but the meaning in Japan ...
in each episode to counter the Time Bokan used by the heroes. He is cunning, though quite prone to making silly mistakes on the machinery (most of which became the key issue of the villains' misfortune throughout the episodes). His name is derived from the Japanicized word for "grotesque". The character of
Waluigi is a character in the Mario (franchise), ''Mario'' franchise. He plays the role of Luigi's arch-rival and accompanies Wario in spin-off (media), spin-offs from the Super Mario (series), main ''Mario'' series, often for the sake of causing mis ...
is partially inspired by him. (voiced by Kazuya Tatekabe): The "muscle" henchman of Majo, aged 35. He is seemingly less intelligent and more clumsy than the other two of the trio, and is often seen controlling the weaponry of their
mecha In science fiction, or mechs are giant robots or machines, typically depicted as piloted, humanoid walking vehicles. The term was first used in Japanese (language), Japanese after shortening the English loanword or , but the meaning in Japan ...
. He is heard speaking in an accent known as Kansai-ben and frequently ends his sentences with the phrase . His name is a play on the Japanese term "悪さ" (warusa), which means "evil behavior" or "level of evil". The character of
Wario is a character in Nintendo's Mario (franchise), ''Mario'' franchise that was designed as an Archenemy, archnemesis to Mario. Wario first appeared as the main antagonist and final Boss (video games), boss in the 1992 Game Boy game ''Super Mar ...
is partially inspired by him.


Others

Narrator (voiced by
Kei Tomiyama , better known by his stage name , was a Japanese actor, voice actor, and narrator born in Anshan, Manchukuo. He was affiliated with Aoni Production and Production Baobab. Tomiyama is best known for his roles in '' Tiger Mask'' (Naoto Date/Tig ...
): His voice is mainly used to introduce the different eras/spaces the characters travel to, and sometimes he also gives a brief comment or overview on the episode, especially at the end.


Time Bokan machines

Created by Dr. Kieda at the beginning of the series, there are a total of three machines. Each one is designed after a particular kind of
insect Insects (from Latin ') are Hexapoda, hexapod invertebrates of the class (biology), class Insecta. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body (Insect morphology#Head, head, ...
, both appearance-wise and functionally. Although the term "time" is the only term in their name to state their function, they are also capable of travelling between dimensions, including fictional and hypothetical ones. An example of the former is a dimension based on
Grimm Grimm may refer to: People * Grimm (surname) * Brothers Grimm, German linguists ** Jacob Grimm (1785–1863), German philologist, jurist and mythologist ** Wilhelm Grimm (1786–1859), German author, the younger of the Brothers Grimm * Christia ...
's fairytales, while an example of the latter is one based on
Easter Island Easter Island (, ; , ) is an island and special territory of Chile in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, at the southeasternmost point of the Polynesian Triangle in Oceania. The island is renowned for its nearly 1,000 extant monumental statues, ...
. Time Mechabuton ("タイムメカブトン", Time Bokan I): This blue machine, which resembles a Japanese rhinoceros beetle, is the Time Bokan used the most by the heroes. Its features include: * The machine's primary weapon, a rotary saw/digger fashioned like the beetle's large single horn. * Durable all-terrain tires, enabling the machine to travel to a maximum of 200 km/h (approx. 125 MPH). * Wings, which open like the actual insect's, allowing flight when powered by its
jet engines A jet engine is a type of reaction engine, discharging a fast-moving jet (fluid), jet of heated gas (usually air) that generates thrust by jet propulsion. While this broad definition may include Rocket engine, rocket, Pump-jet, water jet, and ...
. They can also be used to flap to create
sandstorms A dust storm, also called a sandstorm, is a meteorological phenomenon common in arid and semi-arid regions. Dust storms arise when a gust front or other strong wind blows loose sand and dirt from a dry surface. Fine particles are transport ...
by flapping. * A defensive missile launcher mounted in the bow. * A small red dome on its back; it is a manually-piloted scouting/surveillance airship named the , which can either operate on its own, or to simply serve as a lookout post of the main machine. It includes a series of wacky gadgets and tools, including mechanical limbs, shears, fire extinguishers, reflectors, nets, slingshots, and others. * A small
submarine A submarine (often shortened to sub) is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater. (It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability.) The term "submarine" is also sometimes used historically or infor ...
, the , hidden in its belly. * A remote control of the whole system is incorporated in the watch of Dr. Kieda. Time Dotabattan ("タイムドタバッタン", Time Bokan II): This green,
locust Locusts (derived from the Latin ''locusta'', locust or lobster) are various species of short-horned grasshoppers in the family Acrididae that have a swarming phase. These insects are usually solitary, but under certain circumstances they b ...
-shaped Time Bokan was actually captured by Dr. Kieda in the 27th episode from a species known as "Insect People", the seemingly futuristic dominant species of Earth. It is modified later in the series to increase its functionality and transport capacity. Its features include: * The machine's primary weapon, a
projectile A projectile is an object that is propelled by the application of an external force and then moves freely under the influence of gravity and air resistance. Although any objects in motion through space are projectiles, they are commonly found ...
launcher mounted in the bow of the machine. * Strong mechanical limbs like the actual insect's, allowing the machine to jump great distances. Once damaged, their functions can be replaced by a set of retractable caterpillar tracks, hidden in the machine's belly. * A pair of small rudders that allows the machine to fly when powered by its jet engines. * A worm-shaped scouting/surveillance unit, the , which can operate on its own to complete maintenance work, such as repairing the machines. The heroes have often used it to sneak behind the villains' mecha and cause havoc on more than one occasion. * A small
helicopter A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which Lift (force), lift and thrust are supplied by horizontally spinning Helicopter rotor, rotors. This allows the helicopter to VTOL, take off and land vertically, to hover (helicopter), hover, and ...
, the , hidden inside. Time Kuwagattan ("タイムクワガッタン", Time Bokan III): This red,
stag beetle Stag beetles comprise the family Lucanidae. It has about 1,200 species of beetles in four subfamilies.Smith, A.B.T. (2006). A review of the family-group names for the superfamily Scarabaeoidea (Coleoptera) with corrections to nomenclature and a c ...
-shaped Time Bokan was created later by Dr. Kieda after he was found. Its features include: * The machine's primary weapon, a cutter/digger fashioned like the beetle's horns. * Limbs that can become wheels. * The machine's
carapace A carapace is a dorsal (upper) section of the exoskeleton or shell in a number of animal groups, including arthropods, such as crustaceans and arachnids, as well as vertebrates, such as turtles and tortoises. In turtles and tortoises, the unde ...
, also fashioned like the actual beetle's, opens up like the rotor of a helicopter, allowing the machine to fly. * A bee-shaped scouting/surveillance airship, the . * A small, woodlice-shaped
all-terrain vehicle An all-terrain vehicle (ATV), also known as a light utility vehicle (LUV), a quad bike or quad (if it has four wheels), as defined by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), is a vehicle that travels on low-pressure tires, has a seat ...
, the , hidden inside. Note: Although written in
katakana is a Japanese syllabary, one component of the Japanese writing system along with hiragana, kanji and in some cases the Latin script (known as rōmaji). The word ''katakana'' means "fragmentary kana", as the katakana characters are derived fr ...
, "Bokan" can mean "carrier" (such as an "
aircraft carrier An aircraft carrier is a warship that serves as a seagoing airbase, equipped with a full-length flight deck and hangar facilities for supporting, arming, deploying and recovering carrier-based aircraft, shipborne aircraft. Typically it is the ...
") if written in
hiragana is a Japanese language, Japanese syllabary, part of the Japanese writing system, along with ''katakana'' as well as ''kanji''. It is a phonetic lettering system. The word ''hiragana'' means "common" or "plain" kana (originally also "easy", ...
or
kanji are logographic Chinese characters, adapted from Chinese family of scripts, Chinese script, used in the writing of Japanese language, Japanese. They were made a major part of the Japanese writing system during the time of Old Japanese and are ...
, as each of the main machines carries a few smaller mechas with them at all times.


Villains' machines

Only one recurring mecha has ever appeared in the villain trio's garage: the "Time Skull" ("タイムガイコッツ"), a small,
skull The skull, or cranium, is typically a bony enclosure around the brain of a vertebrate. In some fish, and amphibians, the skull is of cartilage. The skull is at the head end of the vertebrate. In the human, the skull comprises two prominent ...
-shaped time machine built by Grocky. In order to match the Time Bokan in strength and maneuverability, this mecha is often linked to a larger mechanical structure, of which it serves as the head. This construction often results in various
animal Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms in the Biology, biological Kingdom (biology), kingdom Animalia (). With few exceptions, animals heterotroph, consume organic material, Cellular respiration#Aerobic respiration, breathe oxygen, ...
-shaped mechas as large as (or even larger than) the Time Bokan. These machines are often equipped with an abundance of concealed
gadgets A gadget is a mechanical device or any ingenious article. Gadgets are sometimes referred to as '' gizmos''. History The etymology of the word is disputed. The word first appears as reference to an 18th-century tool in glassmaking that was dev ...
and weapons, most of which are capable of leaving the heroes' machines severely damaged. Two running gags exist for the villains' mecha in the show. First, after the mechas' departure in a large bang, a few stray parts can always be seen on the floor when the explosion clears. In the first few episodes of the show, the director used the same group of pictures, which depicted exactly same stray parts to emphasize this gag. Second, the villains rarely have a smooth landing on their arrival, always ending up either in awkward poses or locations. The most important feature of these mecha is a deadly device that villains wish to use to finish the heroes off for good, dubbed as the "Highlight of the Week" ("今週のハイライト") by the villains (usually in the shape of a bomb launched in various crazy fashions). However, the triggering of the device often backfires onto the villains themselves, either by a silly error in its mechanical design or as a result of the villains' foiling by the heroes, causing the whole structure to explode spectacularly, only leaving the Time Skull fully intact and the villains themselves very tattered (Grocky is victimized every time by his female boss for the failure).


Episodes


Timefighters

Several of the historical-themed episodes were edited together and dubbed by Jim Terry Productions (of '' Force Five'' and '' Robby the Rascal'' fame) for the US home video market in 1984, under the name ''Timefighters''. Several of the fairytale-themed episodes were also edited together and dubbed by Jim Terry Productions for the US home video market in 1984, under the name ''Timefighters in the Land of Fantasy''. Name changes: * Time Bokan/Time Fighters * Tanpei/Jett * Junko/Starr * C-robot/Tonk * Dr. Kieta/Professor Von Spock * Perasuke/Squarky * Otake/Bromhilder * Skull Trio/Skulduggery Crew * Marjo/Lucinda Skulduggery * Grocky/Captain Arrow * Walsa/Mungo * Time Mechabuton - Time Bokan I: The Scorpion II * Time Dotabattan - Time Bokan II: The Grasshopper (initially, it was referred to as the prototype time machine, only able to transport one passenger; later, it was refitted to carry a whole crew) * Time Kuwagattan - Time Bokan III: The Ant Even Harmony Gold released a TV film in 1985 as ''Time Patrol''.


References


External links


Tatsunoko Pro
* * {{Tatsunoko Production 1975 anime television series debuts 1970s time travel television series Anime with original screenplays Fuji Television original programming Japanese time travel television series Science fiction anime and manga Tatsunoko Production Time Bokan Series