Mashin Hero Wataru

Mashin Hero Wataru
魔神英雄伝ワタル (Mashin Eiyūden Wataru)
Genre	Mecha, Comedy, Fantasy
TV anime
Directed by	Shūji Iuchi
Studio	Sunrise
Network	NTV, Bandai Channel
Original run	April 15, 1988 – March 31, 1989
Episodes	45
Original video animation
Wataru Majinzan
Studio	Sunrise
Released	August 5, 1989
Episodes	2
TV anime
Mashin Hero Wataru 2
Studio	Sunrise
Network	NTV, Bandai Channel
Original run	March 3, 1990 – March 8, 1991
Episodes	46
Original video animation
Mashin Hero Wataru: Warinaki Toki no Monogatari
Studio	Sunrise
Released	October 1, 1993
Episodes	3
TV anime
Cho Mashin Hero Wataru
Studio	Sunrise
Network	TX
Original run	October 2, 1997 – September 24, 1998
Episodes	51
Anime and Manga Portal

Mashin Hero Wataru (魔神英雄伝ワタル, Mashin Eiyūden Wataru^?) is a comedy/adventure Super Robot multimedia franchise originally consisting of 45 episode anime series created by Sunrise first aired on April 15, 1988. Sunrise credited "Hajime Yatate" for the storyline and Shuji Iuchi directed the series.^[1] The series employs a kinetic visual gag style, often employing characters running with their feet over their shoulders derived from Sunrise's previous Super Robot anime series Choriki Robo Galatt.

Story

The story is about a 9-year old boy named Wataru Ikusabe (戦部 ワタル, Ikusabe Wataru^?) who is magically transported to a magical realm of the gods called Soukaizan (創界山, Soukaizan^?), which he is supposed to save from an evil, demonic ruler. The series incorporates many elements of RPG games including dungeon levels and quests for mystical objects. Soukaizan itself is represented as a series of tiered platforms each floating above the one beneath it in a rough pyramid shape. In order to progress to the next tier where he will meet the series' ultimate villain, the show's heroes must complete some task on the one beneath. In his quest to save the realm, Wataru manages to transform a clay sculpture into a somewhat autonomous (and small) Super Robot. He also befriends many of the Soukaizan natives, and forms some very strong friendship bonds. The term Sou-kai-zan can be broken down to its 3 parts: Sou (creation), Kai (realm, space, world, or universe), and Zan (hill or mountain), representing the pyramid shape of the world's level.

Interpretations

The title of the show is a pun. The super-formed mecha of the series are called "mashin." While written with the kanji for "demon" and "god", "mashin" is also the Japanese word for "machine."

Wataru and his friends Shibaraku and Himiko each represent different elements of ancient Japan: Wataru with his magatama and association with dragons represents the pre-Yamato Watari clan. Shibaraku represents samurai. Himiko represents ninja.

Cultural impact

The anime series was a huge hit in Japan, later being imported into Taiwan and Mainland China. Chinese translations were provided. The show became one of the most famous Japanese anime shows in China during the mid 1990s. Even today, on popular Chinese websites like Baidu.com, one can still find very active forums discussing the show.

Cast

• Mayumi Tanaka as Wataru Ikusabe (In Keith Courage in Alpha Zones he is known as Keith Courage)
• Megumi Hayashibara as Himiko Shinobibe (In Keith Courage in Alpha Zones she is known as Nurse Nancy)
• Tomomichi Nishimura as Shibaraku Tsurugibe (In Keith Courage in Alpha Zones he is known as Weapons Master)
• Kōichi Yamadera as Kurama Wataribe
• Kenichi Ogata as Genryūsai Shinobibe
• Tesshō Genda as Ryūjinmaru
• Kazue Ikura as Tora-Oh
• Urara Takano as Umihiko

Spinoffs

The franchise has spawned three TV series (Mashin Eiyuuden Wataru, Mashin Eiyuuden Wataru 2, Chou Mashin Eiyuuden Wataru), four radio shows, five OVAs, five novels, five video games, and assorted other merchandise. The most notable video game was renamed in the U.S as Keith Courage in Alpha Zones for the TurboGrafx-16.

Wataru's success prompted Bandai to copy the super-deformed mecha and multi-tiered world concepts in a science fiction setting with Bandai's 1989 Mado King Granzort TV series.

In the premise of the Japanese anime, Brave Story is a novel created more than a decade later featuring a young boy named Wataru, who is transported to an RPG-like mystical realm. However that novel is not based or to be confused with this series.

Staff

Director: Hideharu Iuchi

Additional Directors: Michio Fukuda, Masamitsu Hidaka, Nobuhiro Kondo, Katsuoshi Yatabe, Yutaka Kagawa

Screenwriter: Yoshiaki Takahashi, Ryosuke Takahashi, Hiroyuki Kawasaki, Takao Koyama, Hiroko Naka

Design: Toyoo Ashida, Kazunori Nakazawa

Animator: Toyoo Ashida

Music: Junichi Kanezaki, Satoshi Kadokura

Soundtrack

Wataru
Opening: "Step" by achi-achi
Ending: "Achi-achi Adventure" by achi-achi

Wataru 2:
Opening 1: "Step by Step" by Takahashi Yumiko
Ending 1: "Kimi ni Tomaranai - MY GIRL, MY LOVE" by Takahashi Yumiko
Opening 2: "Fight" by Takahashi Yumiko
Ending 2: "Niji no Kanata" by Takahashi Yumiko

Wataru (3rd TV Series: Super Demon Warrior)
Opening 1: "Hitotsu no Haato de; With One Heart" by Hitomi Mieno
Ending 1: "BOYS BE AMBITIOUS" by Hitomi Mieno
Opening 2: "POWER OF DREAM" by Hitomi Mieno
Ending 2: "Ganbatte" by Hitomi Mieno

References

1. ^ "Majin Hero Wataru." [sic] Sunrise Animation. Retrieved on January 20, 2009.

External links

• Sunrise
• Bandai Channel
• Wataru Livejournal Community
• VAP
• VICTOR
• Mashin Hero Wataru (anime) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia
• WATARU RAINBOW ISLAND
• WATARU IN CHINA/魔神英雄傳