The moving story of "The Dolphin Boy" and its reviews

All-round evaluation and recommendation of "Dolphin and Boy"

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Broadcast period

Broadcast from July 30, 1975 to August 15, 1975 every week (Monday to Friday) from 18:00 to 18:30

■Broadcasting station

TBS/Mainichi Broadcasting System

■Frequencies

half an hour

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 13

■Original Story

Vladimir Tarta, René Borg, Gaston Pompier Reylorg, Marc Bonnet

■ Production

Aiken

■Works

© Aiken

■ Story

Urulula Island is a small island in the South Seas, surrounded by shining sun, blue sky and sea.
A young boy named Yan lives on Urulula Island in a house that was converted from an abandoned ship.
Even on a normally peaceful island, humans who wreak havoc on the natural environment and ferocious creatures sometimes appear.
Together with the dolphin Woom, Yang faces off against various enemies to protect the nature of Urulula Island.

■Explanation

This is the first Japanese-French co-production TV anime series. The original story and character design were done by French staff, and the dynamic and sophisticated designs are impressive. The French version's opening theme, "Oum le Dauphin," was written by Michel Legrand, who is known for "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg," and he also sang the song himself.

■Cast

・Yan Boy/Koji Mori ・Marina/Fuyumi Shiraishi ・Patrick/Masayasu Takato ・Sebastian/Hiroshi Otake ・Michael/Kiyoshi Kawakubo

■ Main staff

・Original story: Vladimir Tarta, René Borg, Gaston Pompier Reylorgues, Marc Bonnet ・Direction: Toru Murayama, Hirohiro Okada ・Adaptation: Akishi Hiroyama, Akira Ihashi ・Chief animator: Tsuneo Komuro ・Art director: Keiji Kamezaki ・Music: Hirooki Ogawa

■ Main Characters

A child of nature who lives on Urulula Island. With a brimming with curiosity, he spends his days adventuring in the great outdoors with Marina and the animals.
- A girl who lives on an abandoned ship with Marinayan and Uncle Patrick.
- Patrick Yang's uncle who lives with Yang in the abandoned shipyard house.
A white dolphin who is good friends with Wumyan. He is intelligent and can communicate with Yan.
Sebastian is a talkative bird who can talk to Woom and pass on his knowledge to Yang.

■ Theme songs and music

・OP
・"The shining sun"
Lyrics: Tadahiko Ozaki; Music: Hirooki Ogawa; Singer: Fuyumi Shiraishi; Ending theme:
・"Burning Sun"
Lyrics by Tadahiko Ozaki, Music by Hirooki Ogawa, Singer by Katsuko Morita and the Prettys

■Detailed evaluation

"The Dolphin Boy" is a Japanese-French co-production TV anime series that was broadcast in 1975, and I would like to delve deeper into its unique charm and background. The story is set on Urulula Island, a small island in the South Seas, and tells the story of a boy named Yan and a dolphin named Woom's struggle to protect nature. Below, I will evaluate and recommend this work from various perspectives, including the story, characters, production background, music, and impact on viewers.

Story and Themes

The story of "The Dolphin Boy" depicts the importance of coexisting with nature. Ululula Island is a beautiful island surrounded by bright sunshine, blue skies and seas, but sometimes humans and ferocious creatures appear and destroy the nature. Yan and Woom fight various enemies to protect the island's nature. This theme reflects the growing awareness of environmental issues in the 1970s and provides a good opportunity to teach children the importance of nature conservation.

The friendship between Jan and Woom is also a central theme of the story. Jan is able to communicate with Woom and is portrayed as a companion who enjoys adventures together with him. This friendship makes us think deeply about the relationship between humans and animals and evokes empathy. Furthermore, the family-like bond between Jan, Marina, and Patrick is also depicted, giving a sense of the warmth of human relationships.

character

Jan is a child of nature who lives on Ululula Island, and his inquisitive personality is charming. He enjoys adventures with Marina and the animals in the great outdoors, and bravely stands up to protect the island's nature. Jan's character is a good role model for teaching children the importance of courage and curiosity.

Marina is a girl who lives with Jan and Patrick on an abandoned ship. She is Jan's best friend and partner in his adventures. Marina's character symbolizes friendship and family ties.

Patrick is Jan's uncle and lives with him in the abandoned shiphouse. He is a reliable presence for Jan and an important character who strengthens the family bond.

Woom is a white dolphin who is good friends with Yang. He is intelligent and can communicate with Yang, so he is a good friend and partner to Yang. Woom's character symbolizes the friendship between humans and animals, and is inspiring to the audience.

Sebastian is a talkative bird who can converse with Woom and relay it to Yan. Sebastian's character adds a humorous and light-hearted atmosphere to the story, entertaining the audience.

Background

"Dolphin Boy" was the first Japanese-French co-production for a TV anime series. The original story and character designs were created by French staff, and the dynamic and sophisticated designs are impressive. The French version's opening theme, "Oum le Dauphin," was written by Michel Legrand, the composer known for "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg," who also sang the song himself. This international collaboration gives the work a unique charm.

Eiken, a production company, is known as a Japanese animation production company that has produced many masterpieces. "Dolphin Boy" is one of them, and Eiken's technical skills and creativity are reflected in the work. The work was completed by bringing together the talents of each staff member, including directors Toru Murayama and Hirohiro Okada, screenwriters Akishi Hiroyama and Akira Ihashi, animation supervisor Tsuneo Komuro, art director Keiji Kamezaki, and music composer Hirooki Ogawa.

music

The music for "Dolphin Boy" was composed by Hirooki Ogawa. The opening theme "The Sparkling Sun" and the ending theme "Moeru Taiyo" are both written by Tadahiko Ozaki and composed by Hirooki Ogawa, and are sung by Fuyumi Shiraishi, Katsuko Morita, and The Prettys. These songs reflect the theme of the story and move the viewer. In addition, the French version's opening theme "Oum le Dauphin" was written by Michel Legrand, whose talent adds depth to the work.

Impact on viewers

"The Dolphin Boy" had a huge impact on children when it was broadcast in 1975. While teaching the importance of nature conservation, it also conveyed the importance of friendship and family ties, and touched the hearts of viewers. The international background of the show, a Japanese-French co-production, also became a hot topic and drew the interest of viewers.

Even today, this work continues to be loved by anime fans and nature lovers. In particular, the friendship between Jan and Woom and their adventure to protect nature have resonated with many people and are being reevaluated. Furthermore, the theme, which reflects the growing awareness of environmental issues in the 1970s, is still seen as an important message today.

■Recommendation

"The Dolphin Boy" is a moving story about the importance of coexisting with nature, and a heartwarming human drama about the friendship between Jan and Woom and the family ties. It has been loved by many people since it was first broadcast in 1975. It is especially recommended for those who are interested in nature conservation and environmental issues, and those who value friendship and family ties. It is also recommended for anime fans and those interested in Japanese-French co-productions.

This film is enjoyable for both children and adults, and will move and sympathize with viewers. Through the adventures of Jan and Woom, viewers will be reminded of the beauty and importance of nature, and will be able to feel the importance of friendship and family ties. Please watch "The Dolphin Boy" and experience its charm.