Conan the Boy of the Future: Reassessing a timeless tale of adventure and growth

Future Boy Conan: A hopeful future depicted in Hayao Miyazaki's directorial debut

"Future Boy Conan," broadcast on NHK in 1978, was Miyazaki Hayao's first directorial work and was based on Alexander Kay's novel "The Left Behind." The story is set on Earth after civilization has collapsed, and follows the young Conan as he builds a new future. It was also NHK's first attempt at a 30-minute animated series, and it foreshadowed Miyazaki Hayao's subsequent career.

story

After Earth's civilization collapsed, the few survivors formed communities and lived there. The protagonist, Conan, lives with his grandfather on an isolated island, but one day, a young girl named Lana washes ashore. The Monsuri from Industria appear in pursuit of Lana, and Conan grows up through various events and encounters with different people, and goes on to create a new future.

Commentary

"Future Boy Conan" was Miyazaki Hayao's directorial debut, and can be said to be the origin of the themes and style seen in his subsequent works. It is also notable that it was the first 30-minute animated series to be broadcast on NHK, which gave viewers at the time a fresh surprise. The story is set in a world after the collapse of civilization, but it depicts hope and faith in the future, deeply moving viewers.

cast

The voice actors for the main characters are as follows:

• Conan: Noriko Ohara
• Lana: Mieko Shinzawa
• Jimsey: Kazuyo Aoki
• Grandfather: Masato Yamauchi
• Dice: Ichiro Nagai
• Montsouris: Rihoko Yoshida
• Repka: Ieyuki Iemasa
• Narration: Masato Ibu

Main Staff

Many talented staff members are involved in the production of the work.

• Screenplay: Akiaki Nakano, Soji Yoshikawa, Satoshi Kurumi
• Music: Shinichiro Ikebe
• Character design: Hayao Miyazaki, Yasuo Otsuka
• Storyboard: Keiji Hayakawa, Yoshiyuki Tomino, Noboru Ishiguro, Seiji Okuda, Isao Takahata and others
• Animation Director: Yasuo Otsuka
• Art director: Yamamoto Nizo
• Recording Director: Shigeharu Shiba
• Director of photography: Katsuji Misawa
• Color designation and inspection: Michiyo Yasuda
• Illustrations: Yoshifumi Kondo, Seiko Shinohara, Hideo Kawachi, Yoshiaki Kawajiri, Tsunehiro Okasako, Nobumasa Shinkawa, Nobuo Tomizawa, OH Production and others
• Assistant Director: Keiji Hayakawa
• Producers: Junzo Nakajima, Shigeo Endo
• Directed by: Hayao Miyazaki

Main Characters

Details of the main characters are as follows:

• Conan : He lived with his grandfather on a deserted island, but when Lana washed ashore, he learned of the existence of other humans for the first time. Although he is a wild child, he has a strong sense of justice and superhuman leg and muscle strength.
• Lana : A girl the same age as Conan. She is the granddaughter of Dr. Lao, who was imprisoned in Industria, and can communicate telepathically.
• Jimsey : A boy whom Conan met on the island he was washed ashore on. Like Conan, he is a wild child, and although they initially quarreled, they soon became friends and began to travel together.
• Monsley : Deputy Chief of the Administrative Bureau of the industrial city of Industria. She comes to arrest Lana and opposes Conan and the others, but later becomes their ally. She is beautiful but speaks coldly.
• Captain Dice : Captain of the Barracuda, a plastic waste collection ship. He is a playful guy who is at odds with Conan and his friends, but he doesn't think well of Industria.
• Repka : Chief of the Industria Administration Bureau. He kidnaps Dr. Lao in order to revive solar energy, and kidnaps Lana who escapes. He has a cold-hearted and ruthless personality, but in the anime he also has a comical side.

Main Robot Items

The main robots and items that appear in the work are as follows:

• Falco : Industria's flying boat. Monsly and his friends arrive on this to Conan's island.
• Barracuda : A steamboat for collecting waste plastic. Its engine is a charcoal engine, so it doesn't seem to have much power. It lands on the bottom of High Harbor due to a mine by the local residents, but in the final episode it is revived as an immigrant ship.
• Robonoid : A work robot aboard the Barracuda that requires a crank handle to activate.
• Gigant : The fighter bomber that destroyed the world. It is equipped with various equipment, but the electrical system is surprisingly analog. Only one remains in Industria, and Repka uses it to escape, but it ends up failing and crashing.

subtitle

The subtitles and broadcast dates for each episode are as follows:

• Episode 1: The Island of the Left (1978/04/04)
• Episode 2: Departure (1978/04/11)
• Episode 3: My First Friend (1978/04/18)
• Episode 4: Barracuda (1978/04/25)
• Episode 5: Industria (1978/05/09)
• Episode 6: The Dice Rebellion (1978/05/16)
• Episode 7: Pursuit (1978/05/23)
• Episode 8: Escape (1978/05/30)
• Episode 9: Salvage Ship (1978/06/06)
• Episode 10: Doctor Lao (1978/06/13)
• Episode 11: Escape (1978/06/20)
• Episode 12: Core Block (1978/06/27)
• Episode 13: High Harbor (1978/07/04)
• Episode 14: A Day on the Island (1978/07/11)
• Episode 15: Wasteland (1978/07/18)
• Episode 16: The Cabin for Two (1978/08/01)
• Episode 17: Battle (08/08/1978)
• Episode 18: Gunboat (1978/08/15)
• Episode 19: The Great Tsunami (1978/08/29)
• Episode 20: Back to Industria (1978/09/12)
• Episode 21: The Underground Dwellers (1978/09/19)
• Episode 22: Rescue (1978/09/26)
• Episode 23: Tower of the Sun (1978/10/03)
• Episode 24: Gigant (1978/10/17)
• Episode 25: The End of Industria (1978/10/24)
• Episode 26: The Great Finale (1978/10/31)

Related Titles

"Future Boy Conan" has the following related works:

• Future Boy Conan the Movie
• Future Boy Conan: Resurrection of the Giant Machine Gigant

Theme songs and music

The theme songs and music for the work are as follows:

• OP: "Now, the Earth Awakens"
  • Lyricist: Teru Kataoka
  • Composition and Arrangement: Shinichiro Ikebe
  • Vocals: Naozumi Kamata, Yuko Yamaji
• ED "Premonition of Happiness"
  • Lyricist: Teru Kataoka
  • Composition and Arrangement: Shinichiro Ikebe
  • Vocals: Naozumi Kamata, Yuko Yamaji

Ratings and Recommendations

"Future Boy Conan" was Hayao Miyazaki's directorial debut, and it foreshadowed his subsequent career. Set in a world after the collapse of civilization, it portrayed hope and faith in the future, deeply moving viewers. The story consistently depicts Conan's growth and challenges for a new future, giving courage and hope to viewers.

The portrayal of the characters is also very attractive, and the growth and change of each character, such as Conan's sense of justice, Lana's kindness, Jimsey's friendship, and Montsly's change, enrich the story. The drawings and art are also very beautiful, fully expressing Hayao Miyazaki's unique worldview.

Music is also an important element in enhancing the atmosphere of the work, and the theme songs "Now, the Earth Awakens" and "Premonition of Happiness", composed by Shinichiro Ikebe, resonate deeply with viewers. The opening theme in particular has a powerful melody that symbolizes the rebirth and hope of the earth, leaving a strong impression of the theme of the work.

This film is recommended not only for fans of Hayao Miyazaki, but also for those who like anime and science fiction, and for those who like stories that depict hope and faith in the future. In particular, it is a must-see for those who like works set in a world after the collapse of civilization. It is also a film that can be enjoyed by both children and adults, so it is recommended for watching with the whole family.

"Future Boy Conan" is Hayao Miyazaki's directorial debut, and it foreshadows his subsequent career, and is a work that deeply moves viewers. Although it is set in a world after the collapse of civilization, it depicts hope and faith in the future, giving courage and hope to viewers. Please give it a watch.