Review of "The Bander Book": An epic adventure and deep themes explored

A million year journey on earth - Bander Book

■ Public Media

TV Special

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Broadcast period

August 27, 1978 - January 1, 0000 Sunday 10:00-12:00

■Broadcasting station

Broadcast on Nippon Television Network

■Frequencies

94th minute

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■ Production

Produced by Nippon Television Network, Tezuka Productions

■Works

©Tezuka Productions

■ Story

The year is 2032. A spaceship from Earth mysteriously explodes, and a capsule carrying a baby is ejected from the explosion, crash-landing on the planet Zobi, where people with shape-shifting abilities live. The baby is given the name Prince Bandar by the planet's King Zobi and Queen Taska, and is raised as their own son. The king's real daughter, Mimru, loves Bandar not as her brother, but as a man. One day, Bandar learns that he is an Earthling, one of the most combative creatures in the universe...

■Explanation

This is Japan's first 2-hour TV anime. It was aired as part of Nippon Television's "Love Saves the Earth" and garnered high viewer ratings. It is the first TV anime in a long time that Osamu Tezuka himself was involved in everything from the original concept to the direction and animation, and it is a masterpiece filled with passion to create a quality that rivals that of a theatrical film.

■Cast

・Vander/Yutaka Mizushima・Mimuru/Mami Koyama・King Zobi/Toru Ohira・King Volvox/Kosei Tomita・Black Jack/Masato Ibu・Dokudami/Iemasa Iegumi・Queen Taska/Reiko Muto・Professor Kudo/Kyoji Kobayashi・Mrs. Kudo/Yukiko Nikaido・Professor Sharak/Kaneta Kimotsuki

■ Main staff

・Original idea, composition, direction: Tezuka Osamu ・Planning: Tsuzuki Tadahiko (Nippon Television Network, Inc.)
Producers: Yoshikawa Bin (Nippon Television), Takei Hidehiko (Nippon Television), Kaneda Keiji (Tezuka Productions)
・Music / Ohno Yuji ・Chief director, character design, art composition / Sakaguchi Hisashi ・Animation director / Nishimura Hiroshi ・Art director / Makino Mitsunari ・Finishing director / Tsukada Tsutomu ・Art setting / Hando Katsumi, Matsumoto Tsuyoshi, Makino Mitsunari ・Background / Tojo Toshitoshi, Sangosho ・Key animation / Masatoshi Masatei, Kanayama Akihiro, Seiyama Shigetaka, Yagi Dai, Nagashima Shinji, Murano Morimi, Sakaguchi Hisashi, Tezuka Osamu ・Animation / Senda Yukiya, Hanaoka Masayo, Kouda Fumio, Tamaki Tsuyoshi , Setsuko Yobunichi, Mariko Hisho, Shiwa Kimura, Kazuhiro Toyama, Setsuko Tomonaga, Yayoi Ikenotani, Yoshinobu Fujita, Kyoko Kitabayashi, Kaoru Kano, Shinji Seya・Sound Director / Satoshi Kato・Editing / Harutoshi Ogata, Akira Ito・Production Administration / Masaharu Mendaka・Production Assistant / Yoshihiro Shimizu, Hiroomi Kashimada, Takahiko Tsuchiya, Mikio Kobe, Kazumi Suzuki, Minoru Kotoku・Production Manager / Takayuki Matsutani, Satoshi Yamamoto, Norio Yamakawa・Produced by / Nippon Television Network, Tezuka Productions

■Detailed evaluation and recommendation

"One Million Year Journey: The Bander Book," broadcast in 1978, is a work filled with the creativity and passion of Osamu Tezuka, and has historical significance as Japan's first two-hour TV anime. Below, we will explain in detail the appeal and recommended points of this work.

The appeal of the story

The story of "Bander Book: A Million Year Journey on Earth" is about a baby named Bander who crash-lands on the planet Zobi from Earth, and while being raised by King Zobi and Queen Taska, comes to terms with his destiny as an Earthling, his roots as such. The scene in which Bander learns that he is an Earthling leaves a deep impression on viewers. In particular, the setting in which Mimuru loves Bander as a man, not as an older brother, is an important element that draws viewers' hearts. This theme of complex human relationships and self-exploration is one of the most profound in the works of Tezuka Osamu.

Character Appeal

Mizushima Yutaka, who plays Vander, realistically portrays the character's growth and conflict, eliciting sympathy from the viewer. Koyama Mami, who plays Mimuru, expresses pure love and deeply portrays her relationship with Vander. Ohira Toru, who plays King Zobi, gives a performance that combines dignity and compassion, making you feel the weight of a king. Also, Ibu Masato, who plays Black Jack, links to other works by Tezuka Osamu, which was a pleasant surprise for fans. The performances of these characters raise the quality of the entire work.

Background and significance of the production

This work was broadcast in Nippon Television's "Love Saves the Earth" time slot and recorded high viewer ratings. This work, which Tezuka Osamu was involved in from the original concept to the direction, is a culmination of his passion and talent, and is a masterpiece that aims for quality comparable to that of a theatrical anime. Sakaguchi Hisashi's character design and art composition in particular pursue visual beauty, leaving a strong impression on viewers. Furthermore, Ohno Yuji's music enhances the emotional impact of the story.

Recommended points

"One Million Year Journey: The Bander Book" is a work that can be recommended not only to fans of Tezuka Osamu, but to anime fans in general. The following points are the reasons why it is especially recommended.

• Deep story and themes : Stories of self-exploration and the complexities of human relationships will deeply touch your audience.
• Charming Characters : Unique characters such as Bandar, Mimru, and King Zobi add excitement to the story.
• Tezuka Osamu's passion : This work was created by Tezuka Osamu from the original concept to direction, and is filled with his creativity and passion.
• Historical Significance : As Japan's first two-hour TV anime, this work holds historical significance.
• High-Quality Production : The production is of high quality, with character designs and art composition by Sakaguchi Hisashi and music by Ohno Yuji.

How to watch and other information

"One Million Year Journey: The Bander Book" is available on DVD and online streaming services. You can also gain a deeper understanding of this work by reading other works by Tezuka Osamu and related books. In particular, since the film features characters that are linked to other works such as "Black Jack" and "Astro Boy," we recommend that you also enjoy these works.

summary

"One Million Year Journey: The Bander Book" is a work that brings together the passion and talent of Osamu Tezuka, and is characterized by a deep story, attractive characters, and high-quality production. As Japan's first two-hour TV anime, this work also has historical significance, making it a must-see for anime fans. Please watch it and experience its charm for yourself.