Muteking the Dashing Warrior: Reevaluating the nostalgic special effects hero

Muteking the Fierce Warrior - The adventures of a nostalgic hero on the planet Octopus

■Overview of the work

"Muteking the Dashing Warrior" was an anime that gained huge popularity among children in the early 1980s. This work was produced by Tatsunoko Productions and aired on Fuji TV from September 7, 1980 to September 27, 1981, every Sunday from 6pm for 30 minutes. It was a long-running series of 56 episodes, and gave many children at the time dreams and inspiration.

■ Story

Tacoro, a sheriff's assistant, comes to Earth from the planet Octopus, far away in space, chasing the four villainous siblings, the Kurodako Brothers. He befriends a boy from Earth, Rin, and transforms Rin into the invincible superhero Muteking in order to capture the Kurodako Brothers, who are plotting to take over the Earth. A comical battle between the Kurodako Brothers and Tacoro and Muteking unfolds.

■Explanation

"Muteking the Dashing Warrior" is an action hero comedy that depicts the battle between octopus-like aliens plotting to conquer the Earth and Muteking, a hero who is transformed by a boy from Earth. The show features a light and pop American taste, such as the fashion of the characters and the roller-skating action, and was very popular with children at the time. The friendship between Tacoro and Rin and the unique characters of the Kurodako Brothers are also part of its appeal.

■Cast

• Rin Yuki/Kazuhiko Inoue
• Tacoro/Yumiko Arisaki
• Takokichi/Toru Ohira
• Tacomaro/Santarou Tsuji
• Octopus Saku / Shin Aomori
• Takomi/Makoto Takasaka
• Hot Ke Saucer / Osamu Kato
• Casterman / Yoshito Yasuhara

■ Main staff

• Produced by Kenji Yoshida
• Planning: Ippei Kuri, Shigeru Yanagawa
• Original work: Tatsunoko Productions Planning Department
• Character design: Ippei Kuri, Akiko Shimomoto
• Art design: Kikuko Tada
• Mechanical design: Kunio Okawara
• Chief animation director: Sadao Miyamoto
• Animation Director: Shizuo Kawai
• Music by Hayashikoba
• Producers: Ippei Kuri, Tomoyuki Miyata
• Chief Director/Seitaro Hara
• Produced by: Tatsunoko Productions, Fuji Television

■ Main Characters

• Rin Yuuki (Muteking)
  A boy from Earth who transforms into Muteking with the power of Takoro.
• A sheriff apprentice from the planet Takoro Tako. He came to Earth in pursuit of the Kurodako Brothers.
• The eldest son of Takokichi Kurodako Brothers.
• The second son of the Tacomaro Kurodako Brothers.
• The third son of the Takosaku Kurodako Brothers.
• The youngest sister of the Takomi Kurotako Brothers.

■Subtitle

• Episode 1: Muteking on the move!
• Episode 2: The Mysterious Strap Incident
• Episode 3: Eat before and after meals
• Episode 4: Conquer with false information!
• Episode 5: Big and small waves cause a huge flood!
• Episode 6: Strange Personal Advice
• Episode 7: Bullshit Baseball! 0-0
• Episode 8: Great Jungle Panic!
• Episode 9: Play, play, play together!
• Episode 10: The octopus is the great demon king of the universe!
• Episode 11: Surprise! The Earth is full of robots
• Episode 12: The Great Monster of Kurodako Mansion Appears!
• Episode 13: Everyone, dig here! Treasure lies hidden
• Episode 14: A new hero? Female Muteking
• Episode 15: Snow and knock knock, everyone hibernates
• Episode 16: New theory! If you get wet in the rain, you will disappear
• Episode 17: What happens to people when they enjoy themselves in cars?
• Episode 18: Let's have a festival! Let's all dance!
• Episode 19: Black Octopus' Perfect Helmet
• Episode 20: At the height of its popularity! Black Octopus Sound
• Episode 21: Hilarious! The Black Octopus Circus
• Episode 22: Maze! Adults and children alike are lost
• Episode 23: The Octopus Star Stone that Brings Good Fortune
• Episode 24: Tacoro's Guts Marathon
• Episode 25: Stormy Battle on Eagle Mountain
• Episode 26: It's a breakup, Hot Ke Saucer
• Episode 27: Black Octopus' Utopia Comes True!
• Episode 28: Welcome to Kurodako's Palace
• Episode 29: Success! Black Octopus' Conquest of the Moon
• Episode 30: Goodbye Michi
• Episode 31: Oh, Tragic Love! Takomi's Pure Love
• Episode 32/Unable to restart! ? Complete defeat of black octopus
• Episode 33: Let's go Japan! The Great Migration
• Episode 34: The Silver Family Great Race
• Episode 35: Life or death?! A deadly battle at KO Ranch
• Episode 36: Thrill! The Fearsome Truck Driver
• Episode 37: Opening Up! The Takoro Police
• Episode 38: Oh no? Takoro's mother
• Episode 39: Big Profit!? Black Octopus Sightseeing Boat
• Episode 40: The Great Mikoshi Fight
• Episode 41: Fly, Fly, Balloon! The Great Race
• Episode 42: The hilarious Tacoro Kamishibai
• Episode 43: Bloom in the sky! Heartfelt fireworks
• Episode 44: Big Sale! Kurodako Mansion
• Episode 45: Tears! Retirement of the downtown train
• Episode 46: Splendid! Black Octopus' Summer Vacation
• Episode 47: Takoro the Fisherman
• Episode 48: The Panda Has Disappeared! Invisibility Cloak
• Episode 49: Don't turn off the lights in the theater
• Episode 50: Touching! Black Octopus's Tears of Filial Piety
• Episode 51: First Love! The Pure Story of Takosaku
• Episode 52: Reconciliation!? Black Octopus' SOS
• Episode 53: How to win the Mutekin Game
• Episode 54: A stormy showdown for the rescue team!
• Episode 55: The Big Chase! Teleport Tube
• Episode 56: This is the finale! The final battle

■ Appeal and evaluation of the work

"Muteking the Dashing Warrior" is appealing for its unique worldview and comical story development. Children especially loved the friendship between Takoro and Rin, and the unique characters of the Kurodako Brothers. In addition, Muteking's transformation scenes and roller skating action were fresh and exciting for children at the time.

The film's ratings were high at the time, and it was extremely popular among children. The character and mechanic designs were also very sophisticated, and the film is a testament to Tatsunoko Productions' technical prowess. The music, with its catchy melodies by Hayashiba, also left a strong impression, capturing the hearts of children.

■The influence of the work and its future impact

"Muteking the Dashing Warrior" was one of the works that led the anime boom of the 1980s, and its influence can still be seen in later anime. It had a particularly large impact on works that incorporated hero and comedy elements. It also has many elements in common with other works by Tatsunoko Productions, and fans say it is "full of Tatsunoko Productions' DNA."

It is still loved by many fans today as a work that combines nostalgia and freshness. In particular, its appeal has been conveyed to new generations through the release of DVDs and Blu-rays, as well as distribution on the Internet. Character goods and figures are also popular, and are attracting attention among collectors.

■ Recommendation points

"Muteking the Dashing Warrior" is a work that can be enjoyed by both children and adults. In particular, the following points are recommended.

• Comical storyline and unique characters
• Tacoro and Rin's Friendship
• Muteking transformation scene and roller skating action
• Catchy music
• Character and mechanic designs that highlight Tatsunoko Productions' technical expertise

These points are what make "Muteking the Dashing Warrior" a special work. Please give it a watch.

■ Related works and how to watch them

Works related to "Muteking the Dashing Warrior" include other hero and comedy anime produced by Tatsunoko Productions. In particular, "Science Ninja Team Gatchaman" and the "Time Bokan Series" are also produced by Tatsunoko Productions, and there are many common elements between them.

As for how to watch it, you can purchase the DVD or Blu-ray version. You can also use online streaming services. In particular, you can watch it on platforms such as Amazon Prime Video and Netflix, so be sure to check them out.

■ Summary

"Muteking the Dashing Warrior" is a work that led the anime boom of the 1980s, and its unique worldview and comical story development are its attractions. Many elements of the series were beloved by children, such as the friendship between Takoro and Rin, the unique characters of the Kurodako Brothers, Muteking's transformation scene and roller skating action, and catchy music. It has also been highly praised by posterity, and is still loved by many fans today. Please give it a watch and experience its charm for yourself.