Tiger Mask II: A New Legend Review and Comments

Tiger Mask II - Tiger Mask Nisei

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

comics

■ Broadcast period

April 20, 1981 - January 18, 1982 Every Monday 7:00pm - 7:30pm

■Broadcasting station

TV Asahi

■Frequencies

half an hour

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 33

■Original Story

Kajiwara Ikki and Tsuji Naoki ("Shonen King Supplement" Shonen Gahosha)

■ Director

Kozo Morishita

■ Production

Toei Animation

■Works

©Kajiwara Ikki/Toei Animation

■ Story

The Space Pro Wrestling Federation, led by oil tycoon Arman Hassan, is plotting to dominate the world of professional wrestling. The first place they set their sights on is the Japanese wrestling world. Space Mask SF, an assassin from the Space Pro Wrestling Federation, bursts into the New Japan Pro Wrestling ring and provokes the pro-Japanese ace, Inoki. Then, masked wrestler Tiger Mask, who was supposed to have died in a traffic accident, rushes to the scene. Tiger Mask II follows the will of the original Tiger and fights for the Japanese wrestling world with Inoki's help.

■Explanation

The anime "Tiger Mask" ends with the main character, Naoto Date, leaving for overseas, but in the original manga, Naoto dies in a traffic accident. This work follows the setting of the original and depicts a new Tiger Mask who is active nine years later. A young man who grew up in an orphanage supported by the first Tiger Naoto wears a tiger mask just like Naoto and is active as Tiger Mask II. The "Tiger's Den", Tiger's enemy in the previous work, is not positioned as a ruthless evil group, but as an organization whose purpose is to produce the strongest wrestler. In the anime, wrestlers from New Japan Pro Wrestling, including Antonio Inoki, and even Mr. Giant, Shigeo Nagashima, appear. In addition, Tiger Mask (Satoshi Sayama) appeared in the real New Japan Pro Wrestling ring to coincide with the anime broadcast. A manga based on the anime was serialized in "Zukan Shonen Magazine", "TV Magazine" (Kodansha), and "TV Land" (Tokuma Shoten).

■Cast

・Tatsuo Aku (Tiger Mask II) / Hideyuki Hori ・Hinode Sports Desk ・Space Pro Wrestling Federation Leader (Arman Hassan) / Norio Otsuka ・Antonio Inoki / Takashi Tanaka ・Junko Tachibana / Mami Koyama ・Midori Ariyoshi / Chiyoko Kawashima ・Kazuya Tachibana / Satomi Mashima ・Announcer / Koji Yada

■ Main staff

・Original story by Ikki Kajiwara・Manga illustrations by Junichi Miyata and Naoki Tsuji・Planning by Takeshi Tamiya and Yoshiaki Koizumi・Production by Masahisa Saeki・Screenplay by Haruya Yamazaki・Chief director by Kozo Morishita・Direction by Masahiro Sasaki, Shigeyasu Yamauchi, Guji Katsumata and others・Chief animator by Hiroshi Wagatsuma・Chief designer by Hidenobu Hata・Cinematography by Hideo Sugaya and others・Editor by Osamu Tanaka・Sound by Isao Hatano・Music by Shunsuke Kikuchi
・Professional wrestling coaching: Antonio Inoki ・Cooperation: New Japan Pro-Wrestling

■ Main Characters

・Aku Tatsuo (Tiger Mask II)
He is a boring newspaper reporter for Hinode Sports and the real identity of Tiger Mask II. He grew up in an orphanage and trained at the wrestler training institute "Toranoana," following the same path as the original Tiger Mask, Naoto Date. He believes that "might is not right, justice is power." When he is in the form of Tiger Mask, he drives his own vehicle, the Tiger Hurricane, which is a transforming red sports car. He has his own secret training facility, the Tiger Pyramider.

Antonio Inoki: President and ace wrestler of New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Following the first Tiger Mask, he will also fight alongside the second Tiger Mask.

Junko Tachibana A kind-hearted woman who lost her parents and raised her younger brother Kazuya on her own. She works as a nurse.

Midori Ariyoshi is a tomboyish and energetic photographer for Hinode Sports. She is secretly in love with Tatsuo.

- Kazuya Tachibana After being saved by Tiger Mask from the clutches of Space Mask SF, he becomes a big fan of Tiger Mask.

Arman Hassan is an oil tycoon and the shadow ruler of the Space Pro Wrestling Federation. He believes that "might is justice." He was once the strongest man who terrorized the entire United States as a masked wrestler, The Strongs.

■Subtitle

・Episode 1/Roar!! Ring Oath・Episode 2/The Man Trained in the Tiger's Den・Episode 3/A Deadly Battle with a Mask・Episode 4/The Tiger Whose Blood Was Sucked・Episode 5/Young Man Hunting・Episode 6/Burning Fighting Spirit・Episode 7/The Mystery of the Tiger Pyramid・Episode 8/The Final Battle! Tag Match・Episode 9/Danger! Japanese Pro Wrestling・Episode 10/The Challenge of the Iron Mask・Episode 11/The Ruthless Rule・Episode 12/Hell's Hawk・Episode 13/Shigeo Nagashima's Thousand Knocks・Episode 14/The Immortal Champion Belt・Episode 15/What is the Space Pro Wrestling Federation!?
Episode 16: Tatsuo Aku closes in on HassanEpisode 17: FlashbacksThe road to professional wrestlingEpisode 18: Trap! One second before the gongEpisode 19: Grim Reaper Silver's betrayalEpisode 20: Clash! Tiger HurricaneEpisode 21: Hassan's secretEpisode 22: Defeat Bronze Muscle!
・Episode 23 / Butcher's Challenge・Episode 24 / Tiger vs. Butcher・Episode 25 / A Man's Fight・Episode 26 / Stan Hansen's Rage・Episode 27 / The Gun that Brings the Storm・Episode 28 / The Fearsome Devil Chop・Episode 29 / Fly! Tatsuo Aku・Episode 30 / The Terrifying Battle Royale・Episode 31 / The Fire-Breathing Rage of Hassan・Episode 32 / The Beating Gong of the Final Battle・Episode 33 / After the Endless Battle

■ Related works

TV
・Tiger Mask (broadcast on Yomiuri TV and NTV from October 2, 1969 to September 30, 1971)

The appeal and reputation of Tiger Mask II

"Tiger Mask II" is an anime series that aired on TV Asahi from 1981 to 1982, and is based on the manga "Tiger Mask" by Ikki Kajiwara and Naoki Tsuji. The series follows the exploits of Tiger Mask II, a new hero who inherits the legacy of the original Tiger Mask, and while it continues the themes of professional wrestling and justice, it develops new storylines and characters.

The story of this work begins with the Space Pro Wrestling Federation, led by oil tycoon Arman Hassan, plotting to dominate the world of professional wrestling. They first target the Japanese professional wrestling world, invading the New Japan Pro Wrestling ring. Tiger Mask II, the successor to Tiger Mask, who was supposed to have died in a traffic accident, appears there. He carries on the will of the original Tiger and fights to protect the Japanese professional wrestling world with the help of Antonio Inoki.

Tiger Mask II's true identity is Tatsuo Aku, a boring newspaper reporter for Hinode Sports. He grew up in an orphanage and, like the original Tiger Mask, trained at the "Tiger's Lair." He believes that "might is not right, justice is power," and when he fights in the guise of Tiger Mask, he drives a special vehicle called the Tiger Hurricane, which is a red sports car that transforms. He also has a secret training facility called the Tiger Pyramider. These settings inherit elements from the original Tiger Mask while adding new appeal.

One of the attractions of this work is that it delves deeply into the themes of professional wrestling and justice. Just as the original Tiger Mask fought to support an orphanage, Tiger Mask II also maintains a fighting spirit to protect the weak. In addition, by contrasting Tiger Mask II with the Space Pro Wrestling Federation's belief that "might is justice," the storyline makes you think about the true nature of justice.

Another big attraction of this work is the appearance of real-life professional wrestlers. Wrestlers from New Japan Pro Wrestling, including Antonio Inoki, and even Shigeo Nagashima, appear in the anime, enhancing its realism and entertainment value. In addition, Tiger Mask (Satoru Sayama) appeared in the real New Japan Pro Wrestling ring to coincide with the anime broadcast, in a unique attempt to link the anime with the real world of professional wrestling. This allowed viewers to experience an excitement that transcended the boundaries between anime and reality.

The appeal of the characters is also a factor in raising the film's acclaim. The protagonist, Aku Tatsuo, not only carries on the will of the original Tiger Mask, but is also portrayed as sticking to his own beliefs, leaving a strong impression on viewers. Additionally, the female characters, such as Tachibana Junko and Ariyoshi Midori, are also portrayed as attractive characters with strong wills and kindness. Ariyoshi Midori in particular is particularly moving in the way she supports Tatsuo's fight despite having feelings for him.

The production staff for this work is also impressive, with Kajiwara Ikki as the original author, Morishita Kozo as director, and Kikuchi Shunsuke in charge of the music. Kikuchi Shunsuke's music in particular is an important element in enhancing the excitement and dramatic developments of the wrestling action. Antonio Inoki's cooperation as a wrestling instructor also contributes to the realistic reproduction of the wrestling scenes.

Although "Tiger Mask II" was broadcast for a short period of 33 episodes, it delved deeply into the themes of professional wrestling and justice, and depicted attractive characters and realistic professional wrestling scenes. It is a work that can be recommended not only to fans of the original Tiger Mask, but also to viewers who like professional wrestling and hero stories, and its appeal has not faded even now.

Recommended points of Tiger Mask II

The reasons to recommend "Tiger Mask II" are as follows:

1. The theme of pro wrestling and justice

This work delves deeply into the themes of professional wrestling and justice. The way Tiger Mask II, who inherited the will of the original Tiger Mask, fights to protect the weak is moving and conveys a strong message to the audience. In addition, by contrasting it with the Space Pro Wrestling Federation's belief that "might is justice," the storyline makes viewers think about the true nature of justice. This content will appeal not only to professional wrestling fans, but also to viewers who like justice and hero stories.

2. Realistic wrestling scenes

This work features wrestlers from New Japan Pro Wrestling, including Antonio Inoki, and depicts realistic wrestling scenes. In particular, the appearance of Tiger Mask (Satoru Sayama) in the real New Japan Pro Wrestling ring to coincide with the anime broadcast made a big impact on viewers. Antonio Inoki's cooperation as a wrestling instructor also contributed to the reproduction of realistic wrestling scenes. This makes it a work that can be enjoyed not only by wrestling fans, but also by viewers who are not interested in wrestling.

3. Charming characters

Each and every character in this series is charming and leaves a strong impression on viewers. The main character, Aku Tatsuo, not only carries on the will of the original Tiger Mask, but he is also portrayed as sticking to his own beliefs, which moves viewers. Additionally, female characters such as Tachibana Junko and Ariyoshi Midori are also portrayed as charming characters with strong wills and kindness. Ariyoshi Midori in particular is touching in the way she supports Tatsuo in his fights, despite having feelings for him. The appeal of these characters is a major factor in drawing viewers in.

4. Awesome production staff

The production staff for this film is impressive, with Kajiwara Ikki as the author, Morishita Kozo as director, and Kikuchi Shunsuke in charge of the music. Kikuchi Shunsuke's music in particular is an important element in enhancing the excitement and dramatic developments of the wrestling action. Antonio Inoki's assistance as a wrestling instructor also contributes to the realistic reproduction of the wrestling scenes. The efforts of these staff members have raised the quality of this film.

5. Connection with the original Tiger Mask

This work depicts the exploits of Tiger Mask II, a new hero who inherits the will of the original Tiger Mask, and is recommended for fans of the original Tiger Mask. While retaining elements of the original Tiger Mask, it also develops new stories and characters, so even fans of the original Tiger Mask will find new appeal. Also, even if you are not a fan of the original Tiger Mask, viewers who like pro wrestling and hero stories can enjoy the content.

summary

"Tiger Mask II" delves deeply into the themes of professional wrestling and justice, depicting fascinating characters and realistic professional wrestling scenes. The exploits of Tiger Mask II, who carries on the will of the original Tiger Mask, are inspiring and convey a powerful message to viewers. Furthermore, with the cooperation of a stellar production staff and real-life professional wrestlers, it has become a high-quality work. It is a work that can be recommended not only to fans of the original Tiger Mask, but also to viewers who like professional wrestling and hero stories, and its appeal has not faded even today.