The appeal and evaluation of Choro Q Dougram: Evolution from toys to anime

Choro Q Dougram - Choro Q Dougram

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Release date

July 9, 1983 - January 1, 0000

■Distribution company

Shochiku

■Frequencies

8 mins

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

Original story/Ryosuke Takahashi

■ Director

Directed by Masanori Miura

■ Production

Japan Sunrise

■Works

©Sunrise

■ Story

As a colony of Earth, Deloisa suffered under oppression for 150 years. The upheaval for independence brought precious sacrifices and enormous exhaustion to both sides. Tired of fighting, the people decided to entrust their fate to a single combat armor. Klin represented the guerrillas, Dougram, while Sergeant Hank and Sergeant Aaron represented the Federation, Blockhead. With sovereignty of Deloisa at stake, the two sides decided to face off in a race. Donan and Samarin shook hands with a smile under the clear sky of Deloisa, and the dead heat began.

■Explanation

While the simultaneously released "Document: Fang of the Sun Dougram" had a serious style, this was a self-parody based on an original idea by director Ryosuke Takahashi himself. This type of release format had never been seen before. "Choro Q," a popular product released in 1980 by Takara, a sponsor of Dougram, was a deformed miniature car with a pull-back spring. This coincided with the boom in two-headed deformed characters that was growing in popularity at the time, and the robot Dougram was made into a "Choro Q" product and released. This work was a pioneer of the boom in low-headed parodies that began in the mid-1980s.

■Cast

・Klin/Kazuhiko Inoue・Georges/Shigeru Chiba・Rocky/Ryoichi Tanaka・Canary/Eiko Yamada・Rita/Yoko Kawanami・Daisy/Masara Takashima・Lacock/Tatsuyuki Niuchi・Samarin/Kohei Miyauchi・Ralturf/Shingo Kanemoto・J. Rock/Kazuyuki Sogabe・Narrator/Masato Yamauchi

■ Main staff

Planning and production: Nippon Sunrise; Original concept and storyboard: Ryosuke Takahashi; Character arrangement and mecha arrangement: Studio Live; Art: Art no A, Seiji Miyamoto; Key animation: Kazuko Tadano, Hiromi Matsushita, Sanae Kobayashi, Ken Miyajima; Editing: Tomoaki Tsurubuchi, Fumiei Kataishi; Sound: Yasuo Urakami; Music: Toru Fuyuki; Direction: Masanori Miura; Producers: Masami Iwasaki, Tetsuhisa Yamada

■Detailed evaluation and recommendation

"Choro Q Dougram" is a short animation produced by Sunrise Japan and released in 1983. It is known as a collaboration between Takara's popular toy "Choro Q" and "Fang of the Sun Dougram". This work was a new attempt in the anime industry at the time, and provided viewers with a fresh surprise in the form of self-parody. Below, we will explain in detail the appeal and background of this work, as well as recommended points.

Background and intent of the work

Choro Q Dougram was released in theaters by Shochiku on July 9, 1983. At the time of its release, Fang of the Sun Dougram was being broadcast as a TV series, and its popularity led to a collaboration with Takara's Choro Q. Created as a self-parody by director Ryosuke Takahashi, this work offered viewers the opportunity to enjoy the world of Dougram from a new perspective.

The intention behind the production was not only to provide a new way for existing fans to enjoy the show, but also to convey the appeal of "Dagram" to a wider audience. In particular, by incorporating the "Choro-Q" design that is familiar to children, it was possible to appeal to a wider audience. In addition, the self-parody format provided viewers with laughter and surprise, and is thought to have had the effect of deepening their attachment to the work.

Story and Characters

The story of Choro Q Dougram is set against the backdrop of the war for independence on the colony planet Deloire. After years of suffering under oppression, the people of Deloire finally rise up in search of independence. However, exhausted by the fighting, the people decide to entrust their fate to the Combat Armor. Klin rides Dougram, representing the guerrillas, while Sergeant Hank and Sergeant Aaron ride Blockhead, representing the Federation, and the race for the sovereignty of Deloire begins.

The story depicts the misery of war and the hopes of the people, but with a humorous touch. In particular, characters such as Klin and Sergeant Hank are depicted in deformed designs from the original characters, making them more relatable to viewers. The race format is also designed to provide tension and thrills, while allowing viewers to enjoy the story.

Visuals and Music

The visuals of "Choro Q Dougram" feature a deformed design based on Takara's "Choro Q". The robots and characters are drawn with a cute, two-headed design, making them familiar to viewers. In addition, the backgrounds and art follow the worldview of the original work, but are drawn with a brighter, more pop atmosphere, providing enjoyment to viewers.

The music was composed by Toru Fuyuki, and its light-hearted and humorous melody enhances the atmosphere of the work. The music in the race scenes in particular effectively creates tension and thrills, providing a sense of immersion to the viewer. The narrator's narration also helps the work progress smoothly, making it easier for the viewer to understand the story.

Recommended points

Choro Q Dougram can be recommended for the following reasons:

1. **The freshness of self-parody**: For fans of Fang of the Sun Dougram, the self-parody format offers a fresh and fun experience. While following the worldview of the original work, it is depicted with a humorous touch, providing viewers with laughter and surprises.

2. **Friendly Design**: The deformed design based on Takara's "Choro Q" makes it easy to relate to a wide range of viewers, from children to adults. In particular, the cute, two-headed characters have the effect of deepening viewers' attachment to the characters.

3. **Tense and thrilling race scenes**: The race scene in which the sovereignty of Deloitte is at stake is effectively created with tension and thrills, providing an immersive feeling to the viewer. In particular, the music and the narrator's narration liven up the progress of the race.

4. **Portrayal of the tragedy of war and the hopes of people**: The story depicts the tragedy of war and the hopes of people, but with a humorous touch. This allows the audience to understand the reality of war, but also to feel hope.

5. **Pioneer of the 1980s parody boom**: Choro Q Dougram is a work that pioneered the low-headed parody boom that began in the mid-1980s. Through this work, viewers can understand the culture and trends of the time.

Related works and recommendations

For viewers who enjoyed "Choro Q Dougram," we also recommend the following related works:

1. **Fang of the Sun Dougram**: This is the TV series that Choro Q Dougram is based on. It is characterized by its serious style and realistic robot designs, and depicts the misery of war and the hope of people. If you are a fan of Choro Q Dougram, you should definitely watch the original work.

2. **Document: Fang of the Sun Dougram**: This work was released at the same time as Choro Q Dougram, and is characterized by its serious style. I recommend watching it to gain a deeper understanding of the world of Fang of the Sun Dougram.

3. **Mobile Suit Gundam**: Another robot anime produced by Sunrise, this one features realistic depictions of war and a deep story. This is a must-watch for fans of Fang of the Sun Dougram.

4. **Mazinger Z**: A representative robot anime from the 1970s, it features humorous touches and thrilling battle scenes. Fans of Choro Q Dougram will find it a nostalgic work.

5. **Doraemon**: This work is characterized by its two-dimensional deformed design and humorous story. Fans of Choro Q Dougram will feel a sense of familiarity with this work.

summary

Choro Q Dougram is a short animation produced by Sunrise Japan and released in 1983. It is known as a collaboration between Takara's popular toy Choro Q and Fang of the Sun Dougram. This work offers fresh surprises to viewers in the form of self-parody, and entertains viewers with its familiar design and tense racing scenes. In addition, the story, which depicts the misery of war and the hope of people, progresses with a humorous touch and deeply moves viewers. This work, which pioneered the parody boom of the 1980s, provides viewers with an opportunity to understand the culture and trends of the time. Related works that are recommended include Fang of the Sun Dougram, Document Fang of the Sun Dougram, Mobile Suit Gundam, Mazinger Z, and Doraemon. We would like viewers who enjoyed Choro Q Dougram to watch these works as well.