A thorough analysis of the charm of Dr. Slump Arale and the dream world of the Mechapolis!

"Dr. Slump Arale-chan Hoyoyo! Dream City Mechapolis" - An adventure unfolding between dreams and reality

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

comics

■ Release date

July 13, 1985 - January 1, 0000

■Distribution company

Toei

■ Eirin Number

24984

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

・Original work: Akira Toriyama

■ Director

Directed by Toyoo Ashida and Kazuhisa Takenouchi

■ Production

・Production: Toei (animation)

■ Story

During the summer vacation in Penguin Village, Arale and her friends watched the movie "Mechapolis" and longed for the city. Mechapolis actually appeared in Penguin Village. Only the children witnessed it, and they gathered at Mechapolis without the adults noticing. There, the things they had dreamed of and longed for happened one after another, and they all enjoyed themselves freely. In fact, it was an alien who came to conquer the Earth, and gathered the children to watch an illusion in order to find out the ecology of Earthlings. The aliens had obtained data that showed that Earthling children are innocent, and they tried various things, but they could not get the reaction they wanted at all. The children's dreams and desires escalated to an extreme, and finally the spaceship went into a big panic. The aliens gave up and ran away.

■Explanation

The fourth movie version of the TV anime that depicts Arale and her friends' admiration for the "Mechapolis" that they saw in the movie, a city that can make their dreams come true. The original is the manga of the same name by Akira Toriyama that was serialized in "Weekly Shonen Jump". The screenplay was co-written by Mitsuru Shimada, Yoshifumi Yuki, and Keiji Terui. The director is Toyoo Ashida.

■Cast

Kenji Utsumi, Mami Koyama, Kazuko Sugiyama, Naomi Jinbo, Seiko Nakano

■ Main staff

・Executive producer: Tomonori Imada・Planning: Keizo Shichijo・Original story: Akira Toriyama・Original idea: Yoshifumi Yuki・Screenplay: Mitsuru Shimada, Keiji Terui・Direction: Toyoo Ashida, Kazuhisa Takenouchi・Cinematography: Minoru Maeda・Music: Shunsuke Kikuchi・Art: Mataji Urata

■Detailed review

"Dr. Slump Arale-chan Hoyoyo! Dream City Mechapolis" is the fourth installment in the anime film series based on Akira Toriyama's popular manga "Dr. Slump," and was released in 1985. The film depicts a series of events triggered by the pure dreams and desires of children, skillfully combining elements of humor and adventure.

The story begins during summer vacation in Penguin Village. After watching the movie "Mechapolis," Arale and her friends are fascinated by the dreamlike city. Then, one day, Mechapolis suddenly appears in Penguin Village. Only the children are aware of its existence, and they gather in this city, invisible to adults, and make their dreams come true one after another. However, Mechapolis is actually an illusion created by aliens to study the ecology of Earthlings. The aliens try to test the children's innocence, but the children's dreams and desires escalate beyond their expectations, ultimately causing the aliens to panic.

The appeal of this film lies above all in its humor and creativity. Akira Toriyama's unique worldview is fully displayed, and the way in which the innocent dreams of children come true is entertaining to the viewer. Furthermore, the way the aliens' plans fail one after another symbolizes the triumph of children's innocence and creativity.

In terms of directing, the team of Toyoo Ashida and Kazuhisa Takenouchi shines. Their direction faithfully retains the atmosphere of the original work while adding the dynamic expression that is unique to film. In particular, the depiction of the mecha police is extremely vivid, allowing viewers to visually enjoy the moment when the children's dreams become reality. Additionally, animation director Minoru Maeda's work is superb, with the characters' movements and expressions depicted vividly.

In terms of music, Shunsuke Kikuchi's music enhances the atmosphere of the film. In particular, the music is used effectively in the mechapolis scenes to create a dreamlike world, allowing you to enjoy the film both visually and aurally. Also, do not miss the work of art director Mataji Urata. His art realistically recreates the fantastical world of the mechapolis, visually expressing the children's dreams.

The cast includes a group of talented voice actors, including Kenji Utsumi, Mami Koyama, Kazuko Sugiyama, Naomi Jinbo, and Seiko Nakano. Their performances bring out the personalities of the characters and liven up the story. In particular, Mami Koyama's voice as Arale-chan perfectly expresses the character's innocence and humor.

■ Recommendation points

This movie is enjoyable for both children and adults. It is especially a must-see for fans of Akira Toriyama and Dr. Slump. It is also recommended for those who enjoy humor and adventure, and those who want to empathize with the pure dreams and desires of children.

Furthermore, this film is a celebration of the creativity and purity of children. In today's society, children's dreams and desires are often overlooked, but this film reminds us of their importance. It is a must-see for anyone who wants to support children's dreams and cares about their future.

This film also allows you to fully experience the charm of anime films from the 1980s. It is packed with the work of the greatest creators of the time, including Akira Toriyama's unique worldview, Toyoo Ashida and Kazuhisa Takenouchi's direction, Shunsuke Kikuchi's music, and Mataji Urata's art. It is also recommended for those who want to know the history of anime films and those who are interested in the anime production process.

Related information

Dr. Slump Arale-chan Hoyoyo! Dream City Mechapolis was distributed by Toei and released under the Eirin number 24984. It is based on the manga of the same name by Akira Toriyama, which was serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump, and the screenplay was co-written by Mitsuru Shimada, Yoshifumi Yuki, and Keiji Terui. The executive producer was Tomonori Imada, the planner was Keizo Shichijo, the animation director was Minoru Maeda, the cinematographer was Masaru Sakanishi, the music was Shunsuke Kikuchi, and the art was Mataji Urata.

The film was released on July 13, 1985, and has a self-contained story in one episode. Set during the summer vacation in Penguin Village, the story of Arale and friends gathering at Mechapolis and going on an adventure to make their dreams come true depicts the pure hearts of children.

"Dr. Slump Arale-chan Hoyoyo! Dream City Mechapolis" is a wonderful work that depicts humor, adventure, and the dreams and desires of children. It is a movie that I would like many people to see.