Suddenly Dagon - A review that explores the shocking developments and the charm of the characters

"Suddenly Dagon": A story of space adventurers and insects

"Suddenly Dagon," which aired on TV Asahi in 1988, is an animated series about the adventures of Dagon, an apprentice pilot from outer space, and his anthropomorphic insect friends. The original was a British picture book written by Dennis Bond and Ken Bordon, but the characters and story were significantly changed when it was made into an animated series, giving it a new appeal.

story

Dagon, an apprentice pilot of the spaceship Digital, crash-lands on Earth in his reconnaissance plane. There, he finds himself in the world of giants (ordinary Earthlings) whom the insects call "Sapiens." Dagon and the insects go on adventures in various places around the Earth, learning about friendship and courage.

Commentary

The original story of "Suddenly Dagon" is a British picture book, but it has been boldly adapted for animation. It has been reconstructed as an adventure story about a young alien named Dagon and anthropomorphized insects, providing viewers with a fresh surprise. In addition, the main staff has been taken over from "Spaceship Sagittarius," and the experience and skills of the production team are reflected in this work.

cast

A stellar cast of voice actors has been assembled, including Kazue Komiya as Dagon, Kumiko Takizawa as Marilyn, and Kenichi Ogata as Floppy. The performances, which highlight the individuality of each character, add depth and charm to the story.

• Dagon: Kazue Komiya
• Marilyn: Kumiko Takizawa
• Floppy: Kenichi Ogata
• Skipper: Tsubasa Shioya
• Jizamu: Masashi Ehara
• Meryl: Megumi Hayashibara
• Geppo: Takeshi Watanabe
• Goji: Shin Aomori
• Streep: Takaya Hashi
• Galibulgy: Shingo Kanemoto
• Kirinai: Keaton Yamada

Main Staff

The director is Kazuyoshi Yokota and the production is TV Asahi and Nippon Animation. The original story is by Dennis Bond and Ken Bordon, and the music is by Katsunori Ishida. The character design is by Noboru Takano, and the animation directors are Tetsuya Ishikawa, Koji Kato, Shuichi Ishii, and Kei Takeuchi.

• Written by: Dennis Bond, Ken Bordon
• Setting: fictional
• Produced by: Koichi Motohashi
• Production management: Mitsuru Takakuwa
• Planning: Shoji Sato
• Music: Ishida Katsunori
• Director: Kazuyoshi Yokota
• Producers: Ryuji Matsudo, Masahisa Kawada (TV Asahi)
• Screenplay: Nobuyuki Fujimoto, Masaru Yamamoto
• Character design: Noboru Takano
• Animation directors: Tetsuya Ishikawa, Koji Kato, Shuichi Ishii, Akira Takeuchi
• Art directors: Taizaburo Abe, Makoto Sato, Tsutomu Fujita
• Assistant Art Director: Rie Ota
• Director of photography: Toshiaki Morita
• Recording Director: Sadayoshi Fujino
• Color designation: Kaoru Uno
• Video check: Suguru Saito, Akiko Yamaguchi, Yutaka Sakamoto, Ko Sato
• Animation: Doga Kobo, Thumbtack Planning, Studio Hibari, TT Pro, Studio Emu, Bebo, Studio Victory, Project 4, Asato Sumiko, Kubozono Makoto, Haga Nobuyuki
• Finishing touches: Studio, Kiri
• Background: Studio Aqua, Studio WHO, Studio Loft, Boomerang, Kazuo Fukuda, Masaru Tokushige, Midori Chiba
• Photography: Trans, Arts
• Recording production: Audio-visual systems
• Mixer: Akiyoshi Yoda
• Effects: Fizz Sound by Yasuo Yoda
• Recording studio: Taihei Studio
• Photo lab: IMAGICA
• Title: Akira Michikawa
• Edited by: Yoshihiro Kasahara, Shinichi Natori, Masato Nakamura, Hidetoshi Kamitono
• Storyboard: Kazuyoshi Yokota, Hiroshi Saito, Takayoshi Suzuki, Jiro Saito
• Assistant directors: Takeyuki Sadohara, Tatsuya Hirakawa, Tsuyoshi Kaga
• Production desk: Akio Yogo
• Production Assistants: Yasunori Tsukamoto, Toichi Komura, Kenichi Sato, Nobuaki Nakanishi, Masahiko Kobayashi, Katsunori Kobayashi
• Produced by: TV Asahi, Nippon Animation

Broadcast information

"Suddenly Dagon" was broadcast on TV Asahi every Saturday from 7:30 to 8:00 p.m. from April 9 to June 25, 1988. The series consisted of 12 episodes, each 30 minutes long.

subtitle

The subtitles for each episode are as follows. Each episode depicts a different theme and adventure.

• Episode 1: Am I an alien? Marilyn-sensei has big boobs
• Episode 2: Warty frogs aren't scary!?
• Episode 3: Boiling me doesn't taste good!
• Episode 4: Sapiens' House is a Magical House!
• Episode 5: Cockroaches love beautiful women too!
• Episode 6: Fights in the underworld are terrifying!
• Episode 7: I won't cry even if I get rejected!
• Episode 8: There's a trap in the ideal world!
• Episode 9: What? Marilyn-sensei has a boyfriend...
• Episode 10: Drifting! We'll be dried up!
• Episode 11: The Flowers Speak! The Mysterious Dream Forest
• Episode 12: Wow! The Space Tree flies away

Related Titles

"Ikinari Dagon" is related to "Spaceship Sagittarius". The same staff is involved in the production, and the same world view and characters appear.

Theme songs and music

The opening theme is "Love is a Hero" and the ending theme is "Hello Goodbye", both sung by Mitsuko Horie. The lyrics were written by Yumi Ookubo, the music was composed by Kisaburo Suzuki, and the arrangement was done by Osamu Totsuka.

• OP: "Love is a Hero"
• Lyricist: Yumi Ookubo
• Composer: Kisaburo Suzuki
• Arrangement: Osamu Totsuka
• Vocals: Mitsuko Horie (Nippon Columbia)
• ED: "Hello Goodbye"
• Lyricist: Yumi Ookubo
• Composer: Kisaburo Suzuki
• Arrangement: Osamu Totsuka
• Vocals: Mitsuko Horie (Nippon Columbia)

Ratings and Recommendations

"Suddenly Dagon" is a story about the friendship and adventures of an alien adventurer and insects. The story has been changed significantly from the original, providing viewers with fresh surprises, and the characters' unique acting adds depth to the story. In particular, the interactions between Dagon and the insects and his adventures in various places on Earth are enjoyable for both children and adults.

This work is a testament to the evolution of animation technology and storytelling in the 1980s, and it's easy to see why it was so popular with audiences back then: the unusual combination of aliens and insects in particular stimulates the viewer's imagination and maximizes the fun of the adventure.

The theme songs "Ai Koso Hero" and "Hello Goodbye", along with the voice of Mitsuko Horie, left a deep impression on viewers. The fusion of music and visuals further enhances the appeal of this work.

"Suddenly Dagon" is recommended as an animated film that the whole family can enjoy. It is especially a good opportunity to teach children the importance of friendship and courage. It is also recommended for adults who want to enjoy a nostalgic 1980s animation. Please experience this unique adventure story.