The appeal and evaluation of "Popolocrois Story": A monumental fantasy RPG

Popolocrois Story: A tale of adventure and friendship that transcends time and space

Overview

"Popolocrois Story" is a TV anime series that aired on TV Tokyo from October 4, 1998 to March 28, 1999. It is based on the game of the same name by Kosuke Tamori, and was produced in collaboration with the second game, "Poporogue." The anime has 25 episodes and aired every Sunday from 7:30 to 8:00. Animation was produced by Bee Train, and production was handled by TV Tokyo, SPE, and Visual Works.

■ Story

Pietro Pakapuka, the prince of the Popolocrois Kingdom, was living peacefully with his friends. However, the kingdom was attacked by the bandit King Gami Gami, who was trying to take over the kingdom. King Gami Gami's attack ended in failure, but immediately afterwards a rift in space-time appeared and a girl named Hyuu from another world appeared before Pietro and his friends. Pietro sets out on a journey with his friends to defeat King Gami Gami and return Hyuu to his own world.

■Explanation

"Popolocrois Story" is based on a manga by Kosuke Tamori and was serialized in the Asahi Elementary School Newspaper. It was made into a game for the PlayStation and has also been developed into a social networking app. The story of the anime was produced in collaboration with the second game, "Poporogue," and follows on from the events of the first game. The story of the anime is original, and focuses on human drama not seen in the game.

■Cast

The voice actors for the main characters are as follows:

• Pietro: Ai Orikasa
• Narcia: Yuri Shiratori
• Hugh: Eri Miyajima
• Gami Gami Demon King: Arata Furuta
• Sanda: Takashi Nagatsuji
• Stone: Takeshi Uchida

■ Main staff

The main staff involved in the production of the anime are as follows:

• Original author: Yosuke Tamori
• Planning: Ryuzo Shirakawa, Yukio Nagasaki
• Director: Koichi Mashimo
• Series Composition: Kenji Horikawa, Koichi Mashimo
• Character design: Atsuko Fukushima
• Character design: Takayuki Goto
• Mechanical design: Shunji Murata
• Color setting: Miyoko Kobayashi
• Special effects: Masahiro Murakami
• Art director: Toshihisa Koyama
• Director of photography: Seiichi Morishita
• Edited by: Seiji Morita
• Sound Director: Riku Matsukawa
• Music: Otani Sachi
• Production company: Bee Train
• Line Producer: Kenji Horikawa
• Producers: Noriko Kobayashi, Tomiyo Hiruta
• Produced by: TV Tokyo, SPE Visual Works

■ Main Characters

Details of the main characters are as follows:

• Pietro Pakapuka is the prince of the Kingdom of Popolocrois and is half human and half dragon. He usually has a human form, but can also transform into a dragon. He has a laid-back personality, but a strong sense of justice.
• A witch who lives in Narcia Forest, she is older than Pietro. She is like an older sister to Pietro, but she is only a novice witch and always makes mistakes.
• A girl who came from the world of the wind tribe through time and space. She is stubborn and can't be honest with others, which makes her companions and Pietro run around in circles. In fact, she is more lonely than most people.
• Gami Gami Maou is a self-proclaimed evil demon king who dreams of world domination. He is good at inventing things, and invents machines to take over the country, but always ends up failing.

■Subtitle

The subtitles and broadcast dates for each episode are as follows:

• Episode 1: Wind Girl (1998/10/04)
• Episode 2: Wind God and Raijin (1998/10/11)
• Episode 3: White Knight (1998/10/18)
• Episode 4: Magic Soup (1998/10/25)
• Episode 5: Anemoritos (1998/11/01)
• Episode 6: Love is a pain (1998/11/08)
• Episode 7: The Golden Key (1998/11/15)
• Episode 8: A Man's Romance (1998/11/22)
• Episode 9: Two Girls (1998/11/29)
• Episode 10: Battle of Wits (1998/12/06)
• Episode 11: A single bean (1998/12/13)
• Episode 12: Many Princes (1998/12/20)
• Episode 13: Boy (1998/12/27)
• Episode 14: Shion's Tears (1999/01/10)
• Episode 15: Looking up at the sky (1999/01/17)
• Episode 16: Flower Blizzard (1999/01/24)
• Episode 17: Seaside Paradise (1999/01/31)
• Episode 18: Forest of the Heart (1999/02/07)
• Episode 19: Wind and Magic (1999/02/14)
• Episode 20: Sweet Temptation (1999/02/21)
• Episode 21: The Disaster Ritual (1999/02/28)
• Episode 22: Call of the Wind (1999/03/07)
• Episode 23: The Fate of the Wind Tribe (1999/03/14)
• Episode 24: The Fruit of Farewell (1999/03/21)
• Episode 25: A Small Sparkle (1999/03/28)

■ Related works

"PopoloCrois Story" has the following related works:

• "Popolocrois" (TV anime)

■ Theme songs and music

The theme songs and insert songs for the anime are as follows:

• OP1
  • Period: 1-25
  • Song Name: Summer Balloon
  • Lyricist: Rie Otsuka
  • Composer: Rie Otsuka
  • Arrangement: Tetsuo Ishikawa, Rie Otsuka
  • Vocals: Rie Otsuka
• ED1
  • Period: 1-24
  • Song Name: Wind Magic
  • Lyricist: Fumi Oto
  • Composer: Fumi Ofuji
  • Arrangement: Thousand sketcheS
  • Sung by: Fumi Oto
• ED2
  • Duration: 25
  • Song name: Magic of the Wind (Hyuu version)
  • Lyricist: Fumi Oto
  • Composer: Fumi Ofuji
  • Arrangement: Thousand sketcheS
  • Vocals: Eri Miyajima
• IN1
  • Duration: 4
  • Song Name: Gilda's Theme "Secret Carnival"
  • Lyricist: Sumie Ayuzawa
  • Composer: Noriyuki Asakura
  • Arrangement: Yuki Otani
  • Sung by: Gilda (Takeko Kitamura)
• IN2
  • Duration: 8
  • Song name: Hyuu's Theme "I'm Alone"
  • Lyricist: Sumie Ayuzawa
  • Composer: Fumi Ofuji
  • Arrangement: Yuki Otani
  • Sung by: Hyuu (Eri Miyajima)
• IN3
  • Period: 11
  • Song name: Pietro's Theme "You're Here"
  • Lyricist: Sumie Ayuzawa
  • Composer: Yoshiyuki Sahashi
  • Arrangement: Yuki Otani
  • Sung by: Pietro (Ai Orikasa)
• IN4
  • Duration: 15
  • Song name: Sania's Theme "Look up at the sky"
  • Lyricist: Sumie Ayuzawa
  • Composer: Otani Sachi
  • Arrangement: Yuki Otani
  • Sung by: Sania (Kyoko Donowaki)

■ Review

Popolocrois Monogatari is an anime themed around fantasy and adventure that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike. It depicts the growth and friendship of characters including Pietro, as well as adventures that transcend time and space. In particular, the relationship between Pietro and Hyuu, and the humorous character of Gami Gami Demon King were loved by viewers. In addition, the tie-up with the game has succeeded in attracting new viewers as well as existing fans.

The story of the anime is original, and it focuses on human drama that was not seen in the game. The characters' personalities are richly depicted, such as Pietro's sense of justice, Hyuu's lonely side, and Narcia's failures and growth. In addition, the inventions and failures of Gami Gami Demon King are depicted in a comical way, entertaining the viewers.

The music also adds to the charm of the anime. The opening theme "Summer Balloon" features the refreshing singing voice of Rie Otsuka, while the ending theme "Wind Magic" features the gentle singing voice of Fumi Ofuji, which resonates in the heart. The inserted songs are also used as themes for each character, adding depth to the story.

The anime's production staff is also impressive, with professionals from various fields such as director Koichi Mashimo, character designer Takayuki Goto, and music composer Yuki Otani. Through their hands, the world of the original work was beautifully recreated, moving viewers.

■Recommendation

Popolocrois Monogatari is highly recommended for people who love fantasy and adventure, especially for game fans and adults who want to enjoy children's anime. Throughout Pietro and his friends' adventures, you will experience friendship, growth, and bonds that transcend time and space. Also, don't miss the humorous character of Gami Gami Demon King. Be sure to watch this wonderful anime.