The appeal and reviews of "PAPUWA": A thorough analysis of the appeal of this humorous adventure anime

PAPUWA - Papua - Appeal and reputation

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

comics

■ Broadcast period

September 30, 2003 to March 30, 2004 TV Tokyo Network September 30, 2003 to March 30, 2004 (Episodes 1 to 26) Every Tuesday 18:00 to 18:30

■Broadcasting station

TV Tokyo affiliates

■Frequencies

half an hour

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 26

■Original Story

Ami Shibata "PAPUWA" (published in the monthly "Shonen Gangan" published by Square Enix)

■ Director

Kenichi Nishida

■ Production

Animation production: Nippon Animation Production: TV Tokyo, Sotsu Agency, Nippon Animation

■Works

© Shibata Ami / Square Enix, Nippon Animation © Shibata Ami / Square Enix, Sotsu Agency, Nippon Animation, PAPUWA Production Committee, TV Tokyo 2003

■ Story

It has been four years since the Papuwa left the First Papuwa Island on the ark.
Kotaro, awakened by the call of the "Blue Secret Stone", escapes from the Gamma Group headquarters. Traveling alone on a boat, Kotaro is eventually sucked into a large whirlpool. He arrives at the Second Papuwa Island. He is soon found by the Papuwas, but Kotaro has lost his memory. Liquid, a former Gamma member who lives with Papuwa as a guardian, is shocked to find out that it is Kotaro. Kotaro possesses the "Secret Stone Eye" and destroyed the First Papuwa Island four years ago. Fearing that his great power will go out of control, Liquid takes advantage of Kotaro's amnesia and renames him "Rotaro" without permission. Kotaro, who is somewhat suspicious, is called "Rotaro", and although he is confused by the island's perverted characters such as Ito and Tanno, he becomes friends with the Papuwas.
In order to get "Rotaro" back, the members of the new Gamma Team descend upon Papua Island. With the addition of former Gamma Team special forces, Papua Island 2 becomes noisy again.

■Explanation

This is an animated sequel to the popular comic "Tropical Boy Papuwa-kun." It depicts the chaos that unfolds on a new island as Papuwa and his friends navigate it four years after the collapse of the first Papuwa island.

※Quoted from d Anime Store

■Cast

・Papuwa/Kumai Motoko・Chappy/Yamaguchi Kappei・Kotaro/Kobayashi Sanae・Liquid/Takahashi Hiroki・Ito/Mugihito・Tanno/Takatsuka Masaya・Miyagi/Hirakawa Daisuke・Tottori/Ishizuka Ken・Koji/Takemoto Eiji・Arashiyama/Yusa Koji・Harlem/Koyasu Takehito・Marker/Konishi Katsuyuki・Rod/Nagano Zenichi・G/Nomura Kenji

■ Main staff

・Original work: Shibata Ami・Director: Nishida Kenichi・Supervision: Takagi Jun・Series composition: Inoue Toshiki・Character design: Nakajima Yoshiko・Art director: Fukuda Kazuya・Color design: Ohira Takashi・Directors of photography: Mashima Akinobu, Sodeyama Gakuta, Okazaki Hideo・Editors: Nakano Kazuho, ​​Kimura Sumimi, Natori Shinichi・Sound director: Takahashi Hideo・Music: Fukushima Yuko・Producers: Beniya Yoshikazu, Itabashi Hidenori, Togawa Jun・Animation production: Nippon Animation・Production: TV Tokyo, Sotsu Agency, Nippon Animation

■ Main Characters

・Papuwa 2 He is the strongest little kid on the island of Papuwa, with full power. He is the center of attention on the island and has many friends, including his best friend Chappy. He cherishes his friends on the island, living a life of eating, playing, and sleeping when he gets tired. He is so free-spirited that he is constantly at the mercy of the adults who come to the island. Of course, the "Nbaba Dance" is still going strong.
・Chappy is Papuwa-kun's best friend. All the animals on the island can speak, but Chappy is the only one who can't. He washed up on the first Papuwa Island with Papuwa-kun, so he is the only one who knows Papuwa-kun's true identity. He always dances with Papuwa-kun.
A former Gamma Team Special Forces member who lives with Papuwa-kun and the others as the Liquid Guardian. Papuwa-kun pushes all the housework onto him, and Kotaro calls him the "housekeeper". However, he doesn't mind it and is a good cook. As a former Gamma Team member, he is strong in battle, but is intimidated by Papuwa-kun.
Kotaro is the younger brother of Shintaro, the leader of the Gamma Corps, and possesses the powerful "Secret Stone Eye". Guided by a mysterious voice, he is washed ashore on the Second Papuwa Island, but loses his memory and for some reason calls himself "Rotaro". He was a selfish modern child, but in the generous environment of Papuwa Island, he regains his honest heart. He hits it off with Papuwa-kun and becomes friends with him.
・Ito A giant hermaphrodite snail. Its catchphrase is "My heart is a woman's." It is the most prominent living creature on Papua Island, and goes into labor when the flames of love ignite.
・Tanno A sea bream with legs in fishnet stockings. Along with Ito-kun, he is the original pervert of Papua Island. He is a transvestite fish that can be boiled or grilled, but doesn't like being seared because the wasabi taste will seep into his skin. He often appears with Ito-kun, probably because he always acts together with him.
・Comoro poisonous mushroom type. A fungus character that appears out of nowhere and ignores the ecosystem. His special skill is to sprinkle spores on people and make them trip out in a dreamlike state. One of the members of the "New Gamma Team" that came to the island also becomes prey to Comoro. If he has a chance, he will "parasitize" them.
Oshodani is an otter searching for the ideal drum, and a solitary drummer. His catchphrase is "I'm gonna hit it! I'm gonna hit it! I'm gonna let you hear my beat today too!" His special move is the Oshodani Swing.
・New Gamma Team (Miyagi, Koji, Tottori, Arashiyama)
Gamma Squad was newly formed as a punishment corps limited to bad guys. The four of them were supposed to be extremely skilled, but on Papua Island...
- Former Gamma Team Special Forces (Harlem, Marker, Rod, G)
The unit was forced to leave the new Gamma Team due to their overly rough methods. With nothing better to do, they plan to kidnap Kotaro and invade Papua Island.

■Subtitle

Episode 1: Welcome to Papua Island! (2003/09/30)
Episode 2: Beware of the poison!? Komoro-kun, the poisonous mushroom, appears (2003/10/07)
Episode 3: The motto is the power of friendship! I am Arashiyama (2003/10/14)
Episode 4: The Wandering Drummer, Otter Oshordamni Appears (2003/10/21)
Episode 5: Funky Yankee!? Liquid's Glamorous Past (2003/10/28)
Episode 6: Zombies dance too!? Obon on Papua Island is in chaos (2003/11/04)
Episode 7: Even Hayashi-kun is shocked!? The living dictionary's writing (2003/11/11)
Episode 8: Rotaro Awakens!? Papuwa House is Flooded (2003/11/18)
Episode 9: The Samurai Has Arrived! The Shinsengumi Makes an Appearance! (2003/11/25)
Episode 10: Umako Vision Activated! Magic Potion Tastes Like Love (2003/12/02)
・Episode 11: Save Rotaro! Chappy's Struggle to Run an Errand (2003/12/09)
Episode 12: Who is the Hina Doll? The Fierce Papua Island Hina King Cup (2003/12/16)
Episode 13: Pushing the limits?! Male tide beach volleyball tournament (2003/12/23)
Episode 14: Even Rotaro is surprised!? A god in the shape of a man appears (2004/01/06)
Episode 15: Beware of fakes? Rotaro's man test (2004/01/13)
・Episode 16: What's the present? Liquid Papa's longest day (2004/01/20)
・Episode 17: Koji's Depression: Who Does Umako Own? (2004/01/27)
・Episode 18: No more liquid? Housekeeper Substitute Championship (2004/02/03)
Episode 19: Heart, Deliver!! Hot-Blooded Valentine's Day (2004/02/10)
Episode 20: Arashiyama Talks! Memories of Gamma Corps Military Academy (2004/02/17)
Episode 21: What is your wish? Tanabata Festival on Papua Island (2004/02/24)
Episode 22: Climb, Liquid! Is decorating the tanzaku a life-risk? (2004/03/02)
Episode 23: Finally Landed!! Shintaro Returns (2004/03/09)
・Episode 24: Shintaro and Liquid's Decisions (2004/03/16)
・Episode 25: Save Papua Island! Kotaro's Resolved Eye Cannon (2004/03/23)
・Episode 26: Goodbye Kotaro, from today you're my friend too! (2004/03/30)

■ Related works

・Tropical Boy Papuwa-kun

■ Theme songs and music

・OP1
・Traveler ・Lyrics by Motoaki Bito ・Composition by Motoaki Bito and Daigo Ohguchi ・Arrangement by LOOSELY
・Song: LOOSELY

・ED1
・Swaying・Lyrics by Masashi Iino・Composition by Masashi Iino・Arrangement by Masashi Iino・Singer by Masashi Iino

■The appeal and reputation of PAPUWA

"PAPUWA" is an anime series that aired on TV Tokyo from 2003 to 2004, and is based on Shibata Ami's popular manga "PAPUWA". This work was produced as a sequel to "Tropical Boy Papuwa-kun", and while inheriting the charm of the original, it depicts new adventures and character growth. Below, we will explain in detail the appeal and evaluation of "PAPUWA".

■ The appeal of the story

The story of "PAPUWA" is set four years after the collapse of the first Papuwa Island. The story begins when the protagonist Kotaro escapes from Gamma Team HQ at the call of the "Blue Secret Stone" and is washed ashore on the second Papuwa Island. Kotaro, who has lost his memory, meets the islanders and develops friendships with them. The story deals with universal themes such as friendship, growth and adventure, and is sure to move viewers.

In particular, the story of how Kotaro came to call himself "Rotaro," his conflict with the new Gamma Team, and the process in which Kotaro finally controls his powers and saves the island are full of elements that draw viewers in. In addition, the unique characters of the island's residents and the interactions with them add depth to the story.

■Charm of the characters

Each character in "PAPUWA" is unique and charming. The main character, Papuwa, is portrayed as the strongest little kid on the second Papuwa Island, full of energy, and he manipulates those around him with his free-spirited behavior. His "Nbaba Dance" not only provides laughs to viewers, but is also a memorable scene that symbolizes the character of Papuwa.

Chappie is Papuwa's best friend, and is a unique character who does not speak. His existence is important as the only person who knows Papuwa's true identity, and his friendship with Papuwa is at the heart of the story.

Liquid is a former Gamma Team Special Forces member, but is portrayed as a guardian who lives with the Papuwas. His cooking skills and the way he is bossed around by the Papuwas resonate with viewers. His relationship with Kotaro is also an important element of the story, and it is also fascinating to see Liquid's growth and change.

Kotaro is the younger brother of Shintaro, the leader of the Gamma Corps, and is a powerful character who possesses the "Secret Stone Eye." His journey, which begins with amnesia, resonates with viewers, and his growth as he ultimately saves the island of Papua is moving.

Other unique characters such as Ito, Tanno, Komoro, and Oshodani also appear, and their humorous actions and lines add color to the story. The presence of these characters enhances the charm of "PAPUWA".

■ The appeal of animation and music

The animation of "PAPUWA" is a highlight of the high quality production by Nippon Animation. Character design by Yoshiko Nakashima has faithfully reproduced the image of the original work while adding the unique movements and expressions of animation to enhance the visual appeal. Art director Kazuya Fukuda's beautiful backgrounds also enrich the worldview of the story.

In terms of music, the opening theme "Tabibito" and the ending theme "Yulari Yurari" are memorable. The opening theme is a rock-style song by LOOSELY, featuring a powerful melody that makes you feel like an adventure is about to begin. Meanwhile, the ending theme is a gentle melody by Iino Masashi, which plays a role in bringing out the emotion of the story. These pieces of music further deepen the worldview of "PAPUWA".

■ Evaluation and recommendation

"PAPUWA" has been highly praised for its depiction of new adventures and character growth while retaining the appeal of the original work. In particular, the story's themes of friendship, growth, and adventure have touched viewers' hearts and won many fans. Additionally, the humorous actions and lines of the unique characters also bring laughter to viewers and add color to the story.

The animation and music are of high quality, providing a visual and auditory experience. The high-quality production by Nippon Animation and the memorable music by LOOSELY and Masashi Iino enrich the world of "PAPUWA".

This work is recommended not only for fans of the original work, but also for those who like anime and adventure stories. It is especially recommended for those who like stories that depict friendship and growth. It is also recommended for those who want to enjoy the humorous actions and lines of the unique characters. "PAPUWA" is a charming anime series that provides viewers with excitement and laughter.