Tetsujin 28: The appeal and reputation of the classic robot anime

Tetsujin 28 - Tetsujin 28-go -

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

comics

■ Broadcast period

April 8, 2004 - September 30, 2004 TV Tokyo April 7, 2004 - September 29, 2004 (Episodes 1-26) Every Wednesday 25:30-26:00

■Broadcasting station

Broadcast: TV Tokyo

■Frequencies

half an hour

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 26

■Original Story

・Original work: Mitsuteru Yokoyama

■ Director

Director: Yasuhiro Imagawa

■ Production

・Animation Production: Palm Studio

■Works

©Hikari Production/Shikishima Heavy Industries

■ Story

Born under war,
Buried in the name of war...

With the dawn of the postwar era, Tokyo experienced a remarkable recovery, and there was a boy in the city. His name was Shotaro Kaneda, a boy detective. He used the remote control of Tetsujin 28, a robot created by his father, Dr. Kaneda, to solve cases.

*Quoted from Bandai Channel

■Explanation

This is the fourth TV anime adaptation based on the original comic by Mitsuteru Yokoyama. This work, which recreates Japan in the 1950s, is the anime that is closest to the original.

*Quoted from Bandai Channel

■Cast

・Shotaro Kaneda/Motoko Kumai/Chief Otsuka/Minoru Inaba/Dr. Shikishima/Shigeru Ushiyama/Kenji Murasame/Takashi Mikimoto/Secretary Takamizawa/Rie Ishizuka/Narration/Hiroko Suzuki

■ Main staff

・Original work: Mitsuteru Yokoyama・Director, series composition: Yasuhiro Imagawa・Character design: Takashi Nakamura・Screenplay: Yasuhiro Imagawa, Ryota Yamaguchi, Hiroaki Kitajima, Kenichi Araki, Akemi Mende・Storyboards: Yasuhiro Imagawa, Takashi Nakamura, Junyasu Furukawa, Hidehito Ueda・Art director: Junichi Azuma・Color design: Kazuko Kikuchi・Director of photography: Eiji Tsuchida・Editing: Takeshi Seyama・Music: Akira Senju・Sound director: Yasunori Honda・Producers: Wataru Tanaka, Yosuke Goromaru, Kazuaki Morijiri・Production: GENCO, Ganges・Animation production: Palm Studio

■ Main Characters

Shotaro Kaneda is a boy detective with a sharp mind and outstanding athletic ability. He uses the remote control of Tetsujin 28, a robot created by the late Professor Kaneda, to confront the conspiracies and mysterious incidents swirling in the darkness of the postwar period.
・Dr. Kaneda Shotaro's father. During the war, he was involved in the development of Tetsujin as the head of the Tetsujin Project. He believed that Shotaro had died in the war, so he completed Tetsujin 28 in his son's place.
・Chief Otsuka Shotaro's foster father and a fatherly figure with a strong sense of justice. As the police chief, he leads the police organization and protects the peace of Japan. He can be a bit clumsy, and is often saved by Shotaro's wisdom and courage.
・Dr. Shikishima is Shotaro's foster father. He participated in the Tetsujin Project as an assistant to Dr. Kaneda. Now that Dr. Kaneda is gone, he is the person who knows Tetsujin best. After his demobilization, he founded Shikishima Heavy Industries and is involved in various scientific developments. He supports Shotaro and Chief Otsuka from a scientific perspective.
Secretary Takamizawa is a lively but somewhat tomboyish modern woman. She is also the only woman who can treat Shotaro like a child.
Ryusaku Murasame is a former member of the Special Attack Force. He is the only blood relative of Kenji Murasame who survived the war. He is loved by his younger brother Kenji and his younger brother Tatsu as a good older brother.
Murasame Kenji is an army intelligence officer. He has an extreme dislike for weapons, having lost his family in the war. Together with his older brother Ryusaku and his younger brother Tatsu, he calls himself the Murasame Family and works to sabotage weapons development. He is an expert knife user, and his skills are top-notch.
After the Battle of Tatsu, he lost his family and was sitting by the side of the road when he was picked up by the Murasame brothers and became their younger brother. He is loved by the Murasame brothers because of his humorous and friendly personality.

■ Main robot items

・Tetsujin 28: A mechanical soldier created by Dr. Kaneda as "another Shotaro." Depending on the will of the person controlling the controller, he can become either "evil" or "good."
・Black Ox A robot created by Dr. Buranken. Its performance is comparable to that of Tetsujin 28. Due to its high performance, it can fight on equal terms with Tetsujin.

■Subtitle

Episode 1: Shotaro Returns (2004/04/07)
Episode 2: Issue 28 vs. Issue 27 (2004/04/14)
Episode 3: A mysterious robot appears (2004/04/21)
・Episode 4: Another Iron Man Project (2004/04/28)
Episode 5: Iron Man vs. Black Ox (2004/05/05)
Episode 6: The Stolen Pilot (2004/05/12)
Episode 7: Iron Man, the minion of evil, goes on a rampage (2004/05/19)
Episode 8: Tetsujin 28 (2004/05/26)
Episode 9: Space Rocket Murder (2004/06/02)
Episode 10: The Mysterious Superhuman Kelly (2004/06/09)
Episode 11: The End of Superhuman Kelly (2004/06/16)
Episode 12: The Melancholy of Dr. Black (2004/06/23)
Episode 13: Glowing Object (2004/06/30)
Episode 14: Phantom Thief Black Mask (2004/07/07)
Episode 15: Disciples of the Furanken (2004/07/14)
Episode 16: Burning Kyoto (2004/07/21)
Episode 17: The Black Dragon Incident (2004/07/28)
・Episode 18/Shotaro is alone...(2004/08/04)
Episode 19: Confrontation with Nikoponski (2004/08/11)
Episode 20: The Monster of the Spotted Rock (2004/08/18)
Episode 21: The PX Conspiracy (2004/08/25)
・Episode 22: At the End of the Rampage... (2004/09/01)
・Episode 23: Iron Man on Trial (2004/09/08)
Episode 24: Shikishima is Alive (2004/09/15)
・Episode 25: Kurobe's Crisis (2004/09/22)
・Episode 26: Crime and Punishment (2004/09/29)

■ Related works

・Tetsujin 28: The Moon in the Afternoon

■ Theme songs and music

・OP1
・Tetsujin 28-go ・Lyrics and composition: Miki Toiro ・Arrangement: Senju Akira ・Singer: Roppongi Men's Chorus

・ED1
・Sumeshi Shotaro・Lyrics by Akira Ito・Music by Nobuyoshi Koshibe・Arrangement by Akira Senjyu・Singer by Roppongi Men's Chorus

・ED2
・But you're going to Kyoto ・Lyrics by Naomi Wakita ・Music by Tetsuro Fujita ・Arrangement by Shunichi Makaino ・Singer by Cherish

・IN1
・Space Oddity
・Singer: David Bowie

・IN2
My Dad, composed by Giacomo Puccini

Tetsujin 28 - Tetsujin 28 - Reviews and Recommendations

Mitsuteru Yokoyama's masterpiece "Tetsujin 28" was reborn as an anime series broadcast on TV Tokyo in 2004. This work is considered the most faithful anime adaptation of the original, and depicts the adventures of a young detective, Shotaro Kaneda, and the giant robot Tetsujin 28, developed by his father, set in Japan in the 1950s. Below, we will explain in detail the appeal and recommended points of this anime.

Story and Themes

"Tetsujin 28" is set in post-war Japan, where the shadow of war still looms large. The protagonist, Shotaro Kaneda, is a boy detective who uses Tetsujin 28, developed by his father, Dr. Kaneda, to confront various incidents and conspiracies. The work deals with deep themes by depicting the horror of war and the subsequent recovery, as well as the good and evil of humanity. In particular, the setting in which Tetsujin 28 can become both "evil" and "good," symbolizes the ethical issues surrounding science and technology, encouraging deep reflection in the viewer.

It can also be seen as a story of Shotaro's growth. As he solves cases, he learns the importance of courage, wisdom, and friendship. These elements resonate with and move a wide range of people, from children to adults.

character

The appeal of this anime lies above all in the appeal of its characters. Shotaro Kaneda is portrayed as a boy detective with a sharp mind and outstanding athletic ability. His courage and sense of justice leave a strong impression on viewers. Additionally, characters such as Chief Otsuka, Dr. Shikishima, and the Murasame brothers, who support Shotaro, are also unique and add depth to the story.

In particular, the characters of the Murasame brothers symbolize the misery of war and life afterwards, deeply moving the viewer. The relationship between Murasame Ryusaku, Murasame Kenji, and his younger brother Tatsu portrays the importance of family love and friendship.

Animation and performance

The animation of "Tetsujin 28" is of high quality by Palm Studio. The backdrops, which recreate Japan in the 1950s, and the realistic movements of Tetsujin 28 make for a very visually appealing film. Director Yasuhiro Imagawa has also managed to faithfully recreate the atmosphere of the original work while also making it enjoyable for modern audiences.

In particular, the battle scenes between Tetsujin 28 and Black Ox are full of tension and power, drawing viewers in. The subtitles for each episode are also interesting, making viewers look forward to the next episode.

music

Music is also an important element in enhancing the appeal of this anime. The opening theme "Tetsujin 28-go" is impressive with its powerful singing by the Roppongi Men's Choir, inspiring the viewers. The ending theme "Susume Shotaro" also has a melody that symbolizes Shotaro's adventure, enhancing the excitement of the story.

In addition, the songs "Space Oddity" by David Bowie and "My Father" by Giacomo Puccini also play an important role in enhancing the atmosphere of the story. These pieces of music help the audience to immerse themselves in the story.

Recommended points

"Tetsujin 28" comes highly recommended for the following reasons:

1. **Deep Themes and Moving Story**: By depicting the horror of war, reconstruction, and the good and evil of humanity, this film invites viewers to contemplate deeply. It is also a moving story of Shotaro's growth.

2. **Charming characters**: The unique characters, including Shotaro Kaneda, add depth to the story. In particular, the characters of the Murasame brothers symbolize the misery of war and life afterwards, and deeply move the audience.

3. **High-quality animation and direction**: The high-quality animation by Palm Studio and the skillful direction by Yasuhiro Imagawa make for a very visually appealing film, especially the fight scene between Tetsujin 28 and Black Ox.

4. **Memorable music**: The opening, ending and insert songs all set the mood of the story and help immerse the viewer in the story.

5. **Faithfulness to the original**: This is the most faithful anime adaptation to Mitsuteru Yokoyama's original work, and fans of the original will be pleased with the content.

Related works and how to watch them

A related work to "Tetsujin 28" is "Tetsujin 28: The Moon in the Afternoon." This work delves even deeper into the world of Tetsujin 28, so if you're interested, be sure to check it out.

You can watch "Tetsujin 28" on Bandai Channel and other channels. It is also available on DVD and Blu-ray, so you can keep it on hand and enjoy it over and over again.

Conclusion

"Tetsujin 28" is a wonderful work that combines deep themes, a moving story, attractive characters, high-quality animation and music, and faithfulness to the original work. This story, set in post-war Japan, will make the viewer think and be moved. Please watch it once and experience its charm.