Shampoo Prince: A thorough review of the fascinating characters and depth of the story

The appeal and reputation of Shampoo Prince

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

Picture books

■ Broadcast period

October 1, 2007 - December 17, 2007 Teletama October 1, 2007 - December 14, 2007 (Episodes 1-12) Every Monday 17:55-18:00
Kids Station October 15, 2007 - January 7, 2008 (Episodes 1-12) Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 9:35-9:40/14:35-14:40

■Broadcasting station

Television Saitama, Kids Station

■Frequencies

3 mins

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 12

■Original Story

Keiko Nakita and Makoto Kubota (published by Iwasaki Shoten)

■ Director

Yuki Kinoshita

■ Production

・Production cooperation: Dax Production ・Production: Shabon Project (Best Field, TV Saitama Music, TC Entertainment, Dax Production)

■Works

©2007 Keiko Nakita, Makoto Kubota, Iwasaki Shoten/Soap Project

■ Story

The Bubble Kingdom is protected by a bubble dome and is always clean and sparkling. However, this peaceful and clean kingdom is very boring. Prince Shampoo wants to know what is dirty, so he decides to leave the Bubble Kingdom and go on an adventure...

This is the Bubble Kingdom. It is always clean and sparkling, protected by a bubble dome that never breaks. However, this peaceful and beautiful country is very boring. Prince Shampoo couldn't help wanting to run away. From the time he woke up in the morning until he went to sleep, the prince kept asking his father, King Bubble, and his mother, Queen Rinse, for help, and finally they gave him permission to go on an adventure. The prince set off without hesitation, heading north. He thought that if he was going for something "dirty", he should go to the "north". Yes, the prince had always longed for something "dirty". He felt like he was suffocating in the clean and sparkling Bubble Kingdom. Prince Shampoo was excited to go on his solo journey, but Grandpa Spon, who had been asked by King Spon, followed him later. Grandpa Spon is the grandfather who has been taking care of Prince Shampoo since he was born. After walking for a while, the two arrive at "Mud Town," where everything is covered in mud. There, the prince meets "King Teka" of "Shiny Kingdom," a lump of mud. As soon as the prince smiles and shakes hands with him, the mud turns to white foam and quickly washes away "King Teka." The royal family of the Bubble Kingdom has a special power to clean up dirty things. What kind of dirty things will the prince encounter as he continues his journey?

■Explanation

As children grow up, their world, which was once centered around their family, expands. They make many new friends and learn the joy of playing together, but at the same time, they also learn the difficulty of interacting with people other than their family, which can be confusing at times. We hope that through "Shampoo Prince," children can see how they grow as individuals by jumping into a new world, meeting many different people, and gaining many experiences. We aim to create a work that conveys to children the importance and joy of living together by helping each other. In addition, the story casually incorporates the importance of compassion for others, courage, and hard work, which are the most important elements of early childhood emotional education, as well as the importance of parents' love for their children. Although it is a fantastical work, the solid world view and diverse character settings are sure to be accepted by not only children but also parents.

■Cast

・Shampoo Prince / Asami Sanada ・Sponji / Kazuya Ichijo ・Soap King / Kaneta Kimotsuki ・Rinse Queen / Nanako Inoue ・Soapn / Yu Kobayashi ・Minister Cleanser / Masashi Yabe

■ Main staff

Original story by Keiko Nakita and Makoto Kubota (published by Iwasaki Shoten)
・Planning/Hiroyuki Soeda (Best Field)
・Director / Kinoshita Yuki・Screenplay / Washiyama Kyoko・Character Design / Ishigami Hiromi, Urawa Fumiko・Storyboard / Kinoshita Yuki, Oizumi Morio, Furukawa Tomohiro・Direction / Kinoshita Yuki, Sugaya Yuriko・Chief Animation Director / Ishigami Hiromi, Urawa Fumiko・Art Director / Nakahara Hideto・Color Setting / Takagi Masato・Music / Shabon All Stars・Music Producer / Kageyama Hironobu・Sound Director / Matsumoto Yukio・Music Production / Lantis・Production Cooperation / Dax Production・Production / Shabon Project (Best Field, TV Saitama Music, TC Entertainment, Dax Production)

■Subtitle

・#1／What does it mean to be dirty? (2007/10/01)
・#2/Lots of mud! (2007/10/08)
#3/Dorothea the Muddy Monster (2007/10/15)
・#4/Prince Shampoo's Tears(2007/10/22)
・#5／Prince is entertained (2007/10/29)
・#6/One Million Yen in the Bubble Kingdom (2007/11/05)
#7/The Secret of the Great Evil (2007/11/12)
・#8／The best fries (2007/11/19)
・#9／An outbreak of dirty words? (2007/11/26)
#10/Dodonka's Conquest! (2007/12/03)
・#11／The Princess's Transformation (2007/12/10)
・#12／Prince Shampoo and Dirty Words(2007/12/17)

■ Theme songs and music

・OP1
・Adventures of Prince Shampoo ・Lyrics by Keiko Nakita ・Music by Hironobu Kageyama ・Arrangement by Mika Watanabe and Takayoshi Tanimoto ・Singer by Ikuko

The appeal and evaluation of Shampoo Prince

"Shampoo Prince" is a 12-episode short anime series that aired in 2007 and is based on a picture book by Keiko Nakita and Makoto Kubota. The series aims to teach children the importance of human connections and growth, and is both educational and entertaining. Below, we will take a closer look at the appeal and reviews of "Shampoo Prince."

The appeal of the story

The story of "Prince Shampoo" depicts the adventures of Prince Shampoo, who leaves the clean and sparkling Bubble Kingdom. Prince Shampoo is interested in dirty things and grows as he gains various experiences by going on an adventure. This story symbolizes children venturing into a new world, and by depicting the process of growth, it evokes empathy from viewers. In addition, through Prince Shampoo's interactions with the characters he meets, it conveys the importance of connections between people and helping each other.

One particularly memorable episode is #3, "Dorothea the Mud Monster." In this episode, Prince Shampoo meets a mud monster named Dorothea, and although he is scared at first, they eventually become friends. This episode teaches us not to judge people by their appearances, but to be open-minded and try to understand them. Additionally, #9, "An Outbreak of Dirty Words?", depicts the power and influence of words, providing a good opportunity to teach children the importance of words.

Character Appeal

Each character in "Prince Shampoo" is unique and charming. The main character, Prince Shampoo, is a curious and adventurous character who gives viewers hope and dreams. Prince Shampoo's companion, Uncle Spong, is a warm-hearted character who plays an important role in supporting the prince. Furthermore, family characters such as King Shabon and Queen Rinse are portrayed lovingly supporting the prince, giving a sense of the family bond.

Other unique characters, such as King Teka and Dorothea, also make an appearance and add color to the story. These characters play an important role in teaching children about diversity and the importance of friendship and helping each other.

Animation quality

The animation of "Shampoo Prince" was very well thought out in order to effectively tell the story in the short time of 3 minutes. The character designs were done by Hiromi Ishigami and Fumiko Urawa, and they have drawn cute yet unique characters. In addition, the colorful backgrounds by art director Hidenori Nakahara also enhance the worldview of the story.

Furthermore, the music is also an important element in enhancing the appeal of the work. The music by Shabon All Stars and the musical production by Hironobu Kageyama enhance the emotions of the viewer as the story unfolds. In particular, the opening theme "The Adventures of Prince Shampoo" conveys the excitement of the adventure along with Ikuko's singing voice, drawing the viewer into the world of the story.

Educational value

"Prince Shampoo" offers a lot of educational value to children. Prince Shampoo's growth through his adventures gives children hope and dreams, and encourages their own growth. It also provides an opportunity to learn about sociality by depicting the importance of connections and helping each other.

Furthermore, episodes that depict the power and influence of words teach children the importance of communication. Also, by depicting the love and bonds of family, it has the effect of making children reaffirm the value of the family. These educational values ​​will be of great use in the emotional education of children.

Viewer reactions and ratings

"Shampoo Prince" has been highly praised not only by children but also by parents. Children can learn a lot from the story while being excited by Prince Shampoo's adventures. Meanwhile, parents can rest assured that their children are enjoying the show and absorbing the educational content.

The show has also received positive reviews online, with many viewers drawn to its charms. The individuality of the characters, the development of the story, and the quality of the music have all been highly praised. The combination of these elements has made "Shampoo Prince" a show beloved by many viewers.

Recommendations and how to watch

"Shampoo Prince" is a wonderful work that gives children dreams and hopes and encourages their growth. It is especially suitable for early childhood emotional education, and watching it with the whole family will deepen communication between parents and children. In addition, since you can absorb educational content while enjoying the development of the story and the personalities of the characters, it is a work that can be enjoyed not only by children but also by adults.

You can watch it on DVD or through internet distribution services. Each episode is recorded on DVD, so you can watch it whenever you like. Also, with internet distribution services, you can watch it in streaming format, so you can enjoy it easily. Either way, you will be able to fully enjoy the charm of "Shampoo Prince".

Conclusion

"Shampoo Prince" is a wonderful work that gives children dreams and hope and encourages their growth. The appeal of the story, the individuality of the characters, the quality of the animation, the educational value, and many other elements combine to inspire and teach viewers. It is particularly suitable for the emotional education of young children, and watching it together as a family will deepen communication between parents and children. Please watch "Shampoo Prince" and experience its charm for yourself.