The courageous story of Jungle Emperor - What is the power to change the future?

A comprehensive review and recommendation of Jungle Emperor - Courage Changes the Future -

■Overview of the work

"Jungle Emperor Leo: Courage Changes the Future" is a TV special based on Tezuka Osamu's masterpiece "Jungle Emperor Leo," which was broadcast on Fuji TV on September 5, 2009. This work was produced to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Tezuka Osamu's birth and the 50th anniversary of Fuji TV's founding, and was broadcast in the Saturday Premium time slot. It is a one-episode, 120-minute feature-length animation, co-produced by Tezuka Productions and Fuji Television.

■ Story

In the year 20XX, the Earth's environment was being destroyed, and nature and animals were in danger. To solve this problem, a company called "Eternal Earth" was commissioned by the United Nations to develop an artificial jungle called "Neo-Jungle". Leo, a white lion who grew up in this jungle, dreamed of becoming the Jungle Emperor to carry on his father Panja's wishes. Meanwhile, Kenichi, the son of Kenzo Oyama, the developer of Neo-Jungle, has the special ability to hear the voices of animals. Kenichi is informed by Leo's mother Eliza of the reality that animals are being captured and managed by humans. Kenichi then takes action to rescue the sick elder, Grandpa Dolph, but there he learns of Kenzo's plan to reset (erase) the animals. After Panja is killed by a hunter, Leo and Kenichi lead the animals in a battle against humans.

■Explanation

"Jungle Emperor" was broadcast in 1965 as Japan's first full-length color anime series, and has since been adapted into films and TV anime many times. This is an original work with a new script based on the original novel, and has themes of "family love," "friendship," and "environmental issues." The staff and cast have been renewed, and new elements are plentiful. Directed by Taniguchi Goro, with original character design by Amano Yoshitaka and script by Suzuki Osamu, this is a masterpiece from Tezuka Productions.

■Cast

The main cast includes a star-studded cast of voice actors, including Taeko Kawada as Leo, Saburo Tokito as Panja, Nanako Matsushima as Eliza, Akiko Yajima as Kenichi Oyama, and Akio Otsuka as Kenzo Oyama. Many other talented voice actors also participated, including Saeko Chiba as Professor Hikawa, Jurota Kosugi as Goda, and Rie Kugimiya as Coco.

■ Main staff

Many staff members were involved in the production of this work. Planners were Yoko Matsuzaki and Hiroyuki Yumoto, director was Goro Taniguchi, character designer was Yoshitaka Amano, character designer was Shinji Seya and Takahiro Kimura, mecha and concept designer Kenji Teraoka, scriptwriter was Osamu Suzuki, storyboards were Tsukasa Sunaga, Satoshi Kuwahara, and Goro Taniguchi, and direction was Noriaki Akitaya, Yoshinari Morita, and Goro Taniguchi, bringing together professionals from various fields. Animation was handled by Tezuka Productions, and production was handled by Tezuka Productions and Fuji Television.

■ Main Characters

Leo is a white lion born in Africa, and the son of Panja, the king of the jungle. After living in human society, he returns to the jungle and follows his father's will to become the Jungle Emperor. Laia is Leo's wife and the mother of Rene and Lucchio. Rene is Leo and Laia's son, who longs for human society and runs away from home. Lucchio is Leo and Laia's daughter, and was named by the parrot Coco. These characters add excitement to the story and leave a deep impression on the audience.

■ Theme songs and music

The theme song is "Step by Step," with lyrics and music by Yasutaka Nakata and vocals by Crystal Kay. This song leaves a strong impression on viewers as it symbolizes the story's themes of "courage" and "future."

■ Evaluation and recommendation

"Jungle Emperor: Courage Changes the Future" is an appealing work with a new interpretation and story development based on the original work by Tezuka Osamu. In particular, the modern perspective on the theme of environmental issues has deeply impressed viewers. The high quality of the production, with a star-studded cast and staff, has also been praised. The story, which depicts the friendship between Leo and Kenichi, family love, and the coexistence of humans and animals, has the power to appeal to a wide range of people, from children to adults.

For those familiar with Tezuka Osamu's original work, this work can be enjoyed from a new perspective, and for those who are watching it for the first time, it will remain in their hearts as a moving story. I highly recommend it to those who are particularly interested in environmental issues and those who like works that depict family love and friendship. I also recommend it to those who enjoy the quality of the animation and the performances of the voice actors.

Furthermore, this work is a special work commemorating the 80th anniversary of Tezuka Osamu's birth and the 50th anniversary of Fuji Television's founding, so you can enjoy it with those backgrounds as well. This is a work that fans of Tezuka Osamu's other works and the Jungle Emperor series cannot miss.

Overall, Jungle Emperor: Courage Changes the Future is a great film with a moving story, high-quality production, and contemporary themes. I hope many people will see it.