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is a Japanese
anime is Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japane ...
television series A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite television, satellite, or cable television, cable, excluding breaking news, television adverti ...
broadcast from January 1, 1977 to January 27, 1979, comprising 108 episodes. It is the second and longest show in the ''
Time Bokan is a Japanese anime series first aired on Fuji TV from October 4, 1975 to December 25, 1976 throughout Japan every Saturday at 6:30pm, with a total of 61 30-minute episodes. It was produced by Tatsunoko Productions in partnership with Topcraft ...
'' series by
Tatsunoko Productions and often shortened to , is a Japanese animation company. The studio's name has a double meaning in Japanese: "Tatsu's child" (Tatsu is a nickname for Tatsuo) and "sea dragon", the inspiration for its seahorse logo. Tatsunoko's headquarters are i ...
. The series succeeded ''
Time Bokan is a Japanese anime series first aired on Fuji TV from October 4, 1975 to December 25, 1976 throughout Japan every Saturday at 6:30pm, with a total of 61 30-minute episodes. It was produced by Tatsunoko Productions in partnership with Topcraft ...
'' and preceded ''
Zenderman is a Japanese anime television series which first aired from February 3, 1979, to January 26, 1980, on every Saturday from 6:30 pm to 7:00 pm with a total of 52 episodes. It is the third show in the sequence of "Time Bokan Series" produced by ...
''. It was also the final series to be produced by company founder
Tatsuo Yoshida was a Japanese cartoonist, writer, manga artist and anime pioneer who founded the anime studio Tatsunoko Productions. Biography Born in 1932, Yoshida grew up in the hardship of war-torn Japan. A self-taught artist, his first job was as worki ...
prior to his death. A
remake A remake is a film, television series, video game, song or similar form of entertainment that is based upon and retells the story of an earlier production in the same medium—e.g., a "new version of an existing film". A remake tells the same ...
of ''Yatterman'' aired on
NTV NTV may refer to: Television * NTV (Bangladesh), a Bengali-language satellite television channel in Bangladesh * NTV (India), Telugu regional channel * NTV (Kenya) * NTV (Mongolia), a television channel based in Mongolia * NTV (Newport Television) ...
and
Yomiuri TV JOIX-DTV (channel 10), branded as , is the Kansai region flagship (broadcasting), flagship station of the Nippon News Network and the Nippon Television Network System, owned by the subsidiary of the eponymous Yomiuri Shimbun#Yomiuri Group, Yomi ...
from January 14, 2008 through September 27, 2009, with the original voice actors for the Doronbo gang. A live-action adaptation was released theatrically in March 2009. Another entry in the franchise, '' Yatterman Night'', began airing in January 2015 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the ''Time Bokan'' franchise.


Plot

Fragments of a mysterious stone known as the are scattered across the globe. Once all four pieces are assembled, the location to the world's largest deposit of gold will be revealed. The villainous gang are searching for the Skull Stone. Standing in their way are Gan and Ai, who become the masked heroes Yatterman-1 and Yatterman-2, respectively. The two are aided in their adventures by a large mechanical dog, Yatterwan. Unlike previous series in the ''Time Bokan'' franchise, Yatterman does not cover any specific time/space travel. Instead, the places where the heroes travel to and the individuals they encounter are either a
homage Homage (Old English) or Hommage (French) may refer to: History *Homage (feudal) /ˈhɒmɪdʒ/, the medieval oath of allegiance *Commendation ceremony, medieval homage ceremony Arts *Homage (arts) /oʊˈmɑʒ/, an allusion or imitation by one arti ...
or
parody A parody, also known as a spoof, a satire, a send-up, a take-off, a lampoon, a play on (something), or a caricature, is a creative work designed to imitate, comment on, and/or mock its subject by means of satiric or ironic imitation. Often its subj ...
. The fictional characters or places are usually represented by purposely misspelled names or familiar actions. For example, a revolution leader is named "Yashington", in homage to
George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...
; and a place resembling ancient Japan is named "Yametai" ("(I) want to stop"), as a spoof of
Yamatai Yamatai or Yamatai-koku is the Sino-Japanese name of an ancient country in Wa (Japan) during the late Yayoi period The Chinese text ''Records of the Three Kingdoms'' first recorded the name as () or (; using reconstructed Middle Chinese p ...
.


Characters


Heroes

; : :''Actor Portrayal'':
Shō Sakurai (born January 25, 1982) is a Japanese singer, songwriter, rapper, actor, news anchor, host and former radio host. He is a member of the boy band Arashi. Sakurai began his career in the entertainment industry when he joined the Japanese talent a ...
:Gan is a 13-year-old boy whose father is a famous toy designer who failed to complete the "Yatter-Wan", a dog-shaped all-terrain rescue robot. Gan is an expert mechanic, and he helps perfect his father's dream design. He forms a fighting team with his girlfriend, Ai, and names himself Yatterman-1. His weapon of choice is a
kendama The is a traditional Japanese skill toy. It consists of a handle (''ken''), a pair of cups (''sarado''), and a ball (''tama'') that are all connected together by a string. On one end of the ''ken'' is a cup, while the other end of ''ken'' is na ...
, which he uses as a flail and grappling hook, as well as for his special zapping attack "Kenda-Magic". He is shown to be much more careless in the 2008 version of the show and tends to frustrate Ai. ; : :''Actor portrayal'': Saki Fukuda :Ai is Gan's girlfriend, and the only daughter of a shopkeeper who sells electrical appliances. She is Gan's loyal follower, and is often seen constructing and modifying machines with him. She is Yatterman-2, and uses a telescoping
baton Baton may refer to: Stick-like objects *Baton, a type of club *Baton (law enforcement) *Baston (weapon), a type of baton used in Arnis and Filipino Martial Arts *Baton charge, a coordinated tactic for dispersing crowds of people *Baton (conductin ...
called "Electric Stick" to shock opponents with electric currents. In the 2008 version of the show, she often refers to things as "100%" (for example, "We are in 100% of trouble"). ; : :Omotchama is Gan's robot, and serves as the mascot of his father's toy shop. He is shaped like a large dice, and is known for his catchphrase "-da-koron" at the end of each sentence. His name comes from "omoccha", the Japanese word for "toy".


Villains

; : :''Actor portrayal'': Kyoko Fukada :Doronjo (real name ) is an attractive blonde who leads the Dorombo Gang in locating the Dokuro Stone. She is known for her vanity, intelligence, and leadership, just like her counterpart Marjo from ''Time Bokan''. Doronjo also has an iconic skull-shaped smoking pipe similar to Marjo's. ; : :''Actor portrayal'':
Katsuhisa Namase is a Japanese actor, known primary for his roles in Japanese television dramas. His roles are often positions of authority, such as managers, principals, or police officers, but many of these characters also share a certain kookiness and incomp ...
:Boyacky is a tall, skinny man with a large nose and moustache, just like his counterpart Grocky in ''Time Bokan''. He is clever, lecherous, and largely responsible for the creation of the giant mechas used by the Dorombo Gang. He usually appears naked, according to his comic ''Bogeboge Boyacky'' (ボゲボゲボヤッキー). ; : :''Actor portrayal'': Kendo Kobayashi :Tonzura is a short, muscular, squat man with a severe overbite and facial stubble, just like his counterpart Walsa in ''Time Bokan''. Tonzura is the strong man of the group and does most of the heavy lifting, though he's usually quick to run away when threatened. He speaks with a
kansai-ben The is a group of Japanese dialects in the Kansai region (Kinki region) of Japan. In Japanese, is the common name and it is called in technical terms. The dialects of Kyoto and Osaka are known as , and were particularly referred to as suc ...
accent. ; : :Dokurobei is the elusive boss of the Dorombo Gang. He gives orders regarding the location of the Dokuro Stone to his subordinates in unusual ways, such as through a talking hamburger or the image of a red skull on a TV screen. Even when his leads are revealed to be inaccurate, Dokurobei is always quick to punish the Dorombo Gang for their failures.


Mechas

; : :A dog-shaped robot, Yatterwan was designed by Gan's father as a prototype rescue robot. He is fitted with a siren and a bell, similar to other rescue vehicles, plus a joystick to control his other features. Yatterwan can fire iron pellets from his nostrils and carries two fire hoses on his back. A bone-shaped power pack, known as "Mecha-Tonic", is fed to him to allow a sudden outburst of strength in warding off deadly blows. Yatterwan's special attack is a large group of miniature robots, which exit from his mouth, and usually take the shape of land-based animals. The mini-robots use their weapons on their enemies, causing Doronbo's robots to explode and create a skull-shaped cloud. ; : :Yatter-King was built using the damaged remains of Yatterwan. It is a much larger machine, and resembles a crossover of a fire engine with a
dachshund The dachshund ( or ; German: "badger dog"), also known as the wiener dog, badger dog, and sausage dog, is a short-legged, long-bodied, hound-type dog breed. The dog may be smooth-haired, wire-haired, or long-haired, and comes in a variety of c ...
. It comes complete with a series of new features, including a tail that serves as a firehose, a projectile launcher on its rear, and a body which acts as a mecha-carrier for a series of smaller robots. In the 2009 version, it was formed by combining Yatterwan and Yatter-zero, which has a design with a more fighting ability and a "king"-like appearance. ; : :Yatter-Pelican is a pelican robot who appeared in the 14th episode. He is constructed by Gan as an airborne mecha for the Yatterman duo. Yatter-Pelican has a braggard, loud-mouthed personality. He feeds on a fish-shaped Mecha-Tonic for a power boost, and the mini-robots he releases are shaped like various birds. In the 2008 version, he tends to speak in bits of English in certain sentences. ; : :Yatter-Angler is a
goosefish Goosefishes are anglerfishes in the family Lophiidae found in the Arctic, Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans, where they live on sandy and muddy bottoms of the continental shelf and continental slope, to depths of more than . Like most other an ...
robot who appeared in the 27th episode. He is constructed as the only all-terrain mecha for the Yatterman duo, and is equipped with a cockpit for underwater travel. The Mecha-Tonic is in the shape of a fish roe, and releases mini-robots shaped like marine creatures. He has a funny, constantly-gurgling voice, as if one was talking underwater. ; : :Yatter-Phant is an elephant mecha, introduced in the 92nd episode as an alternate mecha-carrier alongside Yatter-King. Its most noticeable features are its ears, which flap in order to allow flight, and its trunk, which serves as a water-hose/flamethrower. ; : :Introduced in the 58th episode, Yatter-Bull is a bulldog robot, and serves as one of the three "Action Mechas" that are carried by Yatter-King. ; : :Yatter-Dozilla is a dinosaur-shaped robot built by Gan, and has the ability to drill underground. ; : ; : :Yatter-Yokozuna is a
sumo is a form of competitive full-contact wrestling where a ''rikishi'' (wrestler) attempts to force his opponent out of a circular ring (''dohyō'') or into touching the ground with any body part other than the soles of his feet (usually by thr ...
robot. ; : :Introduced in episode 36 of the 2008 series, Yatter-Jinbee (Yatter-Whashark) is a
whale shark The whale shark (''Rhincodon typus'') is a slow-moving, filter-feeding carpet shark and the largest known extant fish species. The largest confirmed individual had a length of .McClain CR, Balk MA, Benfield MC, Branch TA, Chen C, Cosgrove J, D ...
mecha and mecha-carrier, much like the original Yatter-King and Yatter-Phant. ; : : Yatter-Mogura (Yatter-Mole) is a new Talpidae-based mecha in the 2008 version, first appearing in episode 39. Like Yatter-Dozilla, he specializes in underground work. ; : :Yatter-Dragon is an Asian dragon-based mecha, introduced in episode 50 of the 2008 version. It only seems to appear in a major crisis, often when the other robots aren't available or functional.


Villains' machines

The shape and function of their mechas is fully dependent on the theme of the scam they are running at the beginning of each episode. Their machines usually feature a familiar interior, with Boyacky and Tonzura sitting at the sides, and Doronjo sitting in the middle, bossing them. The villains' machines are often seen packing a lot of weaponry and usually temporarily defeat Yatterman mechas at the beginning of each fight. Later in the show, the villains start to deploy their own armies of miniature robots to counter those of Yatterman.


Media


Anime


1977 television series

The original series aired on Fuji TV between January 1, 1977 and January 27, 1979, running for 108 episodes. For episodes 1-58, the opening theme is by Masayuki Yamamoto, whilst the ending theme is by Noriko Ohara,
Jōji Yanami was a Japanese actor, Voice acting in Japan, voice actor and narrator who was affiliated with Aoni Production. Some of his major voice roles included the ''Dragon Ball'' anime series, which he narrated and voiced Dr. Briefs, Kaiō-sama ( King K ...
, and Kazuya Tatekabe. For episodes 59-108, the opening theme is by Yamamoto, whilst the ending theme is by Ohara, Yanami, and Tatekabe. The series also aired in Spain, Italy, and Poland.


2008 television series

Nearly 31 years following the previous series, a remake of the series, called , aired on YTV between January 14, 2008 and September 27, 2009, running for 60 episodes. The story is a retelling of the original series, with more modern references to suit current tastes. The opening themes are variations of "Yatterman's Theme", sung by (in order), Saemon Onyakichi, ET-KING,
Yuki Nishio Yuki, Yūki or Yuuki may refer to: Places * Yuki, Hiroshima (Jinseki), a town in Jinseki District, Hiroshima, Japan * Yuki, Hiroshima (Saeki), a town in Saeki District, Hiroshima, Japan * Yūki, Ibaraki, a city on Honshu island in Japan * Yuki, ...
, Nakano-Bujo Sisters, and Toshihiko Takamizawa, with the final episode using the original version by Yamamoto. The ending themes in order are "diverge" by
mihimaru GT Mihimaru GT were an urban and pop music group signed to Universal Music Japan and managed by Tearbridge Productions, a subsidiary of Stardust Promotion and Avex. History Mihimaru GT was a Japanese duet made up of composer, lyricist and vocalis ...
, by Juleps, by
Manami Kurose is a former actress and a singer in Japan. History * In May 2005, Manami's mother found out about the Toho Cinderella Audition on Yahoo! website. On January 9, 2006, she attended the 6th Toho Cinderella Audition and she achieved the Grand Prix ...
, by ET-KING, "Give Me Up" by
Nami Tamaki Nami ( ar, نامي, ja, 波 ('wave'), ('regular'), etc.) may refer to: Given name * Nami (, , , , ), Japanese feminine given name * Nami Akimoto (born 1968), Japanese manga artist * , Japanese film director, screenwriter and editor *, Japanes ...
, by Nakano-Bujo Sisters, and by Wakaba. The series, along with the original show, is currently streaming in North America via Yomiura Group's planned Anime Sols video service, as of spring 2013. However, due to an unsuccessful campaign to crowd-fund the series' DVD release, the series will soon be removed from the site, with the possibility of a new crowd-funding opportunity in the future. On August 22, 2009, an anime film based on the 2008 television series was released in Japan. Titled and directed by Masakazu Hishida, the film opened at #10 with US$702,155 on 210 screens.


''Yatterman Night''

A 2015 television series, ''Yatterman Night'', began airing in Japan on January 11, 2015, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the ''Time Bokan'' franchise. The series takes place several years in the future and follows the descendants of the Doronbo Gang as they fight against the Yattermen, who have become corrupt. The series is licensed in North America by Funimation, who are simulcasting the series as it airs.


Live-action film

On April 10, 2007,
Nikkatsu Corporation is a Japanese entertainment company known for its film and television productions. It is Japan's oldest major movie studio, founded in 1912 during the silent film era. The name ''Nikkatsu'' amalgamates the words Nippon Katsudō Shashin, literally ...
agreed to produce two live-action movies based on two popular 1970's anime series: ''Yatterman'' and '' Gatchaman''. Filming began on March 27, 2008, and concluded at the end of May 2008. The film was directed by
Takashi Miike is a Japanese film director, film producer and screenwriter. He has directed over one hundred theatrical, video, and television productions since his debut in 1991. His films run through a variety of different genres, and range from violent an ...
, and character and mechanical designs were handled by
Katsuya Terada , is a Japanese illustrator and cartoonist from the town of Tamano, Okayama. His alias is the portmanteau . Terada's prolific visual arts practice uniquely straddles the lines between manga, fine art, and digital design. His work ranges widely f ...
, who worked on '' Blood: The Last Vampire'' and ''
Cutie Honey is a Japanese shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Go Nagai. First appearing in ''Weekly Shōnen Champions 41st issue of 1973, the series ran until April 1974. It follows an android girl named Honey Kisaragi, who trans ...
''. The film opened on March 7, 2009, and became Japan's top movie at the box office in its first week. Video label Eureka released the film on DVD and Blu-ray in the United Kingdom on May 21, 2012. Discotek Media released the film in North America in 2013.


Video games

Several
video game Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...
s have been released based on the series. was released for Super Famicom on March 22, 1996. A mobile game was released in 2003, developed by Hudson Soft. Two
Nintendo DS The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens working in tan ...
titles based on the 2008 series, and , were released in April 2008 and October 2008, respectively, followed by a
Wii The Wii ( ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released on November 19, 2006, in North America and in December 2006 for most other Regional lockout, regions of the world. It is Nintendo's fifth major ho ...
title, , released on December 11, 2012. Yatterman-1 and Doronjo (assisted by Boyacky and Tonzura) appear as playable characters in the crossover fighting game, '' Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Cross Generation of Heroes'', released by
Capcom is a Japanese video game developer and video game publisher, publisher. It has created a number of List of best-selling video game franchises, multi-million-selling game franchises, with its most commercially successful being ''Resident Evil' ...
for the
Wii The Wii ( ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released on November 19, 2006, in North America and in December 2006 for most other Regional lockout, regions of the world. It is Nintendo's fifth major ho ...
in Japan in 2008. An updated version, ''Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars'', released internationally in 2010, adds Yatterman-2 as a playable character. Doronjo, Boyacky, and Tonzura's voice actors reprise their respective roles, whilst Yatterman-1 and Yatterman-2 are voiced by
Eri Kitamura is a Japanese voice actress and singer. She was previously affiliated with Early Wing, but is now a freelancer. She is known for voicing prominent roles in anime such as and Sayaka Miki in '' Puella Magi Madoka Magica'', Saya Otonashi in ''Bloo ...
and Emiri Katō, respectively. The Akihabara Accept skin for the AUG in ''Counter Strike: Global Offensive'' reads "Yatta!" at the end of its description.


Other appearances

Yatterman also makes an appearance in the third episode of '' Sket Dance'' as a playable character.
Japanese pro wrestling Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...
fed
Michinoku Pro (originally known as North Eastern Wrestling) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion founded by The Great Sasuke on October 1, 1992. It was the first independent wrestling promotion in Japan to not base its operations in Tokyo, but rather ...
is currently running a ''Yatterman'' tribute gimmick, with wrestlers
Hercules Senga is a Japanese professional wrestler better known by his ring name . He currently wrestles as a freelancer in the Japanese independent circuit and as a regular in both Michinoku Pro Wrestling (Michinoku Pro) and Big Japan Pro Wrestling (BJW). Pro ...
,
Tsutomu Oosugi is a Japanese professional wrestler. He currently wrestles as a freelancer in the Japanese independent circuit and as a regular in both Michinoku Pro Wrestling (Michinoku Pro) and Big Japan Pro Wrestling (BJW). Professional wrestling career To ...
, and Misaki Ohata as "Yapper Man #1", "Yapper Man #2", and "Yapper Man #3". #1 and #2 have been Tohoku Tag Team Champions. ''
Dead or Alive 5 Last Round ''Dead or Alive 5 Last Round'' is a 2015 fighting game developed by Team Ninja and published by Koei Tecmo for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, and Arcade. It is the third and final updated version of 201 ...
'' features character costumes for
Phase-4 is a fictional character and the protagonist of the '' Dead or Alive'' fighting game series by Team Ninja and Tecmo (Koei Tecmo). Kasumi has served as the lead character of the ''Dead or Alive'' franchise since its premiere in 1996. She was a ...
,
Kasumi Kasumi may refer to: Places * Kasumi, Hyōgo (香住), a former town in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan * Kasumigaseki (霞が関 "Gate of Mist"), a district in downtown Tokyo * Kasumi, Jajce, a village in Bosnia and Herzegovina Other uses * Kasumi (gi ...
, and
Nyotengu The following is a list of characters from the '' Dead or Alive'' video game series, created by Tecmo and Team Ninja. Characters Main series Spin-off series ''Xtreme ''series Introduced in ''Dead or Alive'' Ayane Bass Armstrong Voi ...
, based on Yatterman-1, Yatterman-2, and Doronjo, respectively, appearing as part of the "Tatsunoko Mashup Set"
downloadable content Downloadable content (DLC) is additional content created for an already released video game, distributed through the Internet by the game's publisher. It can either be added for no extra cost or it can be a form of video game monetization, enablin ...
pack. Ai Kaminari debuted as a Virtual YouTuber on October 19, 2018, with the character's visuals designed by Fly, who is known as the illustrator for the ''
Kemono Friends is a Japanese media franchise created by manga artist Mine Yoshizaki. The first project was a mobile game developed by Nexon, which ran from March 2015 to December 2016. A manga by Furai was serialized in Kadokawa's '' Monthly Shōn ...
'' manga, ''Kemono Friends: Welcome to Japari Park!''. She was later joined by Boyacky.


References


External links


Official movie website
* Japanese News Onlin

* {{Tatsunoko Production films 1977 anime television series debuts 2008 anime television series debuts 2009 anime films Comedy anime and manga Fictional vigilantes Fuji TV original programming Yomiuri Telecasting Corporation original programming Mecha anime and manga Nippon TV original programming Tatsunoko Production Time Bokan Series Virtual influencers VTubers