Marvel Anime

Marvel Anime is a series of four anime superhero television series and two direct-to-video films produced in collaboration between Marvel Entertainment, Japanese animation studio Madhouse, and Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan. The four twelve-episode series, based on Iron Man, Wolverine, X-Men, and Blade, aired in Japan on Animax between October 2010 and September 2011. An English-language version aired in North America on G4 between July 2011 and April 2012.[1] Each of the series, guided by writer Warren Ellis, largely features Japan as the setting for the storyline.

Marvel Anime
Anime television series
Iron Man
Directed byYūzō Satō
Kenichi Kawamura (assistant)
Produced byTarō Morijima
Fuminori Hara
Cort Lane
Written byToshiki Inoue
Music byTetsuya Takahashi
StudioMadhouse
Licensed by
Original networkAnimax
English network
Original run October 1, 2010 December 17, 2010 (2010-12-17)
Episodes12
Anime television series
Wolverine
Directed byHiroshi Aoyama
Hajime Ootani (assistant)
Produced byTarō Morijima
Fuminori Hara
Cort Lane
Written byKengo Kaji
Music byTetsuya Takahashi
StudioMadhouse
Licensed by
Original networkAnimax
English network
Original run January 7, 2011 March 25, 2011 (2011-03-25)
Episodes12
Anime television series
X-Men
Directed byFuminori Kizaki
Written byMitsutaka Hirota
Warren Ellis
Music byTetsuya Takahashi
StudioMadhouse
Licensed by
Original networkAnimax
English network
Original run April 1, 2011 June 24, 2011 (2011-06-24)
Episodes12
Anime television series
Blade
Directed byMitsuyuki Masuhara
Chie Yamashiro (assistant)
Produced byTarō Morijima
Fuminori Hara
Cort Lane
Written byKenta Fukasaku
Music byTetsuya Takahashi
StudioMadhouse
Licensed by
Original networkAnimax
English network
Original run July 1, 2011 September 16, 2011 (2011-09-16)
Episodes12
Anime films
Other series

Premise

The project reimagined top Marvel characters for a Japanese audience via four 12-part series; Iron Man, Wolverine, X-Men, and Blade, which aired in Japan on Animax between October 2010 and September 2011.[2] The announcement was confirmed at the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con. According to former Madhouse President and CEO Jungo Maruta, Marvel gave the anime studio free rein to re-imagine the Marvel superheroes for Japanese audiences.[3] The English version would premiere in the United States on G4.[4][5] The series was guided by Warren Ellis.[6] "It will create an entire parallel universe for Marvel," said Simon Philips, president of Marvel International about Marvel Anime.[7] The Marvel Anime series aired in Australia on Sci Fi.[8]

Wolverine appears in all four of the anime, being a guest star in Iron Man and Blade, with each appearance taking place either before or after his anime.

Iron Man

Cast of Iron Man, Tony Stark and Dr. Chika Tanaka

Iron Man (アイアンマン, Aian Man) (DVD title: Iron Man: Animated Series; spelled IRONMAN on-screen) is the first show of the series with 12[9] episodes. The series was directed by Yuzo Sato, with Warren Ellis writing the story and Jamie Simone serving as voice director, casting director, and reversion producer for the English version. A special preview ran on Animax on September 25, 2010, before the series began airing on October 1, 2010,[10] and ended on December 17, 2010. While Iron Man premiered in the US on G4 on July 29, 2011,[11] a "sneak peek" of the first episode aired on July 23, 2011 following G4's Comic-Con 2011 Live coverage.[12] The entire series was released on DVD in the United States on April 24, 2012. It was also released on Blu-ray in Japan on June 22, 2011.[13] A follow-up direct-to-video film called Iron Man: Rise of Technovore was released on April 16, 2013.[14][15]

Plot

Tony Stark goes to Japan to produce a new arc reactor power station and showcase the Iron Man Dio, a new prototype armor, that will replace him when he retires. However, the Iron Man Dio goes berserk and it is up to Tony as Iron Man to stop it along with an organization called the Zodiac. Iron Man even gains an ally in JSDF operative Captain Nagato Sakurai piloting the Ramon Zero armor that his military group made for him. Iron Man soon discovers that his old friend Ho Yinsen (who Tony thought was dead upon his first time as Iron Man) is alive and is operating the Iron Man Dio armor for the Zodiac's goals.

Cast

RoleJapanese voice actorEnglish voice actor
Iron Man/Tony StarkKeiji FujiwaraAdrian Pasdar
Iron Man Dio/Ho YinsenHiroaki HirataKyle Hebert
Dr. Chika TanakaTakako HondaLaura Bailey
Rasetsu/Minister of Defense KurodaUnshō IshizukaNeil Kaplan
Nanami ŌtaShizuka ItōEden Riegel
Pepper PottsHiroe OkaCindy Robinson
Ramon Zero/Captain Nagato SakuraiJin YamanoiTravis Willingham
Ichiro MasudaTomoyuki Shimura[16]Benjamin Diskin
Editor NomuraShinya Fukumatsu[16]Daran Norris
Wolverine/Logan (ep. 4)Rikiya KoyamaMilo Ventimiglia[16]

Wolverine

Cast of Wolverine, Logan, Mariko Yashida, Shingen Yashida, Kikyo Mikage, and Yukio

Wolverine (ウルヴァリン, Uruvarin) is the second show of the series with 12 episodes. It aired on Animax between January 7, 2011 and March 25, 2011. While Wolverine premiered in the US on G4 on July 29, 2011,[11] a "sneak peek" of the first episode aired on July 23, 2011 following the Iron Man "sneak peek" and G4's Comic-Con 2011 Live coverage.[12] Jamie Simone served as voice director, casting director, and reversion producer for the English version. The entire series was released on DVD in the United States on July 31, 2012. It was also released on Blu-ray in Japan on June 22, 2011.[17]

Plot

Logan learns that his true love, beloved sweetheart and girlfriend Mariko Yashida, who disappeared one year ago, has been taken to Tokyo by her father Shingen Yashida, the head of the Japanese crime syndicate Kuzuryu and a supplier of A.I.M., in order to be wed to Hideki Kurohagi. Wolverine goes on a quest to rescue Mariko and defeat Shingen and Hideki, encountering several opponents along the way.

Cast

RoleJapanese voice actorEnglish voice actor
Wolverine/LoganRikiya KoyamaMilo Ventimiglia
Mariko YashidaFumiko OrikasaGwendoline Yeo
Shingen YashidaHidekatsu ShibataFred Tatasciore
Hideki KurohagiKazuki YaoVic Mignogna
YukioRomi ParkKate Higgins
Omega Red/Arkady RossovichRyūzaburō ŌtomoJB Blanc
Kikyo MikageMasato HagiwaraSteve Blum
MinMisato FukuenDanielle Judovits
KohIemasa KayumiJB Blanc
Cyclops/Scott Summers (ep. 5 & ep. 6)Toshiyuki MorikawaScott Porter

X-Men

Cast of X-Men, Cyclops, Professor X, Wolverine, Storm, Armor, and Beast

X-Men (エックスメン, Ekkusu Men) (DVD title: X-Men: Animated Series) scheduled to air as the third show of the series with 12 episodes. It aired on Animax from April 1, 2011, to June 24, 2011. A preview trailer was released on February 18, 2011, featuring mutants and some from the 20th Century Fox X-Men franchise such as Cyclops, Wolverine, Storm, Professor X and Beast.[18] It premiered in the United States on G4 on October 21, 2011.[19] Jamie Simone as voice director, casting director, and reversion producer for the English version. The entire series was released on DVD in the United States on April 24, 2012. It was also released on Blu-ray in Japan on December 7, 2011.[20]

Plot

Following the death of Jean Grey (who was being controlled by the Dark Phoenix, due to the sinister influence of the Inner Circle), the X-Men are reassembled by Professor X to travel to Japan following the abduction of Armor and face the U-Men who are abducting young mutants in order to harvest their organs. During their fight with the U-Men, the X-Men discover that some of the mutants in Japan are suffering from the "Damon Hall Syndrome" which causes problems for mutants during their second mutation. The X-Men must also deal with the next plot of the Inner Circle.[21]

Cast

RoleJapanese voice actorEnglish voice actor
Cyclops/Scott SummersToshiyuki MorikawaScott Porter
Wolverine/LoganRikiya KoyamaSteve Blum
Takeo SasakiAtsushi AbeSteve Staley
NeuronYutaka AoyamaDave Wittenberg
Professor X/Charles XavierKatsunosuke HoriCam Clarke
Storm/Ororo MunroeAya HisakawaDanielle Nicolet
Jean GreyYurika HinoJennifer Hale
Riko NirasakiMarina InoueMary Elizabeth McGlynn
Mastermind/Jason Wyngarde/Ju SanadaTomokazu Seki (as Jun Sanada)
Haruhiko Jō (as Mastermind)
Travis Willingham
Kōichi KagaKatsuyuki KonishiTroy Baker
MarshYuichi NakamuraMary Elizabeth McGlynn
RatManabu SakamakiMichael Sinterniklaas
Yui SasakiYoshiko SakakibaraGwendoline Yeo
Beast/Hank McCoyHideyuki TanakaFred Tatasciore
Armor/Hisako IchikiYukari TamuraStephanie Sheh
Emma FrostKaori YamagataAli Hillis
SublimeRintaro NishiTroy Baker
KickWataru TakagiDave Wittenberg
NeuronYutaka AoyamaDave Wittenberg

Blade

Blade

Blade (ブレイド, Bureido) is the fourth and final show of the series. Comprising twelve episodes like the others, the story is written by Kenta Fukasaku, son of the late Kinji Fukasaku. Jamie Simone served as casting director, reversion producer, and voice director for the English version where he was assisted by Mary Elizabeth McGlynn. It aired on Animax from July 1, 2011, to September 16, 2011. The entire series was released on DVD in the United States on July 31, 2012. It was also released on Blu-ray in Japan on February 22, 2012.[22]

Plot

Blade is a "daywalker" vampire hunter who was born with human and vampire blood in his veins after a vampire attacked his mother. Blade is visiting Japan on a mission where he not only confronts Deacon Frost (the vampire who killed his mother Tara Brooks), but also goes up against a mysterious organization of vampires known as "Existence."[23]

Cast

RoleJapanese voice actorEnglish voice actor
Blade/Eric BrooksAkio Ohtsuka
Junko Minagawa (Young)
Harold Perrineau[24]
Noah Bentley
(Young)
Deacon FrostTsutomu IsobeJB Blanc
MakotoMaaya SakamotoKim Mai Guest
Noah van HelsingOsamu SakaTroy Baker
Wolverine/Logan (ep. 7)Rikiya KoyamaMilo Ventimiglia
Kikyo Mikage (ep. 8–9, 12)Masato HagiwaraSteve Blum

Films

Following the TV series, Madhouse animated different Marvel Anime films.

Other Marvel anime projects

Other anime television series based on Marvel characters have also been produced.

Marvel Disk Wars: The Avengers

Marvel Disk Wars: The Avengers is a 2014 anime series produced by Walt Disney Japan and Toei Animation. It follows five children that each gain the ability to summon a specific member of Avengers, who have been trapped in small devices called DISKs, as they travel the world to help the Avengers retrieve other superheroes' and supervillains' DISKs before they are used for evil. The series aired on TX Network and ran for 51 episodes.

Marvel Future Avengers

Marvel Future Avengers is a 2017 anime series produced by Madhouse and Walt Disney Japan. It follows three children who are rescued from Hydra by the Avengers and trained to become superheroes. The series aired for 39 episodes on the Dlife satellite channel, and was released internationally via Disney+ in 2020.

See also

References

  1. This marked the first time G4 had aired anime since the now-defunct anime programming block Anime Unleashed
  2. "Iron Man, Wolverine in Marvel, Madhouse's 1st TV Anime (Updated)". Anime News Network. August 25, 2008. Retrieved December 29, 2008.
  3. "Marvel to behold". C21 Media. July 6, 2010. Archived from the original on December 12, 2010. Retrieved July 6, 2010.
  4. G4 Announces Exclusive Deal With Sony Pictures Television for Four New Anime Series Based on Marvel Characters
  5. "Marvel Anime to Run on G4 in the United States". Anime News Network. July 23, 2010. Archived from the original on April 25, 2013. Retrieved July 24, 2010.
  6. "SDCC: G4 Announces New Marvel Anime Series". Superhero Hype!. July 26, 2010. Retrieved July 26, 2010.
  7. Gustines, George (August 24, 2008). "Superheroes to Be Recast for Japan". The New York Times. Retrieved April 1, 2011.
  8. "Iron Man & Wolverine Coming To Sci Fi In August!: SCI FI PI//SCI FI Channel". Captain. Archived from the original on September 29, 2011. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
  9. "Iron Man Anime comes to G4". Archived from the original on August 25, 2013. Retrieved August 22, 2011.
  10. Marvel Anime Coming To G4 In 2011
  11. "Anime Iron Man and Wolverine Premiere July 29". SuperheroHype.com. June 23, 2011. Retrieved June 23, 2011.
  12. "G4 TV Schedule; Sat, July 23, 2011". G4 Media. Archived from the original on October 17, 2012. Retrieved July 22, 2011.
  13. "アイアンマン | ソニー・ピクチャーズ公式". www.sonypictures.jp. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  14. "Iron Man: Rise of Technovore Coming to Blu-ray 4/16 More on Marvel.com". MARVEL. Retrieved March 18, 2013.
  15. "Madhouse, Marvel Team Up Again for New Iron Man: Rise of Technovore Film". Anime News Network. October 8, 2012. Retrieved October 9, 2012.
  16. Toonzone Goes to WonderCon 2011 (UPDATED Apr 7, 9:45 AM) Archived June 18, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  17. "ウルヴァリン | ソニー・ピクチャーズ公式". www.sonypictures.jp. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  18. "News: X-Men Anime, Nichijou Promo Videos Streamed". Anime News Network. February 18, 2011. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
  19. "'X-Men' Anime Debuts In October With Scott Porter As Cyclops".
  20. "X-メン | ソニー・ピクチャーズ公式". www.sonypictures.jp. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  21. Watch the X-Men Anime Japanese Teaser Trailer
  22. "ブレイド | ソニー・ピクチャーズ公式". www.sonypictures.jp. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  23. "Blade, Fairy Tail, Ro-Kyu-Bu! Promo Videos Streamed". Anime News Network. July 17, 2023.
  24. "Blade English Dub's Lead Cast - Interest". Anime News Network. October 14, 2011. Retrieved April 29, 2013.
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