The Monster Kid

The Monster Kid (Japanese: 怪物くん, Hepburn: Kaibutsu-kun, Little Monster) is a shōnen manga and anime series by Fujiko Fujio (written only by Abiko)[2] named after its protagonist. The first series was broadcast on TBS from April 21, 1968 to March 23, 1969.[3] The second series was broadcast on TV Asahi from September 2, 1980 to September 28, 1982.[4] A live-action series was broadcast on Nippon Television and Yomiuri Television from April 17 to June 12, 2010.[5] The 94-episode 1982 iteration was aired around the world, marketed as The Monster Kid,[6][7] which was the official English title. [8]

Kaibutsu-kun
Volume 1 of the 'Kaibutsu-kun' manga
怪物くん
GenreHorror, comedy, fantasy, adventure
Manga
Kaibutsu-kun (1965–1969)
Written byFujiko Fujio
(Written only by Abiko)
Published byShōnen Gahosha
MagazineShōnen Gahō
Shōnen King
DemographicShōnen
Original runJanuary 1965 – April 1969
Volumes13 (1965–1969)
Manga
Kaibutsu-kun (1980–1982)
Written byFujiko Fujio
(Written only by Abiko)
Published byShogakukan
MagazineCoroCoro_Comic etc.
Original runMarch 1980 – November 1982
Volumes21 (1965–1982)
Manga
Kaibutsu-kun (2021)
Written byFujiko Fujio A
Published byShogakukan
Volumes8 pages
Anime television series
Directed byMasaaki Osumi
StudioTokyo Movie
Studio Zero
Original networkTBS
Original run April 21, 1968 – March 23, 1969
Episodes50
Anime television series
Directed byHiroshi Fukutomi
Music byHiroshi Tsutsui
StudioShin-Ei Animation
Original networkTV Asahi
Original run September 2, 1980 – September 28, 1982
Episodes94
Anime film
Kaibutsu-kun: Invitation to Monster Land [1]
Directed byHiroshi Fukutomi
Produced bySoichi Besshi
Tetsuo Kanno
Yoshifusa Sanada
Written byFujiko Fujio
Music byAsei Kobayashi
StudioShin-Ei Animation
ReleasedMarch 14, 1981 (1981-03-14)
Runtime75 minutes
Anime film
Kaibutsu-kun: The Demon Sword
Directed byHiroshi Fukutomi
Produced bySoichi Besshi
Tetsuo Kanno
Yoshifusa Sanada
Written bySeiji Matsuoka
Music byHiroshi Tsutsui
StudioShin-Ei Animation
ReleasedMarch 13, 1982 (1982-03-13)
Runtime52 minutes
Television drama
Original networkNippon Television
Yomiuri Television
Original run April 17, 2010 – June 12, 2010
Episodes9
Live-action film
Kaibutsu-kun: The Movie
Directed byYoshihiro Nakamura
ReleasedNovember 26, 2011 (2011-11-26)

Plot

Kaibutsu-kun (Monster Kid) and his companions, Dracula, Wolfman, and Franken, travel from Monster Land to the Human Realm, where they encounter and battle several monsters, mainly assassins from the demon group Demonish. In India, the show was aired in Hindi where MK (Monster Kid) has a friend Hrithik who is not as fearless as MK himself. He calls Franken: Bheja, Dracula: Jojo and Wolfman: Chalbheja.

Cast
  • Tarou Kaibutsu (怪物太郎,, Kaibutsu Tarō) - A little boy who can metamorph. Tarou resembles Sabu from the Perman Series. Tarou is also Kiteretsu's best friend from the Kiteretsu series
  • Hiroshi Ichikawa (市川ヒロシ,, Ichikawa Hiroshi) - Taro's friend, who lives with his sister Utako.
  • Utako Ichikawa (市川歌子,, Ichikawa Utako) - Hiroshi's older sister. Both are orphans who live in Arama-sō, a two-story Japanese apartment. She takes care of her brother. Caring and super-radiant forever.
  • Dracula (ドラキュラ, Dorakyura) - He drinks tomato juice instead of human blood, and tends to put "damasu" at the end of every sentence. In the TV drama series, he often puts English phrases in every sentence.
  • Wolfman (オオカミ男,, Ookami-Otoko) - The housekeeper and also a cook. He tends to put "gansu" at the end of every sentence.
  • Franken (フランケン, Furanken) - Like his Hollywood counterpart, he's big, and not too smart.
  • Kaibutsu Daiō (怪物大王,, King Monster) Taro's father and King of Monsterland.
    • Voiced by: Dai Kanai ('80)
  • Kaiko-chan (怪子ちゃん) - Taro's girlfriend. She's super angry.
  • Doctor Noh (ドクター・ノオ, Dokutā Noo)
  • Fishman (半魚人)
  • Nonbirasu (ノンビラス)
  • Bem (ベム)
  • Demokin (プリンス・デモキン) - Prince of the demons.
  • Ako (アコ) - Hiroshi's classmate and sorrowfully not girlfriend.
  • Kizao (キザオ) - Hiroshi's classmate whose name is similar to a character in Obake no Q-taro. But is otherwise good and forever sad. And Ako's not boyfriend.
  • Banno (番野) - Hiroshi's big classmate.

Media

Television drama

A TV drama adaptation was aired on Nippon TV in 2010 with nine episodes. Two drama specials were aired after the initial airing of the drama series in June 2010, where the author of Kaibutsu-kun appears as a guest, and October 2011.

There are some differences between the anime and the live action series, especially for the setting and the characters. Neither Hiroshi's classmates in the anime appear in the TV drama series. The new characters are Wolfman's daughter, the landlady of Arama-sō and a policeman. The theme song for the TV drama series is Monster by Japanese boy band Arashi.

Plot

Kaibutsu-kun is a rambunctious prince of Kaibutsu Land. On the day of succession to the throne, he is ordered to go to the world of humans by the King of Kaibutsu Land for ascetic training. Kaibutsu-kun and his attendants, Dracula, Wolfman, and Franken, travel to the world of humans and encounter several monsters or humans belonging to the demon group led by Demorina who tries to set the prince of demon back on track and take over the world.

Main casts

Live-action film

A 3D movie titled Kaibutsu-kun: the Movie (映画　怪物くん, Eiga Kaibutsu-kun) was released on November 26, 2011, directed by Yoshihiro Nakamura. It went on to be a commercial success in Japan and earned ¥3.14 billion[9] ($39,766,344).[10]

References
  1. Eiga Anime Doraemon Kaibutsukun. tokyo: shogakukan. 1981-04-05. p. 69.
  2. "Fujiko Fujio A" since 1988.
  3. 怪物くん (1968). allcinema (in Japanese). Stingray. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
  4. 怪物くん (1980～1982). allcinema (in Japanese). Stingray. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
  5. 怪物くん (2010). allcinema (in Japanese). Stingray. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
  6. "Monster Kid - POGO.tv Shows". www.pogo.tv. Archived from the original on 19 March 2012. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  7. "Monster Kid on Fri 14, Oct 4:30 PM on Disney XD | burrp!TV Guide". Archived from the original on 2017-03-01. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
  8. "Tv asahi Buyer's Catalogue".
  9. "2012年（平成24年） 興行収入１０億円以上番組" (PDF). Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  10. "Eiga Kaibutsukun". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
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