Gigantor – The anime series of the 60s
In the 60s, one of the most popular Japanese anime was an animated television series that boasted a giant robot, called Gigantor. This adaptation of the Tetsujin 28-go manga, created by Mitsuteru Yokoyama in 1956, debuted on television in the United States in January 1966. The series tells the adventures of Jimmy Sparks, a 12-year-old boy who controls Gigantor, an enormous flying robot, via a remote control.
The plot of the series is set in the now distant year 2000 and follows the exploits of Jimmy and Gigantor as they fight crime around the world. With the violence of the original series scaled back for U.S. audiences and the character names changed, Gigantor became an international success. The series made its US debut in January 1966 in syndication, earning mixed reviews but still gaining favor with young audiences.
Gigantor also became a big hit in Australia, being described as a science fiction cartoon series about the world's most powerful robots and Jimmy Sparks, the 12-year-old boy who controlled the jet giant. The series was one of several Japanese programs of the time that enjoyed great popularity with young Australian audiences in the 60s, offering a glimpse into Japanese television shows to an international audience.
The series also spawned some sequels and spin-offs, including a 1980-81 series called New Iron Man #28, which had 51 episodes based on a modernized take on the original concept. Furthermore, in 1993 the series was converted into The New Adventures of Gigantor and broadcast on the American Sci-Fi channel from September 1993 to June 1997. During this period, the series was also broadcast on Spanish television under the name Iron-Man 28. In Japan was produced in 1992 a sequel series, Tetsujin 28 FX, which followed the original controller's son operate a new robot.
Gigantor has become a pop culture icon and a classic of Japanese animation. The series, with its adventures and its giant robot, enchanted and fascinated international audiences for decades, remaining a cornerstone of Japanese animation of the 60s.
Gigantor is a 60s Japanese cartoon featuring a giant robot. The series was directed by Yonehiko Watanabe and produced by Kazuo Iohara. The production studio is TCJ. The series consists of 97 episodes in the original version and 52 episodes in the English dub. The manufacturing country is Japan. The genre of the cartoon is action, adventure, Dieselpunk and mecha. The duration of each episode is approximately 30 minutes. The series was broadcast on the Japanese television network Fuji TV. The original release date is October 20, 1963 to May 25, 1966. The series follows the exploits of Jimmy Sparks, a 12-year-old boy who controls Gigantor, an enormous flying robot, with a remote control. The robot was initially developed as a weapon by Jimmy's father, but was later reprogrammed to act as a guardian of the peace. The series was distributed in the United States by Trans-Lux Television and was a great success among young audiences. A few other series and spin-offs were created later, including “The New Adventures of Gigantor” in 1993.
Technical Sheet of the “Gigantor” Anime Series
Title
- Gigantor
Gender
- Action
- Adventure
- Diesel punk
- Wick
Anime TV Series
- Directed by: Yonehiko Watanabe
- Produced by: Kazuo Iohara
- Written by: Kinzo Okamoto
- Music by:
- Toriro Miki
- Nobuyoshi Koshibe
- Hidehiko Arashino
- Animation Studio: TCJ
Distribution
- Licensees:
- Australia: Siren Visual (formerly), Madman Entertainment (2010 to present)
- North America: Delphi Associates (formerly), Trans-Lux Television (formerly), The Right Stuf (2009 to present)
- New Zealand: Siren Visual (formerly), Madman Entertainment (2010 to present)
- Original Network: Fuji TV
- English Language Networks:
- Australia: ATV-0 (1968), TEN-10 (1968), SAS-10 (1968–1969)
- United States: Syndication (first broadcast), Adult Swim (2005–2007)
Transmission Period
- Start date: 20 October 1963
- End date: 25 May 1966
Episodes
- Number of Episodes: 97 (original version), 52 (English dub) (List of episodes)
“Gigantor” is an era-defining anime series, known for being one of the first to introduce the mecha genre and for its dieselpunk style. The series has been a point of reference for many lovers of Japanese animation and has influenced generations of creators in the field of animation and comics.
