Ojarumaru (おじゃる丸)[c] is a Japanese anime series created by Rin Inumaru, produced by NHK Enterprises, and animated by Gallop.[5] The series has aired on NHK E-Tele since October 1998, making it the second longest-running anime on NHK behind Nintama Rantaro, and the third longest-running anime series to date. The series focuses on a 5-year-old Heian-era prince named Ojarumaru Sakanoue who accidentally time-warps to modern Japan and has adventures there while dodging a trio of young oni who try to get back a scepter that he stole from Great King Enma. The series has been dubbed in many languages.[6] It was the first NHK anime series to be animated using the digital ink-and-paint process instead of cels.[7]

Ojarumaru
Cover of the 2010 Ojarumaru calendar
おじゃる丸
GenreComedy, Fantasy,[1] Slice of life
Created byRin Inumaru
Anime television series
Directed byAkitaro Daichi
Music byHarukichi Yamamoto
StudioGallop
Licensed by
Original networkNHK E-Tele
Original run October 5, 1998 – present
Episodes2037[2][3][a] + 7 specials[b] (List of episodes)
Anime film
Ojarumaru the Movie: The Promised Summer - Ojaru and Semira
Directed byAkitaro Daichi
Produced byAtsushi Ito
Hisako Matsumoto
Written byReiko Yoshida
Music byHarukichi Yamamoto
StudioGallop
ReleasedJuly 15, 2000
Runtime47 minutes
Manga
Written byTatsuma Ejiri
Published byShueisha
MagazineSaikyo Jump
DemographicShōnen
Original runJanuary 2012September 2014
Volumes1 (List of volumes)

It received an "Excellence Award" for animation at the 1999 Japan Media Arts Festival.[8]

Premise edit

Around 1,000 years ago in Fairy World (妖精界 Yōsei-kai) in the Heian era,[d] a young prince from a noble family named Ojarumaru Sakanoue is bored of his life of privilege. He is later lured into Enma World (エンマ界 Enma-kai) by the sound of a ukulele played by Great King Enma. Upon arriving, he steals Great King Enma's powerful scepter,[e] which he uses in order to judge the dead. While getting chased by Great King Enma, he accidentally falls into the Moon Hole (月の穴 Tsuki no Ana), which time-warps him to modern Japan via the Full Moon Road (満月ロード Mangetsu Rōdo). The furious Great King Enma sends his three adopted oni children, Aobei, Kisuke, and Akane, who are known as the "Little Child Trio" (子鬼トリオ Kooni Trio), to pursue Ojarumaru and get the scepter back. At the present time, Ojarumaru falls from the Moon to the roof of Sakata Apartment (坂田マンション Sakata Manshon) where he befriends a boy named Kazuma Tamura and his grandfather Tommy. Fascinated with the prince, Tommy helps Kazuma convince his parents Ai and Makoto into letting Ojarumaru stay with the family, to which they accept. Denbo, Ojarumaru's anthropomorphic firefly caretaker who witnessed the latter falling into the Moon Hole, eventually finds and takes care of him at the request of his parents. While making many new friends and rivals, as well as dodging the Oni Child Trio's efforts to retrieve the scepter, Ojarumaru has many adventures in Moonlight Town (月光町 Gekkō-chō) and encounters new things he has never seen before in his time period.

Later episodes tend to center around other characters, including Princess Okame, Ojarumaru's young fiancé who desperately tries to win over his heart; Okorinbō and Nikorinbō, two anthropomorphic komainu who try numerous get-rich-quick methods in a bid to get their shinto shrine out of poverty; Ken, a freeter who keeps changing jobs; Kazuma's classmates, big eater Kintarō Sakata, beauty-obsessed Komachi Ono, and the judgmental but well-intentioned Kentarō Iwashimizu; Icchoku Honda, Kazuma's energetic homeroom teacher; the Hoshino Family, three aliens from another planet who want to invade Earth and have a strange aversion to Ojarumaru; and Sachiyo Usui, an eccentric manga artist who is notorious for her creepy, highly detailed drawings.

Some episodes place the characters in parodies of notable fairy tales, fables, novels, and TV shows from Japan and other countries. These include Momotarō,[10][11][12] Cinderella,[13] Ikkyū-san,[14] Journey to the West,[15] Columbo,[16] Peter Pan,[17] The Boy Who Cried Wolf,[18] Attack on Titan[19] and James Bond.[20]

Broadcast edit

Seven television specials have aired on NHK E-Tele. The first special entitled Ojarumaru: Shiawase no Aoi Senaka (おじゃる丸 しあわせの青いせなか, Ojarumaru: A Happy Blue Back) aired on January 1, 2000. The second special entitled Ojarumaru: Mangetsu Rōdo Kiki Ippatsu ~Tama ni wa Maro mo Dai Bōken~ (おじゃる丸 満月ロード危機一髪 ~タマにはマロも大冒険~, Ojarumaru: Peril at the Full Moon Road ~A Rare Adventure of Our Prince~) aired on May 3, 2007. The third special entitled Ojarumaru Supesharu: Ginga ga Maro o Yonde iru ~Futari no Negai Boshi~ (おじゃる丸スペシャル 銀河がマロを呼んでいる ~ふたりのねがい星~, Ojarumaru Special: My Galaxy is Calling ~The Two Wishing Stars~) aired on March 20, 2012. The fourth special entitled Ojarumaru Special: Wasureta Mori no Hinata (おじゃる丸 スペシャル わすれた森のヒナタ, Ojarumaru Special: Hinata in the Forgotten Forest) aired on August 14, 2015.[21] The fifth special entitled Ojarumaru Special: Saraba Mattari no Hibi yo (おじゃる丸 スペシャル さらば まったりの日々よ, Ojarumaru Special: Goodbye, Lazy Days) aired in 2 parts on November 1 and 2, 2017. The sixth special entitled Ojarumaru Special: Anime Janai de ojaru? (おじゃる丸 スペシャル アニメでないでおじゃる?, Ojarumaru Special: It's Not an Anime?) aired on November 3, 2017.[22][23] The seventh special Heian-chō Onigami Kessen (ヘイアンチョウ鬼神決戦) was scheduled to premiere on March 28, 2022,[24] and was later delayed to March 30 due to a high school baseball tournament preempting the special's initial 9:00 AM timeslot on March 28.[25]

The series has aired daily on Kids Station since November 5, 2018.[26]

Soundtrack edit

Opening Themes edit

No. Title[5] Series no.[5] Performer[5] Notes
1 Utahito (詠人) 1–10; 16-present Saburō Kitajima
2 Yumehito (夢人) 11-15 Saburō Kitajima

Ending Themes edit

No. Title[5] Series no.[5] Performer[5] Notes
1 Purin Sanka (プリン賛歌, The Pudding Anthem) 1 SUS4
2 Purin de ojaru (プリンでおじゃる) 2 Ojarumaru (Hiroko Konishi), Kazuma (Yuriko Fuchizaki), Denbo (Rie Iwatsubo) A cover of Purin Sanka
3 Kooni Trio no Theme (子鬼トリオのテーマ, The Oni Child Trio's Theme) 3 The Oni Child Trio (Kazuya Ichijou, Omi Minami, Yūji Ueda)
4 Koi o Itashi Mashou♪ (恋をいたしましょう♪, Let us Love♪) 4 Denbo
5 Acchi Muite Hoi de ojaru (あっちむいてホイでおじゃる) 5 Ojarumaru (Chinami Nishimura), Kazuma, Denbo, the Oni Child Trio
6 Kono Machi Itsumo 〜Bin-chan no Uta〜 (この町いつも〜貧ちゃんの歌〜, Always in this Town 〜Poverty-chan's Song〜) 6 Poverty-chan (Ayaka Saitō)
7 Warera Gekkō Chō Chicchai Mono Club (われら月光町ちっちゃいものクラブ, Our Moonlight Town Tiny Things Club) 7 Moonlight Town Tiny Things Club (Rie Iwatsubo, Satomi Kōrogi, Ryō Naitō, Chinami Nishimura, Ayaka Saitō)
8 Gekkō-chō no Uta (月光町のうた, Moonlight Town's Song) 8 Ojarumaru, Kisuke
9 Denbo no Bunbun Fushi (電ボのブンブン節, Denbo's Buzzing Melody) 9 Denbo (Narumi Satō), Ojarumaru, Kazuma
10 Sankyukkyu Dancing (さんきゅっきゅダンシング) 10 Natsumi
11 Bokura no Sekai (ぼくらの世界, Our World) 11 Reiko Mizumachi
12 Ojarumaru Kyōsō Kyoku (おじゃる丸狂騒曲, The Ojarumaru Prosperous Song) 12 Kumiko Mori
13 Katatsumuri (かたつむり, Snails) 13 Manami Oku (credited as Manami Ogu)
14 Hatsukoi wa Minora Nai (初恋は実らない, Not My First Love) 14 Ojarumaru Sisters
15 Maro no Sanpo (マロのさんぽ, My Walk) 15, 16 Chopiiin (15th series); Ojarumaru, Kazuma, Denbo (16th series)
16 Da!Da!!Da!!! 17 The Collectors
17 Wakaran (わからん, I Don't Know) 18 Zainichi Funk
18 Mihatenu Yume (見果てぬ夢, Unfinished Dream) 19 Ojamens[f]
19 Purin Sanka ~20th à la mode edition (プリン賛歌 ~20th à la mode edition, The Pudding Anthem ~20th à la mode edition) 20 TWEEDEES A cover of Purin Sanka
20 Kono Michi Ashita e (この道 明日へ) 21 Ken
21 Yada na~ Ii na~ (やだな~ いいな~) 22 Great King Enma (Tetsuo Komura), Bin-chan
22 Yume no Yume (夢の夢)[28] 23 Crazy Ken Band
23 Oja Fuwa Babyun (おじゃフワバビュン)[29] 24 Fuwa-chan, Team Ojarumaru
24 Ito Okashi (いとをかし)[30][31] 25[30][31] Ringo Sheena[30][31]

Other media edit

Manga edit

A manga adaptation of the anime series, written and illustrated by Tatsuma Ejiri, was serialized in Shueisha's Saikyo Jump magazine from January 2012 to September 2014. The first and only tankōbon volume, which compiles select stories from the Saikyo Jump serialization, was published in Japan on July 4, 2014.[32]

No. Release date ISBN
1 July 4, 20144088801474
  • 1. "I am Ojarumaru" (マロがおじゃる丸でおじゃる, "Maro ga Ojarumaru de ojaru")
  • 2. "My Ojaru Livelihood" (マロのおじゃる生活でおじゃる, "Maro no Ojaru Seikatsu de ojaru")
  • 3. "Sightseeing Moonlight Town" (月光町観光するでおじゃる, "Gekkō Chō Kankō Suru de ojaru")
  • 4. "I'm Homesick" (ホームシックでおじゃる, "Hōmushikku de ojaru")
  • 5. "I Hate Baths and Water" (風呂や水はイヤでおじゃる, "Furo ya Mizu wa Iya de ojaru")
  • 6. "Kin-chan is a Dinosaur Mania" (金ちゃんは恐竜マニア, "Kin-chan wa Kyōryū Mania")
  • 7. "My Cap is a Treasure Chest (マロのエボシは宝ばこ, "Maro no Eboshi wa Takarabako")
  • 8. "Kazuma Likes Rocks Very Much" (カズマはとっても石がすき, "Kazuma wa Tottemo Ishi ga Suki")
  • 9. "Crazy for Komachi-chan" (小町ちゃんにメロリンコ, "Komachi-chan ni Merorinko")
  • 10. "Iwashimizu-kun is Always Correct" (いつも正しい石清水くん, "Itsumo Tadashii Iwashimizu-kun")
  • 11. "Grandpa Tommy's Great Discovery" (トミー爺の大発見, "Tomī-jī no Daihakken")
  • 12. "Kazuma, Afraid of Rocks (カズマ、石をこわがる, "Kazuma, Ishi o Kowagaru")
  • Special Bonus: "Cafe Oko-Niko" (カフェ オコニコ, "Kafe Oko-Niko")

Video games edit

Title Developer Publisher Platform Release date Source
Ojarumaru (おじゃる丸) Bandai Bandai Sega Pico 1999
Ojarumaru 〜Mangan Jinja no Ennichi de ojaru!〜 (おじゃる丸 〜満願神社の縁日でごじゃる!〜) MTO MTO Game Boy Color June 30, 2000 [33]
Ojarumaru 〜Tsukiyo ga Ike no Takaramono〜 (おじゃる丸 〜月夜が池のたからもの〜) Success Success Game Boy Color July 14, 2000 [34]
Typing Ojarumaru (タイピング おじゃる丸) Interchannel Interchannel Windows 95/98/Me/XP 2001 [35]
Ojarumaru: Kazu Asobi (おじゃる丸 かずあそび) E Frontier E Frontier Windows 95/98/2000/Me/XP, Classic Mac OS, macOS 2002
Ojarumaru: Moji Asobi (おじゃる丸 もじあそび) E Frontier E Frontier Windows 95/98/2000/Me/XP, Classic Mac OS, macOS 2002 [36]
Ojarumaru: Pasokon Yarou yo! Mouse de Jigsaw Puzzle (おじゃる丸 パソコンやろうよ! マウスでジグソーパズル) Dorasu Dorasu Windows 95/98/2000/Me [37]
Ojarumaru: Gekkō-chō Sanpo de ojaru (おじゃる丸 月光町 散歩でおじゃる) MTO MTO Game Boy Advance September 5, 2003 [38]
Ojarumaru: DS Ojaru to Okeiko Aiueo (おじゃる丸 DS おじゃるとおけいこ あいうえお) D3 Publisher D3 Publisher Nintendo DS December 20, 2007 [39]
Ojarumaru: Kaikai! Enma-Kai (おじゃる丸 怪々!エンマ界) Metro Metro au [40]
Ojarumaru: Gattai no Oni (おじゃる丸 がったいのオニ) Metro Metro au [41]
Ojarumaru: Ojarumaru Tennis (おじゃる丸 おじゃる丸テニス) Metro Metro au [42]
Ojarumaru: Eboshi Collection (おじゃる丸 エボシコレクション) Metro Metro au [42]
Ojarumaru: Ojarumaru no Hover Race (おじゃる丸 おじゃる丸のホバーレース) Metro Metro au [43]
Ojarumaru: Chicchai Golf (おじゃる丸 ちっちゃいゴルフ) Metro Metro au [44]
Ojarumaru: Nige tetamo (おじゃる丸 にげてたも) Metro Metro au [44]
Ojarumaru: Logic Puzzle (おじゃる丸 ロジックパズル) Metro Metro au [45]
Ojarumaru: Shutsudō! Chicchai Mono Club (おじゃる丸 出動!ちっちゃいものクラブ) Metro Metro au [46]
Akihabara Ojaru de Kankō (秋葉原おじゃるde観光) Akihabara TMO,INC. Akihabara TMO,INC. iOS, Android 2011 [47]

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ The episodes are split up into 26 "series"
  2. ^ As of December 6, 2023
  3. ^ Known officially in English as Prince Mackaroo.[4]
  4. ^ Officially written in katakana as ヘイアンチョウ (Heian-chō)[9]
  5. ^ Officially written in katakana as シャク (Shaku)[9]
  6. ^ Consists of Kanchō (Kenjirō Tsuda), Kanbutsu (Eiji Takemoto), Ken (Yūsuke Numata), Kawakami (Norihisa Mori), and Hoshino (Yuko Sanpei)[27]

References edit

  1. ^ "教育番組から名作アニメまで【こども番組特集】[From Educational Programs to Masterpiece Animation - Featured Children's Programs]" (in Japanese). NHK. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  2. ^ "おじゃる丸 これまでのおはなし [Ojarumaru: The story up to now]" (in Japanese). NHK. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  3. ^ "エピソード - アニメおじゃる丸 [Episodes - Anime Ojarumaru]". NHK (in Japanese). Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  4. ^ "Prince Mackaroo". Enoki Films. Retrieved 2019-08-26.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g "おじゃる丸 スタッフ&キャスト" (in Japanese). NHK. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
  6. ^ Spanish, Italian, Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Tagalog, Thai, Cantonese, Korean, and Malay
  7. ^ "おじゃる丸 NHK放送史 (動画・記事) [Ojarumaru - NHK Broadcasting History (Video and Article)]" (in Japanese). NHK. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  8. ^ "1999 Japan Media Arts Festival Awards". Japan Media Arts Plaza, Agency for Cultural Affairs. Archived from the original on October 18, 2007. Retrieved March 29, 2012.
  9. ^ a b "おじゃる丸 ものがたり" (in Japanese). NHK. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
  10. ^ Ojarumaru 1st series episode 68 "Ojaru Oni ga Yama e Iku" (おじゃる 鬼が島へ行く)
  11. ^ Ojarumaru 3rd series episode 5 "Momoman" (モモマン)
  12. ^ Ojarumaru 7th series episode 86 "Momoman 2" (モモマン2)
  13. ^ Ojarumaru 2nd series episode 18 "Ojaderella" (おじゃデレラ)
  14. ^ Ojarumaru 10th series episode 13 "Ojakkyū-san" (おじゃ休さん)
  15. ^ Ojarumaru 10th series episode 63 "Ojagoku" (おじゃごくう)
  16. ^ Ojarumaru 10th series episode 28 "Keiji Ojarumbo" (刑事おじゃるンボ)
  17. ^ Ojarumaru 15th series episode 75 "Ojater Pan" (おじゃターパン)
  18. ^ Ojarumaru 18th series episode 38 "Ookami Shonen Ojarumaru" (おおかみ少年おじゃる "Wolf Boy Ojarumaru")
  19. ^ Ojarumaru 21st series episode 21 "Shingeki no Maro" (進撃のマロ)
  20. ^ Ojarumaru 21st series episode 32 "Makomako 7" (マコマコ7)
  21. ^ "アニメワールド+BLOG:NHK おじゃる丸 8/14(金)『おじゃる丸スペシャル』放送決定!" (in Japanese). NHK. July 10, 2014. Retrieved July 13, 2015.
  22. ^ "Ojarumaru Anime Gets Live-Action Special in November". Anime News Network. September 21, 2017. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  23. ^ "おじゃる丸20年スペシャル 再放送決定!" (in Japanese). NHK. November 15, 2017. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  24. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (March 11, 2022). "Ojarumaru Anime Gets New Special on March 28 for 25th Anniversary". Anime News Network. Retrieved June 17, 2022.
  25. ^ @nhk_animeworld (March 26, 2022). 【放送日時変更のお知らせ】本日の高校野球順延に伴い「おじゃる丸25年SP」の放送日時変更が決まりました。Eテレ30(水)午前3:07※火曜深夜残念ながら深夜です…!番組表に反映されたらぜひ録画を。4月に再放送を検討中です。28(月)はEテレで高校野球を中継します。ご理解・ご了承ください。 (Tweet) (in Japanese). Retrieved June 17, 2022 – via Twitter.
  26. ^ @kids_station (October 12, 2018). 11月の番組表は... 実写スピンオフとともにキッズ初放送!おじゃる丸☆ あの大人気ポケモンをたっぷり堪能!ピカチュウ&イーブイ特集☆ 投票によって放送話数が決定!イナズマイレブン 今日の格言スペシャル☆ (Tweet) (in Japanese). Retrieved September 3, 2022 – via Twitter.
  27. ^ "19シリーズ エンディングテーマ [19th Series Ending Theme]". NHK. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  28. ^ "「おじゃる丸」第23シリーズ 新ED曲はクレイジーケンバンドのみなさん!&キービジュアル公開!" (in Japanese). NHK. March 26, 2020. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  29. ^ "「おじゃる丸」新EDはフワちゃん&チームおじゃる丸が歌う「おじゃフワバビュン」に決定!". NHK. March 23, 2021. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  30. ^ a b c "「おじゃる丸」第25シリーズのEDテーマは椎名林檎「いとをかし」に決定!" (in Japanese). NHK. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
  31. ^ a b c Mateo, Alex (March 25, 2022). "Ringo Sheena Performs Ending Theme Song for Ojarumaru Anime's 25th Series". Anime News Network. Retrieved June 17, 2022.
  32. ^ おじゃる丸 1 (in Japanese). S-MANGA.net. Archived from the original on August 10, 2016. Retrieved July 31, 2014.
  33. ^ "おじゃる丸〜満願神社は縁日でおじゃる! (ゲームボーイ)" (in Japanese). Famitsu. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
  34. ^ "おじゃる丸 〜月夜が池のたからもの〜 (ゲームボーイ)" (in Japanese). Famitsu. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
  35. ^ Kyoji Nakamura (March 7, 2001). "NECインターチャネルのPC向け新作タイトル4本一気レビュー" (in Japanese). GAME Watch. Retrieved September 26, 2001.
  36. ^ Yuri Kaneko (May 20, 2004). "【キッズソフト】おじゃる丸と一緒に文字で遊ぼう! おじゃる丸 もじあそび [子供とインターネット]" (in Japanese). All About. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
  37. ^ "おじゃる丸" (in Japanese). Dorasu. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
  38. ^ "おじゃる丸 月光町 散歩でおじゃる". MTO. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
  39. ^ "おじゃる丸 -DS おじゃるとおけいこ あいうえお-" (in Japanese). Retrieved September 26, 2019.
  40. ^ "NHKキャラクターGames" (in Japanese). Metro-games.com. Archived from the original on October 16, 2012. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  41. ^ "NHKキャラクターGames" (in Japanese). Metro-games.com. Archived from the original on October 16, 2012. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  42. ^ a b "NHKキャラクターGames" (in Japanese). Metro-games.com. Archived from the original on October 16, 2012. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  43. ^ "NHKキャラクターGames" (in Japanese). Metro-games.com. Archived from the original on October 16, 2012. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  44. ^ a b "NHKキャラクターGames" (in Japanese). Metro-games.com. Archived from the original on October 16, 2012. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  45. ^ "NHKキャラクターGames" (in Japanese). Metro-games.com. Archived from the original on October 16, 2012. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  46. ^ "NHKキャラクターGames" (in Japanese). Metro-games.com. Archived from the original on October 16, 2012. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  47. ^ "秋葉原のまち情報サイト 秋葉原エリアプロモーションサービス 秋葉原おじゃるde観光" (in Japanese). Akihabara TMO,INC. Archived from the original on February 20, 2012. Retrieved January 1, 2020.

External links edit