DVD cover of Akuma-kun
A live-action version of Akuma-kun was broadcast from October 6, 1966 to March 30, 1967, on NET (now TV Asahi). The series was shot in black and white.
About[]
It gained a great popularity among children had a great impact on the history of Japanese TV industry. The success of this program might have resulted in the creation of the anime series of GeGeGe no Kitarō, and subsequent tokusatsu productions such as Kamen Rider,[1] while its production, to involve a heroic protagonist to fight against evils and gigantic and monstrous characters, was instead influenced by the First Kaiju Boom.[2]
Cast[]
- Shingo Yamada (Mitsunobu Kaneko)
- Mercedes Nichi Mephisto (Yoshio Yoshida)
- Sirrah Sultan Momet Mephisto (Kenji Ushio)
- Hinta (Yoshifumi Watanabe)
- Johoya (Yoshio Suzuki, Kōzō Shioya)
- Harukichi Yamada (Enka Sanyutei III)
- Matsue Yamada (Toshie Kusunoki)
- Michiko Yamada (Azusa Ogasawara)
Theme Songs[]
- Akuma-kun by Sanae Mizushima and vocal choir
Episodes[]
| # | Title | Original airdate | Written by | Directed by | Yōkai |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Yōkai Ganmā | 1996-10-06 | Susumu Takaku | Tsuneo Kobayashi | Ganmā |
| 02 | Bake-Garasu | 1966-10-13 | Susumu Takaku | Tsuneo Kobayashi | Bake-Garasu |
| 03 | The Curse of Mummy | 1966-10-20 | Masaru Inoue | Minoru Yamada | Mummy |
| 04 | Dai-Kaima | 1966-10-27 | Ichiro Wakabayashi | Tsuneo Kobayashi | Plato |
| 05 | Perorigon | 1966-11-03 | Makoto Tsuji | Akira Kashima | Perorigon |
| 06 | Kubi-Ningyō | 1966-11-10 | Shichijo Gate Souji Toyota |
Tsuneo Kobayashi | Kubi-Ningyō |
| 07 | Death Valley | 1966-11-17 | Masaaki Katsura | Akira Kashima | Yamabiko |
| 08 | Water Yōkai | 1966-11-24 | Shichijo Gate Souji Toyota |
Koichi Takemoto | Mizu-Yōkai |
| 09 | Vampire | 1966-12-01 | Ichiro Wakabayashi | Minoru Yamada | Dr. Cula |
| 10 | The Shiva's Great Demon | 1966-12-08 | Masaru Inoue | Akira Kashima | Shiva's Great Demon God Zamba |
| 11 | Ghost House | 1966-12-15 | Susumu Takaku | Hajime Sato | Yōkai painting |
| 12 | Wolfman | 1966-12-22 | Masaru Inoue | Akira Kashima | Wolfman |
| 13 | Dokuron's Dance | 1966-12-29 | Susumu Takaku | Hajime Sato | Dokuron |
| 14 | Brahman the Sorcerer | 1967-01-05 | Susumu Takaku | Katsuhiko Taguchi | Brahman |
| 15 | Yōkai Toshinusumi | 1967-01-12 | Masaaki Katsura | Katsuhiko Taguchi | Toshinusumi Pinwane |
| 16 | Morgon | 1967-01-19 | Toshiro Fujinami | Koichi Takemoto | Morgon |
| 17 | Kuro-Neko's House | 1967-01-26 | Okio Atsio Takemoto Koichi |
Koichi Takemoto | Kuro-Neko |
| 18 | The Strange Yuki-Onna | 1967-02-02 | Masaru Inoue | Akira Kashima | Yuki-Onna |
| 19 | Hell's Escape Tactic | 1967-02-09 | Kuniaki Oshikawa | Koichi Takemoto | Enma-Daiō |
| 20 | Future Zone | 1967-02-16 | Masaru Inoue | Akira Kashima | Roro Picchi |
| 21 | Kasekinin | 1967-02-23 | Susumu Takaku | Katsuhiko Taguchi | Juratan |
| 22 | The Curse of the Forest Witch | 1967-03-02 | Susumu Takaku | Katsuhiko Taguchi | Onibaba |
| 23 | Bake-Gumo | 1967-03-09 | Okio Atsio Takemoto Koichi |
Koichi Takemoto | Bake-Gumo |
| 24 | Kamakiri-sennin | 1967-03-16 | Okio Atsio Takemoto Koichi |
Koichi Takemoto | Kamakiri-Sennin |
| 25 | Man-Eating Diamond | 1967-03-23 | Masaru Inoue | Itaru Orita | Yōkai Diamond |
| 26 | The Invisible Anonymous | 1967-03-30 | Masaru Inoue | Itaru Orita | Shinigami No. 4 |
Trivia[]
- Juratan's suit shares the root with that of Jaian from the Captain Ultra; both were redeveloped from suit of "Cyborg Merman" in the 1966 film Terror Beneath the Sea where the suit of "Cyborg Merman" was also redeveloped from the suit of "Creature" in the 1954 film Creature from the Black Lagoon.[3][4]
References[]
- ↑ 『悪魔くん』は日本のテレビ史を変えていた？ 多彩なバージョンが生んだ、意外な影響
- ↑ Gaigan Yamazaki, 2021, Genes of Kaiju within Yokai: Yokai turing into Kaiju and Kaiju turining into Yokai, Media Culture Current Contents
- ↑ Ishii et al., May 1, 1997, 日本特撮・幻想映画全集, p.172, Keibuncha, ISBN: 4766927060
- ↑ Kodansha X-Bunko, February 2, 1987, Making of Toei Heroes, "Chapter 2: The World of radical heroes - Development of Akuma-kun", pp. 191–193, ISBN: 4-06-190083-8, Kodansha