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Time Bokan
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“Time Bokan” is a series of multiple comical TV shows that light heartedly poke fun at the situations, themes, and characters from Tatsunoko Studio’s own stable of superhero cartoons. Though conceived of as smartass, juvenile parodies, because they were made at Tatsunoko Studios, the shows feature character designs done by Yoshitaka Amano, and chief direction by Hiroshi Sasagawa; the same men who did design work and direction for “Gatchaman” (“Battle of the Planets / G-Force / Eagle Riders” ), “Casshan / Casshern”, “Tekkaman”, and “Mach GoGoGo” (“Speed Racer”). Sometimes, installments even featured “guest appearances” by these characters. And fan favorite anime director, Mamoru Oshii (director of “Dallos”, “Ghost in the Shell” movies 1 and 2, “Patlabor” OVA and movies 1 and 2, etc. ) worked as an episode director on many of the shows.
The cartoon series started in 1975 with “Time Bokan”; it was then followed by “Yatterman” (“Hooray-Man”) in 1977, “Zenderman” (“Past-Man”) in 1979, “Otasukeman” (“Rescue-Man”) in 1980, “Yattodetaman” (“Calendar-Man”) in 1981, “Ippatsuman” (“One-Shot-Man”) in 1982, “Itadakiman” (“Let’s-Eat-Man”) in 1983. Later, in 2000, “Kiramekiman” (“Sparkle-Man”) was added. There are also several remakes of the 70s-80s shows, including a 1993-94 OVA series, and a live action movie of “Yatterman” in 2009.
“Yatta! Yatta!”
The plots all boil down to this: In order to protect the history of mankind from a mysterious and omnipotent evil, a young dynamic duo (a boy and a girl) must fight a zany, not-so-fearsome threesome (a woman and two ugly men). Though the characters’ personas remain the same, the names change from show to show. All of this is played as a joke; an excuse for fun, funny, madcap Punch and Judy gags, spot-on anime allusions and in-jokes, “wink-wink” sexual innuendo, and… potty humor.
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8.65/10 
9.12/10
8.70/10 
65 votes