Tiger & Bunny

Tiger & Bunny
Cover of the first Blu-ray volume
タイガー＆バニー (Taigā Ando Banī)
Genre	Science fiction, Superhero
Anime television series
Directed by	Keiichi Sato
Produced by	Kenji Hamada Masayuki Ozaki Seiji Takeda
Written by	Masafumi Nishida
Music by	Yoshihiro Ike
Studio	Sunrise
Licensed by	AUS Siren Visual NA Viz Media UK Manga Entertainment
Network	BS11, MBS, Tokyo MX
English network	NA Neon Alley
Original run	April 3, 2011 – September 18, 2011
Episodes	25
Manga
Written by	Sunrise
Illustrated by	Sakakibara Mizuki
Published by	Kadokawa Shoten
English publisher	Viz Media
Demographic	Seinen
Magazine	Newtype Ace
Original run	October 2, 2011 – ongoing
Game
Tiger & Bunny On Air Jack!
Developer	Namco Bandai Games
Publisher	Namco Bandai Games
Genre	Visual novel
Platform	PSP
Released	September 20, 2012
Anime film
Tiger & Bunny: The Beginning
Directed by	Yoshitomo Yonetani
Written by	Masafumi Nishida
Music by	Yoshihiro Ike
Studio	Sunrise
Licensed by	NA Viz Media
Released	September 22, 2012
Runtime	90 minutes
Game
Tiger & Bunny Heroes Day
Developer	D3 Publisher
Publisher	D3 Publisher
Genre	Visual novel
Platform	PSP
Released	March 20, 2013
Anime film
Tiger & Bunny: The Rising
Directed by	Yoshitomo Yonetani
Studio	Sunrise
Licensed by	NA Viz Media
Released	February 8, 2014

Tiger & Bunny (タイガー＆バニー, Taigā Ando Banī) is a 2011 Japanese anime television series produced by Sunrise under the direction of Keiichi Satou. The screenplay was written by Masafumi Nishida, with original character design by Masakazu Katsura. The series began its broadcast run in Japan on April 3, 2011 on Tokyo MX, followed by rebroadcasts on BS11 and MBS, and ended on September 17, 2011.^[1] Viz Media are also simulcasting the series, streaming on Hulu and Anime News Network.^[2] It is set in a futuristic city where heroes fight crime whilst promoting real life sponsors, focusing on two superheroes, the old-fashioned "Wild Tiger" and the rookie hero Barnaby Brooks Jr., as they are forced by their employers to work together.

A one-shot manga drawn by Masakazu Katsura was published in Shueisha's Weekly Young Jump magazine on August 4, 2011^[3] and the production of two films based on the series were announced during a special event on November, 2011. The first film, entitled Tiger & Bunny: The Beginning was released on September 22, 2012. The second film, Tiger & Bunny: The Rising, was released on February 8, 2014.^[4]

Plot

The series takes place in "NC 1978" in a fictional, re-imagined version of New York City called Sternbild City, where 45 years before, superpowered individuals known as "NEXT" started appearing and some of them became superheroes. Each of the city's most famous superheroes work for a sponsor company and their uniforms also contain advertising for real-life companies. Their heroic activity is broadcast on the popular television show "Hero TV", where they accumulate points for each heroic feat accomplished (arresting criminals or saving civilians, for example) and the best ranked hero of the season is crowned "King of Heroes".

The story mainly focuses on veteran hero Kotetsu T. Kaburagi aka Wild Tiger who is assigned a new partner, a young man named Barnaby Brooks Jr. However, Barnaby and Kotetsu usually have trouble working together as they have conflicting opinions on how a superhero should act while at the same time trying to crack the mystery of the murder of Barnaby's parents. In addition, the appearance of a homicidal vigilante NEXT named "Lunatic" stirs up the public and makes them question the meaning of heroes.

Characters

Heroes

Kotetsu T. Kaburagi (鏑木・T・虎徹, Kaburagi T. Kotetsu) / Wild Tiger (ワイルドタイガー, Wairudo Taigā)

Voiced by: Hiroaki Hirata (Japanese), Wally Wingert (English)

One of the main protagonists and a veteran superhero past his prime whose total disregard for private property when fighting against crime earned him the nickname "Crusher for Justice". Originally, he was the least popular among the heroes of Sternbild City and his company (a fictional publication known as "TopMag") had been taken over thanks to the high costs of his collateral damage. He was then forced by his new employers, "Apollon Media," to become Barnaby's partner. His wife Tomoe (友恵) died from a disease five years prior to the series, and his daughter Kaede lives with his mother in "Oriental Town" out in the country. Like most people outside of Hero TV, Kaede is initially unaware of her father's secret identity. Kotetsu possesses the power to increase his physical abilities hundredfold for five minutes (known as the "Hundred Power"), requiring an hour-long cooldown period before using it again. Later on in the series his ability starts to change, at first becoming more potent at the cost of a shorter time limit, signified by red-orange eyes and an orange aura instead of the normal blue. Tiger's old employer Ben Jackson, working as a cab driver, finds out about Tiger's power boost and informs him that it is actually a precursor to his powers fading away for good, a rare condition among NEXT. The Hundred Power's potency then returns to its original strength, and its time limit grows shorter with each activation, lasting about three minutes and 45 seconds by the end of the series. Kotetsu keeps a journal to track his decreasing power, each entry showing a decrease of two to five seconds per use. After defeating Albert Maverick, Kotetsu retires from heroics, but returns a year later now calling himself "Wild Tiger 1 Minute" and working with the "B-Team" heroes, vowing to continue being a hero even after his powers disappear for good.

His Apollon Media suit includes advertisements for Bandai's S.H. Figuarts toy line and telecommunications company SoftBank. The SoftBank logo on his shoulder in the series is replaced by a different ad in the films: FamilyMart in Tiger & Bunny: the Beginning and Lotte in Tiger & Bunny: the Rising. Tiger also possesses a motorcycle called the "Lonely Chaser", which is able to combine with Barnaby's own bike as a sidecar. Tiger's suit also includes a pair of wire guns known as the "Wild Shot". Having been inspired by a hero named Mr. Legend, who helped him to accept his powers, Kotetsu has traditional ideals of justice, always relying on his instincts, putting lives over ratings, and prioritizing hero work over publicity stunts. After helping Barnaby defeat Jake Martinez and finally earning his partner's trust, Kotetsu becomes far more popular and gains much more respect from the public, his employers, and his fellow heroes. In the first Drama CD for the series, it is revealed that Kotetsu and Antonio "Rock Bison" Lopez were punks in their high school days, and it was Kotetsu's class representative Tomoe (who later became his wife) who came up with the name "Wild Tiger". The next episode previews suggest that Kotetsu has a very poor grasp of the English language, as he often struggles to read out the next episode's title.

Barnaby Brooks Jr. (バーナビー・ブルックスJr., Bānabī Burukkusu Junia) / Bunny (バニー, Banī)

Voiced by: Masakazu Morita (Japanese), Yuri Lowenthal (English)

The other protagonist, known as the "Super Rookie", who is nicknamed "Bunny" by Kotetsu because of his armor's earpieces and his penchant for long jumps and kicks. Barnaby is a 25 year old rookie hero who does not conceal his appearance or identity and is the newest addition to Hero TV. Partnered with Wild Tiger, he has the same power, though Barnaby relies more on strategy than outright brute force, saving his Hundred Power for the most dire of circumstances. His powered suit displays advertising for Amazon.co.jp as well as Bandai and its "Crusade System" Card Series. He is also equipped with a motorcycle called the "Lonely Chaser" that is able to use Tiger's own bike as a sidecar. When he was four years old, his parents, robotics engineers and the inventors of "nano-metal", were assassinated by someone originally thought to be Jake Martinez of the crime syndicate "Ouroboros". Barnaby was taken in by Albert Maverick and dedicated his life to investigating Ouroboros and its connection with the death of his family. The trauma of seeing his parents murdered hardened Barnaby's heart and consumed him with thoughts of revenge, making it impossible for him to trust anyone until he began his partnership with Kotetsu. According to Barnaby, he took his real name, also his father's, as his hero name as a declaration of war against Ouroboros. After defeating Albert Maverick, Barnaby retires from heroics thinking his entire career was for nothing, but when Kotetsu returns as "Wild Tiger 1 Minute" a year later, Barnaby returns as well to assist his partner.

After defeating Jake Martinez and learning to trust Kotetsu as his partner, Barnaby adopts a positive outlook on life, becoming more open and willing to work with others. He starts addressing Kotetsu by name instead of as "Old Man", and accepts "Bunny" as his nickname. His successful partnership with Kotetsu soon leads Barnaby to rank first in Hero TV's rankings, earning him the "King of Heroes" title in his debut season. Barnaby eventually surpasses Mr. Legend's points-per-season record, and dreams of a "Hero World" envisioned by his surrogate father, Albert Maverick, where all NEXT are accepted and heroes protect the innocent.

Karina Lyle (カリーナ・ライル, Karīna Rairu) / Blue Rose (ブルーローズ, Burū Rōzu)

Voiced by: Minako Kotobuki (Japanese), Kari Wahlgren (English)

Nicknamed the "Super Celebrity of the Heroes", Blue Rose is a highschooler with freezing powers who still lives with her parents and makes use of her heroic feats to boost her career as a singer. She also works as a pianist in bars under her real name. Her revealing costume, which her father disapproves of, includes advertising for Pepsi NEX, a zero calorie Pepsi available in Japan developed by Suntory, a company who took part in the experiment which successfully produced the first true blue rose through genetic engineering, hence her alias and rose-themed uniform. She is also equipped with a monowheel-snowmobile vehicle, which she propels using her powers. Despite claiming to dislike Kotetsu, Karina develops feelings for him, which causes her much internal conflict considering the age difference. After the one year timeskip, Karina is seen reading a book about how to win a single dad's heart; seems she hasn't given up. At the insistence of her sponsor company and to her distaste, Blue Rose always tells criminals "my ice is a little bit cold, but your crime has been put completely on hold!" upon apprehending them. Karina has a habit of comically retreating from fights if they get too difficult for her, an act Hero TV's announcer dubs the "Cutie Escape". In the films Tiger & Bunny: the Beginning and Tiger & Bunny: the Rising, her costume's advertising replaces the Pepsi NEX ads for standard Pepsi logos. Her sponsor company is "Titan Industry".

Keith Goodman (キース・グッドマン, Kīsu Guddoman) / Sky High (スカイハイ, Sukai Hai)

Voiced by: Go Inoue (Japanese), Patrick Seitz (English)

Also known as the "Wind Wizard", Sky High is an enthusiastic and friendly hero who was the most popular hero in the city and longtime consecutive holder of the "King of Heroes" title at the start of the series. His overly dramatic and optimistic personality is actually his main selling point, with his catchphrases being a cheerful "Thanks, and, thanks again!" (ありがとう、そして、ありがとう!, Arigato, soshite, arigato!) to his fans and his own name when he launches an attack. Sky High is able to fly with the assistance of a rocket backpack and has the power to control the wind and air currents. His uniform includes advertising for Bandai's subsidiary Tamashii Nations and streaming website Ustream.tv. In the films, he also sports ads for Movix and T-Joy, Japanese movie theater chains. His sponsor company is "Poseidon Line".

Nathan Seymour (ネイサン・シーモア, Neisan Shīmoa) / Fire Emblem (ファイヤーエンブレム, Faiyā Enburemu)

Voiced by: Kenjiro Tsuda (Japanese), John Eric Bentley (English)

An effeminate hero with flame abilities known as the "Bourgeois Open Flame Broil", equipped with a highly maneuverable race car. He displays an advanced level of control over his abilities, able to shape his flames into many elaborate shapes and sizes with varying levels of intensity. He is also the owner of his sponsor company, "Helios Energy," and his costume contains advertising for FMV of Fujitsu and anime/manga retailer Animate. His suit in the films Tiger & Bunny: the Beginning and Tiger & Bunny: the Rising features an additional ad for Domino's Pizza.

Huang Pao-Lin (ホァン・パオリン, Hwan Paorin) / Dragon Kid (ドラゴンキッド, Doragon Kiddo)

Voiced by: Mariya Ise (Japanese), Laura Bailey (English)

A young, tomboyish Chinese girl, known as the "Lightning Bolt Kung-Fu Master", armed with a staff and able to generate strong electrical discharges. Pao-Lin's parents did not go with her to Sternbild City and stayed behind in China. They did, however, leave her a purple flower hairpin that she was originally against wearing, claiming it was "too girly", despite her caretaker's insistence. However, after learning the flower's symbolic meaning was "thinking of you always", she makes a habit of wearing the hairpin whenever she is in civilian attire. Her Chinese-styled uniform includes advertising for Japanese food company Calbee and Japanese website DMM.com. Her sponsor company is "Odysseus Communication".

Antonio Lopez (アントニオ・ロペス, Antonio Ropesu) / Rock Bison (ロックバイソン, Rokku Baison)

Voiced by: Taiten Kusunoki (Japanese), Travis Willingham (English)

A green-armored brute nicknamed the "Bull Tank of the West Coast", and Kotetsu "Wild Tiger" Kaburagi's best friend since high school. His power renders him invulnerable. After ranking last in Hero TV's standings behind Origami Cyclone, he was in danger of losing his job as a hero before helping to catch a backstage thief. His bull-themed costume, which is equipped with large drills on its shoulders, includes advertising for Japanese barbecue restaurant chain Gyu-Kaku. His sponsor company is "Kronos Foods".

In the first drama CD for the series, it is revealed that Antonio and Kotetsu were both punks in their high school days. Antonio, then the leader of a different school's gang, had repeatedly challenged Kotetsu to fights because of his reputation, and was turned down until Tomoe, Kotetsu's class representative and future wife, was kidnapped. Kotetsu, believing Antonio to be the kidnapper, finally accepted the challenge and the two fought after discovering their opponent was a NEXT. After the fight, Antonio insisted he did not know of a kidnapping, and the nearby warehouse where Tomoe was being kept burst into flames. Kotetsu, not using his Hundred Power up to this point, activated his powers and saved Tomoe, inspiring Antonio to only use his powers to protect people from that day forward.

Ivan Karelin (イワン・カレリン, Iwan Karerin) / Origami Cyclone (折紙サイクロン, Origami Saikuron)

Voiced by: Nobuhiko Okamoto (Japanese), Michael Sinterniklaas (English)

The young "Hidden Hero", clad in a ninja/samurai-themed costume and known to act much like a kabuki performer. Ivan rarely takes action and engages himself more in advertising than in actual crime-fighting, appearing in the background of photos and broadcasts to please his sponsors. His shapeshifting ability allows him to copy the appearance and voice of other people, but not their abilities or powers, and change into various inanimate objects such as a poster on a wall. Ivan is initially a very reluctant hero, only acting as he does because of insecurities regarding his "useless" power and guilt over becoming a hero over his former friend, Edward. After helping Edward (who had broken out of jail to kill Ivan in jealousy) escape Lunatic's judgement, Ivan vows to become a more active hero and move out of the background, quickly rising out of last place in Hero TV's rankings for the first time. However, he still engages in the occasional "photobomb", with a running joke having him appear hidden somewhere in the background of a scene, even ones not broadcast on Hero TV. His sponsor company is "Helperidese Finance". In the epilogue of the series, it is revealed that Ivan regularly visits Edward in prison to tell him about his exploits as Origami Cyclone.

Origami Cyclone's involvement in the Ouroboros incident tremendously boosts his popularity and reputation as a true hero and not just a walking billboard. His costume contains advertising for anime goods website ".ANIME" and eventually gains other sponsors: internet service provider Livedoor, Namco's NAM-Chara Cheer Squad, and Katsuya Takasu's beauty clinic, likely because of his newfound popularity. In the films Tiger & Bunny: the Beginning and Tiger & Bunny: the Rising, his suit also displays ads for Bandai Visual Club. To offset Origami's power being little use in combat, he has various weapons to assist him. The large shuriken on his back can be thrown and ridden, and he has an arsenal of normal sized shuriken. The swords on his back can also be used, and are able to project energy to use as a shield or distraction.

Ryan Goldsmith (ライアン・ゴールドスミス, Raian Gōrudosumisu) / Golden Ryan (ゴールデンライアン, Gōruden Raian)

Voiced by: Yūichi Nakamura

A new hero who appears in the movie, Tiger & Bunny: The Rising, serving as Kotetsu's replacement as Barnaby's partner.^[5] His hero suit is equipped with a pair of wings and features advertising for Banpresto, weighing scale manufacturer Tanita, and dartboard manufacturer Dartslive.

Antagonists

Yuri Petrov (ユーリ・ペトロフ, Yūri Petorofu) / Lunatic (ルナティック, Runatikku)

Voiced by: Kōji Yusa (Japanese), Liam O'Brien (English)

Sternbild City’s Administration of Justice’s judge as well as the TV heroes' curator. He is also Lunatic, a vigilante NEXT who can generate blue and green flames more powerful than Fire Emblem's and exercises greater control over them, able to shape them into arrows that he fires using his crossbow or use them to propel himself in the air. He can also use his flames to teleport, pass through solid objects, or encircle his target to prevent their escape. Lunatic is obsessed with justice and order; he believes in cleansing the world of evil by murdering criminals and wrongdoers rather than protecting the public, and questions the effectiveness of heroes. Yuri adopted his idea of justice and hatred of heroes after killing his father, Mr. Legend, unintentionally with his power when he defended his mother from his father's beatings. The handprint design on Lunatic's mask is a reminder of the burn he got in the process, and he covers the disfiguring scars with heavy cosmetics when in public, giving his face a pale tone. Yuri cares for his senile mother, who usually believes Mr. Legend is still alive and Yuri is still a child, only to launch into a hateful rage directed towards Yuri when he insists otherwise. Lunatic's appearances are marked by a giant red moon hanging in the sky. Lunatic often tells his victims to "hear the voice of Thanatos" before killing them.

Jake Martinez (ジェイク・マルチネス, Jeiku Maruchinesu)

Voiced by: Keiji Fujiwara (Japanese), Steven Blum (English)

A NEXT who leads a small sub-faction of the Ouroboros criminal organization, Jake is initially thought to be the man who killed Barnaby's parents. He was captured by Legend 15 years before the start of the series and was serving a 250 year long sentence in prison, but in the present day his comrades stage a large scale terrorist attack, threatening to bring down Sternbild City unless he is released. His main objective is to have NEXT take over the world with him as their leader, believing NEXT to be intrinsically superior to normal humans almost to the point of godhood. He appears to have some appriciation for art, since he is first seen usng his powers to make a mural of a forest landscape on his cell wall; however, it also contains a hidden picture of a skull.

He has the ability to produce force fields of various sizes, which he can use both defensively and offensively. It is later discovered that he has a previously unheard of second power, telepathy. Jake's left leg was lost in an accident at some point in the past, and is replaced by a mechanical prosthetic by the present day. He is eventually defeated in his fight with Barnaby thanks to Tiger's help. While trying to escape via helicopter, he is restrained by Tiger. In retaliation, he fires off an offensive barrier, misses, and hits his own getaway helicopter, which falls on him and kills him, a fate Lunatic found approptiate (and ironic). Unlike other NEXT, whose eyes and body glow blue when using their powers, Jake's aura and eyes shine orange. Later in the series, Kriem reveals that Jake had kidnapped her on the very day that Barnaby's parents were killed and was with her at the time that the murders took place. Despite Barnaby initially dismissing these claims, Kotetsu later reveals that Jake had no Ouroboros tattoo on the back of his right hand, a feature Barnaby recalled in his memories. The revelation that Jake was not the true murderer of the Brooks family sent Barnaby into a depressed, enraged stupor.

Kriem (クリーム, Kurīmu)

Voiced by: Michiko Neya (Japanese), Stephanie Sheh (English)

Another NEXT member of Ouroboros whose ability is to control inanimate objects (typically dolls) with needles made from her hair. She is Jake Martinez's most loyal follower and is implied to have been romantically involved with him. During Tiger and Barnaby's confrontation with Ouroboros, Jake accidentally shoots down the escape helicopter she is piloting, causing her to fall out onto the stadium roof. After the conflict, she falls into a coma and is hospitalized, her head shaved to prevent her from using her powers should she awaken; however, how they learned about her power remains unknown as they never saw her activate it. Ten months later, Kriem comes out of her coma, only to reveal that Jake had kidnapped her on the day that Barnaby's parents were murdered, and therefore could not have been the murderer.

Kriem was harassed by people for being a NEXT throughout her childhood, which made her feel worthless and inferior to humans. When she was kidnapped by Jake, her parents, ashamed and afraid of their daughter, did not bring the ransom. Urging Jake to kill her and end her worthless life, Jake instead taught her that she was superior to humans and that they only ostracized her because they were afraid of her. From that day on, she joined Jake in the fight to create a world where only NEXT existed. Upon revealing her past, she rips out the IV lines in her body and starts convulsing, telling Barnaby that he would live the rest of his life in doubt as punishment for killing Jake before finally dying, happy that she'll be reunited with him in the afterlife. She also reveals in her final moments that Jake only controlled a small portion of Ouroboros, and the organization is far bigger than anyone could comprehend.

Hans Chuckman (ハンス・チャックマン, Hansu Chakkuman)

Voiced by: Kenta Miyake (Japanese), Vic Mignogna (English)

A member of Jake's Ouroboros faction, serving under Kriem. He has no NEXT powers, but he is a firm believer in the organization's cause. The heroes kidnap him, so Origami Cyclone can take his place. However, Jake discovers the ruse; Hans thought he would be rescued, but Jake killed him instead as he lost all respect from him since he was easily captured.

Albert Maverick (アルバート・マーベリック, Arubāto Māberikku)

Voiced by: Nobuaki Fukuda (Japanese), Jamieson Price (English)

The President and CEO of Apollon Media, the company responsible for Hero TV and sponsor company for Wild Tiger and Barnaby. He was a good friend of the Brooks family and often took care of young Barnaby when his parents were working. After Barnaby's parents were killed, Maverick took him in and became his adoptive father. It is later revealed that Maverick is a NEXT with the power to alter memory, and is the true murderer of Barnaby's parents. Over the years, he intentionally shaped Barnaby's memories and life to cover his tracks and, seeing great potential in the boy, inspire him to become the perfect hero. In order to get Hero TV's ratings up from their initial slump thanks to public distrust of NEXT, Maverick had worked with Ouroboros to set up extravagant crimes for heroes like Mr. Legend to thwart. Maverick was forced to assassinate Barnaby's parents when Barnaby Sr. threatened to publicly reveal the whole operation because the family's "nano-metal" hero suit compound was being given to criminals. As Kotetsu and Barnaby get closer to discovering the truth, Maverick sets up an elaborate ploy to continue covering his tracks, framing Kotetsu for the murder of Barnaby's Aunt Samantha and wiping the heroes' and Hero TV employees' memories of Kotetsu, but not of Wild Tiger. He also commissions the creation of a new, more advanced black and red hero suit for Barnaby and several androids dressed in a similarly colored version of Tiger's suit. When confronted by all eight heroes, Maverick admits defeat and uses his powers on himself, wiping his memories completely and leaving him in a catatonic stupor. While being transported via police convoy to prison, Maverick is killed by Lunatic, who tells him that "no one can escape their sins."

Dr. Rotwang (ロトワング, Rotowangu)

Voiced by: Mitsuru Miyamoto (Japanese), Vic Mignogna (English)

A mad scientist who worked under Barnaby's parents and greatly despises NEXT, believing them to be monsters. He is a genius in robotics, having created a very powerful android by the name of Cis that was capable of overwhelming both Kotetsu and Barnaby with their powers active. He is later employed by Maverick to build a more powerful android, the "H-01", clad in a red and black version of Wild Tiger's armor and armed with a powerful laser rifle. H-01 was constructed to defeat the heroes and eventually replace them with more H-01 model androids, as Maverick believes them to be more useful for Hero TV since androids would not have personal lives and would not tire. Rotwang is a cold man who believes things such as human emotions and relationships to be nonsense, greatly favoring what his androids can do. Rotwang falls to his death from the top of the Apollon Media statue after Maverick claims he has outlived his usefulness.

Robin Baxter (ロビン・バクスター, Robin Bakusutā)

Voiced by: Kappei Yamaguchi (Japanese), Jason Spisak (English)

A thief who appears in the movie, Tiger & Bunny: The Beginning. He is NEXT who has the ability to instantly switch locations with anybody he can see. His outfit is fitted with an assortment of wheels and rollerblades in order to travel quickly on foot. In the movie, he steals a symbolic statue and uses his power to confuse the heroes. However, he is thwarted when Barnaby, having gotten an idea from Kotetsu, uses his suit as a decoy and traps Robin so he cannot see and switch places with anyone.

Supporting characters

Ben Jackson (ベン・ジャクソン, Ben Jakkuson)

Voiced by: Katsuhisa Houki (Japanese), Beau Billingslea (English)

Tiger's old employer at the start of the series, the hero division director of TopMag. Because of the ever-rising repair costs of Tiger's antics, TopMag goes bankrupt and is bought out, causing Jackson to lose his job. He becomes a cab driver later on the series, and remains a good friend of Kotetsu, having total faith in him as a hero. He later appears to Kotetsu when his powers get a boost, telling him that is a sign that they will eventually fade and that his idol, Mr. Legend, faced the same problem. Jackson appears once more to provide support to Tiger when he is framed for murder by Maverick. He provides Kotetsu with his old TopMag Wild Tiger costume, declaring he was always a big fan and that he will always support Wild Tiger. One year after the events of the series, Jackson becomes a high-level employee at Apollon Media.

Agnes Joubert (アニエス・ジュベール, Aniesu Jubēru)

Voiced by: Yuhko Kaida (Japanese), Tara Platt (English)

The producer for Hero TV, having been recently promoted before the first episode; Mr. Maverik would later admit he was wrong to have doubted the descion to promote her, since she does an amazing job. Her top priority is to increase the show's ratings and please her boss and the sponsors, regardless of the impact on the heroes' work. She always greets the heroes with the phrase, "Bonjour, Heroes."

Alexander Lloyds (アレキサンダー・ロイス, Arekisandā Roisu)

Voiced by: Wataru Yokojima (Japanese), Daran Norris (English)

Albert's subordinate at Apollon Media, responsible for managing Kotetsu and Barnaby's career. At first, he quiets any protests made by Kotetsu by presenting resignation as an alternative, but after Kotetsu and Barnaby's fame increases thanks to defeating Jake Martinez, his attitude becomes much friendlier. In the first half of the series, he usualy steals things Kotetsu says to him in anger while protesting about what a hero is, using them later along with his threat of firing him.

Doc Saito (斉藤さん, Saitō-san)

Voiced by: Hiroshi Iwasaki (Japanese), Dave Wittenberg (English)

An engineer working for Apollon Media in charge of developing equipment for the company's superheroes. He normally speaks respectfully in a barely audible voice, but shouts loudly and brazenly over radios and intercoms. He also has a penchant for adding new upgrades to the heroes' suits that have very little usefulness in the field, such as a complicated clock on the left arm of Tiger's suit for checking the time, and "Good Luck Mode". Good Luck Mode consists of flashy add-ons to Tiger and Barnaby's armor that create a giant fist and leg, respectively, when their power is close to running out. Good Luck Mode is initially thought to increase Tiger and Barnaby's strength, but Saito reveals that the parts and their special effects are just for show and it is actually the pair's excellent teamwork that helps them. Saito also develops a special sleep chamber for Barnaby that allows him to access his memories more clearly in his dreams by depriving him of outside stimuli. Saito displays an almost sadistic level of glee whenever tests must be done on Kotetsu or his suit, seemingly making them agonizing for Kotetsu on purpose.

Kaede Kaburagi (鏑木 楓, Kaburagi Kaede)

Voiced by: Rina Hidaka (Japanese), Eden Riegel (English)

Kotetsu's ten year old daughter, who lives with her grandmother in Oriental Town since her mother died and her father became Wild Tiger and moved to Sternbild. She is initially unaware of her father's life as a hero, and resents and distrusts him for always being tied up with "work" and not understanding her more mature needs and fears of being left alone. Ironically enough, she is a huge fan of Barnaby, her father's partner, since he saved her from falling debris early in his career. She keeps dozens of pictures of Barnaby in her desk drawer, usually cutting out Wild Tiger whenever he is present in them. Kotetsu's one dream in life is to make his daughter think he is "cool", and he tries his hardest to balance his roles as hero and father with varying degrees of success. Kaede eventually awakens as a NEXT, with the power to copy the abilities of any NEXT she touches, usually exhibiting little control over their activation. Kaede treats her new abilities with distaste, as they cause her and her family much stress. After learning of her father's true identity when he is framed for murder, Kaede travels to Sternbild alone to prove her father's innocence, having a run-in with Albert Maverick upon reaching the Apollon Media building and inadvertently copying his power. When she finally meets up with her father, she tries to prove his innocence to the other heroes, and when the try to apprehend him she uses her absorbed memory-alteration power to give them their memories back, only missing Barnaby because Sky High claps her shoulder in congratulation (thereby overwriting the previous ability) immediately before he arrives. Kaede becomes a key player in the final conflict with Maverick, assisting the heroes in escaping Dr. Rotwang (thanks to copy Blue Rose's powers).

In the epilogue, Kotetsu returned to being a hero because she said him being a couch potato wasn't cool. She also found it annoying she couldn't see her father's heroic exploits now because Hero TV only covered what the First League heroes did; Kotetsu was now with the Second League heroes.

Samantha Taylor (サマンサ・テイラー, Samansa Teirā)

Voiced by: Yoshiko Takemura (Japanese), Tara Platt (English)

Barnaby's childhood caretaker and aunt. When Barnaby asks her about what she was doing on the day his parents were murdered, she claims that she was sick in bed that day. However, she then discovers a photo of herself with Barnaby at a Christmas festival instead of Maverick as Barnaby remembered. She plans to reveal it to Kotetsu, but Maverick, using his influence with Ouroboros, orchestrates a crime to keep the heroes occupied and uses the opportunity to kidnap her. Maverick quickly murders Taylor and burns the picture, framing Kotetsu for the crime as he had gone to Taylor's house the night before to meet with her.

Mr. Legend (ミスター・レジェンド, Misutā Rejendo)

Voiced by: Jūrōta Kosugi (Japanese), Kyle Hebert (English)

Sternbild City's first superhero and father of Yuri Petrov, better known as the vigilante NEXT Lunatic. He was the one who inspired Kotetsu to accept his powers and become a superhero himself and taught his son to never turn a blind eye to evil. After his death, other NEXT follow his example, leading to society's current acceptance of NEXT and heroes. His power seemed to be increased strength and durability, which contrasted with his out-of-shape appearance. Mr. Legend faced the same fading power problem Tiger faces, and turned to alcohol to drown his sorrows, pressured by the public's expectations. In addition, the other heroes of his time would put up a ruse, apprehending criminals then falsifying police records to give Mr. Legend credit, which kept him at the top of the rankings. Mr. Legend was killed by his son after he beat his wife in a drunken rage, the emotional strain causing Yuri's powers to awaken for the first time. His spirit continues to torment Yuri many years later, questioning the validity of his actions.

Media

Anime

The anime by Sunrise aired in Japan between April 3, 2011 and September 17, 2011. It was also simulcast with English subtitles on various streaming sites such as Hulu, Viz Media and Anime News Network. The anime has been licensed by Viz Media in North America and Kazé distributed through Manga Entertainment in the United Kingdom. For the first thirteen episodes, the opening theme is "Orion o Nazoru" (オリオンをなぞる, "Trace of Orion") by Unison Square Garden while the ending theme is "Hoshi no Sumika" (星のすみか, "A Star's Dwelling") by Aobouzu. For episodes fourteen onwards, the opening theme is "Missing Link" by Novels while the ending theme is "Mind Game" by Tamaki.

The series began broadcasting in the United States and Canada on Viz Media's online network, Neon Alley, on October 2, 2012.

Films

The production of two films based on the series was announced during a special event on November 13, 2011. The first film, titled Tiger & Bunny: The Beginning was released in Japan on September 22, 2012, also receiving screenings in the United States, the United Kingdom and other countries, and was released on Blu-ray-Disc and DVD on February 22, 2013.^[6][7][8] The first half of the film recaps the first few episodes whilst also introducing a new story. A second film, Tiger & Bunny: The Rising, is an entirely new work which was released on February 8, 2014.^[9]

Manga

A one-shot manga drawn by Masakazu Katsura was released in Shueisha's Weekly Young Jump magazine on August 4, 2011,^[3] followed by a serialized manga series drawn by Hiroshi Ueda which began serialization in Miracle Jump magazine on October 2011.^[10] The manga, along with a 4-Panel Comic Anthology by various artists, has been licensed in North America by Viz Media and will be released in 2013.^[11]

Video games

A video game titled Tiger & Bunny On Air Jack! (TIGER&BUNNY オンエアジャック！, Taigā Ando Banī On Ea Jyakku!) was developed by Namco Bandai Games for the PlayStation Portable for release on September 20, 2012. The game was announced by Sunrise producer Masayuki Ozaki on July 31, 2011.^[12][13] A second game, Tiger & Bunny Heroes Day (TIGER&BUNNY～ヒーローズ デイ～, Taigā Ando Banī ~Hīrōzu Dei~), was released by D3 Publisher for PSP in March 20, 2013.^[14]

Stage play

A stage play titled Tiger & Bunny the Live ran at Tokyo's Zepp Diver City theater from August 24 to September 1, 2012 featuring the voice actors for main characters Kotetsu T. Kaburagi and Barnaby Brooks Jr. reprising their roles. It also featured two new characters, Brian Vai and Babel.^[15]

Marketing

In-show advertising

Each of the heroes in the series are sponsored by fictional and non fictional companies. These include large brands such as Pepsi and Bandai, others are Amazon.com.jp, SoftBank, FamilyMart and Domino's Pizza.^[16] None of the company logos are visible in the manga adaptation.

Toys

In September 2011, Bandai's Tamashii Nations division released a series of figures under their S.H. Figuarts line. The first of these was a Wild Tiger action figure.^[17] The figure was an instant success, with most Japanese retailers/dealers being caught off guard and the figure selling out quickly. Next up was the Barnaby Brooks Jr. (aka Bunny) action figure, and figures of Rock Bison and Sky High soon followed. Every release in the line has sold out just as quickly as Wild Tiger did, to the point where they had to produce additional runs to keep up with the demand. All of the figures feature diecast metal parts and sponsor logos printed on the armor, such as Softbank & Amazon.jp.^[18]

Reception

In Anime News Network's Spring 2011 preview guide, Zac Bertschy gave the first episode a 5 out of 5. He states that it set up a great and clever superhero premise with some twists. He also said that the show has "the potential to be the kind of smash hit we haven't seen in a long time".^[19] While Theron Martin gave it a 4.5 out of 5, he credits Sunrise for their excellent hero designs and CGI animation. He also stated that it had the look and feel of an American animated series.^[20]

References

External links

• Official website
• Official stage play website
• Official Tiger & Bunny on Air Jack! website
• MBS Official website
• Hulu's Streaming Site
• Tiger & Bunny (anime) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia
• Tiger & Bunny – The Beginning (film) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia
• Tiger & Bunny – The Rising (film) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia