Android Kikaider (anime)

Android Kikaider: The Animation
人造人間キカイダー THE ANIMATION
(Jinzō Ningen Kikaidā The Animation)
Genre Science Fiction, Mecha, Drama
Anime television series
Directed by Tensai Okamura
Music by Akira Mitake
Studio Radix Ace Entertainment
Studio OX
Licensed by
Original network Kids Station
English network
Original run October 16, 2000 – January 8, 2001
Episodes 13
Original video animation
Kikaider 01: The Animation
Directed by Keitaro Motonaga
Music by Kaoru Wada
Studio Radix Ace Entertainment
Studio OX
Licensed by
Released 2001-11-21 – 2002-03-20
Runtime 30 minutes per episode
Episodes 4
Original video animation
The Boy with the Guitar: Kikaider vs Inazuman
Directed by Naoyuki Konno
Studio Radix Ace Entertainment
Released September 19, 2003
Runtime 25 minutes

Android Kikaider: The Animation (人造人間キカイダー THE ANIMATION, Jinzō Ningen Kikaidā Ji Animēshon), the anime adaptation of the Japanese superhero Kikaider, was produced by Sony Animation and broadcast on Kids Station from October 16, 2000, to January 8, 2001, with a total of 13 episodes. The anime followed more of the manga, with a darker nature of Jiro's reason to exist.

It was followed by the OVA 4-episode sequel called. Kikaider 01: The Animation (キカイダー01 THE ANIMATION, Kikaidā Zero Wan Ji Animēshon).

An OVA special came with the Kikaider 01 DVD called The boy with the Guitar: Kikaider vs Inazuman (ギターを持った少年 -キカイダーVSイナズマン-, Gitā o motta shōnen - kikaidā VS inazuman -) which teamed Kikaider with Inazuman, another superhero created by Shotaro Ishinomori. It was based on the manga chapter of Inazuman called The boy with the Guitar (ギターを持った少年, Gitā o motta shōnen).

An English dubbed version of the anime and OVA aired on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block, although episode 8, a recap episode, did not air. The final OVA special was never dubbed or released outside of Japan.

Plot

Android Kikaider

Dr. Kohmyoji creates Jiro (Kikaider) but an explosion occurs. When Dr Kohmyoji's kids, Mitsuko and Masaru, their father was nowhere to be found, Jiro wandering aimlessly in a remote area eventually meets Mitsuko. Mitsuko teaches Jiro to go into his robot form and about the GEMINI system inside him. The two grow closer together but the relationship development halts when a mysterious flute playing causes Jiro to attack Mitsuko, which causes her to believing he is a mad machine. Jiro inevitably leaves Mitsuko and Masaru in fear of being destroyed. Mitsuko then hires Hanpei Hattori and his apprentice Etsuko Sarutobi to find Jiro and bring him home. Throughout the story, Jiro encounters robots and learns more about Professor Gill and the evil organization DARK. A reoccurring android named Hakaider causes Jiro out of control by whistling (similar to Gill's flute). The more Mitsuko encounters Jiro the more she falls in love with him. When Mitsuko and Jiro reunite, they search for Mistuko's mother who is revealed to be in love with Professor Gill but could not bare the pain of being away from her children and gives them the location to Professor Gill's headquarters right before she killed herself. After they discover the location, Jiro attempts to fight Hakaider alone and also discovers the brain inside Hakaider's head is that of Dr. Kohmyoji's. Dr. Kohmyoji overtakes Hakaider's body before Hakaider could destroy it and infiltrates the headquarters. Once Professor Gill discovers Dr. Kohmyoji is in control he sends his robots to attack them. Jiro was able to give the brain to Hanpei in order to put it back into Dr. Kohmyoji's body. Professor Gill attempts to control Jiro with his flute, but Jiro to is able to overcome it. Hakaider then attempts to kill Professor Gill for betraying him and destroys the place along with Gill. Hanpei, Mitsuko and Etsuko able to escape, but didn't see Jiro escape with them. In the end, Mitsuko has hope that Jiro will return to them.

Kikaider 01

These 4 OVAs directly follow the conclusion of the 13 episode TV series. Jiro has now met new people and battling to save a boy that is professor Gill's son. Gill is now attacking a boy (named Akira) because he is the key of Gill's new project,the Armageddon Lord. During Jiro's new journey he met his two new brothers named Ichiro (Kikaider 01) and Rei (Kikaider 00) but unlike Jiro they do not have conscience circuits. In the end Gill successfully captures Akira,uses the Armageddon Lord to devastate the city from the previous series, and puts a Submission chip inside Jiro,but instead of becoming a slave to Gill it conflicts with his GEMINI circuit and gives him the ability to lie and destroy his brothers who also had Submission chips. Jiro manages to kill Gill just as the Armageddon Lord's generator blows up,goes unstable,and is destroyed leaving only Jiro and Gill's body the only thing left. Jiro leaves Akira in the hands of a monk scientist that raised Ichiro and reactivated Rei. Afterwards,Jiro then proclaims that having now committed such horrible acts that he is now human and that his heart will forever be in "eternal conflict" as he walks alone into the sunset.

The Boy Who Carried a Guitar: Kikaider vs. Inazuman

Jiro is still fighting the Submission Chip within him inserted by Professor Gill. Jiro, filled with guilt for destroying his siblings, fears that if he encounters both Mitsuko and Masaru, he will go inflict harm to both of them. Hanpei Hattori is sent to search for Jiro, in order to convince him to return to Mitsuko and Masaru. He mistakes high school student Saburo Kazeda (Sabu) for Jiro while Jiro is talking with Sabu's girlfriend Miyoppe. When Hanpei is finally reunited with Jiro, he goes berserk at the presence of Sabu, who then transforms into Inazuman, and the two fight. During the fight, Jiro manages to break free from the Submission chip. However, a mysterious creature suddenly attacks Inazuman. Jiro transforms into his android form and saves Inazuman from the creature. Jiro shakes hands with Sabu, and tells him to Hanpei that he will be alright soon while Sabu and Miyoppe continue their bickering, and it ends with Jiro sitting in a location unknown looking at the stars believing that he may one day return to Mitsuko and Masaru.

Cast

Japanese Cast

English Cast

Episodes

Android Kikaider: The Animation

Airdates are from broadcast on Adult Swim in the US.

EP# Title Original airdate English airdate
1 "Lonely Puppet"
"Kodoku na Ningyō" (孤独な人形) 		October 16, 2000June 9, 2003
Dr. Kohmyoji creates Jiro (Kikaider) but an explosion in the laboratory destroys everything in the laboratory. Mitsuko and Masaru check out the laboratory to see what happened but couldn't find anything. While Mitsuko is researching on what he was doing. Jiro is wandering around aimlessly to find out who he is. Mitsuko discovers Dr. Kohmyoji plans on creating an android that knows difference between right and wrong and goes back to the ruins of the laboratory. Jiro inevitably goes to the same place where he meets a rhino like robot trying to kill him. Mitsuko quickly realizes he is the android Dr. Kohmyoji was trying to build and helps him defeat the robot. 
2 "Mad Machine"
"Kurutta Kikai" (狂った機械) 		October 23, 2000June 10, 2003
Mitsuko takes Jiro back to her home where she explains who he is and who created him. Mitsuko reveals he can tell right from wrong due to his GEMINI system but it is incomplete and she has to fix it. A praying mantis-like robot attacks Jiro and Mitsuko but he is able to save her. Jiro then hears flute playing and causes him to choke Mitsuko. He was able to snap out of it and stop, but causes Mitsuko to believe he is a mad machine and rejects him. The same android attacks again, but Jiro defeats it. Mitsuko now wishes to destroy Jiro, but Jiro runs away before she could do so. 
3 "Stray Sheep"
"Sutorei Shīpu" (ストレイ・シープ) 		October 30, 2000June 11, 2003
A mysterious spider-like android is killing people by crushing them. Mitsuko hires Hattori and Etsuko to find Jiro. They eventually finds Jiro and try to convince him to return home, but instead cause him to run away. Hattori chases him and gets caught up between a fight with Jiro and the spider-like android. Jiro defeats the robot and discovers someone is sending them. Hattori also discovers Jiro is an android and asks Mitsuko to tell him the complete truth. 
4 "Mirror"
"Kagami" (鏡) 		November 6, 2000June 12, 2003
Jiro is playing his guitar to kids and grows close to a little girl with a cat while Mitsuko helps Hattori and Etsuko search for him. Mitsuko finds Jiro and tries to explain that it wasn't his fault for choking her. An ant-like android disguised as a human finds Jiro and attacks him. Both Jiro and the android show their robot form and fight each other. The ant-like android destroys himself in attempt to destroy Jiro along with him but fails. The little girl sees Jiro in his robot form and fears for her life causing Jiro to run away in shame of his appearance. 
5 "City of Rain"
"Ame no Machi" (雨の街) 		November 13, 2000June 16, 2003
Jiro meets a woman named Miyuki who he learns she fell in love with a man she knows nothing about and waits for him. Professor Gill sends out a group of men to set plant bombs around the town. The man Miyuki loved goes to her house to find Jiro. A jaguar-like robot attacks them but they manage to get away. Jiro learns about DARK and Professor Gill and convinces the man to help him save the city. Jiro fights the jaguar-like android as the man deactivates the bombs. Jiro defeats the robot and the man manages to deactivate all the bombs, but he dies when another robot shoots him to death. Jiro sees the man's body and asks why did he die. 
6 "Negative Fragments"
"Fu no Danpen" (負の断片) 		November 20, 2000June 17, 2003
Hattori learns about DARK, Professor Gill, and about Dr. Kohmyoji and tells it to Mitsuko. A bat-like android disguised as vampire called "Gold Bat" kidnaps Mitsuko and forces Jiro to look for them. Mitsuko discovers the house she is taken to is her childhood home where she, her mother and Dr. Kohmyoji lived. She discovers that Dr. Kohmyoji and her mother were involved with Professor Gill and realizes she's in love with Jiro. Gold Bat reveals to Mitsuko that he has a conscious circuit inside him like Jiro but far less advanced like his. Jiro arrives to the house where Mitsuko was taken to as Mitsuko searches for more information on Dr. Kohmyoji's and her mother's past. 
7 "Afterglow of Regret"
"Hi no Zanshō" (非の残照) 		November 27, 2000June 18, 2003
As Jiro arrives to Mitsuko's childhood home, a set of traps set by Gold Bat are set off. As Jiro fends off his traps, Mitsuko learns that Dr. Kohmyoji joined Professor Gill as his son's last request, but learns he caused his death and his wife was a spy sent by Professor Gill. Jiro manages to get inside the house and finds Mitsuko only to be another trap. Mitsuko insist he turns into his robot form but refuses due to him being in shame of his appearance. Jiro escapes by using his guitar to fight Gold Bat but takes a blow to protect Mitsuko. Mitsuko suggest repairing him, but a mysterious man kills him and runs off before Jiro could learn his identity. Mitsuko convinces Jiro to stay with her before he could leave. 
8 "Blue Moon, Red Dreams"
"Aoi Tsuki, Akai Yume" (青い月、赤い夢) 		December 4, 2000N/A
A recap of the first 7 episodes 
9 "Friends"
"Tomodachi" (ともだち) 		December 11, 2000June 19, 2003
As Jiro and Mitsuko return home, they inform Hattori that they wish to go to the location of the only vacation spot Mitsuko's family went to, in order to look for answers about Mitsuko's mother. Masaru finds a way to follow them and gets lost in the woods. Masaru meets twin boys named Kuya and Kaito and a pet bear named Riku. They become friends and helps each other through the wood. Mitsuko remembers a hint where Mitsuki's mom's hometown is. Masaru manages to make it to the cabin where Mitsuko and Jiro are staying, but discovers Kuya, Kaito and Riku are androids. Jiro finds Masaru but the 3 androids find him too and attack Jiro. Jiro manages to destroy the 3, but Masaru becomes upset at Jiro for destroying them. 
10 "Frozen Bonds"
"Kōru Kizuna" (凍る絆) 		December 18, 2000June 23, 2003
Jiro, Mitsuko and Masaru go to their mother's hometown in order to find more information. Once they meet her, Mitsuko discovers her mother's true nature. Mitsuko asks her for Professor Gill's location but she refuses. Mitsuko's mother reveals she is still working for Professor Gill and is ordered to kill her, but hesitates. A scorpion-like robot attacks them, but Jiro manages to save them. The mysterious man returns and attempts to kill Jiro breaking his guitar in the process. He reveals he is Saburo (Hakaider), an android designed to destroy Jiro. Mitsuko's mother gives Mitsuko the location of Professor Gill's headquarters and reveals she missed Mitsuko when she left her and regrets ever meeting Professor Gill and kills herself. Jiro attempts to stop her but Saburo whistles and controls Jiro. 
11 "The Destroyer"
"Hakaima" (破壊魔) 		December 25, 2000June 24, 2003
Mitsuko finds a chip near the remains of Jiro's Guitar and discovers it is the data of the GEMINI system. Jiro is still under the control of Saburo's whistling and causes destruction in the town. As Mitsuko and Hattori look for him, they suspect he will be going to the ruins of the lab where he was born. When Jiro and Mitsuko reunites, Saburo attempts to control him again by whistling, but Jiro is able to resist it and fights Saburo. Saburo destroys Jiro's arm and flees. 
12 "The Machine That Dreams"
"Yumemiru Kikai" (夢みる機械) 		January 1, 2001June 25, 2003
Having figured out where Professor Gill's hideout is, and Jiro having been repaired, they get ready for the final battle. However Saburo intervenes claiming he will kill Jiro's friends and attacks him. Just as the battle between them comes to an end, Jiro hesitates to kill Saburo. Saburo then tries to pull the trigger on himself, only to have been taken over by Dr. Kohmyoji's own brain that had evidently been implanted into Saburo's head. 
13 "The End of the Dream"
"Yume no Matsuro" (夢の末路) 		January 8, 2001June 26, 2003
Dr. Kohmyoji apologizes to Mitsuko for everything he's done, and thanks Jiro for taking care of the others. Claiming that Saburo could take back control of his body at any time, Kohmyoji goes to settle things with Professor Gill with Jiro accompanying him. During the fight with the Professor, Saburo took back control of his body, but is terminated by Gill for not being of any more use to him. Saburo's head along with Dr. Kohmyoji's brain is still intact(along with his body), meaning they can still save him. While Mitsuko and the others take their leave, Jiro went to go defeat Gill. Jiro tried to kill Professor Gill but couldn't. At the last moment, what was left Saburo's body strangled Professor Gill, and he fell to his doom. After a while, everyone else settled but they still haven't heard from Jiro. Mitsuko believes that one day, Jiro will come back. 

Kikaider 01: The Animation

EP# Title Original airdate English airdate
1 "Jiro Meets Ichiro"  November 21, 2001June 30, 2003
A new organization called SHADOW appears searching for the boy named Akira. Kikaider (Jiro) helps Rieko and Akira to escape and eventually find themselves in a monastery where a priest introduces Kikaider to Kikaider 01 (Ichiro). After another encounter with SHADOW, Kikaider and Kikaider 01 join forces to stop SHADOW. 
2 "Beautiful Enemy"  December 19, 2001July 1, 2003
Kikaider and 01 meet an android working for SHADOW named Bijinder and fight her, but eventually escapes. They later meet Hakaider and his squad and discover they are actually Professor Gil and his most loyal companions. They ultimately defeat the squad but Professor Gil manages to escape. 
3 "Gil Rises Again"  January 23, 2002July 2, 2003
Kikaider and 01 fighting more of SHADOW's minions. The priest introduces Kikaider 00 (Rei) who was previously a failed version of Kikaider. Reiko leads them to a dam to use a safe house but SHADOW eventually catch up to them where Professor Gil reveals to Reiko that she is actually a cyborg with memories of another girl. Hakaider kills Reiko and captures Akira. Bijinder joins Kikaider due to feeling sadness for Reiko's death. 
4 "The Fate Of Pinocchio"  March 20, 2002July 3, 2003
After capturing Akira, Professor Gill uses Akira to launch the Armageddonlord and destroys the town. Kikaider, 01, 00, and Bijinder try to destroy the Armageddonlord. 01, 00 and Bijinder get captured and have been given a Submission Circuit to control them. Kikaider is eventually defeated by his companions and is given the Submission Circuit. When Akira is under stress, Gill puts him under the care of Bijinder where she escapes with him. Kikaider now under the Submission Circuit defeats brothers 01 and 00 and destroys Gill for good. The episode ends with Akira meeting the real Reiko and Jiro having become human walking into the sunset. 
Bonus "The Boy Who Carried a Guitar: Kikaider vs. Inazuman"
"Gitā o motta shōnen - Kikaidā VS Inazuman -" (ギターを持った少年 -キカイダーVSイナズマン-) 		September 19, 2003N/A
Jiro is still fighting the Submission Circuit within him inserted by Professor Gill. Jiro, filled with guilt for destroying his siblings, fears that if he encounters both Mitsuko and Masaru, he will go inflict harm to both of them. Hanpei Hattori is sent to search for Jiro, in order to convince him to return to Mitsuko and Masaru. He mistakes high school student Saburo Kazeda (Sabu) for Jiro while Jiro is talking with Sabu's girlfriend Miyoppe. When Hanpei is finally reunited with Jiro, he goes berserk at the presence of Sabu, who then transforms into Inazuman, and the two fight. During the fight, Jiro manages to break free from the Submission Circuit. However, a mysterious creature suddenly attacks Inazuman. Jiro transforms into his android form and saves Inazuman from the creature. Jiro shakes hands with Sabu, and tells him to Hanpei that he will be all right soon while Sabu and Miyoppe continue their bickering, and it ends with Jiro sitting in a location unknown looking at the stars believing that he may one day return to Mitsuko and Masaru. 

Media

Soundtrack

A soundtrack for the first animated series of Kikaider called Android Kikaider: The Animation Original Soundtrack (人造人間キカイダー ― THE ANIMATION オリジナル・サウンドトラック, Jinzō ningen kikaidā― THE ANIMATION orijinaru saundotorakku) was released on December 6, 2000. It was composed by Akira Mitake and distributed by SME Visual Works.


Another Soundtrack called Kikaider 01: The Animation Original Soundtrack (キカイダー01 THE ANIMATION ― オリジナル・サウンドトラック, Jinzō ningen kikaidā― THE ANIMATION orijinaru saundotorakku) was released on March 6, 2003. Music was composed by Kaworu Wada and distributed by SME Visual Works.

Reception

On Anime News Network, Zac Bertschy gave the first DVD an overall grade of B.[1]

References

  1. ↑ Zac Bertschy (2 July 2003). "Kikaider DVD 1". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
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