Urikupen Kyūjotai
Urikupen Kyūjotai (ウリクペン救助隊, Urikupen Kyūjotai, Urikupen Rescue Team) is a 1974 anime television series produced by Tatsunoko Productions and directed by Hiroshi Sasagawa. The series premiered on Fuji TV on September 30, 1974 and ended on March 29, 1975.
| Urikupen Kyūjotai Jungle Tales | |
| ウリクペン救助隊 (Urikupen Kyūjotai) | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Coming of age, Adventure, Comedy-Drama |
| Anime television series | |
| Directed by | Hiroshi Sasagawa |
| Written by | Jinzō Toriumi |
| Music by | Shunsuke Kikuchi |
| Studio | Tatsunoko Productions |
| Licensed by | |
| Original network | Fuji TV |
| English network | |
| Original run | September 30, 1974 – March 29, 1975 |
| Episodes | 156 |
Much later in 1991, Saban Entertainment has licensed and adapted the anime series for a worldwide release outside of Japan under the name, Jungle Tales and has condensed the 156 5-minute (serialized) episodes into 26 half-hour episodes. The voice casting and the English language dubbing production was done in-house by CINAR Studios, Inc. in Montreal, Canada. It has been broadcast on YTV in Canada and on Nick Jr. in the United States. Heavy changes were made to the adaptation dub of the series. One being such is a new music score that was all digitally composed and sampled with an E-mu Proteus 2 Orchestra synthesizer. Other changes involve different character names used and gender changes for two characters. At the end of each condensed episode, a 3-minute music video was added to summarize the episode's plot. Many foreign dubs of the anime series would be mere translations of the dub.
Plot
Setting in the country of Urikupen kingdom, a rescue team that's consisting of animals goes onto missions to rescue forest animals in disastrous locations. A mobilization scenario is shown once a week stating "this week's Lifetime Achievement Award" which is given to the rescue workers.
Characters
| Character Name(s) | Japanese / English Voice Actor |
|---|---|
| Boss Lion (ライオンのボス Raion no Bosu) / King Leo | Unknown / Aron Tager |
| Narrator (ナレーション Narēshon) | Rokurō Naya / Patricia Rodriguez |
| Seitaro Usagi (ウサギの征太郎 Usagi no Seitarō) / Rhonda Rabbit | Michie Kita / Sonja Ball |
| Gindai Pengin (ペンギンのギン太 Pengin no Gindai) / Pete Penguin | Tetsuo Mizutori / Rick Jones |
| Hachigorō Kuma (クマの八五郎 Kuma no Hachigorō) / Barney Bear | Shōji Satō / Gary Jewell |
| Rinrin Tsuru (ツルのリンリン Tsuru no Rinrin) / Petula Pigeon | Yōko Asagami / Jane Woods |
| Chocho Inoshishi (イノシシのチョチョ Inoshishi no Chocho) / Harry Hog | Unknown / Terrence Scammell |
| Mu Tonakai (トナカイのムーさん Tonakai no Mu-san) / Donny Dear | Unknown / Michael O'Reilly |
| Pinsuke Ritsu (ペンギンのギン太 Ritsu no Pinsuke) / Scooter Squirrel | Unknown / Rick Jones |
| Koara (コアラ Koara) / Koko Koala | Unknown / Sonja Ball |
| Wolf (ハングルフ Hangurufu) / Wolf Bain | Tetsuo Mizutori / Terrence Scammell |
| Condor (コンドル Kondoru) / Vic the Vulture | Unknown / Gary Jewell |
| Crow (カラス Karasu) / Jo-Jo Crow | Unknown / Terrence Scammell |
Gimmick
In Japan, when the program aired on Mondays, the King lion would get a new report of some animal in danger who needs to be rescued. The lion would send the team to the rescue, but they actually compete to see who would be the first one to reach the victim and perform the rescue. Every day the seagull would observe their progress (they were short due to being five-minute episodes), which kept changing with one animal and then another in the lead as they met various obstacles, including the sabotage attempts of the wolf and his lieutenants. The lion at headquarters would get the seagull’s daily report and mark the team’s progress on a large map by moving chess-like markers with the heads of each animal. On Saturdays, the rescue would be completed, and there would be a big celebration back at the headquarters, with the whole team happily congratulating whoever was the winner that week.
Production
The series was produced by Tatsunoko Production and directed by Hiroshi Sasagawa. The anime has been licensed by Saban Entertainment in North America.
The opening theme is "Ganbare! Urikupen Kyūjotai" by Ichirou Mizuki and Columbia Yurokago Kai.
External links
- Urikupen Kyūjotai (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
