Go! Kotaro Ushiwaka (1974-75)
Good Morning! Kid's Show series | |||||||
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Go! Kotaro Ushiwaka (行け!
Kotaro Ushiwaka uniquely did not feature a giant hero fighting kaiju, rather taking cues from period dramas with Japanese folklore creatures as a major focus. Despite the show's incorporation of some classical Japanese elements, such as the pre-Meiji period currency ryō, numerous episodes take place in modern settings, thus making its intended time period unclear. While Toho's previous shows for the corner were divided into 3- to 6-episode sagas, Kotaro Ushiwaka aired 156 original stories. The show was reaired on Family Gekijo in 2004, though its broadcast order was rearranged and 30 episodes were cut entirely.
Plot
When the evil fox yokai Coonjo set her loyal minions on the people of Japan, a mysterious being with the ability to harness sunlight appeared to stop them. The hero, a man named Kotaro Ushiwaka hailing from a region of the Sun itself, took up the role of a nomad, traveling the country in search of Coonjo's yokai recruits. Following her defeat at the hands of Ushiwaka, Coonjo rallied her surviving troops and summoned the yokai Aobozu to lead a counterattack against him. During his travels, Ushiwaka met a drunkard and strongman named Nyudo, who professed himself to be skilled in yokai hunting. Coonjo and her followers suddenly appeared to confront Nyudo, who was in fact deathly afraid of yokai, but was protected by Ushiwaka. Later, Coonjo abducted Nyudo and held him captive with the assistance of Aobozu and the last of her minions, but they were again foiled by Ushiwaka, sealing his allyship with Nyudo.
Her followers now wiped out, Coonjo turned to the various spirits, demons and other creatures of Japan as potential allies. Kotaro soon met another fox yokai, Uragira, whose greed brought him into conflict with the demon Onibaba. When Kotaro protected him, Uragira vowed to aid him in his campaign, secretly seizing the opportunity to travel in search of riches. Kotaro and Uragira travelled far and wide, gradually fending off each of Coonjo's subordinates and schemes with the help of Nyudo, while engaging in their own misadventures along the way. Eventually, Coonjo performed a ritual to infuse a plate of onigiri with the deceased spirits Shirei, tricking Uragira and Nyudo into eating them and turning them against their own companion. Luckily, Kotaro managed to exercise the Shirei from the pair before throwing one of the cursed onigiri into Coonjo's mouth. Now herself possessed, Coonjo wandered off in a daze, leaving the trio to reunite victorious.
Episodes
Staff
Staff role on the left, staff member's name on the right.
- Directed by Masaaki Hisamatsu, Hiroyasu Sunahara, Heikichi Tsushima, Akio Imamura
- Written by Tsunehisa Ito, Yu Yamamoto, Yoshimi Shinozaki, Masako Suzuki, Yoichi Nanzawa
- Produced by Masaaki Hisamatsu
- Theme songs "Go! Kotaro Ushiwaka" and "Yokai Coming"
- Performed by Yoshihiro Sugiura
- Lyrics by Akira Yamazaki
- Composed and arranged by Takashi Miki
Cast
Actor's name on the left, character played on the right.
- Ryoichi Tanaka as Kotaro Ushiwaka (voice) / Fake Kotaros (voice)[2]
- Masayuki Kato as Nyudo (voice) / minion of Coonjo (voices)[3] / Nyudo's brother (voice)[3]
- Takashi Taguchi as Uragira (voice) / minions of Coonjo (voices)[3] / banquet yokai (voice)[3]
- Kiyoko Shibata as Coonjo (voice)
- Masashi Amenomori as Various yokai (voices)[3][2][note 8]
- Kimie Nakajima as Onibaba (voice)[3] / Kanennushi (voice)[3] / Yamanba (voice)[3] / red demon (voice)[3]
- Toshiro Ishi as Various yokai (voices)[3][2][note 9]
- Chikao Shiroyama as Various yokai (voices)[3][2][note 10]
- Kazuko Yanaga as Ghost Nyudo (voice)[3]
- Makoto Terada as Various yokai (voices)[3][2][note 11]
- Koichi Kitamura as Various yokai (voices)[2][note 12]
Appearances
Characters and yokai
Video releases
Kodansha DVD (June 26, 2018)
Kodansha DVD (July 10, 2018)
Kodansha DVD (July 24, 2018)
Kodansha DVD (August 7, 2018)
Kodansha DVD (August 21, 2018)
Kodansha DVD (September 4, 2018)
Kodansha DVD (September 18, 2018)
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Kodansha DVD (October 2, 2018)
Kodansha DVD (October 16, 2018)
TOHO Visual Entertainment DVD (January 16, 2019) [Volume 1]
TOHO Visual Entertainment DVD (January 16, 2019) [Volume 2]
TOHO Visual Entertainment DVD (January 16, 2019) [Volume 3]
TOHO Visual Entertainment DVD (January 16, 2019) [Volume 4]
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Videos
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Trivia
- Go! Kotaro Ushiwaka is the only one of Good Morning! Kid's Show's tokusatsu series to not reuse monsters from earlier productions; Redman''s monster roster consisted entirely of characters reused from Tsuburaya Productions' series, while Go! Godman and Go! Greenman featured numerous characters from Toho's kaiju films as well as the shows Chibikko Special and Assault! Human!!, respectively. However, many partial suits from various companies were reused to portray the show's yokai.
- Monro's head from Kure Kure Takora, which is in extremely poor condition, was altered and reused for the Perceptive Yokai, Doll Yokai, and the haunted egg yokai in episode 31.
- The head of the Sodehikikozo appears to be a heavily altered Garuma head from Warrior of Love Rainbowman.
- Hyosube's head appears to be reused from one of Maoh's minions from Go! Greenman, though repainted green and with new facial features sculpted over top.
- Kappalge's body from Go! Greenman is used for that of the Strongman Yokai Raigo and the Proficient Yokai.
- Multiple pieces from the Devilas from Triple Fighter are reused, a head for an unnamed banquet yokai in episode 54 and a bodysuit and gloves for the Fukikeshibaba.
- The head of the Gashadokuro is a repainted Golden Bat head from a Golden Bat live show. Toho previously reused a suit from the show to portray Foxaus in Go! Greenman.[4]
- The body Hotter uses in Go! Greenman is reused for the Bat Yokai Burusagari in episode 76 and an unnamed territorial Yokai in episode 150.
- The head piece of Gilagind from Spectreman is used for that of the Darkness Yokai.
- The gloves and boots of the Drunkard Yokai from episode 103 appear to be reused from Rainbowman's Dash 2 form, though the former are repainted.[5]
- Stegodzillas' body from Go! Greenman is used for the Strong Yokai in episode 123.
- Ironically, Ryoichi Tanaka and Takashi Taguchi, who voice the show's protagonists Kotaro Ushiwaka and Uragira, previously portrayed Go! Greenman's primary antagonists, Maoh and Tonchiki, respectively.
- Go! Kotaro Ushiwaka was filmed in cooperation with Yomiuriland (episode 49), the Hakonekowaki Park Children's Village (episodes 50, 111), Fuji-Q Highland (episodes 81, 86, 101, 129, 134), Japan Land (episodes 91, 95, 106, 139, 144) and Mother Farm (episodes 98-99, 104, 109, 114, 119, 124).
Notes
- ↑ Some sources erroneously describe the pronunciation of 行け as Yuke (ゆけ).
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Written as "Yamasei" on the title card.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Written as "Yamauba" on the title card.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Read aloud as "The Haunted Yokai Egg."
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Read aloud without "Yokai."
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Written as "Raigoro" on the title card.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Written as "Ukareme" on the title card.
- ↑ Minions of Coonjo, Aobozu, three-eyed yokai, Ikkakuki, Satori Yokai, Yamanosei, Shokera, Kappa, Mujinadojin, Nopperabo, Shirakubi, Momonji, Biron, Doll Yokai, demon who was defeated by chestnuts, Coonjo's cousin, deceptive yokai, Nakimushijiji, Kanibozu, Akakubi, Hyakuganki.
- ↑ Perceptive Yokai, Greedy Yokai, Wall-Passing Yokai, Hihihi, Fish Yokai, yokai who emerged from a vase, forest yokai, haunted egg yokai, Funbaba, Karakasakozo.
- ↑ Onibaba, Kanennushi, red demon, Hyosube, Uwan, Raigo, Deceptive Yokai, Yamahiko, Paper Inugami, Hesomagari, Hazumi, Hitobashira, Koppa, Poisonous Mushroom Ghost, Todoro, Garbage Yokai, Gashadokuro, yokai who took Uragira hostage, tug-of-war yokai, Hayatochiri, Vampi, Haranari, Hyakutataki, Gangikozo, Drunkard Yokai, Kirifuki.
- ↑ Yarinbo, Hitotsumekozo, Kamioni, Sakabashira Yokai, Nurarihyon, Burusagari, Higuruma, Uminosei, Butt Pinch Yokai, yokai who wanted a naginata, fog yokai, Tsuchigumo Yokai, Haunted Quern.
- ↑ Amanjaku, Darkness Yokai, Haradashi, Kyuketsukamazukai, Morokubi, Poisonous Moth Yokai, Fake Nyudo, invulnerable yokai, Tejinakurabe, Kamimai Yokai, Brief Question Yokai, elderly yokai, Kanenosei.
- ↑ Episodes 1-10, 15-16, 35-37.
- ↑ Episodes 11-14, 17-22, 26, 28, 38-40.
- ↑ Episodes 23-25, 27, 29-34, 41-47, 49-51.
- ↑ Episodes 48, 52-63, 70, 72-77.
- ↑ Episodes 71, 78-82, 84-87, 94-97, 100-103, 105, 125, 145, 151, 153, 155.
- ↑ Episodes 64-65, 88-90, 92-93, 106-108, 110-114, 117-119, 133, 138-139, 150.
- ↑ Episodes 98, 115-116, 120-121, 124, 126, 128, 136-137, 140, 148, 154.
- ↑ Episodes 66-69, 99, 104, 109, 141-142, 146-147, 149, 152, 156.
References
This is a list of references for Go! Kotaro Ushiwaka. These citations are used to identify the reliable sources on which this article is based. These references appear inside articles in the form of superscript numbers, which look like this: [1]
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