Prince Mackaroo

Prince Mackaroo, known in Japan as Ojarumaru (おじゃる丸), is a Japanese manga series created by Rin Inumaru and published by Shogakukan and serialized in Ciao in 1993. The manga was republished by Shueisha and re-serialized in Saikyo Jump in 2011. It was adapted as an ongoing anime series produced by Gallop and broadcast on NHK beginning in October 1998. As of today, the series has become the second longest-running anime on NHK next to Nintama Rantaro, and the seventh longest-running anime series of all time. The title character was originally voiced by Hiroko Konishi, but has been performed by Chinami Nishimura since 2001. The story focuses on the adventures of a 5-year-old Heian-era prince with a weakness for creme caramel. It also features his pet firefly, and a trio of young oni. The series has been dubbed in Spanish, Italian, Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Tagalog, Thai, Cantonese, Korean, and Malaysian.

It received an "Excellence Award" for animation at the 1999 Japan Media Arts Festival.

On September 10, 2006, creator Rin Inumaru committed suicide by jumping off the 14th floor of her apartment. A suicide note left to her mother indicated she was feeling stress due to her job.

Plot

Around 1,000 years ago in the Heian era, a young prince from a noble family named Ojarumaru Sakanoue is bored of his life of privilege. He is later lured into Enma World by the sound of a ukulele played by Great King Enma. Upon arriving, he steals Great King Enma's powerful scepter and falls into the Moonlight Hole, which time-warps him to the present time. The furious Great King Enma sends three oni, Aobee, Kisuke, and Akane, who are known as the Oni Child Trio, to pursue Ojarumaru and get the scepter back. At the present time, Ojarumaru befriends a boy named Kazuma Tamura and becomes a member of his family, thanks to his grandfather Tommy. While making many new friends and dodging the Oni Child Trio's efforts to retrieve the scepter, Ojarumaru has many adventures and encounters new things he's never seen before.

Media

Manga

Written by Rin Inumaru, the Ojarumaru manga began serialization in Shogakukan's Ciao magazine in 1993 as a 4-panel manga. Another manga version, written and illustrated by Tatsuma Ejiri, began serialization in Shueisha's Saikyo Jump magazine from January 2012 to September 2014. The first tankōbon volume was published on July 4, 2014.

Anime series

An anime adaptation produced by NHK and animated by Studio Gallop premiered in Japan on October 5, 1998. The series is still in production to this day and has aired over 1,400 episodes. Since April 2, 2007 (The day that Series 10 premiered) the series has been broadcast in High-definition.

TV specials

A total of three Ojarumaru TV specials have been aired in Japan. NHK aired the first TV special entitled Ojarumaru: A Happy Blue Back (おじゃる丸 しあわせのé'いせなか) on January 1, 2000. The second TV special aired on May 3, 2007 entitled Ojarumaru: Peril at the Full Moon Road ~A Rare Adventure of Our Prince~ (おじゃる丸 満月ロード危機一髪～タマにはマロも大å†'険～). The third TV special aired on March 20, 2012 entitled Ojarumaru Special: My Galaxy is Calling ~The 2 Wishing Stars~ (おじゃる丸スペシャル 銀河がマロã‚'å'¼ã‚"でいる～ふたりのねがい星～).

Anime film

An animated film based on the Ojarumaru anime series entitled Ojarumaru the Movie: The Promised Summer - Ojaru and Semira (映ç"»ãŠã˜ã‚ƒã‚‹ä¸¸ 約束の夏 おじゃるとせみら) was released by Toei on July 15, 2000 in Japan.

Music

The music in the series is composed by Harukichi Yamamoto, who would later compose the music in the anime series Ninja Nonsense.

The series uses 2 opening themes and 19 ending themes. The opening themes are performed by Saburō Kitajima and the ending themes are performed by various singers in Series 1, Series 10-15, and Series 17, and by the characters in Series 2-9. During the ending theme, fan art of the characters are shown, however, they are omitted in the series' home media releases. The songs have been released on soundtrack CDs by Nippon Crown.

Openings and Endings

Opening Themes

1. "Utahito" (詠人)(Series 1-10, Series 16-) Performer: Saburō Kitajima
2. "Yumehito" (夢人)(Series 11-15) Performer: Saburō Kitajima

Ending Themes

1. "Purin Sanka" (プリン賛歌 The Pudding Anthem)(Series 1) Performer: Sus4
2. "Purin de Ojaru" (プリンでおじゃる Pudding)(Series 2) Performer: Yuriko Fuchizaki, Rie Iwatsubo, Hiroko Konishi
3. "Mattari Ondo" (まったり音頭 The Laid-back Ondo)(Special 1) Performer: Yuriko Fuchizaki, Rie Iwatsubo, Hiroko Konishi
4. "Kooni Trio no Theme" (子鬼トリオのテーマ The Theme of the Oni Child Trio)(Series 3) Performer: Kazuya Ichijou, Omi Minami, Yūji Ueda
5. "Koi o Itashi Mashou♪" (恋ã‚'いたしましょう♪ Let us Love♪)(Series 4) Performer: Rie Iwatsubo
6. "Acchi Muite Hoi de Ojaru" (あっちむいてホイでおじゃる)(Series 5) Performer: Yuriko Fuchizaki, Kazuya Ichijou, Rie Iwatsubo, Omi Miami, Chinami Nishimura, Yūji Ueda
7. "Kono Machi Itsumo ~Bin-chan no Uta~" (ã"のç"ºã„つも〜貧ちゃã‚"の歌〜 Always in this Town ~Poverty-chan's Song~)(Series 6) Performer: Ayaka Saitō
8. "Warera Gekkō Machi Chicchai Mono Club" (われら月光ç"ºã¡ã£ã¡ã‚ƒã„ものクラブ Our Moonlight Town Tiny Club)(Series 7) Performer: Rie Iwatsubo, Satomi Kōrogi, Ryō Naitō, Chinami Nishimura, Ayaka Saitō
9. "Gekkō Machi no Uta" (月光ç"ºã®ã†ãŸ Moonlight Town's Song )(Series 8) Performer: Chinami Nishimura, YÅ«ji Ueda
10. "Denbo no Bunbun Setsu" (電ボのブンブン節 Denbo's Buzzing Melody)(Series 9) Performer: Yuriko Fuchizaki, Chinami Nishimura, Narumi Satō
11. "Sankyukkyu Dancing" (さã‚"きゅっきゅダンシング Squeaking Dancing)(Series 10) Performer: Natsumi
12. "Yumehito" (夢人)(Special 2) Performer: Saburō Kitajima
13. "Bokura no Sekai" (ぼくらの世界 Our World)(Series 11) Performer: Reiko Mizumachi
14. "Ojarumaru Kyōsō Kyoku" (おじゃる丸狂é¨'曲 The Ojarumaru Prosperous Song)(Series 12) Performer: Kumiko Mori
15. "Katatsumuri" (かたつむり Snails)(Series 13) Performer: Miami Oku
16. "Hatsukoi wa Minora Nai" (初恋は実らない Not My First Love)(Series 14) Performer: Ojarumaru Sisters
17. "Aru Shashō" (ある車掌 The Conductor)(Special 3) Performer: Gen Hoshino
18. "Maro no Sanpo" (マロのさã‚"ぽ My Walk)(Series 15, Series 16) Performer: Chopiiin (Series 15), Yuriko Fuchizaki, Chinami Nishimura, Narumi Satō (Series 16)
19. "Da!Da!!Da!!!" (Series 17) Performer: The Collectors

International versions

North America

• In the United States, Enoki Films has the master license for the series under the title Prince Mackaroo. Enoki Films has also licensed all the TV specials. Suggested name changes have been given to most of the characters, such as Ojarumaru becoming "Prince Mackaroo" and Denbo becoming "Cyber-Fly". However, as of 2014, an English version has yet to be released.

Asia

• In Taiwan, it is dubbed in Chinese and was aired on CTV under the title Wán Shàoyé (丸å°'爺) on December 16, 1999.
• In India, it is dubbed in Hindi and was aired on Hungama TV in 2009.
• In the Philippines, it is dubbed in Tagalog by Telesuccess Productions, Inc. and was aired on QTV Channel 11 and TV5 under the title Prince Mackaroo.
• In Hong Kong, it is dubbed in Cantonese and was aired on TVB under the title FÇŽn Dòu XiÇŽo Wángzǐ (反斗小王子). A separate dub aired on Cable TV under the title Xié Liú Wán Wángzǐ (邪留丸王子).
• In Thailand, it is dubbed in Thai and was aired on Channel 9.
• In South Korea, it is dubbed in Korean and was aired on Tooniverse.
• In Malaysia, it is dubbed in Malaysian and was aired on Astro.

Europe

• In Spain, it is dubbed in Spanish by Arait Multimedia and was aired on Telecinco under the title El príncipe Mackaroo (Mackaroo the Prince).
• In Italy, it is dubbed in Italian by Merak Film and was aired on Italia 1 under the title Mack, ma che principe sei? (Mack, what a Prince?) in 2002.

Middle East

• In Arabia, it is dubbed in Arabic and has aired on Spacetoon under the title فارس الحكايا.

Video Games

Game Boy Color

• Ojarumaru: Mangan Jinja no Ennichi de Ojaru!
• Ojarumaru: Tsukiyo ga Ike no Takaramono

Game Boy Advance

• Ojarumaru: Gekkō Machi Sanpo de Ojaru

Sega Pico

• Ojarumaru

Nintendo DS

• Ojarumaru DS: Ojaru to Okeiko Aiueo

Mobile Phone

• Ojarumaru: Kaikai! Enma Kai
• Ojarumaru: Gattai no Oni
• Ojarumaru: Ojarumaru Tennis
• Ojarumaru: Eboshi Collection
• Ojarumaru: Ojarumaru no Hover Race
• Ojarumaru: Chicchai Golf
• Ojarumaru: Nige tetamo
• Ojarumaru: Logic Puzzle
• Ojarumaru: Shutsudō! Chicchai Mono Club

iPhone

• Akihabara Ojaru de Kankō

See also

• Jewelpet
• Gag Manga Biyori
• Nintama Rantaro
• Crayon Shin-chan

References

External links

• Official website (Japanese)
• Peril at the Full Moon Road ~A 'Rare' Adventure of Our Prince~ Official site (Japanese)
• My Galaxy is Calling ~The 2 Wishing Stars~ Official site (Japanese)
• Prince Mackaroo (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia