The Original Genius Bakabon

**The Original Genius Bakabon** (元祖天才バカボン *Ganso Tensai Bakabon*) is the second anime adaptation of Fujio Akatsuka's manga.

It was produced by the Nippon Television Network and Tokyo Movie, and broadcast on NTV from October 6, 1975 to September 26, 1977 for a total of 103 episodes (204 shorts in all; the last episode was one story).

## Overview

According to the producer Sankichirou Kusube, Akatsuka had initially been resistant to the idea of another *Bakabon* anime adaptation, stating that the first work was too entirely different from his manga and felt nothing like it. The decision was made to title this series "The Original", as a way of marking that it was closer in line to the original source. Unagi-Inu appeared for the first time in animation with this series, having made his debut in the manga after the previous anime had wrapped up.

However, as with the first *Bakabon*, any content that was considered to be too violent or cruel was softened and changed to a degree. Other changes in adaptation would happen as well. Staff carried over from Tokyo Movie's previous series, *The Adventures of Gamba*, and the similar style and direction would be reflected on this version.

The first 79 episodes' animation direction and character design were by Tsutomu Shibayama, who carried over from the previous Bakabon adaptation, and the designs generally stayed close to the manga. After episode 80, the animation director changed to Takeo Kitahara, and the designs underwent a change to have rounder, thicker and shorter proportions.

The voice cast mostly carried over from the previous series, other than the Police Officer with the Connected Eyes being recast from Isamu Tanonaka to Kaneta Kimotsuki. The officer was also given the proper connected eyes and single nostril, along with being trigger-happy. But Kusube took into consideration that as Akatsuka's father had been an officer, that the most important detail of the character should be "the eyes" and he directed the staff that the officer should never fire upon people.

This version enjoyed intense popularity and success, and has been rebroadcast as recently as 2017 with a digital remastering to its elements.

## Staff

* Producers- Toru Ueno, Sankichirou Kusube (1-79), Yasuji Takahashi, Miki Takahashi (80-103)
* Character design and animation direction- Tsutomu Shibayama (1-79), Takeo Kitahara (80-103)
* Art Direction- Shichiro Kobayashi
* Music- Takeo Watanabe
* Production Cooperation- A Production (1-79), Tokyo Animation Film (1-79)
* Production- Tokyo Movie

### Voice Cast

* Bakabon's Papa- Masashi Amenomori
* Bakabon- Keiko Yamamoto
* Bakabon's Mama- Eiko Masuyama
* Hajime- Takako Sasuga
* Police Officer with the Connected Eyes- Kaneta Kimotsuki
* Rerere- Ryūji Saikachi
* Unagi-Inu- Michihiro Ikemizu

## Theme Song

### Opening theme

**"Tarirariran's Konjanachiwa"** (タリラリラーンのコニャニャチワ)

Lyrics- Tokyo Movie Planning Department/ Composer- Takeo Watanabe/Arrangement- Akanomoto/ Singers- Columbia Cradle Club, Grimpies, Masashi Amenomori

As with the opening theme to the previous anime, Papa's phrase of "Koredeiinoda" is incorporated into the lyrics.

### Ending themes

**"Papa is Still Wonderful"** (パパはやっぱりすばらしい, episodes 1-9)

Lyrics- Tokyo Movie Planning Department/ Composer- Takeo Watanabe/Arrangement- Akanomoto/ Singers- Ken Mizutani, Columbia Cradle Club, Korogi '73, Masashi Amenomori

**"The Spring of the Genius Bakabon"** (元祖天才バカボンの春, episodes 10-103)

Lyrics- Fujio Akatsuka/ Composer- Takeo Watanabe/Arrangement- Akanomoto/ Singers- Korogi '73, Columbia Cradle Club

This ending theme is notable for giving Papa's age as 41 years old, and has been referenced in further media like the pachinko games. However, Fujio Pro now prefers to have Papa's age be ambiguous in the manga itself.

## Episode List

1. ブタさんはとんかつなのだ/宝をうめてさがすのだ
2. もしもしカメよカメさまなのだ/ヤキモチの結婚記念日なのだ
3. わしは新聞にだまされたのだ/ユーレイさんコニャニャチハ
4. 枯葉が散ると髪が散るのだ/望遠鏡でホシをとるのだ
5. チエノワ菌をはずすのだ/誰が食べたかおサカナさん
6. スポーツは空頭が一番なのだ/おまわりさんの趣味は大きいのだ
7. 強盗殺人の予約なのだ/しゃっくりでネコになるのだ
8. 川で鳥が釣れるのだ/夜なきソバ屋でもうけるのだ
9. 二本立ての夢を見るのだ/秋はふかしイモをやくのだ
10. パパのそっくりさんはコントなのだ/ボーナスをつかまえよう
11. ネコがイヌになるのだ/お歳暮はソウジ鬼なのだ
12. わしらをだますなかれなのだ/わしはサンタクロースなのだ
13. 忘年会は命がけなのだ/大晦日は大いそがしなのだ
14. 今年も来ましたお正月さん/初夢で未来がわかるのだ
15. 天才バカボンの劇画なのだ/天の雪をお待ちするのだ
16. 家庭教師はまかせておくのだ/演説には背広がいるのだ
17. タコさんタコさん勉強するのだ/ゴミだらけは美しいのだ
18. うちの殿にはおへそがないのだ/わしは芥川賞をとるのだ
19. わしもチョコレートをもらうのだ/知能指数は7百円なのだ
20. 九官鳥は王子なのだ/イスはクルマなのだ
21. おまわりさんのバースデーなのだ/うらないはゲタであたるのだ
22. テッポー持って記事とりなのだ/キョーレツな香水なのだ
23. カゼをひくのも大変なのだ/バイオリンでゲゲゲのゲなのだ
24. 死にたい人ほど生きるのだ/空手の天才のバカなのだ
25. わしの天才がバカになったのだ/絵かきさんは英語なのだ
26. ガンクツ王の復讐なのだ/サクラはちるちる人もちるのだ
27. 賞金稼ぎ・子持ち狼なのだ/ネズミがわしをバカにした
28. 天才バカボン イン・アメリカ/遊びに来ました土の中
29. ボロショイサーカスの天才児なのだ/ゆうかい犯人はオカシなのだ
30. スキヤキ殺人事件なのだ/先生のセンセーショナルなのだ
31. わしは魔法使いなのだ
32. 天才ウナギイヌ登場なのだ/母の日はピストルにうたれるのだ
33. ウナギイヌが危ないのだ/ユカイカイカイキキカイカイなのだ
34. これがウナギイヌの正体なのだ/いやな雨でもほしくなるのだ
35. ウナギイヌの活躍なのだ/人助けは大変なのだ
36. パパのまねしたおまわりさん/ママのおムコをみつけるのだ
37. 宇宙人をタイホするのだ/お酒のにおいをよこしなさい
38. 夕やけこやけの旅ガラスなのだ/ゴルフだから海へ行くのだ
39. とられたスモウ返すのだ/シッチャカメッチャカの海水浴
40. 催眠術の呪いなのだ/コケコッコはもうケッコーなのだ
41. ママの泣いてあかした夏の午後/キェンキャイキャキャキョンなのだ
42. おバケはほんとうにいるのだ/おとなはおとなとあそびなさい

## External Links

* TMS Catalog entry for series (Japanese)