1993 in Anime
1993 in Anime
MOVIES
Doraemon: Nobita and the Tin Labyrinth(1993)
Nobita’s father Nobisuke, is up late one night and catches a commercial about a hotel named Hotel Burikin. He sleepily signs up for the hotel and the commercial seems to talk to him. The next morning they receive mail relating to their trips Doraemon and the others find no information on Hotel Burikin. A suitcase arrives and is revealed to be a portal to Hotel Burikin. The Hotel is run by tin robots called Clown, Tap, and a butler. The hotel is revealed to be free and the family enjoy their time there but are warned not to go in the basement. Doraemon and Nobita go out skiing. Doraemon gives Nobita a super ski but Nobita takes off before Doraemon finishes explaining how it works. While they are separated, Doraemon is attacked and knocked out, captured. Nobita returns but finds the Hotel empty, finding no one, he looks into the basement and is confronted by a scary door. Nobita returns to his home and recruits his friends to go look for Doraemon again. They are attacked by planes but knock one down, the pilot is a robot who reveals Doraemon is a hostage. The entire area is revealed to be a giant spaceship. Nobita and his friends are taken to a boy named Burikin.
Burikin reveals that the ones who adopted the Doraemon was the army of Napo from the planet Chamocha. Burikin and his followers have been escaping from planet to planet to avoid them. They hoped Doraemon’s technology could help them and set up the entire situation. Nobita and friends agree to work with Burikin to rescue Doraemon. Burikin talks about how his people built robots to make life easier. Burikin’s father Galion believed humans would rely on robots too much and devolve physically. The chief super computer Napogisutora is presented with this problem and creates capsules granting superhuman abilities. Galion takes his family away for their safety, hiding them in what will become hotel Burikin and in the lower levels in the basement, which houses a giant labyrinth. Galion returns to Chamocha and discovers Napogisutora leading a robot revolution. Burikin escaped capture but his parents did not.
On the planet Chamocha, the machines torture Doraemon for information. Since he knows nothing about the other robots, they electrocute him to the extent he shuts down and his body is dumped in the ocean. The Hotel Burikin lands on planet Chamocha but stays hidden while the group infiltrates the base. They discover where the humans are being kept but Hotel Burikin is discovered and attacked and the group is forced to leave empty handed. Burikin sends Nobita and his friends back home through the suitcase to save their lives as the Chamocha forces come down on them. Nobita recalls the spare pocket object that can be used to find Doraemon, which they discover is deep in the bottom of the Chamocha ocean. Doraemon is revived at home and leads the group through the Labyrinth at Hotel Burikin to find Burikin and Tap hiding there. In the lab in the Labyrinth, Burikin finds a computer virus his father was working on. They also meet a robot created to act out the role of Santa Claus, who was imprisoned for his refusal to not carry out the robot revolution. The group comes up with a plan to infect Napogisutora with the virus as he commands the robots. The Santa Bot summons an army or toy robots to fight the other robots.This provides a distraction as the group free the human prisoners. The Virus is inserted and the robots tear each other apart. The now liberated humans vow to rebuilt their world as Doraemon and Nobita’s group departs.
Ninja Scroll I and II(1993-1994)
A film by Yoshiaki Kawajiri(known for 1987’s Wicked City). Made as a co production between JVC, Toho, Movic and Tezuka Productions(the latter was controversial as they were associated with more lighthearted material while the so called “Madhouse” preferred much darker and more mature rated stories, leading to the creation of the Madhouse as a separate division for more mature stories). The story was influenced by the writings of Futaro Yamada, who wrote the Kouga Ninja Scrolls about warring Ninja clans who have members with superhuman abilities but with deformed members as a result of incest among the clan in a misguided attempt to create more members with superhuman abilities. Ninja Scroll consisted of 2 45 minute parts.
In Edo period Japan, the Yamashiro clan sends a shipment of gold to the mysterious Shogun of the Dark as payment for his protection. The Dark Shogun intends to use it to buy Spanish weaponry and overthrow the Tokugawa Shogunate. The ship runs aground in Mochizuki territory and Eight superpowers beings known as the Eight Devils of Kimon are sent to retrieve it, massacring an entire village to keep the gold a secret. An entire ninja team is killed except for a female ninja named Kagero who is captured by the Devil Tessai, who attempts to rape her. Tessai is rescued by ex-Yamashiro ninja Kibagami Jubei, who kills Tessai. A Tokugawa spy named Dakuan offers Jubei an alliance to kill the Devils, but when he refuses, Dakuan poisons him and evidently doesn’t have the cure on him but somewhere only he knows. Dakuan reveals the Shogun of the Dark is Himuro Genma, a man Jubei swore he killed. Five years earlier, the ninjas found a goldmine, from which the gold shipment originates and Genma attacked his own team with Jubei decapitating him, Genma surviving due to becoming a Demon. Kagaro joins Jubei and Dakuan and helps save them from the Devil Benisato, who is killed. Kagero reveals her own body is poisonous and actually helped Jubei kill Tessai as he was weak from the poison. The trio arrive at the village and find everyone has been poisoned to make it look like a plague. Jubei and Kagero kill two more Devils. They find the gold has already been taken to a nearby town.
Kagero calls her clan for reinforcements. She is told by Dakuan that the poison Jubei was injected with can only be cured with the poison within Kagero’s body. Kagero tries to get Jubei to sleep with her to save his life, but he silently refuses. Kagero’s master arrives but stabs her, being revealed to be Genma is disguise. Jubei finds Kagero, who kisses him, curing his poison, Jubei then boards the ship and fights Genma. Genma is immortal but a fire is set, causing the gold to melt and cover Genma, it hardens and the ship sinks, leaving the immortal Genma trapped at the bottom of the sea encased.
Ninja Scroll was a success upon release, especially in the west where it was seen as influential towards Adult Anime along with Akira and Ghost in the Shell. It ranks among the greatest Anime ever made[1].
Rail of the Star(1993)
Based on the life of Chitose Kobayashi, a 7 year old girl living in Japan-Occupied Korea, when World War II breaks out. Her father is forced to enlist, her younger sister dies of Typhoid fever. The Korean servant girl Ohana is fired and Japan surrenders. The family is then forced to flee South as war in Korea breaks out, forcing them to go on foot to avoid North Korean soldiers and reach the Americans.
Japan had faced issues in regard to its actions in World War II. When occupying Korea, Japan forbade the Korean language from being taught and forced many to change their names to Japanese ones. Rail of the Star is very pro Japanese. A Korean boy boasts about how Korea will be free and is treated as outlandish, scaring Chitose. The film also glosses over the fact that many Korean women were forced to become prostitutes or “ comfort women”, There was a divide in the country on how to address Japan’s historical atrocities. Japanese conservatives view any criticism of Imperial Japan as “Anti-Japanese” while there recommended textbooks don’t mention any atrocities at all. Rail of the Star received criticism for its bias towards the Japanese while downplaying the far worse atrocities Japan committed. This stood in sharp contrast to the more popular Borders 1939, which was now becoming popular as the War in China died down. Borders 1939 depicted the opposite viewpoint and did not shy away from the atrocities committed by Japanese soldiers. While it is debatable how much influence the film held, there was a shift away from the Conservative mindset around 1993, held by the Liberal Democratic Party, which was removed from power for the first time in decades[2].
Crayon Shin-Chan: Action Mask vs Leotard Devil(1993)
The first film in the Crayon-Shin Chan series. The Superhero Action Mask fights and is defeated by the villain Leotard Devil, who takes the Action Stone, leaving the hero unable to return to his own world. He recruits Shinnosuke Nohara and his Family to look for a magic card he lost called Action Card 99, which was lost in a cereal factory during the battle and is now in a cereal box the family searches. They find it and as a reward, Action Mask leaves their world but grants them access to another universe where they can take a vacation on a beach. When the Nohara family return they find that aliens called the Higure have brainwashed all of humanity while they were away, turning humans into Higure. The Nohara Family realize they are not in their own world. The Scientist friend of Action Mask, Dr.North Kasukabe helps the family but wraps the Action Mask in a way in which leads to Shinnosuke to eat it thinking it was candy. The Family continues to run from the Higure until Shinnosuke is able to cough up the stone and the group summons Action Mask. The Higure are then defeated with the power of Action Mask and Shinnosuke wielding the Action Stone.
Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade(1993)
The Third and final live action film in Mamoru Oshii’s Kerberos Saga. The series largely follows the lives of members of the Kerberos Police Corps. Tokyo has fallen into violent crime and an elite heavily armored police force was created which dons gas masks with red lenses(hence the first film title of “The Red Spectacles”) and heavy machine guns. The Red Spectacles(1987) follows three Kerberos officers who go rogue when the Kerberos are shut down after a member beats a misdemeanor offender to death. The three are attacked and only the member Todome escapes, though he vows to return to Tokyo. Todome returns three years later, still a fugitive but finds himself trapped in a strange and surreal version of the city that has changed so radically. It is revealed at the end that Todome was shot and killed shortly after his return and most of the film was his dying dream. The 1991 sequel film Straydog: Kerberos Panzer Cops, follows Todome being hunted down during those three years, ending with his decision to return to Tokyo.
1993’s Jin-Roh: the Wolf Brigade is another prequel. It embraces the alternate history element more fully, by explaining that in the Kerberos World, taking inspiration from The Man in the High Castle, the Axis Won World War II, but a Cold War began between Germany and Japan. Japan joined the Allies in the Third World War in 1962, when Hitler dies and the Axis leaders fought each other, allowing America and Britain, now joined by Japan to fight back. Germany briefly occupied Japan(having already occupied the nearby Soviet Union and invading Japanese Occupied China) before being pushed out. The Kerberos Corps are controversial in universe as they were a Nazi created regime and public opinion is against them for what they represent. A member named Fuse is traumatized after seeing a girl terrorist with a bomb. He stops and asks her "why?" rather than try to stop her, resulting in the bomb going off but Fuse surviving, albeit injured. Fuse visits the girl’s grave and meets her older sister Kei, who doesn’t blame him for her sister’s death. The two begin dating until Fuse learns she is part of the same terrorist group and is forced to hunt her down. The film makes many allusions to the story of Red Riding Hood as both women wear Red, specifically the original version where the Wolf disguises himself as a loved one to kill Red Riding Hood with Fuse being the Wolf in this scenario, though he is deeply disturbed and saddened by being forced to kill Kei[3].
Bonobono(1993)
Based on the 8 panel manga by Mike Igarashi, which ran from 1986 to 1987. The series follows a young sea otter and the adventures with his friends in the forest[4].
Only Yesterday(1993)
A long delayed(since 1989) film passed on by Isao Takahata. It is the first Studio Ghibli film not made by Hayao Miyazaki or Isao Takahata, both being busy at the time and in fact was intended as a test run for the other animators, who the two creators intended to succeed them. The Film went over budget and over schedule despite intended to be made Cheaply. It was Directed by Tomoni Mochizuki. The Film follows a woman named Taeko Okajima as she remembers her past while returning to her old town. Sadly the film is largely seen as one of the weaker Studio Ghibli films because it lacks the talent of the two main creators[5].
Domu: A Child’s Dream(1993)
An adaptation of Otomo Katsuhiro’s manga of the same name from 1980 by David Lynch. The entire reason the film happened is attributed largely to Nilo Rodis-Jamero, who was a designer on The Empire Strikes Back and had worked on Raiders of the Lost Ark. Jamero was on a mission to Japan for Lucasfilm to team up with Bandai for what would become the show Xyber[6]. Jamero heard of Domu: A Child’s Dream as Bandai was trying to get Otomo to approve a script for a film. Jamero met with Otomo and convinced him to look at a script he would write after 60 Days. Otomo was impressed enough to give him 60 more days after that meeting. Jamero then approached David Lynch, a friend of his, who he had met when he was seen as a potential director for Revenge of the Jedi. Jamero began describing the story and was interrupted partway through by David Lynch saying that he was in. Otomo was told of Lynch’s involvement and approved with Bandai giving a 12 month turnaround.The project was to be funded by Propaganda Films, but they kept pushing for a deal directly with Bandai. They saw Jamero as a nobody and were already on rocky terms with Lynch[7]. Bandai eventually cut them out and offered to give Lynch and Jamero more time, working directly with them, which helped push the film along.
The film begins with a man committing suicide, the latest in 32 deaths in the same building in only three years. An Inspector finds the door to the roof was rusted shut and there are no other ways to the roof, making it impossible. The inspector interviews several strange tenant including a woman who was sent to a mental hospital after a miscarriage, a strong but mentally disabled man accused of child molestation, an abusive alcoholic and “Old Cho” a senile old man. One interview reveals that the victim has a cap as he was going to commit suicide, which he was seen waring by the witnesses before but was missing from the crime scene. The inspector then gets a call from his pager seemingly from the police but when he later calls them back he finds the police never called him and have no record of the conversation he had with them. He finds himself being stalked by Mr.Cho, revealed to be a psychic collecting items from his victims as trophies and tormenting their minds with illusions. The inspector offers his pager as a trophy but it explodes in his hand. He is later discovered dead, having jumped off the building.
The next day a young girl moves into the apartment. Old Cho use this powers to drop a baby off the balcony but the girl catches it, revealing she has psychic powers to and the two acknowledge that they know each other has the power and try to fight each other with no success as their abilities cancel each other out. Old Cho threatens he will find a way to kill her. The girl makes friends in the building. An inspector colleague of the deceased previous inspector investigates but an illusion of the dead inspector warns him to leave and never come back(whether this is the actual ghost or Old Cho’s illusion powers is never revealed). Old Cho uses his powers to cause another Tennant to try and kill the girl but this fails and Old Cho has the man slit his own throat so he can’t tell anyone. He then plans to try again but this time gives the dead police inspector’s gun to the would be killer.
The Old Inspector visits a Shaman after he saw the ghost of his murdered friend. The Shaman goes to the apartment at the moment the girl and Old Cho decide to try again to have a psychic battle. The Shaman realizes Old Cho is targeting the children and tells the Old Inspector to “watch out for them” which is misunderstood(I.e. the Children are in danger vs The Children are the Danger). Old Cho is able to possess the old Inspector into attacking the children, killing several before setting off an explosion via a gas main. The girl confronts Old Cho in a final duel and overwhelms him but he flees. The Girl loses control but is calmed down by her mother. She eventually confronts Old Cho as he is found wounded in an ambulances and in a final psychic duel kills him, while e physically appears to die of a heart attack[8]
Mai, the Psychic Girl(1993)
A Film by Tim Burton, starring Winona Ryder, which competed with the similar Domu: A Child’s Dream. Mai, the Psychic girl, which ran from 1985 to 1986. The series was always more popular in America than in Japan. Mai is a psychic girl being hunted down by the Wisdom Alliance, who wants to control the world and controls four other psychic children. Mai prior to being hunted, largely used her powers to pull practical jokes. Carolco has purchased the Rights to the Manga in 1991. The film has been referred to as Tim Burton’s Akira by some. The Film was a musical with the New Wave band Sparks[9]
IN THE NEWS...
An adaptation of Rainmaker, the Yukito Kishiro Manga that began in 1990 has been confirmed as Mamoru Oshii’s next project. Kishiro himself is reportedly indifferent towards the idea of adapting his work into an Anime and as a result has granted Oshii full freedom to change his story, which Oshii has stated will focus more on the female cyborg police officer character of Gally, the most popular character in the manga. Among the celebrity fans of the series is Director Guillermo Del Toro, who is interested in helping make an adaptation though both he and James Cameron(his personal choice for director) are very busy with their own projects. Cameron himself has been experimenting with CGI, producing a screen test for the effects[10].
TV SERIES
Miracle Girls(1993)
Based on the manga by Name Akimoto that ran from 1991 to 1995. Adapted by Yugen-kaisha Ajiadō. The series follows identical sisters with the ability to teleport and communicate telepathically. Mikage convinces Tomomi to take her place in several sports since she is more athletic. Mikage has a rival named Yuya Noda, but Tomomi finds herself attracted to Yuya. Tomomi is forced to keep up the ruse as the track team goes further and further while science teacher Shinichiro Kageura discovers the psychic powers and begins to suspect the two. The series received a Video Game at around the same time. It is a beat em up where both sisters are playable with up to 2 players.
The Bush Baby(1993)
An adaptation of the Bush babies, a 1965 book by William Stevenson. It was released as part of World Masterpiece Theater. Set in 1964, 13-year old girl British girl Jackie Rhodes is sent to live in Kenya with her father, a wildlife officer. She adopts an ill creature named a bushbaby after helping it recover, naming it Murphy. Jackie loses the adoption papers for the bush baby when the family prepares to leave for England and is left behind looking for them. Jackie is protected by her father’s assistant, the African Tenbo, who is trying to stop poachers who capture Murphy. Jackie and Tenbo pursue the poachers to rescue Murphy but the authorities falsely believe Tenbo has kidnapped Jackie and give chase[11].
Nekketsu Saikyō Go-Saurer(1993-1994)
Part of the Eldran franchise by Sunrise. Set three years after Genki Bakuhatsu Ganbaruger. The characters are now in middle school when the Mechanization Empire threatens Earth after turning most of the solar system into metal planets.
Mobile Suit Victory Gundam(1993-1994)
An entry in the Gundam series meant to appeal to kids. The series is set in UC 0153, after the battle between the Federation Force and the Crossbone Vanguard from the previous series. The Earth is attacked by the BESPA, the army of the Zanscare Empire. A resistance movement called League Militaire battle BESPA. 13-year-old Üso Ewin who lives in Eastern Europe and his childhood friend Shahkti Kareen encounter ace Marbet Fingerhut and the rest of League Militaire and join them in piloting Victory Gundam against BESPA. The series interestingly waited until the fourth episode to introduce the Gundam.
Yaiba(1993-1994)
Based on the manga by Gosho Aoyama from 1988 to 1993. Yaiba Kurogane is a young boy samurai who is accidentally sent to the big city and learns that the is a legendary warrior meant to fight evil.
Nintama Rantaro(1993-1994)
Produced by Ajia-do Animation Works and broadcast on NHK. It is an adaptation of Rakudai Ninja Rantaro, which ran from 1986 to 2019. The series follows a Ninja School in Japan’s Sengoku period, but there are many anachronisms for the sake of comedy, such as one character wearing glasses.
Ghost Sweeper Mikami(1993-1994)
Based on the manga by Takashi Shiina that ran from 1991 to 1999. It follows a group of demon exorcists in Japan. In the world’s setting corporations have grown in power and urban development has left many spirits homeless with the protagonists serving the highest bidder among the corporations who want the ghosts gone.
Muka Muka Paradise(1993-1994)
Based on the manga by Rumiko Igarashi(known for Candy Candy). It follows a little girl named Uiba who finds and adopts a pet dinosaur, which can only say Muka Muka.
Slam Dunk(1993-1996)
Based on the manga by Takihiko Inoue that ran from 1990 to 1996. Inoue based the series on his own love for basketball and was surprised when he got fan letters revealing that the series popularized the sport in Japan as it was seen as taboo before the series. The series follows Hanamichi Sakuragi is a delinquent and leader of a gang. He meets Haruko Aka, the girl of his dreams, who recognizes his athletic potential and gets him into basketball. Sakuragi at first plays because of his crush but then plays because he becomes passionate for it and helps take the team to the championships.
Shoot!(1993-1994)
Based on the manga that ran from 1990 to 2003 by Tsukasa Oshima, a former footballer himself. The story follows Toshihiko Tanaka, who starts playing football at his new school to play alongside his idol Yoshiharu Kubo.
Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders(1993-1994)
The Long Awaited third chapter in the Jojo Saga. It was also the longest compared to the others, as was the Manga, running from 1989 to 1992. It’s essentially the conclusion to the Dio Trilogy. First a recap. The first part Phantom Blood saw Dio transform into a monster, introduced Stands and marked the beginning of the Joestar family’s Adventures. In Battle Tendency we met two sons: Jorge Joestar and Giorno Giovanna, who in contrast to Jonathan and Dio got along great and worked together to defeat the Pillar Men. Last time I promised you Dio teaming up with the Nazis.
The Part begins in 1938. We are introduced to Jotaro Kujo, who is in Jail in a foreign country in Europe where they believe he is a demon. Mohammed Avdol confronts him and explains the nature of the Stand. Jotaro is revealed to be Jotaro Joestar and that his father, Jorge Joester, along with Giorno Giovanna went missing looking for Dio after years of searching. Jotaro declines the offer to go help and chooses to remain in prison. Unfortunately the prison is revealed to be run by a follower of Dio nicknamed Enrico Pucci, who keeps an eye of Jotaro for Dio. Learning of the connection, Pucci and a Stand User Noriaki Kakyoin attack the two. Pucci extracts the knowledge of where Jorge Joestar and Giorno Giovanna went before they went missing from Avdol using his stand White Snake. Jotaro and Avdol are able to free Noriaki, who was revealed to be under mind control and Pucci escapes. The group of Jotaro, Avdol and Noriaki head out to find Jorge and Giorno. They track the path to a castle. Pucci ambushes them there instead of Dio. Pucci has a new ally named Jean Pierre Polnareff. The group realize that Pucci was granted a parasitic creature capable of controlling people and free Polnareff but fail to catch Pucci. Realizing that Dio has likely taken control of Jorge and Giorno, the two follow him back to England and find that Dio has infected Jotaro’s mother Lisa Lisa with a deadly virus and is gearing the group to go to Egypt and face him there.
In Calcutta, during a battle with Dio’s forces, Avdol is killed but the mercenary, Hol Horse agrees to accompany the group after they rescue him. Polnareff kills J.Geil, a man who killed his sister and is working for Dio. The group retrieves a Stand Arrow given to the henchman to power them up. Jotaros pet Boston Terrier Iggy, that went with the group, ends up being accidentally stabbed by the Stand Arrow and gains a stand of his own which causes a distraction that saves the group. In Egypt the group battle Dio’s minions with Hol Horse dying to kill the Vampirized henchman Vanilla Ice and save Polnareff.
It is here that the remaining group of Jotaro, Kakyoin, Polnareff and Iggy are confronted by Rudolf Von Stroheim, now a Nazi. He explains that Dio has captured and brainwashed a Stand User named Funny Valentine. His Stand is unknown but the group heads out to control Dio. Dio sends the brainwashed Jorge Joestar and Giorno after the group. Funny valentine is revealed to have a stand called Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, which Dio wants to use to find a way to win and has convinced the Nazis he will help them win the war. Stroheim betrays the group and shoots Polnareff, wounding him. Polnareff is able to tackle Stroheim into a portal to the Battle of Petrograd, where Stroheim gets entangled in barb wire, allowing Polnareff to finish him off. Pucci is defeated and seemingly killed. Lisa Lisa also arrives and it is revealed that she is fighting the infection and still refused to simply rest. He presence helps bring back Jorge Joestar. Jotaro is able to bring his father back to his senses, only for Dio to kill him immediately after and reveal the controlled body of Jonathan Joestar as another weaponized puppet. This allows enough time for Dio to look into other universes with Valentine’s Stand and discover his Over Heaven Dio form from the Jump World Crossover and begin to merge with it only for Jonathan Joestar to prevent this, fighting with what little is left of him inside to stop Dio. His spirit then moves on. With everyone else wounded, dead or indisposed, this leaves Dio and Jotaro to engage in one final battle. Jotaro heals Lisa Lisa after obtaining the antidote and is preparing to leave despite Dio trying to encourage him into attacking. Dio then notices Iggy and kills him, angering Jotaro enough to resume the fight. The two battle before Jotaro, with the spirits of the Joestar lineage backing him, finally kills Dio for good, vaporizing him. Pucci is revealed to be alive and vows revenge and Funny Valentine escapes in the chaos and is implied to have his own plans. Everyone part ways on good terms and depart, the antidote saving Lisa Lisa[12]
DVA
Rei Rei(1993)
A 2 episode Hentai DVA Series. It follows Kayuga, the Goddess of Love, who descends down to Earth to help human couples overcome their unhappiness. The first episode involves a boy named Tanaka, who is in love with a rich girl named Ikuko, who is revealed to be gay and has a lover in Dr.Manami Shibata. Minami is actually not gay and planning to kill Ukuko after they are married so she and her true lover can take her money. Kayuga learns of the plot and prevents Tanaka’s suicide after Ikuko rejects him. The second episode has Kayuga discover a boy named Satoshi, who is adverse to any form of physical contact due to his mother leaving him when he was young. Kayuga enters his mind and helps him overcome his fear of women by entering his memories.
Oh My Goddess!(1993)
Based on the manga by Kosuke Fujishima. The series is a sequel to Fujishima’s “You’re Under Arrest!” A manga following a police force made up mostly of women. One segment depicted the character Miyuki as a goddess. Fujishima expanded on this idea. Miyuki dies heroically in the line of duty and is given the chance to become a Goddess, which is treated as a Job, with elements taken from Celtic/Norse mythology[13].
Moldiver(1993)
A Magical girl and superhero parody series. A young girl named Mirai Ozora, living in Tokyo in 2045, discovers that her brother Hiroshi is the Superhero Captain Tokyo after he invented a super suit for personal gain. Mirai accidentally tampers with his Mol’Unit suit, causing it to shift randomly between a male and female version. As a result, Hiroshi is brought in to be a superhero as well and is much more lighthearted than her brother.
Dragon Half(1993)
Based on the manga by Ryusuke Mita that ran from 1988 to 1994. Adapted by Production M.T. The series follows a half human/ half dragon girl on a quest for a potion that will make her fully human so she can win the love of a dragon slayer. The series pokes fun at anime cliches.
Kyo Kara Ore Wa!!(1993-1997)
Based on the manga by Hiroyuki Nishimori that ran from 1988 to 1997. It follows two boys who transfer to a new school and decide to reinvent themselves as Delinquents.
New Dominion Tank Police(1993-1994)
Based on the manga written by Masamune Shirow(known for Appleseed and Ghost in the Shell) and made by Studio M.T. A direct sequel to the original manga. It also introduces the vehicle known as the Fuchikoma which originally appeared in Ghost in the Shell.
Please Save My Earth(1993)
Based on the manga by Saki Hiwatari that ran from 1986 to 1994. The series follows high school student Alice Sakaguchi and her 7 year old next door neighbor Ran Kobayashi along with five other students having dreams about aliens on a space station on the moon collecting data on Earth. The Dreams seem to be from the perspective of a person and the students meet to try and use each other’s dreams to learn what they are dreaming about.
Black Jack(1993)
A Film based on the Osamu Tezuka character by Tezuka’s protégée Osamu Dezaki. Dezaki’s involvement here meant this year had no Lupin the Third film, which he usually worked on.
Mega Man(1993-1995)
A Series adapting the iconic character and his franchise for the first time in Animation by Ashi Productions. This adaptation featured several notable changes. Since it was competing with a darker Sonic the Hedgehog show, which depicted a far more menacing Dr.Robotnik as having taken over most of the world, this show depicted Dr.Wily as having conquered the City but holding the support of the people and making Dr.Light and his creations out to be criminals while they oppose his secretly evil schemes.[14]
Butterflied Away
Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama. A co-production between Japan and India. It was already controversial as many in India felt that the story should be told entirely by Indians. ITTL it is.
Dragonball: Broly the Legendary Super Saiyan. Like most dragon ball films is butterflied away with Broly becoming canon.
The Irresponsible Captain Taylor. A casualty of the Tatsunoko collapse.
The Brave Express Might Gaine. Butterflied away along with the rest of the Brave series as OTL the series was intended to be a one off.
Patlabor 2: The Movie. Patlabor 1 was a film made using unused ideas form Mamoru Oshii’s Lupin the Third Movie. Which was actually made here, butterflying away that film and therefore its sequel.
NOTES
[1] Ninja Scroll was originally intended to be 2 separate 45 minute films. This is evident as watching the film halfway there is what feels like a climax and logical ending. ITTL this change was largely due to Akira being split into two parts, inspiring Ninja Scroll to do the same.
[2] Rail of the Star is hurt by Borders 1939 actually being made ITTL as it takes the opposite stance politically. OTL Things were already shifting at the time anyway with the end of the Liberal Democratic Party who had a long reign from 1956 to 1993. Here Japanese history is slightly different but it has a history of Military Coups such as one in 1936, which ITTL was successful, with the Emperor fleeing. This left Japan in a similar situation to both China and France and Japanese Forces loyal to the Emperor fought to reclaim the Homeland with later (ironically) American Support. as a result, Pearl Harbor and the nuking of the cities is blamed largely on the Military usurpers. This might also results in Anna Roosevelt marrying into the Japanese royal family as a nod to Hakkō Ichiu. This results in more Western immigration to Japan, which helps in some elements such as when casting actors as non-asian characters(rather than slap a wig on a Japanese actor. They can actually find say...a British actor to play a British character). Because of this Imperial Japan's time is viewed more negatively for bringing the country down a reckless path.
[3]OTL Oshii wanted to make Jin-Roh: the Wold Brigade live action after Patlabor 2 in 1993(doesn’t exist as Patlabor the Movie took elements from Oshii’s cancelled Lupin Movie, which exists here), Oshii was instead told by Bandai to work on The Ghost in the Shell adaptation, which is of course considered a classic today. Oshii may still make that film, but he’s not been forced to do so, though the current plan is Oshii works on an Aelita Battle Angel Movie instead. Jin-oh: The Wolf Brigade OTL was delayed until 1999 as a result of Oshii being busy and also made animated instead.
[4] OTL the film has a rare in Japan distinction of airing on TV uncut(as opposed to with commercial breaks). ITTL however, most TV Shows have two versions. One including Commercials cuts and a DVD version where the cuts are removed so the action flows smoother. An Old practice ITTL as there were usually plans to have TV show episodes aired outside television like in theaters for special events.
[5] OTL the Film Ocean Waves was made and released this year as a test run for the staff to make on small budget without Miyazaki and Takahata’s Guidance. It was essentially a failed experiment because it went overbudget and overschedule and didn't do as well. On the plus side though this means Miyazaki and Takahata stay active on the team as they deem the rest of the studio to be not ready for them to depart. Only Yesterday is made instead as ITTL it was never made by Isao Takahata and so its been on the “Backburner” as it were ever since.
[6] Xyber would be dropped and later picked up by Saban Entertainment and Fox Kids. They would radically change it into Xyber 9: New Dawn. It would only last a Season.
[7] OTL the film was cancelled because of Propaganda Films delaying the deal and Jamero quit movies out of frustration from the whole experience.
[8]Lynch would likely change the names of the entire Cast, as well as possibly transplanting the story to America, hence why only Cho is mentioned and everyone else is vaguely referred to.
I'm probably going to stop answering questions about the filmography of Directors as they are subject to change, but I will cover David Lynch's career briefly up until 1993, when this film was released. His first film was Gardenback(1977), a surreal film about a man with a garden growing out of his back, instead of Eraserhead(OTL he was forced to change it as it was a 45 minute film). Then Ronnie Rocket(1980), a surreal detective film with elements of Twin Peaks made instead of The Elephant Man. Lynch never makes Dune, due to Jodorowsky's Version being made and instead makes The Metamorphosis(1984), adapting the Franz Kafka story. Blue Velvet is released in 1986 as OTL. He then makes One Saliva Bubble(1990) about a Government project in a small town running amok, which replaces the OTL Film Wild at Heart(Another cancelled Project Venus Descending is butterflied away as it was to be based on the last few years of Marilyn Monroe's life while ITTL she is still alive). Since OTL Both Ronnie Rocket and One Saliva Bubble were unmade and elements of those films used in Twin Peaks, Lynch is less involved in Its Equivalent Northwest Passage, as he didn't really want to do a TV Show. This frees him up to do Domu: A Child's Dream.
[9] OTL Sparks planned the Musical and Tim Burton and Carolco Pictures were interested but Tim Burton was more interested in The Nightmare Before Christmas and Ed Wood instead.
A few of the Songs the Sparks wrote for the Musical are on Youtube. Here's one:
I'll do the same I did to Lynch and provide Burton's Filmography up to 1993. First his big break in Pee Wee's Big Adventure(1985) is the same followed by Beetlejuice(1988), but starring Sammy Davis Jr, and Edward Scissorhands(1990),However, there is already a Batman series in existence(to be covered elsewhere) so Burton is not involved in that as much. The Nightmare Before Christmas here is released as a stop motion Special. There is also Conversations with Vincent, a Documentary on Vincent Price. Burton directs The Addams Family(1991). Ed Wood has been butterflied away as Ed Wood himself would meet and be taught by Orson Welles, improving his filmmaking(Similar to A World of Laughter, A World of Tears).
[10]Rainmaker OTL was cancelled but was reworked as Gunm, which starred a female cyborg named Gally. Best known by her western name of Aelita, or Battle Angel Aelita. Gally was originally a supporting character who became the star when the series was reworked. Oshii being involved invokes another anime he was involved in starring a female cyborg: 1995’s Ghost in the Shell. Which OTL he was tasked with adapting by Bandai, delaying Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade. OTL Guillermo Del Toro did introduce James Cameron to Battle Angel Aelita and he planned to adapt it for years as a passion project before passing It onto Robert Rodriguez, leading to the 2019 film. Aelita: Battle Angel.
Here is a short film which ITTL would be a test run by James Cameron on the CGI for a "Battle Guardian Gally" Film:
Like Lynch and Burton here are Del Toro and Cameron's Projects up until 1993. For Guillermo Del Toro, I can knock him out fairly quickly. While he made films before. His first major one was Cronos, which ITTL was replaced by Meat Market: A Love Story, which is an OTL cancelled film starring Ron Perlman and is a Hamlet/ Phantom of the Opera story set in a meat market.
For James Cameron his real start is on Piranha II: The Spawning(1981) ITTL, which he was technically a director of but another director recut his film OTL. He considers The Terminator(1984) Cameron then directed TTL’s Rambo: First Blood Part II, which is titled First Blood II: The Mission(1985). This is because ITTL Rambo actually dies at the end of First Blood and First Blood II: The Mission is actually a prequel. Cameron OTL wrote a screenplay that Stallone reworked into what we know, including his own politics like Rambo’s Speech. Cameron then directed Aliens(1986), wrote the script for Alien Nation(1988), directed The Abyss (1989), Terminator 2: Judgement Day(1991) with only Edward Furlong changed since he was an ordinary kid Cameron saw and not an actor. Cameron wrote the script for Point Break(1991), and is currently busy on Spider-Man. which will be released in place of OTL's True Lies.
Also, on a meta level. Note what the First two Anime Live Action Movie Adaptations, of which there are many cancelled OTL that will be realized ITTL, are. They are dark stories rather than mainstream ones. While Both were already in production as in OTL, this also reflects the fact that the trend of Live Action Anime/Manga adaptations started with Monster, itself a darker story, which helped a Serial Killer Manga adaptation and a macabre film by the Goth guy get made.
[11] Due to Disney buying World Masterpiece Theater ITTL and using it to make White Fang, This OTL 1992 release is a year late.
[12]A combination of Ideas for Stardust Crusaders OTL here. These include turning Stardust Crusaders into an adaptation of Dracula. Hol Horse joining the group, and the intent to end the series here, which didn't happen as this part was the most popular by far. It's unlikely Jojo's Bizarre Adventure will end ITTL either.
[13] OTL due to the appearance of Miyuki as a Goddess for a few panels, some fans believe Oh My Goddess! Is a stealth sequel to You’re Under Arrest! or at least the idea came from that segment Think John Drake from Danger Man(a secret agent) is the same person as The Prisoner from the show of the same name(former agent who’s name is never revealed) or Leonardo Dicaprio's characters from Titanic and Inception are the same person.
[14]The OTL Mega Man: Upon a Star followed a kid sucked into the Megaman world. They were meant to teach kids about Japan while ITTL they are more straight action and adventure stories. It is also merged with the cancelled 1992 Anime Series which has a few scans seen here: https://www.rockman-corner.com/2021... Habara, these pieces,in the "planning phase".
The Sonic show it is competing with is 1993's Sonic the Hedgehog AKA "Sonic SatAm". Which has led to a more menacing Dr.Wily to counter the more menacing Dr.Eggman. As a result of this the Music and Darker Tone of the series is something close to the music of OTL's The Protomen, such as this:
MOVIES
Doraemon: Nobita and the Tin Labyrinth(1993)
Nobita’s father Nobisuke, is up late one night and catches a commercial about a hotel named Hotel Burikin. He sleepily signs up for the hotel and the commercial seems to talk to him. The next morning they receive mail relating to their trips Doraemon and the others find no information on Hotel Burikin. A suitcase arrives and is revealed to be a portal to Hotel Burikin. The Hotel is run by tin robots called Clown, Tap, and a butler. The hotel is revealed to be free and the family enjoy their time there but are warned not to go in the basement. Doraemon and Nobita go out skiing. Doraemon gives Nobita a super ski but Nobita takes off before Doraemon finishes explaining how it works. While they are separated, Doraemon is attacked and knocked out, captured. Nobita returns but finds the Hotel empty, finding no one, he looks into the basement and is confronted by a scary door. Nobita returns to his home and recruits his friends to go look for Doraemon again. They are attacked by planes but knock one down, the pilot is a robot who reveals Doraemon is a hostage. The entire area is revealed to be a giant spaceship. Nobita and his friends are taken to a boy named Burikin.
Burikin reveals that the ones who adopted the Doraemon was the army of Napo from the planet Chamocha. Burikin and his followers have been escaping from planet to planet to avoid them. They hoped Doraemon’s technology could help them and set up the entire situation. Nobita and friends agree to work with Burikin to rescue Doraemon. Burikin talks about how his people built robots to make life easier. Burikin’s father Galion believed humans would rely on robots too much and devolve physically. The chief super computer Napogisutora is presented with this problem and creates capsules granting superhuman abilities. Galion takes his family away for their safety, hiding them in what will become hotel Burikin and in the lower levels in the basement, which houses a giant labyrinth. Galion returns to Chamocha and discovers Napogisutora leading a robot revolution. Burikin escaped capture but his parents did not.
On the planet Chamocha, the machines torture Doraemon for information. Since he knows nothing about the other robots, they electrocute him to the extent he shuts down and his body is dumped in the ocean. The Hotel Burikin lands on planet Chamocha but stays hidden while the group infiltrates the base. They discover where the humans are being kept but Hotel Burikin is discovered and attacked and the group is forced to leave empty handed. Burikin sends Nobita and his friends back home through the suitcase to save their lives as the Chamocha forces come down on them. Nobita recalls the spare pocket object that can be used to find Doraemon, which they discover is deep in the bottom of the Chamocha ocean. Doraemon is revived at home and leads the group through the Labyrinth at Hotel Burikin to find Burikin and Tap hiding there. In the lab in the Labyrinth, Burikin finds a computer virus his father was working on. They also meet a robot created to act out the role of Santa Claus, who was imprisoned for his refusal to not carry out the robot revolution. The group comes up with a plan to infect Napogisutora with the virus as he commands the robots. The Santa Bot summons an army or toy robots to fight the other robots.This provides a distraction as the group free the human prisoners. The Virus is inserted and the robots tear each other apart. The now liberated humans vow to rebuilt their world as Doraemon and Nobita’s group departs.
Ninja Scroll I and II(1993-1994)
A film by Yoshiaki Kawajiri(known for 1987’s Wicked City). Made as a co production between JVC, Toho, Movic and Tezuka Productions(the latter was controversial as they were associated with more lighthearted material while the so called “Madhouse” preferred much darker and more mature rated stories, leading to the creation of the Madhouse as a separate division for more mature stories). The story was influenced by the writings of Futaro Yamada, who wrote the Kouga Ninja Scrolls about warring Ninja clans who have members with superhuman abilities but with deformed members as a result of incest among the clan in a misguided attempt to create more members with superhuman abilities. Ninja Scroll consisted of 2 45 minute parts.
In Edo period Japan, the Yamashiro clan sends a shipment of gold to the mysterious Shogun of the Dark as payment for his protection. The Dark Shogun intends to use it to buy Spanish weaponry and overthrow the Tokugawa Shogunate. The ship runs aground in Mochizuki territory and Eight superpowers beings known as the Eight Devils of Kimon are sent to retrieve it, massacring an entire village to keep the gold a secret. An entire ninja team is killed except for a female ninja named Kagero who is captured by the Devil Tessai, who attempts to rape her. Tessai is rescued by ex-Yamashiro ninja Kibagami Jubei, who kills Tessai. A Tokugawa spy named Dakuan offers Jubei an alliance to kill the Devils, but when he refuses, Dakuan poisons him and evidently doesn’t have the cure on him but somewhere only he knows. Dakuan reveals the Shogun of the Dark is Himuro Genma, a man Jubei swore he killed. Five years earlier, the ninjas found a goldmine, from which the gold shipment originates and Genma attacked his own team with Jubei decapitating him, Genma surviving due to becoming a Demon. Kagaro joins Jubei and Dakuan and helps save them from the Devil Benisato, who is killed. Kagero reveals her own body is poisonous and actually helped Jubei kill Tessai as he was weak from the poison. The trio arrive at the village and find everyone has been poisoned to make it look like a plague. Jubei and Kagero kill two more Devils. They find the gold has already been taken to a nearby town.
Kagero calls her clan for reinforcements. She is told by Dakuan that the poison Jubei was injected with can only be cured with the poison within Kagero’s body. Kagero tries to get Jubei to sleep with her to save his life, but he silently refuses. Kagero’s master arrives but stabs her, being revealed to be Genma is disguise. Jubei finds Kagero, who kisses him, curing his poison, Jubei then boards the ship and fights Genma. Genma is immortal but a fire is set, causing the gold to melt and cover Genma, it hardens and the ship sinks, leaving the immortal Genma trapped at the bottom of the sea encased.
Ninja Scroll was a success upon release, especially in the west where it was seen as influential towards Adult Anime along with Akira and Ghost in the Shell. It ranks among the greatest Anime ever made[1].
Rail of the Star(1993)
Based on the life of Chitose Kobayashi, a 7 year old girl living in Japan-Occupied Korea, when World War II breaks out. Her father is forced to enlist, her younger sister dies of Typhoid fever. The Korean servant girl Ohana is fired and Japan surrenders. The family is then forced to flee South as war in Korea breaks out, forcing them to go on foot to avoid North Korean soldiers and reach the Americans.
Japan had faced issues in regard to its actions in World War II. When occupying Korea, Japan forbade the Korean language from being taught and forced many to change their names to Japanese ones. Rail of the Star is very pro Japanese. A Korean boy boasts about how Korea will be free and is treated as outlandish, scaring Chitose. The film also glosses over the fact that many Korean women were forced to become prostitutes or “ comfort women”, There was a divide in the country on how to address Japan’s historical atrocities. Japanese conservatives view any criticism of Imperial Japan as “Anti-Japanese” while there recommended textbooks don’t mention any atrocities at all. Rail of the Star received criticism for its bias towards the Japanese while downplaying the far worse atrocities Japan committed. This stood in sharp contrast to the more popular Borders 1939, which was now becoming popular as the War in China died down. Borders 1939 depicted the opposite viewpoint and did not shy away from the atrocities committed by Japanese soldiers. While it is debatable how much influence the film held, there was a shift away from the Conservative mindset around 1993, held by the Liberal Democratic Party, which was removed from power for the first time in decades[2].
Crayon Shin-Chan: Action Mask vs Leotard Devil(1993)
The first film in the Crayon-Shin Chan series. The Superhero Action Mask fights and is defeated by the villain Leotard Devil, who takes the Action Stone, leaving the hero unable to return to his own world. He recruits Shinnosuke Nohara and his Family to look for a magic card he lost called Action Card 99, which was lost in a cereal factory during the battle and is now in a cereal box the family searches. They find it and as a reward, Action Mask leaves their world but grants them access to another universe where they can take a vacation on a beach. When the Nohara family return they find that aliens called the Higure have brainwashed all of humanity while they were away, turning humans into Higure. The Nohara Family realize they are not in their own world. The Scientist friend of Action Mask, Dr.North Kasukabe helps the family but wraps the Action Mask in a way in which leads to Shinnosuke to eat it thinking it was candy. The Family continues to run from the Higure until Shinnosuke is able to cough up the stone and the group summons Action Mask. The Higure are then defeated with the power of Action Mask and Shinnosuke wielding the Action Stone.
Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade(1993)
The Third and final live action film in Mamoru Oshii’s Kerberos Saga. The series largely follows the lives of members of the Kerberos Police Corps. Tokyo has fallen into violent crime and an elite heavily armored police force was created which dons gas masks with red lenses(hence the first film title of “The Red Spectacles”) and heavy machine guns. The Red Spectacles(1987) follows three Kerberos officers who go rogue when the Kerberos are shut down after a member beats a misdemeanor offender to death. The three are attacked and only the member Todome escapes, though he vows to return to Tokyo. Todome returns three years later, still a fugitive but finds himself trapped in a strange and surreal version of the city that has changed so radically. It is revealed at the end that Todome was shot and killed shortly after his return and most of the film was his dying dream. The 1991 sequel film Straydog: Kerberos Panzer Cops, follows Todome being hunted down during those three years, ending with his decision to return to Tokyo.
1993’s Jin-Roh: the Wolf Brigade is another prequel. It embraces the alternate history element more fully, by explaining that in the Kerberos World, taking inspiration from The Man in the High Castle, the Axis Won World War II, but a Cold War began between Germany and Japan. Japan joined the Allies in the Third World War in 1962, when Hitler dies and the Axis leaders fought each other, allowing America and Britain, now joined by Japan to fight back. Germany briefly occupied Japan(having already occupied the nearby Soviet Union and invading Japanese Occupied China) before being pushed out. The Kerberos Corps are controversial in universe as they were a Nazi created regime and public opinion is against them for what they represent. A member named Fuse is traumatized after seeing a girl terrorist with a bomb. He stops and asks her "why?" rather than try to stop her, resulting in the bomb going off but Fuse surviving, albeit injured. Fuse visits the girl’s grave and meets her older sister Kei, who doesn’t blame him for her sister’s death. The two begin dating until Fuse learns she is part of the same terrorist group and is forced to hunt her down. The film makes many allusions to the story of Red Riding Hood as both women wear Red, specifically the original version where the Wolf disguises himself as a loved one to kill Red Riding Hood with Fuse being the Wolf in this scenario, though he is deeply disturbed and saddened by being forced to kill Kei[3].
Bonobono(1993)
Based on the 8 panel manga by Mike Igarashi, which ran from 1986 to 1987. The series follows a young sea otter and the adventures with his friends in the forest[4].
Only Yesterday(1993)
A long delayed(since 1989) film passed on by Isao Takahata. It is the first Studio Ghibli film not made by Hayao Miyazaki or Isao Takahata, both being busy at the time and in fact was intended as a test run for the other animators, who the two creators intended to succeed them. The Film went over budget and over schedule despite intended to be made Cheaply. It was Directed by Tomoni Mochizuki. The Film follows a woman named Taeko Okajima as she remembers her past while returning to her old town. Sadly the film is largely seen as one of the weaker Studio Ghibli films because it lacks the talent of the two main creators[5].
Domu: A Child’s Dream(1993)
An adaptation of Otomo Katsuhiro’s manga of the same name from 1980 by David Lynch. The entire reason the film happened is attributed largely to Nilo Rodis-Jamero, who was a designer on The Empire Strikes Back and had worked on Raiders of the Lost Ark. Jamero was on a mission to Japan for Lucasfilm to team up with Bandai for what would become the show Xyber[6]. Jamero heard of Domu: A Child’s Dream as Bandai was trying to get Otomo to approve a script for a film. Jamero met with Otomo and convinced him to look at a script he would write after 60 Days. Otomo was impressed enough to give him 60 more days after that meeting. Jamero then approached David Lynch, a friend of his, who he had met when he was seen as a potential director for Revenge of the Jedi. Jamero began describing the story and was interrupted partway through by David Lynch saying that he was in. Otomo was told of Lynch’s involvement and approved with Bandai giving a 12 month turnaround.The project was to be funded by Propaganda Films, but they kept pushing for a deal directly with Bandai. They saw Jamero as a nobody and were already on rocky terms with Lynch[7]. Bandai eventually cut them out and offered to give Lynch and Jamero more time, working directly with them, which helped push the film along.
The film begins with a man committing suicide, the latest in 32 deaths in the same building in only three years. An Inspector finds the door to the roof was rusted shut and there are no other ways to the roof, making it impossible. The inspector interviews several strange tenant including a woman who was sent to a mental hospital after a miscarriage, a strong but mentally disabled man accused of child molestation, an abusive alcoholic and “Old Cho” a senile old man. One interview reveals that the victim has a cap as he was going to commit suicide, which he was seen waring by the witnesses before but was missing from the crime scene. The inspector then gets a call from his pager seemingly from the police but when he later calls them back he finds the police never called him and have no record of the conversation he had with them. He finds himself being stalked by Mr.Cho, revealed to be a psychic collecting items from his victims as trophies and tormenting their minds with illusions. The inspector offers his pager as a trophy but it explodes in his hand. He is later discovered dead, having jumped off the building.
The next day a young girl moves into the apartment. Old Cho use this powers to drop a baby off the balcony but the girl catches it, revealing she has psychic powers to and the two acknowledge that they know each other has the power and try to fight each other with no success as their abilities cancel each other out. Old Cho threatens he will find a way to kill her. The girl makes friends in the building. An inspector colleague of the deceased previous inspector investigates but an illusion of the dead inspector warns him to leave and never come back(whether this is the actual ghost or Old Cho’s illusion powers is never revealed). Old Cho uses his powers to cause another Tennant to try and kill the girl but this fails and Old Cho has the man slit his own throat so he can’t tell anyone. He then plans to try again but this time gives the dead police inspector’s gun to the would be killer.
The Old Inspector visits a Shaman after he saw the ghost of his murdered friend. The Shaman goes to the apartment at the moment the girl and Old Cho decide to try again to have a psychic battle. The Shaman realizes Old Cho is targeting the children and tells the Old Inspector to “watch out for them” which is misunderstood(I.e. the Children are in danger vs The Children are the Danger). Old Cho is able to possess the old Inspector into attacking the children, killing several before setting off an explosion via a gas main. The girl confronts Old Cho in a final duel and overwhelms him but he flees. The Girl loses control but is calmed down by her mother. She eventually confronts Old Cho as he is found wounded in an ambulances and in a final psychic duel kills him, while e physically appears to die of a heart attack[8]
Mai, the Psychic Girl(1993)
A Film by Tim Burton, starring Winona Ryder, which competed with the similar Domu: A Child’s Dream. Mai, the Psychic girl, which ran from 1985 to 1986. The series was always more popular in America than in Japan. Mai is a psychic girl being hunted down by the Wisdom Alliance, who wants to control the world and controls four other psychic children. Mai prior to being hunted, largely used her powers to pull practical jokes. Carolco has purchased the Rights to the Manga in 1991. The film has been referred to as Tim Burton’s Akira by some. The Film was a musical with the New Wave band Sparks[9]
IN THE NEWS...
An adaptation of Rainmaker, the Yukito Kishiro Manga that began in 1990 has been confirmed as Mamoru Oshii’s next project. Kishiro himself is reportedly indifferent towards the idea of adapting his work into an Anime and as a result has granted Oshii full freedom to change his story, which Oshii has stated will focus more on the female cyborg police officer character of Gally, the most popular character in the manga. Among the celebrity fans of the series is Director Guillermo Del Toro, who is interested in helping make an adaptation though both he and James Cameron(his personal choice for director) are very busy with their own projects. Cameron himself has been experimenting with CGI, producing a screen test for the effects[10].
TV SERIES
Miracle Girls(1993)
Based on the manga by Name Akimoto that ran from 1991 to 1995. Adapted by Yugen-kaisha Ajiadō. The series follows identical sisters with the ability to teleport and communicate telepathically. Mikage convinces Tomomi to take her place in several sports since she is more athletic. Mikage has a rival named Yuya Noda, but Tomomi finds herself attracted to Yuya. Tomomi is forced to keep up the ruse as the track team goes further and further while science teacher Shinichiro Kageura discovers the psychic powers and begins to suspect the two. The series received a Video Game at around the same time. It is a beat em up where both sisters are playable with up to 2 players.
The Bush Baby(1993)
An adaptation of the Bush babies, a 1965 book by William Stevenson. It was released as part of World Masterpiece Theater. Set in 1964, 13-year old girl British girl Jackie Rhodes is sent to live in Kenya with her father, a wildlife officer. She adopts an ill creature named a bushbaby after helping it recover, naming it Murphy. Jackie loses the adoption papers for the bush baby when the family prepares to leave for England and is left behind looking for them. Jackie is protected by her father’s assistant, the African Tenbo, who is trying to stop poachers who capture Murphy. Jackie and Tenbo pursue the poachers to rescue Murphy but the authorities falsely believe Tenbo has kidnapped Jackie and give chase[11].
Nekketsu Saikyō Go-Saurer(1993-1994)
Part of the Eldran franchise by Sunrise. Set three years after Genki Bakuhatsu Ganbaruger. The characters are now in middle school when the Mechanization Empire threatens Earth after turning most of the solar system into metal planets.
Mobile Suit Victory Gundam(1993-1994)
An entry in the Gundam series meant to appeal to kids. The series is set in UC 0153, after the battle between the Federation Force and the Crossbone Vanguard from the previous series. The Earth is attacked by the BESPA, the army of the Zanscare Empire. A resistance movement called League Militaire battle BESPA. 13-year-old Üso Ewin who lives in Eastern Europe and his childhood friend Shahkti Kareen encounter ace Marbet Fingerhut and the rest of League Militaire and join them in piloting Victory Gundam against BESPA. The series interestingly waited until the fourth episode to introduce the Gundam.
Yaiba(1993-1994)
Based on the manga by Gosho Aoyama from 1988 to 1993. Yaiba Kurogane is a young boy samurai who is accidentally sent to the big city and learns that the is a legendary warrior meant to fight evil.
Nintama Rantaro(1993-1994)
Produced by Ajia-do Animation Works and broadcast on NHK. It is an adaptation of Rakudai Ninja Rantaro, which ran from 1986 to 2019. The series follows a Ninja School in Japan’s Sengoku period, but there are many anachronisms for the sake of comedy, such as one character wearing glasses.
Ghost Sweeper Mikami(1993-1994)
Based on the manga by Takashi Shiina that ran from 1991 to 1999. It follows a group of demon exorcists in Japan. In the world’s setting corporations have grown in power and urban development has left many spirits homeless with the protagonists serving the highest bidder among the corporations who want the ghosts gone.
Muka Muka Paradise(1993-1994)
Based on the manga by Rumiko Igarashi(known for Candy Candy). It follows a little girl named Uiba who finds and adopts a pet dinosaur, which can only say Muka Muka.
Slam Dunk(1993-1996)
Based on the manga by Takihiko Inoue that ran from 1990 to 1996. Inoue based the series on his own love for basketball and was surprised when he got fan letters revealing that the series popularized the sport in Japan as it was seen as taboo before the series. The series follows Hanamichi Sakuragi is a delinquent and leader of a gang. He meets Haruko Aka, the girl of his dreams, who recognizes his athletic potential and gets him into basketball. Sakuragi at first plays because of his crush but then plays because he becomes passionate for it and helps take the team to the championships.
Shoot!(1993-1994)
Based on the manga that ran from 1990 to 2003 by Tsukasa Oshima, a former footballer himself. The story follows Toshihiko Tanaka, who starts playing football at his new school to play alongside his idol Yoshiharu Kubo.
Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders(1993-1994)
The Long Awaited third chapter in the Jojo Saga. It was also the longest compared to the others, as was the Manga, running from 1989 to 1992. It’s essentially the conclusion to the Dio Trilogy. First a recap. The first part Phantom Blood saw Dio transform into a monster, introduced Stands and marked the beginning of the Joestar family’s Adventures. In Battle Tendency we met two sons: Jorge Joestar and Giorno Giovanna, who in contrast to Jonathan and Dio got along great and worked together to defeat the Pillar Men. Last time I promised you Dio teaming up with the Nazis.
The Part begins in 1938. We are introduced to Jotaro Kujo, who is in Jail in a foreign country in Europe where they believe he is a demon. Mohammed Avdol confronts him and explains the nature of the Stand. Jotaro is revealed to be Jotaro Joestar and that his father, Jorge Joester, along with Giorno Giovanna went missing looking for Dio after years of searching. Jotaro declines the offer to go help and chooses to remain in prison. Unfortunately the prison is revealed to be run by a follower of Dio nicknamed Enrico Pucci, who keeps an eye of Jotaro for Dio. Learning of the connection, Pucci and a Stand User Noriaki Kakyoin attack the two. Pucci extracts the knowledge of where Jorge Joestar and Giorno Giovanna went before they went missing from Avdol using his stand White Snake. Jotaro and Avdol are able to free Noriaki, who was revealed to be under mind control and Pucci escapes. The group of Jotaro, Avdol and Noriaki head out to find Jorge and Giorno. They track the path to a castle. Pucci ambushes them there instead of Dio. Pucci has a new ally named Jean Pierre Polnareff. The group realize that Pucci was granted a parasitic creature capable of controlling people and free Polnareff but fail to catch Pucci. Realizing that Dio has likely taken control of Jorge and Giorno, the two follow him back to England and find that Dio has infected Jotaro’s mother Lisa Lisa with a deadly virus and is gearing the group to go to Egypt and face him there.
In Calcutta, during a battle with Dio’s forces, Avdol is killed but the mercenary, Hol Horse agrees to accompany the group after they rescue him. Polnareff kills J.Geil, a man who killed his sister and is working for Dio. The group retrieves a Stand Arrow given to the henchman to power them up. Jotaros pet Boston Terrier Iggy, that went with the group, ends up being accidentally stabbed by the Stand Arrow and gains a stand of his own which causes a distraction that saves the group. In Egypt the group battle Dio’s minions with Hol Horse dying to kill the Vampirized henchman Vanilla Ice and save Polnareff.
It is here that the remaining group of Jotaro, Kakyoin, Polnareff and Iggy are confronted by Rudolf Von Stroheim, now a Nazi. He explains that Dio has captured and brainwashed a Stand User named Funny Valentine. His Stand is unknown but the group heads out to control Dio. Dio sends the brainwashed Jorge Joestar and Giorno after the group. Funny valentine is revealed to have a stand called Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, which Dio wants to use to find a way to win and has convinced the Nazis he will help them win the war. Stroheim betrays the group and shoots Polnareff, wounding him. Polnareff is able to tackle Stroheim into a portal to the Battle of Petrograd, where Stroheim gets entangled in barb wire, allowing Polnareff to finish him off. Pucci is defeated and seemingly killed. Lisa Lisa also arrives and it is revealed that she is fighting the infection and still refused to simply rest. He presence helps bring back Jorge Joestar. Jotaro is able to bring his father back to his senses, only for Dio to kill him immediately after and reveal the controlled body of Jonathan Joestar as another weaponized puppet. This allows enough time for Dio to look into other universes with Valentine’s Stand and discover his Over Heaven Dio form from the Jump World Crossover and begin to merge with it only for Jonathan Joestar to prevent this, fighting with what little is left of him inside to stop Dio. His spirit then moves on. With everyone else wounded, dead or indisposed, this leaves Dio and Jotaro to engage in one final battle. Jotaro heals Lisa Lisa after obtaining the antidote and is preparing to leave despite Dio trying to encourage him into attacking. Dio then notices Iggy and kills him, angering Jotaro enough to resume the fight. The two battle before Jotaro, with the spirits of the Joestar lineage backing him, finally kills Dio for good, vaporizing him. Pucci is revealed to be alive and vows revenge and Funny Valentine escapes in the chaos and is implied to have his own plans. Everyone part ways on good terms and depart, the antidote saving Lisa Lisa[12]
DVA
Rei Rei(1993)
A 2 episode Hentai DVA Series. It follows Kayuga, the Goddess of Love, who descends down to Earth to help human couples overcome their unhappiness. The first episode involves a boy named Tanaka, who is in love with a rich girl named Ikuko, who is revealed to be gay and has a lover in Dr.Manami Shibata. Minami is actually not gay and planning to kill Ukuko after they are married so she and her true lover can take her money. Kayuga learns of the plot and prevents Tanaka’s suicide after Ikuko rejects him. The second episode has Kayuga discover a boy named Satoshi, who is adverse to any form of physical contact due to his mother leaving him when he was young. Kayuga enters his mind and helps him overcome his fear of women by entering his memories.
Oh My Goddess!(1993)
Based on the manga by Kosuke Fujishima. The series is a sequel to Fujishima’s “You’re Under Arrest!” A manga following a police force made up mostly of women. One segment depicted the character Miyuki as a goddess. Fujishima expanded on this idea. Miyuki dies heroically in the line of duty and is given the chance to become a Goddess, which is treated as a Job, with elements taken from Celtic/Norse mythology[13].
Moldiver(1993)
A Magical girl and superhero parody series. A young girl named Mirai Ozora, living in Tokyo in 2045, discovers that her brother Hiroshi is the Superhero Captain Tokyo after he invented a super suit for personal gain. Mirai accidentally tampers with his Mol’Unit suit, causing it to shift randomly between a male and female version. As a result, Hiroshi is brought in to be a superhero as well and is much more lighthearted than her brother.
Dragon Half(1993)
Based on the manga by Ryusuke Mita that ran from 1988 to 1994. Adapted by Production M.T. The series follows a half human/ half dragon girl on a quest for a potion that will make her fully human so she can win the love of a dragon slayer. The series pokes fun at anime cliches.
Kyo Kara Ore Wa!!(1993-1997)
Based on the manga by Hiroyuki Nishimori that ran from 1988 to 1997. It follows two boys who transfer to a new school and decide to reinvent themselves as Delinquents.
New Dominion Tank Police(1993-1994)
Based on the manga written by Masamune Shirow(known for Appleseed and Ghost in the Shell) and made by Studio M.T. A direct sequel to the original manga. It also introduces the vehicle known as the Fuchikoma which originally appeared in Ghost in the Shell.
Please Save My Earth(1993)
Based on the manga by Saki Hiwatari that ran from 1986 to 1994. The series follows high school student Alice Sakaguchi and her 7 year old next door neighbor Ran Kobayashi along with five other students having dreams about aliens on a space station on the moon collecting data on Earth. The Dreams seem to be from the perspective of a person and the students meet to try and use each other’s dreams to learn what they are dreaming about.
Black Jack(1993)
A Film based on the Osamu Tezuka character by Tezuka’s protégée Osamu Dezaki. Dezaki’s involvement here meant this year had no Lupin the Third film, which he usually worked on.
Mega Man(1993-1995)
A Series adapting the iconic character and his franchise for the first time in Animation by Ashi Productions. This adaptation featured several notable changes. Since it was competing with a darker Sonic the Hedgehog show, which depicted a far more menacing Dr.Robotnik as having taken over most of the world, this show depicted Dr.Wily as having conquered the City but holding the support of the people and making Dr.Light and his creations out to be criminals while they oppose his secretly evil schemes.[14]
Butterflied Away
Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama. A co-production between Japan and India. It was already controversial as many in India felt that the story should be told entirely by Indians. ITTL it is.
Dragonball: Broly the Legendary Super Saiyan. Like most dragon ball films is butterflied away with Broly becoming canon.
The Irresponsible Captain Taylor. A casualty of the Tatsunoko collapse.
The Brave Express Might Gaine. Butterflied away along with the rest of the Brave series as OTL the series was intended to be a one off.
Patlabor 2: The Movie. Patlabor 1 was a film made using unused ideas form Mamoru Oshii’s Lupin the Third Movie. Which was actually made here, butterflying away that film and therefore its sequel.
NOTES
[1] Ninja Scroll was originally intended to be 2 separate 45 minute films. This is evident as watching the film halfway there is what feels like a climax and logical ending. ITTL this change was largely due to Akira being split into two parts, inspiring Ninja Scroll to do the same.
[2] Rail of the Star is hurt by Borders 1939 actually being made ITTL as it takes the opposite stance politically. OTL Things were already shifting at the time anyway with the end of the Liberal Democratic Party who had a long reign from 1956 to 1993. Here Japanese history is slightly different but it has a history of Military Coups such as one in 1936, which ITTL was successful, with the Emperor fleeing. This left Japan in a similar situation to both China and France and Japanese Forces loyal to the Emperor fought to reclaim the Homeland with later (ironically) American Support. as a result, Pearl Harbor and the nuking of the cities is blamed largely on the Military usurpers. This might also results in Anna Roosevelt marrying into the Japanese royal family as a nod to Hakkō Ichiu. This results in more Western immigration to Japan, which helps in some elements such as when casting actors as non-asian characters(rather than slap a wig on a Japanese actor. They can actually find say...a British actor to play a British character). Because of this Imperial Japan's time is viewed more negatively for bringing the country down a reckless path.
[3]OTL Oshii wanted to make Jin-Roh: the Wold Brigade live action after Patlabor 2 in 1993(doesn’t exist as Patlabor the Movie took elements from Oshii’s cancelled Lupin Movie, which exists here), Oshii was instead told by Bandai to work on The Ghost in the Shell adaptation, which is of course considered a classic today. Oshii may still make that film, but he’s not been forced to do so, though the current plan is Oshii works on an Aelita Battle Angel Movie instead. Jin-oh: The Wolf Brigade OTL was delayed until 1999 as a result of Oshii being busy and also made animated instead.
[4] OTL the film has a rare in Japan distinction of airing on TV uncut(as opposed to with commercial breaks). ITTL however, most TV Shows have two versions. One including Commercials cuts and a DVD version where the cuts are removed so the action flows smoother. An Old practice ITTL as there were usually plans to have TV show episodes aired outside television like in theaters for special events.
[5] OTL the Film Ocean Waves was made and released this year as a test run for the staff to make on small budget without Miyazaki and Takahata’s Guidance. It was essentially a failed experiment because it went overbudget and overschedule and didn't do as well. On the plus side though this means Miyazaki and Takahata stay active on the team as they deem the rest of the studio to be not ready for them to depart. Only Yesterday is made instead as ITTL it was never made by Isao Takahata and so its been on the “Backburner” as it were ever since.
[6] Xyber would be dropped and later picked up by Saban Entertainment and Fox Kids. They would radically change it into Xyber 9: New Dawn. It would only last a Season.
[7] OTL the film was cancelled because of Propaganda Films delaying the deal and Jamero quit movies out of frustration from the whole experience.
[8]Lynch would likely change the names of the entire Cast, as well as possibly transplanting the story to America, hence why only Cho is mentioned and everyone else is vaguely referred to.
I'm probably going to stop answering questions about the filmography of Directors as they are subject to change, but I will cover David Lynch's career briefly up until 1993, when this film was released. His first film was Gardenback(1977), a surreal film about a man with a garden growing out of his back, instead of Eraserhead(OTL he was forced to change it as it was a 45 minute film). Then Ronnie Rocket(1980), a surreal detective film with elements of Twin Peaks made instead of The Elephant Man. Lynch never makes Dune, due to Jodorowsky's Version being made and instead makes The Metamorphosis(1984), adapting the Franz Kafka story. Blue Velvet is released in 1986 as OTL. He then makes One Saliva Bubble(1990) about a Government project in a small town running amok, which replaces the OTL Film Wild at Heart(Another cancelled Project Venus Descending is butterflied away as it was to be based on the last few years of Marilyn Monroe's life while ITTL she is still alive). Since OTL Both Ronnie Rocket and One Saliva Bubble were unmade and elements of those films used in Twin Peaks, Lynch is less involved in Its Equivalent Northwest Passage, as he didn't really want to do a TV Show. This frees him up to do Domu: A Child's Dream.
[9] OTL Sparks planned the Musical and Tim Burton and Carolco Pictures were interested but Tim Burton was more interested in The Nightmare Before Christmas and Ed Wood instead.
A few of the Songs the Sparks wrote for the Musical are on Youtube. Here's one:
I'll do the same I did to Lynch and provide Burton's Filmography up to 1993. First his big break in Pee Wee's Big Adventure(1985) is the same followed by Beetlejuice(1988), but starring Sammy Davis Jr, and Edward Scissorhands(1990),However, there is already a Batman series in existence(to be covered elsewhere) so Burton is not involved in that as much. The Nightmare Before Christmas here is released as a stop motion Special. There is also Conversations with Vincent, a Documentary on Vincent Price. Burton directs The Addams Family(1991). Ed Wood has been butterflied away as Ed Wood himself would meet and be taught by Orson Welles, improving his filmmaking(Similar to A World of Laughter, A World of Tears).
[10]Rainmaker OTL was cancelled but was reworked as Gunm, which starred a female cyborg named Gally. Best known by her western name of Aelita, or Battle Angel Aelita. Gally was originally a supporting character who became the star when the series was reworked. Oshii being involved invokes another anime he was involved in starring a female cyborg: 1995’s Ghost in the Shell. Which OTL he was tasked with adapting by Bandai, delaying Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade. OTL Guillermo Del Toro did introduce James Cameron to Battle Angel Aelita and he planned to adapt it for years as a passion project before passing It onto Robert Rodriguez, leading to the 2019 film. Aelita: Battle Angel.
Here is a short film which ITTL would be a test run by James Cameron on the CGI for a "Battle Guardian Gally" Film:
Like Lynch and Burton here are Del Toro and Cameron's Projects up until 1993. For Guillermo Del Toro, I can knock him out fairly quickly. While he made films before. His first major one was Cronos, which ITTL was replaced by Meat Market: A Love Story, which is an OTL cancelled film starring Ron Perlman and is a Hamlet/ Phantom of the Opera story set in a meat market.
For James Cameron his real start is on Piranha II: The Spawning(1981) ITTL, which he was technically a director of but another director recut his film OTL. He considers The Terminator(1984) Cameron then directed TTL’s Rambo: First Blood Part II, which is titled First Blood II: The Mission(1985). This is because ITTL Rambo actually dies at the end of First Blood and First Blood II: The Mission is actually a prequel. Cameron OTL wrote a screenplay that Stallone reworked into what we know, including his own politics like Rambo’s Speech. Cameron then directed Aliens(1986), wrote the script for Alien Nation(1988), directed The Abyss (1989), Terminator 2: Judgement Day(1991) with only Edward Furlong changed since he was an ordinary kid Cameron saw and not an actor. Cameron wrote the script for Point Break(1991), and is currently busy on Spider-Man. which will be released in place of OTL's True Lies.
Also, on a meta level. Note what the First two Anime Live Action Movie Adaptations, of which there are many cancelled OTL that will be realized ITTL, are. They are dark stories rather than mainstream ones. While Both were already in production as in OTL, this also reflects the fact that the trend of Live Action Anime/Manga adaptations started with Monster, itself a darker story, which helped a Serial Killer Manga adaptation and a macabre film by the Goth guy get made.
[11] Due to Disney buying World Masterpiece Theater ITTL and using it to make White Fang, This OTL 1992 release is a year late.
[12]A combination of Ideas for Stardust Crusaders OTL here. These include turning Stardust Crusaders into an adaptation of Dracula. Hol Horse joining the group, and the intent to end the series here, which didn't happen as this part was the most popular by far. It's unlikely Jojo's Bizarre Adventure will end ITTL either.
[13] OTL due to the appearance of Miyuki as a Goddess for a few panels, some fans believe Oh My Goddess! Is a stealth sequel to You’re Under Arrest! or at least the idea came from that segment Think John Drake from Danger Man(a secret agent) is the same person as The Prisoner from the show of the same name(former agent who’s name is never revealed) or Leonardo Dicaprio's characters from Titanic and Inception are the same person.
[14]The OTL Mega Man: Upon a Star followed a kid sucked into the Megaman world. They were meant to teach kids about Japan while ITTL they are more straight action and adventure stories. It is also merged with the cancelled 1992 Anime Series which has a few scans seen here: https://www.rockman-corner.com/2021... Habara, these pieces,in the "planning phase".
The Sonic show it is competing with is 1993's Sonic the Hedgehog AKA "Sonic SatAm". Which has led to a more menacing Dr.Wily to counter the more menacing Dr.Eggman. As a result of this the Music and Darker Tone of the series is something close to the music of OTL's The Protomen, such as this:
