Tag: Time Bokan

Time Bokan Mechas: Time Mechabuton / Time Bokan I

The Time Mechabuton (better known as Time Bokan I or simply just the Time Bokan, Scorpion-2 in Time Fighters) is the primary mecha of the original series, created by Dr. Kieta and his assistants. Although it’s primary focus is time traveling, it’s also capable of flight and it does have some combat capabilities should the crew encounter a threat.

Upon completion, Dr. Kieta took it for a test run by himself, which resulted in Parrosuke traveling back in it without the doctor and thus setting off the plot of the show.

The Time Mechabuton’s based off a species of rhinoceros beetle native to Japan, in fact it’s name is a combination of the words “mecha” and Japanese word for beetle, kabutomushi. And for the “Bokan” in Time Bokan, it can be an Japanese onomatopoeia for an explosion (ボカン), and it can also be the word for carrier (usually spelt as ぼかん)

The biggest quirk about the Time Mechabuton (and the other time machines in this show) is that it time travels by exploding, opening up a hole in time and space for it to travel through. Initially traveling can make the passengers onboard disoriented, tossed around inside the cockpit, and even lose consciousness for a period of time, although this issue was seemingly ironed out by the 20th episode.

It and the later Time Bokan mechas all carry two smaller mechas that can perform functions that it cannot, and they are often used to turn the tide in a battle against Marjo’s gang. Although they also can also carry two people, most of the time only Tanpei is in one.

The Tentouki (combination of the Japanese words for ladybug, tentoumushi and time, toki, essentially Time Ladybug) is stored on top of the Mechabuton. Normally a flying aircraft, it has an extension that gives it wheels to drive on land and can also deploy two arms that contain various gadgets and weapons.

 Because of it’s multipurpose use it’s often used to handle several situations such as fights with the evil trio’s Gaikottsu mechas, even without leaving the Time Mechabuton. Interestingly, it’s depicted in the intro to have the ability to time travel on it’s own, although this is not actually shown in the show itself.

The Yago-Marine (basically Dragonfly Larva Submarine, may also be a pun based off the real life carrier ship Algomarine) is kept within the Mechabuton and is deployed from the bottom. As suggested it’s primarily a water based mecha, although it’s shown to be capable of flight. It was used rather sparingly compared to the Tentouki, possibly because it has more or less the same features.

While not as popular as the later Yatter-Wan, the Time Mechabuton is still quite iconic to the series as a whole and tends to make cameos across subsequent series, as a callback to the original show and/or tying into an episode’s insect motif.  

Yatterman 1977 Character Biography: Gan-chan / Yatterman-1

Gan Takada, also known as Yatterman-1 or by his nickname Gan-chan (said nickname being his actual name in Italy as Ganchan), is the 13 year old son of a toymaker who, alongside his girlfriend Ai-chan, are the Yatterman who battle to stop the Dorombo gang from retrieving fragments of the Dokuro Stone.

He took it upon himself to finish the Yatter-Wan mecha that was left incomplete by his father, with some assistance from Ai-chan. Upon it’s completion, they decide to become heroes and fight crime, a decision that’s cemented when they find out about the Dorombo gang’s search for the Dokuro Stone.

Gan-chan’s usual clothes are a blue jumpsuit, with a black unitard worn beneath it, and a matching blue cap. He turns his jumpsuit and cap inside out to a different set of colours as Yatterman-1. They become a white jumpsuit and a black hat, with a red mask and matching gloves added to the appearance.

From what’s displayed from Gan-chan’s personality, he’s comparable to Tanpei in that he gets flustered easily and can be a bit cheeky. Despite that, he has a strong sense of justice and seeks to  A bit too strong perhaps, as he’ll sometimes find excuses to punish the Dorombo gang at any given moment, and refuses to sympathize with them at all.

When Gan-chan gets into a scuffle with a villain, he brings out the Kenda-Magic, styled after a Japanese toy known as a kendama, similar to a cup and ball toy. On top is a ball attached to a sting with a long reach that can hit hard, entangle foes, and is capable of electrocuting anything that touches the string with the press of a button.

The Kenda-Magic isn’t the only crafty toy he has. A gadget used only in episode 31 is the Karu Koma (Curling Top), that splits into two and spins it’s target around in circles. Another one is the Shuru Shuru Cutter, a weapon that shoots a beam that can cut through metal, though he only used it twice (technically once since the second time occurred in a dream Boyacky was having).

13 years later, Gan-chan and Ai-chan have gotten married and are enjoying their honeymoon, to the point where it takes them quite a bit to notice that the Dorombo gang are up to no good again. Both of them appear to be over it by the Banpresto games, where they quickly respond to the gang’s antics and even band the other Time Bokan heroes together to stop them.

Gan-chan appears in all versions of Tatsunoko vs. Capcom. He is a quick hitting fighter that has a decent range with his Kenda-Magic, although his low health makes it easy for him get KO’d if he’s not careful. While effective on his own, he calls upon Yatter-Wan for his supers to really cause some pain.

Following the defeat of Yami, Gan-chan and Yatter-Wan attempt to escort the Street Fighter characters to safety. In his original Cross Generation of Heroes ending, he winds up recruiting them and various Capcom characters as “Yatterman 4-9” to stop the Dorombo gang during a bank heist.

In his Ultimate All-Stars ending, based off of the Royal Revival OVAs, he is joined by Ai-chan, whom he narrowly saves from falling off battlefield. The two lovingly gaze at one another whilst Yatter-Wan observes the romantic scene, unknowingly running over the Street Fighters.

Time Bokan Character Biography: Tanpei

Tanpei (called Cosmo in South America and Jett in Time Fighters) is the main hero of the original Time Bokan. A hot-blooded boy at the age of 13 always sporting a blue jumpsuit and helmet, he travels alongside Junko and Chorobo in the Time Bokan to find Dr. Kieta and the elusive Dynamonds before Marjo and her gang can.

While little is shown of Tanpei’s life other than being Dr. Kieta’s assistant, he is a skilled mechanic and is good at making technology, since he built Chorobo and often repairs the Time Bokan after a battle. He’s also shown to be a fairly adept fighter, being able to take on a handful of thugs with relative ease with his own strength or through one of the Time Bokan mechas.

Tanpei can be a bit brash and cocky, often showing off and getting riled up over remarks made about him. He also gets easily flustered in the company of pretty girls, much to Junko’s chagrin, and is quite panicky over small things.

Because of that Tanpei will sometimes run into trouble because of his attitude, but he has a good heart, a strong sense of justice, and tries to ensure that everything works out alright in the end.

In a way he can be considered a good counterpart to Marjo, in that both are reckless and determined to achieve their goals no matter what. But while Marjo is self serving and her antics often lead to her defeat, Tanpei will help others out and is able to get himself out of some tight jams at the last second.

Ohno Satoshi, a member of the Japanese boyband group Arashi, dons Tanpei’s costume when fighting against the Dorombo gang’s robots in the animated music video for the group’s song “Believe”. Unlike the rest of Arashi, who gain weapons matching their respective counterparts, Satoshi’s is purely cosmetic and relies on directly fighting with punches and kicks, much like the real Tanpei did.

Though not as flashy as the subsequent Time Bokan heroes, Tanpei’s courage and determination was something that would be carried on through them.