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Yatterman Night
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| Yatterman Night | |
 Promotional visual featuring (from left to right) Elephantus, Leopard, and Voltkatze. | |
| 夜ノヤッターマン (Yoru no Yattāman) | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Comedy drama, fantasy, science fiction |
| Created by | Tatsunoko Production |
| Anime television series | |
| Directed by | Tatsuya Yoshihara |
| Produced by | Atsushi Moriyama Kozo Misawa |
| Written by | Kazuyuki Fudeyasu |
| Music by | Tatsuya Kato |
| Studio | Tatsunoko Production |
| Licensed by | |
| Original network | Tokyo MX, ytv, CTV, BS NTV |
| English network | |
| Original run | January 13, 2015 – March 31, 2015 |
| Episodes | 12 |
Yatterman Night (夜ノヤッターマン, Yoru no Yattāman) is an anime television series by Tatsunoko Production. The series celebrates the 40th anniversary of the Time Bokan franchise and is inspired by Tatsunoko's 1970s anime series Yatterman. The series aired in Japan between January 13 and March 31, 2015 and is licensed in North America by Funimation.
Plot
[edit]A long time ago, the Yattermen were heroes of justice who fought against the evil Doronbow Gang, exiling them and bringing peace to the Yatter Kingdom. Several generations later, however, the Yattermen have since become corrupt with power while everyone else has been forced to live in poverty and despair. After losing her mother to the Yattermen's selfishness, Leopard, a direct good descendant of the gang's leader Doronjo, reforms the Doronbow Gang with Boyacky and Tonzra's good descendants, Voltkatze and Elephantus, to rebel against the corrupt Yattermen.[2]
Characters
[edit]- Leopard (レパード, Repādo) / Doronjo (ドロンジョ)
- Voiced by: Eri Kitamura
- A 9-year old girl who is a direct good descendant of the Doronbow Gang's leader, Doronjo. When her mother dies as a result of the current Yattermen not allowing her to get the medicine she needed, Leopard reforms the Doronbow Gang to take vengeance against the Yatter Kingdom.
- Voltkatze (ヴォルトカッツェ, Vorutokattse) / Boyacky (ボヤッキー, Boyakkī)
- Voiced by: Hiroaki Hirata
- Boyacky's good descendant, who serves as the brain of the group by creating various machines out of bits and pieces.
- Elephantus (エレパントゥス, Erepantusu) / Tonzra (トンズラー, Tonzurā)
- Voiced by: Kenta Miyake
- Tonzra's good descendant, who serves as the brawn of the group with his large and strong build.
- Dokurobey (ドクロベエ, Dokurobē)
- Voiced by: Hori
- A skull that fell to Earth long ago and helped form the original Doronbow Gang. It is later revealed that he is the one posing as the current Yatterman as revenge against humanity for his past failures.
- Lord Oda (オダさま, Oda-sama)
- Voiced by: Chiaki Takahashi
- Leopard's pet pig. Able to speak, he takes the role of the funny little pig robot cheering up the original Doronbow Gang.
- Galina (ガリナ, Garina) / Yatterman-1
- Voiced by: Hiroyuki Yoshino
- A 17-year old boy whose parents were killed by the evil mastermind whom he believed to be the "Yatterman". He is nicknamed Gatchan. He joins the Doronbow Gang on their journey, making them their new outfits. He generally lacks self-confidence, often using a dice to make his decisions. As time goes on, he starts having lessons on mechanics from Voltkatze. He is childhood friends with Alouette and is very protective of her. Doronjo has feelings for him, a fact she takes some time to accept. By the time the evil mastermind whose masquerading as the Yatterman known as Dokurobey is revealed, he becomes the new Yatterman-1 in episode 12.
- Alouette (アルエット, Aruetto) / Yatterman-2
- Voiced by: Shizuka Itō
- A 17-year old girl and childhood friend of Galina, who calls her Ally for short. Like Galina, her parents were killed by the evil mastermind whom believed to be the "Yatterman", but she is in denial over their deaths. She is very kind-hearted and considers Leopard to be her angel. By the time the evil mastermind whose masquerading as the Yatterman known as Dokurobey is revealed, she becomes the new Yatterman-2 in episode 12.
- General Goro (ゴロー将軍, Gorō-shogun)
- Voiced by: Nobuyuki Hiyama
- A general working for Yatterman Army. He uses Yatterpug as his robot weapon and fights with an electrical cane. He is hinted to know Galina from before and his dog is friendly with Galina. He is later revealed to be Alouette's father, Gorozo (ゴロゾウ, Gorozō), who converted into a cyborg by Dokurobey and wiped of his memories. After regaining his memories, he sacrifices himself to help out Allouette without her ever knowing his fate.
- Twelve Yatter Guardian Gods (ヤッター十二神将, Yattā Jū-ni Shinshōhō)
- Voiced by: Kentarō Itō, Akio Suyama, Ryōta Takeuchi
- A group of cyborgs who, along with Goro, form twelve generals serving Yatterman. They were all programmed so that they can only identify Dokurobey as the true Yatterman. Their respective names, based on numbers, are Ichiro, Jiro, Saburo, Shiro, Rokuro, Nana, Hachi-Yellow, Kyuro, Juro, Juichiro, and Juniro.
- Yatter Soldiers (ヤッター兵, Yattā-hei)
- Voiced by: Yasuaki Takumi (male), Noriko Shitaya (female)
- Robotics soldiers modelled after the original Yatterman-1 and Yatterman-2, of which there are a large quantity of. Before the advent of General Goro, their field leader was a composite robot, half Yatterman-1 and half Yatterman-2. Instead of the original Kenda-magic and Electric Cane of their human predecessors, they use deadly laser pistols.
- Dorothy (ドロシー, Doroshī)
- Voiced by: Shizuka Itō
- Leopard's mother, who died from illness after the Yattermen refused to let Leopard and the others obtain medicine for her.
Production
[edit]The series by Tatsunoko Production began to air in Japan between January 13 and March 31, 2015. The series is directed by Tatsuya Yoshihara and written by Kazuyuki Fudeyasu, with music by Tatsuya Katou and character design by Keisuke Goto. The opening theme is "Kyokugen Dreamer" (極限Dreamer, Limit Dreamer) by Screen Mode whilst the ending theme is "Jōnetsu Continue" (情熱CONTINUE, Passion Continue) by Sphere. The anime is licensed in North America by Funimation, who are simulcast the series as it aired.[3]
Episode list
[edit]| No. | Title | Original release date [4] | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The World is Pitch-Black" "Sekai wa Makkura Yami" (世界は真っ暗闇) | January 13, 2015 | |
|
Outside of the prestigious Yatter Kingdom is a country of poverty. There, a young girl named Leopard learns that her mother, Dorothy, and her two close friends, Voltkatze and Elephantus, are direct descendants of the Doronbow Gang; Doronjo, Boyacky, and Tonzra, whose battle against the Yattermen long ago led to their people becoming exiled and living in poverty. Dorothy encourages Leopard to become a good girl and not become a villain like her ancestors. However, on the day of Leopard's ninth birthday, Dorothy develops an illness that cannot be treated with their country's medicine. Wanting to save her mother, Leopard goes with Voltkatze and Elephantus to try to get some help from the Yatter Kingdom, only to be attacked by the current Yattermen, who are shown to be cruel unlike their heroic ancestors, leaving them unable to prevent Dorothy from succumbing to her illness. Deciding the Yatterman are not the heroes she admired, Leopard takes on the name of Doronjo and forges a new Doronbow Gang with Voltkatze and Elephantus to get revenge on the Yatter Kingdom. | |||
| 2 | "We'll Give Yatterman a Forehead Flicking" "Yattāman ni Dekopin o" (ヤッターマンにデコピンを) | January 20, 2015 | |
|
Leopard and her new Doronbow Gang learn that they might be able to sneak into the Yatter Kingdom through an abandoned train tunnel. Making their way through the tunnel and arriving in the Yatter Kingdom, the gang come up against a pair of Yatter Soldiers and fight against them using a Forehead Flicking Mecha. However, they discover the Yatter Soldiers are actually robots, with an entire army showing up against them and destroying their mech. After barely escaping the Yatter Soldiers, Leopard and the others take shelter in an empty house to dry off. Just then, a young blind girl shows up at the house, believing Leopard to be her angel. | |||
| 3 | "We're Not Angels But We'll Pretend To Be" "Ore-tachi wa Tenshi janai kedo Tenshi no Furi o suru" (俺たちは天使じゃないけど天使のフリをする) | January 27, 2015 | |
|
As the gang pretend to be angels for the girl, who introduces herself as Alouette, her childhood friend, Galina, shows up. Despite being suspicious of the gang, Galina decides not to report them to the Yatter Soldier when they come around searching for them. Galina explains how both his and Alouette's parents were killed by the Yattermen whilst working in their capital, Yatter Metropolis, asking the gang to leave in the morning so as to not put Alouette in danger. The next day, the gang take their leave, but return when Galina and Alouette are confronted by the Yatter Soldier for harboring them. Using an explosive mech to escape, the gang take Alouette and Galina with them on their journey to Yatter Metropolis. | |||
| 4 | "Steamy Outdoor Hot Spring Trip" "Yukemuri Rotenburo Kikō" (湯けむり露天風呂紀行) | February 3, 2015 | |
|
While on their journey, the gang meet a pregnant woman named Mitchan and her husband Beene, and help them out with some chores. After taking a dip in the hot springs, the gang return to find the Yatter Soldiers taking away several villagers, including Beene, to work heavy labor in Yatter Metropolis for 35 years. Feeling sorry for Mitchan, Leopard and the others beat the Yatter Soldier and rescue Beene, hoping to take the couple back to their home, while a Yatterman General named Goro attempts to track them down. Not wanting Mitchan to suffer, Beene reveals the Doronbow Gang's location to Goro in the hopes he will be pardoned from his heavy labor. After overwhelming the gang with his fighting skill and YatterPug mech, Goro goes back on his word and takes Mitchan's husband away anyway, leaving Mitchan devastated and Leopard more determined than ever to beat the Yattermen. | |||
| 5 | "The Hurricane Dedicated to His Mother" "Haha ni Sasageru Harikēn" (母に捧げるハリケーン) | February 10, 2015 | |
|
The gang come across a boy named Takeshi who enters himself and Galina into a sumo tournament. After some intense training, the two inevitably face off against each other in the semi-finals, with Takeshi winning easily. However, Takeshi's final opponent turns out to be a giant Yatter Mech who, despite some tough resistance from Takeshi, overpowers him. Realising the entire tournament was rigged in the Yattermen's favor, the Doronbow Gang bring out their own Genghiskhan mech to fight against the Yatter Mechs. Defeating all of the mechs and becoming the champions of all the fighting tournaments, Leopard gives their winnings to Takeshi so he can help his mother. | |||
| 6 | "The Flower That Blooms in Winter" "Fuyu ni Saku Hana" (冬に咲く花) | February 17, 2015 | |
|
With the gang constantly being pursued by Goro, Leopard gets upset when Voltkatze and Elephantus tell her to give up on pursuing the Yattermen and goes off on her own, only to be chased by Yatter Soldiers. Meanwhile, as the others are also ambushed, they end up leaving behind Galina, who is captured by Goro. Winding up all alone and injured, Leopard is rescued by an old man who treats her injuries and gives her shelter. The next morning, as Goro prepares to have Galina executed to lure out the gang, Doronjo, encouraged by the man's words, goes to rescue him, soon aided by the rest of the gang in their Flower Picker Mech. | |||
| 7 | "Dream Sea" "Yume no Umi" (夢の海) | February 24, 2015 | |
|
Delirious from hunger after days without food, the gang come across a masochistic fisherman named Ryu, who they initially believe to be a turtle that would take them to the Sea God's Palace like in the legend of Urashima Tarō. Taking advantage of this, Goro sends a turtle, which the gang are too delirious to identify as a Yatter Mech, to take them to an underwater power plant disguised as the Sea God's Palace, where the Yatter Soldiers lay a trap for them. While the others are knocked out by sleeping gas, Ryu tells Galina, who snaps out of his delusion, about his dream to escape through the walls surrounding Yatter Kingdom and find his own Sea God's Palace. After waking up the others, Galina comes up with an escape plan in which the gang use an Octopus Mech as a decoy while they escape using a Squid Mech. When the Yatter Soldiers pursue them with their own Yattersunfish Mech, the gang steer it into one of the fans in the wall, allowing Ryu and his turtle friends to swim through to the other side. | |||
| 8 | "Kussie of Lake Kussharo-Dessharo" "Kussharo-Dessharo Mizuumi no Kusshī" (クッシャロデッシャロ湖のクッシー) | March 3, 2015 | |
|
While treating Leopard as she comes down with a fever, Galina tells her about Allouette's father, Gorozo, who entrusted him with Allouette's protection, while Leopard seems to develop feelings for him. Meanwhile, Allouette comes across Kussie, a monster from Lake Kussharo-Dessharo whose mother was captured by Goro and Yatter Soldiers, who wanted to use the nearby land for a factory. Despite her fever, Leopard decides to help Kussie reunite with his mother and the group head to Lake Kussharo-Dessharo, where Kussie's mother is being held captive. Just as Goro corners them, he is distracted by the lavender scent coming off of Allouette, giving Kussie's mother the chance to break free and counterattack, allowing mother and child to be reunited. | |||
| 9 | "Abareshi Prison" "Abareshi Daikangoku" (アバレシ番外地) | March 10, 2015 | |
|
Down to his last chance, Goro manages to capture Leopard, Voltkatze, and Elephantus and takes them to Abareshi Prison, an allegedly inescapable place. Looking for a way to escape themselves, Galina and Allouette come across an abandoned racing car being guarded by a monkey named Sanpee, whose owner is no longer around. Wanting to save his friends, Galina fixes up the car, which has a self-driving AI, and the group head off to intercept the paddywagon carrying the gang before it reaches the prison. As they catch up them, Goro once again gets distracted by Allouette and is knocked into the sea by Galina, who fights off the Yatter Soldiers and reunites with the others. Whilst trying to steer the wagon away from the prison, Galina accidentally speeds it up, destroying the prison instead. As Goro is thrown into prison for his failure, Doronjo and the others finally arrive at Yatter Metropolis. | |||
| 10 | "The Twelve Yatter Guardian Gods' Encirclement" "Yattā Jū-ni Shinshōhōi-mō" (ヤッター十二神将包囲網) | March 17, 2015 | |
|
On their way towards the tower in the center of Yatter Metropolis, where they believe Yatterman to be hiding, the gang survey the factories people are being forced to work in. Upon nearing the inner city, they are confronted by the other generals of the Twelve Yatter Guardian Gods, who Goro was formerly a part of, and are quickly captured. Before they can be executed, they are requested to be brought before Yatterman, who they are shocked to discover is actually the original Doronbow mastermind, Dokurobey. | |||
| 11 | "The Truth About Yatter Metropolis" "Shinjitsu no Yattā Metoroporisu" (真実のヤッター・メトロポリス) | March 24, 2015 | |
|
Dokurobey explains how many years ago, he and the original Doronbow Gang fought against the original Yattermen in order to reclaim the Dokuro Stones that made up his body. After years of failure, Dokurobey exiled the Doronbow descendants and declared war on the world, defeating the Yattermen in the process. Deciding to punish mankind further, Dokurobey took on the name of Yatterman, making humans work for and admire him without them knowing his true identity. As the gang try to find their way out of prison, Goro recalls he was once Allouette's father, Gorozo, who along with his dog was captured by Dokurobey and made into a cyborg following a near-fatal accident. Learning of this, Goro uses the last of his strength to help the gang escape on a mech, which is soon shot down by Dokurobey. | |||
| 12 | "The Dawn" "Yoake" (夜明け) | March 31, 2015 | |
|
Feeling they cannot defeat Dokurobey on their own, Leopard and the others try to spread the word that Yatterman is actually Dokurobey, albeit to no avail. Believing the people will listen to Yatterman, Galina suggests that he and Allouette take on the role of Yatterman themselves. Regaining her sight, Allouette gives her thanks to Leopard and makes a promise with her to bring about a new dawn. After all the preparations are made, Leopard, realising that this will be the last time the gang will be able to work with Galina and Allouette, gives her farewell to Galina. Becoming the new Yatterman-1 and Yatterman-2, Galina and Allouette unite the citizens of the Yatter Kingdom before going to fight against Dokurobey, who grows himself to giant size, while the Doronbow Gang fight against the Yatter Generals. Using the power of their Yatterwan mech, the new Yattermen defeat Dokurobey and bring a new dawn to the Yatter Kingdom, allowing Leopard to return to a peaceful life. | |||
References
[edit]- ^ "Animax Asia to Air Black Bullet, Cross Ange, Rage of Bahamut, More in 2016". Anime News Network. December 24, 2015. Retrieved April 18, 2016.
- ^ "Yoru no Yatterman's Story, January TV Premiere Revealed - News". Anime News Network. 2014-10-27. Retrieved 2015-08-10.
- ^ "Funimation to Stream Tatsunoko's Yoru no Yatterman Anime - News". Anime News Network. 2015-01-09. Retrieved 2015-08-10.
- ^ "夜ノヤッターマン". Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Archived from the original on November 10, 2016. Retrieved February 25, 2017.
External links
[edit]- Official site Archived 2021-01-26 at the Wayback Machine (in Japanese)
- Yatterman Night (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
Yatterman Night
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
Background and Context
Origins in Time Bokan Franchise
Yatterman Night originates as a spin-off within Tatsunoko Production's long-running Time Bokan franchise, which debuted in 1975 with the eponymous Time Bokan series featuring episodic adventures of young heroes battling a recurring trio of bumbling villains styled as the Doronbo Gang, often deploying giant mecha in quests for mythical artifacts.[5] The franchise's signature elements—comedic villainy, mechanical inventions, and moral binaries between ingenuity-driven protagonists and scheming antagonists—recur across installments, with Yatterman (1977–1979) as its second and most enduring entry, spanning 108 episodes centered on teenage inventors Gan and Ai Takada operating as Yatterman-1 and Yatterman-2 to thwart the Doronbo Gang's pursuit of Skull Stones concealing the Dokuro Stone's location.[6] Produced explicitly to commemorate the franchise's 40th anniversary in 2015, Yatterman Night (broadcast January 10 to March 28, 2015, across 12 half-hour episodes) recontextualizes these origins by projecting a dystopian future centuries after the original Yatterman events, where the once-heroic Yattamen have consolidated power into the authoritarian Yatter Kingdom, exiling Doronbo descendants into destitution and inverting the franchise's archetypal roles to depict the latter as resilient protagonists challenging systemic tyranny.[7][8] This narrative pivot preserves Time Bokan's motifs of mecha combat and Doronbo resilience but amplifies causal consequences of unchecked heroism, portraying the Yattamen's victory as engendering oppression rather than perpetual justice, a departure from the originals' lighthearted episodic resets.[9] The series' ties to Yatterman extend to character lineages and lore: protagonists Leopard, Elephant, and Slipper represent generational heirs to the Doronbo Gang's legacy, while antagonists embody corrupted Yatterman ideals under "Lord Yatterman" (revealed as a evolved Dokurobei figure), directly referencing the Skull Stone saga's unresolved implications in a world reshaped by its artifacts' power.[1] This framing honors the franchise's empirical progression from 1975's foundational comedy to 2015's reflective sequel, leveraging Time Bokan's serialized villain persistence—unique among early entries for lacking a fixed mecha, emphasizing adaptive ingenuity—to explore long-term societal fallout from heroic dominance.[10]Announcement and Development Intent
Tatsunoko Production announced the production of Yatterman Night (Yoru no Yatterman) on October 21, 2014, via its official Twitter account and a teaser website that provided minimal details beyond the title and a shadowy visual motif. This initial reveal sparked online discussion regarding the project's potentially darker tone, contrasting the franchise's origins in lighthearted adventure comedy, though specifics on plot or cast were withheld at the time.[11][12] The series was developed explicitly to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Time Bokan franchise, which originated in 1975, by reimagining the 1977–1979 Yatterman as a dystopian sequel. In this narrative inversion, the traditionally villainous Doronbo Gang's descendants lead a resistance against a tyrannical Yatterman-controlled kingdom, blending action, drama, and themes of authoritarianism with franchise callbacks. Subsequent updates confirmed a January 11, 2015, premiere on networks including Tokyo MX and Yomiuri TV, with 12 episodes produced under Tatsunoko's oversight.[13][8][14]Plot Summary
Core Premise and Setting
Yatterman Night, known in Japanese as Yoru no Yatterman, is set several generations after the original Yatterman series within the Time Bokan franchise, where the Yattermen defeated the Doronbo Gang and established the Yatter Kingdom.[3] In this timeline, the once-heroic Yattermen have imposed a despotic regime, transforming the kingdom into an oppressive society that enforces strict control through advanced robotics and mecha, while exiling the Doronbo descendants to live in poverty outside its walls.[1] The core premise revolves around Leopard, a 9-year-old descendant of Doronjo, who inherits her ancestor's mantle and assembles a new Doronbo Gang—including her mother Dorothy, the inventive Voltkatze (descendant of Boyacky), and the sturdy Elephantus (descendant of Tonzura)—to rebel against the Yatterman tyranny after discovering the regime's brutality during a quest for medicine.[3] This narrative inverts the original roles, portraying the former villains' heirs as protagonists fighting for justice against corrupted heroes, exploring themes of legacy, power's corrupting influence, and the blurred lines between good and evil.[1] The setting depicts a dystopian world bifurcated by the fortified Yatter Kingdom, a self-proclaimed utopia boasting cutting-edge technology and perpetual daylight maintained by artificial means, contrasted sharply with the polluted, barren wasteland beyond its borders where survivors scavenge amid environmental degradation and resource scarcity.[3] The kingdom's enforcers, led initially by General Goro and his robotic legions, conduct raids and labor extractions on the outsiders, symbolizing the regime's exploitative grip.[1] This grim, post-conflict landscape underscores the series' departure from the original's comedic tone, incorporating darker elements like child labor, illness from pollution, and mechanized oppression to highlight causal consequences of unchecked authority.[3] The story's events, spanning 12 episodes aired from January to March 2015, unfold primarily in these divided territories, with conflicts escalating from border skirmishes to assaults on the kingdom's core.[1]Major Story Arcs and Resolution
The series unfolds across three primary story arcs, spanning its 12 episodes aired from January 11 to March 29, 2015.[1] In the initial arc, episodes 1 through 4, Leopard, a nine-year-old descendant of the original Doronjo, assembles a new iteration of the Doronbo Gang with Voltkatze (descendant of Boyacky) and Elephantus (descendant of Tonzura) to challenge the tyrannical Yatter Kingdom, a dystopian regime established by the victorious Yattermen generations prior.[14] Living in poverty on the kingdom's outskirts amid a post-apocalyptic world scarred by Dokurobei's earlier destruction of the moon and infrastructure, the gang targets Yatterman enforcers—initially perceived as robotic guardians enforcing brutal labor and surveillance—to secure resources for Leopard's ailing mother.[2] Early confrontations highlight the regime's corruption, as the protagonists evade capture and garner tentative allies, shifting the narrative from petty theft to organized resistance against systemic oppression.[15] The middle arc, encompassing episodes 5 through 9, escalates into broader infiltration and alliance-building within the Yatter Metropolis. The Doronbo Gang ventures deeper into the kingdom, uncovering layers of propaganda that portray their ancestors as villains while concealing the Yattermen's descent into authoritarianism.[14] Key developments include encounters with figures like Galina, a Yatterman defector, and Alouette, whose lineage ties back to the original heroes, fostering internal conflicts and revelations about manipulated history.[2] Battles intensify against upgraded Yatterman units, exposing the regime's reliance on mind-control mechanisms and forced conscription, as the gang rallies exiled descendants and sabotages key facilities to erode the kingdom's control.[16] This phase emphasizes causal shifts from individual survival to collective uprising, with the protagonists' mecha innovations—echoing original series motifs—proving pivotal in asymmetric warfare.[14] The final arc, episodes 10 through 12, culminates in revelations and resolution. In episode 11, the gang penetrates the core of Yatter authority, disclosing that Dokurobei—the original antagonist—survives as the masked Lord Yatterman, having hijacked the heroes' legacy to impose eternal dominion via subservient shoguns and red-eyed control devices.[2] [17] The climactic confrontation in episode 12, titled "The Dawn," sees the Doronbo Gang, bolstered by allies, dismantle Dokurobei's forces in a decisive assault on the metropolis.[14] Dokurobei's defeat liberates the kingdom, prompting Galina and Alouette to assume roles as reformed Yatterman-1 and Yatterman-2, restoring heroic ideals without perpetuating tyranny. The original gang disbands, with Leopard and her comrades returning to civilian life, symbolizing a cycle's closure and hope for unoppressed renewal.[2] This ending underscores themes of historical revisionism's perils, verified through the series' narrative payoff where empirical confrontation overrides inherited narratives.[18]Characters
Protagonist Group: New Doronbo Gang
The New Doronbo Gang serves as the central protagonist faction in Yatterman Night, comprising descendants of the original Doronbo Gang from the classic Yatterman series, who unite to overthrow the tyrannical Yatter Kingdom established by the victorious Yattermen generations earlier.[14] Formed in response to the kingdom's oppressive rule, which enforces strict surveillance, resource hoarding, and suppression of dissent, the group adopts the aliases and roles of their ancestors to symbolize resistance against distorted heroism.[19] Their formation is triggered by the death of Leopard's mother, a casualty of Yatterman indifference during a crisis, prompting Leopard to reject the sanitized historical narrative of Yatterman as benevolent saviors.[20] Leopard (Doronjo) leads the gang as its strategic commander and charismatic figurehead, embodying the original Doronjo's flair while channeling youthful determination and grief-fueled resolve. At age 9, she inherits her mother's stories of the old Doronbo Gang's exploits, initially idolizing the Yattermen before discovering their regime's brutality, which includes neglecting peripheral regions like the one housing Doronbo descendants.[21] Voiced by Eri Kitamura, Leopard pilots mecha reminiscent of classic Doronbo designs, emphasizing agility and deception in combat against Yatterman enforcers.[14] Voltkatze (Boyacky) functions as the technical genius and inventor, mirroring the original Boyacky's gadgeteering expertise with innovations adapted for guerrilla warfare, such as stealth drones and sabotage devices to disrupt Yatter Kingdom infrastructure.[22] His analytical skills prove crucial in decoding Yatterman propaganda and reverse-engineering their technology, often providing the gang with tactical edges during infiltration missions.[2] Elephantus (Tonzura) provides brute strength and frontline muscle, akin to the original Tonzura's role, handling heavy lifting, direct assaults, and protection duties with enhanced physical prowess suited to the post-apocalyptic setting.[22] His loyalty bolsters group morale, particularly in defensive stands against Yatterman-1 and Yatterman-2's robotic legions.[21] The trio's dynamic evolves from reluctant alliance to familial bond, leveraging inherited mecha and improvised weapons to challenge the regime's monopoly on power, ultimately aiming to dismantle the Yattermen's cult of personality and restore balance.[20] Their efforts highlight themes of cyclical history and the perils of unchecked victory, positioning them as underdogs who repurpose villainous legacy for liberation.[2]Antagonist Forces: Yatterman Regime
The Yatterman Regime constitutes the central antagonistic entity in Yatterman Night, ruling the Yatter Kingdom as a dystopian autocracy established in the aftermath of the original Yatterman's triumph over the Doronbo Gang. Founded ostensibly to foster prosperity and order in the region of Dekkaido, the kingdom under regime control devolved into a system of enforced labor, economic exploitation, and pervasive surveillance, with citizens subjected to grueling work in factories and mines to sustain the elite's opulent capital. This shift from heroic origins to tyranny is evidenced by widespread poverty outside the metropolis and the regime's aggressive isolationism, barring access to essential resources like medicine for those deemed outsiders.[1][23] The regime's leadership is embodied by Lord Yatterman, unmasked in the narrative as Dokurobei—the immortal mastermind from the Time Bokan saga—who seized power by defeating the original Yattermen, destroying the moon, and reshaping global society into his vision of control, all while propagating myths that portray the Yattermen as eternal saviors. Dokurobei's governance relies on propaganda to demonize the Doronbo lineage as inherent villains, justifying purges and the erasure of historical truths, such as the cataclysmic events he orchestrated. Complementing this is Lady Yatterman, serving as a symbolic counterpart in public displays of authority.[2][24] Militarily, the regime deploys Yatter Soldiers—robotic infantry units—and advanced mecha patrols operated by New Yattermen descendants or automatons, which enforce compliance through patrols, taxation raids, and summary executions of rebels. General Goroh emerges as a prominent field commander, directing operations with tactical acumen and overseeing punitive campaigns against incursions, such as those by the protagonist New Doronbo Gang, often utilizing hybrid Yatterman constructs blending Yatterman-1 and Yatterman-2 technologies prior to his ascendancy. These forces exemplify the regime's fusion of technological superiority with brutal efficiency, responding to threats with overwhelming firepower and psychological intimidation to preserve the facade of a utopian realm.[1][2]Supporting and Historical Figures
Sir Oda, a diminutive pig character serving as the loyal companion and mascot to the new Doronbo Gang, provides comic relief and minor assistance during their travels, echoing the role of Odate from prior Time Bokan entries. Voiced by Chiaki Takahashi, Sir Oda joins Leopard, Voltkatze, and Elephantus early in the series, accompanying them as they challenge the Yatter regime.[1] Dorothy, voiced by Shizuka Itō, appears as Leopard's deceased mother and a former resident of the impoverished outskirts, whose execution by Yatterman enforcers in 2015 (series chronology) ignites the protagonists' rebellion against the kingdom's oppression. Her backstory reveals the Yattermen's shift from protectors to tyrants, motivating Leopard to reclaim the Doronjo mantle.[25][26] Other supporting allies include defected Yatter Kingdom figures such as Alouette Gorozo (Yatterman-2 descendant, voiced by Shizuka Itō) and Galina (Yatterman-1 descendant, voiced by Hiroyuki Yoshino), who initially oppose the Doronbo Gang but join after witnessing systemic corruption, contributing mechanical expertise and combat support in later arcs. Civilian residents like Micchan and Takeshi sporadically aid the group with shelter or intelligence, highlighting grassroots resistance within the kingdom.[1][27] Historical figures central to the lore include the original Doronbo Gang—Doronjo, Boyacky, and Tonzura—exiled ancestors defeated by the inaugural Yatterman duo around the series' implied founding era, whose legacy inspires the protagonists' reformation of the gang. Dokurobei, the skeletal overlord from the franchise's past, is retroactively portrayed as the manipulative force behind the Yattermen's rise to power, culminating in his unmasking as the ultimate antagonist in episode 12. The original Yatterman-1 (Gan) and Yatterman-2 (Ai), inventive heroes who established the kingdom post-victory, are referenced in propaganda and flashbacks as flawed founders whose successors devolved into authoritarianism.[28][27]Production Details
Creative Team and Staffing
Tatsuya Yoshihara directed Yatterman Night, overseeing the series' subversion of the original Yatterman formula into a dystopian narrative.[1][29] Kazuyuki Fudeyasu handled series composition and wrote all 12 episodes, shaping the plot's focus on the Doronbo Gang's rise against a tyrannical regime.[1][29] Keisuke Gotō designed the characters, adapting the iconic Time Bokan aesthetic to fit the grim, post-victory world of the villains.[29][30] The production was led by Tatsunoko Production, the original studio behind the Time Bokan franchise, marking the series as a 40th-anniversary project.[29][14] Hiroshi Sasagawa, creator of the Time Bokan series, served as supervisor to ensure continuity with franchise roots.[1] Tatsuya Katō composed the music, contributing to the series' darker tone distinct from the original's comedic style.[29] Key production roles included chief producers Toshiyuki Watanabe and Yuji Kikukawa, who coordinated the effort under the Yoruno Yatterman Production Committee.[1]| Role | Staff Member |
|---|---|
| Director | Tatsuya Yoshihara |
| Series Composition | Kazuyuki Fudeyasu |
| Character Design | Keisuke Gotō |
| Music | Tatsuya Katō |
| Animation Production | Tatsunoko Production |
| Supervisor | Hiroshi Sasagawa |
Animation Techniques and Design Choices
Yatterman Night employs digital 2D animation techniques typical of mid-2010s Tatsunoko Production output, emphasizing fluid key animation for action sequences involving mecha combat and chases, with frequent use of smears, impact frames, and dynamic camera angles to heighten tension and movement.[31] Director Tatsuya Yoshihara, who also handled storyboarding and episode direction, incorporated exaggerated distortions and stretching in character movements reminiscent of Gainax-influenced styles, allowing for cartoony dynamism that contrasts the series' dystopian narrative while facilitating rapid shifts between comedic exaggeration and dramatic realism.[29][18] Key animators such as Ryu Nakayama and Shun Enokido contributed sakuga highlights, particularly in effects animation for explosions, lightning, and debris, enhancing the visual impact of battles without relying on extensive CGI integration.[31][32] Character designs, overseen by Keisuke Gotou, deliberately diverge from the original 1977 Yatterman series' uniformly whimsical, toy-like aesthetic, opting instead for a hybrid approach that alternates between semi-realistic proportions for human figures—emphasizing aged, weathered features to underscore themes of generational decay—and stylized, elongated forms for mecha and antagonists to evoke menace and mechanical oppression.[29][3] This variability supports the narrative's tonal flips, with brighter, saturated colors in flashback sequences evoking the original franchise's optimism, while desaturated palettes and stark shadows dominate the post-apocalyptic present, visually reinforcing the corruption of heroic ideals.[4] Mecha designs by Akira Amemiya and others prioritize angular, imposing silhouettes over the originals' playful roundness, using metallic textures and asymmetrical elements to symbolize tyrannical control, though the final episode suffered from rushed production, resulting in inconsistent linework and static frames.[15] Overall, these choices prioritize expressive storytelling over photorealism, aligning animation fluidity with the series' subversion of Time Bokan tropes.[33]Music and Sound Design
The background music for Yatterman Night was composed by Tatsuya Katō, whose score incorporated orchestral and electronic elements to underscore the series' dystopian tone and role-reversed action sequences.[34][29] The opening theme, "Kyokugen Dreamer" (極限Dreamer), performed by Screen Mode, features energetic rock instrumentation emphasizing themes of rebellion and perseverance, aligning with the protagonists' underdog struggle.[35] The ending theme, "Jōnetsu Continue" (情熱CONTINUE), by the voice actress group Sphere, adopts a more introspective pop style with vocal harmonies that reflect the narrative's focus on passion amid oppression.[36][1] Sound direction was handled by Yūichi Imaizumi, who coordinated audio production through HALF H·P STUDIO to integrate mechanical effects for mecha battles, ambient dystopian noises, and character-driven foley that heightened the regime's tyrannical atmosphere.[1][37] Sound effects were crafted by Kōsuke Ogata of Sound Box, emphasizing realistic impacts and environmental cues to ground the series' world-building in causal tension between technology and resistance.[1] The original soundtrack album, titled Yoru no Yatterman Original Soundtrack "Kiku Yatterman", was released by Lantis on January 21, 2015, spanning two CDs with 40 tracks of Katō's BGM—such as "Doronbow Ichimino Chindochu" for gang motifs and action cues—plus TV-sized theme versions, totaling over 70 minutes of audio.[38][39]Episode Guide
Yatterman Night consists of 12 episodes, each approximately 24 minutes in duration, broadcast weekly on Sundays from January 11, 2015, to March 29, 2015, primarily on Tokyo MX, ytv, and other Japanese networks.[1] [3] The series follows a linear narrative arc, with early episodes establishing the dystopian setting and the New Doronbo Gang's formation, mid-season installments building alliances and skirmishes against Yatterman enforcers, and the finale resolving the central conflict through revelations about the regime's origins.[1]| Episode | English Title | Original Air Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The World Is Pitch-Black | January 11, 2015[23] |
| 2 | We'll Give Yatterman a Forehead Flicking | January 18, 2015[40] [41] |
| 3 | We're Not Angels, But We'll Pretend to Be | January 25, 2015[40] |
| 4 | Steamy Outdoor Hot Spring Bath | February 1, 2015[23] |
| 10 | The Twelve Yatter Guardian Gods' Encirclement | March 15, 2015[42] |
| 11 | The Truth About Yatter Metropolis | March 22, 2015[42] |
| 12 | The Dawn | March 29, 2015[42] [1] |