Cyborg Kuro-chan
Encyclopedia
is a shōnen manga series created by Naoki Yokōchi, serialized in Kodansha
's Comic BonBon magazine. Eleven volumes of the manga were released between 1998 and 2002. It centers around the titular character, a housecat who is kidnapped and modified by a mad scientist to be a part of a cyborg army bent on world domination. Kuro breaks his control chip, escapes and becomes a vigilante
. Kuro has many allies, who help him out during instances such as urban destruction, parallel universes, outer space, and battles between other cats and cyborgs.
Cyborg Kuro-chan was adapted into an anime series produced by Studio Bogey for TV Tokyo
. The anime aired from 2 October 1999 to 6 January 2001 for 66 episodes. The manga and anime have been exported to several countries in Asia, Europe, and Africa. A large number of merchandise has been made based on the manga and anime, and two additional volumes, entitled Cyborg Kuro-chan: Extra Battle, were published. Reviews for the series note the simplistic and cartoonish art style, and a thin storyline which is mainly centered around gags and comedic violence.
, and transformed into a cyborg
with invincible steel frames and unlimited strength, the latest in a line of robot cats used for world domination, called the "Nyan-Nyan Army". He somehow, though, breaks a chip supposedly used to control him, and he escapes Go's laboratory as well as destroying it, while he now realizes that he is now bipedal and can speak human language. He comes to terms with his predicament, while maintaining his lifestyle as an average housecat. However, Go feels that Kuro is ungrateful to him, and he and the Nyan-Nyan Army, including the most well-known M, set out to find and kill him, though they eventually surrender and decide to live a more peaceful life.
Often, Kuro will save his owners and the city from trouble. He has multiple adversaries, including Go's Nyan-Nyan Army. Dr. Go and M help Kuro out in the toughest situations. Throughout the course of the series, there are phantasmal and extraordinary predicaments that Kuro and his friends must solve.
as a signature weapon. Kuro was voiced by Chika Sakamoto
.
Grandparents - The elderly couple who treat Kuro as a companion. They are not immune to trouble, never learn much, and are in need of Kuro's rescue frequently. However, they have no idea that Kuro is now a cyborg, though he intends to keep this secret.
- The main antagonist and a major antihero, an eccentric inventor who wishes world domination by creating cyborg cats as weapons of mass destruction. His plan completely backfired when Kuro was created with a full will of his own. He later stops from his plans in world domination and decides to live in a more peaceful way of living with M and later Kotaro. He maintains a friendly rivalry with Kuro. His real name is
Dr. Go is portrayed by Tetsu Hurusawa.
- A cyborg
cat created by Dr. Go to exterminate Kuro. He appears as a frequent "goon" of his but is in fact kind-hearted and noble. At a later part of the story where Go accepts defeat and turns down on his conquest to world domination, he is now often seen helping him and in times helping Kuro too. They are seen training together which often leads to them fighting for real which is to be stopped by Nana. Opposite to Kuro, M prefers a sword
as his standard weapon. He can add himself to any weapon and additional items to them. M was portrayed by Chiharu Tezuka
.
- An antihero, a regular cat who wears a red tattered "cape" and has an eyepatch over his right eye, indicating injury. He was a childhood friend of Kuro, but he declared himself his enemy after assuming the cause of his problems was him. His main weapon is a wooden boomerang
which he can use to hit targets at great distances. Whenever he is not fighting, he is seen hanging around on top of houses. He is skilled in craftsmanship and an experienced carpenter. Matatabi is portrayed by Makiko Ohmoto.
- A boy genius dressed in a cat suit who helps Go and M out by assisting in their inventions or building his own. He has an obsession over Kuro, and tries to prove to be as powerful as him. This idea of his was the result of being an outcast. He is experienced in technology, with an IQ of 200. The reviewer for Manga-News describes Kotaro as walling himself into his world of video games, but also regards Kotaro as an author surrogate
. Kotaro is portrayed by Rika Komatsu
.
- A female robot
with a cat-like appearance that was created by Kotaro from a table lamp. She develops a love interest in Kuro, who denies her; she accepts his rejection after numerous attempts to win his heart, though it is shown that he does care for her. Nana is portrayed by Hiromi Tsunakake
.
, and often gets himself involved into Kuro's shenanigans. Suzuki is portrayed by Toshiyuki Morikawa
.
- A female firefighter who is Suzuki's secret crush. She is a quick thinker in most situations, such as putting out even the least dangerous of fires in her debut appearance in the anime. Megumi is portrayed by Sayuri Yoshida
.
and - A duo of pole robot alien lovers. They are very optimistic, no matter what happens. They later marry and have a child together. Romeo is voiced by Kosuke Okano, while Juliet is voiced by Sayuri Yoshida.
- A girl with a deep hatred for Kuro and very powerful supernatural abilities, including ESP and telekinesis. Another notable feature of hers is her voluminous hair.
- Kotaro's robot friend. He was an ordinary lion, but he was involved in a near-death experience. Dr. Go successfully revived him in his current cyborg form. Dunk is quite timid, gentle, and pure. He is voiced by Isshin Chiba
.
- A trio of friendly aliens that boast incredibly dangerous weapons. They are often also seen wearing special bracelets that can enlarge or shrink their targets. Their names are , , and ; Yai is the leader. The aliens are anime-original characters.
- A boy Chieko met once. Goro came from an abusive household. He is a big dreamer, but he is a loser. He boasts a large scar from his abuse.
- A prince of the YaYaYa group. He bears a striking resemblance to Kuro. Malo is supposed to be courteous and he has the opposite personality from Kuro, but he eats like a vampire, and he also boasts offensive British gas
.
- A princess who looks exactly like Nana. Malo was supposed to marry her, but he refused. Despite her ladylike looks, she is actually quite selfish.
- A caricature of the manga's creator, Naoki Yokōchi. He makes fleeting appearances in some anime episodes. He is depicted wearing a purple trenchcoat with a similarly-colored hat.
- A squadron of cyborg cats created by Dr. Go. M is the first in the line, created by Go from the remains of his pet kitten. There are four other members - #2, nicknamed Spyder, who can expand his arms, legs, and neck, #3, who also fights with his own sword and boasts a panda disguise, #4, who also has a bad temper and is the most frequently encountered, and #5, who is seen with a robot companion, Lassie, and also uses a gatling gun.
between 1998 and 2002. In Germany, Egmont Manga & Anime
published the first three volumes. In France, Pika Édition
published the entire series. It has been published in Indonesia by M&C Comics
.
A sequel series, was published from 2005 to 2006. Like the original, it has been published in Indonesia by M&C Comics
.
. The anime aired from 2 October 1999 to 6 January 2001 for 66 episodes, although 71 were ordered.
The opening theme is Guruguru Kurochan by Lady Q, who also sung Damedame no Uta for Crayon Shin-chan
. Two closing themes were created. These are Positive Vibration by Sister K, and Parapara
Kurochan by Kyuu. The anime has been exported to several countries in Asia, Europe, and Africa. It has been broadcast on such channels including Spacetoon
and Italia 1
. The opening for the latter airing was sung by regular contributor Cristina D'Avena
and Giorgio Vanni
. Naoki Tatsuta
narrated the anime.
made toys based on the characters. Konami
published video games based on the series. Kaettekita Cyborg Kuro-Chan, a shoot 'em up
, was released for the PlayStation on 28 November 2002. Two Game Boy Color
games were also released: Cyborg Kuro-chan: Devil Fukkatsu!! on 23 March 2000, and Cyborg Kuro-chan 2: White Woods no Gyakushū on 19 October 2000. Official game guides were released for the Game Boy Color games.
, and described the drawing style as cartoonish, feeling that it supported the surreal tone of the manga, by reminding the reader that despite the "explosive ambiance" that this is a humorous series, intended for children. He felt that by the fourth volume, it was clear that Yokōchi intended to use simple characterisations (especially in Dr. Go's case), but felt that this was effective and heightened the contrast between the cuteness of the series and its depictions of mass destruction. Demay felt that the fifth volume, taking place in an alternate dimension, was a chance for Yokōchi to renew himself and to have a change of scenery, and noted that the backgrounds in this sequence are more detailed than usual. He felt that the story of Kuro-chan and Nana's true relationship was "cute and funny". Demay found the ninth volume "bleak", and hoped it was not a sign that the series was becoming tired, but was relieved to find that the tenth volume returned to humorous storylines. Demay was more prepared for the final volume's focus on action rather than comedy, but appreciated that the author "sprinkled through" many gags, which Demay felt Cyborg Kuro-chan would not be the same without, feeling that the it was an honorable conclusion to the series.
The reviewer for Manga-News felt that the parodies of the early volumes quickly ran thin, and that the author's attempt to revive the series by adding in multiple characters left the reviewer confused. He felt that the later volumes' turn into emotional scenes and tragedy did not suit the series. He noted the Die Hard
parody in the second volume, and felt that the references to Japanese culture in this volume were not adequately explained by Pika in the appendix. Despite this, he felt that it was accessible to a wide audience as most of the gags were visual gags. He described Kuro-chan as "a cross between Astroboy and Felix the Cat
on acid". He felt that the translation sometimes altered jokes when they were clear in the original, for example, removing a reference to Pikachu
. The reviewer for Manga-News noted that although the fifth volume concerned a more serious initial scenario and could be read independently of the others, that the storyline was more of the same silly humor and exaggerated violence. He felt that in the sixth volume, a "naive sentimentalism" clashed with the general ambiance of the series. In the seventh volume, there is a fight between Suzuki's students and Kuro in the desert, which the reviewer for Manga-News describes as inappropriate. In the ninth volume, the reviewer for Manga News felt that Chieko and Goro steal the stage from the main characters, and that the tenth volume was unfocused.
Kodansha
, the largest Japanese publisher, produces the manga magazines Nakayoshi, Afternoon, Evening, and Weekly Shonen Magazine, as well as more literary magazines such as Gunzō, Shūkan Gendai, and the Japanese dictionary Nihongo Daijiten. The company has its headquarters in Bunkyō, Tokyo...
's Comic BonBon magazine. Eleven volumes of the manga were released between 1998 and 2002. It centers around the titular character, a housecat who is kidnapped and modified by a mad scientist to be a part of a cyborg army bent on world domination. Kuro breaks his control chip, escapes and becomes a vigilante
Vigilante
A vigilante is a private individual who legally or illegally punishes an alleged lawbreaker, or participates in a group which metes out extralegal punishment to an alleged lawbreaker....
. Kuro has many allies, who help him out during instances such as urban destruction, parallel universes, outer space, and battles between other cats and cyborgs.
Cyborg Kuro-chan was adapted into an anime series produced by Studio Bogey for TV Tokyo
TV Tokyo
is a television station headquartered in Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Also known as , a blend of "terebi" and "Tokyo", it is the key station of TX Network. It is one of the major Tokyo television stations, particularly specializing in anime...
. The anime aired from 2 October 1999 to 6 January 2001 for 66 episodes. The manga and anime have been exported to several countries in Asia, Europe, and Africa. A large number of merchandise has been made based on the manga and anime, and two additional volumes, entitled Cyborg Kuro-chan: Extra Battle, were published. Reviews for the series note the simplistic and cartoonish art style, and a thin storyline which is mainly centered around gags and comedic violence.
Story
Kuro is a housecat for an old couple who cannot defend themselves and are in frequent danger. They rely on him to keep burglars from invading their house, at which he is skilled. Despite his courage, he is in love with the neighborhood dog, Pooly, and he sets out to confess this one day. While heading to see her, he and Pooly are ambushed and injured. Kuro is then kidnapped by Dr. Go, a mad scientistMad scientist
A mad scientist is a stock character of popular fiction, specifically science fiction. The mad scientist may be villainous or antagonistic, benign or neutral, and whether insane, eccentric, or simply bumbling, mad scientists often work with fictional technology in order to forward their schemes, if...
, and transformed into a cyborg
Cyborg
A cyborg is a being with both biological and artificial parts. The term was coined in 1960 when Manfred Clynes and Nathan S. Kline used it in an article about the advantages of self-regulating human-machine systems in outer space. D. S...
with invincible steel frames and unlimited strength, the latest in a line of robot cats used for world domination, called the "Nyan-Nyan Army". He somehow, though, breaks a chip supposedly used to control him, and he escapes Go's laboratory as well as destroying it, while he now realizes that he is now bipedal and can speak human language. He comes to terms with his predicament, while maintaining his lifestyle as an average housecat. However, Go feels that Kuro is ungrateful to him, and he and the Nyan-Nyan Army, including the most well-known M, set out to find and kill him, though they eventually surrender and decide to live a more peaceful life.
Often, Kuro will save his owners and the city from trouble. He has multiple adversaries, including Go's Nyan-Nyan Army. Dr. Go and M help Kuro out in the toughest situations. Throughout the course of the series, there are phantasmal and extraordinary predicaments that Kuro and his friends must solve.
Characters
Main
- The main character who was kidnapped by Dr. Go and turned into a cyborg cat, along with various features and weapons. He has a horrible temper, and gets angry and out of control easily, but he is noble and good-hearted. He uses a gatling gunGatling gun
The Gatling gun is one of the best known early rapid-fire weapons and a forerunner of the modern machine gun. It is well known for its use by the Union forces during the American Civil War in the 1860s, which was the first time it was employed in combat...
as a signature weapon. Kuro was voiced by Chika Sakamoto
Chika Sakamoto
is a Japanese voice actress from Tokyo affiliated with Arts Vision.-Television animation:*Baby and Me *Ashita no Nadja *Legend of the Mystical Ninja *Fighting Foodons *Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ...
.
Grandparents - The elderly couple who treat Kuro as a companion. They are not immune to trouble, never learn much, and are in need of Kuro's rescue frequently. However, they have no idea that Kuro is now a cyborg, though he intends to keep this secret.
- The main antagonist and a major antihero, an eccentric inventor who wishes world domination by creating cyborg cats as weapons of mass destruction. His plan completely backfired when Kuro was created with a full will of his own. He later stops from his plans in world domination and decides to live in a more peaceful way of living with M and later Kotaro. He maintains a friendly rivalry with Kuro. His real name is
Dr. Go is portrayed by Tetsu Hurusawa.
- A cyborg
Cyborg
A cyborg is a being with both biological and artificial parts. The term was coined in 1960 when Manfred Clynes and Nathan S. Kline used it in an article about the advantages of self-regulating human-machine systems in outer space. D. S...
cat created by Dr. Go to exterminate Kuro. He appears as a frequent "goon" of his but is in fact kind-hearted and noble. At a later part of the story where Go accepts defeat and turns down on his conquest to world domination, he is now often seen helping him and in times helping Kuro too. They are seen training together which often leads to them fighting for real which is to be stopped by Nana. Opposite to Kuro, M prefers a sword
Sword
A sword is a bladed weapon used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the historical epoch or the geographical region under consideration...
as his standard weapon. He can add himself to any weapon and additional items to them. M was portrayed by Chiharu Tezuka
Chiharu Tezuka
is a Japanese voice actor who works for Arts Vision.-Anime:*Karen Jordan in AD Police*Johnny in Beyblade*Marimo Marino in Crush Gear Turbo*Lasagna in Groove Adventure Rave*Yoshiharu Amachi in Let's Dance With Papa*Yumi/Mrs...
.
- An antihero, a regular cat who wears a red tattered "cape" and has an eyepatch over his right eye, indicating injury. He was a childhood friend of Kuro, but he declared himself his enemy after assuming the cause of his problems was him. His main weapon is a wooden boomerang
Boomerang
A boomerang is a flying tool with a curved shape used as a weapon or for sport.-Description:A boomerang is usually thought of as a wooden device, although historically boomerang-like devices have also been made from bones. Modern boomerangs used for sport are often made from carbon fibre-reinforced...
which he can use to hit targets at great distances. Whenever he is not fighting, he is seen hanging around on top of houses. He is skilled in craftsmanship and an experienced carpenter. Matatabi is portrayed by Makiko Ohmoto.
- A boy genius dressed in a cat suit who helps Go and M out by assisting in their inventions or building his own. He has an obsession over Kuro, and tries to prove to be as powerful as him. This idea of his was the result of being an outcast. He is experienced in technology, with an IQ of 200. The reviewer for Manga-News describes Kotaro as walling himself into his world of video games, but also regards Kotaro as an author surrogate
Author surrogate
As a literary technique, an author surrogate is a fictional character who expresses the ideas, questions, personality and morality of the author...
. Kotaro is portrayed by Rika Komatsu
Rika Komatsu
is a female seiyū born February 25 in Kōchi. Currently, , she works for Aoni Production.-Anime:*Animation Runner Kuromi *Animation Runner Kuromi 2 *Boys Be.....
.
- A female robot
Robot
A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
with a cat-like appearance that was created by Kotaro from a table lamp. She develops a love interest in Kuro, who denies her; she accepts his rejection after numerous attempts to win his heart, though it is shown that he does care for her. Nana is portrayed by Hiromi Tsunakake
Hiromi Tsunakake
is a Japanese voice actress currently working for I'm Enterprise.-TV Anime:* Goshūshō-sama Ninomiya-kun * The Story of Saiunkoku: 2nd Series * Papillon Rose New Season * Futakoi, Futakoi Alternative...
.
Secondary
- A schoolteacher who also admires Kuro. He is an avid otakuOtaku
is a Japanese term used to refer to people with obsessive interests, particularly anime, manga or video games.- Etymology :Otaku is derived from a Japanese term for another's house or family , which is also used as an honorific second-person pronoun...
, and often gets himself involved into Kuro's shenanigans. Suzuki is portrayed by Toshiyuki Morikawa
Toshiyuki Morikawa
is a prolific Japanese male voice actor from Yokohama, Kanagawa, was affiliated with Arts Vision. Lately, however, he has become the head of that a voice actor company he founded in Apr 2011. His name is also sometimes mistranslated as Tomoyuki...
.
- A female firefighter who is Suzuki's secret crush. She is a quick thinker in most situations, such as putting out even the least dangerous of fires in her debut appearance in the anime. Megumi is portrayed by Sayuri Yoshida
Sayuri Yoshida
, born , is a female Japanese voice actress who is currently best known for voicing Himeno Awayuki in Prétear and Inaba Mizuki in Full Metal Panic!...
.
and - A duo of pole robot alien lovers. They are very optimistic, no matter what happens. They later marry and have a child together. Romeo is voiced by Kosuke Okano, while Juliet is voiced by Sayuri Yoshida.
- A girl with a deep hatred for Kuro and very powerful supernatural abilities, including ESP and telekinesis. Another notable feature of hers is her voluminous hair.
- Kotaro's robot friend. He was an ordinary lion, but he was involved in a near-death experience. Dr. Go successfully revived him in his current cyborg form. Dunk is quite timid, gentle, and pure. He is voiced by Isshin Chiba
Isshin Chiba
is a Japanese voice actor who currently works for Arts Vision. He is best known for doing the voice of Jin Kazama from the Tekken series.-Anime:*Aoki Densetsu Shoot *.hack//SIGN *Bleach *Chobits...
.
- A trio of friendly aliens that boast incredibly dangerous weapons. They are often also seen wearing special bracelets that can enlarge or shrink their targets. Their names are , , and ; Yai is the leader. The aliens are anime-original characters.
- A boy Chieko met once. Goro came from an abusive household. He is a big dreamer, but he is a loser. He boasts a large scar from his abuse.
- A prince of the YaYaYa group. He bears a striking resemblance to Kuro. Malo is supposed to be courteous and he has the opposite personality from Kuro, but he eats like a vampire, and he also boasts offensive British gas
British Gas
British Gas is the name of several companies:* British Gas plc, the former gas monopoly in the United Kingdom and its successor companies** Centrica, which has the rights to the British Gas name in the UK...
.
- A princess who looks exactly like Nana. Malo was supposed to marry her, but he refused. Despite her ladylike looks, she is actually quite selfish.
- A caricature of the manga's creator, Naoki Yokōchi. He makes fleeting appearances in some anime episodes. He is depicted wearing a purple trenchcoat with a similarly-colored hat.
- A squadron of cyborg cats created by Dr. Go. M is the first in the line, created by Go from the remains of his pet kitten. There are four other members - #2, nicknamed Spyder, who can expand his arms, legs, and neck, #3, who also fights with his own sword and boasts a panda disguise, #4, who also has a bad temper and is the most frequently encountered, and #5, who is seen with a robot companion, Lassie, and also uses a gatling gun.
Volumes
The manga was collected in eleven volumes by KodanshaKodansha
, the largest Japanese publisher, produces the manga magazines Nakayoshi, Afternoon, Evening, and Weekly Shonen Magazine, as well as more literary magazines such as Gunzō, Shūkan Gendai, and the Japanese dictionary Nihongo Daijiten. The company has its headquarters in Bunkyō, Tokyo...
between 1998 and 2002. In Germany, Egmont Manga & Anime
Egmont Manga & Anime
Egmont Manga & Anime is one of the largest publishers of manga in Germany. It was founded in the year 2000 as a daughter company of Egmont Ehapa, after the manga boom in Germany became apparent around the turn of the millennium. Since 2003, EMA has been part of Egmont vgs in Cologne.- History :In...
published the first three volumes. In France, Pika Édition
Pika Édition
Pika Édition is a French publisher headquartered in Boulogne-Billancourt, specializing in manga. Founded as a daughter company of Media System Editions, it was taken over by Hachette Livre in 2007.-Distribution:...
published the entire series. It has been published in Indonesia by M&C Comics
M&c Comics
M&C Comics is one of the major manga suppliers in Indonesia.As a part of the Kompas-Gramedia Group of book stores, M&C Comics have issued more than 50 manga, with ratings, from "SU:Semua Umur" or General Viewing, to "18+: 18 Tahun ke Atas" or 18 years old and older only.Manga works that are...
.
A sequel series, was published from 2005 to 2006. Like the original, it has been published in Indonesia by M&C Comics
M&c Comics
M&C Comics is one of the major manga suppliers in Indonesia.As a part of the Kompas-Gramedia Group of book stores, M&C Comics have issued more than 50 manga, with ratings, from "SU:Semua Umur" or General Viewing, to "18+: 18 Tahun ke Atas" or 18 years old and older only.Manga works that are...
.
Anime
Cyborg Kuro-chan was adapted into an anime series produced by Studio Bogey for TV TokyoTV Tokyo
is a television station headquartered in Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Also known as , a blend of "terebi" and "Tokyo", it is the key station of TX Network. It is one of the major Tokyo television stations, particularly specializing in anime...
. The anime aired from 2 October 1999 to 6 January 2001 for 66 episodes, although 71 were ordered.
The opening theme is Guruguru Kurochan by Lady Q, who also sung Damedame no Uta for Crayon Shin-chan
Crayon Shin-chan
is a Japanese manga and anime series written by Yoshito Usui.Crayon Shin-chan follows the adventures of five-year-old Shinnosuke "Shin" Nohara and his parents, baby sister, neighbors, and friends and is set in Kasukabe, Saitama Prefecture, Japan....
. Two closing themes were created. These are Positive Vibration by Sister K, and Parapara
Para Para
is a synchronized group dance that originated in Japan. Unlike most club dancing and rave dancing there are specific synchronized movements for each song much like line dancing...
Kurochan by Kyuu. The anime has been exported to several countries in Asia, Europe, and Africa. It has been broadcast on such channels including Spacetoon
Spacetoon
Spacetoon is the first free-to-air animated series and channel in the Middle East broadcast from Dubai Media City.- About Spacetoon :Apart from Arabic, the Group launched an English language channel, in 2005 that broadcasts in the Middle East and North Africa, and a channel dedicated to teens...
and Italia 1
Italia 1
Italia 1 is an Italian commercial television channel on the Mediaset network. It is oriented especially at young people.Italia 1 was launched in January 1982 and, originally, was owned by Rusconi; after a few months, however, due to the aggressive dumping practices of Silvio Berlusconi's rival...
. The opening for the latter airing was sung by regular contributor Cristina D'Avena
Cristina D'Avena
Cristina D'Avena is an Italian singer and actress. She sings for television and animation series, and has recorded numerous albums, selling nearly 6 million copies....
and Giorgio Vanni
Giorgio Vanni
Giorgio Vincenzo Vanni is an Italian singer and song-writer. Vanni is well known for performing theme songs of Italian dubs of Japanese and American animated TV series. The dubbed Italian songs he sings usually are not covers of the Japanese songs but tend to be newly written songs for the Italian...
. Naoki Tatsuta
Naoki Tatsuta
is a Japanese voice actor affiliated with Aoni Production.He is most known for the roles of Buta Gorilla , Daima Jin , Oolong , Ashibe's Father , and Scoop-kun ....
narrated the anime.
Episodes
| Ep No. | Title | Original air date |
|---|---|---|
Merchandise
Takara TomyTakara Tomy
is a Japanese toy, children's merchandise and entertainment company created from the March 2006 merger of two companies: Tomy and long-time rival, Takara...
made toys based on the characters. Konami
Konami
is a Japanese leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines, arcade cabinets and video games...
published video games based on the series. Kaettekita Cyborg Kuro-Chan, a shoot 'em up
Shoot 'em up
Shoot 'em up is a subgenre of shooter video games. In a shoot 'em up, the player controls a lone character, often in a spacecraft or aircraft, shooting large numbers of enemies while dodging their attacks. The genre in turn encompasses various types or subgenres and critics differ on exactly what...
, was released for the PlayStation on 28 November 2002. Two Game Boy Color
Game Boy Color
The is Nintendo's successor to the 8-bit Game Boy handheld game console, and was released on October 21, 1998 in Japan, November 19, 1998 in North America, November 23, 1998 in Europe and November 27, 1998 in the United Kingdom. It features a color screen and is slightly thicker and taller than...
games were also released: Cyborg Kuro-chan: Devil Fukkatsu!! on 23 March 2000, and Cyborg Kuro-chan 2: White Woods no Gyakushū on 19 October 2000. Official game guides were released for the Game Boy Color games.
Reception
Christian Hess, writing for the German site AnimePRO, noted the "thin storyline" of the manga. Malindy Hetfield, writing for Splashcomics, felt that the artwork was closer to a child's drawing style than a manga style. She felt the parodies in the second volume were very funny, cautioning that one needed to become accustomed to the drawing style, and summed up the third volume as "You want hearty humor, wacky drawings, absolutely crazy characters and the greatest orgy of destruction that can be accommodated in 170 pages? Well then, let's go and buy!" Nicholas Demay compared the series with Samurai Pizza CatsSamurai Pizza Cats
Samurai Pizza Cats, known as in Japan, is an anime series produced by Tatsunoko Productions and Sotsu Agency. The series was aired from February 1, 1990 to February 12, 1991, totaling up to 54 episodes...
, and described the drawing style as cartoonish, feeling that it supported the surreal tone of the manga, by reminding the reader that despite the "explosive ambiance" that this is a humorous series, intended for children. He felt that by the fourth volume, it was clear that Yokōchi intended to use simple characterisations (especially in Dr. Go's case), but felt that this was effective and heightened the contrast between the cuteness of the series and its depictions of mass destruction. Demay felt that the fifth volume, taking place in an alternate dimension, was a chance for Yokōchi to renew himself and to have a change of scenery, and noted that the backgrounds in this sequence are more detailed than usual. He felt that the story of Kuro-chan and Nana's true relationship was "cute and funny". Demay found the ninth volume "bleak", and hoped it was not a sign that the series was becoming tired, but was relieved to find that the tenth volume returned to humorous storylines. Demay was more prepared for the final volume's focus on action rather than comedy, but appreciated that the author "sprinkled through" many gags, which Demay felt Cyborg Kuro-chan would not be the same without, feeling that the it was an honorable conclusion to the series.
The reviewer for Manga-News felt that the parodies of the early volumes quickly ran thin, and that the author's attempt to revive the series by adding in multiple characters left the reviewer confused. He felt that the later volumes' turn into emotional scenes and tragedy did not suit the series. He noted the Die Hard
Die Hard
Die Hard is a 1988 American action film and the first in the Die Hard film series. The film was directed by John McTiernan and written by Jeb Stuart and Steven E. de Souza. It is based on a 1979 novel by Roderick Thorp titled Nothing Lasts Forever, itself a sequel to the book The Detective, which...
parody in the second volume, and felt that the references to Japanese culture in this volume were not adequately explained by Pika in the appendix. Despite this, he felt that it was accessible to a wide audience as most of the gags were visual gags. He described Kuro-chan as "a cross between Astroboy and Felix the Cat
Felix the Cat
Felix the Cat is a cartoon character created in the silent film era. His black body, white eyes, and giant grin, coupled with the surrealism of the situations in which his cartoons place him, combine to make Felix one of the most recognized cartoon characters in film history...
on acid". He felt that the translation sometimes altered jokes when they were clear in the original, for example, removing a reference to Pikachu
Pikachu
is one of the species of Pokémon creatures from the Pokémon media franchise—a collection of video games, anime, manga, books, trading cards, and other media created by Satoshi Tajiri. As do all Pokémon, Pikachu fight other Pokémon in battles central to the anime, manga, and games of the series...
. The reviewer for Manga-News noted that although the fifth volume concerned a more serious initial scenario and could be read independently of the others, that the storyline was more of the same silly humor and exaggerated violence. He felt that in the sixth volume, a "naive sentimentalism" clashed with the general ambiance of the series. In the seventh volume, there is a fight between Suzuki's students and Kuro in the desert, which the reviewer for Manga-News describes as inappropriate. In the ninth volume, the reviewer for Manga News felt that Chieko and Goro steal the stage from the main characters, and that the tenth volume was unfocused.