Trying to Please Everyone: Or Converting multiple Pop Culture Utopias into a Timeline.
- Thread starter Marco Incognito
- Start date
Likely released earlier as it was written in 1987 as a Parody of Hollywood and action movies that were popular back the (full metal Jacket, Rambo, Tge Deer Hunter etc). This version features Keanu Reeves in Stiller’s role while Stiller plays Rick Peck. There is likely no blackface performance, possibly making Lazarus intentionally racist instead.
Interesting.
Yeah I figured, since Blackface is obscure/non-existent here in this timeline. I presume there is also no mentally handicapped controversy ITTL?
Nice.
What happens to Brendan Fraiser, Ke Huy Quan, and Michelle Yeoh in this universe?
Frasier had a similar career but the Mummy Movies stuck with Clive Barker And George A Romero’s original plans to keep it as a horror. He gets his big break elsewhere possibly with Big Bug Man actually being released.
Quan had more roles and as a result never took a Hiatus with Everywhere Everything all at once starring Jackie Chan instead as planned.
Michelle Yeoh would be doing fine, still appearing in Crouching Tiger,Hidden Dragon.
Will a white man still play Wang Lung or has racial equality proceeded light speeds faster than our own timeline?
Well, we are on the subject of older actors:
What about Rock Hudson/James Dean and Marylin Monroe
What about Rock Hudson/James Dean and Marylin Monroe
The Hays Code at the time had a law against depicting interracial marriages and this also applied to casting though there is some debate if that applied on this film. So removing the Hays code would go a long way. It’s most likely the makers of the TTL film just see the casting as logical and of course cast an Asian actor.
Rick Hudson was in poor health from drinking and smoking even before his death of aids and he evidently didn’t really commit to improving as even after a life saving surgery caused by his smoking, he went back to smoking. He’s likely be a bit healthier which would allow him to play colonel Trautman in First Blood and complete his characters role in dynasty before he does die. He likely would have come out as gay during his lifetime.
James Dean survives past 1955. His next film was titled ironically “Someone up there loves me”(cancelled OTL with his death). He continues to appear in films and unsuccessfully runs for President in 1968. He also helped expose sexual abuse cases as he himself was abused by a priest in childhood.
ignoring the implications of Marilyn Monroe in a world with no Hays Code, she would for one thing be in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, the unmade Something’s gotta give, and would not die in 1962 likely due to her housekeeper returning early as she did pick up that something was wrong. She likely married Frank Sinatra who she briefly dated and dies sometime in the 90’s with an equivalent to Candle in the Wind being performed, necessary due to Princess Diana also not dying.
Princess Diana, James Dean and Monroe all liveing longer. Now, this is something I can get behind.
Shame about rock hudson but I suppose poor health choices will catch up with you.
1991 in Anime
FILM
Doraemon: Nobita’s Dorabian Nights(1991)
The 12th Doraemon film. Doraemon, Nobita and friends are experiencing the story of Sinbad in the Arabian Knights firsthand using a device to transport themselves into the story. The story accidentally gets messed up and the two have to find a way back to their own time by fixing the story, but they lose track of Sinbad. Worse, since the story is a story within a story being told by Scheherezade to the Sultan, messing it up may result in her execution. Doraemon’s technology is able to ascertain that the Arabian Nights tale connects to the reign of Caliph Haroun al-Rashid in real life and use that information, meeting the Caliph. They agree to get him to help finish the story and even gives them a genie to do so, which they annoy into leaving. The group run into Cassim, the leader of the 40 Thieves., who robs them of Doraemon’s devices. The film subverts many expectations of the culture, for example, Haroun’s grand vizier Jaffar, truer to his real life inspiration, is actually a nice guy, and finally a dirty but subtle joke about how Nobita expected the Sultan to have a harem(lots of Wives) and Doraemon points out that they idea came about because most Europeans weren’t allowed into these places and only imagined what it must have looked like. The group eventually run into Sinbad again and he helps them defeat Cassim and get the story back on track.
The Tale of Princess Kaguya(1991)
Directed by Isao Takahata and based on the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. Released as a Studio Ghibli Film in collaboration with Walt Disney. Takahata read it in his childhood but didn’t understand it until he reread it as an adult. He nearly adapted it in 1960 for Toei Animation before his departure. The film’s production was merged with an attempted adaptation of the 1989 novel Like the Clouds, Like the Wind. That story was set in China and was about an energetic country girl who volunteered to be the wife of the new Emperor and how her energy gets her in trouble. Some elements of this worked their way into the similar plot of The Tale of Princess Kaguya.
A Bamboo Cutter named Sanuki no Miyatsuko could down a bamboo and is surprised to find a small girl inside. Believing she to e a divine princess, he and his wife raise the child, naming her princess. She grows quickly and is nicknamed “Takenoko” or “Little Bamboo” from the village children. She forms a bond with Sutemaru, one of her friends. Miyatsuko finds fine clothes and gold in the forest and takes it as a sign, moving his family to the capitol. Princess is sad to say goodbye to her childhood friends. She is trained by a governess and how to behave like a noblewoman, which she hates doing, missing her old life in the country.
She comes of age and is named Princess Kaguya. During a celebration held by Miyatsuko, Kaguya hears people mocking her father’s attempt to turn her into a noble and flees the capitol back home, only to find her friends have also moved away. As Kaguya grows in beauty, Noblemen try to court her, comparing her to mystical treasures. She brushes them off by asking them to seek out the mythical treasures they described. She asks to go back home to see the Cherry Blossoms, dancing among the petals as the wind blows them but then sees a child looking at her, pulled away by her parents due to her nobility. Another event happens when from her carriage she sees Sutemaru and shouts to him before being drawn away. Sutemaru tries to follow but is beaten. The Suitors try using counterfeits, one brings a flower which Kaguya was about to accept until his wife appeared, one abandoned the quest, and one die din the attempt. Kaguya becomes depressed and is nearly kidnapped by the Emperor.
Kaguya reveals to her parents she came from the moon and broke a law there so she could be cursed with mortality and sent to Earth. She begged to be taken back by the Moon when kidnapped by the Emperor and it will claim her. Her family turn the mansion into a fortress in order to protect her. She reunited with Sutemaru and the two confess their love. They fly over the countryside and then the Moon seems to causer them to fall. Sutemaru wakes up alone and assumes it was a dream. A Procession of Celestial Beings led by Buddha arrives to claim Kaguya and all efforts to stop them fail. Kaguya is granted one last moment to say goodbye. She says goodbye and disappears into the sky with the others[1].
The Film played alongside Roujin Z the first time a Takahata Film and a Miyazaki Film did not distribute together, due to Miyazaki being busy on Treasure Planet. The Tale of Princess Kaguya was universally seen as the better film.
Roujin Z(1991)
Directed by Hiroyuki Kitakubo, known largely for. The “A Tale of Two Robots” segment of 1987’s Robot Carnival. The screenplay was written by Katsuhiro Otomo of Akira fame. Studio Daicon was offered the script and accepted, partly fueled by their efforts to recoup the loss of Hideaki Anno. They turned down another script “Only Yesterday” to work on this film as it appealed to their sensibilities more. Otomo himself was brought into the production. Hisashi Eguchi, creator of Stop! Hibari-kun! Did the character design with his then current wife acting as the model for the protagonist Haruko. Egushi and Takeshi Honda did a good chunk of the animation with Satoshi Kon as art director. The film is set in 21st century Japan. A group of scientists develop a computerized hospital bed with robotics called Z-001 to take care of patients, providing food, medicine, removing waste, bathe, exercise and everything. It is nuclear powered and if its reactor breaks down the bed and patient will seal itself in concrete. An 87 year old widow named Kijuro Takazawa became the first patient but did not “Volunteer” for the treatment as he is invalid, taken care of by a young student nurse named Haruko. Takazawa is somehow able to speak through the machine to Haruko’s computer and cries for help. Haruko helps a group of hackers create a simulation of Takazawa’s late wife. This make him want to go to the beach one last time, causing the Z-001 to begin moving at his command. Haruko and the others learn that the Z-001 is actually an experimental government prototype as they help Takazawa escape to the beach.
Due to Miyazaki being occupied with Treasure Planet, Roujin Z was played as a double feature alongside The Tale of Princess Kaguya, the first time a Miyazaki film had not accompanied a Takahata film like this. Some critics believed there was a strange contrast between the films, as if Akira and Grave of the Fireflies accompanied each other. The two were connected through a theme of wanting to return to happier times in the past but took very different approaches. A common misnomer formed that Otomo directed the film. He didn’t, only wrote the screenplay. The production of the two Akira films left him exhausted from animation and he took a break to direct the live action World Apartment Horror, a film about a Yakuza henchman who fights against a Tokyo apartment full of evil Spirits and tourists he must evict.
Silent Möbius(1991)
Based on the short manga series by Kia Asamiya. Licensed by Bandai Entertainment and based on Blade Runner. The series follows an all female group of police officers protecting Tokyo from extra dimensional monsters calls Lucifer Hawks.The backstory begins in 1999 where Gigelf Liqueur makes contact with the world of Nemesis and plans to exchange Earth’s water and air, which has become polluted, with clean water and air from Nemesis. The project is sabotaged by Gigelf’s old apprentice Ganossa Maximillian, causing the portal to be permanently opened and allow the Lucifer Hawks to enter. In the current day of the series in 2023, Rally Cheyenne, who’s mother was from Earth but her father from Nemesis, joins the Attacked Mystification Police. In the Anime film, Katsumi Liqueur was introduced as the daughter of Gigelf Liqueur and she is brought in to join the AMP. She refuses at first but then Gigelf sacrifices himself to save her. She then joins the team and helped avenge her father by killing Ganossa Maximillian and undoing the merge.
Urusei Yatsura X Ranma 1/2(1991)
A crossover between Rumiko Takahashi’s two most popular franchises(At the time). There were plans to make films on both but as those ideas fizzled out, the idea to merge the two worlds was proposed. Urusei Yatsura had ended while Ranma 1/2 was still running, resulting in the special turning into essentially a Ranma 1/2 film. The basic premise is that the princess of an alien land named Lychee arrives to settle an old score with Happosai. The old master gave her family a scroll centuries ago that is said would bring a prince for one of them to marry. As soon as she lets go of it the Prince appears, though by unfortunate circumstance it turns out to be Ataru Motoboshi, who is technically a Prince as he and Lum married in the finale. This naturally brings Lychee and Lum into conflict, while the other characters work to find a way to settle things[2]Doraemon: Nobita’s Dorabian Nights(1991)
The 12th Doraemon film. Doraemon, Nobita and friends are experiencing the story of Sinbad in the Arabian Knights firsthand using a device to transport themselves into the story. The story accidentally gets messed up and the two have to find a way back to their own time by fixing the story, but they lose track of Sinbad. Worse, since the story is a story within a story being told by Scheherezade to the Sultan, messing it up may result in her execution. Doraemon’s technology is able to ascertain that the Arabian Nights tale connects to the reign of Caliph Haroun al-Rashid in real life and use that information, meeting the Caliph. They agree to get him to help finish the story and even gives them a genie to do so, which they annoy into leaving. The group run into Cassim, the leader of the 40 Thieves., who robs them of Doraemon’s devices. The film subverts many expectations of the culture, for example, Haroun’s grand vizier Jaffar, truer to his real life inspiration, is actually a nice guy, and finally a dirty but subtle joke about how Nobita expected the Sultan to have a harem(lots of Wives) and Doraemon points out that they idea came about because most Europeans weren’t allowed into these places and only imagined what it must have looked like. The group eventually run into Sinbad again and he helps them defeat Cassim and get the story back on track.
The Tale of Princess Kaguya(1991)
Directed by Isao Takahata and based on the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. Released as a Studio Ghibli Film in collaboration with Walt Disney. Takahata read it in his childhood but didn’t understand it until he reread it as an adult. He nearly adapted it in 1960 for Toei Animation before his departure. The film’s production was merged with an attempted adaptation of the 1989 novel Like the Clouds, Like the Wind. That story was set in China and was about an energetic country girl who volunteered to be the wife of the new Emperor and how her energy gets her in trouble. Some elements of this worked their way into the similar plot of The Tale of Princess Kaguya.
A Bamboo Cutter named Sanuki no Miyatsuko could down a bamboo and is surprised to find a small girl inside. Believing she to e a divine princess, he and his wife raise the child, naming her princess. She grows quickly and is nicknamed “Takenoko” or “Little Bamboo” from the village children. She forms a bond with Sutemaru, one of her friends. Miyatsuko finds fine clothes and gold in the forest and takes it as a sign, moving his family to the capitol. Princess is sad to say goodbye to her childhood friends. She is trained by a governess and how to behave like a noblewoman, which she hates doing, missing her old life in the country.
She comes of age and is named Princess Kaguya. During a celebration held by Miyatsuko, Kaguya hears people mocking her father’s attempt to turn her into a noble and flees the capitol back home, only to find her friends have also moved away. As Kaguya grows in beauty, Noblemen try to court her, comparing her to mystical treasures. She brushes them off by asking them to seek out the mythical treasures they described. She asks to go back home to see the Cherry Blossoms, dancing among the petals as the wind blows them but then sees a child looking at her, pulled away by her parents due to her nobility. Another event happens when from her carriage she sees Sutemaru and shouts to him before being drawn away. Sutemaru tries to follow but is beaten. The Suitors try using counterfeits, one brings a flower which Kaguya was about to accept until his wife appeared, one abandoned the quest, and one die din the attempt. Kaguya becomes depressed and is nearly kidnapped by the Emperor.
Kaguya reveals to her parents she came from the moon and broke a law there so she could be cursed with mortality and sent to Earth. She begged to be taken back by the Moon when kidnapped by the Emperor and it will claim her. Her family turn the mansion into a fortress in order to protect her. She reunited with Sutemaru and the two confess their love. They fly over the countryside and then the Moon seems to causer them to fall. Sutemaru wakes up alone and assumes it was a dream. A Procession of Celestial Beings led by Buddha arrives to claim Kaguya and all efforts to stop them fail. Kaguya is granted one last moment to say goodbye. She says goodbye and disappears into the sky with the others[1].
The Film played alongside Roujin Z the first time a Takahata Film and a Miyazaki Film did not distribute together, due to Miyazaki being busy on Treasure Planet. The Tale of Princess Kaguya was universally seen as the better film.
Roujin Z(1991)
Directed by Hiroyuki Kitakubo, known largely for. The “A Tale of Two Robots” segment of 1987’s Robot Carnival. The screenplay was written by Katsuhiro Otomo of Akira fame. Studio Daicon was offered the script and accepted, partly fueled by their efforts to recoup the loss of Hideaki Anno. They turned down another script “Only Yesterday” to work on this film as it appealed to their sensibilities more. Otomo himself was brought into the production. Hisashi Eguchi, creator of Stop! Hibari-kun! Did the character design with his then current wife acting as the model for the protagonist Haruko. Egushi and Takeshi Honda did a good chunk of the animation with Satoshi Kon as art director. The film is set in 21st century Japan. A group of scientists develop a computerized hospital bed with robotics called Z-001 to take care of patients, providing food, medicine, removing waste, bathe, exercise and everything. It is nuclear powered and if its reactor breaks down the bed and patient will seal itself in concrete. An 87 year old widow named Kijuro Takazawa became the first patient but did not “Volunteer” for the treatment as he is invalid, taken care of by a young student nurse named Haruko. Takazawa is somehow able to speak through the machine to Haruko’s computer and cries for help. Haruko helps a group of hackers create a simulation of Takazawa’s late wife. This make him want to go to the beach one last time, causing the Z-001 to begin moving at his command. Haruko and the others learn that the Z-001 is actually an experimental government prototype as they help Takazawa escape to the beach.
Due to Miyazaki being occupied with Treasure Planet, Roujin Z was played as a double feature alongside The Tale of Princess Kaguya, the first time a Miyazaki film had not accompanied a Takahata film like this. Some critics believed there was a strange contrast between the films, as if Akira and Grave of the Fireflies accompanied each other. The two were connected through a theme of wanting to return to happier times in the past but took very different approaches. A common misnomer formed that Otomo directed the film. He didn’t, only wrote the screenplay. The production of the two Akira films left him exhausted from animation and he took a break to direct the live action World Apartment Horror, a film about a Yakuza henchman who fights against a Tokyo apartment full of evil Spirits and tourists he must evict.
Silent Möbius(1991)
Based on the short manga series by Kia Asamiya. Licensed by Bandai Entertainment and based on Blade Runner. The series follows an all female group of police officers protecting Tokyo from extra dimensional monsters calls Lucifer Hawks.The backstory begins in 1999 where Gigelf Liqueur makes contact with the world of Nemesis and plans to exchange Earth’s water and air, which has become polluted, with clean water and air from Nemesis. The project is sabotaged by Gigelf’s old apprentice Ganossa Maximillian, causing the portal to be permanently opened and allow the Lucifer Hawks to enter. In the current day of the series in 2023, Rally Cheyenne, who’s mother was from Earth but her father from Nemesis, joins the Attacked Mystification Police. In the Anime film, Katsumi Liqueur was introduced as the daughter of Gigelf Liqueur and she is brought in to join the AMP. She refuses at first but then Gigelf sacrifices himself to save her. She then joins the team and helped avenge her father by killing Ganossa Maximillian and undoing the merge.
Urusei Yatsura X Ranma 1/2(1991)
Lupin III: Steal Napoleon’s Dictionary(1991)
Part of the made for TV Lupin movies. Directed by Osamu Dezaki. Lupin III hatches a plot to steal Napoleon’s dictionary, which will be given to the winner of a car race from Madrid to Paris, to determine whether of not Napoleon really did not include the word “Impossible” from the dictionary. Lupin’s family is also revealed to have had an ancestor who owed a fortune thanks to aiding Napoleon and the G7 members are all after the treasure and Lupin to pay off their national debts.
TV Series
Mobile Suit Gundam F91(1991-1992)
In 1991, Gundam Creator Yoshiyuki Tomio wished to launch a new series in celebration of the 10th anniversary and for the occasion teamed up once more with Yoshikazu Yasuhiko and Junio Okawara to design the characters and Mecha respectively, though Yasuhiko agreed to write the story. Mobile Suit Gundam F91 was released as a television series.
One subject of debate was the size of the Gundams. They had been getting progressively bigger over time. The crew wanted to bring them back to a smaller size, something supported by Bandai who thought it would make them cost less, but current events would lead to a change in the opposite direction.
In the late 1980’s, following the economic bubble burst, Japan had made serious efforts to commit to the space race. This stemmed from a comment from American President John Glenn about how “A communist flag wouldn’t look good on Mars anyway. It’s red on red. It would just blend in. Red, White, and Blue. Now that stands out.” This was followed by a comment from the Japanese Prime Minister that “The Japanese Flag would look good on there too.” Which led to a push for Japan to enter the space race. The country lacked a clear Space program or equivalent to NASA but there were many including the staff of Battle City Megaroad who wanted to become astronauts and when there was no space program, they turned to Anime instead. The result was a bizarre mix in attempts to bring fantasy into reality. One could hardly call it a New Space Race especially when China imploded in to civil war 1989. One of the side projects of this was “Project G”, which was an attempt to build an actual working Gundam. They realized it would actually have to be bigger than depicted so Gundam F91 instead made the Gundams much bigger[3].
Set 30 years after Char's Counterattack in the year U.C. 0123. The Earth Federation colony Frontier IV is attacked by the Crossbone Vanguard, the army of Cosmo Babylonia. Seabook Arno and Cecily Fairchild are caught in the middle of a battle but lead a group of refugees to the lower levels and to a lifeboat. Cecily is abducted by the Crossbone Vanguard and revealed to be Berah Ronah, a member of the royal family of Cosmo Babylonia. Seabook retreats to a lifeboat.
Cecily meets her real father Carozzo and her grandfather Meitzer, who seek to overthrow the Earth Federation and replace it with an aristocracy. Cecily is forced to join them. The lifeboat with Seabook reaches another colony that is also attacked. Seabook finds the Space Ark and an inoperative Gundam F91 and enters it, piloting it to repel the attack. Cecily meanwhile is trained to be a mobile suit pilot and learns about a superweapon codenamed "Bug" which are revealed to be machines designed to hunt humans and intended to be used to attack earth. Seabook and Cecily worked together to destroy the bugs. Carozzo attacks both of them with Cecily being injured but Seabook finishes the fight and both leave for the Space Ark.
Magical Taruroto(1991-1992)
Based on the Manga by Tatsuya Egawa and published in Weekly Shonen Jump from 1988 to 1992. Adapted as a television series. It follows Honmaru Edojo, a fifth grader and later in the series sixth grader voiced by Minami Takayama. Edoja is a loser In his class who meets a magical being named magical Taruroto, who grants him magic powers to help him in his everyday life.
My Daddy Long Legs(1991-1992)
Part of the World Masterpiece Theater. The production of White Fang delayed its intended release by one year. Based on a 1912 novel by Jean Webster. The plot follows an orphan named Judy Abbott who is given a scholarship and money from a mysterious benefactor which allows her to attend school. She catches a glimpse of only his legs and so nicknames him “Daddy Long Legs” believing him to be her father. She begins writing to him, but not expecting a reply. The identity of “Daddy Long Legs” is never revealed, though the Japanese dub of a later film adaption of Neil Gaiman’s Anansi Boys has Anansi refer to himself as Daddy Long Legs, possibly as a callback to this.
Getter Robo Go(1991-1992)
A new installment in the Getter Robo series, which last crossed over with Great Energer in 1975. With Go Nagai returning, the new series is set sometime in the 200X. The world has enjoyed a period of peace following the conclusion to both Great Energer and Demon Lord Dante and has largely recovered. The peace is broke by a new enemy in Doctor Rando and his army of metal beasts, who seeks to conquer the world. With normal weapons useless, a new team of teens are chosen to pilot the Getter Robo to combat Doctor Rando.
Mach Go Go Go(1991-1992)
A Remake of the classic 1967 show Mach Go Go Go by the defunct Tatsunoko. The rights were obtained by Sunrise. Entertainment company VAP and the advertising agency Asatsu-DK. It aired on Nippon TV. Directed by Mitsuo Fukuda in his directorial debut. The creative team conceived a “Speed Racer Style show” which led to the rights being obtained by Sunrise. The concept behind it was futuristic formula one racing. There was another reason for choosing Speed Racer. There were talks of a film adaptation at the time which Sunrise, being behind the Gundam film in the 80’s wanted to try again as the film became retroactively popular and the show was a way of testing the waters.
The show was much more cinematic than its predecessor, including shots meant to simulate a camera on a speed car during a race and the intense crashes. This included bringing the animators with camera to ride in Formula 1 and Nascar vehicles during practice races and simulating car crashes during the race. The animators worked hard to simulate elements such as the fumes or the mirages caused by the heat in the air. The races in the series took it to tracks with gravel, Ice and deserts. An F1 boom at the time also contributed to the shift. Red Company also helped produce the series. The toy company Takara wanted to air an episode every week and release the winning toy on Saturday but were convinced this was unfeasibly as not even episode featured a race and one race would last several episodes, but the Toy company did succeed in release a new car every week, some of which were redesigns of cars from the classic series. Another factor was that the toy company found that designing cars was trickier than designing giant robots because with the robots artistic license to make the design appealing was forgivable but with cars, there was an actual science behind the vehicle and many experts would point out the lack of important parts in the car.
Go Mifune was voiced by Jun’ichi Kanemaru in his first starring role after voice bit parts. Kanemaru would go onto become a racer himself as well as voice Sonic the Hedgehog. Shinobu Adachi voiced love interest Michi Shimura. In the US, the series was distributed by DiC entertainment and on Nickelodeon. Among the differences in this version is that Kenichi Mifune, rather than running away from home, appears to die in a fiery explosion. Michi is introduced as a reporter following Mifune and the two flirt and begin dating, resulting in the Mifune family being introduced through her. The chimpanzee is Shanpei is treated like an exotic pet mores in this version, such as being kept In a cage at night, and wearing a diaper. Michi is actually quite alarmed and nervous around it, especially when the Chimpanzee is startled by a loud noise and has to be calmed down. This is possibly attributed to both demands from DiC to prevent people from adopting chimpanzees. The “Monkey Madness” caused by people buying monkeys after the success of Pippi Longstocking in 1974 also played a part in the choice to tone this down. The Mifune family are also shown to be extremely rich and can afford all they need to care for the animal.
This version of the show is set an unknown time in the future(The show bible mentions 2015 but the show avoids this as they wanted a timeless aesthetic to the cars) where technology has advanced, the engines for example are much more eco friendly. Go Mifune goes against his father’s wishes and enters a race, leader revealed to be because his brother Kenichi seemingly died in a car crash and explosion[4].
Matchless Raijin-Oh(1991-1992)
Funded by the Toy company Tomy and produced by Sunrise. The series is more closely aimed at children with elementary school kids being granted command of the Mecca Raijin-Oh by the guardian of light Eldran to defend Earth from the Jaaku Empire. The series was popular enough to spawn several imitators[5].
Dennou Keisatsu Cybercop 2(1991-1992)
A Sequel to the live action 1988 tokusatsu. The original film was set in 1999 in a crime overrun Tokyo. The outmanned Tokyo Metropolitan Police force forms ZAC, the Zero Action Armed Constable, a special task force with its members known as Cybercops.The mysterious young man Shinya Takeda joins ZAC to fight the organization Death Trap and its leader Baron Kageyama. The ZAC usually emerge victorious until they face a new enemy called Lucifer. Lucifer claims to be from the future and that Cybercop team member Jupiter is also from the future. It is revealed that Baron Kageyama also comes from the future and that Lucifer attacked Jupiter believing he had betrayed them in the future, but switches sides when he learns it was Baron Kageyama. The two then defeat Baron Kageyama, who reveals his actions were to take control land stave off an environmental collapse. Lucifer and Jupiter then return to the future to help restore it. The sequel introduces a an alien enemy from the future infiltrating the past with Jupiter and Lucifer returning to the present to help defeat them[6].
High School Mystery: Gakuen Nanafushigi(1991-1992)
Based on Tsunoda’s Jiro’s manga Gakuen Seven Wonders. Directed by Shin Masawa for Studio Comet and airing on Fuji TV. It follows Mizuki Ichijo, a junior student who must solve mysteries involving supernatural elements just as her grandmother did.
Dear Brother(1991-1992)
A Year 24 Group Manga by Riyoko Ikeda, known for The Rose of Versailles and its Sequel “The Glory of Napoleon”. Dear Brother was created during a breather period between the two works. The series follows a 16 year old girl named Nanako Misonoo, who attends a prestigious school while writing letters to her “ brother” which is in reality a Teacher she knew and agreed to write to. Due to a later plot twist, it is revealed that the attraction the two have can be considered incest, an element which led to the Manga being pulled in several countries such as France and Italy, though an English translation became available.Its adaptation was directed by Osamu Dezaki.
The Year 24 Group itself was seen as steadily becoming outdated. At the time of their creation, getting into Manga as a female creator was difficult. Now it had become much easier. Even their name was dubbed outdated, alluding to the 24th Year of the Show Era when most of the members had been born. However in their fight to remain relevant they had found their successors. A group of students in Osaka had began as a group of three friends creating Doujinshi(Fan Manga) for series such as Captain Tsubasa. The three friends consisted of Mokona, Tsubaki Nekoi, and Satsuki Igarashi. After creating several Doujinshi, including one which caught Riyoko Ikeda’s attention, a transplant of the Rose of Versailles characters into the American Revolution which did more than simply copy and paste the plot but went in a vastly different direction. The Group would launch their own original work, RG Veda, based on the Rigveda[7].
Ultimate Muscle: The Kinnukuman Legacy(1991-1992)
Produced by Toei. The Series follows the young son of Kinnikuman, Mantaro Muscle, also known as Kid Muscle, who despite the name is not only scrawny but also normal looking compared to his father(especially in art style). He is sent to Earth from Planet Kinniku for training and to attend elementary school However, the show is essentially stolen by his friend and love interest Rea Kuki, who becomes the main character and has the ambition to conquer the world with an army of monsters and undergoes a transformation into a super-villainess alter ego, being a parody of magical girls like Kiki’s Delivery Service and later Codename: Sailor V[8].
Sangokushi(1991-1992)
A Manga that ran from 1971 to 1987 based on The Romance of the Three Kingdoms. A direct adaptation of the story was ruled out due to the Chinese Civil War at the time and Sangokushi was adapted due to having a degree of separation. However, the creators and especially the designers couldn’t resist drawing parallels with the current neighboring conflict, such as making Dong Zuo, who in the story had his body set on fire and continue to burn for weeks because of how fat and oily he was, resemble Mao Zedong.
Moomin(1991-1993)
A Dutch-Japanese television series produced by the Dutch Telecable Benelux B.V. and animated by Telescreen Japan. The series came about as a result of Disney being unable to secure the rights, leading to a revelation as to who still owned the rights. More Moomin stories had been released since the original animated show in the 60’s. It aired on TV Tokyo. It was dubbed into English and aired on CBBC(Children’s BBC). The series led to a “ Moomin Boom” as the characters rose in popularity. The series is set over the course of three years in universe with the characters meeting new people, beginning with the start of spring and the arrival of Snufkin back in the village. Winter happens several times but several Moomins decide to break their usual hibernation period to enjoy snow for the first time. By the end of the series Winter is once more coming and the Moomins this time go to hibernate while Snufkin leaves again. The series adopts several Moomin books[9].
California Games(1991-1992)
“Well we’ve had Mario, Zelda, Samus, and Simon Belmont, What do you think are we gonna end it on? …..California!”
“I mean those other games had a plot, but this(Holds up California Games). This is just a bunch of Sports games! How do you make a plot out of this[10]?”
“Well they tried….They failed…But they tried. I mean this idea can work, just look at Rocket Power, but this is not that.”
-From a crossover review of the Nintendo Power Hour with the Nostalgia Critic and Angry Video Game Nerd.
Double Dragon(1991-1992)
From DiC. Based on the Video Game. The series follows two brothers separated at birth. Billy was raised by an elderly martial arts master called the Oldest Dragon, and Jimmy was raised by the evil Shadow Master. The two fight each other constantly due to their loyalties until Jimmy is betrayed by the Shadow Master ands witches sides. The series then centers on bringing down Shadow Master and finding the missing father of the boys. Other enemies include the henchman from the game Abobo and Willy as recurring enemies.
21 Emon(1991)
Another series by Doraemon creators Fujiko F.Fujio published from 1968 to 1969. Adapted by Shin-Ei Animation. The anime is set in 2018 and follows 21 Emon, the current in a long line of Emons, who own a space hotel, but he wants to be an astronaut.
Madara(1991)
Based on the Manga series by Fiji Otsuka and illustrated by Shou Tajima thar ran from 1987 to 1994. It follows a teenage boy who fights to his own father, the evil overlord Miroku using his prosthetic limbs. It was adapted into a FAmic video game and is now a DVA directed by Yuki Moriyama
Mischievous Twins: The Tale of St.Clare’s(1991)
By Tokyo Movie Shinsha. It is based on the St.Clare’s children books by Enid Blyton, published from 1941-1945. The titular mischievous Twins are Patricia and Isabel O’Sullivan, who are sent to the new school of St.Clare’s.
DVA
Shakotan Boogie(1991-1992)
An Adaptation of the Manga by Michiharu Kusonoki that ran from 1986 to 1996, about the adventures of two best friends who live as Shakotan, the Japanese equivalent of Lowriders, as they get into trouble, pick up girls, go street racing and so on.
Psychic Wars(1991)
An old psychic woman in Osaka as a surgeon named Dr.Ukyo Rettsu to remove a cancer growth that is killing her. Dr.Rettsu finds it is instead a Demon creature who says a Demonic Invasion is coming. When the old woman dies, her spirit enters Dr.Rettsu and empowers him to fight the invasion, his foretold destiny. Learning the Demons came from the past, Dr.Rettsu and his lover Fuyuko Asahina investigate where they are attacked by a giant demon that Rettsu kills. They then go visit a friend named Dr.Takase, who directs them to ruins from the Jomon Period as they believe the Demon civilization originated there. Rettsu finds a portal and goes back in time, helping to end the Demon invasion in that time period and finding the portal they were using to invade the present. He finds the Demons are acting to save themselves from extinction but still destroys the portal before being sent back. Though he fails to spot the Demon Queen responsible. In the present, he realizes that Asahina is the Demon Queen and assumed a human form but has genuinely grown to love Rettsu. Rettsu refused and Asahina attacks him, Rettsu is nearly killed but is able to defeat Asahina who proclaims her love for him as she dies.
Burn Up!(1991)
In a futuristic Setting, police officers Maki, Remi and Yuka become involved in a police chase to rescue a kidnapped girl. It is discovered there may be human trafficking ring led by the corrupt Samuel McCoy. The suspect is killed and the girls choose to investigate on their now, starting with information on a strip club called the Sartrait 7. They are attacked by a large but agile man named Gonnack, McCoy’s bodyguard who knocks them out and takes Yuka. They awake in a hospital and are told by the Chief of Police they cannot officially investigate McCoy but they take what they like from the armory. They raid McCoy’s main building and rescue Yuka before fighting against McCoy and his forces, emerging victorious.
Sukeban(1991)
A manga series by Shinji Wada. The series follows delinquent school girl Saki Asamiya.
Sweet Spot(1991)
Based on the manga by Yutsuko Chusonji that ran from 1989 to 1992. The series follows an office lady with a passion for golf. The series polarized the term “Oyaji Gals” or young girls with passions for things usually associated with older people such as golf, karaoke, horse betting, chess and other activities.
Hono no Tenkosei(1991)
Translated as “Blazing Transfer Student”. Based on the Manga by Kazuhiko Shimamoto from 1983 to 1985. Adapted by Studio Daicon. Noboru Takizawa transfers to a school where all disputes are settled with fighting and engages the school bully Saburo Ibuki. Ibuki wins a match with “God’s Hall Monitor” over who gets to date the lovely Yukari. Takizawa falls in love with Yukari and agrees to fight Ibuki after he wins be cheating. He loses the first round but after intense training, tries again and this time wins.
The Abashiri Family(1991)
Based on the Manga series by Go Nagai that ran from 1969 to 1973.Released by Studio Pierrot. The series follows the Abashiri Family, who are criminals that are feared both by police and other criminals, being virtually unstoppable but only committing minor acts if they so choose and usually are thwarted by their own foolishness. If they are attacked they brutally strike back. As the series progressed it became less serious and more of a gag manga. The series was based on controversy Go Nagai observed from Harenchi Gakuen. Despite its popularity, when Go Nagai started Demon Lord Dante, he felt he needed to drop his workload to focus on that series instead, ending the series in 1972. The series often included graphic violence, which offset the comedy. Characters from the series were recycled into Honey Idol and other Go Nagai series. The Daicon DVA had Kikunosuke, the only daughter in the family, being sent to. A “Paradise School” which turns out to be a school for criminals. She befriends a helpless girl named Yukiko and the entire family gets involved when they learn she is in trouble and rush to save her from the criminal students and all the other crime families.
RG Veda(1991)
Began by a friend group known as CLAMP, RG Veda started life as a Doujinshi which was noticed by the publisher Shinshokan. The group was more familiar with eastern mythology than Western. CLAMP member Mokona had grown up near Hindu and Buddhist Temples, leading to an adaptation of the Rig Veda. The group has a slightly older member named Naoko Takeuchi. Takeuchi was always seen as somewhat of an outsider, for one all the others were born in Kyoto while her family moved there at an early age. She was also the first to really advance. She went on to work on Daddy Long Legs as a script writer, and began to oversee the creation of Codename: Sailor V. She had met Seiya creator Masami Kuramada, at a convention and the two had hit it off. There was no signs of romance between the two, Kuramada more than a decade older, but the two pitched the idea for a a series on Space Warriors. This fled out into two teams, a team of Sailor Scouts named after Planets and a team of armored warriors named after Star Constellations. The other members of CLAMP felt a sense to compete when they launched their first major project as a DVA.
RG Veda begins three hundred years ago. The God of Thunder Taishakuten rebelled agains the Heavenly Emperor and killed him along with his guardian god Ashura-O with the help of Ashura-O’s wife Shashi. The two usurped the throne and began a Crue reign of terror. A Prophecy was made but told to Shisha and Taishakuten separately.
Six Dark stars would fall and defy the Heavens. The one being spoken to must undertake a journey and find the child of a vanished race as he would turn the wheels of destiny. Through that child the Xis Stars shall gather and then someone will appear from the shadows, one who knows the future and can manipulate good and evil. The Wicked will be razed by flame and the Six Stars will overpower all others and the schism will split the Heavens.
The Guardian Warrior of the Northland, Yasha-o, awakens the genderless child of Ashura-O, Ashura, who has slept for three hundred years under a magic seal. Both set out to find the Six Stars and overthrow Taishakuten. The Six Stars ultimately comprise of Yasha-o, Ashura, Soma, Ryu-o, Karura-o andKendappa-O. Ashura is also shown to have a dark side he keeps hidden. The warriors attack Taishakuten’s palace and fight his Four Generals. Kendappa-O is revealed to be one of the generals and betrays the team. The betrayal causes Asura to lose control and his kills his mother Shisha, and the rest of the six stars except for Yasha-o. Taishakuten reveals he and Ashura-O plotted all this to bring out and kill Ashura’s dark half. He fails and Ashura almost kills Yasha-o, but instead kills himself to save his friend’s life. He enters a cocoon like state and Yasha-o promise she will not let him become a monster again when he awakens hundreds of years later.
The 1989 Manga received great reviews. Usually a B Grading. While the art was beautiful many of the characters were criticized as looking to similar, with gender being difficult to distinguish between the characters, something which only really worked with Ashura, who is genderlesss. The first volume was criticized for being too exposition heave but got better and encouraged the reader to keep going. The prophecy was praised for being a unique twist, not implying that anything would be better of worse. The ending was praised but there was a perceived lack of action. In after years the series was praised for its depiction of LGBT character as there are several same sex relationships and Ashura being genderless.
The DVA was released as a film by King Records, who wanted to branch out after Hideakki Anno departed Studio Daicon to release Alcion and formed King Animation, which RG Veda was released under along with a signing for future CLAMP adaptations. This contract was arranged thanks to connections fashioned by Naoko Takeuchi, who wanted to give something back to the CLAMP team.
Slow Step(1991)
A Romantic Comedy, Boxing and Softball Manga by Mitsuru Adachi that ran from 1986 to 1991. The series follows a popular high school girl dealing with unwanted advances from boys and even one teacher. Her ways of escaping her admirers get more and more convoluted, including donning multiple false identities.
Judge(1991)
Based on the Manga by Fujihoko Hosono, known for Crusher Joe, that ran from 1987 to 1991. The story addresses the Japan version of Hell, Diyu, which was largely inherited by Chinese mythology. The DVA begins with a man being shot in a jungle. He is revealed to be the Vice President of a company named Yamanobe, who was sent to South America and killed by local Guerillas. This gets the attention of Hoichiro Oda, a worker who is secretly the Judge of Darkness. A Woman named Yamamoto is murdered, and while it’s ruled a suicide, the Judge knows the man Murakami is responsible and kills him. Oda is confronted by one of his victims who is represented by a supernatural lawyer who acts to protect his target’s soul, leading to an unholy legal battle. Reviews for Judge were positive, calling it better than most DVAs.
3x3 Eyes(1991-1992)
Based on the manga by Yuzo Takada that ran from 1987 to 2002. Translated by Dark Horse Comics. Pai is the last remaining member of a three eyed race and wants to become human by finding an artifact. Her backpack is stolen but a young man named Yakumo stops the thief. Lai learns he is the son of a professor she once met who was searching for her people the Sanjiyans before he died of sickness. He left a letter asking Yakumo to take care of Pai. The loss of Pai’s cane during the theft frees her pet creature named Takuhi, which rips into Yakumo. To save him, Lai revives him but binds him as a servant of hers. The two now seek the Ningen to revive Yakumo while followers of the dead Demon God Kaiyanwang attack them. Streamline pictures dubbed the DVA with Eddie Frierson as Yakumo and Rebecca Forstadt as Pai. Manga Entertainment distributed it in the UK but as a series rather than a DVA. The DVA was. Scene as solid but nothing mind blowing.
Kekko Kamen(1991-1992)
Based on the NSFW manga illustrated by Go Nagai. The series follows the misadventures of a student named Mayumi Takahashi who is forced into a school which tortures and humiliates its students in sexual ways. The school and its corrupt staff are opposed by a practically nude masked superhero Kekko Kamen.
Mermaid’s Forest(1991)
Based on the manga A Mermaid Saga by Rumiko Takahashi that ran from 1984 to 1994. It is much darker than Takahashi’s usually more comedic works. The series was adapted into a trilogy of DVAs. The first was Mermaid’s Forest. In the manga, There is a legend that eating Mermaid flesh can grant immortality, but has a chance of killing the eater o turning them into a horrible creatures called Lost Souls. A young man named Yuta was tricked into eating mermaid flesh by his friends as he didn’t believe the legend. He became immortal while his friends turned into lost Souls and attacked him, forcing him to kill them in self defense. Having lived centuries, he now wants to find another mermaid to remove his immortality. He meets a young woman named Mana, who was forced to eat Mermaid Flesh as well by a cult. It had two other parts released in 1993 and 1995 [11].
The Heroic Legend of Arslan(1991)
A series of DVAS based on the fantasy novel series by Yoshiki Tanaka that ran from 1986 to 2017. It is loosely adapted from the Persian Epic of Amir Arslan. It was adapted into two DVA Films. The first debuted in 1991. The story is set in an alternate version of Persia created to incorporate elements of all of Persia’s history. Limited magic exists, largely due to the presence of monsters. Arlan is the crown prince of Pars, which is taken over by the nation of Lusitania. After a treacherous plot killed his father. Arslan barely escaped and joins his loyal servant Daryun and a handful of others in fighting back against the usurper, another contender for the Pars throne.
Detonator Orgun(1991)
A Japanese DVA by AIC and Artmic. Directed by Masami Obari with character designs by Kia Asamiya. Tomoru Shindo, a college student from City 5. He sleeps with a device that can record dreams. He has a recurring dream involving a girl being attacked by monsters. It is revealed that the device was once the fallen champion Orgun, who was killed on the Moon on his way to Earth. Signals were sent out from the Moon which Earth Defense Force employee Professor Michi Kanzaki investigates. Tomoru learns Orgun was a madman and the alien’s mind begins to overtake him. There is some ambiguity as to Orgun’s intentions, which may not have been heroic, but it is vague due to Orgun’s current insanity. Part 2, sees the Earth Defense Force and Orgun meet the Evoluders, who are discovered to be the descendants of a space mission and now are attempting to take over Earth. Part 3, had the attempt to repel the Evoluder invasion of Earth. While successful, Orgun sacrifices himself. Tomoru then walks off with Kanzaki into the sunset while Orgun’s remains are displayed in a museum.
Otaku No Video(1991)
A DVA by Studio Daicon based on the live of its original creators. It also served as a history of Otaku up until the present.
The Otaku Culture has its origins in Japan’s post war period. The country rapidly industrialized. The old traditions blended with the new. The position of the Salaryman was created in which employees worked practically their entire lives for their companies with the workers viewing each other like family and Sick days were almost never taken out of a sense of obligation. This was encouraged in students as well, who felt there was no escape from the rigorous path. Clubs were formed and required by the school but most of these were sports clubs, which did not hold the interest of all the students. Several students created their own clubs dubbed “Culture Clubs”
“ The unpopular adolescent, bad at sports, introverted, fat, or of delicate constitution, can be found in just about every school around the world, however the structure provided by clubs that systematically encourage unpopular students to pursue interests other than sports is unique to Japan. “
-Taishido Modakawa, “Otaku”
The Unpopular students gravitating towards Anime and Manga caused many to associate these things with the unpopular I.e. the Nerds. Ken Kubo, the film’s protagonist begins by joining one of these clubs along with a group of others. Kubo vows to become the self proclaimed Otaking, or King of the Otaku. Kenbo’s new life leads him to be bullied and also alienates his salaryman father(a real life common event during that time as the changes in the economy in Japan made getting a salaryman job was now more difficult and the previous “Salaryman” generation was now berating the younger Generation for not living up to their expectations). This is made worse when in the late 80’s due to mismanaging from the banks, who simply ignored the potential risk, the economic bubble burst. This led to the rise in Japan of Hikkikomori as many depressed young adults committed themselves to staying at home with their parents. This was not uncommon in Japan, largely until the offspring married but most of these young adults were now reducing themselves to never leaving the house at all, the concept of kicking them out of the house not really existing in Japanese culture. This was largely ignored until a study was conducted and found that the amount of Hikkikomori was massive, about 60% of Japan’s population. It was difficult to ascertain that number normally due to most families hiding those who could be classified as Hikkikomori(haven’t left the House in six Months) out of embarrassment or desire to protect them.
Strangely this ended up normalizing the idea of Otaku when they were found to be so common and in fact encouraged many to step out of their comfort zone and meet others. Companies began attempting to appeal to these groups, leading to the adoption of shy awkward characters granted power fantasies or in some cases becoming magical girls(despite what some would say, a good portion of the Otaku culture was female). This came full circle as the Otaku culture which really took off in the early 70’s thanks to Studio Ghibli’s massive success in the west shattering the view of Anime being kid’s stuff. Most of the Otaku in the 70’s when the fad began were now older and wiser and began creating Anime themselves, which in turn inspired a new generation and in Otaku No Video, inspired the creation of the film’s equivalent to Studio Daicon: Studio Gainax, by Kubo and his friends, however Kubo gets too full of himself and is kicked out of the Team( A reference to Hideaki Anno’s recent departure from Studio Daicon, which was perceived as a betrayal). He eventually becomes humble and apologizes(likely Studio Daicon telling Hideakki Anno they still see him as a friend and will invite him back if he so chooses)[12].
Among the Anime featured include: Science Ninja Team Gatchaman, Asteroid Ship Icarus, Urusei Yatsura, Pippi Longstocking: The Strongest Girl in the World, Mobile Suit Gundam, Lovely Angels, Space Adventure Cobra, Lupin the Third, Phoenix 2772, Silent Moebius, Magical Princess Minky Moto, Battle City Megaroad, Battle City Megaroad: Do You Remember Love?, Genesis Climber Mospeada, Royal Space Force, Gunbuster, and Daicon Opening Animations.
Doomed Megalopolis(1991)
A Sequel to an adaptation of the historical fantasy novel Teito Monogatari, which was released In 1987. The series spans 90 years and depicts a war using mystical forces, diving into the mythology of every country involved quite faithfully and well researched. Its success led to an immediate film adaptation in 1988 as Tokyo: The Last Megalopolis. It was one of the most expensive live action Japanese films ever made, but became the highest grossing film in Japan of that year. However it only adapted the first four volumes. A Sequel, Tokyo: The Last War, was rushed into production adapting the next four volumes, of which there are twelve in total. There were plans to change elements. For example in the original work President Windell Wilkie is killed by supernatural means and President Dewey and the US also uses supernatural means to create the Atomic Bomb. There were plans to make it so that Hitler was killed instead and remove these elements but it was decided against it. Doomed Megalopolis was the final entry in the trilogy in 1991, completing the live action film trilogy[13].
Kyukyoku Chojin(1991)
Based on the manga series by Masami Yuki, which follows a teenage robot named R.Ichiro Tanaka.
Ninja Gaiden(1991)
A DVA Adaptation of the video game series. Adapting the first and second main games.
Here is Greenwood(1991)
Based on a manga that ran from 1987 to 1991 about fort boys at the Greenwood Dormitory of Ryokuto Academy. Published in English by Viz Media. The Anime was produced by Studio Pierrot.
Dark Cat(1991)
Based on the manga by Naomi Kimura that ran from 1987 to 1992. It follows brothers Kagesaki Seki and Chizu Seki fighting against monsters at their school. They have the ability to turn into cats, trained by the evil demon cat Jukokubo, who the brothers now fight.
Galle Force: New Era(1991)
A Sequel set 200 years after the events of the series. A new race of cyborgs called Yumans coexist with humans and all of humanity is linked to a giant computer with minimal interaction and problems with overpopulation. A young scientist named Nova is motivated by Genova, a revolutionary leader, to bring humanity down and activates an artificial intelligence. Called GORN which damages both humans and Humans. The Human Catty leads a team of seen women against GORN to save the world.
Dark Warrior(1991)
Based on the novel series that ran from 1986 to 1989. Takashi Takagami is a Japanese computer genius living in Silicon Valley when he finds that his girlfriend Judy doesn’t recognize him. Joe hacks into the Pentagon security system and discovers he is a robot and his memories are fake, waging a one man war against the company that employed him: Rockford corporation.
Vampire Wars(1991)
The Delayed
Trapp Ikka Monotatari. Based on the story of the Von Trapp family as famously told in the Sound of Music. Has been pushed back a year due to the release of White Fang under Disney’s acquiring of World Masterpiece Theatre.
Butterflied Away
Only Yesterday. Takahata had no reason to accept it due to Border 1939 being made and its not really the thing TTL’s Studio Gainax would really make.
Dragonball Z: Lord Slug and Dragonball Z” Cooler’s Revenge. Butterflied away as Lord Slug was folded into the show’s filler while Cooler was made canon.
Magical Taruruto-kun. Still exists but this particular film does not.
Anpanman. The first of 27 films which follow the same general plot. Will not exist ITTL, partly due to the earlier release of Anpanman under Mushi Productions.
The Brave of Sun Fighbird. Butterflied away due to Brave Exkaiser only getting one series as intended.
Armored Police Metal Jack. The Anime was originally intended to be a live action sequel to 1988’s Dennou Keisatsu Cybercop, which was itself a live action tokusatsu but was delayed, becoming Animated instead and a separate franchise. Here it is made into a live action sequel.
City Hunter ’91. Due to having a longer run originally in Anime form there’s no seen need to launch a sequel series.
Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai. The last series adapted Dragon Quest III, which this series loosely did. While this series was a huge hit and successful for Anime, much of this was transferred to the 1989 series.
Okama Report. A Manga that ran in 1989. It follows a straight student named Shinya Okama wh works at a cross dressing gay bar. The title refers to the “Gay Report” published by the Association for the Lesbian and Gay Movement or OCCUR, an LGBT rights group. This group criticized Okama Report due to enforcing stereotypes such as not distinguishing gay men and transgender or crossdressers. This resulted in the series being pulled and ITTL it never gets an Anime adaptation.
Mobiel Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory. Butterflied away due to F91 becoming a television series instead, removing the need for two.
Bubblegum Crash. Butterflied away due to the entirety of the Bubblegum Crisis series not existing.
The Guyver: Bio-Booster Armor. A 1991 DVA. Butterflied away largely due to the underperforming 1986 film.
Goldfish Warning! Butterflied away as OTL most of the staff left for Sailor Moon after that show ended. ITTL Sailor Moon has been accepted earlier as Sailor Voltes V, meaning that production also begins earlier.
Notes
[1] Takahata had this idea for a while before it being his last directed film in 2013. Placing it here is a combination of both there being a film to replace Only Yesterday which he had no reason to accept and also Geekis Khan’s A Hippie in the House of Mouse having it be made at around this time.
[2] OTL the Urusei Yatsura film Always My Darling was released. It is about an alien princess named Lupika who wants to marry a tofu seller, who is reluctant because of her status, is released. She kidnaps Ataru as there is a love potion that can only be retrieved by the most lecherous man in the universe, which turns out to be him. The others including Lum set out to rescue him. This is considered by fans of the show to be the worst entry in the series, killing the franchise until a 2008 revival. Naturally I needed to butterfly this away. It was released alongside the first of several Ranma 1/2 films. ITTL the series has a less bizarre and more direct finale. It also doesn’t override “The Final Chapter” title of the last one technically as its considered part of Ranma 1/2. The plot is mostly taken from the Ranma 1/2 film Ranma ½: Big Trouble in Nekonron, China
[3] Gundam F91 was intended to be a series but turned into a movie instead. ITTL it became a series. Just about everyone in production wanted the Gundams to be smaller, especially Bandai as they thought it would make the toys cheaper, but it turned out to be the opposite and smaller toys were more expensive. It also received backlash from fans. The part about the Battle City Megaroad staff wanting to originally be astronauts is true OTL and Japan did design life size Gundams, though not fully functioning ones. ITTL they actually try to do just that. This butterflies away Stardust Memory as there is no need for another series.
[4] OTL the show Future GPX Cyber Formula was pitched and was planned to be like Speed Racer. Here with Speed Racer rights being up in the air due to Tatsunoko’s downfall, they can afford to just make a Speed Racer series.
[5] Due to Brave Exkaiser and Gundam SD not existing as a series, Raijin-Oh will be more successful as Sunrise’s kid aimed series.
[6] OTL this was animated but here is a Tokusatsu, or Live Action like the series it is a sequel to.
[7] OTL the named successors of the Year 24 Group are known as CLAMP collectively. Year 24 was not a real studio but a nickname given to a group of female Mangaka during the 70’s era. ITTL they are an actual group, and most of the group began to slip out of popularity after the 70’s, hence the CLAMP group rising to replace them.
[8] OTL this was known as Genji Tsuushin Agedama, and had no relation to Kinnikuman. Onyokimo shares a voice actress with OTL’s Sailor Moon in Kotno Mitsuishi, which is fitting given the character is essentially an evil parody of magical girls.
[9] About a year later than OTL as part of the reason why it was mad was the first Moon series being unfaithful while it was faithful ITTL.
[10]Actually planned by DiC OTL. The Double Dragon series by contrast was actually made.
[11] OTL The last part of the Mermaid Trilogy was never released.
[12] Naturally since Otaku no Video is based on OTL’s Studio Gainax, the different experiences has led to a different plot. I decided to include later developments such as the bubble burst and the discovery of Otaku earlier than OTL since I felt this turned Otaku no Video into a history of Otaku itself.
[13] OTL this film was animated and all adaptation stuck mostly to the same first few volumes while here they cover the entire series.
Trapp Ikka Monotatari. Based on the story of the Von Trapp family as famously told in the Sound of Music. Has been pushed back a year due to the release of White Fang under Disney’s acquiring of World Masterpiece Theatre.
Butterflied Away
Only Yesterday. Takahata had no reason to accept it due to Border 1939 being made and its not really the thing TTL’s Studio Gainax would really make.
Dragonball Z: Lord Slug and Dragonball Z” Cooler’s Revenge. Butterflied away as Lord Slug was folded into the show’s filler while Cooler was made canon.
Magical Taruruto-kun. Still exists but this particular film does not.
Anpanman. The first of 27 films which follow the same general plot. Will not exist ITTL, partly due to the earlier release of Anpanman under Mushi Productions.
The Brave of Sun Fighbird. Butterflied away due to Brave Exkaiser only getting one series as intended.
Armored Police Metal Jack. The Anime was originally intended to be a live action sequel to 1988’s Dennou Keisatsu Cybercop, which was itself a live action tokusatsu but was delayed, becoming Animated instead and a separate franchise. Here it is made into a live action sequel.
City Hunter ’91. Due to having a longer run originally in Anime form there’s no seen need to launch a sequel series.
Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai. The last series adapted Dragon Quest III, which this series loosely did. While this series was a huge hit and successful for Anime, much of this was transferred to the 1989 series.
Okama Report. A Manga that ran in 1989. It follows a straight student named Shinya Okama wh works at a cross dressing gay bar. The title refers to the “Gay Report” published by the Association for the Lesbian and Gay Movement or OCCUR, an LGBT rights group. This group criticized Okama Report due to enforcing stereotypes such as not distinguishing gay men and transgender or crossdressers. This resulted in the series being pulled and ITTL it never gets an Anime adaptation.
Mobiel Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory. Butterflied away due to F91 becoming a television series instead, removing the need for two.
Bubblegum Crash. Butterflied away due to the entirety of the Bubblegum Crisis series not existing.
The Guyver: Bio-Booster Armor. A 1991 DVA. Butterflied away largely due to the underperforming 1986 film.
Goldfish Warning! Butterflied away as OTL most of the staff left for Sailor Moon after that show ended. ITTL Sailor Moon has been accepted earlier as Sailor Voltes V, meaning that production also begins earlier.
Notes
[1] Takahata had this idea for a while before it being his last directed film in 2013. Placing it here is a combination of both there being a film to replace Only Yesterday which he had no reason to accept and also Geekis Khan’s A Hippie in the House of Mouse having it be made at around this time.
[2] OTL the Urusei Yatsura film Always My Darling was released. It is about an alien princess named Lupika who wants to marry a tofu seller, who is reluctant because of her status, is released. She kidnaps Ataru as there is a love potion that can only be retrieved by the most lecherous man in the universe, which turns out to be him. The others including Lum set out to rescue him. This is considered by fans of the show to be the worst entry in the series, killing the franchise until a 2008 revival. Naturally I needed to butterfly this away. It was released alongside the first of several Ranma 1/2 films. ITTL the series has a less bizarre and more direct finale. It also doesn’t override “The Final Chapter” title of the last one technically as its considered part of Ranma 1/2. The plot is mostly taken from the Ranma 1/2 film Ranma ½: Big Trouble in Nekonron, China
[3] Gundam F91 was intended to be a series but turned into a movie instead. ITTL it became a series. Just about everyone in production wanted the Gundams to be smaller, especially Bandai as they thought it would make the toys cheaper, but it turned out to be the opposite and smaller toys were more expensive. It also received backlash from fans. The part about the Battle City Megaroad staff wanting to originally be astronauts is true OTL and Japan did design life size Gundams, though not fully functioning ones. ITTL they actually try to do just that. This butterflies away Stardust Memory as there is no need for another series.
[4] OTL the show Future GPX Cyber Formula was pitched and was planned to be like Speed Racer. Here with Speed Racer rights being up in the air due to Tatsunoko’s downfall, they can afford to just make a Speed Racer series.
[5] Due to Brave Exkaiser and Gundam SD not existing as a series, Raijin-Oh will be more successful as Sunrise’s kid aimed series.
[6] OTL this was animated but here is a Tokusatsu, or Live Action like the series it is a sequel to.
[7] OTL the named successors of the Year 24 Group are known as CLAMP collectively. Year 24 was not a real studio but a nickname given to a group of female Mangaka during the 70’s era. ITTL they are an actual group, and most of the group began to slip out of popularity after the 70’s, hence the CLAMP group rising to replace them.
[8] OTL this was known as Genji Tsuushin Agedama, and had no relation to Kinnikuman. Onyokimo shares a voice actress with OTL’s Sailor Moon in Kotno Mitsuishi, which is fitting given the character is essentially an evil parody of magical girls.
[9] About a year later than OTL as part of the reason why it was mad was the first Moon series being unfaithful while it was faithful ITTL.
[10]Actually planned by DiC OTL. The Double Dragon series by contrast was actually made.
[11] OTL The last part of the Mermaid Trilogy was never released.
[12] Naturally since Otaku no Video is based on OTL’s Studio Gainax, the different experiences has led to a different plot. I decided to include later developments such as the bubble burst and the discovery of Otaku earlier than OTL since I felt this turned Otaku no Video into a history of Otaku itself.
[13] OTL this film was animated and all adaptation stuck mostly to the same first few volumes while here they cover the entire series.
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What happens to the following 1980s movies ITTL?
- Footloose (1984)
- The Goonies (1985)
- The Breakfast Club (1985)
- The Monster Squad (1987)
- Revenge of the Nerds (1984)
Is a 20th century Fox film starring Rob Lowe(dropped out due to injury OTL). Kevin Bacon instead has a role in Christine which John Carpenter does not direct ITTL.
Largely same as OTL though notably includes the cut octopus scene.
largely the same but with some additions such as Nicholas Cage instead of John Cusack and Rick Moranis instead of John Kapelos.
Uses a more action heavy script by Shane Black and is a Universal Picture. Also features Liam Neeson as Dracula. It has a Stranger Things style reboot later on and later down the line a cartoon series which ironically makes the members kid monsters though the tone is something akin to The Owl House where there is a dramatic storyline.
Never made. In a meta sense due to several problematic scenes like what constitutes a rape but she actually likes it. In an in universe sense society ITTL never really saw the dislike for nerds that OTL did. It’s similar to how the MCU being big and popular made being a comic book geek not nearly a subject of ridicule. Anime? An earlier Ghibli and dubs means they’re more popular. Books. Sure but you still have to read them for school. Comics. DC, Marvel and others have earlier cinematic universes. Video Games? Who really insults gamers now when it’s a viable career path. Movies and TV. Well everyone watches those.
It will and likely already does though I haven’t mentioned it yet and thought I would when I cover western animation. If it goes under Japan will actually fight to keep it around since it means more western viewers see Anime, meaning it likely won’t be cancelled.
Cool!
It's only 1991 and Cartoon Network already exists..................??????