Cyborg 009 Explained

Ja Kanji:サイボーグ・ゼロ・ゼロ・ナイン
Ja Romaji:Saibōgu Zero-Zero-Nain
Genre:Adventure, science fiction
Creator:Shotaro Ishinomori
Type:manga
Author:Shotaro Ishinomori
First:1964
Last:1981
Volumes:36
Volume List:List of Cyborg 009 chapters
Type:film
Director:Yugo Serikawa
Producer:Hiroshi Okawa
Studio:Toei Animation
Released:July 21, 1966
Runtime:65 minutes
Type:film
Cyborg 009: Monster Wars
Director:Yugo Serikawa
Producer:Hiroshi Okawa
Studio:Toei Animation
Released:March 19, 1967
Runtime:60 minutes
Type:tv series
Director:Yugo Serikawa
Studio:Toei Animation
Network:NET
First:April 5, 1968
Last:September 27, 1968
Episodes:26
Episode List:List of Cyborg 009 (1968) episodes
Station:NBS
First:January 29, 1979
Last:February 23, 1979
Episodes:20
Type:tv series
Director:Ryōsuke Takahashi
Music:Koichi Sugiyama
Network:TV Asahi
First:March 6, 1979
Last:March 25, 1980
Episodes:50
Type:film
Cyborg 009: Legend of the Super Galaxy
Director:Masayuki Akehi
Music:Koichi Sugiyama
Studio:Toei Animation
Released:December 20, 1980
Runtime:130 minutes
Developer:Riot
Publisher:Telenet Japan
Genre:Action
Platforms:Mega CD
Released:July 30, 1993
Developer:Interbec
Publisher:Bandai
Genre:Action
Platforms:Super Famicom
Released:February 25, 1994
Type:tv series
Cyborg 009: The Cyborg Soldier
Director:Jun Kawagoe
Music:Tetsuya Komuro
Network:TV Tokyo
First:October 14, 2001
Last:October 13, 2002
Episodes:51
Episode List:List of Cyborg 009: The Cyborg Soldier episodes
Simple Characters 2000 Series Vol. 15: Cyborg 009: The Block Kuzushi
Developer:Access
Publisher:Bandai
Genre:Action
Platforms:PlayStation
Released:October 10, 2002
CR Cyborg 009
Developer:NewGin
Publisher:NewGin
Genre:Pachinko
Platforms:Arcade
Released:2003
Cyborg 009: Rebirth
First:September 21, 2009
Last:September 28, 2009
Type:manga
Gods' War
Author:Joe Onodera
Illustrator:Masato Hayase
Publisher:Shogakukan
Magazine:Club Sunday
First:2012
Last:2013
Volumes:5
Type:film
Director:Kenji Kamiyama
Producer:Tomohiko Ishii
Music:Kenji Kawai
Released:October 27, 2012
Runtime:105 minutes
Type:oav
Cyborg 009 VS Devilman
Director:Jun Kawagoe
Released:October 17, 2015
Runtime:30 minutes each
Episodes:3
Type:film series
Cyborg 009: Call of Justice
Director:Kokai Kakimoto
Music:Yoshihiro Ike
First:November 25, 2016
Last:December 9, 2016
Runtime:100 minutes each
Episodes:3
Type:manga
Bgooparts Delete
Author:Tsuguo Okazaki
Publisher:Akita Shoten
Magazine:Champion Red
First:July 19, 2019

is a Japanese science fiction manga created by Shotaro Ishinomori. It was serialized in many different Japanese magazines, including Monthly Shōnen King, Weekly Shōnen Magazine, Shōnen Big Comic, COM, Shōjo Comic, Weekly Shōnen Sunday, Monthly Shōnen Jump, and Monthly Comic Nora. In 2012, comiXology acquired the digital distribution rights to Shotaro Ishinomori's catalogue, including Cyborg 009.[1] [2]

Plot

See main article: List of Cyborg 009 characters. Nine people from around the world are kidnapped by the evil Black Ghost organization, led by the tyrant Skull, to undergo experiments that would allow him to use them as human weapons to promote the production of cyborg warfare. While he succeeds in converting the group of nine into cyborgs with superhuman powers, his most reputable scientist, Dr. Isaac Gilmore, helps the cyborgs escape to rebel against Skull and Black Ghost. The nine cyborgs – from which the name of the series is derived – band together in order to stop Black Ghost from achieving its goal of starting the next world war by supplying rich buyers with countless weapons of mass destruction. After the destruction of Black Ghost, the nine cyborgs go on to fight a variety of threats, such as mad scientists, supernatural beings, and ancient civilizations.

Media

Manga

See also: List of Cyborg 009 chapters. The first arc was serialized in Weekly Shōnen King (Shōnen Gahosha). It depicts Cyborg 009's origin story, the escape from Black Ghost, and the group running from the cyborg assassins. It ended with the battle against the Mythos Cyborgs.

The second arc, called The Underground Empire Yomi Arc, appeared in Weekly Shōnen Magazine (Kodansha) alongside the release of the film version. The story is highly influenced by Edgar Rice Burroughs' Earth's Core series, including an expedition to the center of the Earth with a drill tank and a reptile race who can use telepathy and grow wings. The story ends with the final battle against Black Ghost. In the final scene, 009 and 002 fall into Earth's atmosphere and are seen as a shooting star by two small children, one of whom wishes for a toy gun and the other for world peace (a scene reminiscent of Ray Bradbury's Kaleidoscope). As such, 001 was able to use his telekinetic powers at the last minute to retrieve 002 and 009 from their plummet before death.

The third arc, serialized in Bōken Ō (Akita Shoten), contained 6 story arcs, including the Monster Island Arc, the Middle East Arc, and the Angels Arc. The series abruptly ended during the Angels Arc.

The fourth arc, called The Battle of the Gods Arc, was serialized in COM (Mushi Production). Ishinomori resumed and retold the interrupted Angels Arc with a new plot, but the series once again ended abruptly. Ishinomori would not resume the series for a few years after this.

The fifth arc was serialized in Shōjo Comic (Shogakukan), and included the Wind City Arc, the Snow Carnival Arc, and the Edda Arc. The story deals with legendary and mythical like characters challenging the 00 Number Cyborgs.

The sixth arc followed closely after the fifth arc. Arcs such as the Deinonychus Arc (appeared in Monthly Shōnen Jump (Shueisha)) and Green Hole Arc (appeared in Play Comic (Akita Shoten)) were depicted, then long after, the Underwater Pyramid Arc was serialized in Monthly Manga Shōnen (Asahi Sonorama).

The seventh arc was serialized in Weekly Shōnen Sunday (Shogakukan) alongside the revival anime. A long arc consisting of many short arcs, this series dealt with the battle against Neo Black Ghost as well as the emotional trauma of the 00 Number Cyborgs. The story is set approximately 20 years after the Yomi Arc, and the personalities and conduct of the cyborgs are depicted as more adult.

The eighth arc was serialized in Monthly Comic Nora (Gakken). This longer arc was called People Drifting Through Time and Space Arc, and is a sequel to the Immigration Arc. The Count of St. Germain from the Underwater Pyramid Arc appears, but the design of his drawing is different.

Manga publication history

The series was written and illustrated by Shotaro Ishinomori, serialized in Monthly Shōnen King, published in Japan by Akita Shoten and other companies through its history, and published in North America by Tokyopop.

Digital comics distributor comiXology licensed the entire catalogue from Ishimori Productions in 2012,[1] and has made the first 10 volumes of Cyborg 009 available to the public.

In April 2012, Shogakukan announced that the Cyborg 009 manga would conclude in Weekly Shōnen Sunday.[3] Entitled Cyborg 009 Conclusion: God's War, the manga is to be illustrated by Masato Hayase and to be based on Ishinomori's original concept notes, sketches, and novel drafts, all of which had been gathered by his son, Jo Onodera. Conclusion debuted on April 13, 2012,[4] and ran until February 2014. It was collected in 5 volumes.[5]

Cyborg 009 Bgooparts Delete

A manga series written and illustrated by Tsuguo Okazaki, titled Cyborg 009 Bgooparts Delete, began serialization in Champion Red on July 19, 2019.[6]

8 Man vs. Cyborg 009

A crossover manga between 8 Man and Cyborg 009 by Kyoichi Nanatsuki (script) and Masato Hayate (art), was serialized in Champion Red from July 18, 2020,[7] to May 19, 2023.[8] In this work, Black Ghost, revived after the Cold War, kidnaps 8 Man's inventor, Tani, to blackmail 8 Man to destroy the 00 cyborgs, so that Black Ghost can dominate the world using a laser satellite created by Professor Demon (one of 8 Mans original antagonists). 8 Man, Professor Demon, and the cyborgs team up to destroy Black Ghost.

Graphic novel

A full-color graphic novel based on the franchise was released at San Diego Comic-Con on July 21, 2013, to align with the anniversary of Ishinomori's original manga. The book is a condensed retelling of the 00 Cyborgs' battle against Black Ghost, led by Sekar (Skull).[9] The full release was on September 11, 2013.[10] The graphic novel is written by F. J. DeSanto and Bradley Cramp, penciled and inked by Marcus To, and published by Archaia Comics.[11]

Films

1966 film

The first Cyborg 009 film was released on July 21, 1966. It was produced by Hiroshi Ōkawa (uncredited) and directed by Yugo Serikawa.

was the second film for Cyborg 009 and released on March 19, 1967. It was produced by Hiroshi Ōkawa and directed by Yugo Serikawa.

The theme song for both films was (Lyrics: Masahisa Urushibara, Composer, Arrangement: Taichirō Kosugi, Singer: Tokyo Meister Singer)

Cast

1980 anime film

An anime film based on the second anime television series was released on December 20, 1980, named .

The theme song was (Lyrics: Michio Yamagami, Composer: Kōichi Morita, Arrangement: Reijirō Koroku, Singer: Yoshito Machida).

Cast

2012 film ()

A 3D film, produced by Production I.G., Sanzigen and Ishimori Productions, was released on October 27, 2012. Kenji Kamiyama was the director and writer. Kenji Kawai, who worked before with Kamiyama on and Eden of the East, composed the music. The film was released in Japan on October 27, 2012. It also opened simultaneously in more than five Asian regions, including Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, and South Korea.[12] A manga adaptation by Gatou Asou, character designer for Moribito and Occult Academy, was serialized in Square Enix's Monthly Big Gangan.[13] The UK anime distributor Anime Limited announced that they acquired the movie and produced an English dub at NYAV Post.[14] Madman Entertainment also has rights to release the film in Australia and New Zealand.[15] At Anime Expo 2013, Funimation had announced that they acquired the film for North America.[16] The English voice cast was announced on April 16, 2015.[17]

2016 film trilogy (Cyborg 009: Call of Justice)

Another 3D film, produced by Production I.G. and animated by OLM Digital and Signal.MD and distributed by Toho, was released on November 25, 2016. The movie itself was divided into three parts, with Part 2 being released December 2, 2016 and Part 3 on December 9, 2016. Kenji Kamiyama was chief director of the project, and Kokai Kakimoto directed the film.[18] Netflix acquired digital distribution rights to the movie, where the movie was shown first on Netflix Japan in Spring 2016, with other territories following later.[19] The films, edited down into 12 episodes, were released worldwide on Netflix on February 10, 2017.[20]

Cast

Television series

1968 series

An anime adaptation was released on April 5, 1968, on NET and ended on September 27, 1968, with a total of 26 episodes. This series was directed by Yugo Serikawa, Takeshi Tamiya, Tomoharu Katsumata, Toshio Katsuda, Taiji Yabushita, Ryōzō Tanaka, Yoshikata Nitta, Kazuya Miyazaki, Fusahiro Nagaki, Minoru Okazaki, Yoshio Takami.

The opening theme song for the anime series was (Lyrics: Masahisa Urushibara, Composer, Arrangement: Taichirō Kosugi, Vocals: Tokyo Meister Singer. The outro theme was (Lyrics: Shotaro Ishinomori, Composer, Arrangement: Taichirō Kosugi, Singer: Vocal Shop)

Cast
DVD Box

The "サイボーグ009 モノクロ DVD BOX" was released in January 2006 from Buena Vista Home Entertainment. The low-priced edition "サイボーグ009 1968 DVD-COLLECTION" was released in July 2009 from TOEI COMPANY, LTD.

1979–1980 series

Another anime for Cyborg 009 was released on March 6, 1979, on TV Asahi and ended on March 25, 1980, with a total of 50 episodes.

The opening theme song for the anime was . The lyrics were by Shotaro Ishinomori, the composer was Masaaki Harao, the arrangement was done by Koichi Sugiyama and vocals were provided by Ken Narita and Koorogi '73); the ending theme was . The lyrics were by Saburō Yatsude while the composer was Masaaki Harao, the arrangement was done by Koichi Sugiyama and vocals were provided by Koorogi '73. The show was a huge hit in Sweden where it was one of the earliest anime series to be dubbed into Swedish and released in its entirety on VHS. The success with the audience came despite the fact that the entire voice cast was provided by one actor, Danish national Timm Mehrens.[21]

Cast

2001–2002 series

See also: List of Cyborg 009: The Cyborg Soldier episodes. A third television series, entitled Cyborg 009: The Cyborg Soldier was broadcast on TV Tokyo from October 14, 2001 to October 13, 2002 on Sundays at 18:30. It spanned a total of fifty-one episodes.

The opening theme song for the third anime television series was "What's the Justice?" by Globe. The first ending theme was "Genesis of Next" by Globe followed by "Starting from Here" by Globe and later was replaced with "I Do" by Fayray.

The 2001–2002 series of Cyborg 009: The Cyborg Soldier was dubbed by Animaze, Inc. and ZRO Limit Productions, and was shortened to its manga name. The English-dubbed version of Cyborg 009 aired on Cartoon Network as part of its weekday after-school action anime/animation programming block, Toonami in 2003 with the first 26 episodes, and was on its unnamed late Friday night/Early Saturday morning “Graveyard Shift” line-up in 2004 to air episodes 27 to 42, before it was dropped from their lineup. The edited version of the series was also distributed by Sony Pictures Family Entertainment Group, while the uncut version is distributed by Sony Pictures Television.

Cast

Original video animation

A three-part original video animation crossover with Go Nagai's Devilman series, titled Cyborg 009 VS Devilman, received a two-week theatrical release in October 2015. The OVA was directed by Jun Kawagoe.[22] [23] Netflix released the OVA internationally in 20 languages on April 1, 2016, including an English dub.[24]

Cast

Radio dramas

1979 radio drama

A radio drama was produced for NBS's Kirin Radio Theater from January 29 to February 23, 1979.

Cast

2009 radio drama

A second radio drama, entitled Cyborg 009: Birth, was aired in two parts on September 21 and 28, 2009.

Cast
Part 1
Part 2

Video games

Three video games based on the series were released only in Japan. One of them was an action platformer released for the Super Famicom by BEC in 1994; for each level the player selects one of the eight adult cyborgs (001 is not playable) as the leader of a strike force for a particular mission accompanied by two others. The second game (released by Telenet Japan's subsidiary Riot) in 1993 was for the Mega CD and is also a side scroller.

In 2002, Simple Characters 2000 Series Vol. 15: Cyborg 009: The Block Kuzushi was released for the PlayStation by Bandai.

English releases

The 1979 series was broadcast with English subtitles on Japanese-language television in Hawaii, California, and in the New York metropolitan area. The English subtitles were produced by San Francisco-based Fuji Television, which did not broadcast the series as part of its Japanese programming on KEMO-TV.

The 1980 film was released in the United States in 1988 by Celebrity Home Entertainment as Defenders of the Vortex, with an edited version of an English dub that was commissioned through the Tokyo, Japan-based Frontier Enterprises. It later received an unedited direct-to-video English release in 1995 by Best Film and Video Corporation with the full version of the same dub.

The 2001 TV series was licensed by Avex Inc. (the North American branch of Avex Mode, the 2001 series' original distributor in Japan) and dubbed into English by Animaze and ZRO Limit Productions. The entire series was dubbed, with the first 26 episodes shown on the Toonami programming block on Cartoon Network, while episodes 27 to 47 were shown on Cartoon Network's late Friday night "Graveyard Shift" block, right before the show was dropped from their line-up. The first 8 episodes were distributed on DVD by Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment in a two-disc uncut bilingual set, as well as two dub-only edited broadcast volumes of four episodes each along with Portuguese and Spanish dubs. As of 2017, none of the other episodes have become available on home video outside Japan and Hong Kong, but Madman Entertainment released the first 26 dubbed episodes to DVD in Australia; they are since out of print. Discotek Media announced during their Otakon 2017 panel that they have licensed the 2001 series, and they will release the entire series, in the uncut bilingual version, on a SDBD set.[26] The purpose for this set is to restore the uncut version of the dub for the whole series to its best state possible, as well as the video quality. The uncut dub master tapes were damaged upon arrival,[27] due to the age of the DA-88 tapes.[28] The set has an 11-page essay about the restoration process by the company's producer and Anime News Network founder Justin Sevakis, along with an 83-page art gallery.[29] The set was also the North American and dub premiere of the three-episode God's War finale. The set was officially released on June 25, 2019.[30]

The 2012 movie is licensed by Funimation in North America, Anime Limited in the UK, and Madman Entertainment in Australia and New Zealand. An English dub was produced by NYAV Post, and a theatrical release was released in all three territories.[17]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Comixology Licenses Shotaro Ishinomori's Entire Manga Catalog - News . Anime News Network . 2012-10-12 . 2017-03-06.
  2. Web site: Shotaro Ishimori . Cyborg 009 Digital Comics - Comics by comiXology . https://web.archive.org/web/20161109021350/https://www.comixology.com/Cyborg-009/comics-series/9119?ref=Y3JlYXRvci92aWV3L2Rlc2t0b3AvbGlzdC9jcmVhdG9yTGlzdA&Issues_pg=1&cu=0 . dead . November 9, 2016 . Comixology.com . 2017-01-08.
  3. Web site: ja:クラブサンデー. http://club.shogakukan.co.jp/kod/c009cgw.html. Shogakukan. 7 April 2012. ja.
  4. Web site: Cyborg 009 Story Finale Made Into Manga Series. Anime News Network. 7 April 2012.
  5. Web site: Cyborg 009 Finale Manga to End in 5th Volume. Anime News Network. 18 January 2014. 18 January 2020.
  6. Web site: Pineda. Rafael Antonio. Tsuguo Okazaki Launches New Cyborg 009 Manga in July. Anime News Network. July 23, 2022. June 21, 2019.
  7. Web site: Sherman. Jennifer. 8 Man vs Cyborg 009 Manga Announced for Debut on July 18. Anime News Network. August 6, 2020. June 19, 2020.
  8. Web site: ja:チャンピオンRED 2023年7月号. https://www.akitashoten.co.jp/red/2023/7. Akita Shoten. December 27, 2023. ja.
  9. Web site: Joyce . Nancy . Cyborg 009 Graphic Novel Debut at SDCC! ~ What'cha Reading? . Whatchareading.com . 2013-07-16 . 2017-01-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131005023927/http://whatchareading.com/2013/07/16/cyborg-009-graphic-novel-debut-at-sdcc/ . 2013-10-05 . dead .
  10. Web site: Cyborg 009 - Archaia Comics Store . www.archaia.com . July 25, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130813035154/http://store.archaia.com/cyborg-009/ . August 13, 2013 .
  11. Web site: Borys Kit . Comic-Con 2012: 'Cyborg 009' Coming to American Comics, Movie in Development . Hollywood Reporter . 2012-07-09 . 2017-01-08.
  12. Web site: 009 Re:Cyborg to Open in 5+ Asian Regions at Same Time. Anime News Network. 13 July 2012.
  13. Web site: Moribito designer Asou to draw 009 Re:Cyborg Manga. Anime News Network. 13 July 2012.
  14. Web site: Anime Limited to Release 009: Re-Cyborg on BD/DVD in UK. Anime News Network. 4 July 2013.
  15. Web site: Madman Entertainment Announces 009 Re-Cyborg. Anime News Network. 4 July 2013.
  16. Web site: Funimation Adds Hal, Cyborg 009: Re-Cyborg Films. Anime News Network. 4 July 2013.
  17. Web site: Funimation Announces 009 Re:Cyborg English Dub Cast - News . Anime News Network . 2015-04-16 . 2017-01-08.
  18. Web site: Cyborg 009 Gets 3 New CG Films by Ghost in the Shell S.A.C.'s Kamiyama. Anime News Network. 27 December 2016.
  19. Web site: Netflix Nabs "Cyborg 009 Call of Justice" 3DCG Theatrical Films. Crunchyroll. 27 December 2016.
  20. Web site: Netflix to Premiere Cyborg 009: Call of Justice on February 10 - News . Anime News Network . 2017-02-06 . 2017-02-11.
  21. Web site: Par i Pixlar #105 – Sidequest Cyborg 009. December 2018 .
  22. Web site: Cyborg 009, Devilman Battle in Crossover Anime Film . June 18, 2015 . . August 22, 2015 .
  23. Web site: Cyborg 009 Vs. Devilman Anime's 2-Week Theatrical Run Starts on October 17 . August 21, 2015 . . August 22, 2015 .
  24. News: Netflix Streams Cyborg 009 vs. Devilman Anime in 190 Countries, 20 Languages. Anime News Network. 2017-03-06. en.
  25. Web site: Cyborg 009 Vs. Devilman Anime Reveals Main Cyborg 009 Cast. July 17, 2015. Anime News Network. August 22, 2015.
  26. Web site: Discotek Licenses Cyborg 009 The Cyborg Soldier, Tomorrow's Joe, Project ARMS, NieA_7, Lupin III: The Legend of the Gold of Babylon. Anime News Network. August 13, 2017. August 13, 2017.
  27. worldofcrap. 956332292904951808. Cyborg 009 update: the materials are a giant mess and we're still doing major triage. This is one of the biggest production challenges we've ever faced. I still think we can make a good product but some 5.1 mixes may be lost.. January 24, 2018.
  28. worldofcrap. 956342334781775872. It wasn't well cared-for, that's for sure. But also DA-88 tapes don't last forever. Same stock as Hi-8 camcorder tapes. Just old.. January 24, 2018.
  29. worldofcrap. 1055602248258965504. Some #cyborg009 updates... Still waiting on subtitles, but the rest of the disc is really coming together. Hey look, bonus features! (83 images in that art gallery!). October 25, 2018.
  30. Web site: Cyborg 009 The Cyborg Soldier Blu-Ray. Right Stuf! Anime. April 17, 2019.