Super Duper Sumos Explained
Super Duper Sumos (Korean: 으랏차차 삼총사) is an animated television series co-produced by DIC Entertainment, L.P.[2] and Ameko Entertainment.[3]
Overview
Three crimefighting sumo wrestlers — the brothers Booma, Kimo, and Mamoo — go on adventures and fight using their enormous size and gigantic hindquarters.[4]
A typical episode consisted of "Bad Inc" trying to destroy Generic City in numerously themed ways, although almost all of their plans involved giant monsters. The head of Bad Inc, Ms. Mister, usually assigned the in-house mad scientist Stinger to create these evil monsters. At the end of each episode, Ms. Mister fires Stinger for failing to create an unstoppable monster (although he always appears employed in the next episode and is never actually fired). Every episode contained gratuitous use of the word "butt".
In every episode, the three wrestlers use "Sumo Size". This makes them stronger, more muscular, and considerably larger. Each sumo has a characteristic move they use when "Sumo Sized", usually the three sumos initiate their attack one after another in the same order. Often in times of trouble, the sumos undertake a flashback remembering something Wisdom San (their teacher) taught them. They also may get advice from Prima, who is the sumos' friend and encouraging sidekick who often follows them and acts the most sensibly. Throughout the whole series, each sumo fights for their own cause (they draw their abilities from a force known as 'P.H.A.T.', standing for Peace, Honor And Truth).
Characters
Super Duper Sumos
- Mamoo: The Afro-Caribbean sumo who is their most sensible member and unofficial leader, fighting for Truth. He likes to cook as well as eat and was disheartened after losing a cooking challenge on a show sponsored by Bad Inc, regaining his confidence after realizing that the challenge was (obviously) rigged. His special move is 'Sumo Squeeze', where he grabs an opponent from behind and gives them a powerful bear hug.
- Kimo: The Asian sumo who resembles a samurai and has a Zen-like attitude to life, fighting for Honor. He is apparently precognitive, as his younger self foresaw the Sumos' battles against Bad Inc. First evidenced in "Dance Of The Sugar Plumb Sumos", he also has a habit of making corny one-liners when claiming victory, much to his own amusement and Mamoo's chagrin. His special move is 'Honorable Thunderball', which involves him rolling into a ball and launching himself at an opponent.
- Booma: The Caucasian sumo who talks like a surfer and is the most enthusiastic and child-like, fighting for Peace. He is obsessed with his large butt and proudly talks about it in every episode. His special move is 'Gluteus Maximus', involving him landing on an opponent butt-first and squashing them.
Allies
- Prima: A small, thin girl who acts as the Sumos' friend and helps them out as she can, although their dimwitted and childish ways often annoy her.
- Wisdom San: The Sumos' yogi-like teacher, who raised them from infancy and taught them the ways of P.H.A.T. He is usually seen in flashbacks, but sometimes appears in contemporary sections of the episode. He resembles an Eastern mystic, seems to wear nothing apart from sandals (although this is debatable, as his beard covers most of his body), and is often seen meditating, levitating, or both. He found raising the Sumos incredibly frustrating due to their greed and clumsiness.
- Shemo: The Sumos' long-lost sister was separated from them as a baby when baby Booma accidentally knocked her down Wisdom San's mountain home. She was consequently raised by a herd of yaks (who somehow knew the ways of P.H.A.T.) and grew up to be the superheroic guardian of Kyoto and its yak population. When Bad Inc devastated the city and kidnapped the yaks and the mayor, Shemo traveled to Generic City to get them back. She turned out to be a better fighter than the boys and turned down their help, but they had to rescue her after Bad Inc captured her. The four Sumos defeated Bad Inc together and Shemo, politely refusing the offer to stay with her 'brothers', returned to Kyoto.
- The Gyoji: A mute, goofy-looking Gyōji that appears in most episodes whenever the Sumos are about to fight. A running gag is him emerging from a nearby area (such as a mailbox) to observe the battle.
Bad Inc
- Ms. Mister: The main villain of the show. The cruel CEO of Bad Inc is constantly infuriated by their inability to defeat the Sumos.
- Billy "BS" Swift: Invariably clad in a black polo neck and sunglasses, he seems to be the administration of Bad Inc. Dr. Stinger seems to view him as a love rival, but BS has no interest in Ms. Mister (apart from trying to make sure their plan actually works so she won't yell at him), whom BS curiously refers to as "Mum" once early on in the show.
- Dr. Stinger: A green-skinned, hunchbacked mad scientist who is employed to create the various giant monsters and robots used in Bad Inc's plans. He is romantically obsessed with Ms. Mister and a bit too childish to be an effective villain. A running gag is Ms. Mister firing him, usually very loudly.
- Ghengis Fangus: A ghostly entity that constantly lectures the other villains, insisting that evil was more effective in his day. He tried to conquer the world long ago but was opposed and thwarted by Wisdom San. He claims to have been close friends with Napoleon Bonaparte and Attila the Hun in his youth.
- The Evil Sumos: Originally created to oppose the Super Duper Sumos, they occasionally make reappearances acting as Bad Inc's 'muscle'. They consist of He of the Extra Arms (counterpart of Mamoo), He of the Big Iron Chest (counterpart of Kimo), and He of the Third Butt Cheek (counterpart of Booma).
Episode list
Running gags
- Booma always talks about his butt.
- Stinger keeps getting fired by Ms. Mister in every ending episode.
- The sumos keep doing flashbacks to their time of training with Wisdom San.
- The gag monster "Coathanger" that Dr. Stinger created appears in several episodes.
Voice cast
Additional voice cast
Guest stars
Production
In October 1999, DIC Entertainment (then-owned by The Walt Disney Company) teamed up with South Korean firm Ameko Entertainment to produce three animated shows, with Super Duper Sumos being the first as part of the deal. This would be the first time DIC would partner with a Korean company to co-producing an animated series and not just outsource.[5] [6]
The production of the series began in July 2000. DIC handled worldwide distribution for the property except in Korea, where Ameko distributed the series.[7]
Broadcast
The show first aired in the United Kingdom on CBBC on September 22, 2001, [8] [9] Shortly after its UK debut, DIC pre-sold the series to a selection of broadcasters including Antena 3 (Spain), YTV (Canada), Mediaset (Italy), Foxtel (Australia, to air on Fox Kids), Fox Kids (Latin America), Disney Channel (Asia), and RCTV (Venezuela).[10]
The series debuted in the United States on Nickelodeon on April 7, 2002. Reruns of the series aired in syndication in 2005.
Additional pre-sales over the world included Disney Channel in France in 2003.[11]
Merchandise
DIC signed a European deal with the UK-based toy company Martin Yaffe International in October 2001 to develop a toy and merchandising line based on the property, alongside DIC's Consumer Products division handling other kinds of merchandising.[12]
Home media releases
In 2002, ADV Films acquired the distribution rights to the series on VHS and DVD, and in February 2003, released "They've got Guts!" on VHS and DVD, consisting of the first 5 episodes of the series. ADV would later release 5 more volumes throughout that year.
In July 2010, Mill Creek Entertainment released a 10 episode best-of collection entitled Super Duper Sumos: They've Got Guts! on DVD in Region 1 which also includes a bonus episode of World of Quest.[13]
| DVD/VHS name | Episodes | Distributor | Release date |
|---|
| They Got GUTS! | "Binky Did a Bad Bad Thing"
"The Seven Sumorai"
"Basho Crasho Sumos"
"The Incredible Shrinking Butt"
"Dance of the Sugar Plum Sumos" | ADV Films | February 4, 2003 |
| Absolutely Fabulous | "Eviction Conviction"
"Beach Blanket Sumos"
"Handle with Care"
"Rest Area 51"
"Car Yak'd" | ADV Films | March 18, 2003 |
| Deep Sushi | "Sumos on Ice"
"Back to School"
"Phat to the Future"
"Honor Thy Phather" | ADV Films | April 29, 2003 |
| Way of the Phat | "Sumos on a Hot Tin Roof"
"No Lie Pie"
"Pinch Me I'm Steaming"
"To Serve and Neglect" | ADV Films | June 10, 2003 |
| Sumo Squeezo | "Santa's a Big Fat Sumo"
"The Girth of Cool"
"A Clock Work Sumo"
"Mini Golf Madness" | ADV Films | July 22, 2003 |
| Big Bottom Bros | "I'm Too Sexy for my Butt"
"Yak Derby"
"Shemo the Fourth Sumoteer"
"That was Zen This is Tao" | ADV Films | September 2, 2003 |
| They've Got GUTS! | "Binky Did a Bad Bad Thing"
"The Seven Sumorai"
"Basho Crasho Sumos"
"The Incredible Shrinking Butt"
"Dance of the Sugar Plum Sumos"
"Eviction Conviction"
"Beach Blanket Sumos"
"Handle with Care"
"Rest Area 51"
"Car Yak'd"
Bonus World of Quest episode | Mill Creek Entertainment | July 27, 2010 |
|
Video game
A video game based on the series for the Game Boy Advance was developed by Midway Games and released on October 26, 2003.[14] A PlayStation 2 game was planned but never surfaced.[15]
Notes and References
- Web site: DIC & Korea's Ameko Ink Co-Production Deal.
- "DIC Shows." DIC Entertainment. April 2, 2003. Retrieved on April 5, 2009.
- Web site: DIC & Korea's Ameko Ink Co-Production Deal.
- Book: Erickson . Hal . Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 . 2005 . 2nd . McFarland & Co . 978-1476665993 . 802.
- Web site: Dic pacts for series in Seoul. 14 October 1999.
- Web site: Teen sumos, listless rabbits and neurotic quads: It was an animated MIPCOM….
- Web site: DIC & Korea's Ameko Ink Co-Production Deal.
- Web site: Schedule - BBC Programme Index.
- Web site: DIC scores raft of toon sales.
- Web site: DIC scores raft of toon sales.
- Web site: New toons for Disney France.
- Web site: DIC ENTERTAINMENT TAKES ON THE TV WORLD THIS FALL 2001 WITH ITS "LARGEST" ANIMATED SERIES EVER, SUPER DUPER SUMOS . www.dicentertainment.com . 12 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20040417063227/http://www.dicentertainment.com/press_archive.html#oct601 . 17 April 2004 . dead.
- Web site: Super Duper Sumos: They've Got Guts! . Super Duper Sumos: They've Got Guts!: Various: Movies & TV . Amazon . 2013-01-08.
- Web site: Varanini, Giancarlo . May 12, 2003 . Mortal Kombat: Tournament Edition for the GBA . . . May 2, 2012.
- Web site: Super Duper Sumos. IGN. Ziff Davis. 3 March 2016.
