Muteking, The Dashing Warrior

Muteking, The Dashing Warrior (とんでも戦士ムテキング, Tondemo Senshi Muteking) is an anime television series produced by Tatsunoko Productions for Fuji TV. It ran from September 7, 1980, to September 27, 1981.^[3]

Muteking, The Dashing Warrior
とんでも戦士ムテキング (Tondemo Senshi Mutekingu)
Genre	Science fiction, Comedy
Created by	Tatsunoko Production
Anime television series
Directed by	Seitaro Hara
Music by	Koba Hayashi
Studio	Tatsunoko Production
Original network	FNS (Fuji TV)
Original run	September 7, 1980 – September 27, 1981[1]
Episodes	56[2]
Anime television series
Muteking the Dancing Hero
Directed by	Ryōsuke Takahashi Hiroshi Sasagawa Yūzō Satō
Produced by	Kousuke Fumi Takefumi Kanari Marie Matsunaga Kento Sudou
Written by	Yūji Kondō
Music by	Takamitsu Shimazaki Takeshi Masuda
Studio	Tatsunoko Production Tezuka Productions
Licensed by	Funimation
Original network	TV Osaka
Original run	October 3, 2021 – December 19, 2021
Episodes	12

Plot

Twelve-year-old Rin Yuki loyally supported his father when the world laughed at the scientist for saying that Earth was about to be face an alien invasion. But Rin did not expect to become personally involved—until he met Takoro, the strange young "deputy sheriff" from another world who was on the trail of notorious space criminals. There were only four Kurodako Brothers, but they plotted to use their alien science and natural shapeshifting powers to become the secret masters of Earth. With Takoro's help, Rin became the mighty superhero, Muteking, to foil their schemes.^[4][5]

Release

The series was televised in Italy under the title of simply Muteking.

An English dub of episode one was also made, apparently in an unsuccessful attempt to sell the series to the United States. In this one-episode dubbed version (which has been posted on YouTube in three parts), Rin Yuki is named "Scooter Loon," and his father is renamed "Linus Loon."

Reboot plans

In 2019, Tatsunoko announced a reboot of the series titled Muteking the Dancing Hero that aired from October 3 to December 19, 2021.^[6][7]

Staff

• Original story: Tatsunoko Production
• Executive producer: Kenji Yoshida
• Planning: Ippei Kuri, Shigeru Yanagawa
• Producers: Ippei Kuri, Tomoyuki Miyata
• Production supervisors: Minoru Uchima, Minoru Uno, Tsuneo Tamura
• Scripts: Shigeru Yanagawa, Kazuo Sato, Akiyoshi Sakai, Seiya Yamazaki, Takeshi Shudo, Yu Yamamoto et al.
• Episode direction: Hiroshi Sasagawa, Masayuki Hayashi, Koichi Mashimo, Yutaka Kagawa, Shinya Sadamitsu, Yoshizo Tsuda, Hidehito Ueda, Kenjiro Yoshida, Kazuo Yamazaki, Masakazu Higuchi et al.
• Character designs: Ippei Kuri, Akiko Shimomoto
• Mechanical design: Kunio Okawara
• Key animation supervisor: Sadao Miyamoto
• Key animation director: Shizuo Kawai
• Art director: Kikuko Tada
• Music: Koba Hayashi
• Produced and distributed by: Tatsunoko Production Co., Ltd. / Fuji Telecasting Co., Ltd.

Cast

• Rin Yuki: Kazuhiko Inoue
• Takoro: Yumiko Uzaki
• Dr. Dankichi Yuki: Isamu Tanonaka
• Koharu Yuki: Kazue Komiya
• Sonny Yuki: Rokuro Naya
• Mitchi: Takako Tsutsui
• Nubon: Takemi Nakamura
• Takokichi: Toru Ohira
• Takomaru: Shigeru Tsuji
• Takosaku: Shin Aomori
• Takomi: Makoto Kōsaka

Episode list

No.	Title	Directed by [a]	Written by [a]	Original release date
1	"Dispatch! Muteking" Transliteration: "Tonde Shutsudō! Mutekingu" (Japanese: とんで出動！ ムテキング)	Kōichi Mashimo	Kazuo Satō	September 7, 1980 (1980-09-07)
2	"The Mysterious Strap Huge Mess" Transliteration: "Fushigi na Tsurikawa Dai Sōdō" (Japanese: 不思議なつり革大騒動)	Hiroshi Suzuki	Akiyoshi Sakai	September 14, 1980 (1980-09-14)
3	"Eat Again Before and After Meals" Transliteration: "Shokuzen Shokugo ni Mata Tabero" (Japanese: 食前食後にまた食べろ)	Shin'ya Sadamitsu Yutaka Kagawa	Akiyoshi Sakai	September 21, 1980 (1980-09-21)
4	"Conquer with Disinformation!" Transliteration: "Nise Jōhō de Seifuku da!" (Japanese: ニセ情報で征服だ！)	Tomoyasu Masago Yoshizō Tsuda	Takeshi Shudō	September 28, 1980 (1980-09-28)
5	"Large Waves and Small Waves Flood!" Transliteration: "Ōnami Konami de Dai Kōzui!" (Japanese: 大波小波で大洪水！)	Bondo Eiju Hidehito Ueda	Yū Yamamoto	October 5, 1980 (1980-10-05)
6	"Weird Personal Consultation" Transliteration: "Henteko Mi no Ue Sōdan" (Japanese: ヘンテコ身の上相談)	Shōhei Ishida	Akiyoshi Sakai	October 12, 1980 (1980-10-12)
7	"Bullshit Baseball! 0 to 0" Transliteration: "Detarame Yakyū! Rei Tai Rei" (Japanese: でたらめ野球！ 0対0)	Shin'ya Sadamitsu Kenjirō Yoshida	Haruya Yamazaki	October 19, 1980 (1980-10-19)
8	"It's a Big Jungle Panic!" Transliteration: "Janguru Dai Panikku da!" (Japanese: ジャングル大パニックだ！)	Tomoyasu Masago Yutaka Kagawa	Akiyoshi Sakai	October 26, 1980 (1980-10-26)
9	"Play Play Play with Everyone!" Transliteration: "Asobe Asobe Minna de Asobe!" (Japanese: 遊べ遊べみんなで遊べ！)	Shin'ya Sadamitsu Yoshizō Tsuda	Haruya Yamazaki	November 2, 1980 (1980-11-02)
10	"Is the Octopus the Great Demon King of the Universe?" Transliteration: "Tako wa Uchū no Dai Maō?" (Japanese: タコは宇宙の大魔王？)	Kazuo Yamazaki Kenjirō Yoshida	Takeshi Shudō	November 9, 1980 (1980-11-09)
11	"Surprise! The Earth is Full of Robots" Transliteration: "Odoroki! Chikyū wa Robotto-darake" (Japanese: 驚き！ 地球はロボットだらけ)	Hidehito Ueda	Akiyoshi Sakai	November 16, 1980 (1980-11-16)
12	"It Came Out! The Great Phantom of the Kurodako Mansion" Transliteration: "Deta! Kurodako Yashiki no Dai Kaijin" (Japanese: 出た！ クロダコ屋敷の大怪人)	Masayuki Hayashi Yutaka Kagawa	Masayuki Hayashi	November 23, 1980 (1980-11-23)
13	"Everyone Dig Here! A Treasure Sleeps" Transliteration: "Minna Koko Hore! Takara ga Nemuru" (Japanese: みんなここ掘れ！ 宝が眠る)	Hidehito Ueda	Akiyoshi Sakai	November 30, 1980 (1980-11-30)
14	"New Hero? Female Muteking" Transliteration: "Shin Hīrō? Josei Mutekingu" (Japanese: 新ヒーロー？ 女性ムテキング)	Kōichi Mashimo Hiroshi Suzuki	Yū Yamamoto	December 7, 1980 (1980-12-07)
15	"Everyone Hibernate with Flowing Snow" Transliteration: "Yuki ya Konkon Minna de Tōmin" (Japanese: 雪やコンコンみんなで冬眠)	Kazuo Yamazaki Kenjirō Yoshida	Haruya Yamazaki	December 14, 1980 (1980-12-14)
16	"New Theory! Human Eevaporation If Wet In the Rain" Transliteration: "Shinsetsu! Ame ni Nurereba Ningen Jōhatsu" (Japanese: 新説！ 雨にぬれれば人間蒸発)	Shin'ya Sadamitsu Yoshizō Tsuda	Ryōko Takagi	December 21, 1980 (1980-12-21)
17	"What Happens to Humans If They Enjoy Themselves In a Car?" Transliteration: "Kuruma de Raku Surya Ningen Dō Naru?" (Japanese: 車で楽すりゃ人間どうなる？)	Katsumi Endō Kenjirō Yoshida	Akiyoshi Sakai	December 28, 1980 (1980-12-28)
18	"Festival Heave-ho! Everyone Dance" Transliteration: "Omatsuri Wasshoi! Minna Odore" (Japanese: お祭りワッショイ！ みな踊れ)	Tomoyasu Masago Yutaka Kagawa	Akiyoshi Sakai	January 4, 1981 (1981-01-04)
19	"Kurodako's Perfect Helmet" Transliteration: "Kurodako no Manten Herumetto" (Japanese: クロダコの満点ヘルメット)	Kazuo Yamazaki Hidehito Ueda	Takeshi Shudō	January 11, 1981 (1981-01-11)
20	"Popular Climax! Kurodako Sound" Transliteration: "Ninki Zetchō! Kurodako Saundo" (Japanese: 人気絶頂！ クロダコサウンド)	Shin'ya Sadamitsu Kunihiko Yuyama	Yū Yamamoto	January 18, 1981 (1981-01-18)
21	"Lots of Laughs! Kurodako Large Circus" Transliteration: "Bakushō! Kurodako Dai Sākasu" (Japanese: 爆笑！ クロダコ大サーカス)	Katsumi Endō Kenjirō Yoshida	Haruya Yamazaki	January 25, 1981 (1981-01-25)
22	"Maze! All Adults and Children are Lost" Transliteration: "Meiro! Otona mo Kodomo mo Mina Maigo" (Japanese: 迷路！ 大人も子供もみな迷子)	Katsumi Endō Yutaka Kagawa	Akiyoshi Sakai	February 1, 1981 (1981-02-01)
23	"Octopus Star Stone That Opens Good Luck" Transliteration: "Kōun o Hiraku Tako Sei no Ishi" (Japanese: 幸運をひらくタコ星の石)	Yoshizō Tsuda	Ryōko Takagi	February 8, 1981 (1981-02-08)
24	"Takoro's Guts Marathon Man" Transliteration: "Takorō no Konjō Marason Man" (Japanese: タコローの根性マラソンマン)	Asuma Kusa Kenjirō Yoshida	Haruya Yamazaki	February 15, 1981 (1981-02-15)
25	"Winds and Clouds! Great Duel on Mount Eagle" Transliteration: "Fūun! Īguru Yama no Dai Kettō" (Japanese: 風雲！ イーグル山の大決闘)	Shin'ya Sadamitsu Hidehito Ueda	Haruya Yamazaki	February 22, 1981 (1981-02-22)
26	"It's a Break, Hot Saucer" Transliteration: "Zekkō da yo Hottoke Sōsā" (Japanese: 絶交だよホットケソーサー)	Kazuo Yamazaki Shōhei Ishida	Takeshi Shudō	March 1, 1981 (1981-03-01)
27	"Realization! Kurodako's Utopia" Transliteration: "Jitsugen! Kurodako no Yūtopia" (Japanese: 実現！ クロダコのユートピア)	Kazuo Yamazaki	Akiyoshi Sakai	March 8, 1981 (1981-03-08)
28	"Welcome! Kurodako's Ryugu Castle" Transliteration: "Yōkoso! Kurodako Ryūgū Jō" (Japanese: ようこそ！ クロダコ竜宮城)	Masayuki Hayashi Yutaka Kagawa	Yū Yamamoto	March 15, 1981 (1981-03-15)
29	"Success! Kurodako's Conquest of the Moon" Transliteration: "Seikō! Kurodako no Getsumen Seifuku" (Japanese: 成功！ クロダコの月面征服)	Hidehito Ueda	Haruya Yamazaki	March 22, 1981 (1981-03-22)
30	"Goodbye Mitchie" Transliteration: "Sayonara Mitchī" (Japanese: さよならミッチー)	Katsumi Endō Kenjirō Yoshida	Mariko Fujita	March 29, 1981 (1981-03-29)
31	"Ah Sad Love! Takomi's Pure Love" Transliteration: "Ā Hiren! Takomi no Jun'ai" (Japanese: ああ悲恋！ タコミの純愛)	Shin'ya Sadamitsu Shōhei Ishida	Takeshi Shudō	April 5, 1981 (1981-04-05)
32	"Unable to Recover?! Kurodako's Complete Defeat" Transliteration: "Saiki Funō?! Kurodako Kanpai" (Japanese: 再起不能?! クロダコ完敗)	Kazuo Yamazaki	Yū Yamamoto	April 12, 1981 (1981-04-12)
33	"Let's Go to Japan! Great Migration" Transliteration: "Iku zo Nippon! Dai Idō" (Japanese: いくぞ日本！ 大移動)	Yutaka Kagawa	Yū Yamamoto	April 19, 1981 (1981-04-19)
34	"Silver Family Big Race" Transliteration: "Hakugin Famirī Dai Rēsu" (Japanese: 白銀ファミリー大レース)	Shin'ya Sadamitsu Hidehito Ueda	Yū Yamamoto	April 26, 1981 (1981-04-26)
35	"Life or Death?! KO Ranch Death Fight" Transliteration: "Sei ka Shi ka?! Kē Ō Bokujō no Shitō" (Japanese: 生か死か?! KO牧場の死闘)	Katsumi Endō Yoshizō Tsuda	Haruya Yamazaki	May 3, 1981 (1981-05-03)
36	"Thrill! Horror Truck Bastard" Transliteration: "Suriru! Kyōfu no Torakku Yarō" (Japanese: スリル！ 恐怖のトラック野郎)	Kazuo Yamazaki	Haruya Yamazaki	May 10, 1981 (1981-05-10)
37	"Open Dignifiedly! Takoro Police" Transliteration: "Dōdō Ōpun! Takorō Keisatsu" (Japanese: 堂々オープン！ タコロー警察)	Masakazu Higuchi	Kazuo Satō	May 17, 1981 (1981-05-17)
38	"No No No! Takoro's Mom" Transliteration: "Ya Ya Ya! Takorō no Okāsan" (Japanese: ややや！ タコローのお母さん)	Masakazu Higuchi Yutaka Kagawa	Yū Yamamoto	May 24, 1981 (1981-05-24)
39	"Large Profit?! Kurodako Tour Boat" Transliteration: "Ōmōke?! Kurodako no Yūransen" (Japanese: 大もうけ?!　クロダコの遊覧船)	Masakazu Higuchi	Yū Yamamoto	May 31, 1981 (1981-05-31)
40	"Fighting Portable Shrine Great Melee" Transliteration: "Kenka Omikoshi Dai Konsen" (Japanese: ケンカおみこし大混戦)	Shin'ya Sadamitsu Yoshizō Tsuda	Yū Yamamoto	June 7, 1981 (1981-06-07)
41	"Fly Fly Balloon! Big Race" Transliteration: "Tobe Tobe Kikyū! Dai Rēsu" (Japanese: 飛べ飛べ気球！ 大レース)	Hidehito Ueda Yutaka Kagawa	Mariko Fujita	June 14, 1981 (1981-06-14)
42	"Great Hit? Takoro Picture Story Show" Transliteration: "Bakauke? Takorō Kamishibai" (Japanese: バカうけ？ タコロー紙芝居)	Kazuo Yamazaki Masakazu Higuchi	Haruya Yamazaki	June 21, 1981 (1981-06-21)
43	"Bloom In the Sky! Humanity Fireworks" Transliteration: "Ōzora ni Sake! Ninjō Hanabi" (Japanese: 大空に咲け！ 人情花火)	Yutaka Kagawa	Ryōko Takagi	June 28, 1981 (1981-06-28)
44	"Great Sale! Kurodako Mansion" Transliteration: "Dai Tokubai! Kurodako Manshon" (Japanese: 大特売！ クロダコマンション)	Masakazu Higuchi	Takeshi Shudō	July 5, 1981 (1981-07-05)
45	"Tears! Retirement of Downtown Train" Transliteration: "Namida! Shitamachi Densha no Intai" (Japanese: 涙！ 下町電車の引退)	Shōhei Ishida	Yū Yamamoto	July 12, 1981 (1981-07-12)
46	"Brilliant! Kurodako's Summer Vacation" Transliteration: "Karei! Kurodako no Natsuyasumi" (Japanese: 華麗！ クロダコの夏休み)	Masakazu Higuchi	Mariko Fujita	July 19, 1981 (1981-07-19)
47	"Angler Takoro" Transliteration: "Tsurishi Takorō" (Japanese: 釣り師タコロー)	Yoshizō Tsuda	Haruya Yamazaki	July 26, 1981 (1981-07-26)
48	"The Panda Has Disappeared! Invisibility Cloak" Transliteration: "Panda ga Kieta! Tōmei Manto" (Japanese: パンダが消えた！ 透明マント)	Hidehito Ueda Yutaka Kagawa	Masaru Takesue	August 1, 1981 (1981-08-01)
49	"Don't Turn Off the Lights In the Playhouse" Transliteration: "Shibaigoya no Hi o Kesu na" (Japanese: 芝居小屋の灯を消すな)	Shin'ya Sadamitsu Yoshizō Tsuda	Ryōko Takagi	August 9, 1981 (1981-08-09)
50	"Impressed! Kurodako Tears of Parents" Transliteration: "Kandō! Kurodako Namida no Oyakōkō" (Japanese: 感動！ クロダコ涙の親孝行)	Shin'ya Sadamitsu	Kazuo Satō	August 16, 1981 (1981-08-16)
51	"First Love! Takosak's Pure Story" Transliteration: "Hatsukoi! Takosaku Junjō Monogatari" (Japanese: 初恋！ タコサク純情物語)	Yutaka Kagawa	Akiyoshi Sakai	August 23, 1981 (1981-08-23)
52	"Reconciliation?! Kurodako's SOS" Transliteration: "Wakai?! Kurodako no Esu Ō Esu" (Japanese: 和解?! クロダコのSOS)	Masakazu Higuchi Shōhei Ishida	Yū Yamamoto	August 30, 1981 (1981-08-30)
53	"How to Win the Muteking Game" Transliteration: "Mutekingēmu Hisshō-hō" (Japanese: ムテキンゲーム必勝法)	Shin'ya Sadamitsu Yoshizō Tsuda	Takeshi Shudō	September 6, 1981 (1981-09-06)
54	"Rescue Squad Storm Showdown!" Transliteration: "Resukyū-tai Arashi no Taiketsu!" (Japanese: レスキュー隊嵐の対決！)	Katsumi Endō Yutaka Kagawa	Haruya Yamazaki	September 13, 1981 (1981-09-13)
55	"Great Chase! Telepote Tube" Transliteration: "Dai Tsuiseki! Terepote Chūbu" (Japanese: 大追跡！ テレポテチューブ)	Kazuo Yamazaki Yoshizō Tsuda	Yū Yamamoto	September 20, 1981 (1981-09-20)
56	"This Is the Last Sight! Great Decisive Battle" Transliteration: "Kore de Miosame! Dai Kessen" (Japanese: これで見おさめ！ 大決戦)	Shin'ya Sadamitsu	Haruya Yamazaki	September 27, 1981 (1981-09-27)

Reboot

In 2019, Tatsunoko announced a reboot of the series titled Muteking the Dancing Hero that was going to air in 2020.^[6] The companies Tatsunoko and Horipro hosted an audition for who will voice the titular character Muteking; the winner will voice the character and will also have a singing debut with character songs, and will get a contract with Horipro. HoriPro was accepting applications for the audition until July 19, 2019, and after several rounds, the final round took place on September 8.^[6]

The reboot is animated by Tatsunoko and Tezuka Productions and directed by Yūzō Satō, with Ryōsuke Takahashi serving as chief director and Hiroshi Sasagawa serving as executive director, Masafumi Satō serving as assistant director and battle dance director, Yūji Kondō supervising series' scripts, and Takamitsu Shimazaki and Takeshi Masuda composing the series' music. The opening theme song, "Labyrinth", is performed by Orange Range, while the ending theme song, "Kibō no Uta" (Song of Hope), is performed by Kalma. It aired from October 3 to December 19, 2021 on TV Osaka and other channels.^[7][8] Funimation streamed the anime.^[9]

Episode list

No.	Title [10]	Directed by [a]	Written by [a]	Storyboarded by [a]	Original release date [11]
1	"Muteking Begins"	Yō Watanabe, Yūzō Satō	Yūji Kondō	Yō Watanabe, Yūzō Satō	October 3, 2021 (2021-10-03)
2	"Brand-new Gadget"	Fumio Maezono	Yūji Kondō	Akira Oguro	October 10, 2021 (2021-10-10)
3	"Rock and Rolling"	Yorifusa Yamaguchi, Masafumi Satō	Hiroko Kanasugi	Masayoshi Nishida	October 17, 2021 (2021-10-17)
4	"Chill Out Sunset"	Hiromichi Matano	Taketo Shinkai	Masayoshi Nishida	October 24, 2021 (2021-10-24)
5	"Goodbye Park"	Sumito Sasaki	Hiroko Kanasugi	Akira Oguro	October 31, 2021 (2021-10-31)
6	"Stand Alone"	Fumio Maezono	Hiroko Kanasugi	Masayoshi Nishida	November 7, 2021 (2021-11-07)
7	"Stage of Dreams"	Hiromichi Matano	Yūji Kondō	Keiichirō Kawaguchi	November 14, 2021 (2021-11-14)
8	"Muteki Mode"	Yorifusa Yamaguchi, Sumito Sasaki	Hiroko Kanasugi	Akira Oguro	November 21, 2021 (2021-11-21)
9	"In the Dark"	Kazuki Yokouchi	Hiroko Kanasugi	Kazuki Yokouchi	November 28, 2021 (2021-11-28)
10	"Sweet Memories"	Yūji Tokuno	Yūji Kondō	Yūji Tokuno	December 5, 2021 (2021-12-05)
11	"Heartbreak"	Hiromichi Matano	Yūji Kondō	Hiromichi Matano	December 12, 2021 (2021-12-12)
12	"The Dancing Hero"	Fumio Maezono, Masafumi Satō	Yūji Kondō	Kazuki Yokouchi, Masafumi Satō, Yūzō Satō	December 19, 2021 (2021-12-19)

Muteki (ムテキ)

Voiced by: Kentarō Mashiro^[7]

DJ

Voiced by: Takuya Eguchi^[7]

Seo (セオ)

Voiced by: Satoshi Hino^[7]

Aida-san (アイダさん)

Voiced by: Rie Takahashi^[7]

An (アン)

Voiced by: Madoka Yonezawa^[7]

Naomi (ナオミ)

Voiced by: Azusa Tadokoro^[7]

Sara (サラ)

Voiced by: Rikako Aikawa^[7]

Vivi (ヴィヴィ)

Voiced by: Kazuyuki Okitsu^[7]

Haru (ハル)

Voiced by: Keiga^[7]

Summer (サマー, Samā)

Voiced by: Hayato Kimura^[7]

Aki (アキ)

Voiced by: Minami Tanaka^[7]

Winter (ウィンター, Wintā)

Voiced by: Koutaro Nishiyama^[7]

Suteking (ステキング, Sutekingu)

Voiced by: KENN^[7]

Matt (マット, Matto)

Voiced by: Yutaka Aoyama^[7]

Tommy (トミー, Tomī)

Voiced by: Takashi Matsuyama^[7]

George (ジョージ, Jōji)

Voiced by: Wataru Hatano^[7]

Owen (オーウェン, Ōwen)

Voiced by: Kenichi Suzumura^[7]

Notes

1. Information is taken from the ending credits of each episode.