Dr. Slump
Dr. Slump | |
Dr.スランプ (Dokutā Suranpu) | |
---|---|
Genre | Science fiction comedy[1] |
Manga | |
Written by | Jump Comics |
Magazine | Weekly Shōnen Jump |
Demographic | Shōnen |
Original run | February 4, 1980 – September 10, 1984 |
Volumes | 18 |
Anime television series | |
Dr. Slump – Arale-chan | |
Directed by | Minoru Okazaki |
Produced by |
|
Written by | Fuji TV) |
Original run | April 8, 1981 – February 19, 1986 |
Episodes | 243 (256 segments) |
Anime television series | |
Directed by | Shigeyasu Yamauchi |
Produced by |
|
Written by | Satoru Nishizono |
Music by | Funta |
Studio | Toei Animation |
Licensed by | |
Original network | FNS (Fuji TV) |
Original run | November 26, 1997 – September 22, 1999 |
Episodes | 74 |
Manga | |
Dr. Mashirito – Abale-chan | |
Written by | Akira Toriyama |
Published by | Shueisha |
Magazine | Monthly Shōnen Jump |
Demographic | Shōnen |
Published | April 2007 |
Related media | |
Dr. Slump (
The manga was adapted into an
Dr. Slump launched Toriyama's career. It was awarded the Shogakukan Manga Award for shōnen and shōjo manga in 1981, and has sold over 35 million copies in Japan. The manga was released in North America by Viz Media from 2004 to 2009. Discotek Media released the first five films in North America in 2014. In 2021, Tubi announced their acquisition of the 1997 TV anime.
Plot
Dr. Slump is set in Penguin Village (ペンギン村, Pengin Mura), a place where humans co-exist with all sorts of
Humor
Dr. Slump is filled with
Production
With Toriyama a newcomer to manga and his editor
Toriyama did not expect Dr. Slump to last long, as even before it debuted Torishima was asking him what he would draw for his next series.[8] However, it lasted for roughly five years. When Toriyama began Dr. Slump, he worked at home, where he lived with his parents,[2] and had one assistant who worked one day a week.[9] Toriyama has said several times that he typically would not have any ideas for the story for that week's chapter, but would think up something as soon as Torishima called asking.[10] He thought up each week's story as he drew and sent the rough draft to Torishima at Weekly Shōnen Jump headquarters in Tokyo by air courier from Nagoya Airport. After getting the approval of his editor, he began by drawing the lines that stick out of the frames, then the frames themselves, before using a g-pen to draw clear crisp lines at roughly one page an hour. After he had around eight pages finished, his assistant Hisashi Tanaka (田中久志) (also known as Hiswashi (ひすゎし)) came over, although Toriyama stated he only allowed him to color. For color pages, Toriyama first drew them with permanent ink and used water-soluble color pens, before touching up with a wet brush.[11] Later in serialization (around volume 13, as stated in volume 18), Takashi Matsuyama (まつやまたかし) became his assistant when Hiswashi started his own series,[12] although Hiswashi occasionally still helped out, as did Toriyama's wife when they were close to a deadline.[13]
In 2016, Torishima said that although Dr. Slump was very successful, having debuted at number two in the magazine's reader rankings, Toriyama wanted to stop it after about six months. He explained that because it was a self-contained comedy each week, if something did not work, the author had to change everything. Torishima said that because it was a top-ranking series, would regularly sell a million copies, and had an anime about to begin, Jump and Shueisha would not allow it to end. However, Torishima claimed the magazine's chief editor told him that if they could come up with something more interesting and successful then they could. In order to have time to discuss new ideas they had to adjust the weekly schedule, finishing a Dr. Slump chapter in five days instead of seven.[4] Toriyama stated that one of the conditions he agreed to that allowed him to end the popular Dr. Slump, was that he start his next series relatively soon after. He began Dragon Ball roughly three months later.[14]
In his own words, Toriyama described the scenery of Dr. Slump as having an "American West Coast" feel.[15] Torishima recalled that when he asked Toriyama why he drew relatively sparse backgrounds, his reply was simply that it was easier that way.[16] However, Toriyama has stated that he was particular about the art, working more hours on it than he would later on Dragon Ball.[17] In an actual chapter of Dr. Slump, where Toriyama and Matsuyama appear, it was revealed that Matsuyama draws most of the backgrounds and houses.[18] Toriyama often used colored paper, a technique fairly common in design, but less-so in manga.[17] He stated that the tournament-type events, such as the Penguin Village Grand Prix and the kick the can contest, were popular with readers and inspired the Tenkaichi Budōkai in Dragon Ball.[19]
Torishima described the Dr. Slump anime as unsuccessful in his opinion because it did not loyally follow the manga. He said this was because it was the first time the Weekly Shōnen Jump team had to manage an anime based on one of their manga and its creative process, explaining that, if something went wrong, it was too late to change because it was already animated.[4]
Media
Manga
After Dr. Slump ended in 1984, its characters returned for an extended cameo in Toriyama's next series Dragon Ball, in which Arale and Son Goku briefly team up to defeat General Blue during the Red Ribbon Army storyline. A Dr. Slump follow-up manga was written by Takao Koyama and illustrated by Katsuyoshi Nakatsuru, with supervision by Toriyama. It was serialized in V Jump from February 21, 1993, to September 1996 under the title The Brief Return of Dr. Slump (ちょっとだけかえってきたDr.スランプ, Chotto Dake Kaettekita Dokutā Suranpu). It was collected into four tankōbon volumes.[28][29]
To promote the release of the first Dr. Slump – Arale-chan anime DVD box set, Akira Toriyama illustrated a special one-shot colored spin-off manga titled Dr. Mashirito - Abale-chan (Dr.MASHIRITO ABALEちゃん) published in the April 2007 issue of Monthly Shōnen Jump. The story centers around an evil counterpart of Arale created by Dr. Mashirito Jr., named Abale.[30]
Anime
The Dr. Slump manga was adapted into two separate anime television series by Toei Animation, both of which aired on Fuji TV. The first, Dr. Slump – Arale-chan (Dr.スランプ アラレちゃん), ran from April 8, 1981, to February 19, 1986, and spanned 243 episodes.[31] The second anime, simply titled Dr. Slump (ドクタースランプ), ran from November 26, 1997, to September 22, 1999, and lasted seventy-four episodes.[32]
The first anime was released on home video for the first time in 2007, remastered, in two 22-disc DVD sets; Slump the Box N'Cha (SLUMP THE BOX んちゃ) on March 23, which contains the first 120 episodes, and Slump the Box Hoyoyo (SLUMP THE BOX ほよよ) on September 14, which contains the remainder.[33][34] Likewise, the second series was released the following year as Slump the Box 90's on March 21.[35] The first anime was then released in twenty 2-disc sets (the last was 3-disc) of roughly twelve episodes each, titled Slump the Collection; the first three sets on October 9, 2008, the next five on November 28, the next six on December 21, and the last six on January 30, 2009.[36] The first episode of the original anime was adapted into English by Harmony Gold USA in 1984, but the pilot was never picked up.[37][38] Characters from Dr. Slump also prominently feature in the 69th episode of Dragon Ball Super, "Goku vs. Arale! An Off-the-Wall Battle Spells the End of the Earth?"[39]
In February 2021, American streaming service Tubi announced their acquisition of the Dr. Slump TV anime for release with English subtitles.[40]
Films
Toei has also created eleven animated films based on Dr. Slump, beginning with Hello! Wonder Island on July 18, 1981.[41] They continued to produce one film a year until 1985; "Hoyoyo!" Space Adventure on July 10, 1982,[42] Dr. Slump and Arale-chan: Hoyoyo! The Great Race Around the World on March 13, 1983,[43] Dr. Slump and Arale-chan: Hoyoyo! The Secret of Nanaba Castle on December 22, 1984,[44] and Dr. Slump and Arale-chan: Hoyoyo! The City of Dreams, Mechapolis on July 13, 1985.[45]
In 1993, Dr. Slump and Arale-chan: N-cha! Clear Skies Over Penguin Village and Dr. Slump and Arale-chan: N-cha! From Penguin Village with Love were released on March 6 and July 10 respectively.[46][47] In 1994, Dr. Slump and Arale-chan: Hoyoyo!! Follow the Rescued Shark... and Dr. Slump and Arale-chan: N-cha!! Excited Heart of Summer Vacation were released on March 12 and July 9 respectively.[48][49] On March 6, 1999, Arale's Surprise Burn was produced.[50]
Toriyama's 2007 one-shot was adapted into a five-minute short titled Dr. Slump: Dr. Mashirito and Abale-chan that was shown alongside the theatrically released One Piece Movie: The Desert Princess and the Pirates: Adventures in Alabasta.[30] In 2008, all eleven films were released in a remastered DVD box set titled Slump the Box Movies on September 21.[51] Discotek Media acquired the first five Dr. Slump films for release in North America and released in a two-disc DVD box set in Japanese with English subtitles on July 29, 2014.[52]
Video games
A series of three Dr. Slump – Arale-chan
Arale appears in several Dragon Ball video games as well. She and several other Dr. Slump characters appear in
Puyopuyo!! Quest features the event as part of the Dr. Slump franchise: Dr. Slump Arale-chan Festival, from July 15 to 21, 2019.
Other media
There have been several light novels based on Dr. Slump. The first two, Novel!? Dr. Slump (小説!? Dr.スランプ) released in July 1981 and Novel!? Dr. Slump Strikes Back (小説!? Dr.スランプの逆襲) released in April 1982, were written by Masaki Tsuji, who also wrote for the anime adaptation.[57][58] A novel written by Shun'ichi Yukimuro and based on the second movie was released on July 15, 1982.[59] The Sun fell in Penguin Village (ペンギン村に陽は落ちて) and Ghostbusters (ゴーストバスターズ), released on October 1989 and June 27, 1997, respectively, are original works written by Genichiro Takahashi, but draw from the world of Dr. Slump.[60][61]
A
In 2014, two commercials featuring Dr. Slump were created by Toei for Suzuki. The commercials advertise the car manufacturer's Kei SUV Hustler and include new acting from Mami Koyama as Arale and Kumiko Nishihara as Gatchan.[62][63]
In celebration of the anime adaptation's 35th anniversary, the Dr. Slump – Arale-chan N'Cha! Best album, containing music from the series, was released on June 1, 2016.[64]
Reception
As of 2008, the collected volumes of Dr. Slump had sold over 35 million copies in Japan alone.
Mike Toole of
Reviewing the first five movies, Carl Kimlinger of Anime News Network summarized Dr. Slump as "random silly adventures [...] delivered with a lot of surreal nonsense humor, only the most basic sense of continuity, and not a whiff of substance or seriousness." He felt that much of the humor comes simply from the visuals; stating that the vintage hand-done art and animation provide a "warmth" and "raises Slump's visuals above" other anime. However, he called the background music "non-descript" and stated that the films are only for viewers who are familiar with the series, as they provide no exposition.[83]
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External links
- Official website (in Japanese)
- Dr. Slump - Arale-chan at Toei Animation at the Wayback Machine (archived July 22, 2015)
- Dr. Slump (manga) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia