Mojacko

Mojacko (モジャ公, Mojakō) is a shōnen manga series created by duo Fujiko Fujio. It was first serialized in Kodansha's Bokurano Weekly in 1969 to 1970, compiling into 35 tankōbon volumes. It was then revived twice by Hiroshi Fujimoto (Fujiko F. Fujio) and published in Shogakukan's CoroCoro Comic from September 1995 to April 1996, with a total of seven volumes and in Labybug Comics from June 1996 to April 1997, with a total of 10 volumes. The manga revolves around Sorao Amano, an ordinary student who befriends two aliens stranded on their planet while helping them to get home.

Mojacko
Volume 1 of the Mojacko manga.
モジャ公
GenreComedy, Fantasy, Sci-fi
Manga
Written byFujiko Fujio
Published byKodansha
MagazineBokurano Weekly
DemographicShōnen
Original run1969 – 1970
Volumes35
Manga
Written byFujiko F. Fujio
Published byShogakukan
MagazineCoroCoro Comic Monthly
DemographicShōnen
Original runSeptember 1995 – April 1996
Volumes7
Manga
Written byFujiko F. Fujio
Fujiko A. Fujio (last chapters)
Published byShogakukan
MagazineLabybug Comics
Original runJune 1996 – April 1997
Volumes10
Anime television series
Directed byTetsuya Endo
Produced byKeisuke Iwata
Yumiko Yazaki
Written byTatsuya Fuji
Kenji Terada
Music byKei Wakakusa
StudioOriental Light and Magic
Xebec (Animation cooperator)
Licensed byEnoki Films
Original networkTV Tokyo
Original run October 3, 1995 – March 31, 1997
Episodes74

The series was later adapted into anime, directed by Tetsuya Endo and produced by Oriental Light and Magic. It premiered on October 3, 1995 and ran until March 31, 1997, with a total of 74 episodes.

Enoki Films once licensed the series outside of Japan.[1]

Synopsis

Sorao is an ordinary student who lives an ordinary life of a typical kid, but his life is tough due to being the only representative of the school's Science Fiction Club. One Day, he heard that strange ghosts haunt an abandoned construction site and he and his friend Miki decided to investigate. They accidentally makes friends with two aliens who were stranded on Earth after their ship crashed. His life changes as he helps them find their way home, the Moja Planet. As the story progresses, wherein they do reach the aliens' homeworld, Sorao along with Miki, discovers a feud between two different tribes. Things gone awry as the tribes' representatives try to outdo one another in search of the missing treasure of the past with the help of an uncovered clue.

In the manga, Sorao thinks about running away from home, due to the boredom of his life. He meets Mojacko and Donmo, who came to earth looking for a companion for a journey to space. He agrees to come with them, and goes on a fun, yet dangerous, adventure through space, and visit different planets.

Characters

Main characters
Sorao Amano (天野空夫, Amano Sorao)
Voiced by: Ai Orikasa
Sorao Amano is Mojacko's friend on Earth and the main hero. He was a typical student, not less strong and smart but still unmissable in many trials. He is also the president of the SF (Science Fiction) Club. He has a crush on the club's vice president named Miki.
Mojara (モジャラ, Mojara) (Named Mojacko (モジャ公, Mojakō) in the Anime)
Voiced by: Mayumi Tanaka
Mojara is an alien from the Moja Planet. He had lots of tools hidden in his mouth and is able to inflate himself by inhaling too much air which he uses to lift himself, or as a mode of transportation for the others. He can also stretch his tongue for many miles. His full name is Duke Mojara Hanamogera Sanadabintonikusu Furansasukatchi Ritorufuddo Bikunin Arekisandorobonikku Konikkutaranberi- Kuchukuchu Suppabibbi- Poppo- which he usually uses to introduce himself, causing everyone to almost fall asleep. He also likes girls and sometimes flirts with them.
Donmo (ドンモ, Donmo)
Voiced by: Daiki Nakamura
Donmo is a robot accompanied by Mojara who helps to solve problems for both Sorao and Mojara. Whenever he consumes too much sweets, he becomes drunk in the same way humans become drunk when consuming too much alcohol. He was renamed as Domon in the Philippine (Tagalog) dub.
Miki (みき, Miki)
Voiced by: Junko Iwao
Miki is Sorao's childhood friend and also his love interest. The vice president of the SF Club, she is very bold and very reliable unlike Sorao. She is also the cause of the rivalry for both Pitekan and Sorao.
Pitekan (ピテカン, Pitekan)
Voiced by: Wataru Takagi
The class bully, Pitekan is Sorao's rival in school when it comes to clubs and to Miki. He is the leader of the ESP club, and believes that he can do Psychokinesis, in which his friends finds him confusing, except to his two lackeys. His real name is Sakamoto Kanta, but this is only mentioned in the Anime. He was renamed as Wutan when it aired in the Philippines.
Mojari (モジャリ, Mojari)
Voiced by: Sanae Miyuki
Only appearing in the Anime, Mojari is Mojara's younger sister. She can be stern and serious to her older brother, sometimes scolding him on what he's doing wrong or just being stupid. She also displays some motherly instincts on taking care of their younger brother, Mojaru.
Mojaru (モジャル, Mojaru)
Voiced by: Megumi Hayashibara
Only appearing in the Anime, Mojaru is Mojara's younger brother. Despite being a baby, Mojaru is quite talented and also very good on technical stuff such as creating weird gadgets or fixing things. He usually cannot speak, always saying "Moja" all the time. Mojaru also shows a lot of crybaby tendencies, in which his cries can create a powerful sonic wave that can decimate everything in its path, including destroying a whole planet in its wake.
Momonja (モモンジャ, Momonja)
Voiced by: Urara Takano
The Prince of the Momonja Tribe, Momonja is skilled in stealth and ninja-like skills and is obsessed on getting the "Greatest Treasure in the Universe". He has strong feelings for Mojari and as a running gag, he literally turns into stone whenever he sees or comes into contact with her.

Manga
Otto (オット, Otto)
He is a furseal-like alien with a Kansai dialect. He is a very clever swindler, which got Sorao, Mojacko and Donmoin great danger.
Takopetti (タコペッティ, Takopetti)
An octopus-like alien, who is also an extreme documentary filmmaker, author of "Cruel Space Story". He is based on Italian documentary filmmaker, Gualtiero Jacopetti.
Mona Monasis (モナ・モナシス, Mona Monashisu)
A young lady who travels carefree in her rocket, "The Esmeralda". She participated in the Dinosaur Hunt game, and the "Asteroid Rally", which is a grand prix in outer space.
Mue (ムエ, Mue)
A Nue-like creature, dressed in a hooded cloak. He can teleport, and use telekinesis and clairvoyance. He chased and tried to kill Sorao, believing he was the enemy of his father. He was later modified in an episode for 21emon.
Mokubee (もくべえ, Mokubee)
A hunter alien that hired Mojacko and friends to help him hunt the mystery of the biological Danboko.

Anime

The anime adaptation was directed by Tetsuya Endo and produced by Oriental Light and Magic; the studio best known for the Pokémon anime franchise, which it predates by 4 years. The anime was broadcast on TV Tokyo between October 3, 1995 and March 31, 1997, consisting of 74 episodes, and was replaced by the above-mentioned Pokémon in its initial timeslot.

The opening themes were "CHU-CHU-CHU" from episodes 1-34, performed by CRIPTON, then "Dream Express", performed by Saki Natori, from episodes 35-50, and then "Shine" by Dear from episodes 51-74. The ending themes were "Koibito ga Uchuujin nara", performed by Junko Iwao, from episodes 1-34, then "Jaa ne" performed by Kiyomi Kobayashi from episodes 35-50, then "Dou nacchatan darou" by ZIZI from episodes 51-69, then "Too Late" by Yuki Saito from episodes 70-74.

References
  1. "Mojacko". Enoki Films USA. 2005-03-16. Retrieved 2019-08-26.
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