Tiger & Bunny

Tiger & Bunny (タイガー＆バニー, Taigā Ando Banī) is a 2011 Japanese anime television series produced by Sunrise under the direction of Keiichi Satou. The screenplay was written by Masafumi Nishida, with original character design by Masakazu Katsura. The series began its broadcast run in Japan on April 3, 2011 on Tokyo MX, followed by rebroadcasts on BS11 and MBS, and ended on September 17, 2011.[3] Viz Media simulcast the series on Hulu and Anime News Network.[4] It is set in a futuristic city where heroes fight crime whilst promoting real life sponsors, focusing on two superheroes, the old-fashioned Kotetsu T. "Wild Tiger" Kaburagi and the rookie hero Barnaby "Bunny" Brooks Jr., as they are forced by their employers to work together.

Tiger & Bunny
Cover of the first Blu-ray volume featuring Kotetsu Kaburagi (left) and Barnaby Brooks (right).
タイガー＆バニー
(Taigā Ando Banī)
GenreAdventure, comedy,[1] superhero[2]
Created bySunrise
Anime television series
Directed byKeiichi Sato
Kunihiro Mori (Chief, #14-25)
Produced byHiroo Maruyama
Chinatsu Matsui
Kazuhiko Tamura
Written byMasafumi Nishida
Music byYoshihiro Ike
StudioSunrise
Licensed by
Original networkBS11, MBS, Tokyo MX
English network
Original run April 3, 2011 – September 18, 2011
Episodes25
Manga
Written bySunrise
Illustrated bySakakibara Mizuki
Published byKadokawa Shoten
English publisherViz Media
MagazineNewtype Ace
DemographicSeinen
Original runOctober 2, 2011 – November 2014
Volumes9
Game
Tiger & Bunny On Air Jack!
DeveloperNamco Bandai Games
PublisherNamco Bandai Games
GenreVisual novel
PlatformPlayStation Portable
ReleasedSeptember 20, 2012
Anime film
Tiger & Bunny: The Beginning
Directed byYoshitomo Yonetani
Written byMasafumi Nishida
Music byYoshihiro Ike
StudioSunrise
Licensed by
Siren Visual
Viz Media
ReleasedSeptember 22, 2012
Runtime90 minutes
Game
Tiger & Bunny Heroes Day
DeveloperD3 Publisher
PublisherD3 Publisher
GenreVisual novel
PlatformPlayStation Portable
ReleasedMarch 20, 2013
Anime film
Tiger & Bunny: The Rising
Directed byYoshitomo Yonetani
Written byMasafumi Nishida
Music byYoshihiro Ike
StudioSunrise
Licensed by
Siren Visual
Viz Media
Anime Limited
ReleasedFebruary 8, 2014
Runtime90 minutes
Anime television series
Tiger & Bunny 2
Directed byMitsuko Kase
StudioBandai Namco Pictures
Original run 2022 – scheduled

A one-shot manga drawn by Masakazu Katsura was published in Shueisha's Weekly Young Jump magazine on August 4, 2011[5] and the production of two films based on the series were announced during a special event on November, 2011. The first film, entitled Tiger & Bunny: The Beginning was released on September 22, 2012. The second film, Tiger & Bunny: The Rising, was released on February 8, 2014.[6]

A second season was announced in March 2020. It is scheduled for a release sometime in 2022.

Plot
Further information: List of Tiger & Bunny characters

The series takes place in "NC 1978" in a fictional, re-imagined version of New York City called Stern Bild City, where 45 years before, superpowered individuals known as "NEXT" (an acronym standing for Noted Entities with eXtraordinary Talents) started appearing and some of them became superheroes. Each of the city's most famous superheroes work for a sponsor company and their uniforms also contain advertising for real-life companies. Their heroic activity is broadcast on the popular television show "Hero TV", where they accumulate points for each heroic feat accomplished (arresting criminals or saving civilians, for example) and the best ranked hero of the season is crowned "King of Heroes".

The story mainly focuses on veteran hero Kotetsu T. Kaburagi, a.k.a. Wild Tiger, who is assigned a new partner: a young man named Barnaby Brooks, Jr. However, Barnaby and Kotetsu have trouble working together, as they have conflicting opinions on how a superhero should act, while at the same time they are trying to crack the mystery of the murder of Barnaby's parents. In addition, the appearance of a homicidal vigilante NEXT named "Lunatic" stirs up the public and makes them question the place of heroes in the city.

Media

Anime
Main article: List of Tiger & Bunny episodes

The anime by Sunrise aired in Japan between April 3, 2011 and September 17, 2011. It was also simulcast with English subtitles on various streaming sites such as Hulu, Viz Media and Anime News Network. The anime has been licensed by Viz Media in North America and Kazé distributed through Manga Entertainment in the United Kingdom. For the first thirteen episodes, the opening theme is "Orion wo Nazoru" (オリオンをなぞる, "Trace of Orion") by Unison Square Garden while the ending theme is "Hoshi no Sumika" (星のすみか, "A Star's Dwelling") by Aobouzu. For episodes fourteen onwards, the opening theme is "Missing Link" by Novels while the ending theme is "Mind Game" by Tamaki.

The series began broadcasting in the United States and Canada on Viz Media's online network, Neon Alley, on October 2, 2012. On October 15, 2017, the series began running on Netflix.[7]

A second anime series was announced on January 4, 2018.[8] It is titled Double Decker! Doug & Kirill, and it premiered on September 30, 2018.[9]

On March 30, 2019, Nikkan Sports announced that a sequel to the original Tiger & Bunny series is currently in production.[10][11] On April 2, 2020, the sequel was announced as Tiger & Bunny 2.[12] Voice actors Hiroaki Hirata and Masakazu Morita are returning to voice their respective characters. The anime is being produced by studio Bandai Namco Pictures, with director Mitsuko Kase replacing director Keiichi Satou. The character designs will be created by manga artist Masakazu Katsura.

Films

The production of two films based on the series was announced during a special event on November 13, 2011. The first film, titled Tiger & Bunny: The Beginning was released in Japan on September 22, 2012, also receiving screenings in the United States, the United Kingdom and other countries, and was released on Blu-ray-Disc and DVD on February 22, 2013.[13][14][15] The first half of the film recaps the first few episodes whilst also introducing a new story. A second film, Tiger & Bunny: The Rising, is an entirely new work which was released on February 8, 2014.[16] The second movie also takes place about a year after the anime finale, so sometime around the epilogue, with Kotetsu's identity now public, and Tiger & Bunny return to their team dynamic.

Manga

A one-shot manga drawn by Masakazu Katsura was released in Shueisha's Weekly Young Jump magazine on August 4, 2011,[5] followed by a serialized manga series drawn by Hiroshi Ueda which began serialization in Miracle Jump magazine on October 2011.[17] The manga, along with a 4-Panel Comic Anthology by various artists, has been licensed in North America by Viz Media and was released in 2013.[18]

Video games

A video game titled Tiger & Bunny On Air Jack! (TIGER&BUNNY オンエアジャック！, Taigā Ando Banī On Ea Jyakku!) was developed by Namco Bandai Games for the PlayStation Portable for release on September 20, 2012. The game was announced by Sunrise producer Masayuki Ozaki on July 31, 2011.[19][20] A second game, Tiger & Bunny Heroes Day (TIGER&BUNNY～ヒーローズ デイ～, Taigā Ando Banī ~Hīrōzu Dei~), was released by D3 Publisher for the PlayStation Portable in March 20, 2013.[21]

Stage play

A stage play titled Tiger & Bunny the Live ran at Tokyo's Zepp Diver City theater from August 24 to September 1, 2012 featuring the voice actors for main characters Kotetsu T. Kaburagi and Barnaby Brooks Jr. reprising their roles. It also featured two new characters, Brian Vai and Babel.[22]

Live-action film

On October 9, 2015, Sunrise announced at their New York Comic Con panel that a live-action Hollywood film adaptation of Tiger & Bunny is in the works.[23] The film will be produced by Ron Howard and Brian Grazer through their production company Imagine Entertainment and Global Road Entertainment, along with series producer Masayuki Ozaki from Bandai Namco Pictures and Sanford Climan and Annmarie Bailey through All Nippon Entertainment Works. Imagine's Erica Huggins will oversee the project.

Marketing

In-show advertising

Each of the heroes in the series is sponsored by fictional and non fictional companies. These include large brands such as Pepsi and Bandai, others are Amazon.com.jp, SoftBank, UStream and Domino's Pizza.[24] The company logos are not visible in the manga adaptation nor the episodes on Netflix.

Toys

In September 2011, Bandai's Tamashii Nations division released a series of figures under their S.H. Figuarts line. The first of these was a Wild Tiger action figure.[25] The figure was a success, with most Japanese retailers/dealers being caught off guard and the figure selling out quickly. The next to be released was a Barnaby Brooks Jr. (a.k.a. Bunny) action figure, followed by figures of Rock Bison and Sky High. All of the figures feature diecast metal parts and sponsor logos printed on the armor, such as Softbank & Amazon.jp.[26]

Reception

In Anime News Network's Spring 2011 preview guide, Zac Bertschy gave the first episode a 5 out of 5. He states that it set up a great and clever superhero premise with some twists. He also said that the show has "the potential to be the kind of smash hit we haven't seen in a long time".[27] While Theron Martin gave it a 4.5 out of 5, he credits Sunrise for their excellent hero designs and CGI animation. He also stated that it had the look and feel of an American animated series.[28]

Tiger & Bunny: The Rising grossed ¥130 million in its opening weekend.[29]

In a 2019 Forbes's article about the best anime of the 2010s decade, Lauren Orsini considered it to be one of the five best anime of 2011; she wrote, "This love letter to the superhero genre is a refreshing break from the decade's grittier superhero franchise, The Avengers".[30]

References
  1. "The Official Website for TIGER & BUNNY". Viz Media. Retrieved May 30, 2018.
  2. Loo, Egan (April 6, 2012). "Tiger & Bunny Superhero Anime's 1st Film Teaser Streamed (Updated)". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
  3. "News: Sunrise to Start Tiger & Bunny Hero TV Series in April". Anime News Network. November 23, 2010. Retrieved February 23, 2011.
  4. "Life Isn't Easy When You're a Fulltime Superhero in Hot New Anime Action Series Tiger & Bunny, Simulcasting on VizAnime.com". Viz.com. Viz Media. March 24, 2011. Archived from the original on May 27, 2011. Retrieved March 28, 2011.
  5. "Zetman's Katsura Draws Tiger & Bunny 1-Shot Manga". Anime News Network. 2011-07-13. Retrieved 2012-09-26.
  6. "Tiger & Bunny's 2nd Film Titled, Slated for Next Fall". Anime News Network. 2012-09-22. Retrieved 2012-09-26.
  7. https://www.netflix.com/title/80039972
  8. "Tiger & Bunny Gets New Anime Series Project". Anime News Network. 2018-01-04. Retrieved 2018-01-05.
  9. "New Tiger & Bunny Anime Project Revealed as Double Decker! Doug & Kirill Original Anime Series". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2018-03-16.
  10. "西田征史氏「タイバニ」続編の脚本担当と明かす - 芸能 : 日刊スポーツ". nikkansports.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 2019-03-30.
  11. "Tiger & Bunny Gets Second Anime Series; Masafumi Nishida Writing the Story". Anime Herald. 2019-03-30. Retrieved 2019-03-30.
  12. "Tiger And Bunny Season 2 release date confirmed for 2022: Tiger & Bunny 2 has a new studio BN Pictures". Monsters and Critics. April 2, 2020. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
  13. "1st Tiger & Bunny Film to Hold N. American Premiere in San Franciscoposted on 2012-09-05 15:40 EDT". Anime News Network. September 5, 2012. Retrieved June 18, 2014.
  14. "Tiger & Bunny: The Beginning London Cinema Screening on September 23". Anime News Network. July 30, 2012. Retrieved June 18, 2014.
  15. "1st Tiger & Bunny Film's BD/DVD to Have English Subsposted on 2012-11-16 16:20 EST". Anime News Network. November 16, 2012. Retrieved June 18, 2014.
  16. "2nd Tiger & Bunny Film's Kotetsu Design, 2014 Delay Revealed". Anime News Network. 2013-04-26. Retrieved 2013-04-26.
  17. "Tiger & Bunny Gets Manga Series". Anime News Network. 2011-07-26. Retrieved 2012-09-26.
  18. "Viz Adds Tiger & Bunny Manga, Taiyo Matsumoto's Sunny". Anime News Network. 2012-10-14. Retrieved 2012-10-15.
  19. "Producer: Namco Bandai Makes Game of Tiger & Bunny Anime". Anime News Network. 2011-07-31. Retrieved 2012-09-26.
  20. "Tiger & Bunny On Air Jack! Game Headed to PSP This Fall". Anime News Network. 2012-04-10. Retrieved 2012-09-26.
  21. Hodgkins, Crystalyn (2012-12-12). "Tiger & Bunny Heroes Day PSP Game Revealed". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2014-01-26.
  22. "Tiger & Bunny's Lead Actors Reprise Roles for Stage Play". Anime News Network. 2012-04-30. Retrieved 2012-09-26.
  23. "Imagine Entertainment to Produce Live-Action Tiger & Bunny Film". Anime News Network. 2015-10-09.
  24. "PLACEMENT | 劇場版 TIGER & BUNNY -The Beginning". TigerandBunny.net. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  25. "Tiger & Bunny Wild Tiger S.H. Figuarts Action Figure". Anime-island.com. Retrieved 2012-09-26.
  26. http://www.anime-island.com/product_images/v/995/4543112694690b__61784_zoom.jpg
  27. Bertschy, Zac (2011-04-02). "Zac Bertschy - Spring 2011 Anime Preview Guide". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2011-04-03.
  28. Martin, Theron (2011-02-04). "Theron Martin - Spring 2011 Anime Preview Guide". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2011-04-03.
  29. Kevin Ma (February 13, 2014). "Eternal Zero tops Japan B.O. for 8th week". Film Business Asia. Archived from the original on February 21, 2014. Retrieved February 13, 2014.
  30. Orsini, Lauren (December 2, 2019). "The Best Anime Of The Decade - 2010 And 2011". Forbes. Retrieved December 3, 2019.
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