- Norakuro
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Norakuro 
English version of a 1937 Norakuro strip as published in the sixth Kramer's Ergot comics anthology.のらくろ Genre Comedy Manga Written by Suihō Tagawa Published by Kodansha Magazine Shōnen Kurabu English magazine 
Kramer's ErgotOriginal run 1931 – 1981 Anime film Private 2nd Class Nora-Kuro: Drill Chapter Directed by Yasuji Murata Written by Chuzo Aochi
Suihō TagawaStudio Yokohama Cinema Company Released June 14, 1933[1] Runtime 1 film reel Anime film Corporal Nora-Kuro Directed by Yasuji Murata Written by Chuzo Aochi
Suihō TagawaMusic by Ryozo Sugita Studio Yokohama Cinema Company Released March 9, 1934[2] Runtime 11 minutes Anime film Private 1st Class Nora-Kuro Directed by Mitsuyo Seo Written by Suihō Tagawa Music by Asahiko Ochiai Studio Seo Talkie Manga Labs Released 1935[3] Runtime 1 film reel Anime film Private 2nd Class Nora-Kuro Directed by Mitsuyo Seo Written by Suihō Tagawa Music by Asahiko Ochiai Studio Seo Talkie Manga Labs Released 1935[4] Runtime 2 film reels Anime film Nora-Kuro's Tiger Hunt Directed by Mitsuyo Seo Written by Suihō Tagawa Studio Geijutsu Eiga Sha Released 1938[5] Runtime 10 minutes TV anime Directed by Toru Murayama Music by Hidehiko Arashino Studio Eiken Network Fuji TV Original run 5 October 1970 – 29 March 1971 Episodes 26 TV anime Norakuro-kun Directed by Masami Anno Studio Pierrot Network Fuji TV Original run 4 October 1987 – 2 October 1988 Episodes 50 Norakuro (のらくろ) is a Japanese manga series created by Suihō Tagawa. The titular protagonist, Norakuro, or Norakuro-kun, is a black and white dog. The name Norakuro is an abbreviation of norainu (野良犬, stray dog) and Kurokichi (黒吉, the name of the dog, literally meaning "black lucky").
Norakuro strongly influenced Machiko Hasegawa, the author of Sazae-san, who apprenticed with its author Suihō Tagawa.
There is an excerpt that appears in the sixth Kramer's Ergot comics anthology which is the only example of Tagawa's work published in English.[6]
History
In the original story, the central character Norakuro was a soldier serving in an army of dogs called the "fierce dogs brigade" (猛犬連隊 mōkenrentai). The strip's publication began in 1931, and was clearly based on the Imperial Japanese Army of the time.[6] The artist, Suihō, had served in the Imperial Army from 1919 to 1922. Norakuro is gradually promoted from private to sergeant in the stories, which are humorous episodes.
Serialization of Norakuro stopped during the second World War. After the war, due to the popularity of the strip, the character returned in various guises, including a sumo wrestler and a botanist.
Pre-war animated films based on the military Norakuro, and two post-war animated television series of Norakuro, in 1970 and 1987, have also been produced. In the 1970 series, the voice of Norakuro was played by Nobuyo Ōyama, also known as the voice of Doraemon. During the 1980s and early 1990s Norakuro was the mascot of the Physical Training School (Tai-Iku Gakko) of the Japan Self Defense Force.
References
- ^ http://www.jmdb.ne.jp/1933/bi002330.htm
- ^ http://www.jmdb.ne.jp/1934/bj000870.htm
- ^ http://www.jmdb.ne.jp/1935/bk004720.htm
- ^ http://www.jmdb.ne.jp/1935/bk004730.htm
- ^ http://www.jmdb.ne.jp/1938/bn005090.htm
- ^ a b Deppey, Dirk (September 25, 2006). "Kramers Ergot 6". The Comics Journal. http://archives.tcj.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=414&Itemid=70. Retrieved 2011-07-02.
External links
- Norakuro-kun at Studio Pierrot
- Norakuro-kun at Studio Pierrot (Japanese)
Categories:- Manga series
- Anime films
- Anime series
- Anime of 1970
- Anime of 1987
- Comics characters introduced in 1931
- Fictional dogs
- Manga of 1931
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