Kaiju Booska

Kaiju Booska (快獣ブースカ, Kaijū Būsuka, lit. Cheerful Beast Booska) is a famous children's sitcom, and the first to feature the friendly monster Booska. Produced by Tsuburaya Productions, the show aired on Nippon TV from November 9, 1966 to September 27, 1967, with a total of 47 episodes. There was a Booska revival in Japan from 1998 to 2000, when a new season of Booska was released called "Booska! Booska!" (in English).

Kaiju Booska
Title card
GenreTokusatsu
Sitcom
Kaiju
Created byTsuburaya Productions
Developed byMasahiro Yamada
Shozo Uehara
Directed byJukichi Takemae
StarringKazue Takahashi
Haruyoshi Nakamura
ComposerKunio Miyauchi
Country of originJapan
No. of episodes47
Production
Running time24 minutes
Release
Original networkNippon TV (Japan)
Original releaseNovember 9, 1966 (1966-11-09) –
September 27, 1967 (1967-09-27)

Character

Booska is the name of a cute, friendly, human-sized kaiju that looks like a cross between a bucktoothed teddy bear and a giraffe. It was originally an iguana until its owner and mega-genius, Daisuke Tonda, fed it experimental powder called "kuropara" meant to grow the creature into a giant dinosaur-like monster that Daisuke could control. Booska himself appeared wearing a "Boo Crown" which is made from the element Booskanium, appearing as three golden horns running from front to back down his head. This is the source of all his magical abilities, as well as his intelligence, so if he loses the crown he loses his abilities as well. By using his Boo Crown, Booska can fly, lift up to 100 tons, or even turn invisible, among a number of other powers including shooting lasers and an extendible/retractable tail. The crown itself is temperature-sensitive, so if it warms up his powers and intelligence strengthen, and if it is cooled they weaken. He can also change his size, appearing initially as about a foot tall in Episode 1, but switching between that size and the height of an adult human (1.8 m) weighing 120 kg. Booska needs to be wearing his Boo Crown for his superpowers to work, and his Boo Crown requires nourishment, especially ramen, in order to function properly. In addition, after a turtle bites his tail in the first episode, Booska becomes terrified of turtles, which his enemies use to their advantage.

Booska has a brother, Chamergon, who Daisuke agrees to create after Booska reveals that he feels lonely. Daisuke plans on using the same kuropara powder that he used to create Booska on a squirrel, though this plan goes awry when a space alien crashes into the reaction. As a result, Chamergon is part squirrel, part space alien, and he can survive without oxygen. Chamergon has superpowers as well, including an ability to shoot lasers from his tail, super-speed, and the ability to shape-shift through use of a walnut. He is originally Booska's nemesis, but he learns to be better with time, eventually turning into a friend (though never quite losing his tricksy habits).

Production

Kaiju Booska was originally planned to feature a monster resembling Godzilla.[1][2]

Home media

On April 25, 2001 Bandai Visual released a box-set titled Kaiju Booska DVD Memorial BOX and on March 22, 2013[3] and released a box-set titled Kaiju Booska COMPLETE DVD-BOX.[4]

References
  1. Andō, Mikio (9 August 2013). 円谷プロ画報. Takeshobo (published August 2, 2013). p. 17. ISBN 978-4812494912.
  2. 円谷プロ特撮大鑑. Asahi Sonorama. 1988. pp. 22–30. ISBN 4257032529.
  3. Special Appendix Spacecraft YEAR BOOK 2002. May 1, 2002. p. 169. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  4. "2013年は円谷プロ創立50周年！珠玉の名作がDVDで揃い踏み！『快獣ブースカ』『アンドロメロス』『電光超人グリッドマン』がDVDで登場！ - 円谷ステーション". 円谷ステーション - ウルトラマン、円谷プロ公式サイト (in Japanese). Retrieved 2021-07-05.


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