Superbook (1981 TV series)

Superbook (スーパーブック, Sūpābukku), also known as Animated Parent and Child Theatre (アニメ 親子劇場, Anime Oyako Gekijō),[2] is a Christian anime television series from the early 1980s, initially produced at Tatsunoko Productions and TV Tokyo in Japan in conjunction with the Christian Broadcasting Network in the United States.

For the reboot series, see Superbook (2011 TV series).

Superbook
Cover of the first DVD volume
アニメ 親子劇場
(Anime Oyako Gekijō)
Genre
Anime television series
Directed byMasakazu Higuchi
Produced byKenji Yoshida, Akira Inoue, Hyota Ezu
Written byAkiyoshi Sakai
Music byMasahito Maruyama
StudioTatsunoko Productions
Licensed by
Original networkTV Tokyo (Japan)
CBN (United States)
Australian Christian Channel(Australia)
Original run October 1, 1981 (1981-10-01) – March 25, 1982 (1982-03-25)
Episodes26
Anime television series
Superbook II: In Search for Ruffles and Return to the 20th Century
パソコントラベル探偵団
(Pasokon toraberu tantei-dan)
Directed byMasakazu Higuchi
Produced byKenji Yoshida
Written byMasakazu Higuchi, Keiji Kubota, Haruya Yamazaki, Takao Koyama, Ryoko Takagi, other
Music byMasayuki Chiyo
StudioTatsunoko Productions
Licensed by
Original networkTV Tokyo (Japan)
CBN (United States)
Original run April 4, 1983 (1983-04-04) – September 26, 1983 (1983-09-26)
Episodes26

The series chronicled the events of the Bible's Old and New Testaments in its 52-episode run. The first 26 episodes aired from October 1, 1981, to March 25, 1982, followed by a second season called Superbook II: In Search for Ruffles and Return to the 20th Century (パソコントラベル探偵団, Pasokon Toraberu Tanteidan, lit. Personal Computer Travel Detective Team) with 26 episodes from April 4, 1983, to September 26, 1983. Between both series in the first run was the companion series The Flying House.

Overview

Superbook (Anime Oyako Gekijo), begins at the home of a young boy named Christopher "Chris" Peeper, who discovers the ancient Bible named Superbook that can speak and send him, his friend Joy and his clockwork toy figure named Gizmo the Crusader Robot back in time during the events of the Old and New Testaments. The second series, Superbook II: In Search for Ruffles and Return to the 20th Century (Pasokon Travel Tanteidan), takes place two years after the first series, where Superbook falls onto a computer, giving anybody the ability to see into the past from Christopher's home via the monitor. Ruffles, his poodle, has managed to get lost in time, prompting Gizmo and Christopher's little brother (re-written as his cousin in the English dub), Uriah "Uri" Peeper, to search for Ruffles. While Chris and Joy keep watch and control of the computer from the present, Gizmo and Uri experience the stories from the Old Testament solely.

Cast and characters
  • Christopher "Chris" Peeper (飛鳥翔, Asuka Shō) (voiced by Masako Sugaya in Japanese, Billie Lou Watt in English): The main hero of the series, who is Professor Peeper's son and Gizmo's former owner.
  • Joy (大和あずさ, Yamato Azusa) (voiced by Katsue Miwa in Japanese, Sonia Owens in English): Chris's next-door neighbor and best friend.
  • Gizmo the Crusading Robot (ぜんまい仕掛け, Zenmaijikake) (voiced by Hiroshi Masuoka in Japanese, Helena van Koert and Billie Lou Watt in English): The name of 2 characters, depending on the season. In the 1st season, he is Chris's advanced toy figure who can become a real-life robot. In the second season, Gizmo became a real-life sized robot built by Uri's father.
  • Uriah "Uri" Peeper (飛鳥悠, Asuka Yū) (voiced by Runa Akiyama in Japanese, Helena van Koert in English): Chris's little brother (cousin in the English dub) and Gizmo's current owner.
  • Professor Frederick "Fred" Peeper (あすかはかせ, Asuka hakase) (voiced by Fumio Matsuoka in Japanese, Ray Owens in English): An archaeologist and Chris's father.
  • Phoebe Peeper (飛鳥さつき, Asuka Satsuki) (voiced by Kumiko Takizawa in Japanese, Sonia Owens in English): Chris's mother.
  • Ruffles ( Kikyomu in Japanese): Chris and Uri's pet Yorkshire Terrier.
  • Superbook (タイムブック, Taimu bukku) (voiced by Koji Totani in Japanese, Ray Owens in English): An ancient Bible that takes Chris, Joy, Gizmo and Uri back to the Old and New Testament eras.

Episodes
SeriesEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast airedNetwork
126October 1, 1981 (1981-10-01)March 25, 1982 (1982-03-25)TV Tokyo (Japan)
CBN (United States)
226April 4, 1983 (1983-04-04)September 26, 1983 (1983-09-26)TV Tokyo (Japan)
CBN (United States)

Season 1 (1981–1982)
No.
overall		No. in
series		TitleScripture reference(s)Directed byWritten byOriginal air date
11"How It All Began"
"Adam and Eve"		GenesisMasakazu HiguchiAkiyoshi SakaiOctober 1, 1981 (1981-10-01)
22"My Brother's Keeper"
"Cain and Abel"		GenesisMasakazu HiguchiAkiyoshi SakaiOctober 8, 1981 (1981-10-08)
33"The Flood"
"Noah's Ark"		GenesisMasakazu Higuchi (supervising)Kiichi TakagiOctober 15, 1981 (1981-10-15)
44"The Test"
"Abraham and Isaac"		GenesisMasakazu Higuchi (supervising)unknownOctober 22, 1981 (1981-10-22)
55"Here Comes the Bride"
"Rebekah"		GenesisMasakazu Higuchi (supervising)unknownOctober 29, 1981 (1981-10-29)
66"Double Trouble"
"Jacob and Esau"		GenesisShoichi YasumuraRyoko TakagiNovember 5, 1981 (1981-11-05)
77"A Dream Come True"
"Joseph"		GenesisRyoji FujiwaraKiichi TakayamaNovember 12, 1981 (1981-11-12)
88"The Miracle Rod"
"Moses"		ExodusOsamu SekitaKazuo SatouNovember 19, 1981 (1981-11-19)
99"Those Amazing Trumpets"
"Joshua and the Fall of Jericho"		JoshuaKenjiro YoshidaNaoko MiyakeNovember 26, 1981 (1981-11-26)
1010"Pitchers of Fire"
"Gideon"		JudgesMasakazu Higuchi (supervising)unknownDecember 3, 1981 (1981-12-03)
1111"Muscleman"
"Samson and Delilah"		JudgesMasakazu Higuchi (supervising)unknownDecember 10, 1981 (1981-12-10)
1212"The First Christmas"
"The Birth of Jesus"		GospelsMasakazu Higuchi (supervising)Ryoko TakagiDecember 17, 1981 (1981-12-17)
1313"Miracles of Love"
"The Life and Ministry of Jesus"		GospelsMasakazu Higuchi (supervising)Naoko MiyakeDecember 24, 1981 (1981-12-24)
1414"The Best News Yet"
"The Death and Resurrection of Jesus"		GospelsMasakazu Higuchi (supervising)Saburo EbinumaDecember 31, 1981 (1981-12-31)
1515"Mother's Day"
"Ruth, Naomi and Boaz"		RuthShoichi YasumuraKiichi TakayamaJanuary 7, 1982 (1982-01-07)
1616"The Patience of Job"
"Job"		JobYou KitazatoSaburo EbinumaJanuary 14, 1982 (1982-01-14)
1717"Big Fish and Little Fish"
"Jonah and the Whale"		JonahKenjiro YoshidaRyoko TakagiJanuary 21, 1982 (1982-01-21)
1818"The First King"
"Samuel and Saul"		1 SamuelNorio YazawaSaburo EbinumaJanuary 28, 1982 (1982-01-28)
1919"The Giant Killer"
"David"		1 SamuelKenjiro YoshidaTsutomu KawauchiFebruary 4, 1982 (1982-02-04)
2020"Superbrain"
"King Solomon"		1 KingsRyoji FujiwaraNaoko MiyakeFebruary 11, 1982 (1982-02-11)
2121"A True Prophet"
"Elijah and King Ahab"		1 KingsKenjiro YoshidaKiichi TakayamaFebruary 18, 1982 (1982-02-18)
2222"Flaming Chariots"
"Elisha"		2 KingsNorio YazawaKiichi TakayamaFebruary 25, 1982 (1982-02-25)
2323"The Lion's Den"
"Daniel"		DanielKimiharu OgumaRyoko TakagiMarch 4, 1982 (1982-03-04)
2424"Nehemiah and the Walls of Jerusalem"NehemiahRyoji FujiwaraKazuo SatouMarch 11, 1982 (1982-03-11)
2525"The Beauty Queen"
"Esther"		EstherKazuo YamazakiNobuko MoritaMarch 18, 1982 (1982-03-18)
2626"The Mighty Convert"
"Paul of Tarsus"		ActsKenjiro YoshidaSaburo EbinumaMarch 25, 1982 (1982-03-25)

Season 2 (1983)
No.
overall		No. in
series		TitleScripture reference(s)Directed byWritten byOriginal air date
271"Where, Oh Where..."GenesisMasakazu HiguchiAkiyoshi SakaiApril 4, 1983 (1983-04-04)
282"Hot Dog"
"Sodom and Gomorrah"		GenesisMasakazu HiguchiAkiyoshi SakaiApril 11, 1983 (1983-04-11)
293"The Test of Faith"GenesisMasakazu HiguchiAkiyoshi SakaiApril 18, 1983 (1983-04-18)
304"Love at First Sight"GenesisMasakazu HiguchiAkiyoshi SakaiApril 25, 1983 (1983-04-25)
315"Father's Pet"GenesisMasakazu HiguchiAkiyoshi SakaiMay 2, 1983 (1983-05-02)
326"All About Dreams"GenesisMasakazu HiguchiAkiyoshi SakaiMay 9, 1983 (1983-05-09)
337"The Hostage"GenesisMasakazu HiguchiAkiyoshi SakaiMay 16, 1983 (1983-05-16)
348"The Family Reunion"GenesisMasakazu HiguchiAkiyoshi SakaiMay 23, 1983 (1983-05-23)
359"A Gift From Heaven"ExodusMasakazu HiguchiAkiyoshi SakaiMay 30, 1983 (1983-05-30)
3610"The Burning Bush"ExodusMasakazu HiguchiAkiyoshi SakaiJune 6, 1983 (1983-06-06)
3711"No More Plagues"ExodusMasakazu HiguchiAkiyoshi SakaiJune 13, 1983 (1983-06-13)
3812"So You Want To Go Back To Egypt!"ExodusMasakazu HiguchiAkiyoshi SakaiJune 20, 1983 (1983-06-20)
3913"Snakes and a Donkey"
"Joshua"		Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua		Masakazu HiguchiAkiyoshi SakaiJune 27, 1983 (1983-06-27)
4014"Worth Fighting For"
"Othniel"		JudgesMasakazu HiguchiAkiyoshi SakaiJuly 4, 1983 (1983-07-04)
4115"The Good Left Arm"
"Ehud and King Eglon"		JudgesMasakazu HiguchiAkiyoshi SakaiJuly 11, 1983 (1983-07-11)
4216"Stick In The Mud"
"Deborah and Barak"		JudgesMasakazu HiguchiAkiyoshi SakaiJuly 18, 1983 (1983-07-18)
4317"That's A Promise"
"Jephthah's vow"		JudgesMasakazu HiguchiAkiyoshi SakaiJuly 25, 1983 (1983-07-25)
4418"Just Rewards"
"Eli and Samuel"		1 SamuelMasakazu HiguchiAkiyoshi SakaiAugust 1, 1983 (1983-08-01)
4519"A Wonderful Gift"
"Saul is anointed king of Israel"		1 SamuelMasakazu HiguchiAkiyoshi SakaiAugust 8, 1983 (1983-08-08)
4620"The Mighty Little Shepherd"
"David"		1 SamuelMasakazu HiguchiAkiyoshi SakaiAugust 15, 1983 (1983-08-15)
4721"The Bigger They Come"
"David and Goliath"		1 SamuelMasakazu HiguchiAkiyoshi SakaiAugust 22, 1983 (1983-08-22)
4822"Faithful and True"
"David's friendship with Jonathan"		1 SamuelMasakazu HiguchiAkiyoshi SakaiAugust 29, 1983 (1983-08-29)
4923"David the King"1 Samuel
2 Samuel		Masakazu HiguchiAkiyoshi SakaiSeptember 5, 1983 (1983-09-05)
5024"In All His Glory"
"King Solomon"		1 KingsMasakazu HiguchiAkiyoshi SakaiSeptember 12, 1983 (1983-09-12)
5125"The Wicked Queen"
"Athaliah and Joash"		2 KingsMasakazu HiguchiAkiyoshi SakaiSeptember 19, 1983 (1983-09-19)
5226"A Matter of Time"
"The Prophets, Hezekiah and Isaiah"		2 KingsMasakazu HiguchiAkiyoshi SakaiSeptember 26, 1983 (1983-09-26)

VHS/DVD releases

Superbook Series I and Series II were released on various VHS volumes by Tyndale Entertainment. The entire series was available over 26 VHS Volumes. Superbook was released for the first time on DVD late 2005 to early 2006. The three DVD volumes features 4 episodes each from Series I.

See also

References
  1. Villacin, Paige (April 15, 2022). "What Makes Older Isekai Anime More Unique Than Their Modern Counterparts". CBR. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  2. 每日新聞社. 東京本社 (1984). 每日新聞 (in Japanese). 每日新聞社. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
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