The King Kong Show
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The King Kong Show is an American/Japanese children's animated television series produced in 1966 by Rankin/Bass & Videocraft of the USA, and Japan's Toei Animation, and is the first anime series produced in Japan for an American company (not counting Rankin/Bass' previous Animagic stop motion specials, also animated in Japan).
This series is an animated adaptation of the famous movie monster, King Kong. In this series, the giant ape befriends the Bond Family, with whom he goes on various adventures, saving the world from monsters, robots, aliens, mad scientists and other threats.
Included is a comical cartoon show called Tom of T.H.U.M.B., about a 6-inch secret agent named Tom and his Oriental sidekick Swinging Jack, who foil the plots of evil organizations such as M.A.D.
In Japan, The first two episodes were combined into a 56-minute special, titled King of the World: The King Kong Show (世界の王者 キングコング大会 - Sekai no Ôja: Kingu Kongu Taikai), and was broadcast on NET (now TV Asahi) on December 31, 1966. The rest of the series, with the inclusion of Tom of T.H.U.M.B., was broadcast on NET as King Kong & 001/7 Tom Thumb (Kingu Kongu * 001/7 Oyayubi Tomu - キングコング・001/7親指トム), and aired on April 5 to October 4, 1967, with a total of 26 episodes.
This series was successful enough for Rankin/Bass to extend the Kong franchise to another Japanese company, Toho (which already produced the hit King Kong vs. Godzilla in 1962). This resulted in Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster (originally intended as a Kong film) and King Kong Escapes, which was based on The King Kong Show.
On November 15, 2005, Sony Wonder released 8 episodes (two King Kong cartoons separated by a Tom of T.H.U.M.B. cartoon) on two DVD releases. The pilot episode was included, in two parts, between the two DVDs.
[edit] Characters
- King Kong - The title character and hero. The 8th Wonder of the World, Kong was discovered on Mondo Island (sometimes known as Skull Island) by Bobby Bond, whom he saved from being eaten by a Tyrannosaurus Rex. He even saved Bobby's family from other disasters afterwards. Ever since, he has become the family's mascot and hero.
- Professor Bond - The head/father of the Bond family.
- Susan Bond - The teenage daughter. She is always somewhat perplexed by Bobby and Kong's friendship.
- Is the basis for Susan Watson (Linda Miller) in King Kong Escapes.
- Bobby Bond - The young son, and Kong's closest companion. Saved by Kong from being eaten by a T-Rex, and they have been friends ever since.
- Captain Englehorn - A friend to the family and Professor Bond's ship captain.
- Based on the character from the original King Kong film.
- Dr. Who - The popular recurring villain. A mad scientist who wants to capture Kong for his own evil schemes.
- No relation to the British sci-fi character.
- Is the basis for Hideyo Amamoto's character Dr. Who in King Kong Escapes.
- Mechani-Kong - Kong's robot double, invented by Dr. Who.
- Is also Kong's nemesis in King Kong Escapes.
| King Kong films |
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| King Kong (1933) • The Son of Kong (1933) • King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962) • King Kong Escapes (1967) • King Kong (1976) • King Kong Lives (1986) • King Kong (2005) |
