Sabu to Ichi Torimono Hikae

Aired: 1968 - 1969

A TV anime co-produced by Mushi Production, Toei Doga, and Studio Zero. Based on Shotaro Ishinomori's manga serialized in Shogakukan's Weekly Shonen Sunday and Big Comic. Broadcast in 52 episodes on the NET (now TV Asahi) network from October 3, 1968 to September 24, 1969. Set in the Edo period, the series follows the duo of Sabu (voiced by Kei Tomiyama and later Makio Inoue), a young apprentice okappiki (investigator), and Ichi (voiced by Teiji Omiya), a blind iaido master disguised as a masseur, as they solve incidents that arise among the common people. The original manga is known for its weighty gekiga-style storytelling, and the anime gained high acclaim as a human drama that transcended the confines of children's anime. The work was produced under the unusual arrangement of the production lead shifting partway through from Mushi Production to Toei Doga, making it historically significant as well. (C)Ishimori Pro / Shogakukan / NET / Mushi Production / Toei Doga / Studio Zero