Osomatsu-kun (1966 TV Series)

Aired: 1966 - 1967

The first TV anime series (monochrome) produced jointly by Children's Corner and Studio Zero. Based on Fujio Akatsuka's manga serialized in Shogakukan's Weekly Shonen Sunday (1962-1969). Broadcast in 56 episodes on the Mainichi Broadcasting / NET network from February 5, 1966 to March 25, 1967. Centered on the Matsuno family sextuplets Osomatsu, Karamatsu, Choromatsu, Ichimatsu, Jushimatsu, and Todomatsu, with the buck-toothed Iyami, naive Chibita, and gentle Hatabo, the series unleashes a torrent of Akatsuka-style nonsense gags. Akatsuka's signature laid-back characters and catchphrases like 'Shee!' and 'O-furansu' (Oh la la, France) decisively influenced the history of Japanese gag manga and anime. The opening from episode 51 onward, sung by Makoto Fujita, became a major hit. A color remake by Studio Pierrot on Fuji TV followed in 1988, and 2015's 'Osomatsu-san' (Studio Imagin) depicting the adult sextuplets became a national phenomenon. (C)Fujio Akatsuka / Fujio Productions