Directed by Hiroshi Sasagawa Studio Tatsunoko Production First episode date 1969 Number of episodes 52 Written by Jinzō Toriumi | Produced by Tatsuo Yoshida Original network Fuji TV Final episode date 27 September 1970 Director Hiroshi Sasagawa Genre Comedy | |
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Licensed by Saban Entertainment (now Saban Brands, LLC) Original run October 5, 1969-September 1970
September 1992? (Eng dub) – 1996? (Eng dub) Similar Yatterman, The Adventures of Hutch t, Gyakuten! Ippatsuman, Tetsuwan Tantei Robotack, Oraa Guzura Dado | ||
The Genie Family (ハクション大魔王, Hakushon Daimaō) is an anime series by Tatsunoko Production.
Contents
Plot
An old bottle has found its way into the household of a modern family, which consists of a boy named Kan and his parents. A genie, Hakushon, and his daughter, Akubi, reside inside it. When Kan finds the bottle, he discovers that a sneeze summons Hakushon and he must grant the wish of whoever sneezed, while a yawn summons Akubi and she must do the same for whoever yawned. Getting wishes granted by either genie may not be a good thing, for Hakushon messes them up due to his own extreme clumsiness, while the more capable Akubi likes to cause mischief by twisting their words and meanings so that something bad happens.
Localization
The series was dubbed in English by Saban Entertainment in 1992 under the name Bob in a Bottle. A reggae-style theme song was composed for this version. Hakushon, Akubi and Kan were renamed "Bob", "Illana" and "Joey" respectively. Later, Bob in a Bottle was aired in the United States's The Disney Channel, Canada's YTV, Australia's Seven Network, United Kingdom's ITV Network, Ireland's RTE and New Zealand's TV2. The motto for the English version is "Make everyday like paradise" and "You sneeze, I please, that's the way it goes".
Japanese version
English version
Spinoffs
The Hakushon Daimaō franchise made a comeback in the 2000s with two animated spinoff series produced by Tatsunoko and directed by Hiroshi Sasagawa, featuring Akubi as the central character and Hakushon as a supporting character.
Yobarete Tobedete! Akubi-chan
In Yobarete, Tobidete! Akubi-chan (26 episodes, 2001–2002), Akubi (now voiced by Asuka Tanii) befriends a shy young girl named Koron Nemuta (voiced by Sakura Nogawa), who habitually yawns whenever she is embarrassed, thus summoning Akubi forth from the bottle.
Akubi Girl
In 2006's Akubi Girl (also 26 episodes), Akubi befriends a first-grader named Ruru-chan and attempts to grant her wish of becoming close friends with Itoshi-kun, the boy on whom she has a secret crush.