Karaoke Senshi Mike Jirou
In a world where karaoke is treated like it is a much bigger deal than in real life, there is a little boy named Suzuki Jirou (pictured at theĀ bottom of theĀ above picture). He lives in an orphanage watched over by a kindly old man. Suzuki was sent there when his parents abandoned him (under good intentions) to escape from a mob bossās goons, who made him wear a collar that forced him to sing like heās tone deaf in such intense volumes that he sounds like heās roaring like a T-Rex near an erupting volcano. He attends an academy for singers, where his rival Sir Wakaouji (who is taller than Suzuki) also attends. Sir Wakaouji (depicted in the middle right)Ā has a sister called Lady Wakaouji (shown in the top); and their father is Master Wakaouji, who wears a pinstripe suit like a mob boss would wear. Sir Wakaouji has a ring on his finger.
One day; Suzuki, Sir Wakaouji and Lady Wakaouji went to a karaoke parlor. They suddenly had a unexpected encounter with a old man dressed in traditional Japanese garb and a conical straw hat who calls himself Karaoke Sennin, the Karaoke Hermit. The Karaoke Hermit tells Suzuki that he is actually Mike Jirou, and gives him a Magic Microphone. In a fit of rage, Sir Wakaouji then punches Mike in the neck with his ring hand. Sir Wakaoujiās ring then collided with the indent in Mikeās collar, and accidently activated a mechanism that caused it to come off. And now Mike is able to sing in perfect pitch, his ability to sing rivaling, maybe even surpassing that of Sir Wakaouji. The Magic Microphone then caused Mike to grow as tall as Sir Wakaouji, his clothes growing with him; it also dyed Mikeās two-toned hair a different color. Thus the Karaoke Warrior, Mike Jirou was born. Mikeās transformation via the Magic Microphone is only temporary, but he still retains his ability to sing in perfect pitch even after heās transformed back. Mike can then transform into his Karaoke Warrior form (portrayed in the middle left)Ā anytime he choses.
Ever since that day, Mike Jirou gained a positive reputation, he has a relationship with Lady Wakaouji, and Sir Wakaouji had to train to be better than Mike. Also, Mike encounters a motley crew of characters, some of them wanting to have a competitive edge: such as an imp-like man who moves so fast he creates afterimages, and use that ability to create the illusion of being a harmonizing duet; a parrot-headed man who has the superpower of imitating other peoplesā voices; a gang leader who, when he sings a particular song, has the ability to fire spheres of hard air out of his mouth; a tengu (long nosed mountain goblin) with a microphone for a nose called Mike Tengu; and a guy with a miniature palm tree on his head who is forced to work for a evil woman who wants to turn the orphanage into a resort/amusement park.
Karaoke Senshi Mike Jirou was a manga that ran from December 1993 to February 1995 on Deluxe Bombom, a spinoff of Kodanshaās Comic BomBom. The anime adaptation first aired on Uta no Naru Ki, a musical vareity show. The anime premiered on April 4, 1994 and ended in March 11, 1995. It aired for 20 episodes and the story arc has been completed. Then reruns aired on NHKās childrenās animation block, Eisei Anime Gekijou (or āSatellite Animation Theater). The anime was produced by Studio Kikan (now known as Pierrot Plus; not to be confused with Studio Pierrot, who have animated the anime adaptations of several Shonen Jump manga; such as Yu Yu Hakusho, Naruto and Bleach). The voice of Mike Jirou is done by Minami Takayama (who is best known for Nabiki Tendo from Ranma Ā½; Dilandau from Escaflowne; and Conan Edogawa from Case Closed, among others); and the voice Sir Wakaouji is done by Yuko Kobayashi (who is best known for Washu from Tenchi Muyo; Maron from Dragon Ball Z; and Shigeru AKA Gary Oak from Pokemon). This anime uses covers of then-contemporary J-Pop and J-Rock hits, featuring such talents as Chage&Aska and B'z. These covers are performed by the showās cast.
The following paragraph contains spoilers. If you do not want to ruin your enjoyment of the anime, stop reading now.
SPOILERS BEGIN NOW:
Mikeās parentās are still alive. His mother was put on a island fortress only accessible by helicopter; and his father was disguised as the Karaoke Hermit. Master Wakaouji suffers a heart attack, and Mike and his father reunite. His mother was rescued from the tower, and it turns out Sir Wakaouji is actually Mikeās brother. Sir Wakaouji was abducted by his āadoptiveā father, Master Wakaouji. Master Wakaouji was the most powerful man in the karaoke business, and wanted a son who could inherit his legacy, despite the fact that Master Wakaouji was tone-deaf. After Mike and his father were reunited,Ā Mike got word that his mother is waiting for him, and ran off to reunite with his mother.
