is a mecha multimedia franchise originally created by Sunrise and Red Company. The first series aired on April 15, 1988, replacing the 17:00–17:30 timeslot used for Transformers: The Headmasters. Sunrise credited "Hajime Yatate" for the storyline and Shūji Iuchi directed the series."Majin Hero Wataru " . Sunrise Animation. Retrieved on January 20, 2009. The series uses elements from both Chinese and Japanese mythology, in terms of themes and settings.

Story The story is about a 9-year-old boy named who is magically transported to a magical realm by a mystical dragon named Ryujinmaru (龍神丸, Dragon God Round) - this magical realm is known as , which he is supposed to save from an evil, magical and demonic ruler.

The series incorporates many elements of contemporary RPG video games including dungeon levels and quests for magical objects. Soukaizan itself is represented as a series of tiered platforms each floating above the one beneath it in a rough shape of a pyramid. In order to progress to the next tier where he will meet the series' ultimate magical villain, the show's heroes must first complete some task on the tiers beneath the last one. In addition to completing these quests, he has to defeat the ruler of each level along with his many henchmen. Each level he completes, he rejuvenates one color of the gray rainbow over Soukaizan.

In his quest to save the magical realm, Wataru manages to transform a clay sculpture into a somewhat autonomous and small along with magical Super Robot. He also befriends many of the Soukaizan natives, and forms some very strong bonds of friendship. The term "Sou-kai-zan" can be broken down to its three parts: "Sou" (creation), "Kai" (realm, space, world, or universe), and "Zan" (hill or mountain), representing the pyramid shape of the magical world.

Cast Mayumi Tanaka as Wataru Ikusabe (戦部 ワタル Ikusabe Wataru) (In Keith Courage in Alpha Zones, he is known as Keith Courage) Megumi Hayashibara as Himiko Shinobibe (忍部 ヒミコ Shinobibe Himiko) (In Keith Courage in Alpha Zones, she is known as Nurse Nancy) Tomomichi Nishimura as Shibaraku Tsurugibe (剣部 シバラク Tsurugibe Shibaraku) (In Keith Courage in Alpha Zones, he is known as the Weapons Master) Koichi Yamadera as Kurama Wataribe (渡部 クラマ Wataribe Kurama) Kenichi Ogata as Genryūsai Shinobibe (忍部 幻龍斎 Shinobibe Genryūsai) Tesshō Genda as Ryūjinmaru Kazue Ikura as Toraoh (虎王 Toraō) Urara Takano as Umihiko (海火子)

Episode list

Interpretations The first section of the title's kanji is a pun: the super-deformed mecha of the series are called "Magic Gods" (Kanji: 魔神, Romaji: mashin) - while written with the kanji for "magic" being shortened from "魔法" (mahō) to "魔" (ma) and "god" (神, shin) ("Shin" is the onyomi reading of this kanji while the kunyomi is "kami"), "mashin" is also the katakana spelling of English loanword "machine" (マシン, mashin). The kanji for "legend", 伝説 (densetsu) is shortened to "伝" (den) before being written alongside "hero" (英雄 Eiyū). A freer translation of the title would be "Legend of the Spirit Wataru."

Wataru and his friends Shibaraku and Himiko each represent different elements of ancient Japan: Wataru with his magatama and association with dragons represents the pre-Yamato Watari clan. Shibaraku represents samurai. Himiko represents ninja.

Cultural impact

The anime series was a huge hit in Japan, later being imported into Taiwan, Mainland China, South Korea, France, Monaco and Hong Kong (the latter was shown on TVB Jade). Chinese translations were provided. The show became one of the most famous Japanese anime shows in China during the mid-1990s.

Spin-offs The franchise has spawned three TV series (Mashin Hero Wataru, , ), four radio shows, five OVAs, five novels, five video games, and assorted other merchandise. One of the video games was released for the PC Engine, and would become the original pack-in game in the United States as Keith Courage in Alpha Zones when localized on the TurboGrafx-16.

A sequel anime, Mashin Hero Wataru: The Seven Spirits of Ryujinmaru, was released online on April 10, 2020. On April 24, 2020, it was announced that the anime would be on a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On June 12, 2020, it was announced the anime would resume on June 19, 2020.

Wataru's success prompted Bandai to copy the super-deformed mecha and multi-tiered world concepts in a science fiction setting with Sunrise's 1989 Madö King Granzört TV series.

A manga adaptation drawn by Hideaki Fujii began serialization in Shogakukan's Corocoro Aniki manga magazine in July 2020.

A new anime television series, titled , was announced by Bandai Namco Filmworks on January 13, 2024. The series was produced by Bandai Namco Pictures and was directed by Yumi Kamakura. Yoichi Kato wrote the scripts, Mayuko Nakano and Yoshinori Yumoto designed the characters, and Ryūichi Takada, Keiichi Hirokawa, Oliver Good, and Keita Inoue composed the music. The series premiered on January 12, 2025 on TV Tokyo and other TX Network affiliates. The opening theme song is "POP UP!" performed by lol and the ending theme song is "Pocket" performed by Fantastics from Exile Tribe. Medialink licensed the series in Asia-Pacific, with it streaming on their Ani-One Asia YouTube Channel on the same day as premiere in Japan.

Music

Wataru Opening: "Step" by achi-achi Ending: "Achi-achi Adventure" by achi-achi Wataru 2 Opening 1: "Step by Step" by Yumiko Takahashi Ending 1: "Kimi ni Tomaranai - MY GIRL, MY LOVE" by Takahashi Yumiko Opening 2: "Fight" by Takahashi Yumiko Ending 2: "Niji no Kanata" by Takahashi Yumiko Cho Mashin Hero Wataru Opening 1: by Hitomi Mieno Ending 1: "BOYS BE AMBITIOUS" by Hitomi Mieno Opening 2: "POWER OF DREAM" by Hitomi Mieno Ending 2: "Ganbatte" by Hitomi Mieno

References

External links Official Website Sunrise (Archive) Bandai Channel (Archive) Wataru Livejournal Community VAP VICTOR Studio Live page (Shin)

WATARU RAINBOW ISLAND WATARU IN CHINA/魔神英雄傳 (Archive)