is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by . The manga was one of the first to be serialized in Enix's manga magazine Monthly Shōnen Gangan, where it ran from 1991 to 1995, with its chapters collected into seven volumes. The story follows Shintaro, a defector from the Ganma Army, who finds himself stranded on an uncharted island inhabited by the title character and other eccentric creatures. The series was adapted into a 42-episode anime television series by Nippon Animation which aired on TV Asahi and its affiliates from October 1992 to October 1993.
A sequel series also written and illustrated by Shibata, titled Papuwa (stylized in all caps), follows Kotaro, Shintaro's younger brother with no memory of his past, as he becomes stranded on a new Papuwa Island. This series was serialized in Monthly Shōnen Gangan from April 2002 to February 2008, with its chapters collected into 14 volumes. It was adapted into an anime television series, also produced by Nippon Animation, which aired on TV Tokyo and its affiliates from September 2003 to March 2004. This series was formerly licensed in North America by ADV Films.
Story Once, on an unknown southern island, a battle was waged over two mysterious stones, one red and one blue. The blue stone controls desire, and its power created the blue clan. And the red clan that inherited the power of the red stone was filled with the light of hope. Finally, the battle came to an end, and the young one who possessed the power of the blue stone fell into a deep sleep. The one with the power of the red stone flew off far across the sky. Desire and hope... until the day these two powers meet each other again...
Characters
Main characters
Papuwa: (パプワ) Papuwa is a short boy in a grass skirt. He has unparalleled strength as well as an assortment of other extraordinary abilities such as being able to breathe underwater for three hours. He was found washed up on shore of the first Papuwa Island, along with a young Chappy, by Kamui the owl, and was adopted by him. Papuwa is also, so far, the only known heir to the red stone, the stone of hope. Voiced by: Mayumi Tanaka (Japanese) in Nangoku Shōnen Papuwa-kun TV series. for Papuwa TV series. Chappy: (チャッピー) Chappy is Papuwa's dog/cat and they've been together all their lives. The blue stone around Chappy's neck is actually the stone of desire, given to him by Papuwa who stole it from Shintaro early on in the first series. For the most part he is the only animal on the island who doesn't speak, however he has on few occasions using the power of the stone of desire. Voiced by: Hiroshi Masuoka (Japanese) in Nangoku Shōnen Papuwa-kun TV series. for Papuwa TV series. Kotaro/Rotaro: (コタロー/ロタロー) Kotaro is an effeminate young boy, even going so far as to refer to himself as "delicate", and is the strongest member of the blue clan. Because of this power he could not control, he spent most of his life locked away in his room, and for four years prior to the start of PAPUWA, was in a coma. He has the bearing of a spoiled, pampered child, and believes he is above everyone. Somewhere between waking from his coma and arriving on the island, he became amnesiac. Liquid, fearing that remembering his own name would bring back his memories and cause his power to go out of control, changed his name to Rotaro by adding a line to the kana changing "ko" to "ro". Voiced by: Ikue Ōtani (Japanese) in Nangoku Shōnen Papuwa-kun TV series. for Papuwa TV series. Liquid: (リキッド) Liquid, who once (albeit unwillingly) served in the Genma army's elite battle unit, now lives on Papuwa Island as Papuwa's housemaid. Though he seems forced at times, and though the others don't seem to care for him much more than a maid, deep down they really do respect each other (even so far as promoting his status to "Papa" for Father's Day). Once the Shinsengumi are introduced, he is constantly hounded by Umako, the only woman on the island and quite possibly the most manliest looking character in the show. for Papuwa TV series.
The Guardians Jan: (ジャン) Jan is Service's best friend. He was original believed to be dead, after he was mortally wounded by Service 25 years prior to the first series. He serves as one of the three guardians of the first Papuwa Island. During his battle with Service, he reveals that the one who killed him was not Service, but Luzar.
Long ago, the Red Hisenki created two guardians to protect the red clan from the blue clan. These guardians were Jan and Shintaro. Out of the two, Jan was the first to be created. As Jan lost sense of time, months and years passed by, as he remain on the first Papuwa Island. However, he one day decided to go against his orders and left the island to take the blue clan head on, which led him to join the Ganma Army. However, his cover was blown and he was killed. It took a long time for the red hisenki to repair the damages done to Jan's body. During that time, the red hisenki decided to create a stronger force to protect it, where the red hisenki would copy Jan's soul and safely keep it inside the body of Shintaro. However, it is revealed that the copy was erased by the Blue Hisenki a long time ago, and that the Shintaro Magichad raised was just a shadow.
Us: The guardian of the Blue Hisenki and the true antagonist of the first series. Both his name and Jan's are derived from the Roman god of gates and doorways, Janus. Sone the Meta-Sequoia: One of the guardians of the first Papuwa Island. Sone is a plant-like man, who watches over the Eastern Shrine. While he appears to be soft and mild-mannered, he has enough power in his sharp roots to slice his opponent in half. Irie: One of the guardians of the first Papuwa Island. He is a seal-like man who lives by the creek. Irie is known for his soft, voluptuous, yet powerful hips. He always make sure to set his homes up near the sea.
The Ganma Army (ガンマ団) The Ganma Army is run by the Ganma family, who possess the power of the stone of desire. This power come in the form of what is called secret stone eyes (hisekigan, 秘石眼). The army itself works as a group of mercenaries, originally ruthless and seemingly taking control of the world, but since Shintaro's takeover the group now fights for "justice" (basically only assassinating people they believe are bad).
Shintaro: (シンタロー) The current commander-in-chief of the Ganma army and main character of the first series, Shintaro has an unhealthy fixation on his little brother Kotaro, which makes him the butt of a lot of "brother complex" jokes. He is also the only member of the Ganma family that does not have blond hair, and the only one to not possess hisekigan, despite his blue eyes. He shares a long and rich history with the first Papuwa Island, and considers Papuwa his best friend. Despite a rather convoluted family history that involves being switched at birth and taking someone else's body, Magic refuses to consider Shintaro as anything but his son. Voiced by: Hikaru Midorikawa (Japanese) in Nangoku Shōnen Papuwa-kun TV series. for Papuwa TV series. He is 24 in the first series. (ホワイト シンタロー) Magic: (マジック) Magic is Kotaro's father and former commander-in-chief of the Ganma army, and oldest of four brothers. In the four year lapse between the first and second series, he's since retired the position to his oldest son Shintaro. Out of all of the family, only he and Kotaro possess two hisekigan eyes, something which grants them immense power. Voiced by: Shō Hayami (Japanese) in Nangoku Shōnen Papuwa-kun TV series. for Papuwa TV series. Luzar: (ルーザー) a.k.a. Looser: One of Magic's younger brothers, very close in age. He was killed in battle 25 years prior to Nangoku Shōnen Papuwa-kun. Harlem held a personal grudge against him, since he killed his favorite bird. After Service lost is eye, Luzar was the only person he had support from. However, the soon-to-be father Luzar went to fight at Block E and died shortly. It is later revealed that Luzar was the one responsible for killing Jan. Service: (サービス) The youngest Ganma brother and Harlem's twin. Unlike Magic and Harlem, Service was very fond of Luzar. Like Takamatsu, he blames Magic for Luzar's death due to the fact that they ignored him instead of stopping him from going to Block E. He was Shintaro's fighting master, and now trains Kotaro to control his hisekigan. He once lost control of the power of his hisekigan, and blamed that incident for the death of his close friend, Jan. In his anguish over this, he tore out his own right eye, which was his hisekigan. He is 43 in the first series. Voiced by: Kōsuke Meguro (Japanese) in Nangoku Shōnen Papuwa-kun TV series. Both he and Harlem are 43 in the first series. Gunma: (グンマ) Gunma is a scientist raised by Dr. Takamatsu. He is childish and eccentric and a bit of an airhead, and has a slight obsession with designing his inventions to look like swans. He originally thought his father was Luzar but it turned out to be Magic. He is Kotaro's only biological brother. While technically Magic's eldest son, after it was revealed that he and Shintaro were switched at birth, the idea of Gunma being next in line for commandership of the Ganma Army has never been brought up, and likely never will be, given Gunma's complete lack of interest in the matter. He is 24 in the first series. for Papuwa TV series. Kintaro: (キンタロー) Kintaro is the son of Luzar, and cousin to Shintaro, Gunma, and Kotaro. He is also Shintaro's "double" in an odd sense, something which dates back to the original series and involves a long and convoluted family history. While he was depicted at one point in the original series as possessing two hisekigan, at every point since, he has been shown to only have one, his left eye. Voiced by: Toshiyuki Morikawa (Japanese) in Nangoku Shōnen Papuwa-kun TV series. for Papuwa TV series. Doctor Takamatsu: (ドクター高松) Takamatsu was Luzar's student, and the one who primarily raised Gunma. Takamatsu (along with Servis) blamed Magic for Luzar's death (since Magic was leader of the army then and sent Luzar out to battle), so as revenge he switched babies Shintaro and Gunma (Gunma being Magic's son and Shintaro being Luzar's son, who were born just a few days apart) so that Magic's "heir" would not be who he thought. Takamatsu specializes in the field of biotechnology, but is also a proficient medical doctor. for Papuwa TV series. He is 43 in the first series. Gionkamen Arashiyama: (祗園仮面アラシヤマ) One of Ganma's elite forces (and second only to Shintaro, he claims), Arashiyama is a shy person whose greatest dream is just to make friends, which he fails to do because of his lack of confidence and bad "wisdom" from his former teacher Marker. Arashiyama especially wants to make friends with Shintaro, who was the first person to talk to him at the Ganma Academy, and the first person to offer to be his friend. However, Shintaro's offer to be his friend in the original series was born of desperation, when he needed the help of someone sufficiently strong to put up a fight against his uncle, Servis, and Shintaro typically prefers to ignore his existence entirely. Arashiyama is a highly proficient flame master, and ranks among the most powerful members of the Ganma army not related to the Blue Clan. Voiced by: Yoku Shioya (Japanese) in Nangoku Shōnen Papuwa-kun TV series. for Papuwa TV series. Ninja Tottori: (忍者トットリ) Tottori, as his name states, is a ninja, but not a very good one. His special "attack" is kicking his sandal into the air and whatever side it lands on activates a cloud that will attack the enemy with whatever weather he predicts. Some episodes suggest he may have feelings for Miyagi, but this is probably just a running gag. Voiced by: Takayuki Ayanogi (Japanese) in Nangoku Shōnen Papuwa-kun TV series. for Papuwa TV series.