Image from SegagagadomainI'm sure you've all heard of the original Japanese version of the Mega Drive game Decap Attack, known over there under the crazy name of 'Magical Flying Turbo Hat Adventure', but it seems there was more to this than just a game.
I had a feeling it was probably based on an anime based on the copyright to Studio Pierrot on the title screen and box art, and from seraching for the game by it's Japanese name I came across a few things, like this opening to the anime:
There's a more colorful clip of this intro over at Nico Video, though you have to be registered to the site to view that. You might even recognize the music from the title screen of the game, makes sense. Pierrot still have a small official website set up for the anime, and there is an ending credits clip here. Yes, that is a 'Bye Bye Baby' cover you're hearing. According to some anime database website it was only running between the years of 1989 and 1990, so it can't of really took off.
What I was quite surprised to find is this anime had quite the merchindise push that it appaers was also led by Sega. They do have a toys department after all, that gave Japan the Zillion Laser tag game and the Pico pre-school console. There's lots of images of the boxes to toys of the robots from it on a website called Mandarake, as well as odd bits and bobs like keychains and small toys below, all with Sega's logo slapped on it.
There is also manga books to be found on Yahoo Auctions, and a DVD box set of the anime floating about. Would I want to watch it? Probably not, but it's just a fascinating sort of alternate dimension to me, growing up with the Decap Attack comic rather than this. The fact that main main bad guy in both versions is more or less just a different colour from the other links the two together in a funny kind of way (ok, they don't look exactly the same in the below pics, but in game they did), and it gives more context to an otherwise very odd (and fun) import Sega platformer.None of this explains why Fantastic Dizzy is in the game, though.
Oh, and while I'm talking about Decap Attack, check out this amazing fan made figure of Chuck D. Head!
8 comments:
Okay, now I'm in love. This looks just about the most appealing cartoon ever made. Never really liked Magical Hat much for similar reasons to yourself, but now I know it's based on a game, much more interest is generated!
And that figure is amazing, stumbled across that earlier today, also.
Excellent article mate! Never realised it was based on a anime, makes it more interesting. It's one of my fave MD games. So much fun :-)
Magical Hat is such a superior game. Not that Decap Attack doesn't have its' quirks. I just feel that Magical Hat was the superior game. Decap Attack definately had the superior comic and that Chuck D Head figure is amazing.
What makes it better though? I've played both and they really don't seem that different to me. Magical hat is more colourful, the music is great in both, they both control the same...is it the level design?
I think Magical Hat's harder, what with the one-hit-deaths and all that.
I much prefer Magical Hat's aesthetics. Decap Attack looks very muddy and doesn't have that upbeat quirkiness that Magical Hat does. It's mainly the presentation of Decap Attack that bugs me. Even though Magical Hat is harder (no health bar) I enjoy the addition of the fruit machine mini-game which gives you another way to score bonus lives.
Very interesting! I know little about both games, but is this similar to what happened with Mario 2 and Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine? Japanese games re-"skinned" and repurposed into new games for Western audiences?
Hairyman: Yeah, I get what you mean about the muddier levels, though it does get a bit more colourful later on. I still dig the concept of Check's head popping out to attack rather than that odd fist that pops out from the Japanese character. But really, I think both games have their own strengths that make them both worth playing. :)
Barry: Yeah, it's exactly like the Mario 2/Doki Doki panic thing, right down to the Japanese equivalents main character wearing what looks like a turban.
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