PPGZ!

From the PPGZ wiki entry, I "borrowed" the following history of Japan's answer to the Powerpuff Girls. No more Sugar & Spice & Everything Nice, here is the revised secret origin:

"In order to stop sudden climate change, Ken Kitazawa used Chemical Z, a new form of the Professor's original substance Chemical X, to destroy a giant glacier. However, the impact of Chemical Z caused several black and white lights to appear in the Tokyo sky. Three ordinary girls, Momoko, Miyako, and Kaoru, were engulfed in white lights and soon became the new defenders of Tokyo City: the Powerpuff Girls Z. However, the numerous black lights caused others to turn to the side of evil. And so, using their ultra super powers, Hyper Blossom, Rolling Bubbles, and Powered Buttercup dedicated their lives to defending Tokyo City from the likes of those swayed by the black lights and Him's black powder."

I've watched a few episodes, and find it interesting, though somewhat incomprehensible (that darned language barrier thing.) Basically the PPGirls are now animeted and look more "realistic" with actual fingers and more believable powers. Some have proposed that the original three are what you really, really want but I am growing accustomed to the new look.

Momoko Akatsutsumi becomes Hyper Blossom.

Miyako Gotokuji becomes Rolling Bubbles.

Kaoru Matsubara becomes Power Buttercup.




















ユートニウム博士 (Professor Utonium) is not very different. Perhaps a little less buffoonish than his American counterpart, but that's a good thing.















He has an 8-year old genius son, 北沢ケン (Kitazawa Ken), a change I didn't particularly relish, until I read that his original incarnation was like Dexter.

















Comic relief is added by their pet robotic dog, ピーチ (Peach) who also acts as their hotline to alert the girls when danger is afoot (a-paw?)









メイヤー市長 (Mayor Meyer) is still a simpleton, but is much taller and doesn't quite look like the character from the Monopoly set.
















ミス・ベラム (Miss Bellum) is blonde instead of a redhead, but remains my favourite character in both incarnations. The mystery of her facial features will forever remain enigmatic.















キーン先生 (Kin-Sensei or Miss Keane) remains their teacher and is much like her American doppleganger, though she does have a "Mole-man" as a boyfriend at one point (that's just downright odd.)



What is also interesting, is the the 3 girls have extended family members, a precocious little sister for Momoko, a narcoleptic grandmother for Miyako and an ex-wrestler father for Kaoru who continues to wear his mask and whose face she has long since forgotten.

But the coolest part of both series has always been their villains.

モジョ・ジョジョ (Mojo Jojo) is a less redundantly-speaking monkey, who does though end each sentence with "Mojo." He has a few powers thanks to that black light Z and has enhanced his height with mechanical legs.















ファジーラムキンス (Fuzzy Lumpkins) doesn't look very different. I have yet to see an episode where he is featured.












アメーバボーイズ, (Amoeba Boys) are pretty cool.








I saw them in an episode today and they were just 3 ordinary amoebae until they were lapped up from a puddle by a poodle and then belched out into their distinctive shapes.
What's cool is that when they got the call to arms, the girls were in the middle of a test about (taa-daa!) amoebae! What a coincidence. They helped use their science knowledge to defeat them!
As you can see, they are not all "boys". The leader is Silk Hat (シルクハット, Shirukuhatto), the muscle is Poncho (ポンチョ) and the female of the paramecia set is Lady (レディ, Redi).


Sakurako Kintoki


























(金時桜子) aka Sedusa (セデューサ, Sedyūsa) was also featured in an episode today.

Still the master of disguise, she is the ultimate seductress.










I love the new Gangreen Gang (ギャングリーンギャング, Gyangurin Gyangu), starting with the leader Ace (エース, Esu).












Big Billy (ビッグ・ビリー, Biggu Biri) is still the cycloptic enforcer but is less dimwitted.











Little Arturo (リトル・アートロ, Ritoru Atoro), may have changed genders (hard to tell) and is light on her feet.







Snake (スネーク, Suneku) has a great look, dressed up in a Japanese Sailor uniform.












Grubber (グラバー, Guraba) is a rather enigmatic shape-shifter. I can't wait to see these guys in action.











Him (カレ, Kare which actually means "he") appears to have supplemented the black lights with a black powder to aid in the transformations. He's more jester than transgendered tyrant, but I'm also looking forward to seeing him too.














I took a few pics off the tv show this morn, and they really turned out poorly, I must say.














But I also went downtown to meet the Dastardly DJ Dave but he was partying a little too hearty last night and slept through our rendezvous. But my trip was not in vain, for I acquired the first two of four PPGZ toys via McD's ハッピセット, Happi Setto.

Rolling Bubbles uses a bubble wand as her weapon of choice and I acquired a "Bubbles Projector Pen",




It can project an image of Bubbles on the wall and write like a pen.

















Hyper Blossom utilizes a yo-yo in her battle against evil and I got a "Blossom YOYO Double Stamper" that stamps her likeness in purple or red.















Unfortunately, the purple smudges easily, the red is okay.












Next week, I hope to get Power Buttercup's hammer. Look out Thor, you have competition.

If you want to learn a little more, check out the Toei site, the originating TV-Tokyo site or the Music site for details. I like the end theme, it's boppy and has that Japanese/Engrish mix throughout.









"Blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, strawberry...Merry merry-go-round, funky funny playground!" I think it's by Mizue.