- Source: Humanoid Monster Bem
Humanoid Monster Bem (Japanese: 妖怪人間ベム, Hepburn: Yōkai Ningen Bemu) is a 26-episode Japanese anime television series, which first aired on Fuji TV between October 7, 1968 and March 31, 1969, on its 19:30–20:00 timeslot.
The series was later remade into a second anime television series, which premiered in April 2006 in Japan on Animax, featuring a new cast, with a total of 26 episodes also produced.
A live-action television drama adaptation premiered on NTV on October 22, 2011. A film was released on December 15, 2012.
For the series' 50th anniversary, a third anime television series adaptation titled BEM was confirmed to be in production. The third series aired from July 14 to October 13, 2019. A new film titled BEM: Become Human, was released on October 2, 2020. It streamed on Funimation's website on October 29, 2020.
A spin-off live-action film Yokai Ningen Bela was released on September 11, 2020.
Plot
The plot of the series revolves around three yokai (supernatural creatures), Bem, Bela and Belo, who arrive at a large coastal city and come across an evil atmosphere, which was brought about by immoral behavior by humans and mischief caused by monsters and yokai. They therefore decide to stay in the city, fighting against other monsters and yokai which attack humans, making a few friends along the way. Even though the three yokai are often abused and discriminated against by other human beings due to their appearance, they still strive in protecting the human populace of the city from other monsters, one day hoping to become human beings in return for their good actions.
Characters
Bem
Voiced by: Kiyoshi Kobayashi (1968 Series), Kazuhiko Inoue (2006 Series), Katsuyuki Konishi (2019 Series) (Japanese); Gabe Kunda (2019 series) (English)
Played by: Kazuya Kamenashi
Protagonist The oldest looking of the trio is the leader. He uses a walking stick as a weapon in human form.
Bela
Voiced by: Hiroko Mori (1968 Series), Kaori Yamagata (2006 Series), M.A.O (2019 Series) (Japanese); Dani Chambers (2019 series) (English)
Played by: Anne Watanabe
The only female in the group and the most bad-tempered of the trio. She uses a whip as a weapon in human form.
Belo
Voiced by: Mari Shimizu (1968 Series), Ai Horanai (2006 Series), Kensho Ono (2019 Series) (Japanese); Aaron Dismuke (2019 series) (English) (English)
Played by: Fuku Suzuki
The youngest looking and the most naive of the trio. He is the only one that does not use a weapon in human form.
Staff
= Original series
=Original Concept: Akira Adachi
Screenplay: Akira Adachi
Directors: Noburo Ishiguro, Tadao Wakabayashi
Art: Shin Morikawa
Production: Daiichi Doga (later incorporated into ADK)
Cast
Bem: Kiyoshi Kobayashi
Bela: Hiroko Mori
Belo: Mari Shimizu
Opening Narration: Tatsuya Jo, Issei Futamata (Part 2)
Theme songs
Opening: "Humanoid Monster Bemu" (妖怪人間ベム) (lyrics: Daiichi Doga, composition and arrangement: Seishi Tanaka; performance: Honey Nights)
Ending: "Barro wa Tomodachi" (ベロは友だち, Bero wa Tomodachi, lit. Bero is a Friend) (lyrics: Daiichi Doga Bungei-bu, composition and arrangement: Masahiro Uno, performance: Toshiko Yamada, Otowa Yurikago Kai, Gekidan Komadori)
= 2006 remake
=Original Concept: Asatsu DK
Director: Hiroshi Harada
Series Composition: Junki Takegami
Character Design: Kazuhiko Shibuya
Chief Animation Director: Takeshi Yamazaki
Yokai Design Creator: Naoki Ogiwara
Art Directors: Shō Tensui, Tsutomu Nishikura, Shinji Kawai
Primary Background Artist: Kazue Itō
Color Settings: Miharu Sakai
Director of Photography: Tomofumi Fujita
Editing: Yumiko Nakaba, Hideaki Murai (Okayasu Promotion)
Sound Director: Fusanobu Fujiyama
Sound Supervision: Takanori Ebina
Music: Takehiko Gokita
Animation Production: Studio Comet
Production: NAS
Producers: NAS, Sony Pictures Entertainment, avex entertainment, Studio Comet
Cast
Bem: Kazuhiko Inoue
Bela: Kaori Yamagata
Belo: Ai Horanai
Kira Hyuga: Yūna Inamura
Sora Kaido: Naoya Iwahashi
Mitsuki Kisaragi: Minori Chihara
Genpaku Hyuga: Masami Iwasaki
Urara Hyuga: Mie Sonozaki
Riku Kaido: Ryō Naitō
Umi Kaido: Miki Nagasawa
Ryoko Kisaragi: Yuriko Fuchizaki
Yuzo Mikami: Manabu Murashi
Hitoshi Tamugenro: Hirofumi Nojima
Imp: Mitsuo Iwata
Dana O'Shee: Rokuro Naya
Doppleganger: Hiroyuki Miyasako
Narration: Mizuho Suzuki
Theme songs
Opening: "Justice of darkness ~theme of Humanoid Monster Bemu" (Justice of darkness ～妖怪人間ベムのテーマ, Justice of darkness ~ Humanoid Monster Bemu no tēma) (Performance: Hiroshi Kitadani (Bem = Kazuhiko Inoue))
Ending: "Hachigatsu no Eien" (8月の永遠) (Performance: Minako Yoshida)
= 2019 anime
=Original Story: ADK Emotions
Director: Yoshinori Odaka
Series Composition: Atsuhiro Tomioka
Original Character Design: Range Murata
Character Design: Masakazu Sunagawa
Music Composer: Soil & "Pimp" Sessions, Michiru
Music Producer: Flying Dog
Animation Production: LandQ Studios
Planning Production: NAS
Project Collaborator: Production I.G
Production: BEM Production Committee
Cast
Bem: Katsuyuki Konishi/Gabe Kunda
Bela: M.A.O/Dani Chambers
Belo: Kensho Ono/Aaron Dismuke
Mysterious Lady: Maaya Sakamoto/Colleen Clinkenbeard
Joel Woods: Kenji Nomura/Jason Douglas
Sonia Summers: Maaya Uchida/Felecia Angelle
Dr. Recycle: Junichi Suwabe/Daman Mills
Daryl Bryson: Soma Saito/Dallas Reid
Roddy Walker: Koutaro Nishiyama/Stephen Fu
Helmut Felt: Daisuke Ono/Christopher Wehkamp
Julia Bush: Sayaka Oohara/Jamie Marchi
Theme songs
Opening: "Uchū no Kioku" (Performance: Maaya Sakamoto)
Ending: "Iruimi" (Performance: JUNNA)
= 2020 film
=Original story: ADK Emotions
Director: Hiroshi Ikehata
Series Composition: Atsuhiro Tomioka
Original Character Design: Range Murata
Character Design: Mino Matsumoto
Animation Production: Production I.G
Cast
Bem: Katsuyuki Konishi/Gabe Kunda
Bela: M.A.O/Dani Chambers
Belo: Kensho Ono/Aaron Dismuke
Burgess: Toshiya Miyata/Ryan Colt Levy
Manstoll: Kōichi Yamadera/Jason Liebrecht
Emma: Nana Mizuki/Bryn Apprill
Draco: Wataru Takagi/Michael Schwalbe
Greta: Shizuka Itō/Elizabeth Maxwell
Anime
Funimation has licensed the 2019 series for a simuldub. Due to the Kyoto Animation arson attack on July 18, 2019, Episode 4, which was originally scheduled to air on August 4, 2019, was postponed to August 18, 2019.
Reception
The live-action film grossed US$11.5 million in Japan.
References
External links
(in Japanese) Official site of the remake
Official site of the TV drama (in Japanese)
Animax East Asia's official website for Humanoid Monster Bem
Humanoid Monster Bem at IMDb
Humanoid Monster Bem (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
Humanoid Monster Bem (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia (2006 series)
Humanoid Monster Bem (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia (2019 series)
Kata Kunci Pencarian:
- Studio Comet
- Daftar seri animasi televisi tahun 2006
- Anime dalam tahun 2019
- Humanoid Monster Bem
- BEM: Become Human
- BEM
- Mari Shimizu
- List of superhero television series
- Kiyoshi Kobayashi
- Junki Takegami
- Mao Ichimichi
- Birth (KAT-TUN song)
- Nihon Ad Systems
