Monster Rancher (TV series) facts for kids
| Monster Rancher | |
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Quick facts for kids モンスターファーム(Monsutā Fāmu) |
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| Anime television series | |
| Directed by | Hiroyuki Yano |
| Written by | Shōji Yonemura |
| Music by | Seiji Suzuki, BMF |
| Studio | TMS Entertainment |
| Licensed by | |
| Network | TBS |
| English network | |
| Original run | 17 April 1999 – 30 September 2001 |
| Episodes | 73 |
Monster Rancher, called Monster Farm in Japan, is an exciting anime TV show. It's based on the popular Monster Rancher video games by Tecmo.
The show first aired in Japan on TBS from April 1999 to September 2001. Kids in North America could watch an English version on channels like Sci-Fi Channel and Fox Kids.
In Japan, the series was split into two parts. The first part, "The Secret of the Stone Disk," had episodes 1-48. The second part, "The Legendary Path," covered episodes 49-73.
Contents
The Story of Monster Rancher
The story follows a boy named Genki Sakura. He is a big fan and skilled player of the Monster Rancher video games. After winning a special tournament, Genki gets a unique CD. This CD is supposed to unlock a rare monster in his game.
Genki's Adventure Begins
When Genki tries to use the CD in his game console, something amazing happens. He is suddenly transported to a world filled with monsters! In this world, monsters are brought to life by scanning special stone disks.
There, Genki meets a girl named Holly and her monster friend, Suezo. Holly and Suezo are looking for a stone disk. This disk is said to hold a legendary Phoenix. The Phoenix is believed to be the only one who can save their land. An evil ruler named Moo is causing trouble and taking over.
Meeting New Friends
Genki, Holly, and Suezo try to use Genki's special CD. They hope to release the Phoenix. Instead, a different monster appears, which Genki names Mocchi. Wanting to help free the land from Moo, Genki, Holly, Mocchi, and Suezo start their journey.
Holly has a Magic Stone that helps guide them. It points them in the direction of the Phoenix. Along their way, they meet and team up with other monsters. These include Golem, Tiger, and Hare. Each of these new friends has their own reasons for joining the group.
Facing the Evil Moo
Later, the group discovers a shocking truth. The evil Moo is actually Holly's missing father! He merged with a bad spirit after being sent away from his village. Genki and his friends are determined to separate the evil spirit from Holly's father.
They continue their search for the Phoenix. They defeat Moo's strongest helpers, known as the Big Bad Four. These powerful monsters are Pixie, Gali, Grey Wolf, and Naga. During their travels, the group helps many other monsters. They also try to unlock as many Mystery Disks as possible. They hope one of them will reveal the Phoenix.
One monster they unlock, Monol, tells them about a past war. This war was between Moo and the Phoenix. It caused a lot of destruction and weakened both of them. This is why their bodies and souls are now separated.
The Phoenix's Return
In the second season's ending, Moo's body is found. It merges with Holly's father. Soon after, the Phoenix's body is also found. A big secret is then revealed: Mocchi, Suezo, Golem, Tiger, and Hare are actually parts of the Phoenix's soul!
Understanding what they must do, the five monsters say goodbye to Genki. They then merge with the Phoenix's body. The Phoenix and Moo begin to fight. During their battle, Moo realizes that good and evil are always connected. He sees that they are stuck in a never-ending fight. The two monsters seem to disappear in a big explosion. Genki is sent back to his own world. He sees visions of his friends as he returns home.
The Final Season
The third season shows Genki returning to the Monster World. His goal is to bring his friends back to life. After the fight with Moo, his friends were turned into disks and scattered. The group must now compete in many tournaments. They fight against General Durahan's army. All of this is part of their quest to find Holly's father.
How Monster Rancher Was Released
ADV Films first released the first 12 episodes of Monster Rancher on DVD and the entire first season on VHS. The show was brought to the US by BKN and dubbed into English.
Changes in the US Version
The US version of the show had many changes. Parts with violence, death, or rougher humor were removed. After Monster Rancher stopped airing in the US, ADV Films stopped releasing the series on home video.
Later Releases
In 2005, BKN International A.G. allowed Digiview Productions LLC to release the DVDs. Digiview only released one DVD with episodes 1 to 5. This DVD was later reissued to include up to episode 8. However, Digiview canceled further releases.
Later, the series became available to watch on Hulu. Discotek Media then released the series in three English-dubbed DVD box sets in 2014. They also released a single box set with the original Japanese audio and subtitles in 2015. An SD on BD set was released by Discotek Media in 2018. In 2020, Monster Rancher became available on Amazon Prime's video streaming service in Canada.
Monster Rancher Music
The Monster Rancher anime featured several opening and ending songs.
Opening Songs
- 1. "Kaze ga Soyogu Basho" by Miho Komatsu (Episodes 1 to 28)
- 2. "Picnic" by Rumania Montevideo (Episodes 20 to 37)
- 3. "Close to Your Heart" by Rina Aiuchi (Episodes 38 to 48)
- 4. "NAME" by MASAKI (Episode 49)
- 5. "FLUSH" by MASAKI (Episodes 50 to 61)
Ending Songs
- 1. "Flame of Love" by Sweet Velvet (Episodes 1 to 21)
- 2. "Digital Music Power" by Rumania Montevideo (Episodes 22 to 36)
- 3. "Wondering Hands" by 4D-JAM (Episodes 37 to 48)
See also
In Spanish: Monster Rancher para niños
