Perman facts for kids
| Perman | |
Cover of the second manga volume featuring Booby (left), Mitsuo Suwa (center), and Sumire Hoshino (right) in their Perman personas.
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Quick facts for kids パーマン(Pāman) |
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| Genre | Superhero |
| Manga | |
| One-shot | |
| Written by | Fujiko Fujio |
| Published by | Shogakukan |
| Demographic | Shōnen |
| Magazine | Weekly Shōnen Sunday |
| Published | 1963 |
| Anime television series | |
| Music by | Hiroshi Tsutsui |
| Studio | Tokyo Movie |
| Network | TBS |
| Original run | April 2, 1965 – April 14, 1968 |
| Episodes | 54 |
| Manga | |
| Written by | Fujiko F. Fujio |
| Published by | Shogakukan |
| Demographic | Shōnen |
| Magazine | Weekly Shōnen Sunday |
| Original run | 1967 – 1969 |
| Volumes | 7 |
| Anime films | |
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| Anime television series | |
| Directed by | Hiroshi Sasagawa Sadayoshi Tominaga |
| Written by | Fujiko F. Fujio |
| Music by | Akihiko Takashima |
| Studio | Shin-Ei Animation |
| Network | TV Asahi |
| English network | |
| Original run | April 4, 1983 – July 2, 1985 |
| Episodes | 526 + 3 specials |
| Video games | |
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Perman (Japanese: パーマン, Hepburn: Pāman) is a Japanese manga (comic book) and anime series. It was created by the famous manga artist duo Fujiko Fujio. The story is about a regular boy named Mitsuo Suwa. He is chosen to become a superhero and help save the world. He teams up with other heroes to do this.
The Perman manga series first appeared in Weekly Shōnen Sunday in 1967. The first anime TV show was made in black and white in 1967. A second, colorful anime series came out in 1983. Several Perman movies were also released in 1983, 1984, 1985, 2003, and 2004.
Contents
Perman's Exciting Story
The story starts when a boy named Mitsuo Suwa meets an alien. This alien is called Superman, but later his name changes to Birdman. Birdman is part of a group that keeps peace across the galaxy. He picks Mitsuo to become a superhero called a Perman.
Mitsuo gets three special items:
- A helmet that makes him super strong and works as a mask.
- A cape that lets him fly super fast.
- A badge that helps him breathe underwater and talk to other Permans.
Birdman tells Mitsuo a big secret: if anyone finds out he is Perman, his brain will be destroyed! (Later, this rule changed to him turning into an animal). To help Mitsuo keep his identity a secret, Birdman gives him a special robot. This robot is called a copy-robot. It can take Mitsuo's place when he is out being Perman.
Meet the Perman Characters
Main Perman Heroes
- Mitsuo Suwa / Perman: He is the main character and the first Perman. Mitsuo is 11 years old. He often gets into funny situations trying to keep his secret. He doesn't like studying, but he tries hard when it matters. Mitsuo has a crush on a girl named Michiko. He is also a big fan of the idol Sumire Hoshino, who is secretly Perman 3. Mitsuo can be lazy and use his copy robot for chores. But he becomes very serious when there's real trouble. By the end of the series, Birdman recognizes Mitsuo's hard work. Mitsuo then travels to Bird star to train to become the next Birdman.
- Booby / Perman 2: He is a smart monkey. At first, he lived in a zoo. Later, he became a pet chimp living with an old couple. Birdman chose him as a Perman to show that everyone, humans and animals, can be heroes. Booby is very intelligent. He can't speak human language, but he uses objects and gestures to communicate. He acts very human-like. Booby often helps his teammates.
- Sumire Hoshino / Perman 3 (Perko): She is a girl, but officially called Perman 3. Her teammates often call her Perko. Her secret identity is a famous child actress. She loves being Perko because it lets her be free. As Sumire, she is always recognized. As Perko, she is brave and sometimes bossy. But as Sumire, she is kind and gentle. She lives alone in a big apartment while her parents are in New York. She is not good at cooking or sewing. Sumire often argues with Mitsuo, but she cares for him deeply. She even reveals her secret identity to him and asks him to marry her when he returns from Bird Planet.
- Hōzen Ōyama / Perman 4 (Peryan): He is the oldest Perman at 18 years old. He lives in Osaka and works many part-time jobs. Hōzen is very practical and smart. His smart plans often save the Permans from trouble. He is very responsible and mentally strong. He is known for solving arguments between Perman and Perko. His dream is to own a big company and earn a lot of money.
- Kōichi Yamada / Perman 5 (Kō-chan): He is the youngest Perman, a 2-year-old baby. He accidentally saw Mitsuo as Perman 1. So, he was made a Perman to keep Mitsuo's secret safe. Kōichi appeared in the first anime and manga series. However, he is not in the second version of the series.
- Birdman: He is one of the universe's guardians. In early stories, he was called Superman. But his name changed to Birdman to avoid copyright issues. He gives the Permans their powers. He flies around in a UFO disk. Birdman travels to different planets to find new heroes. He is strict about keeping the Permans' identities secret. But he can also be clumsy.
- Copy-Robots: These are androids given to the Permans by Birdman. They help the heroes keep their identities secret. When someone presses a button on the robot's nose, it turns into a clone of that person. The robot's memories can be transferred to the real person by touching foreheads. In the first series, the robots had a red nose. These robots also appeared as gadgets in the Doraemon series.
Other Important Characters
- Michiko: She is Mitsuo's classmate. She has a crush on Perman and often collects newspaper articles about his heroic acts. She is pretty and smart. Michiko sees Pergirl as a rival.
- Sabu: He is Mitsuo's short classmate. He is often seen with Kaba. Sabu has a weak personality. His father owns a restaurant.
- Kaba: He is another of Mitsuo's classmates and the neighborhood bully. He often picks on Mitsuo. But he is a big fan of Perman and wants to be a hero too. His father owns a fruit and vegetable shop.
- Haruzō: He is Mitsuo's rich classmate. His room is full of comics and remote-controlled toys.
- Mantarō Suwa: He is Mitsuo's dad. He is usually easygoing but will discipline Mitsuo when needed. He works as an office worker.
- Mrs. Suwa: She is Mitsuo's mother and a typical housewife. She often gets annoyed when Perman and his team visit their house. She scolds Mitsuo a lot because of Ganko's complaints.
- Ganko Suwa: She is Mitsuo's younger sister. She is stubborn and often tells on Mitsuo to their mother. She is a first-grader in the second TV series.
- Mr. Oyama: He is Mitsuo's homeroom teacher. He is an athlete and teaches all subjects. He often scolds Mitsuo for not doing homework or sleeping in class.
- Shigeru: He is another classmate of Mitsuo. He loves finding things out and acts like a young detective. He suspects Mitsuo is Perman 1.
- Setsuko: She is a transfer student introduced in the 1983 TV anime. She becomes friends with Mitsuo's copy-robot.
Perman's Opponents
- Senmensou: He is a gentleman thief. He is very good at disguises and escaping from jail. He loves the thrill of breaking out of prison. He is also a lover of fine art.
- ZenGyadoRen: This is a group of thieves and burglars in Japan. They always try to defeat Perman but fail.
- Don Ishikawa: He is the leader of ZenGyadoRen.
- Saien Mado: He is an evil genius and the science expert for ZenGyadoRen. He creates many strange technologies for them. His name sounds like "mad scientist."
Perman in Media
Manga Comics
The Perman manga was written by Fujiko F. Fujio. It was first published in 1967 by the Japanese company Shogakukan. It appeared in the magazine Weekly Shōnen Sunday. The series has 8 collected volumes called tankōbon.
Anime TV Shows
Two anime TV series were made based on the Perman manga.
- First TV Series (1967): This series had 54 episodes. It was made by Tokyo Movie. It aired on TBS from April 2, 1967, to April 14, 1968. Some episodes from this version are now lost, and some have lost their sound.
- Second TV Series (1983): This series was produced by Shin-Ei Animation. It was directed by Hiroshi Sasagawa and Sadayoshi Tominaga. It first aired on TV Asahi from April 4, 1983, to July 2, 1987. This version had a total of 526 episodes.
Perman Crossovers
Doraemon (2005): Night of the Giant Raccoon Dog
On Fujiko F Fujio's 80th birthday, a special hour-long episode aired on TV Asahi on September 13, 2013. In this special, Nobita asks Perman for help. This happens when Doraemon turns into a giant raccoon and causes trouble in town.
Doraemon and Perman's Close Call
This special was shown at the Fujiko F Fujio Museum from 2011 to October 2, 2012. In it, Doraemon and Nobita use a secret tool to enter the "Perman" TV show. This special later aired on TV on December 31, 2016.
See also
In Spanish: Perman para niños
