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New Tiger Mask TV Anime's Visual, Story Unveiled
posted on by Sarah Nelkin
Toei Animation announced it is producing the new Tiger Mask television anime project in part to celebrate the studio's 60th anniversary. The new production will be "revamped" for a new digital era by blending a touch of classic cell animation with current 2D and 3DCG animation.
The official website describes the story:
In "The Tiger's Hole," the behind-the-scenes organization of the revived wresting world, two young wrestlers take a stand. One of those fighters has inherited the training facility and mask of a tiger that Naoto Itō left at the foot of Mount Fuji. The other fighter has been victorious at fierce competitions since entering The Tiger's Hole, and has obtained the Black Tiger mask. A Tiger Mask that walks down the path of light, and a Tiger Mask that walks down the path of shadow. Neither of them have ever seen each other's face... In the ring, the two are fated rivals, but their goals are the same: "Crush The Tiger's Hole!"
The New Japan Pro Wrestling organization is collaborating with Toei Animation on the project. According to the organization, its wrestlers will appear in the project under their own names. They plan to release the anime not only in Japan, but also stream it throughout the world.
The original "Tiger Mask" is the alter ego of the character Naoto Date, a pro wrestler who goes against an evil wrestling organization and fights for children in an orphanage.
The original manga ran from 1968 to 1971 in Kodansha's Bokura magazine, Weekly Shōnen Magazine, and other magazines. Along with the baseball manga Kyojin no Hoshi, Tiger Mask is considered Kajiwara's life work. The manga already inspired two anime series in 1969-1971 and 1981-1982. The 1969 television anime series recorded 31.9% as its highest rating. There are even real-life wrestlers who have been inspired by the manga and anime to compete under the Tiger Mask persona.
The manga became a popular topic in the national news in Japan in recent years after an anonymous donation of backpacks at a child guidance center sparked a charity movement. The "Tiger Mask movement" spread to almost every corner of Japan.
Singer/actor Eiji Wentz (Gegege no Kitarō, Brave Story) played the titular hero in a 2013 live-action film with Natsuna Watanabe (Kimi ni Todoke, Gantz) as the heroine Ruriko and Show Aikawa (Tokyo Zombie, Zebraman) as Mister X.
Source: MoCa News, Image from Comic Natalie
