Cyborg 009


Cyborg 009 is a Japanese science fiction manga created by Shotaro Ishinomori. It was serialized in many different Japanese magazines, including Monthly Shōnen King, Weekly Shōnen Magazine, Shōnen Big Comic, COM, Shōjo Comic, Weekly Shōnen Sunday, Monthly Shōnen Jump, and Monthly Comic Nora. In 2012, comiXology acquired the digital distribution rights to Shotaro Ishinomori's catalogue, including Cyborg 009.

Plot

Nine people from around the world are kidnapped by the evil Black Ghost organization, led by the tyrant Skull, to undergo experiments that would allow him to use them as human weapons to promote the production of cyborg warfare. While he succeeds in converting the group of nine into cyborgs with superhuman powers, his most reputable scientist, Dr. Isaac Gilmore, helps the cyborgs escape to rebel against Skull and Black Ghost. The nine cyborgs – from which the name of the series is derived – band together in order to stop Black Ghost from achieving its goal of starting the next world war by supplying rich buyers with countless weapons of mass destruction. After the destruction of Black Ghost, the nine cyborgs go on to fight a variety of threats, such as mad scientists, supernatural beings, and ancient civilizations.

Media

Manga

The first series was serialized in Weekly Shōnen King. It depicts Cyborg 009's origin story, the escape from Black Ghost, and the group running from the cyborg assassins. It ended with the battle against the Mythos Cyborgs.
The second series, called The Underground Empire Yomi Arc, appeared in Weekly Shōnen Magazine alongside the release of the film version. The story is highly influenced by Edgar Rice Burroughs' Earth's Core series, including an expedition to the center of the Earth with a drill tank and a reptile race who can use telepathy and grow wings. The story ends with the final battle against Black Ghost. In the final scene, 009 and 002 fall into Earth's atmosphere and are seen as a shooting star by two small children, one of whom wishes for a toy gun and the other for world peace. As such, 001 was able to use his telekinetic powers at the last minute to retrieve 002 and 009 from their plummet before death.
The third series, serialized in Bōken Ō, contained 6 story arcs, including the Monster Island Arc, the Middle East Arc, and the Angels Arc. The series abruptly ended during the Angels Arc.
The fourth series, called The Battle of the Gods, was serialized in COM. Ishinomori resumed and retold the interrupted Angels Arc with a new plot, but the series once again ended abruptly. Ishinomori would not resume the series for a few years after this.
The fifth series was serialized in Shōjo Comic, and included the Wind City Arc, the Snow Carnival Arc, and the Edda Arc. The story deals with legendary and mythical like characters challenging the 00 Number Cyborgs.
The sixth series followed closely after the fifth series. Arcs such as the Deinonychus Arc and Green Hole Arc were depicted, then long after, the Underwater Pyramid Arc was serialized in Monthly Manga Shōnen.
The seventh series was serialized in Weekly Shōnen Sunday alongside the revival anime. A long arc consisting of many short arcs, this series dealt with the battle against Neo Black Ghost as well as the emotional trauma of the 00 Number Cyborgs. The story is set approximately 20 years after the Yomi Arc, and the personalities and conduct of the cyborgs are depicted as more adult.
The eighth series was serialized in Monthly Comic Nora. This longer arc was called People Drifting Through Time and Space Arc, and is a sequel to the Immigration Arc. The Count of St. Germain from the Underwater Pyramid Arc appears, but the design of his drawing is different.

Manga publication history

The series was written and illustrated by Shotaro Ishinomori, serialized in Monthly Shōnen King, published in Japan by Akita Shoten and other companies through its history, and published in North America by Tokyopop.
Digital comics distributor comiXology licensed the entire catalogue from Ishimori Productions in 2012, and has made the first 10 volumes of Cyborg 009 available to the public.
In April 2012, Shogakukan announced that the Cyborg 009 manga would conclude in Weekly Shōnen Sunday. Entitled Cyborg 009 Conclusion: God's War, the manga is to be illustrated by Masato Hayase and to be based on Ishinomori's original concept notes, sketches, and novel drafts, all of which had been gathered by his son, Joe Onodera. Conclusion debuted on April 13, 2012, and ran until February 2014. It was collected in 5 volumes.

''Cyborg 009: Bgooparts Delete''

A manga series written and illustrated by Tsuguo Okazaki, titled Cyborg 009: Bgooparts Delete, was serialized in Champion Red from July 19, 2019, to September 19, 2022.

''8 Man vs. Cyborg 009''

A crossover manga between 8 Man and Cyborg 009 by Kyoichi Nanatsuki and Masato Hayate, was serialized in Champion Red from July 18, 2020, to May 19, 2023. In this work, Black Ghost, revived after the Cold War, kidnaps 8 Man's inventor, Tani, to blackmail 8 Man to destroy the 00 cyborgs, so that Black Ghost can dominate the world using a laser satellite created by Professor Demon. 8 Man, Professor Demon, and the cyborgs team up to destroy Black Ghost.

Graphic novel

A full-color graphic novel based on the franchise was released at San Diego Comic-Con on July 21, 2013, to align with the anniversary of Ishinomori's original manga. The book is a condensed retelling of the 00 Cyborgs' battle against Black Ghost, led by Sekar. The full release was on September 11, 2013. The graphic novel is written by F. J. DeSanto and Bradley Cramp, penciled and inked by Marcus To, and published by Archaia Comics.

Films

1966 film

The first Cyborg 009 film was released on July 21, 1966. It was produced by Hiroshi Ōkawa and directed by Yugo Serikawa.
Cyborg 009: Monster Wars was the second film for Cyborg 009 and released on March 19, 1967. It was produced by Hiroshi Ōkawa and directed by Yugo Serikawa.
The theme song for both films was "Song of Cyborg 009"
Cast
An anime film based on the second anime television series was released on December 20, 1980, named Cyborg 009: Legend of the Super Galaxy.
The theme song was "Love of 1 Billion Lightyears".
Cast
  • 009: Kazuhiko Inoue/Walter Carroll
  • 001: Fuyumi Shiraishi/Mary Malone
  • 002: Keiichi Noda/Don Pomes
  • 003: Kazuko Sugiyama/Michelle Hart
  • 004: Keaton Yamada/Richard Nieskins
  • 005: Banjo Ginga/Frank Rogers
  • 006: Sanji Hase/Jeff Manning
  • 007: Kaneta Kimotsuki/James Keating
  • 008: Kazuyuki Sogabe/Clay Lowrey
  • Professor Gilmore: Jōji Yanami/Cliff Harrington
  • Dr Cosmo: Ichirō Nagai/Mike Worman
  • Saba: Noriko Ohara/Gerri Sorrells
  • Princess Tamara: Hiroko Suzuki/Deborah DeSnoo
  • Zoa: Tōru Ōhira/William Ross
  • Gallo: Chikao Ohtsuka/Lanny Broyles
  • Narrator: Ryō Ishihara/Avi Laudau

    2012 film (''[009 Re:Cyborg]'')

A 3D film, produced by Production I.G., Sanzigen and Ishimori Productions, was released on October 27, 2012. Kenji Kamiyama was the director and writer. Kenji Kawai, who worked before with Kamiyama on Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit and Eden of the East, composed the music. The film was released in Japan on October 27, 2012. It also opened simultaneously in more than five Asian regions, including Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, and South Korea. A manga adaptation by Gatou Asou, character designer for Moribito and Occult Academy, was serialized in Square Enix's Monthly Big Gangan. The UK anime distributor Anime Limited announced that they acquired the movie and produced an English dub at NYAV Post. Madman Entertainment also has rights to release the film in Australia and New Zealand. At Anime Expo 2013, Funimation had announced that they acquired the film for North America. The English voice cast was announced on April 16, 2015.

2016 film trilogy (''Cyborg 009: Call of Justice'')

Another 3D film, produced by Production I.G. and animated by OLM Digital and Signal.MD and distributed by Toho, was released on November 25, 2016. The movie itself was divided into three parts, with Part 2 being released December 2, 2016 and Part 3 on December 9, 2016. Kenji Kamiyama was chief director of the project, and Kokai Kakimoto directed the film. Netflix acquired digital distribution rights to the movie, where the movie was shown first on Netflix Japan in Spring 2016, with other territories following later. The films, edited down into 12 episodes, were released worldwide on Netflix on February 10, 2017.
Cast
  • 009: Keisuke Koumoto/Kyle McCarley
  • 001: Misato Fukuen/Erica Mendez
  • 002: Takuya Satō/Robbie Daymond
  • 003: Risa Taneda/Cristina Vee
  • 004: Satoshi Hino/Ray Chase
  • 005: Kenji Nomura/Chris Tergliafera
  • 006: Mitsuaki Madono/Kirk Thornton
  • 007: Setsuji Satō/Ben Diskin
  • 008: Haruki Ishiya/Zeno Robinson
  • Katarina Canetti: Yui Makino/Cherami Leigh
  • Emperor: Kazuhiko Inoue/Patrick Seitz

    Television series

1968 series

An anime adaptation was released on April 5, 1968, on NET and ended on September 27, 1968, with a total of 26 episodes. This series was directed by Yugo Serikawa, Takeshi Tamiya, Tomoharu Katsumata, Toshio Katsuda, Taiji Yabushita, Ryōzō Tanaka, Yoshikata Nitta, Kazuya Miyazaki, Fusahiro Nagaki, Minoru Okazaki, Yoshio Takami.
The opening theme song for the anime series was "Cyborg 009"