Many of us have grown up consuming Japanese media without knowing its origin. Cartoon shows like Doraemon, Shinchan, Pokémon, etc., were part of our TV watch lists as kids, and we never knew they were from mangas. This article mentions some popular Japanese cartoon shows we have watched as children in India.
Page Contents
Doraemon
A Japanese manga series by Fujiko F. Fujio was first dubbed and aired in India in 2005. The anime’s main plot is about how a robotic robot from the 22nd century travels into the past, meets Nobita and his family, and ends up helping them and becoming an integral part of the family. The anime raised a generation of children in India.
Beyblade TV Series
First aired in Hindi dub in 2001, the Beyblade series dominated the Indian market, especially in the form of toys. It follows a team called Bladebreakers and the tournaments they fight and win with their Beyblades, with character relationships being a complementary storyline.
Ninja Hattori
It is based on a magazine illustrated and written by Fujiko Fujio. It was broadcast on Indian television for twelve years, and due to its popularity, it also got a remake. The storyline follows a ninja named Hattori who starts living with the Mitsuba family, helps them with their problems, and becomes part of the family.
Pokémon
Pokémon shows the main character Ash Ketchum, his pet Pikachu and his friends navigating a world filled with colourful and powerful creatures. They participate in multiple battles and tournaments with their Pokémons. The show even led to games like Pokémon Go, which was insanely popular.
Dragon Ball Z
Dragon Ball Z was dubbed for the Indian audience in the 2010s. It follows Goku’s adventures and how he teams up with his friends to protect Earth from evil forces that threaten the good morality and safety of others.
Naruto
Naruto is a manga series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. It began broadcasting to an Indian audience in 2007 and is set in a functional world. Naruto is a child who is believed to be a fox demon and is hated by his village, but he dreams of being the most powerful ninja in his village and wants to prove everyone wrong.
Shinchan
Shinchan is based on the series written by Yoshito Usui and was first aired in India in 2006. It is about a naughty 5-year-old and how he gets into trouble every day due to his nature.
Perman
Based on the manga written and illustrated by Fujiko Fujio. It is a story of a young and clumsy boy who becomes an apprentice to a superhero and trains to become one. The show was extremely popular, with about 500+ episodes being dubbed in Hindi.
Kiteretsu Daihyakka
Kiteretsu is based on the manga written and illustrated by Fujiko Fujio, which first aired in India in 2007. Eichii Kiteretsu is a genius inventor who builds a robot called Korosuke, and the show details his time-travelling adventures with the robot.
Samurai Jack
One of the old Japanese cartoons in India aired on a cartoon network, setting a high bar for 90s kids. The series follows the journey of a skilled samurai prince, known simply as Jack, who is thrown into a dystopian, futuristic world by the evil, shape-shifting demon Aku. Jack’s primary goal is to defeat Aku and return to the past to prevent this bleak future. He faces enemies and allies, encountering different cultures and unique worlds along the way.
What has been your favourite Japanese show you watched as a kid?
For more such interesting content, follow us on Instagram and Facebook.
Also, read: