Cover Illustration/Marvelous Melmo/Tezuka Osamu Manga Compilation/Kodansha/1984
Marvelous Melmo
1970/09-1972/04
Story
This is a fantasy for children. Melmo has miracle candies with which she can become younger and older freely. She solves troubles happening around her with the power of the candies.
This is a sweet and innocent story for children. The idea of miracle candies that enable us to control physical ages is quite a fantasy for kids. People dream of immortality, everlasting life, or forever healthiness. In other words, humans have a desire to control their ages. Indeed, Melmo's candies must be as wonderful as Phoenix's blood. But what if a small girl has the item at hand?
In the manga work, Melmo's aunt is mean and has a desire to become younger. Also, a dictatorship by the name of Chicchaina State appears in the TV series under the same title. It seems the miracle candies attract not only kids but also adults longing for immortality.
Description
Serialized on Shogaku Ichinensei under the title of Mamaa-chan (1970/09-1971/03) (Shogakukan)
Serialized on Shogaku Ichinensei under the title of Mamaa-chan, retitled as Marvelous Melmo in Oct. 1971 (1971/04-1972/03) (Shogakukan)
Serialized on Yoiko under the title of Mamaa-chan, retitled as Marvelous Melmo in Oct 1971 (1971/05-1972/04) (Shogakukan)
This is a sweet and innocent story for children. The idea of miracle candies that enable us to control physical ages is quite a fantasy for kids. People dream of immortality, everlasting life, or forever healthiness. In other words, humans have a desire to control their ages. Indeed, Melmo's candies must be as wonderful as Phoenix's blood. But what if a small girl has the item at hand?
In the manga work, Melmo's aunt is mean and has a desire to become younger. Also, a dictatorship by the name of Chicchaina State appears in the TV series under the same title. It seems the miracle candies attract not only kids but also adults longing for immortality.
The name, Melmo comes from metamorphosis. Originally, the work was planned for TV animation series while the manga serialization started under the title of Mamaa-chan on the monthly magazine, Shogaku Ichinensei. But the title was changed to Marvelous Melmo from October 1971 issue because the original title was already registered by a third party. Then the work came to be serialized on Yoiko and Tezuka Magazine Leo. Actually, the serialization on Tezuka Magainze Leo was practically handled by staff at Tezuka Productions, not by Tezuka himself. In terms of the TV animation series, it was the first TV animation series produced by Tezuka Productions. The work was also known as a sex educational animation. Inserted in the animation were some sex educational descriptions in a way similar to a picture-card show.
Characters
Melmo
Melmo
Melmo is a lively and active girl, but she sometimes feels lonely since she lost her mother due to an accident. One day, her mother who became an angel visits Melmo and gives her the miracle candies.
>Character/Melmo
Melmo
Totoo
Melmo's mother
Totoo
Totoo is Melmo's younger brother. He is smart and always cares about his sister. When a suspicious woman visits them after Melmo's candies, he prepares a lot of candy bottles filled with fake candies to confuse her.
Melmo's mother
One night, she dies involved in a car accident. She worries about Melmo who left alone very much, and asks for God's permission to visit her. Then she gives Melmo the miracle candies with which Melmo can get older and younger.
Angel No. 72(right),Angel No. 73(left)
Angel No. 72
Angel No. 72 has an appearance of a girl mouse. She is sent to the lower world to watch over Melmo so that she does not waste miracle candies.
Angel No. 73
Angle No. 73 has an appearance of a boy frog. He is also sent to the lower world to watch over Melmo so that she does not waste miracle candies.
Angel No. 72(right),Angel No. 73(left)
Comment by Author
Frontispiece/Mamma-chan/Shogaku Ichinensei/Shogakukan/1970
(excerpt from the afterword on Marvelous Melmo of Tezuka Osamu Manga Compilation published by Kodansha)
I authored Marvelous Melmo for TV animation series, and also to celebrate the establishment of Tezuka Productions, the studio I made after resigning from the president of Mushi Production. Of course, the animation was produced by Tezuka Productions.
In terms of the pilot film, it was originally titled Apollo's Song. The title was nothing to do with my manga work Apollo's song serialized on Shonen King. The similarity, if any, would be that I treated an issue of sex in both works. Also, I made Shogo, the hero of Apollo's Song, appear just a little bit at the very end of the pilot film. That's the trick.
Later, the title of the pilot film was changed to Mamaa-chan, which was identical with the name of the main character. At the same time, I started the serialization of the manga version for a kid magazine. But soon, we found the title was not appropriate for the TV series since "Mamaa" had already been registered by multiple third parties. After a lot of thought, I decided to title it Marvelous Melmo. The name, Melmo, has no particular meaning. I just tried to find the name which was not registered.
Marvelous Melo was aired in the same time slot of Sazae-san, one of the most popular animation series in Japan. That's why the viewer rate was not as good as expected in spite of its good reputations. (omitted)
(Please note the above is a liberal translation of the original text in Japanese. )
Frontispiece/Mamma-chan/Shogaku Ichinensei/Shogakukan/1970
Fonrtispiece/Marvelous Melmo/Shogaku Ichinensei/Shogakukan/1072
