Patalliro!

Patalliro!(Japanese: パタリロ!, Hepburn: Patariro!) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Mineo Maya. The comedy manga was serialized in Hana to Yume from 1978 to 1990, before switching to Bessatsu Hana to Yume in 1991, and now currently is serialized on the app Manga Park (マンガPark) since 2020.

An anime adaptation, Boku Patalliro!(ぼくパタリロ!), produced by Toei Animation, originally aired from April 8, 1982, to May 13, 1983, on Fuji TV, and was the first to present shōnen-ai themes on television.

The series has also received four stage plays based on various arcs from anime and manga, and a live action film adaptation in 2018.

Two spin-off manga, Patalliro Saiyūki! and Patalliro Genji Monogatari!, were originally serialized from 2003 to 2005 and 2004–2008 respectively. Patalliro Saiyūki! received an anime adaptation produced by Magic Bus which aired on Kids Station from June 5 to November 9, 2005.

As of 2019, the manga had over 25 million copies in circulation, making it one of the best-selling manga series.

Plot

The story focuses on the comedic adventures of Patalliro himself, and the entire kingdom of Malynera.

Characters

Patalliro du Malyner VIII(パタリロ・ド・マリネール8世)

The 10-year-old diabetic prodigy king of Malynera. He is known for his mischievous behaviour and prankster self. Despite his energetic personality, he is incredibly intelligent.

Jack Barbarossa Bancoran

Major Bancoran of the British MI6. Nicknamed "Bishōnen Killer" for his ability to seduce young men with just his eyes. Patalliro questioned Bancoran to discern if he was interested in his mother, but Bancoran stated that he was only attracted to men. Meeting Patalliro has changed his existence; after playing bodyguard to the most annoying person he's ever met, he's now living with Maraich, who tried to kill him, and their son Figaro. Bancoran is known for his blue eyeshadow (purple in Patalliro Saiyuki), his long black hair, and the fact that he never takes off his gloves, even in bed. His name comes from Henri Bencolin.

In the manga, it is implied that Maraich and Bancoran got married before having their son, who they didn’t plan on having essentially.

He also has a cheating habit, especially in the manga. Compared to the anime, in the manga the couple are rather toxic, their complex dynamic taking a toll not only on Maraich but on Figaro as well.

He used to be a very cheerful person but he changed and became the cold version of himself that we know today because his uncle, Keen, murdered his best friend, a talking dog, after the dog found out that Keen is the one who has previously murdered Bancoran’s father. For this reason, he dislikes his middle name because he used to be called “Funny Barbarossa” and being called “Barbarossa” brings back sour memories.

Maraich

An 18-year-old former assassin from the Diamond Syndicate. His former lover and abuser, Count Larken , told him not to return until he could kill Bancoran, but ended up reforming and becoming Bancoran's lover. He has a ferocious temper and seethes with jealousy whenever a bishōnen is in Bancoran's vicinity. He beats up Bancoran on a regular basis, regardless of whether or not he cheats, and somehow got pregnant twice, despite being biologically male. He is an expert knife user, and his looks and body allow him to easily pass for a woman with only Patalliro and Bancoran being able to see through his disguise.

In the manga, he is first pregnant in volume 10, and a second time in volume 46. His first pregnancy miscarries, but the second time he gives birth to a son named Figaro Bancoran. His pregnancy is cut out of the anime.

He has no official full name as the last name "Juschenfe" has never been used for him specifically, only various family members of his. He has only ever been referred to as "Maraich" in the series.

Tamanegi

Patalliro's biseinen bodyguards, forced to hide their beauty under padded uniforms, frosted glasses, masks that cover their mouths, noses, and onion-style wigs.

Plasma X

A robot that Patalliro built to mine diamonds on the moon, and another powerful character; one of his abilities is to shoot lasers from his eyes.

Afro-18

A female robot built by Patalliro. She initially dislikes Plasma X, but they later become husband and wife.

Afro and Plasma X have two kids together- a daughter, Purara and a son.

There are many other characters that appear multiple times but don’t affect the lore that much like Zachary, a touch sensitive fortune teller, Bjorn, one of Bancoran’s ex-lover’s who tried to bomb one of Patalliro's diamond mines, Jada, the first bishonen that we meet, etc.

Anime

Cast

Boku Patalliro!

• Patalliro: Fuyumi Shiraishi
• Bancoran: Kazuyuki Sogabe
• Maraich: Toshiko Fujita
• Police Chief: Ichirō Nagai
• Head Guard: Takeshi Aono
• Tamanegi: Akio Nojima, Toshio Furukawa, Tōru Furuya, Yūji Mitsuya, Yoku Shioya, Kaneto Shiozawa, Kazuhiko Inoue, Akira Kamiya The Tamanegi were portrayed by the members of Slapstick, a voice actor band Sogabe was a member of.
• Etrange: Masako Ikeda
• Sanders: Junpei Takiguchi
• Patalliro 7th: Kazuko Sugiyama
• Patalliro 10th: Minori Matsushima
• Plasma X: Hideyuki Hori
• Afro 18: Eiko Masuyama
• Purara: Michiko Nomura
• α Random: Junko Hori

Patalliro! Saiyuki

• Patalliro/Son Goku: Yuki Kaida
• Maraich/Genjo Sanzo: Reiko Takagi
• Bancoran: Takehito Koyasu
• Mi-chan: Ken'yū Horiuchi
• Cho Hakkai: Yoshirō Matsumoto
• Sa Gojo: Rikiya Koyama
• Gautama Buddha: Kazuya Tatekabe

Music

• "Patalliro!"(パタリロ!) by Fusako Fujimoto (Patalliro! / Boku Patalliro!)
• "Ajisai Ai Ai Monogatari"(紫陽花アイ愛物語, Hydrangea Ai Love Story) by v-u-den (Patalliro Saiyuki)
• "Utsukushisa wa Tsumi"(美しさは罪, Beauty is Crime) by Eri Takeda. (Patalliro 1st ending)
• "Cock Robin Ondo"(クック=ロビン音頭) by Fuyumi Shiraishi & Slapstick. (Boku Patalliro 1st ending)(from "Who killed Cock Robin?")
• "Nanchū Koi wo Yatterū You Know?"(なんちゅう恋をやってるぅ YOU KNOW?) by Berryz Kobo. (Patalliro Saiyuki)

Episodes

Season 1 (1982)

Season 2 (1982–83)

Film (1983)

Patalliro Saiyuki! (2005)

Legacy

Rock musician Tomoaki Ishizuka took his stage name "Pata" from Patalliro, his nickname in high school as he was said to resemble the series' title character.

Yu Yu Hakusho author Yoshihiro Togashi based his character Hiei's design on Patalliro!.

External links

• (in Japanese)
• (in Japanese)
• (manga) atAnime News Network's encyclopedia