Kaiketsu Zorro

Not to be confused with Kaiketsu Zorori

Kaiketsu Zorro
Promotional poster for the television series Kaiketsu Zorro
快傑ゾロ (Extraordinary Zorro)
Genre	Historical, Adventure
Anime television series
Directed by	Katsumi Minoguchi
Written by	Sukehiro Tomita
Music by	Hiromoto Tobisawa
Studio	Ashi Productions Mondo TV
Network	NHK
Original run	April 5, 1996 – March 28, 1997
Episodes	52

Kaiketsu Zorro (快傑ゾロ, Kaiketsu Zoro, lit. "Extraordinary Zorro") is an Italian/Japanese anime, based on the western character Zorro. Fifty-two episodes were produced, however only 46 were broadcast in Japan. The series became very popular in European countries, including Portugal and Spain, the colonial power of the area in the story.

Plot

Don Diego de la Vega returns from his study trip to discover his homeland is under the army's dictatorship. Diego, refusing to watch idly, disguises himself as Zorro to protect the weak and oppressed. Diego is not a coward but he is unable to win the affections of his sweetheart, Lolita Prideaux, who is attracted to other more noble men. Diego serenades Lolita as Zorro and fights the evils of his homeland, hoping to capture her heart.

Diego is accompanied by Bernardo, the sidekick boy wearing a similar costume, called "Little Zorro".

Main characters

Don Diego de la Vega/Zorro

Voiced by: Toshihiko Seki (Japanese)

The main character of the series. As Diego he acts lazy and clumsy, usually showing cowardly, foolish, and silly characteristics to hide his secret identity, but as Zorro he is the most noble-minded swordsman in the world. Diego, just like his father, is always very calm and reasonable, unlike Lolita and Bernardo, who are very hot-headed and stubborn.

Lolita Prideaux

Voiced by: Maria Kawamura (Japanese)

The female protagonist of the series. Diego's spunky blond childhood friend and love interest. She is bossy over Diego, but she loves Zorro.

Bernardo/Little Zorro

Voiced by: Rica Matsumoto (Japanese)

The co-protagonist of the series, an abandoned orphan found by Diego when he was still a baby. Diego adopted and took care of him as if he was his younger brother, he also thinks of Diego like his true brother. He helps Zorro by eavesdropping in other people's conversations, and later develops his own alter ego, "Little Zorro".

Commandant Raymond

Voiced by: Jûrôta Kosugi (Japanese)

The main antagonist of the series. The corrupt head officer of the Spanish Army in California. He is a coldhearted, a merciless, and greedy. He later plans to kill the governor general with the South India Company, and rule California. He is killed by Zorro in a sword fight.

Lieutenant Gabriel

Voiced by: Kenyuu Horiuchi (Japanese)

The second main antagonist of the series. An officer of the Spanish army who has an affection for Lolita. He loves beautiful thing, and sly, arrogant and full of conceit. He is the right hand conspirator of Commandant Raymond on each of their evil plots in California. He is defeated and arrested by Sergeant Gonzales in the end of the series. This role was popularized Raymond in the original novel.

Don Alejandro de la Vega

Voiced by: Ikuya Sawaki (Japanese)

Diego's father.

Sergeant Pedro Gonzales

Voiced by: Kôzô Shioya (Japanese)

Stout sergeant who often serves as the comic relief. Comparable to Johnston McCulley's character from 1920's The Mark of Zorro.

Episodes

1. "Return of the Hero"
2. "The Barrels of Wine"
3. "Proposal of Marriage"
4. "Wake Up My Friend!"
5. "The Ties of Blood"
6. "The Red Jewel"
7. "Too Many Borros"
8. "Killer Guitar"
9. "The Treasure of Dreams"
10. "Untrue Feelings"
11. "Mystery Mountain"
12. "Man's Best Friend"
13. "Little Zorro at Full Blast"
14. "The Stagecoach is in Danger!"
15. "Lolita's Kiss"
16. "The Sword from Japan"
17. "Cornered"
18. "The Clever Detective"
19. "A House of Deadly Tricks"
20. "Vengeance"
21. "Wings of Dreams!"
22. "Gonzales, the Thief"
23. "The Bride from Spain"
24. "The People's Enemy"
25. "Tears of a Clown"
26. "Pepita"
27. "Lady Barbara"
28. "The Haunted Ruins"
29. "The Great Art Swindle"
30. "Gonzales in Love"
31. "Fire in the Sky"
32. "A Doctor's Dilemma"
33. "Lolita in Love"
34. "The Order to Kill Zorro"
35. "Gonzales in Love again"
36. "Unmasked!"
37. "Diego Under Cover"
38. "The Underwater Adventure"
39. "The Battle in the Storm"
40. "My Fair Lady Zorro"
41. "Lolita, Get Your Gun!"
42. "Trapped By Ninja Magic"
43. "Beauty and the Monster"
44. "Gabriel's Rebellion"
45. "The Legend of the Sacred Wood"
46. "The Hypnotic Doctor"
47. "The Kidnapping of the Governor General"
48. "A Righteous Military Officer"
49. "Farewell to the Army"
50. "The Blast Off the Demonic Cannons!"
51. "A Prelude to the Collapse"
52. "The Sword of Justice Forever"

Music

The series use two pieces of theme music. The Japanese Opening theme is "ZORRO", and the Japanese ending theme is "Chikai" (誓い; "Oath"). Both songs are sung by the Japanese vocalist Masaaki Endoh, and are used for the 51 episodes which aired in Japan.

External links

• Official anime website of Production Reed (English)
• Official anime website of Production Reed (Japanese)
• [1] on MONDO TV
• Kaiketsu Zorro (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
• Kaiketsu Zorro at IMDb