Z for Zorro

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Television series
German title Z for Zorro
Original title 怪傑 ゾ ロ
Kaiketsu Zorro
Country of production Japan , Italy
original language Japanese
year 1995
length 25 minutes
Episodes 52
genre Shōnen , adventure
Theme music Shiori Matsumoto
idea Johnston McCulley (template), Sukehiro Tomita
production Katsumi Minoguchi
music Hiromoto Tobisawa
German-language
first broadcast		 March 6 - May 16, 1995 on RTL II
synchronization

Z for Zorro ( Japanese 怪傑 ゾ ロ , Kaiketsu Zorro , German for example: "the extraordinary Zorro") is a Japanese-Italian co-production from 1995. The series, which is free from the well-known fictional character Zorro , ran for the first time in Germany 1995 on RTL 2 and from March 2000 on tm3 . Unusually, this anime series aired in Europe more than a year earlier than in Japan.

In 1995 the “Z wie Zorro” anime was released in German with 5 VHS tapes, each with 1 - 3 episodes (13 of the 52 episodes in total) by Starlight Video , which were reissued in 2000 by Cine Plus .

In 2008, the German distributor NEW KSM acquired the licenses for some anime series, including Z for Zorro, and published the series in two DVD boxes at the end of 2008 and beginning of 2009, but only with the German TV synchronization.

action

The early 19th century: After years of study, the 18-year-old noble Don Diego de la Vega from Spain returns to his native California. There the blond youth finds out that the Spanish army, under the leadership of a tyrannical governor and general, is suppressing the population and keeping it under their yoke. Tax increases, arbitrariness and cruelty by the soldiers and executions are on the agenda. Diego, with a keen sense of justice, does not want to stand idly by. In order not to endanger his friends and his father, a respected noble landowner, he appears masked as the avenger Zorro to resist the army and to defend the population. Zorro meets with sympathy and support from the population.

main characters

  • Zorro : The defender and avenger of the population, whose true identity is largely unknown. He wears black clothes (mask, hat, cape) and is a master rider and fencer.
  • Don Diego de la Vega : Has a pronounced courage and a sense of justice. In order not to attract attention as Zorro against the Spanish army, Diego pretends to be a lazy and cowardly good-for-nothing.
  • Lolita Prideaux : The pretty 17 year old girl is Diego's crush. The two have been friends since childhood. She, however, has a weakness for the brave Zorro, while for the well-known reasons she considers Diego a coward and useless and wonders about his change since his return.
  • Don Alejandro de la Vega : He is Diego's 48 year old father, a strict but just man. Although he disagrees with the occupiers, he still obeys their will. Despite his son's laziness, he suspects that he is Zorro.
  • Bernard : A 9 year old orphan who was adopted by the Vegas and is considered a full family member. The brave, bright boy finds out that Diego is his idol Zorro and now helps him more often than "Little Zorro". He is always accompanied by his bulldog Figaro .
  • Don Carlos Prideaux : Lolita’s father is, like Don Alejandro, a wealthy nobleman. Although he also disagrees with the army, he does not resist so as not to endanger his status or his family.
  • Viento : Zorros gray horse is a loyal and noble horse, which is characterized by its bravery.
  • The Governor / General : The governor of Southern California is not a bad person per se. Much more, he has no real idea what is going on in his country and is repeatedly manipulated and deceived by Commander Raymond about the interaction between Zorro and various incidents in the army. He is sure of the loyalty of his subordinate officers and has no idea that at least later in the series he is always exposing himself to great danger.
  • Captain Raymond : Selfish and cruel Raymond is the most senior officer under the general, but not loyal to him. Instead, he plans to take power himself. He commands the National Guard and has no qualms about dirty actions against the population.
  • Lieutenant Gabriel : Gabriel is a Lieutenant in the National Guard and receives his orders directly from Raymond. Although an extremely capable and brave soldier, he too is cruel, arrogant and ruthless. He secretly hopes to take over from Raymond as captain one day.
  • Sergeant Gonzales : A naive and loyal officer in the Spanish army and not a particularly gifted soldier. He reports to Gabriel. Although basically a good person, he carries out the orders given to him.
  • Captain Jekyll : Another senior Spanish officer. Although he also has a high sense of justice, he insists on compliance with the law, believing that Spain could bring peace and prosperity to the population.

Voice actor

character Japanese speaker ( seiyū ) German speaker
Diego de La Vega / Zorro Toshihiko Seki David Nathan
Lolita Prideaux Maria Kawamura Melanie Hinze
Bernard / Zorro Jr. Rika Matsumoto Fabian Schwab
Don Alejandro de la Vega Ikuya Sawaki Peter Groeger
Maria Atsuko mine Renate Rennhack
Don Carlos Prideaux Shouzou Iizuka Gerd Holtenau
Caterina Prideaux Kumiko Takizawa Friederike Aust
Captain Raymond Juurouta Kosugi Walter Alich
Lieutenant Gabriel Ken'yu Horiuchi Matthias Klages
Sergeant Pedro Gonzales Kōzō Shioya Alexander Duke
Captain Jekyll Shigezou Sasaoka Jan Spitzer (14, 15, 18)
Michael Telloke (24–52)
Senor Capital Jun Hazumi Wolf Rüdiger Reutermann
Governor General Osamu Saka Herbert-Günther Schmidtke

Charisma

A total of 52 episodes with a length of approx. 25 minutes each were produced in 1995. It was first broadcast on the German broadcaster RTL II . The Japanese first broadcast took place about a year later by the broadcaster NHK .

Episode list

The Japanese first broadcast was from April 5, 1996 to March 28, 1997 on the Japanese television station NHK .

No. German title Original title First broadcast in Japan German language first broadcast (D)
1 Diego 正義 の サ イ ン は “Z” Apr 5, 1996 -
2 Wine thieves リ ト ル ・ ゾ ロ 登場 Apr 12, 1996 -
3 The arsonist ガ ブ リ エ ル の 陰謀 Apr 19, 1996 -
4th The traitor 友 よ 、 目 を さ ま せ! Apr 26, 1996 -
5 Blood ties か く さ れ た 父 の 秘密 May 3, 1996 -
6th The trap with the gem 赤 い 宝石 の 罠 May 10, 1996 -
7th The heiress ね ら わ れ た 遺産 May 17, 1996 -
8th The thing with astrology 殺 し の フ ラ メ ン コ ・ ギ タ ー May 24, 1996 -
9 The pirate treasure 海賊 の 宝 を さ が せ May 31, 1996 -
10 The blue eye 幽 霊 に な っ た デ ィ エ ゴ June 7, 1996 -
11 Counterfeiters リ ト ル ・ ゾ ロ の 大 冒 険 June 14, 1996 -
12 The wrong Comtessa 迷 犬 フ ィ ガ ロ の 初 手柄 June 21, 1996 -
13 Growing up is pretty difficult 大 活躍! リ ト ル 騎士 June 28, 1996 -
14th The red wolves 危 険 な 駅 馬車 5th July 1996 -
15th The kiss ロ リ タ の キ ス は 誰 の も の? July 12, 1996 -
16 The Japanese sword ジ パ ン グ の 宝刀 July 19, 1996 -
17th Zorro in distress 追 い つ め ら れ た ゾ ロ July 26, 1996 -
18th The clever detective 名 探 偵 デ ィ エ ゴ Aug 2, 1996 -
19th A house full of surprises 恐怖 の カ ラ ク リ 館 Aug 9, 1996 -
20th Revenge on Zorro ゾ ロ に 復讐 す る 少年 Aug 16, 1996 -
21st Dream swing 飛 べ! 夢 の 翼 23 Aug 1996 -
22nd A bad misunderstanding オ レ は 泥 棒 じ ゃ な い! Aug 30, 1996 -
23 The bride is Spanish ス ペ イ ン か ら き た 花嫁 6 Sep 1996 -
24 Raymond, the enemy of the people 民衆 の 敵 レ イ モ ン! 13 Sep 1996 -
25th Tears of a clown ピ エ ロ の 涙 Sep 20 1996 -
26th Pepita the liar 嘘 つ き 少女 ペ ピ ー タ 27 Sep 1996 -
27 Battle for the jewels お て ん ば 奥 様 と リ ト ル ・ ゾ ロ Oct. 4, 1996 -
28 The haunted ruins 呪 わ れ た 遺跡 Oct 11, 1996 -
29 Mona Lisa is crying モ ナ リ ザ は 泣 い て い る Oct 18, 1996 -
30th Gonzales is in love 初恋 し ま し た! ゴ ン ザ レ ス Oct 25, 1996 -
31 Stupidity does not protect against punishment 南 イ ン ド 貿易 の 悪 だ く み Nov 1, 1996 -
32 The drunk doctor 酔 い ど れ 医 者 の メ ス Nov 8, 1996 -
33 The wrong son of a duke と ん だ 貴 公子 Nov 15, 1996 -
34 Zorro has to die ゾ ロ 暗殺 指令 Nov 22, 1996 -
35 Gonzales' great love こ り ず に 恋 し た ゴ ン ザ レ ス Nov 29, 1996 -
36 Zorro's discovery つ い に バ レ た! ゾ ロ の 正 体!? Dec 6, 1996 -
37 Diego and the gang デ ィ エ ゴ が グ レ た!? Dec 13, 1996 -
38 The inventor starts 謎 の 発 明 オ バ サ ン 登場! Dec 20, 1996 -
39 A stormy fight 嵐 の 中 の 戦 い Dec 27, 1996 -
40 Lady Zorro 偽 ゾ ロ は 女 剣 士 Jan. 3, 1997 -
41 The wrong nuns ロ リ タ よ 銃 を 取 れ! Jan. 10, 1997 -
42 The magic trap ニ ン ジ ャ ・ マ ジ ッ ク の 罠 Jan. 17, 1997 -
43 The beauty and the monster 怪物 が あ ら わ れ た!? Jan. 24, 1997 -
44 Gabriel's rebellion ガ ブ リ エ ル の 謀反 Jan. 31, 1997 -
45 Divine interference 神 の 森 の 伝 説 Feb 7, 1997 -
46 The double Zorro ゾ ロ の 首飛 ん だ! Feb 14, 1997 -
47 The governor as pledge 総 督 誘拐 大作 戦 Feb 21, 1997 -
48 The upright soldier 正義 の 軍人 ブ ラ シ ド Feb 28, 1997 -
49 The cannon さ ら ば 軍 よ 7th Mar 1997 -
50 Away with the cannons 悪 魔 の 大砲 を 壊 せ! 14 Mar 1997 -
51 The beginning of the end レ イ モ ン ・ 崩 壊 へ の 序曲 21 Mar 1997 -
52 The victory of justice 正義 の 剣 は 永遠 に 28 Mar 1997 -

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Anime no tomodachi
  2. ↑ Anime no tomodachi
  3. ↑ Animania , edition 08-09 / 2008, page 7
  4. ↑ wunschliste.de
  5. ↑ mondotv.it ( Memento from June 25, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
  6. ↑ a b Z like Zorro in the German synchronous index