is a Japanese anime series based on Arthurian legend. Produced by Toei Animation, the series consists of 30 half-hour episodes released between September 9, 1979 and March 3, 1980. The series achieved great popularity in its non-English translations.
The series tells the story of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, featuring 'Arthurian' characters such as Lancelot, Guinevere, Tristan, Percival, Merlin, Uther Pendragon, and Igraine and other familiar elements of Arthurian lore, including the castle Camelot and Arthurian relics such as Excalibur. The series is not entirely faithful to the original legends since it adds new characters and stories which make the plot less brutal. The second season had an even lighter tone.
Plot When Prince Arthur is a baby, his father, King Uther Pendragon, rules Camelot. Lavik, another king who wishes to conquer Camelot, attacks the castle. Arthur is saved by Merlin who sends him to a knight for safekeeping. For many years, this knight raises Arthur as his own son.
At the age of 15, Arthur attends a tournament with his foster father. At the tournament, he finds that he is able to pull the sword Excalibur from a stone. This action proves Arthur is the legitimate king of England. As a result, Arthur's foster father reveals the truth of his royal lineage. King Arthur and his subjects decide to fight against the evil King Lavik, who is aided by the witch Medessa.
Characters
Akira Kamiya as King Arthur Keiko Han as Guinevere Hideyuki Tanaka as Sir Kay Makio Inoue as Tristan Satomi Majima as Phine Michie Kita as Galahad Tesshō Genda as Lancelot Banjō Ginga as Rubik/Lavik Daisuke Gōri as Percival Kenji Utsumi as Gastar Ichirō Nagai as Sir Ector and Longinus Hidekatsu Shibata as Yuuzel Yasuo Hisamatsu as Merlin Akiko Tsuboi as Igraine Kohei Miyauchi as Archbishop Masato Ibu as Leodegrance Toshio Furukawa as Pellinore Hidekatsu Shibata as Uther
Production and release
Isao Sasaki and Koorogi '73 sang the opening theme "Kibou yo sore wa" and "Ou no Naka no Ou". The ending theme is performed by Mitsuko Horie and Koorogi '73.
In the early 1980s, a French-dubbed version, titled Le Roi Arthur, was released through Jacques Censtrier Productions. The first four episodes were released on VHS. In this version, all of the characters' names and the opening and closing theme songs were kept the same. An English dubbed version called King Arthur & the Knights of the Round Table was produced and distributed by ZIV International, Inc. in 1981.
Manga adaptation The series was adapted into several comics published in Telebi Magazine (テレビマガジン), Terebi Land (テレビランド) and Bōken Ō. The Bōken Ō adaptation was created by Satomi Mikuriya (御厨さと美) and "Mic Mac Production".A page from the Bouken-Oh comicization (Japanese). The series was followed by King Arthur: Prince on White Horse in 1980.
List of episodes
+List of episodes of King Arthur & the Knights of the Round Table EpisodeAirdateTitleScreenplay byProducerDirectorArt19 September 1979風雲児アーサー / "Arthur as a Child"Mitsuru MashimaAkira MakotoTakao NodaTadashi Tsuji216 September 1979輝けキャメロットの星 / "Camelot the Star"Katsuji KachimadaYasuhiko SuzukiIto Ikko Ito323 September 1979湖の騎士・ランスロット / "Lancelot the Lake Knight"Ochiai MasamuneKikuchi ShironiToshikazu Yamaguchi430 September 1979竪琴の騎士・トリスタン / "Tristan the Wolfe Knight"Kazumi Fukushima57 October 1979勇気ある少年ガラハッド / "Galahad the Courageous Boy" Akira MakotoIto Ikko Ito614 October 1979神剣エクスカリバー / "Excalibur"Takeki KamikiToshikazu Yamaguchi721 October 1979槍の名人パーシバル / "Master Percival of the Rose"Matsuura KeppairiruTadashi Tsuji828 October 19795人の若き騎士たち / "The Five Young Knights"Omachi ShigeruShinoda AyamaIto Ikko Ito94 November 1979黒い狐・ペリノア / "Pelinore the Black Fox"Kazumi FukushimaKikuchi Shironi1011 November 1979炎の中の王子 / "The Flaming Prince"Akira NakanoOchiai MasamuneTadashi Tsuji1118 November 1979花咲ける騎士道の丘 / "Blooming Chivalry Hill"Mitsuru MashimaMatsuura Keppairiru1225 November 1979金髪の戦士・フィーネ / "Finn the Blonde Warrior"Akira NakanoKazumi FukushimaTakao NodaKenichi Harada132 December 1979暗黒魔女との闘い / "The Fight with the Dark Witch"Mitsuru MashimaAkira MakotoKikuchi ShironiIto Ikko Ito149 December 1979怒りの故里 前編 / "Hometown of Anger (1st Part)"Matsuura KeppairiruTadashi Tsuji1516 December 1979怒りの故里 後編 / "Hometown of Anger (2nd Part)"Kazumi Fukushima1623 December 1979恐怖の槍試合 / "Dreadful Jousting Match"Omachi ShigeruKenichi Harada1730 December 1979地獄から来た呪いの剣士 / "The Cursed Swordsman from Hell"Akira SaoriShinoda AyamaIto Ikko Ito186 January 1980激戦！この砦を守れ / "Fierce Battle! Protect the Fort"Kozo MorishitaKikuchi ShironiKenichi Harada1913 January 1980荒野に咲く花 / "Flowers Blooming in the Wilderness"Matsuura KeppairiruIto Ikko Ito2020 January 1980響け！父の足音 / "Resonate! Footsteps of the Father"Kazumi FukushimaKenichi Harada2127 January 1980赤い夕陽の五人 "Five People in the Red Sunset"Akira SaoriTakao NodaIto Ikko Ito223 February 1980魔女の城の謎 / "The Mystery of the Magic Castle"Omachi ShigeruKikuchi ShironiKenichi Harada2310 February 1980アドラス山の怪獣 / "The Monster of Mount Adras"Matsuura KeppairiruNoazuma NumajiriIto Ikko Ito2417 February 1980聖なる楯はここに！ / "Here is the Sacred Shield!"Kozo MorishitaKikuchi Shironi2524 February 1980魔女メデッサを倒せ！/ "Defeat the witch Medessa!"Kazumi FukushimaKenichi Harada262 March 1980悪王ラヴィックの最期？/ "Is this the End of the Evil King Ravik?"Takeshi KamikiShinoda Ayama279 March 1980地獄からの使者 / "Messenger from Hell"Ito TsunhisaAkira SaoriTakao NodaBunmei Uchikawa2816 March 1980ドクロ騎士の正体 / "Skull Knight's True Identity"Kazumi FukushimaKikuchi ShironiKenichi Harada2923 March 1980呪いの赤い雪 / "Curse of the Red Snow"Matsuura KeppairiruNoazuma NumajiriHata Shun Qin3030 March 1980激闘！最後のたたかい / "Fierce Battle! The Final Battle"Mitsuru MashimaKozo MorishitaKikuchi ShironiKenichi Harada
References
External links King Arthur at Toei Animation's English website