King Arthur (TV series)


King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table is a Japanese anime series based on Arthurian legend. Produced by Toei Animation, the series consists of 30 half-hour episodes released between 9 September 1979 and 3 March 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.

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

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, Terebi Land and Bōken-Ō. The Bōken-Ō adaptation was created by Satomi Mikuriya and "Mic Mac Production." The series was followed by in 1980.

List of episodes

EpisodeAirdateTitleScreenplay byProducerDirectorArt
19 September 1979風雲児アーサー / "Arthur as a Child"Mitsuru MashimaAkira MakotoTakao NodaTadashi Tsuji
216 September 1979輝けキャメロットの星 / "Camelot the Star"Mitsuru MashimaKatsuji KachimadaYasuhiko SuzukiIto Ikko Ito
323 September 1979湖の騎士・ランスロット / "Lancelot the Lake Knight"Mitsuru MashimaOchiai MasamuneKikuchi ShironiToshikazu Yamaguchi
430 September 1979竪琴の騎士・トリスタン / "Tristan the Wolfe Knight"Mitsuru MashimaKazumi FukushimaKikuchi ShironiToshikazu Yamaguchi
57 October 1979勇気ある少年ガラハッド / "Galahad the Courageous Boy"Mitsuru MashimaAkira MakotoKikuchi ShironiIto Ikko Ito
614 October 1979神剣エクスカリバー / "Excalibur"Mitsuru MashimaTakeki KamikiKikuchi ShironiToshikazu Yamaguchi
721 October 1979槍の名人パーシバル / "Master Percyval of the Rose"Mitsuru MashimaMatsuura KeppairiruKikuchi ShironiTadashi Tsuji
828 October 19795人の若き騎士たちMitsuru MashimaOmachi ShigeruShinoda AyamaIto Ikko Ito
94 November 1979黒い狐・ペリノアMitsuru MashimaKazumi FukushimaKikuchi ShironiIto Ikko Ito
1011 November 1979炎の中の王子Akira NakanoOchiai MasamuneKikuchi ShironiTadashi Tsuji
1118 November 1979花咲ける騎士道の丘Mitsuru MashimaMatsuura KeppairiruKikuchi ShironiTadashi Tsuji
1225 November 1979金髪の戦士・フィーネAkira NakanoKazumi FukushimaTakao NodaKenichi Harada
132 December 1979暗黒魔女との闘いMitsuru MashimaAkira MakotoKikuchi ShironiIto Ikko Ito
149 December 1979怒りの故里 前編Mitsuru MashimaMatsuura KeppairiruKikuchi ShironiTadashi Tsuji
1516 December 1979怒りの故里 後編Mitsuru MashimaKazumi FukushimaKikuchi ShironiTadashi Tsuji
1623 December 1979恐怖の槍試合Mitsuru MashimaOmachi ShigeruKikuchi ShironiKenichi Harada
1730 December 1979地獄から来た呪いの剣士Mitsuru MashimaAkira SaoriShinoda AyamaIto Ikko Ito
186 January 1980激戦！この砦を守れMitsuru MashimaKozo MorishitaKikuchi ShironiKenichi Harada
1913 January 1980荒野に咲く花Mitsuru MashimaMatsuura KeppairiruKikuchi ShironiIto Ikko Ito
2020 January 1980響け！父の足音Mitsuru MashimaKazumi FukushimaKikuchi ShironiKenichi Harada
2127 January 1980赤い夕陽の五人Mitsuru MashimaAkira SaoriTakao NodaIto Ikko Ito
223 February 1980魔女の城の謎Mitsuru MashimaOmachi ShigeruKikuchi ShironiKenichi Harada
2310 February 1980アドラス山の怪獣Mitsuru MashimaMatsuura KeppairiruNoazuma NumajiriIto Ikko Ito
2417 February 1980聖なる楯はここに！Mitsuru MashimaKozo MorishitaKikuchi ShironiIto Ikko Ito
2524 February 1980魔女メデッサを倒せ！Mitsuru MashimaKazumi FukushimaKikuchi ShironiKenichi Harada
262 March 1980悪王ラヴィックの最期？Mitsuru MashimaTakeshi KamikiShinoda AyamaKenichi Harada
279 March 1980地獄からの使者Ito TsunhisaAkira SaoriTakao NodaBunmei Uchikawa
2816 March 1980ドクロ騎士の正体Ito TsunhisaKazumi FukushimaKikuchi ShironiKenichi Harada
2923 March 1980呪いの赤い雪Ito TsunhisaMatsuura KeppairiruNoazuma NumajiriHata Shun Qin
3030 March 1980激闘！最後のたたかいMitsuru MashimaKozo MorishitaKikuchi ShironiKenichi Harada