Mito Kōmon

Mito Kōmon
Satomi Kōtarō on set in the role of Mitsuemon
Country of origin	Japan
No. of episodes	1227
Production
Producer(s)	C.A.L.
Running time	54 min.
Release
Original network	TBS ABC (1969 - 1975) MBS (1975 - 2011)
Picture format	NTSC 625-line colour (1969–2003) 720x576 16:9 (2003 1000th special–)
Original release	4 August 1969 – 19 December 2011
External links
Website

Mito Kōmon (水戸黄門) is a Japanese jidaigeki or period drama that has been on prime-time television since 1969. The title character is the historic Tokugawa Mitsukuni, former vice-shogun and retired second daimyo of the Mito Domain. In the guise of Mitsuemon, a retired crêpe merchant from Echigo, he roams the realm with two samurai retainers, fun-loving Sasaki Sukesaburō (Suke-san) and studious Atsumi Kakunoshin (Kaku-san). An episode typically starts with some injustice perpetrated by a corrupt official, wealthy merchant or gangster; the travelers arrive incognito, discover the injustice and quietly investigate it; and the episode concludes with a brawl in which the unarmed, disguised protagonists better a crowd of samurai and gangsters, culminating with the presentation of the inrō that reveals the hero's identity. Afterwards, the hero passes judgement upon the villains, and sets things straight with fair comments and encouragements, and then moves on to the journey.

History and characters

Five actors have portrayed the lead character in the series. Eijirō Tōno created the part and appeared in 13 seasons. His successor was Kō Nishimura. Asao Sano followed, and Kōji Ishizaka took the role in two seasons, quitting for cancer treatments. Kōtarō Satomi, has played Mitsuemon since 2002 until the end of the series.

The character normally sports a pointed white beard. He wears the lavish garb of a wealthy retiree, and carries a walking stick (a staff), which also serves as his defensive weapon in combat.

Singer-actor Ryōtarō Sugi was the series' first Suke-san, followed by Kōtarō Satomi (who many years later took the lead role). Teruhiko Aoi was next, then Yūji Kishimoto, and Ryūji Harada. Opposite them, Tadashi Yokouchi, Shin'ya Ōwada, Goro Ibuki, Jundai Yamada, and Masashi Gōda have played Kaku-san.

In each of the show's 42 seasons, various other regular characters have joined the retinue. For many years, it was the food-loving commoner Hachibei, the reformed thieves, former ninja Kazaguruma no Yashichi (His main weapon is Shuriken with pinwheel, with a dagger as his sidearm) and his wife Kasumi no Oshin, and the ninja Tsuge no Tobizaru and Kunoichi Kagerō Ogin. Portrayed by Kaoru Yumi, Ogin was the lead character in a light-hearted spinoff, Mito Kōmon Gaiden Kagerō Ninpō-chō. The same actress took on a new role, Oen, in which she continues as of 2007.

Many former regular actors appeared in the show's gala 1000th special episode, which aired on December 15, 2003. A 1978 film distributed by Toei Company shared the cast, production crew, and title.

Since its inception, the program has been a mainstay of the Panasonic Drama Theater (formerly known as the National Theater), sponsored by Panasonic. The TBS network airs the show throughout Japan, and shows reruns on both its analog stations and its CS satellite channel. For nearly three decades, Mito Kōmon shared the time slot with Ōoka Echizen, and various actors and actresses appeared in both series.

An unusual feature of the series is that the credits list the maker of the inrō. The last episode aired on December 19, 2011.

References

This article is based in part on the article 水戸黄門 (テレビドラマ) in the Japanese Wikipedia, retrieved April 12, 2007. That article is now 水戸黄門 (パナソニックドラマシアター).

Notes

Bibliography

Schilling, Mark (1997). "Mito Komon". The Encyclopedia of Japanese Pop Culture. New York: Weatherhill. pp. 135–138. ISBN 0-8348-0380-1.

External links

Mito Kōmon at TBS (in Japanese)
Mito Kōmon at C.A.L (in Japanese)
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt1172114/

TBS (JNN) National Theater→Panasonic Drama Theater→Monday Mystery Theater

National Gekijō
(January 1, 1964 – September 22, 2008)

1960s	Mito Kōmon

1970s	Ōoka Echizen Mito Kōmon 2 Ōoka Echizen 2 Mito Kōmon 3 Ōoka Echizen 3 Mito Kōmon 4 Edo o Kiru Mito Kōmon 5 Ōoka Echizen 4 Mito Kōmon 6 Edo o Kiru II Mito Kōmon 7 Edo o Kiru III Mito Kōmon 8 Ōoka Echizen 5 Mito Kōmon 9 Edo o Kiru IV Mito Kōmon 10

1980s	Edo o Kiru V Mito Kōmon 11 Edo o Kiru VI Mito Kōmon 12 Ōoka Echizen 6 Mito Kōmon 13 Ōoka Echizen 7 Mito Kōmon 14 Ōoka Echizen 8 Mito Kōmon 15 Ōoka Echizen 9 Mito Kōmon 16 Edo o Kiru VII Mito Kōmon 17 Ōoka Echizen 10 Mito Kōmon 18 Ton Deru! Hiraga Gen'nai Mito Kōmon 19

1990s	Ōoka Echizen 11 Mito Kōmon 20 Ōoka Echizen 12 Mito Kōmon 21 Ōoka Echizen 13 Mito Kōmon 22 Edo o Kiru VIII Mito Kōmon 23 Mito Kōmon Gaiden Kagerō Ninpōchō Mito Kōmon 24 Ōoka Echizen 14 Mito Kōmon 25 Minamimachi Bugyō Jikenchō Ikare! Kyūma Mito Kōmon 26 Ōoka Echizen 15 Mito Kōmon 27 Minamimachi Bugyō Jikenchō Ikare! Kyūma 2

2000s	Mito Kōmon 28 Ōedo o Kakeru! Mito Kōmon 29 Kochira Daisan Shakaibu Mito Kōmon 30 Kochira Hon'ikegamisho Mito Kōmon 31 Kochira Hon'ikegamisho 2 Mito Kōmon 32 Mito Kōmon 1000 Memorial 3-hour Special Kochira Hon'ikegamisho 3 Mito Kōmon 33 Kochira Hon'ikegamisho 4 Mito Kōmon 34 Kochira Hon'ikegamisho 5 Mito Kōmon 35 Mito Kōmon 2-hour Special Ōoka Echizen 2-hour Special Tokumei! Keiji Don Kame Mito Kōmon 36 Asakusa Fukumaru Ryokan Mito Kōmon 37 Asakusa Fukumaru Ryokan 2 Mito Kōmon 38 Ando Natsu

Panasonic Drama Theater
(October 13, 2008 – March 18, 2013)

2000s	Mito Kōmon 39 Hanchō Mito Kōmon 40

2010s	Hanchō 2 Mito Kōmon 41 Hanchō 3 Mito Kōmon 42 Hanchō 4 Mito Kōmon 43 Mito Kōmon Final Episode Special Stepfather, Step Hanchō 5 Naniwa Shōnen Tanteidan Perfect Blue Hanchō 6

Monday Mystery Theater
(April 15, 2013 – March 23, 2015)

2010s	Kakushō Namonaki Doku Keiji no Manazashi Inpei Sōsa White Lab Petero no Sōretsu Sakura: Jiken o Kiku On'na Keibuho Sugiyama Shintarō

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