Pyu to Fuku! Jaguar
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese gag manga
written and illustrated by Usuta Kyosuke, about recorders, musicians, and their bizarre daily lives. It has a vague overall plot, but is mainly episodic. Although it is about aspiring musicians, a series of Drama CDs and video games have been released, as well as an OVA made in flash animation. A live-action film, starring Jun Kaname
as Jaguar, was released on January 12, 2008. The DVD was released on June 23, 2008.
. The first game, Pyū to Fuku! Jaguar: Ashita no Jump is an RPG for the PlayStation 2
released 18 March, . Pyū to Fuku! Jaguar: Byō to Daru! Megane-kun, an action game for the Game Boy Advance
, was released on 29 April of the same year.
Characters from Jaguar have also appeared in the Nintendo DS
game Jump Super Stars
and its sequel Jump Ultimate Stars
, with Jaguar featured as a playable character in both games.
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
written and illustrated by Usuta Kyosuke, about recorders, musicians, and their bizarre daily lives. It has a vague overall plot, but is mainly episodic. Although it is about aspiring musicians, a series of Drama CDs and video games have been released, as well as an OVA made in flash animation. A live-action film, starring Jun Kaname
Jun Kaname
is a Japanese actor. He was born in Mitoyo, Kagawa. He made his drama debut as an actor in 2001 in the Tokusatsu Series "Kamen Rider Agito". He appears not only in TV dramas but also in movies, commercial messages, variety TV programs, plays, and music videos.-TV:...
as Jaguar, was released on January 12, 2008. The DVD was released on June 23, 2008.
Story
The story starts out with Piyohiko Saketome trying to take a band audition. In his way he sees a strange man named Jaguar carrying a big case, which turns out to be holding only a small recorder. Kiyohiko tries not to get distracted by him but fails, because when Jaguar plays his recorder, the most beautiful, passionate guitar-like sound comes out of it. He tries more and more record companies, but every time he meets Jaguar and somehow manages to miss his audition. Finally, Piyohiko gets accepted at a record company only to find at his new dorm that he is roommates with Jaguar. Jaguar becomes a teacher and sets up a recorder class at their music school, and Piyohiko ends up in that class instead of the guitar class he wanted...Characters
- Jaguar is a strange man who likes to play the recorder. He and Piyohiko are roommates in Gari Dormitories, where he runs a recorder class. He is a musical genius, able to play any instrument with astounding skill. His performances can conjure up vivid images in people's minds. Jaguar can even make his recorder sound like a guitar if he wants.
- Jaguar appears to have no purpose in life but to teach his recorder class, although his lessons are so lazy that it's the same as doing no work at all. However, he is strangely transcendent and nothing at all seems to truly bother him. He always wins his battles, and can always convince people to see his way. He contrasts Hammer, who has the same lazy lifestyle but is always the loser.
- Later on, it is revealed that Jaguar is one of several children brainwashed in an experiment to create a band so amazing that it could shake the world, and bring world peace using the power of music. The laboratory where this experiment took place was called the Hotel Riverside Laboratory, also known as "Softcream". Jaguar's "father", one of the scientists at the lab, opposed the brainwashing and released all of the children.
- SeiyūSeiyuVoice acting in Japan has far greater prominence than in most other countries. Japan's large animation industry produces 60% of the animated series in the world; as a result, Japanese voice actors, or , are able to achieve fame on a national and international level.Besides acting as narrators and...
: Keiji FujiwaraKeiji Fujiwarais a Japanese voice actor from the Tokyo Metropolitan area who is affiliated with Air Agengy.His best known projects include Crayon Shin-chan as Hiroshi Nohara, Eureka Seven as Holland, Fullmetal Alchemist as Lieutenant-Colonel Hughes, Zoids: Chaotic Century as Irvine, Final Fantasy VII Advent... - Live-Action Film: Jun KanameJun Kanameis a Japanese actor. He was born in Mitoyo, Kagawa. He made his drama debut as an actor in 2001 in the Tokusatsu Series "Kamen Rider Agito". He appears not only in TV dramas but also in movies, commercial messages, variety TV programs, plays, and music videos.-TV:...
- Nickname: Piyohiko (ピヨ彦 Piyohiko)
- Piyohiko is a normal man who dreams of being a great guitarist. Even though he thinks flutes are lame, he's in the Flute Class (mostly because of Jaguar) and, ironically, his family owns a flute shop (and his father is as weird as Jaguar). Piyohiko is the narrator of the story and is very similar, if not identical, to Fu-minSexy Commando Gaiden: Sugoiyo! Masaru-sanis a Japanese manga turned anime that enjoys a large cult following in Japan.It was the first series written by Kyosuke Usuta, and was one of the first "gag/nonsense" manga which have become popular in the recent decade in Japanese publications. The manga appeared in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1995...
from Sexy Commando Gaiden: Sugoiyo! Masaru-sanSexy Commando Gaiden: Sugoiyo! Masaru-sanis a Japanese manga turned anime that enjoys a large cult following in Japan.It was the first series written by Kyosuke Usuta, and was one of the first "gag/nonsense" manga which have become popular in the recent decade in Japanese publications. The manga appeared in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1995...
(both play the role of tsukkomi to Masaru/Jaguar's boke (see ManzaiManzaiis a traditional style of stand-up comedy in Japanese culture, which usually involves two performers —a straight man and a funny man —trading jokes at great speed...
), and are very similar in appearance). - SeiyūSeiyuVoice acting in Japan has far greater prominence than in most other countries. Japan's large animation industry produces 60% of the animated series in the world; as a result, Japanese voice actors, or , are able to achieve fame on a national and international level.Besides acting as narrators and...
: Junichi KanemaruJunichi Kanemaru, also Junichi or Jun-ichi, is a Japanese voice actor from Yamanashi, Japan. He is affiliated with the talent management firm 81 Produce.He is most known for the roles of Hayato Kazami and Sonic the Hedgehog .Kanemaru came in eighth in the Seiyū Grand Prix in 1994, receiving 512 votes.He is also a... - Live-Action Film: Manabu Ōmura
- Real Name:
- A Hip hopHip hopHip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
ninjaNinjaA or was a covert agent or mercenary of feudal Japan specializing in unorthodox arts of war. The functions of the ninja included espionage, sabotage, infiltration, and assassination, as well as open combat in certain situations...
who lives in the attic above Jaguar and Piyohiko's room. He wants more than anything to be cool and popular, but goes about it in a way that always ends in failure and humiliation. He is known for ending his sentences with YO, adding -dono to people's names, and referring to himself in the first personGrammatical personGrammatical person, in linguistics, is deictic reference to a participant in an event; such as the speaker, the addressee, or others. Grammatical person typically defines a language's set of personal pronouns...
as . Despite this he refuses to admit he is a ninja, because it would be bad for his trendy image. - SeiyūSeiyuVoice acting in Japan has far greater prominence than in most other countries. Japan's large animation industry produces 60% of the animated series in the world; as a result, Japanese voice actors, or , are able to achieve fame on a national and international level.Besides acting as narrators and...
: Katsuyuki KonishiKatsuyuki Konishiis a Japanese voice actor from Wakayama, Wakayama Prefecture. He is currently affiliated with Ken Production. His debut role was Volfogg/Big Volfogg in GaoGaiGar.... - Live-Action Film: Hiroaki Ogi
- A female student who once belonged to the IdolJapanese idolIn Japanese culture, are media personalities in their teens and early twenties who are considered particularly attractive or cute and who will, for a period ranging from several months to a few years, regularly appear in the mass media, e.g...
department before joining the flute department. She is also the internet idol Chim Li (チムリー) and is highly self-conscious. When she is talked to by others, she abuses or hits them because she is very shy. Since she is good at her way of abusing, she tends to act as a sadist automatically. As a result, she will please those whom she abused. - SeiyūSeiyuVoice acting in Japan has far greater prominence than in most other countries. Japan's large animation industry produces 60% of the animated series in the world; as a result, Japanese voice actors, or , are able to achieve fame on a national and international level.Besides acting as narrators and...
: Izumi Kasagi - Live-Action Film: Mai TakahashiMai Takahashiis a Japanese actress and model.Takahashi made her acting debut in 2004, playing the role of Amano Sora in TV Asahi's Sky High 2. In 2005 she made her film debut as Fumie Hayashida in . Since her debut Takahashi has worked with many prominent directors; playing Kawahime, the River Princess, in ...
- Real Name:
- Bassist and lyricist in the popular band JULY (ジュライ jurai). Very handsome and pretentious, he likes to show off his poetry skills to his squealing fangirls. After meeting Jaguar, though, he is never the same again. Jaguar destroys Porgy's confidence in his poetry by first beating him in a poetry contest, then telling him that his poems are nothing but pretty lies. Porgy becomes unable to write and is kicked out of JULY, eventually spending his life stalking Jaguar and challenging him to poetry contests as his masked alter-ego Wrestler Mask (レスラー仮面 Resuraa Kamen). He is also trying to get back his position in JULY, but they have already replaced him with a new bassist.
- SeiyūSeiyuVoice acting in Japan has far greater prominence than in most other countries. Japan's large animation industry produces 60% of the animated series in the world; as a result, Japanese voice actors, or , are able to achieve fame on a national and international level.Besides acting as narrators and...
: Mitsuaki MadonoMitsuaki Madonois a voice actor who was born in Osaka, Japan. He has a penchant for voicing characters who are supposedly jokers, but sometimes hide a more insidious nature is a voice actor (seiyū) who was born in Osaka, Japan. He has a penchant for voicing characters who are supposedly jokers, but sometimes...
- A man who looks like a typical delinquent, with a regent hairstyle. He is aggressive toward Jaguar and his friends, but is really a soft-hearted guy who's just lonely and friendless. He is Hamidento's guardian and tries to be a good father, but doesn't notice that Hamii doesn't appreciate it. Like Hammer, he strives to get attention but fails miserably.
- SeiyūSeiyuVoice acting in Japan has far greater prominence than in most other countries. Japan's large animation industry produces 60% of the animated series in the world; as a result, Japanese voice actors, or , are able to achieve fame on a national and international level.Besides acting as narrators and...
: Yūji UedaYuji Uedais a popular Japanese seiyū.He is most known for the roles of Sagara Sanosuke , Akito Tenkawa , Takeshi , Horohoro , Johannes Krauser II and Keitaro Urashima ....
- Nickname: Hamī (ハミー)
- A cute little robot under the care of Billy. He doesn't acknowledge Billy as a parent at all, and while he pretends to be cute and loveable around him, a mean side of him comes out when Billy's not around. He smokes and sometimes acts like a teenage delinquent, and has everyone he knows ranked in order of respect. Jaguar is inexplicably high on the list, Hammer is always on the bottom. He also has amazing fighting power. Hamii is the series' mascot character.
- SeiyūSeiyuVoice acting in Japan has far greater prominence than in most other countries. Japan's large animation industry produces 60% of the animated series in the world; as a result, Japanese voice actors, or , are able to achieve fame on a national and international level.Besides acting as narrators and...
: Yūji UedaYuji Uedais a popular Japanese seiyū.He is most known for the roles of Sagara Sanosuke , Akito Tenkawa , Takeshi , Horohoro , Johannes Krauser II and Keitaro Urashima ....
- Piyohiko's father, a maker of weird and rare flutes. Is close buddies with Jaguar due to their shared interest in flutes and desire to make Piyohiko play them. Piyohiko's dislike of flutes is most likely because of his father, who hopes for him to take over his business. Chichijirou is so laughably uncreative when designing flutes that to him, every one of Piyohiko's average ideas seems like a stroke of genius.
- A mysterious Caucasian man whom Jaguar treats as his father. His name is written Ma-ike-ru, with Japanese characters for "between", "pond" and "stop". He sometimes turns transparent, and there are many not-so-subtle hints that he is a ghost. Jaguar believes his "father" is Japanese, and most certainly not a ghost.
Video games
Two videos games based on Jaguar has been released by KonamiKonami
is a Japanese leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines, arcade cabinets and video games...
. The first game, Pyū to Fuku! Jaguar: Ashita no Jump is an RPG for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
released 18 March, . Pyū to Fuku! Jaguar: Byō to Daru! Megane-kun, an action game for the Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
, was released on 29 April of the same year.
Characters from Jaguar have also appeared in the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
game Jump Super Stars
Jump Super Stars
is a 2D fighting game for the Nintendo DS. It was developed by Ganbarion and published by Nintendo. The game was released on August 8, 2005 in Japan and accompanied the release of a red Nintendo DS...
and its sequel Jump Ultimate Stars
Jump Ultimate Stars
is a fighting video game developed by Ganbarion and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS. It is the sequel to Jump Super Stars, also released for the DS. The game was released in Japan on November 23, 2006...
, with Jaguar featured as a playable character in both games.