Kimagure Orange Road

HISTORY

Produced by Toho and Studio Pierrot, Kimagure Orange Road first aired in 1987, adapted from Izumi Matsumoto's manga of the same name. The story centers around Kyosuke Kasuga, a high school student with psychic powers, and a romantic triangle with fellow students Madoka Ayukawa and Hikaru Hiyama.

The TV series aired for a total of 48 episodes between 1987 and 1988, running on the NNS network. It was predoimentaly directed by Osamu Kobayashi and written by Kenji Terada. The music was by Shiro Sagisu while the show was produced by Hideo Kawano, Reiko Fukakusa and Toru Horikoshi.

EPISODE GUIDE

DVDs and Blu-rays

Pictures

Background and Trivia

• Toho and Studio Pierrot registered eight OVAs with the US copyright office. Done on June 6th, 1992, each OVA has its own listing, starting with PA0000587246. The registration, though, includes the name Kimagure Orange Road along with an alternate name of "Carefree Days of Orange".
• Based on the Japanese manga series of the same name written and illustrated by Izumi Matsumoto. The series was serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump magazine and appeared from 1984 to 1987.
• Episode 40 is a spoof of Toho kaiju films. As a result, it features stock music by composer Akira Ifukube from four past movies. In terms of the exact themes and order of appearance, the episodes starts off with a mock trailer using Ifukube's music from Rodan (1956), specifically the "Tracking Supersonic Speed" theme although sped up. The actual opening of the episode features the "Main Title" from Godzilla (1954). Later the "Air Corps Launches an Offensive" and "Headline News" themes from Dogora (1964) play. "Godzilla and Nagoya" from Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964) is heard a bit later before this transitions into a repeat of the "Tracking Supersonic Speed" theme from Rodan (1956). The "Ending" from Godzilla (1954) is also heard during the climax. Although not stock from a film, the episode features a version of the Mothra song. Finally "Ending" from Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964) closes out the episode.
• In addition to the TV series, Kimagure Orange Road includes eight OVAs and two theatrical films. While the two theatrical movies are set after the events of the TV series, the OVAs often fit in between the episodes from a narrative standpoint. To complicate matters further, the OVAs themselves were released out of chronological order in relation to the events of the show, making the timeline a bit more difficult to follow. Below is the basic order, although as episode events don't dramtically change the story their is a range for each where they might take place:
  - Between episodes 15-25 ~ Kimagure Orange Road: Hawaiian Suspense (1989)
  - Between episodes 15-30 ~ Kimagure Orange Road: I am a Cat and Sometimes a Fish (1989)
  - Between episodes 20-25 ~ Kimagure Orange Road: Hurricane! Akane, the Bewitching Sorceress (1990)
  - Between episodes 20-25 ~ Kimagure Orange Road: Unexpected Situation (1991)
  - Between episodes 23-30 ~ Kimagure Orange Road: Hearts on Fire, Love on the Stage! Springtime Idol (1990)
  - Between episodes 23-30 ~ Kimagure Orange Road: Hearts on Fire, Love on the Stage! Birth of a Star (1990)
  - Between episodes 35-45 ~ Kimagure Orange Road: Lovebirds in the Snow (1989)
  - Between episodes 46-47 ~ Kimagure Orange Road: Message in Lipstick (1991)
  - After episode 48 ~ Kimagure Orange Road: Take Me Back to Yesterday (1988)
  - After episode 48 ~ New Kimagure Orange Road: Summer's Beginning (1996)