Animation Kikou: Marco Polo no Bouken

This was an animated documentary on Marco Polo, mixed in with live-action footage. 43 episodes were broadcast on NHK from 1979 to 1980, but only the first and last episodes survive. While the cel animation was shot on film, post-production and editing were done on videotapes (normal for NHK programs), which have since been wiped. (Source: Cartoon Research) In 2021, NHK announced that they had successfully collected recordings of all 43 episodes from viewers and individuals involved with the show. NHK began a complete re-broadcast of the show on April 5, 2025. (Source: NHK) REVIEW: This evoked nostalgia while I watched it. The animation is all hand drawn and limited in color palette. Yet I liked how the show looked. I rally appreciate all the live action footages added in the anime giving it a feel like its a documentary. It really helped giving us a better understanding of the cultures and places Marco polo travelled to. My favorite episode is episode eight which was a ghost story. I also loved the songs which were sag by a male singer with a deep voice. Muslims will take particular interest in the parts where go through Muslim populated regions. I will recommend it to those who like historical shows. I do think this is both fascinating and educational. In particular I think you will get a dose of many cultures, customs. The show is not polished. Its obvious it didn't have very high budget. And sometimes its cheesy. But I found the show charming. And I did like the cheese.