Superbook
Cover of the first DVD volume
アニメ 親子劇場 (Anime Oyako Gekijō)
Genre	Christian Isekai[1]
Anime television series
Directed by	Masakazu Higuchi
Produced by	Kenji Yoshida, Akira Inoue, Hyota Ezu
Written by	Akiyoshi Sakai
Music by	Masahito Maruyama
Studio	Tatsunoko Productions
Licensed by	NA: Christian Broadcasting Network
Original network	TV Tokyo (Japan) CBN (United States) Australian Christian Channel(Australia)
Original run	October 1, 1981 (1981-10-01) – March 25, 1982 (1982-03-25)
Episodes	26
Anime television series
Superbook II: In Search for Ruffles and Return to the 20th Century パソコントラベル探偵団 (Pasokon toraberu tantei-dan)
Directed by	Masakazu Higuchi
Produced by	Kenji Yoshida
Written by	Masakazu Higuchi, Keiji Kubota, Haruya Yamazaki, Takao Koyama, Ryoko Takagi, other
Music by	Masayuki Chiyo
Studio	Tatsunoko Productions
Licensed by	NA: Christian Broadcasting Network
Original network	TV Tokyo (Japan) CBN (United States)
Original run	April 4, 1983 (1983-04-04) – September 26, 1983 (1983-09-26)
Episodes	26

Superbook (スーパーブック, Sūpābukku), also known as Animated Parent and Child Theatre (アニメ 親子劇場, Anime Oyako Gekijō),^[2] is a Christian anime television series from the early 1980s, initially produced at Tatsunoko Productions and TV Tokyo in Japan in conjunction with the Christian Broadcasting Network in the United States.

The series chronicled the events of the Bible's Old and New Testaments in its 52-episode run. The first 26 episodes aired from October 1, 1981, to March 25, 1982, followed by a second season called Superbook II: In Search for Ruffles and Return to the 20th Century (パソコントラベル探偵団, Pasokon Toraberu Tanteidan, lit. Personal Computer Travel Detective Team) with 26 episodes from April 4, 1983, to September 26, 1983. Between both series in the first run was the companion series The Flying House.

Overview

Superbook (Anime Oyako Gekijo), begins at the home of a young boy named Christopher "Chris" Peeper, who discovers the ancient Bible named Superbook that can speak and send him, his friend Joy and his clockwork toy figure named Gizmo the Crusader Robot back in time during the events of the Old and New Testaments. The second series, Superbook II: In Search for Ruffles and Return to the 20th Century (Pasokon Travel Tanteidan), takes place two years after the first series, where Superbook falls onto a computer, giving anybody the ability to see into the past from Christopher's home via the monitor. Ruffles, his poodle, has managed to get lost in time, prompting Gizmo and Christopher's little brother (re-written as his cousin in the English dub), Uriah "Uri" Peeper, to search for Ruffles. While Chris and Joy keep watch and control of the computer from the present, Gizmo and Uri experience the stories from the Old Testament solely.

Cast and characters

• Christopher "Chris" Peeper (飛鳥翔, Asuka Shō) (voiced by Masako Sugaya in Japanese, Billie Lou Watt in English): The main hero of the series, who is Professor Peeper's son and Gizmo's former owner.
• Joy (大和あずさ, Yamato Azusa) (voiced by Katsue Miwa in Japanese, Sonia Owens in English): Chris's next-door neighbor and best friend.
• Gizmo the Crusading Robot (ぜんまい仕掛け, Zenmaijikake) (voiced by Hiroshi Masuoka in Japanese, Helena van Koert and Billie Lou Watt in English): The name of 2 characters, depending on the season. In the 1st season, he is Chris's advanced toy figure who can become a real-life robot. In the second season, Gizmo became a real-life sized robot built by Uri's father.
• Uriah "Uri" Peeper (飛鳥悠, Asuka Yū) (voiced by Runa Akiyama in Japanese, Helena van Koert in English): Chris's little brother (cousin in the English dub) and Gizmo's current owner.
• Professor Frederick "Fred" Peeper (あすかはかせ, Asuka hakase) (voiced by Fumio Matsuoka in Japanese, Ray Owens in English): An archaeologist and Chris's father.
• Phoebe Peeper (飛鳥さつき, Asuka Satsuki) (voiced by Kumiko Takizawa in Japanese, Sonia Owens in English): Chris's mother.
• Ruffles ( Kikyomu in Japanese): Chris and Uri's pet Yorkshire Terrier.
• Superbook (タイムブック, Taimu bukku) (voiced by Koji Totani in Japanese, Ray Owens in English): An ancient Bible that takes Chris, Joy, Gizmo and Uri back to the Old and New Testament eras.

Episodes

VHS/DVD releases

Superbook Series I and Series II were released on various VHS volumes by Tyndale Entertainment. The entire series was available over 26 VHS Volumes. Superbook was released for the first time on DVD late 2005 to early 2006. The three DVD volumes features 4 episodes each from Series I.

See also

• The Flying House
• In the Beginning: The Bible Stories

References

External links

• Official Website
• Official Website (in Japanese)
• Superbook at IMDb
• Superbook at IMDb (reboot series)