And yes, Chop Chop Master Onion will be joining the PlayStation icon.
PaRappa the Rapper’s legacy goes far beyond the mere two video games he’s starred in Making his debut in 1996, when Sony’s original PlayStation was handily dominating the market, the beanie-sporting, mic-rocking, always-believing pooch remains a symbol of an extremely creative and experimental time in the industry’s history.
So while neither of the PaRappa the Rapper games was a massive sales success, the character is fondly remembered by many. Of course, the fact that he’s “remembered” speaks to the bittersweet fact that there hasn’t been any new PaRappa content since 15 years ago, but that’s all about to change, with the sudden announcement of a new anime TV series set to air its first episode this month!
Japanese broadcaster Fuji TV has nonchalantly let it be known that on August 19 it will be showing the pilot episode of PJ Berri’s Mogu Mogu Munya Munya (”PJ Berri’s Munch Munch Nap Nap”).
But while PaRappa’s ursine pal is getting top billing, the rapping dog himself is also set to appear, along with self-defense instructor/sentient vegetable Chop Chop Master Onion. While the PaRappa the Rapper PlayStation game featured English voices for both its Japanese and international releases, for the upcoming anime the trio will all be voiced by Japanese voice actors, with Yuto Suzuki as PaRappa, Jun Osuka as PJ, and Yoji Ueda as Master Onion (so we expect Ueda to be spending plenty of time in a recording booth shouting “Kick! Punch!” into the microphone).
▼ PaRappa is sporting some new threads, but American artist Rodney Alan Greenblat is still credited for original character designs.
The new anime will be part of Fuji TV’s late-night Hi Poul programming block, with each episode clocking in at a concise 96 seconds, which seems like a good length for PaRappa’s often abstract, fever-dream-like escapades. After its pilot episode next week, PJ Berri’s Mogu Mogu Munya Munya will become a regular part of the weekly Hi Poul starting in October.
Source: Dengeki Online via Jin
Top image: Wikipedia/Louissa Ferre (edited by RocketNews24)
Insert images: Fuji TV
Follow Casey on Twitter, where he’s hoping Jumping Flash is next on the PS1 revival schedule.
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