Who needs Aquaman when you’ve got Marine Boy? Such a declaration might be considered a bold statement, but the harsh truth is that Aquaman was barely a step up from Wendy and Marvin on The Super Friends. Marine Boy might have been a mere mortal deep under the sea, but he had amazing technology and a boldness that made him a man among fish. He let the world know that the Ocean Patrol wasn’t a weak organization. He breathed underwater thanks to oxy-gum. He was friends with a dolphin and a mermaid. What more can you want from your aquatic superhero that doesn’t have to rely on Superman waiting on him? Marine Boy: The Complete First Season has the first 26 episodes of the 78 that were made in the ’60s.
“The Green Monster” does not take the kid to Fenway Park. Instead Marine Boy must figure out what sunk an unsinkable ship during a storm. “Danger At 300 Fathoms” portrays the risks of oil drilling deep under the sea. “Monsters Of The Deep” has Marine Boy encountering a major underwater critter. “Dangerous Starfish” is extra dangerous since the critter’s being controlled from a remote location. Marine Boy must locate the crew of an abandoned ship during “Dangerous Starfish.” “The Mysterious Paradise” takes the Ocean Patrol into a land that time forgot. “Deepest Of The Deep” deals with what it takes to grow larger fish to combat wold hunger. “The Ghost Ship” is another abandoned ship mystery. The difference being this time Marine Boy is chilling in the Arctic Ocean. “The Monstrous Seaweed” is another creature being controlled by an outside force. “The Super Mystery Boat” features real submarine races. Although this one turns tragic unlike the ones featured on Happy Days. “The Greatest Power On Earth” is a mysterious statue discovered in a remote part of the world. “Disaster On The High Sea” features a uranium heist by the diabolical Mr. Smirch. “Secret Of The Time Capsule” might contain a major secret.
“Mystery Of The Missing Vessels” depicts major highjacking when ships are diverted off course. The world is threatened when a proton bomb gets hijacked in “Menace Of The Missing Bomb.” Marine Boy’s dolphin buddy is in trouble during “Danger In The Depths.” “The Gigantic Sea Farm” makes underwater plants grow huge. Shame this guy didn’t team up with the huge fish farmer. “Terror Of The Fire Ball” places the destruction of a laser in a mad scientist’s hands. “Empire Of The Sea” focuses on a power grab by the guy who claims to control the Pacific Ocean. “Battle To Save The World” sends Marine Boy off to uncover a sunk ship.
Marine Boy certainly has more action that your average Aquaman cartoon from this era. Marine Boy is the first color anime series imported from Japan in the mid-1960s. The kiddies were already enjoying Astro-Boy and Gigantor after school so they were ready for hues from abroad. The fun part of the series is that it looks and sounds like a spin-off of Speed Racer. Turns out that the show was being adapted for America with the same crew led by Peter Fernandez (the voice of Speed Racer). You will hear the same voices coming from the bottom of the ocean that once lurked around the race tracks. If you’re a fan of Speed Racer, you should enjoy Marine Boy: The Complete First Series.
The video is 1.33:1 full frame. The transfers look good. Things look relatively clear deep under the ocean. The audio is Dolby Digital Mono. The voices are clear enough that you can link them to the voices used on Speed Racer.
No bonus features.
Marine Boy: The Complete First Series is a fun anime series about a young kid who can live underwater thanks to chewing gun. The series has him in bigger adventures than the Aquaman cartoons. The show is fun to hear since it features all the voices from Speed Racer. Marine Boy deserves to be brought up from it’s watery home for a viewing.
Warner Archive presents Marine Boy: The Complete First Series. Starring: Corinne Orr, Peter Fernandez, Jack Curtis and Jack Grimes. Boxset Contents: 26 episodes on 3 DVD-Rs. Released: July 16, 2013.
