Civic Center
Hayami Residence
Police Headquarters
Public Library
City Hall
Go Nagai Shrine
Subway Station
The Observation Deck
From here, I have a splendid view of the city. Sometimes I notice something out of the ordinary or obscure to most viewers of the New Cutey Honey series. If you so wish, I shall share with you what I have discovered... BloopersThe LaughThis is one instance where ADV actually placed a blooper in the finished dub. In episode 2, Chokkei wakes up from a dream to the sound of Honey's laughter. That is Jessica Calvello cracking up because she thought she had messed up her lines. According to Jessica's written ADV interview, director Matt Greenfield liked the laugh so much he kept it on the reel. I'd have to agree that it works pretty well.The Ol' SwitcherooIn the end credits of episode 4, voice actors Tiffany Grant and Greg Stanley are credited with voicing each other's characters. This occurred in the first run of the videos. I'm certain A.D.V. has already fixed this little snafu.Back to the topCoincidences1973What is so significant about this year? Well, for starters, it was the year Go Nagai created Cutey Honey.But did you know...it was ALSO the year Jessica Calvello was born! Jessica came into this world on August 8, 1973. The original Cutey Honey TV series debuted on Japanese television 54 days later on October 1. Was Jessica destined to voice Cutey Honey? Or is this just a mere coincidence? You decide... Sukeban Honey?
In episode 7, Honey assumes the guise of a "bad girl from the
'hood" in one scene. If you've seen the anime Sukeban
Deka,
you'll notice that she looks exactly like Saki Asamiya -
right down to that yoyo!And on top of that, Sukeban Deka is ALSO distributed in North America and the UK by ADV Films! Hayami & SukeIf you've watched Delinquent in Drag, you'll notice that Bankaku and Banchiyo Suke bear an uncanny resemblance to Akakabu and Daiko Hayami respectively.Back to the topCrossoversChokkei's Classmates
Take a look at this photo - if you're familiar with Go Nagai's other
works, you'll notice that some students from his other series seem
to have transferred to Chokkei's class.Far left: These two are joke characters Nagai inserts in most of his works. Upper left: I'm not sure who these two girls are or which series they are from. If you know, please don't hesitate to e-mail me their names and the title of the series. Lower left: These two girls are from Irayara Kun. The girl wearing the cap is the title character of that series. Upper right hand: These two boys are from Nagai's first work Harenchi Gakuen (often translated as Infamy Campus). Lower right hand: Otoko Dan (left) and Banji Suke (right) from Delinquent in Drag (which just happens to be distributed in North American and the UK by ADV Films!) The Marketplace
You never know who you'll run into at the marketplace. This
character from The Abarishi Family (which is also
distributed by A.D.V. Films) walks past Honey as she
comments about the prices being "more reasonable here".
Also spotted at a vendor's stall is the "wild man" character from
Infamy Campus.
Mazinger Danbei?
Mazinger Z was one of Go Nagai's most popular series ever, and in
New Cutey Honey, we can see abundant references to it.
In the original Cutey Honey TV and manga series, Grandpa Danbei was a flesh and blood human. In New Cutey Honey, he returns as a powerful combat cyborg. Danbei's cyborg body, along with much of his arsenal, are, without a doubt, patterned after Mazinger Z - from that signature rocket punch to the breast of fire.
The Bully Alumni Alliance
In episode 7, we are introduced to the Bully Alumni Alliance - an organization of former high school thugs. Alongside Daiko as the Secretary General, the group's officers include three characters from some of Go Nagai's other series: Chuji Ban (top), Kanko Reinau (middle) and Suzie Z (bottom).
I've confirmed that Kanko is from Delinquent in Drag, but I have yet to confirm what the stories Chuji and Suzie are from. If anybody knows, please feel free to email me. Thanks.
Ms. Arbone Returns
Those who've seen the original Cutey Honey series will undoubtedly remember Ms. Arbone - the eeriely masculine lesbian teacher at St. Chapel Academy who was always trying to win Honey's affection.
Apparently, she's been reincarnated as a local news reporter, as seen in episode 8, when she covers the story of Gold Digger's robberies. Lovely Warrior Fuu?
In episode 8, Honey attempts to lure Peeping Spider out of hiding by performing at a local strip club. During the performance, she assumes a number of forms, and the form that finally gets Spider's attention bears an uncanny resemblance to Fuu from Magic Knight Rayearth.
Back to the topInconsistenciesBlurting It Out Loud
In New Cutey Honey, Chokkei doesn't learn
that Honey is an android until the end of episode 3.However, in the subtitled version of episode 1, when Danbei was trapped under Deathstar's heel, he cries this line out to Honey:
Could Chokkei have thought Danbei was just rambling under stress? Could he have been too nervous to understand Danbei's words? That's anybody's guess... A.D. Vision caught this and changed Danbei's dialogue in the dubbed version:
Hayami GeneticsHere's something to think about:In episode 4, Daiko is revealed to have superhuman strength which manifests when she is angered. Later in episode 7, Akakabu is revealed to have superhuman endurance to bludgeoning attacks. Wouldn't Chokkei, through the genepool, have inherited both of his parents' abilities? Could he have received the dominant and/or recessive genes that exclude such traits? Or perhaps he possesses some other unique, special ability of his own (fool's luck maybe?). Huh? Where'd it go? Regardless of the form she takes, Honey always seems to wear a choker adorned with a valentine heart. In episode 7, Honey confronts the Thug Hunters on the street disguised as Saki Asamiya. Sure enough, she's wearing the choker, but in the one scene where she brandishes her yo-yo, it's gone!
This was most likely an animator snafu. 
Back to the topLoose EndsWhere were they?According to my research, New Cutey Honey takes place over 50 years after the conclusion of the original TV series.Of course, this raises the question: "Where were Honey and Danbei all this time?" I learned that in the final episode of the original TV series, a special seal in Honey's programming was executed so that she could live a normal life. All memories of her battles against Panther Zora, the traumatic memory of her father's death, and possibly the very fact that she was an android, were blocked by this seal. You might be wondering, "Wouldn't she notice that she never aged in all those years?" I can only guess her father/creator Dr. Kisaragi included a "clean slate" subprogram that reset her memory at given intervals (10 years for example). But that's only my guess - the possibilities are endless... In the original series, Danbei was a normal human. A few years after Honey's memories were sealed, he would've underwent his cyborg surgery by Professor Kabuto (mentioned in episode 8). Upon becoming a cyborg, he would have then embarked on his quest - whatever it was. Generation GapMost American viewers, unfamiliar with the original Cutey Honey TV series, assume off the bat that Akakabu is the son of Danbei. However, in the second episode, Danbei reveals that he has lived for over 150 years, thanks to his cybernetic enhancements.Most viewers would estimate Chokkei's age to be 11 or 12 (in the first half of the series). That would most likely place both Akakabu and Daiko in their late 30's or early 40's. Therefore, it is highly unlikely that Akakabu is the son of Danbei since the latter would have sired the former at an age exceeding 100 years. I doubt Danbei would be able to find a woman of childbearing age to marry him and bear his offspring at such an age. Furthermore, his quest, mentioned by Chokkei in episode 2, would have left no time for any family life. Of course, if Danbei did raise Akakabu, the latter wouldn't have become a petty criminal. 
I learned from the Cutie Honey '90 manga (available from Studio
Ironcat) that Danbei had two sons - Seiji and Junpei. I have a hunch
that Akakabu is the descendant of Junpei. There is a notable
resemblance judging from this picture of Junpei at age 43 scanned
from part 2 of volume 1 of Cutie Honey '90.
The Mystery Girl
Near the beginning of episode 6, as Honey promises Natsuko she would
protect her, we catch a very brief glimpse of a girl wearing
pigtails. Viewers unfamiliar with the original TV series are often left
wondering about her identity.
That girl is
Honey's best friend from the original TV series, who was also named
Natsuko. She was killed by the Panther Claw - a casualty for which
Honey never forgave herself. Back to the top |
In episode 8, we learn that Professor Kabuto performed Danbei's
cyborg surgery. This character is the same Professor Kabuto from Mazinger
Z - he is the one who created the Mazinger robot.