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Orange Alien Character Mikan Seijin Gets New TV Anime Shorts
posted on by Rafael Antonio Pineda
Fuji TV announced on Wednesday that it will air a new series of anime shorts based on Kazuma Shirasaki's "Mikan Seijin" character. The anime is titled Mikan Seijin Arawaru (The Orange Alien Appears), and will center on the surreal life of the titular character. The anime will premiere on the late-night variety program #Hi_Poul on Thursday, August 25 as a regular segment of the program. Each "super short" episode will be about 20 seconds long.
The story centers on the titular "Mikan Seijin" (Orange Alien), who appears from Local 3 (an orange planet in a higher dimension) with plans of invading the Earth. Seikaikan Ozaki from the CreepHyp band will voice the titular character. Kazuma himself is animating the series.
The character originated as a character Shirasaki made while watching tokusatsu (live-action special effects) shows as a student. The character gained popularity when it appeared as a regular part of the CG anime segment of the Fuji TV children's variety program Ugo Ugo Rūga from 1992 to 1994, and as Japan's first Windows 3.1 screensaver in 1993. The character appeared again in the 2005 children's variety program Gacha Gachapon as part of a segment titled "Mikan Seijin no 30-Byō Gakushū" (Mikan Seijin's 30-Second Study Course). From 2005 to 2012, Fuji TV's Gekkan Shōnen Takeshi (Monthly Shōnen Takeshi) site ran two web anime based on the character titled Mikan Seijin Drill and Mikan Seijin Grill.
The #Hi_Poul variety program recently ran a pilot episode for a new anime based on Parappa the Rapper's PJ Berri character on August 18. The PJ Berri no Mogu Mogu Munya Munya anime will also become a regular segment of the program in October.
Source: Animate Times
