No one can compare
To the Prince who wears
A medallion on his chest!
Using all his might,
Changing wrong to right,
Prince Planet, he's the best!
Prince Planet (Japanese: Yūsei Shōnen Papi/Planet Boy Papi) is a black-and-white anime TV series that ran from 1965 to 1966 with 52 episodes. It was created in the success of other anime of the time like Astro Boy, Gigantor, 8 Man (1963), and others, and was among the first to be heavily merchandized. The show told of the many adventures of the titular Prince Planet (who may or may not actually be an actual prince), a resident of the planet Radion, the main base of operations to the Universal Peace Corps, a galactic collection of representatives of many planets joining in a police-like force to fight for peace. They are trying to decide if Earth is worthy of joining their ranks. To decide this, they send Prince Planet to Earth, in disguise as a seemingly normal Earth boy. He quickly finds allies in the farming family of the Worthys (Pops and his daughter Diana), Diana's hydroelectric Uncle Kevin Kirby, wrestler Dan Dynamo, and Arabian magician Ajibaba of Abbadon. Together, Prince Planet and his allies face off against the wicked trickster Warlock and the golem-like Krag, among other enemies.
This anime provides examples of:
- Badass Adorable: No wonder the theme song brags about him so much!
- By the Power of Grayskull!: PPPPIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII PAZOW! (The "Pazow" covering the Japanese "Papi".)
- Emergency Refuelling: As part of his outfit, Prince Planet wears a P-shaped medallion, which drains from black to white. Once per Episode, he's almost out of power and has to be recharged by his home planet. A custodian is in charge of transmitting the power, but he's frequently asleep on the job, resulting in the recharge arriving at the last possible second.
- Evil Sorcerer: Warlock, albeit more akin to that of a Trickster.
- Giggling Villain: Warlock is one of the hammier examples of the trope — and boy, is he a giggler.
- Impossibly Cool Weapon: Krag's pocket-watch, in which it's chains can slice through virtually anything (ala Oddjob and his razor-sharp hat in Goldfinger.)
- Magical Accessory: Prince Planet wears a medallion on his chest that gives him his powers.
- Wizarding School: Warlock the "Master of Martian Magic" hides on Earth from his magic school that was punishing him for getting drunk on prune juice.
