Chameleon
First tankōbon volume cover, featuring Eisaku Yazawa
カメレオン
(Kamereon)
Genre
Manga
Written byAtsushi Kase
Published byKodansha
ImprintShōnen Magazine Comics
MagazineWeekly Shōnen Magazine
DemographicShōnen
Original runApril 11, 1990 – February 2, 2000
Volumes47
Original video animation
Directed byMitsuo Hashimoto
Written byTakao Yotsuji
Music bySaburo Takada
StudioStudio Egg
Licensed by
Released August 16, 1992 – March 22, 1996
Runtime50 min per episode
Episodes6
Manga
Kuro Ageha
Written byAtsushi Kase
Published byKodansha
ImprintMonthly Shōnen Magazine Comics
MagazineMonthly Shōnen Magazine
DemographicShōnen
Original runDecember 6, 2014 – December 6, 2022
Volumes20

Chameleon (Japanese: カメレオン, Hepburn: Kamereon) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Atsushi Kase. It was serialized in Kodansha's shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Magazine from April 1990 to February 2000, with its chapters collected in 47 tankōbon volumes. The series follows the antics of tenth-grade student Eisaku Yazawa who wants to become a bōsōzoku.

A six-episode original video animation produced by Studio Egg was released from August 1992 to March 1996. The first episode was released in North America by ADV Films (in Japanese with English Subtitles), under the title Bite Me! Chameleon, in February 1999.

The manga has had over 30 million copies in circulation. It won the 23rd Kodansha Manga Award in the shōnen category in 1999.

Media

Manga

Written and illustrated by Atsushi Kase [ja], Chameleon was serialized in Kodansha's shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Magazine from April 11, 1990,[2] to February 2, 2000.[3] Kodansha collected its chapters in 47 tankōbon volumes, released from August 17, 1990,[4] to March 16, 2000.[5]

A one-shot chapter, titled Chameleon Seven Years After (カメレオン Seven Years After), was released in Kodansha's Monthly Shōnen Magazine on November 6, 2014; a manga sequel, titled Kuro Ageha (くろアゲハ, lit. "Black Swallowtail"), started in the same magazine on December 6 of the same year.[6] It finished on December 6, 2022.[7] Kodansha collected its chapters in 20 tankōbon volumes, released from May 16, 2014,[8] to February 16, 2023.[9]

Original video animation

A six-episode original video animation (OVA) adaptation, produced by Studio Egg [ja],[10] was released from August 16, 1992,[11] to March 22, 1996.[12]

The first OVA episode was released by ADV Films (in Japanese with English Subtitles), under the title Bite Me! Chameleon, on February 23, 1999.[13][14]

Live-action film

A direct-to-video live action film adaptation, produced by Nihon Eizō, was released on February 23, 1996.[15]

Other media

In 2008, Hiro Mashima illustrated a one-shot remake of Chameleon for the 50th anniversary of Weekly Shōnen Magazine.[16]

A pachinko game, called CR Chameleon, was by Taiyo Elec in 2012.[17]

Reception

The manga has had over 30 million copies in circulation.[18] It won the 23rd Kodansha Manga Award in the shōnen category in 1999.[19]

References

  1. ^ a b c Sevakis, Justin (16 September 2014). "Pile of Shame – Bite Me! Chameleon". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on 26 October 2014. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  2. ^ 週刊少年マガジン 1990年17号. Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Archived from the original on 21 March 2023. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  3. ^ 週刊少年マガジン 2000年10号 (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on 18 June 2000. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  4. ^ カメレオン（１） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  5. ^ カメレオン（４７） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  6. ^ 加瀬あつし「カメレオン」7年後を舞台に続編が月マガ連載. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. 6 November 2013. Archived from the original on 6 December 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  7. ^ 月刊少年マガジン （２０２３年１月号）. Kinokuniya (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 21 March 2023. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  8. ^ 【5月16日付】本日発売の単行本リスト. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. 16 May 2014. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  9. ^ 加瀬あつし「くろアゲハ」最終20巻発売、カメレオンを継ぐ2代目OZの伝説完結. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. 16 February 2023. Archived from the original on 14 March 2023. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  10. ^ "Profile" (in Japanese). Visual House EGG inc. [ja]. Archived from the original on 13 October 2008. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  11. ^ カメレオン(1). CDJournal (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 21 March 2023. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  12. ^ カメレオン(6). CDJournal (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 21 March 2023. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  13. ^ "Press Releases". ADV Films. Archived from the original on 7 December 1998. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  14. ^ "Bite Me! Chameleon". ADV Films. Archived from the original on 8 February 2000. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  15. ^ カメレオン [VIDEO他]. CDJournal (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 21 March 2023. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  16. ^ Loo, Egan (12 March 2008). "Shōnen Magazine Marks 50th with New, Returning Manga". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on 19 March 2008. Retrieved 18 March 2008.
  17. ^ CRカメレオン LRT パチンコ 新台 機種情報. 777 Pachigabu (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  18. ^ 『ケセランパサラン』＆『カメレオン』2月1日より配信 (in Japanese). Animate. 26 January 2011. Archived from the original on 1 January 2013. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
  19. ^ Joel Hahn. "Kodansha Manga Awards". Comic Book Awards Almanac. Archived from the original on 16 August 2007. Retrieved 28 January 2018.

External links

Weekly Shōnen Magazine: 1990–1999
Kodansha Manga Award – Shōnen
Monthly Shōnen Magazine series
Categories