Crystal Jewels: Adventures of the Crystal Monsters! (partially found first Crystal Jewels anime series; 1991–1992)

Crystal Jewels: Adventures of the Crystal Monsters! (Japanese:クリスタルジュエル！クリスタルモンスターの冒険！Kurisutarujueruzu! Kurisutaru Monsutā no Bōken!) is the 1991 anime series created by Maruko Jinko. It aired on TyataTV from November 1, 1991 to May 1, 1992 in Japan, with 52 of the 12-15 minute episodes broadcasted. It was succeeded by the 1992 long running anime series (which also aired six months and 12 days after the ending of the 1991 series), and simply titled, Crystal Jewels, and is currently running over 1,900 episodes to this day. The series have featured Crystal Monsters, Roaracryst, Ninecoat, Plantmore, Mouselette, and many of the other characters who also later appeared in the 1992 series. However, the character designs, the animation style, and the themes are different than the 1992 anime, also this anime is aimed at the younger audience (PG), while Crystal Jewels are aimed at teenage/young adult audiences in it's original format. The series is also produced in NTM (Nippon Titan Movie)

Summary[]

Roaracryst leaves his family in care to search for the Crystal Balls. Unfortunately, the disasterous web accident have landed him to Kouchu’s house, and insisted him to help Roaracryst find the Crystal Balls. Kouchu, agreeing to help Roaracryst find the Crystal Balls to wish for the safer environment, joins with Plantmore, Mouselette, and Ninecoat, and other friends while they are in wacky and crazy adventures that gets them into the worst of situations...

Availability and Surviving Materials[]

The first series of the Crystal Jewels franchise have aired from November 1, 1991 to May 1, 1992 on TyataTV in Japan, with 52 episodes running 12 minutes each. However, after the last episode have aired, it was planned for home releases because it got good ratings from the first episode. However, the NVM (Nippon Video Media), have rejected the home releases likely because of copyright problems and the Nippon Video Media have low budgets for that series at that time. It was difficult to put all 52 episodes on home release, so the series begin reruns from 1992 to 1994. Also, the series have three reruns: the first rerun from May 8, 1992 to October 30, 1992 (TV Tokyo), the second rerun is from April 30, 1993 to October 29, 1993 (TV Asashi), and the third rerun is from April 1, 1994 to October 1, 1994 (Fuji TV), and since 1995, it haven't reran ever since, and the series haven't even released on home video.

The reason why the series wasn't released in home video and reran was because the director, Sano Ukuto, complains that the 1991 anime's humor and plot are senseless, and he doesn't like how the 1991 anime have the way the characters are. For an example, in the 1991 anime, Roaracryst (Roakijushiku), has a big crush on Plantmore (Puranmora), while in the 1992 anime he and she are friends. Another reason is that the series couldn't make more sense because he claimed that Roaracryst is unsuitable to fall in love with a "flower". It is also Maruko Jinko's least favorite Crystal Jewels anime series because of some of the off-model animation can be easily seen in most episodes. Since then, the episodes can be seen nowhere around the internet nor websites, with the fate of the episode animation videos unknown, and the only surviving materials we have left is the poster, the title cards from every episode (not the animation), few of screenshots, eyecatches (screenshots only), part of the audio from some episodes, and the animation cels. These existing material was shown and uploaded on the Crystal Jewels Backpack Website (est. 1999) by someone under the name of PenWest, and all of the footages belonged to Oshiro Yoichi, who didn't upload them because of copyright law.

Differences between the anime and the 1992 series[]

The anime has 12-minute long episodes, while the 1992 series have 24-minute long episodes.
The anime only runs 52 episodes, while the 1992 series ran over 1,900+.
The anime ran from November 1991 to May 1992, while the main 1992 series ran from November 13, 1992 all the way to 2021.
Some of the characters that didn’t appear in this anime have appeared in the 1991 video game Crystal Jewels. They didn’t appear in this anime but they debuted in 1992. These characters are:
- Dustin Withness
- Elliott Mitoa
- Samantha Shari
- Shurika
- Danielle Yukona
These anime debut dates are apart by almost a year.
The character designs. Notice the eyes from both series, and unlike this anime, the 1992 successors uses noses.
Roaracryst has a unrequited crush on Plantmore, while in 1992 he has no feelings for her.
Kouchu and Kouchu from 1992 are completely different characters. The 1991 Kouchu is good in grades, and is successful most of the time, and Kouchu seems to fail most of the time in the 1992 anime.
The opening and ending is short while there are longer songs in 1992.
Unlike the 1992 anime series, this anime series wasn’t even dubbed in any languages, even English because it was only in Japanese.
There was no home release for this series unlike the 1992 series have.
Ninecoat and Roaracryst have their mouths in a "normal" way, while in the 1992 series, they seem to have their mouths over their jaws.
This series have a more comical, goofy, and cartoonish nature aimed towards kids, while the 1992 anime have a more mature, darker, and serious nature, but the 1992 have adult humor.
Hunter Grai in this series have green hair and greenish palette outfit, while his 1992 counterpart uses the same color from the games.
Some characters uses different color schemes from the 1992 series and the original video games.
Batcho is the character who only appears in this anime unlike it’s successors.
Professor Shari’s laboratory was huge, even with a lot of gadgets and inventories around, while in the later successors she doesn’t have a laboratory that big.
Many of the Crystal Monsters are guest characters that don’t originate in the video games, unlike the 1992 anime series where every character from the video games are used in the anime adaptation.
Kouchu’s mother and her counterpart from 1992 are different. In the 1991 anime, she has a brown hair while in 1992 she has blue hair.
This series have been produced by a studio NTM while the 1992 successor have been produced by a studio LDC (Lighty Dream Castles).
The series slightly have different color palette than the 1992 anime while using traditional animation cels.
Buildings, rocks, mountains, and trees are outlined in this series unlike the successors.
The music from both series are completely different.
It is also known that the series uses a scene change transitions unlike the 1992 series.

Episodes[]

These episodes don’t have particular story summaries because they cannot be remembered.

Status[]

No.	English title	Japanese title	Air date	Status
1	Roakijushiku's Adventure (Partially Found)	ロアキジュシクの冒険部部	November 1, 1991	Only images exist
2	Spiders Can't Win (Partially Found)	蜘蛛は勝てない部部	November 1, 1991	Only audio exists
3	Ninecoat's Temper Problem (Partially Found)	ナインコートの気性問題部部	November 8, 1991	Images and audio exists
4	Plants Are Strong as Plantmore (Partially Found)	植物はプランモルのように強い部部	November 8, 1991	Only images exist
5	Mouselette's Rainbow Home (Partially Found)	マウスレットのレインボーホーム部部	November 15, 1991	Only audio exists
6	Professor Shari's Invention (Partially Found)	シャリ教授の発明部部	November 15, 1991	Only audio exists
7	To Form A Rescue Team (Lost)	救助隊を結成するには部部	November 22, 1991	Lost
8	Facing Hidoseki! (Partially Found)	飛騨に直面！部部	November 22, 1991	Only audio exists
9	The Arrival of Furious Five (Lost)	猛烈なファイブの到着部部	November 29, 1991	Lost
10	The Spider Can't Get Enough (Partially Found)	蜘蛛が足りない部部	November 29, 1991	Animation cels and audio exists
11	Make Way For the Marukas (Lost)	マルカに道を譲る部部	December 6, 1991	Lost
12	You Little Mushroom (Lost)	あなたは小さなキノコ部部	December 6, 1991	Lost
13	Beware, Hunter Grai! (Partially Found)	注意してください、ハンターグレイ！部部	December 13, 1991	Animation cels exists
14	Can The Brawlers Do Karate (Partially Found)	喧嘩屋は空手をすることができますか部部	December 13, 1991	Only images exist
15	Wrestling Duos Unite (Partially Found)	レスリングデュオ団結部部	December 20, 1991	Only images exist
16	Bring It On, Maruka! (Lost)	持ってきて、まるか！部部	December 20, 1991	Lost
17	Goodbye For 1991! New Year Stories (Partially Found)	1991年にさようなら！新年の物語部部	December 31, 1991	Only audio exists
18	Hello For 1992! New Year Stories (Partially Found)	1992年のこんにちは！新年の物語部部	December 31, 1991	Only images exist
19	Marukas Ran Away (Partially Found)	マルカスは逃げた部部	January 3, 1992	Only images exist
20	Scary Hunter Grai (Partially Found)	怖いハンターグレイ部部	January 3, 1992	Animation cels and audio exists
21	Face Along the Many Men! (Lost)	多くの男性に沿って顔を！部部	January 10, 1992	Lost
22	The Heat of the Fight (Lost)	戦いの熱部部	January 10, 1992	Lost
23	The Crystal Monsters and the Musix (Partially Found)	クリスタルモンスターとミュージックス部部	January 17, 1992	Images and audio exists
24	The Horrors of the Jigsaw Puzzle (Partially Found)	ジグソーパズルの恐怖部部	January 17, 1992	Only audio exists
25	The Hidden Crystal Ball Collection (Partially Found)	隠された水晶玉コレクション部部	January 24, 1992	Only audio exists
26	Hundreds of Professor Shari (Partially Found)	何百人ものシャリ教授部部	January 24, 1992	Only audio exists
27	Roakijushiku and the Bully (Lost)	ロアキジュシクといじめっ子部部	January 31, 1992	Lost
28	The Snow Storm of Horror (Lost)	ホラーの吹雪部部	January 31, 1992	Lost
29	Beware the Scary House (Lost)	怖い家に注意してください部部	February 7, 1992	Lost
30	Delicious Desert Competition (Partially Found)	おいしいデザートコンペティション部部	February 7, 1992	Only images exist
31	Ah, Lovely Love in the Air (Partially Found)	ああ、空中の素敵な愛部部	February 14, 1992	Only images exist
32	Smile for the Camera (Lost)	カメラに微笑む部部	February 14, 1992	Lost
33	Time Machine Travelers (Lost)	タイムマシントラベラーズ部部	February 21, 1992	Lost
34	Heart Festival Dance (Lost)	ハートフェスティバルダンス部部	February 21, 1992	Lost
35	Roakijushiku's Family Tree (Lost)	ロアキジュシクの家系図部部	February 28, 1992	Lost
36	Mouselette's Not Scared of Cats (Lost)	マウスレットは猫を怖がらない部部	February 28, 1992	Lost
37	Trapped in the Igloo (Lost)	イグルーに閉じ込められた部部	March 6, 1992	Lost
38	Snow Fright (Lost)	雪の恐怖部部	March 6, 1992	Lost
39	Guess Who's the Strongest: First (Lost)	誰が最強かを推測する：最初部部	March 13, 1992	Lost
40	Guess Who's the Strongest: Second (Lost)	誰が最強かを推測する：2番目部部	March 13, 1992	Lost
41	Plantmore's Birthday (Partially Found)	プラントモアの誕生日部部	March 20, 1992	Only images exist
42	The Missionary Spider (Lost)	宣教師の蜘蛛部部	March 20, 1992	Lost
43	Don't Be A Fool, Maruka (Lost)	ドントビーアフール、マルカ部部	March 27, 1992	Lost
44	Get In Shape, Crystal Monsters! (Partially Found)	形を整える、クリスタルモンスター！部部	March 27, 1992	Animation cels exists
45	Angry Wrath of Marukas (Partially Found)	マルカスの怒りの怒り部部	April 3, 1992	Only images exist
46	Spring Fever (Partially Found)	春の風邪部部	April 3, 1992	Only images exist
47	The Furious Five Rocket Ship (Partially Found)	猛烈なファイブロケット船部部	April 10, 1992	Only images exist
48	Trouble At the Mysterious Planet (Lost)	不思議な惑星でのトラブル部部	April 10, 1992	Lost
49	Devil J Arrives (Lost)	悪魔Jが到着部部	April 17, 1992	Lost
50	Devil J the Monster (Lost)	悪魔Jモンスター部部	April 17, 1992	Lost
51	Roaracryst And Friends To the Resue (Lost)	ロアキジュシクとフレンズトゥザレスキュー部部	May 1, 1992	Lost
52	Farewell to the Crystal Monsters (Partially Found)	クリスタルモンスターへの別れ部部	May 1, 1992	Only images exist

Reruns[]

Broadcast		Run
No.	Japanese title	Second run	Third run	Fourth run
1	ロアキジュシクの冒険部	May 8, 1992	April 30, 1993	April 1, 1994
2	蜘蛛は勝てない部	May 8, 1992	April 30, 1993	April 1, 1994
3	ナインコートの気性問題部	May 15, 1992	May 7, 1993	April 8, 1994
4	植物はプランモルのように強い部	May 15, 1992	May 7, 1993	April 8, 1994
5	マウスレットのレインボーホーム部	May 22, 1992	May 14, 1993	April 15, 1994
6	シャリ教授の発明部	May 22, 1992	May 14, 1993	April 15, 1994
7	救助隊を結成するには部	May 29, 1992	May 21, 1993	April 22, 1994
8	飛騨に直面！部	May 29, 1992	May 21, 1993	April 22, 1994
9	猛烈なファイブの到着部	June 5, 1992	May 28, 1993	April 29, 1994
10	蜘蛛が足りない部	June 5, 1992	May 28, 1993	April 29, 1994
11	マルカに道を譲る部	June 12, 1992	June 4, 1993	May 6, 1994
12	あなたは小さなキノコ部	June 12, 1992	June 4, 1993	May 6, 1994
13	注意してください、ハンターグレイ！部	June 19, 1992	June 11, 1993	May 13, 1994
14	喧嘩屋は空手をすることができますか部	June 19, 1992	June 11, 1993	May 13, 1994
15	レスリングデュオ団結部	June 26, 1992	June 18, 1993	May 20, 1994
16	持ってきて、まるか！部	June 26, 1992	June 18, 1993	May 20, 1994
17	1991年にさようなら！新年の物語部	July 3, 1992	June 25, 1993	May 27, 1994
18	1992年のこんにちは！新年の物語部	July 3, 1992	June 25, 1993	May 27, 1994
19	マルカスは逃げた部	July 10, 1992	July 2, 1993	June 3, 1994
20	怖いハンターグレイ部	July 10, 1992	July 2, 1993	June 3, 1994
21	多くの男性に沿って顔を！部	July 17, 1992	July 9, 1993	June 10, 1994
22	戦いの熱部	July 17, 1992	July 9, 1993	June 10, 1994
23	クリスタルモンスターとミュージックス部	July 24, 1992	July 16, 1993	June 17, 1994
24	ジグソーパズルの恐怖部	July 24, 1992	July 16, 1993	June 17, 1994
25	隠された水晶玉コレクション部	July 31, 1992	July 23, 1993	June 24, 1994
26	何百人ものシャリ教授部	July 31, 1992	July 23, 1993	June 24, 1994
27	ロアキジュシクといじめっ子部	August 7, 1992	July 30, 1993	July 1, 1994
28	ホラーの吹雪部	August 7, 1992	July 30, 1993	July 1, 1994
29	怖い家に注意してください部	August 14, 1992	August 6, 1993	July 8, 1994
30	おいしいデザートコンペティション部	August 14, 1992	August 6, 1993	July 8, 1994
31	ああ、空中の素敵な愛部	August 21, 1992	August 13, 1993	July 15, 1994
32	カメラに微笑む部	August 21, 1992	August 13, 1993	July 15, 1994
33	タイムマシントラベラーズ部	August 28, 1992	August 20, 1993	July 22, 1994
34	ハートフェスティバルダンス部	August 28, 1992	August 20, 1993	July 22, 1994
35	ロアキジュシクの家系図部	September 4, 1992	August 27, 1993	July 29, 1994
36	マウスレットは猫を怖がらない部	September 4, 1992	August 27, 1993	July 29, 1994
37	イグルーに閉じ込められた部	September 11, 1992	September 3, 1993	August 5, 1994
38	雪の恐怖部	September 11, 1992	September 3, 1993	August 5, 1994
39	誰が最強かを推測する：最初部	September 18, 1992	September 10, 1993	August 12, 1994
40	誰が最強かを推測する：2番目部	September 18, 1992	September 10, 1993	August 12, 1994
41	プラントモアの誕生日部	September 25, 1992	September 17, 1993	August 19, 1994
42	宣教師の蜘蛛部	September 25, 1992	September 17, 1993	August 19, 1994
43	ドントビーアフール、マルカ部	October 2, 1992	September 24, 1993	August 26, 1994
44	形を整える、クリスタルモンスター！部	October 2, 1992	September 24, 1993	August 26, 1994
45	マルカスの怒りの怒り部	October 9, 1992	October 1, 1993	September 2, 1994
46	春の風邪部	October 9, 1992	October 1, 1993	September 2, 1994
47	猛烈なファイブロケット船部	October 16, 1992	October 8, 1993	September 9, 1994
48	不思議な惑星でのトラブル部	October 16, 1992	October 8, 1993	September 9, 1994
49	悪魔Jが到着部	October 23, 1992	October 15, 1993	September 16, 1994
50	悪魔Jモンスター部	October 23, 1992	October 15, 1993	September 16, 1994
51	ロアキジュシクとフレンズトゥザレスキュー部	October 30, 1992	October 22, 1993	September 23, 1994
52	クリスタルモンスターへの別れ部	October 30, 1992	October 22, 1993	September 23, 1994

Gallery[]

Promo art[]

Opening and ending screenshots[]

Episodes screenshots[]

Animation cels[]

Title card[]

In the title cards, the animation shows Roaracryst sleeping on the Crystal Ball. After the text is read, he falls off. The animation video cannot be found, but the screenshots of title cards from every episode can be seen.