Stream It Or Skip It: ‘T・P BON’ on Netflix, A Delightful Update on the Classic Manga Series

Manga creator team Fujiko Fujio, comprised of artists Hiroshi Fujimoto and Motoo Abiko, created some of the most well-known series of all time, namely Doraemon. Time Patrol Bon is another such series, a manga hit that ran from 1978 to 1986. While there was one anime special that premiered in 1989, Time Patrol Bon never had its own anime adaptation until now. Studio Bones took on the challenge in this original net animation (ONA) for Netflix, which follows a teenager named Bon Namihira (Griffin Burns) as he becomes a member of a team of time-traveling agents who work to protect the time stream from bad guys – because he’s too relevant in the annals of time to “disappear” from existence.

TP BON: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

Opening Shot: Bon is lying atop a tree that’s been cut down recently, reflecting on how it died and was then removed. His friends, other students in his class, join him and discuss how old the tree must have been, surmising it might be over 800 years old and born in the mid-13th century.

The Gist: T・P BON follows Bon as he lives out his ordinary, average existence. The truth is, he actually likes having a run-of-the-mill life. And he’d rather keep it that way, even though he earns low test scores, isn’t the most popular student, and doesn’t have a lot going on. That is, until one fateful day when he experiences something strange while studying at home. It seems night and day get mixed up, leaving Bon figuring he just studied too much as his parents asked him.

When a shaken Bon leaves his home to walk around outside to see what happened exactly, he happens upon a young woman in a strange getup. It isn’t until he whisks himself away to his friend Tetsuo’s (Ben Diskin) house before something else is amiss. When Tetsuo chases his test paper out of his open balcony window as the pair hang out, he falls to his death, leaving Bon to lose his mind over seeing his friend die.

It’s then he comes face to face with a couple of “time patrol” agents: Ream Stream (Erica Lindbeck) and her partner, who informs him that they need to clean up a mess that Bon and his friend are now involved in. Though Ream can do a “redo” of Tetsuo’s death, she ends up with an even bigger issue when she and her partner have to inform Bon that they have to remove him from existence completely to keep him from remembering that he met the time patrol agents – this can’t happen, or it might set off a chain of events that irreparably change the world.

As Bon insists he won’t be erased, he throws himself, Ream, and her partner into chaos as they’re sent to a prehistoric time period. He manages to steer them back to the modern era, but news arrives by way of Ream’s partner: Bon is a relevant person in history, so he cannot be harmed. As a result, since he’s seen too much, he has to become a member of Time Patrol to his surprise and dismay.

What Shows Will It Remind You Of? Though obviously not a direct comparison, fledgling anime fans from the 2000s might see a bit of Flint the Time Detective in T・P BON, namely in its exploration of “time police” – but in many ways the shows are night and day. In terms of animation, however, Doraemon is an obvious comparison. Plus, given how it gravitates toward the rules of time and how things can or cannot be changed, fans of Erased or Tokyo Revengers might find something they like here.

Our Take: T・P BON is a surprisingly fun yet action-packed series that isn’t afraid to throw out a death in the first episode and keep things moving. Its simplistic animation belies a surprisingly fun story that we can see echoes of in newer series. Though some of the story beats are predictable in that you likely already will know that some rules of time cannot be changed or compromised, there are so many interesting points throughout where the series takes a detour from normalcy and gives you something else instead.

It’s hard to say what will end up being Bon’s claim to fame, and the reason why the Time Patrol members weren’t able to get rid of him entirely. Why is he significant to history? It’s a great question and something that’ll undoubtedly be fun to figure out as the series wears on, but as of right now, it’s a question: what does this somewhat cowardly kid have to do with history?

Bones did a particularly great job bringing the manga’s cartoony style to the animation stage as well, as it effortlessly translates a classic-looking art style to modern-day with necessary updates while retaining each character’s original design. There’s also a great opening and ending in English, no less, that worm their way into your head (we’re still singing along with the opening as we write this).

Sex and Skin: None to be found.

Parting Shot: Bon returns to his own time, but his mother disappears in front of his eyes. He’s informed when the Time Patrol revisits his home that he’s actually a relevant person when it comes to history, so he can’t be killed. He’ll have to join the Time Patrol instead, the team informs him as his mother remains missing. Bon stands slack-jawed staring at Ream the other agent as the screen fades to black and he reflects on the situation, incredulous.

Sleeper Star: Buyoyon, played by David Errigo Jr., is a small yellow blob who travels with Ream traveling through time to save people. He’s always ready with a sarcastic quip as he floats in the air and gets in everyone’s face often – Errigo Jr.’s’ curmudgeonly delivery makes him endearing when he could easily begin to irritate.

Most Pilot-y Line: “I won’t be erased!” Bon cries out when he discovers the Time Patrol agents’ plan to erase him from existence. “I’ll help you if you promise not to erase me!” he adds when he and Ream find themselves in prehistoric times facing off against dinosaurs and other beasts. Now that he and Ream are inexorably linked, it’s clear that they’ll be continuing to travel together, even if it seems there are other plans for him.

Our Call: STREAM IT. T・P BON may look like a simple children’s show, but it’s much more nuanced than that. The first episode is an exciting beginning to what will undoubtedly be an exciting update on the older manga series, and we can’t wait to see what the anime adaptation has in store, especially with such a strong first episode.

Brittany Vincent (@MolotovCupcake) has been covering video games and tech for over a decade for publications like G4, Popular Science, Playboy, Variety, IGN, GamesRadar, Polygon, Kotaku, Maxim, GameSpot, and more. When she’s not writing or gaming, she’s collecting retro consoles and tech.