Time Patrol Bon, or T・P Bon, is an adaptation of the manga of the same name by acclaimed Doraemon creator Fujiko・F・Fujio. The series celebrates the 90th anniversary of Fujio and the 25th anniversary of the anime studio Bones, which handled its animation production. The series is streaming on Netflix, directed by Masahiro Ando, written by Yūko Kakihara and Dai Satō(Ergo Proxy), and a music score by Michiru Oshima.
T・P Bon follows the titular Bon Namihira, an average teenage boy lamenting his average existence as he becomes inadvertently entangled in the Time Patrol, a futuristic team of time-traveling agents tasked with protecting the flow of time and history. As Bon faces the threat of being “erased” due to his discovery of the Time Patrol, he realizes his significance to history and is subsequently recruited into the Time Patrol. From then on, he’s partnered with experienced Time Patrol agent Ream Stream as her apprentice, much to his excitement.
The twelve-episode season generally follows the structure of beginning each episode with Bon involved in lighthearted moments with his classmates that tie to the theme of the episode, such as his friend Yoko Shiraki’s uncle discussing Egyptian King Djoser’s pyramid. Then, Bon and Ream’s latest Time Patrol mission requires them to travel to that moment in history, or Bon is struggling to run a marathon for class and their next mission is during the Battle of Marathon in ancient Greece.
The series maintains a light, jovial tone, with each new destination featuring an educational element of Ream informing Bon of the historical significance of their missions and trivia from the time period. Despite its levity, the anime doesn’t shy away from the frequent dangers Bon and Ream encounter on their missions, and the perilous choices they must make to preserve history, experiencing such horrors as the witch trials of 17th-century France, Kamikaze pilots in the Pacific War during World War II, and the end of human civilization in the far future.
In their time traveling adventures, the duo faces not only the challenge of completing their missions but also the moral dilemmas that arise. They must navigate the delicate balance between preserving history and saving lives, testing their resolve and ethical principles along the way. The second season of T・P Bon will hit Netflix in July 17, 2024.
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