Nakamura

Also known as 中村課長 (Nakamura Kachō)

Hello, My Name (in English) is…

Nakamura’s name in Japanese is a combination of the words naka (中), meaning “middle”, and mura (村), meaning “village”. It’s a good name for such a middle-of-the-road personality.

Distinguishing Features

You can always spot Nakamura by his round, bald head, his round black eyes, his little round nose, and his twirly little moustache.

Status: Secondary Star (★★)

Nakamura’s calming influence usually works in counter-point to his much more hot-headed usual partner, Tawashi. However, despite being generally warm-hearted, and slow to anger, Nakamura will stand on his principles when pressed by the situation. As such, he is nearly universally cast in the role of a police officer.

Notable Roles

A stalwart member of the Astro Boy (1952-68) cast, Nakamura has spent the bulk of his career playing Police Inspector Nakamura in several chapters. When not on active duty in Astro Boy (1952-68) he has been spotted moonlighting in the same role in Chief Detective Kenichi (1954-57), Black Jack (1973-83), and several other shorter stories. In fact, his lone appearance as the owner of a Chinese restaurant in The Three-Eyed One (1974-78) chapter, “Mystery of the Third Eye”, can almost be seen as his post-retirement from the police force occupation.

Manga Appearances

If you spot an appearance not already listed, please let us know in the comments section below!

1952

Astro Boy (“Gas People“) as “Inspector Nakamura”
Astro Boy (“Frankenstein“) as “Inspector Nakamura”

1953

Astro Boy (“Red Cat”) as “Inspector Nakamura”

1954

Astro Boy (“Cobalt”) as “Inspector Nakamura”
Astro Boy (“Fuhrer ZZZ”) as “Inspector Nakamura”

1955

Astro Boy (“Electro”) as “Inspector Nakamura”
Astro Boy (“Gernica”) as “Inspector Nakamura”
Astro Boy (“Youth Gas”) as “Inspector Nakamura”
Astro Boy (“Yellow Horse”) as “Inspector Nakamura”
Chief Detective Kenichi (“The Case of the Gorilla”) as “the police chief”

1956

Astro Boy (“Atlas”) as “Inspector Nakamura”
Astro Boy (“The Midoro Swamp”) as “Inspector Nakamura”

1957

Astro Boy (“Robot Bombs”) as “Inspector Nakamura”
Astro Boy (“Black Lux”) as “Inspector Nakamura”
Astro Boy (“The Mysterious Ball”) as “Inspector Nakamura”
Astro Boy (“Super Cyclone”) as “Inspector Nakamura”

1958

Astro Boy (“Crucifix Island”) as “Inspector Nakamura”
Astro Boy (“Fortress of the Centaurs”) as “Inspector Nakamura”
Astro Boy (“Mad Machine”) as “Inspector Nakamura”
Astro Boy (“Count Bat”) as “Inspector Nakamura”
The Three Who Glimpse the Future as “the police officer”
Chief Detective Kenichi as “the police officer”

1959

Astro Boy (“Secret of the Egyptian Conspirators”) as “Inspector Nakamura”
Astro Boy (“The Artificial Sun”) as “Inspector Nakamura”

1960

Astro Boy (“Space Snow Leopard”] as “Inspector Nakamura”
Astro Boy (“The Invisible Giant”] as “Inspector Nakamura”

1961

Astro Boy (“The White-Hot Being”) as “Inspector Nakamura”
Astro Boy (“The Hot Dog Corps”) as “Inspector Nakamura”
Astro Boy (“The Third Magician”) as “Inspector Nakamura”

1962

Astro Boy (“Space Parasites”) as “Inspector Nakamura”
Astro Boy (“Astro vs Garon”) as “Inspector Nakamura”

1963

Astro Boy (“The Devil’s Balloons”) as “Inspector Nakamura”

1964

Astro Boy (“The Lying Robot”) as “Inspector Nakamura”
Astro Boy (“The Brain Swap”) as “Inspector Nakamura”

1965

Astro Boy (“Robio And Robiette”) as “Inspector Nakamura”
Astro Boy (“Blue Knight” ) as “Inspector Nakamura”
Astro Boy (“Slippery Catfish in Imminent Danger”) as “Inspector Nakamura”
Astro Boy (“Atom’s Been Stolen”) as “Inspector Nakamura”

1966

Flying Ben as “the police officer”

1967

Astro Boy (“Zolomon’s Jewels”) as “Inspector Nakamura”

1968

Astro Boy (“The Man Who Returned from Mars”) as “Inspector Nakamura”

1974

Black Jack (“Nadare“) as “a police officer”
Black Jack (“Pinoko Returns!“) as “a police officer”
The Three-Eyed One (“Mystery of the Third Eye”) as “the owner of the Chinese restaurant”

1975

Black Jack (“Seat of Pleasure“) as “a police officer”
Black Jack (“Con Man, Aspiring“) as “a police officer”
Black Jack (“The Whispers of a Dog“) as “a police officer”

1981

Astro Boy [Second Grader] (“The Magnet Robot”) as “Inspector Nakamura”
Invitation to the Grotesque as “Yusaku father’s” and “a police officer”

1982

Rainbow Parakeet (“The Final Act”) as “the police officer”

1986

Atom Cat (“The Birth of Atom Cat”) as “Police Officer”