Winter 1977 Anime

Pieces of the enigmatic Skull Stone are dispersed around the world. When all four fragments are united, they will disclose the whereabouts of the planet's greatest gold reserve. The nefarious Doronbo Gang is on a hunt for these stones, but Gan and Ai stand as their opposition, transforming into the masked champions Yatterman-1 and Yatterman-2. Throughout their quest, the pair is supported by Yatterwan, a massive mechanical dog.

In Brailsford Junction, Wisconsin, Sterling North finds comfort in the tranquility of his everyday life, which he maintains through his dedication to looking after animals. With his mother in the hospital and his brother serving on the Western Front, Sterling stays at home with only his father and their dog, Hauser. One weekend, he sets aside his usual tasks to go fishing alongside his friend Oscar and Hauser. On the way to the river, Hauser detects something odd near a tree. Investigating further, they discover a raccoon nest with a single orphaned kit, whose mother was shot by a hunter planning to use her pelt for a hat. Sterling chooses to adopt and nurture the abandoned raccoon. As he grapples with the hardships of his brother's wartime service and his mother's deteriorating health, Sterling discovers comfort and a fresh sense of connection to the world through his relationship with the lively raccoon, whom he calls Rascal.

In the year 2015, Dr. Yamanoue, Secretary of the Science Ministry, dedicates himself to assembling an android robot on an artificial island, planning to live with it as his own son. However, the robot's electric brain has a flaw. Dr. Yamanoue decides that Dr. Kawashimo's assistance is necessary to fix the defective brain. Though the two are friends, they are also rivals both in their personal lives and in scientific research. Dr. Yamanoue is extremely jingoistic and views the robot merely as one of his strategic weapons. Dr. Kawashimo, in contrast, is a pacifist who pours his affection into robots. Responding to Dr. Yamanoue's request, Dr. Kawashimo rushes to the island, bringing along his pretty young daughter Miri. Once there, Dr. Kawashimo installs the electric brain into Jet Mars, a robot boy, and Mars is born. Everything is unfamiliar to Mars, and he cannot tell good from evil. The next day, he lifts Dr. Kawashimo and Miri onto the roof of a building. When he notices a glint of moisture in Miri's eyes, a strange feeling stirs in his mind. He asks Dr. Yamanoue what it is and is told that it is a tear shed by a weak girl—something a strong man would never do. One day, the electric brain of another robot, Fainton, malfunctions. Fainton goes on a rampage, throwing the island into crisis. As seawater pours into the facilities through the large hole Fainton has torn open, Mars can only stand there in shock, unsure of what to do. At that moment, Miri reveals her extraordinary ability and seals the hole. Following her lead, Mars carries an iron sheet and helps with the repairs. In the end, they save Dr. Yamanoue and Dr. Kawashimo from being swept away by the seawater. Miri turns out to be a robot built by Dr. Kawashimo. Through these events, Mars learns how to cry and how to perform kind deeds.