Patarillo! unfolds in a society that mirrors our own in most respects, yet carries one unmistakable twist. The manga upon which it is based is a widely read work aimed at teenage Japanese girls, featuring a healthy mix of gay men and striking bishounen—beautiful boys. Most of the action is set in Marinera, a land of eternal spring located somewhere in the South Seas. This country is a major producer of diamonds, and that wealth forms the core of conflict in the anime series. The diamonds come from one of the most prolific mines on Earth, owned by Marinera"s king—Patarillo himself—a vertically challenged but horizontally endowed boy‑king. The International Diamond Syndicate, a vast semi‑criminal organization or secret society bent on taking over the world"s entire diamond supply, covets that mine and will stop at nothing to obtain it. In the early episodes they dispatch a cadre of bishounen assassins to kill Patarillo, which forces him to enlist a bodyguard: Major Jack "Bishounen‑Killer" Bancoran, an MI6 agent from England. The nickname does not mean he shoots bishounen in cold blood; it derives from the fact that no male under seventeen can resist his sexual fascination—an irony that even Patarillo himself finds repulsive. The story frequently shifts between Marinera and MI6 headquarters in London (London is only a two‑hour flight from the South Seas) or Bancoran"s palatial suburban condo. MI6 bears a striking resemblance to Fritz Lang"s Metropolis, while Jack"s apartment echoes Randolph Hearst"s grandeur. The plot also travels back and forward in time, and even extends into space, illustrating Patarillo"s extensive travels.
Toei Animation Japan