EAT-MAN '98

EAT-MAN '98 is the second TV anime about the wandering hero Bolt Crank. It ran for 12 episodes, from October 8 to December 23, 1998. Like the first show from 1997, it was made by Studio Deen. This time the director was Toshifumi Kawase. Both shows are based on the manga EAT-MAN by Akihito Yoshitomi, which ran in the magazine Dengeki Comic Gao! from 1996 to 2003.

This series came about partly because of fans. Many readers of the manga were unhappy with the 1997 anime. That show had cut most of the fantasy, changed Bolt into a gloomy man who did not like his job, and left many mysteries open. EAT-MAN '98 took a different path. Most of its episodes are based on real stories from the manga, so it stays much closer to what Yoshitomi first created.

Bolt Crank is an explorer, which in his world means a person who is hired to do dangerous jobs, a little like a soldier for hire. He is known as the best explorer there is. He travels alone, takes work from all kinds of people, and moves on when the job is done. He is calm, quiet, and hard to read, but he follows his own sense of right and wrong.

What makes Bolt truly special is his body. He can eat things that are not alive, mostly metal parts, tools, and weapons. Later, he can rebuild those things and bring them out through his right hand. For example, he might swallow the pieces of a gun and then produce the working gun when a fight starts. This power lets him walk into danger with nothing in his hands and still be ready for anything.

The world Bolt lives in is a strange mix. It has advanced machines and robots, but it also has the feeling of a fairy tale, with odd towns, mysterious ruins, and magical events. Most episodes tell a single story that starts and ends in that episode. Bolt arrives somewhere new, someone asks for help, and he takes on the job. Along the way he meets people with problems, secrets, and dreams. Some stories are exciting action tales. Others are quiet and a little sad, or even a bit funny.

Compared with the first anime, this series feels lighter and more adventurous. Bolt here is closer to his manga self. He seems more sure of himself and more at ease with the life he has chosen. The show still keeps some mystery about who he is and where his power comes from, which is a big part of his charm.

The series is a good choice for people who enjoy short, separate stories, cool gadgets, and a lone hero with a strong code. In English, Bandai released it on DVD in 2005, with only two episodes dubbed. In 2017, Discotek Media released it on disc with Japanese audio and English subtitles. In 2026, almost 30 years later, a new anime called EAT-MAN The Over Order was announced.