I was kindda surprised that I couldn't find a thread for this great work.
The color-animated version Yokai Ningen Bem aired in TV Asashi in 1968,and was a big hit.More of an anime in my mothers' generation. In fact she still remembers watching it.Although only 26 episodes,I was still able to watch this series in the 80s.(It's one of the generation-to-generation anime/manga in my family.)
It's about three yokais-Bem,Bera and Bero who were made from a mysterious lab via some mysterious cell.They don't know where and how they have come out in this world,all they know is that they must help humans and achieve justice in order to fulfill their dreams...their dream to become human beings.
'Hayaku Ningen ni Naritai!'(I want to be human) is a very,very very famous line from this particular anime.Plus the BGMs and main theme are quite Jazzy,very my-kind-of-style.
The show's not limited to three monsters kicking bad guys' asses.Bem,Bera and Bero deal with humans,monsters,zombies,outer egos,alter egos,grudges that came out bad killing people..There was a whole deep underlying meaning in every episode which makes you think.To tell you the truth it's quite philosophical.Especially the last episode.(and yes,my mother still remembers it.Her favourite characher is Bem,because he's such a gentleman.)I was sure about that after I watched the 26 episodes over after I was so very much pissed off about the remake version of Bem.
So..the 2006 version of Yokai Ningen Bem aired this April and all that I could express was dissapointment.It just portrays famous monsters from various legends(such as the Harpy) who attacks humans never kills them cuz the show's for children,and Bem,Bera and Bero is always there to kill them(in the name of JUSTICE!<-crosses hands like SailorMoon).Overall it ended up being a shallow piece of work with only improved animation quality.They did a nice job adapting all the original designs from the 60s,but that's all there's there to compliment. I would be watching this til the end though,just because I'm a fan.At least I should badmouth it after watching the whole thing :P
Official site for remake version:
http://www.bem-tv.com