Metal Heroes

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The Metal Heroes, Space Sherrif Gavan to Ironbark Detective Robotack
The Metal Heroes, Space Sherrif Gavan to Ironbark Detective Robotack

The Metal Heroes Series (メタルヒーローシリーズ Metaru Hīrō Shirīzu?) is a genre of tokusatsu superhero TV series produced by Toei for Japanese television. The Metal Heroes are mainly space and police-based characters who don "metallic" suits and/or androids and cyborgs, hence, the most of the Metal Heroes are also referenced as "Henshin (transforming) Heroes." Usually, the genre revolves around a technological theme where technology, in the right hands, can be used for the greater good. The shows were produced by Toei from 1982 through 1996 in conjunction with their other Tokusatsu superhero shows, such as Kamen Rider and Super Sentai. Not only are some of them popular in Japan but also in several other countries like France, Brazil, the Philippines, Maylasia, and Indonesia.

Some of the Metal Hero series even spawned sequels which followed the continuity of the previous shows, resulting in the genre developing sub-categories based mainly on space and police-related characters.

Contents

[edit] List of Metal Heroes

[edit] Space Sheriffs

  • Uchuu Keiji Gavan (Space Sheriff Gavan) (1982): Also known as X-Or in France, Gavan in the Philippines, and Space Cop Gaban in Malaysia and Indonesia, this show starts the Space Sheriff trilogy featuring a police hero sent to Earth to battle a rampaging force of aliens. Gavan proved popular enough to spawn two direct sequels and introduce a new genre in Japanese television. Uchuu Keiji Gavan was played by Kenji Ohba, who recently had a minor role in Kill Bill Vol. 2 as the Japanese swordsmith.
  • Uchuu Keiji Sharivan (Space Sheriff Sharivan) (1983): Also popular in France, Indonesia, and Brazil, this direct sequel to Uchuu Keiji Gavan features Gavan's protege taking over the role of Earth's protector when Gavan gets promoted in rank (from sergeant to captain) in the Space Sheriff organization. Sharivan was played by Hiroshi Watari.
  • Uchuu Keiji Shaider (Space Sheriff Shaider) (1984): The third and last of the Space Sheriff trilogy, with an Earth-born, galactic police force-trained officer taking over Sharivan's job alongside a female deputy. It was Americanized in the second season of Saban's VR Troopers. Uchuu Keiji Shaider was played by the late Hiroshi Tsuburaya, son of Eiji Tsuburaya, the creator of Ultraman.

[edit] Space Metal Heroes

  • Kyojuu Tokusou Juspion (Megabeast Special Investigator Juspion) (1985): Similar in filming, tone, and style of the Space Sheriff shows, this series features a warrior sent to stop Satan Goss and his diabolical son Madgalant (Magaren in Brazil) from destroying the Earth with giant monsters. Juspion had his own giant robot, Daileon, to combat the evil creatures. The show failed in Japan, but had a tremendous impact in Brazil.
  • Jikuu Senshi Spielban (Spacetime Warrior Spielban) (1986): Along with his sidekick, Diana, this program dealt with a hero who crosses through dimensions to combat an alien force that took his father's life and corrupted his sister into the evil Hellvira, who later joined her brother as Lady Helen. Americanized as VR Troopers.

[edit] Robotic Metal Heroes

  • Choujinki Metalder (Super Man-Machine Metalder) (1987): Inspired by the classic tokusatsu hero Kikaider, this show dealt with an android given human memories, yet programmed to fight an insidious group that his creator once belonged to. Americanized in the first season of VR Troopers.
  • Kidou Keiji Jiban (Mobile Detective Jiban) (1989): Based similarly to RoboCop, but also had elements of the 70's series Robotto Keiji. This armored robot hero is a rookie cop gunned down and reborn as a fighting machine against the Criminal Syndicate Bioron, a group of bio-genetic freaks. Jiban is the first Metal Hero to actually bear the emblem of the Japanese National Police, although his "badge" shows a regular American-style sheriff star.
  • Tokusou Robo Janperson (Special Investigations Robo Janperson) (1993): Another series similar to Robotto Keiji. An abandoned police experiment robot is revived by its creator to combat three different organizations of crime in Japan. With a gruff, rougish, gun-totting robot partner named Gungibson, Janperson patrols the streets of Tokyo alongside his creator in shutting down the hidden crimelords that use super science to subjugate the masses. Made a cameo in Big Bad Beetleborgs.

[edit] Rescue Mission Metal Heroes

  • Tokkei Winspector (Special Police Winspector) (1990): The first of the Rescue Police trilogy, this team of two robots and their human armored field commander dealt with real-life crime, mad scientists, rogue cyborgs, and dangerous rescue situations. The mix of fantasy and realistic action proved to be immensely popular with viewers, spawning two sequels.
  • Tokkyuu Shirei Solbrain (Special Rescue Command Solbrain) (1991): A direct sequel to Tokkei Winspector, the former base captain of Winspector opens an additional police branch, this time with two humans (a male and a female) and a construction-vehicle styled transforming robot to continue the fight against everyday villains, gangsters with high-tech weapons of destruction, and the occasional robot gone mad. A Solbrain video game was released for the Nintendo Famicom game console, which was also released for the NES as Shatterhand.
  • Tokusou Exceedraft (Special Investigation Exceedraft) (1992): The last of the Rescue Police series, this program featured a trio of male human armored police officers doing what the previous two teams were doing, without the help of any super-powered robots. By this time, the series had stepped away from realistic villains and swerved back towards more sci-fi oriented opponents.

[edit] Beetle Fighter

  • Juukou B-Fighter (Heavyshell B-Fighter) (1995): An alien attack is repelled by the combination of true heroism, super techonology and insect magic housed within three suits of armor. Americanized as Saban's Big Bad Beetleborgs.
  • B-Fighter Kabuto (1996): A direct sequel to Juukou B-Fighter, this program features 7 new heroes who utilize the previous tech and insect magic to fend off a horde of monsters from under the Earth. Americanized as Beetleborgs Metallix.

[edit] Non-Metallic Metal Heroes

  • Sekai Ninja Sen Jiraiya (World Ninja War Jiraiya) (1988): This program features an actual ninja master from a historically known ninja clan preparing his son, daughter, and youngest child, along with a family relative and a police officer with ninja roots to combat the re-emergence of a centuries-old demon samurai, his evil offspring, and a host of international ninja warriors from around the world hoping to tip the scales of justice. Jiraiya, the son of the ninja master, is destined to wield an enormous power that Dokusai, the demon samurai, hopes to seize. Jiraiya had tremendous success in Brazil.
  • Blue SWAT (1994): Hidden to the general public, a police organization has been combatting alien menaces for years until a sneak attack destroys all but three officers, who alongside some civilian helpers who are aware of the alien infestation, must continue the fight. Despite the alien theme, was one of the most "realistic" Metal Hero shows.

[edit] Current status

Other similar heroes, such as Nebula Mask Machine Man, Fist of the Brothers Byclosser, Super Shining Warrior Changerion, and Seven Star Fighting God Guyferd also appeared during the Metal Heroes era, but are not included as part of the Metal Heroes franchise for various reasons. Machine Man and Byclosser were created by the late Shotaro Ishinomori, while Changerion's armor is not metallic, and Guyferd was produced by Toho.

Currently, the Metal Heroes are a defunct genre in place of Super Sentai and Kamen Rider. Kamen Rider itself has adopted many of the Metal Hero franchise's traits. Today, the present versions of these type of heroes are merged in with the Henshin Heroes description.

Some Metal Hero characters have made cameo appearances. For example, in 2004, a special Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger stage show had a special appearance by Gavan, who assisted Hurricane Red from Ninpuu Sentai Hurricaneger and Abared from Bakuryuu Sentai Abaranger in battling various Alienizer monsters from Dekaranger.

Some Metal Heroes merchandise and video games have also been released. In 2005, Toei released some Uchuu Keiji trilogy merchandise. Later that year, Bandai released a "Souchaku Henshin" figure of Gavan, followed by "Souchaku Henshin" figures of Sharivan and Shaider in early 2006. In May 2006, a PlayStation 2 video game titled Uchuu Keiji Damashii was released. The game featured Gavan, Sharivan and Shaider all teaming up to battle past enemies from the Space Detective Trilogy. The game was panned by critics, however, for bland graphics and dull gameplay.

[edit] Saban Adaptations

Saban has adapted some of the Metal Hero shows for American audiences in the United States. Stock footage from Metalder, Spielvan and Shaider were adapted in VR Troopers (1994-1996). Footage from both B-Fighter series were used in Big Bad Beetleborgs. Both shows ran for 2 seasons and ended when all the stock footage from these Metal Hero series were used up.

[edit] External links

Metal Heroes
v • d • e
1980s: Gavan  • Sharivan  • Shaider  • Juspion  • Spielban  • Metalder  • Jiraiya  • Jiban
1990s: Winspector  • Solbrain  • Exceedraft  • Janperson  • Blue SWAT  • Juukou B-Fighter  • B-Fighter Kabuto  • Kabutack  • Robotack
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