G-Men '75
G-Men '75 | |
---|---|
Genre |
Police procedural Crime drama |
Starring |
Tetsuro Tamba Yosuke Natsuki Gō Wakabayashi Yū Fujiki Maria Mori Mari Natsuki Hiroshi Miyauchi Gō Ibuki Takeshi Kaga Bunjaku Han Kyōko Enami Daijiro Harada Yûsuke Kawazu |
Narrated by | Takayuki Akutagawa |
Theme music composer | Shunsuke Kikuchi |
Country of origin | Japan |
Original language(s) | Japanese |
No. of episodes | 354 + 1 special |
Production | |
Running time | 54 minutes |
Production company(s) |
Toei TBS |
Release | |
Original network | TBS |
Original release | May 24, 1975 – April 3, 1982 |
Chronology | |
Followed by | G-Men '82 |
G-Men '75 (Gメン'75 G Men nanajūgo) was a long-running prime-time television detective series in Japan. It aired on Saturday nights in the 9:00–9:54 p.m. time slot on the Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) network from May 24, 1975 to April 3, 1982. A sequel, G-Men '82, followed, as did the specials. With several updates and cast changes, it ran for 7 years, starting with "Airport Investigation Line" and ending in 1982 with a two-hour special, "Farewell, G-Men '75 - Until We Meet Again".
The story revolved around an special detective agency, the eponynmous the G-Men. The principal character, who spanned the entire series (and continued into the sequel and specials), was Superintendent Tetsuya Kuroki, who was portrayed by Tetsuro Tamba. Kuroki directed the members of the group.
The original cast also included Yasuaki Kurata as Detective Yasuaki Kusano, trained in karate. Gō Wakabayashi joined in Episode 105, and remained to the end of the series (and the sequel). His character, Lieutenant Goro Tachibana, replaced a detective who was written out of the script.
Many more actors and actresses took regular roles in the series over the years. Gō Ibuki, Yū Fujiki as as Detective Hachibei Yamada, Maria Mori as Detective Ryoko Hayami, Mari Natsuki, Hiroshi Miyauchi as Kazuhiko Shimaya, Yosuke Natsuki as Detective Noriyuki Odagiri , Takeshi Kaga, Bunjaku Han, and Kyōko Enami were among them.
Shunsuke Kikuchi wrote the opening theme songs. Various artists, including some cast members, wrote and performed the closing songs. For most years, the lyrics were by Junya Sato, set to Kikuchi's music. Veteran announcer Takayuki Akutagawa narrated the series.
Selected episodes are available on DVD.
Opening sequence
The opening sequence featured the main cast walking along a runway with a "75" placed at the bottom, with an arrow beside it, as their characters were viewed in separate close-ups (with the name of their actors accompanying). The placement of the arrow and the "75" logo were changed as the series progressed. It was intended to film the opening at Haneda Airport, but permission was not granted, so it was filmed instead at Yashio, a district of Tokyo's Shinagawa ward, and later openings at the JMSDF Tateyama Air Base.
References
External links
- DVD Selection from Toei
- G-Men '75 on IMDb
- Japanese National Bibliography 音楽録音・映像資料の部 (Audio recordings and film materials)