Spider-Man (tokusatsu)
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Spider-Man (スパイダーマン Supaidāman?) is a Japanese tokusatsu television program produced by Toei Company in the 1978.
This version of the famous web-slinging Marvel Comics superhero, Spider-Man, was part of a deal that Marvel made with Toei, namely that for a four-year period, Toei could use Marvel's characters in any way they saw fit. So in 1978, a Spider-Man tokusatsu series was produced for Japanese television by Toei Company Ltd. While Spider-Man's costume was certainly based on the original, the storyline had nothing to do with the Marvel character. The series had a major impact on Japanese animation (Anime) by popularising the trend to use mecha (or giant robots) to defeat other giants despite being controlled by a human, a convention begun with shows like Jumborg Ace.
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[edit] Plot
Young motorcycle racer Takuya Yamashiro sees a UFO falling to earth, in fact a combat spacecraft named the "Marveller". Takuya's father Dr. Hiroshi Yamashiro, a space archaeologist, investigates the case. The incident also brings the attention of Professor Monster and his evil Iron Cross Army (Tetsu-Jyuuji-Gun), an alien group that plans to rule the universe.
[edit] Cast
- Takuya Yamashiro/Spider-Man : Shinji Toudou
- Professor Monster : Mitsuo Ando
- Niiko Yamashiro : Izumi Ooyama
- Hitomi Sakuma : Rika Miura
- Amazone : Yukie Kagawa
[edit] Trivia
- Although a Japanese version of Spider-Man already existed at the time, Spider-Man: The Manga, This series had little or nothing to do it or the orginal Spider-Man comics.
- The Marvel/Toei deal resulted this series and Battle Fever J (1979), which was not only the third Super Sentai Series, but essentially a Japanese version of Captain America.
- This was the first series to have a superhero (as opposed to a costumed pilot) ride a giant robot. The success of this series led to the revival of the Sentai Series as the "Super Sentai Series." "Batoru Fîba J" (1979), the third Sentai Series, was the first "Super Sentai," as the five heroes therein rode a giant robot.
- Producers Tôru Hirayama and Susumu Yoshikawa originally wanted to make a series faithful to the famous web-slinger's origins, but Bandai, one of the sponsors, told the studio to add a giant robot (as giant robots were all the rage in Japan). Hirayama and Yoshikawa met their demand with complete incredulity, and they reluctantly rewrote Spidey's origins completely for the show.
- Spider-Man's transforming giant robot Leopardon (which transforms from the huge spacecraft Marveller, named in honor of the Marvel Comics Group) was featured in America in both Mattel's Shogun Warriors toy collection (only the 3" figure version, named "Leopardon") and Bandai America's Godaikin toy line (Bandai Japan's deluxe diecast toy with complete transforming features). However, only a few people in America knew that this robot was somehow tied with everyone's favorite web-slinger. A new Leopardon toy will be produced in 2006 under Bandai's Soul of Chogokin line.
- Toei's budget for special effects ran out by Episode 5, and after Episode 10, no more footage of Leopardon could be done. Rumor has it that someone had stolen the robot costume and thus the Leopardon was limited to stock footage, with new footage of the monster-of-the-week (reacting to and being destroyed by the "Swordvicker" attack) spliced in.
- The Internet Movie Database states that there were 41 episodes to the series.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Spider-Man (tokusatsu) at the Internet Movie Database
- A site about the Japanese television version
- The pilot episode (subtitles are in some cases incorrect and/or satirical)
- The Tokyo Stomp site about the series
| Spider-Man | ||
|---|---|---|
| Publications | Main continuity: Amazing Fantasy | The Amazing Spider-Man | Marvel Team-Up | The Sensational Spider-Man (vol. 2) Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man | Spider-Man Unlimited Other continuities: Ultimate Spider-Man | Marvel Adventures Spider-Man | Spider-Girl | Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane |
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| Television | Spider-Man (1967) | Amazing Spider-Man (1978) | Spider-Man (1981) | Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends (1981) | Spider-Man (1994) Spider-Man Unlimited (1999) | Spider-Man: The New Animated Series (2003) | Untitled Spider-Man Animated Series (2007) |
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| Films | Spider-Man (2002) | Spider-Man 2 (2004) | Spider-Man 3 (2007) | |
| Other topics | ||
| Spider-Man writers | Spider-Man artists | Spider-Man supporting characters | Spider-Man villains | Spider-Man's powers and equipment | Video games | ||
