Metal Hero Series (original) (raw)

Icon-metalheroesThis article is about an a set of all the shows and films in the Metal Hero Series.

Metal Hero Series Logo

Logo (2022-present)

The Metal Hero 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 protagonists of the Metal Hero Series are mainly space, military and police-based characters who are typically androids, cyborgs, or humans that don "metallic" suits. Henceforth, 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 1999 in conjunction with their other Tokusatsu superhero shows, such as Kamen RiderIcon-crosswiki and Super SentaiIcon-crosswiki. Not only are some of them popular in Japan but also in several other countries like France, Brazil, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Additionally, in the 1990s, Saban Entertainment used some of the shows to produce programs similar to their Power RangersIcon-crosswiki series.

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, military and police-related characters.

On April 6, 2020, Several Metal Hero Series (from Uchuu Keiji Gavan) become available to stream on the Toei Tokusatsu World Youtube channel. However, some of Metal Hero Series that were on the Toei Tokusatsu World Youtube channel are blocked in several countries due to the license.

List of Metal Hero Series[]

Metal Heroes

All Metal Heroes

Main Series[]

Shōwa[]

Heisei[]

Theatrical releases[]

V-Cinema releases[]

Televi Magazine Super Video/Special DVD

Franchise naming[]

Wrong Metal Hero Category

A 1990 encyclopedia skipped Juspion, Metalder and Jiraiya in the Metal Hero category. Instead, Metalder was classified into the Robot Hero category with Kikaider, Kikaider 01, Robot Detective K, Denjin Zaborger, and the Kyodain.

Unlike Super Sentai and Kamen Rider, the term "Metal Hero" was actually first coined by fans and later accepted by Toei. When Jikuu Senshi Spielban was on air, the franchise was referred to by various names:

It is still unclear when this series began to be officially credited as "Metal Heroes", though several materials seem to indicate that it could have been during or after the airing of Kidou Keiji Jiban.

Current status[]

Other similar heroes, such as Seiun Kamen Machineman, Kyodai Ken Byclosser, Choukou Senshi Changéríon, Lady Battle CopIcon-crosswiki, and Seven Star Fighting God Guyferd also appeared during the time that the Metal Hero Series were on the air, but are not included as part of the Metal Hero Series for various reasons. Machineman and Byclosser were created by the late Shotaro Ishinomori, Changéríon aired on TV Tokyo, the status of Lady Battle Cop in the Toei Tokusatsu shared universe timeline is unknown, and Guyferd was produced by Toho.

In 1987, a one-shot OVA called Campus Special Investigator Hikaruon, was released as an homage of the Space Sheriff Series.

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

Some Metal Hero Series characters have made cameo appearances. For example, in 2004, a special Tokusou Sentai DekarangerIcon-crosswiki stage show had a special appearance by Gavan, who assisted HurricaneRedIcon-crosswiki from Ninpu Sentai HurricanegerIcon-crosswiki and AbaRedIcon-crosswiki from Bakuryu Sentai AbarangerIcon-crosswiki in battling various AlienizerIcon-crosswiki monsters from Dekaranger.

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 The Space Sheriff Spirits was released. The game featured Gavan, Sharivan and Shaider all teaming up to battle past enemies from their series. The game was panned by critics, however, for bland graphics and dull gameplay. In early 2008, the trading card company Cardass announced a new, Metal Heroes based expansion to their Rangers StrikeIcon-crosswiki card game, entitled Special Metal Edition, featuring characters and vehicles from the various Metal Hero Series for use within the game.

Revival[]

In January 2012, Toei released the film Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger vs. Space Sheriff Gavan: The MovieIcon-crosswiki, this annual Vs. movieIcon-crosswiki was allowed to be a special case as the crossover with the previous Sentai was already fulfilled in the anniversary movie which was released in mid-2011. It marked the first crossover between the Super Sentai SeriesIcon-crosswiki and Metal Hero series and commemorated the 30th anniversary of Gavan.

On October 20, 2012, a new Metal Hero film entitled Uchuu Keiji Gavan: The Movie was released. Kenji Ohba returned as Gavan for the last time, with a younger actor Yuma Ishigaki taking over the role as the new Gavan, Geki Jumonji. Geki previously appeared with his assistant Shelly (portrayed by Suzuka Morita) a month prior in a special crossover two-parter with Tokumei Sentai Go-BustersIcon-crosswiki.

The cast of Gavan: The Movie soon joined with the Kamen Rider SeriesIcon-crosswiki and Super Sentai in Kamen Rider × Super Sentai × Space Sheriff: Super Hero Taisen Z, released on April 27th 2013 following the first Super Hero Taisen a year prior. Also featuring Kenji Ohba reprising his role as the retired Retsu Ichijouji now in a command poistion as well as the return of the Madou from Uchuu Keiji Sharivan, the protagonists of other Metal Hero Series Sekai Ninja Sen Jiraiya, Kidou Keiji Jiban, Tokusou Robo Janperson, Tokusou Exceedraft, Juukou B-Fighter and B-Fighter Kabuto appeared via the Gokai ChangesIcon-crosswiki of Gokaiger.

However, with Gavan: The Movie's performance in the box office not meeting expectations, doubt has been cast on the Space Sheriff/Metal Heroes revival and it is unclear whether further productions will follow in the near-future. [1]

Nevertheless, in late 2014, a pair of interconnected V-Cinema features, written by Naruhisa Arakawa and directed by Koichi Sakamoto, based on the new incarnations of Uchuu Keiji Sharivan and Uchuu Keiji Shaider respectively were released. Uchuu Keiji Sharivan NEXT GENERATION was released on October 10th, followed by Uchuu Keiji Shaider NEXT GENERATION on November 7th. In addition, these features featured guest appearances from their respective original series, with Hiroshi Watari returning as Den Iga/Sharivan in Sharivan and Naomi Morinaga returning as Annie in Shaider.

The following year, Takumi Tsutsui (Toha Yamaji) would reprise his role as the eponymous hero of Sekai Ninja Sen Jiraiya in a special guest appearance in the thirty-fourth episodeIcon-crosswiki of the third ninja-themed Super Sentai, Shuriken Sentai NinningerIcon-crosswiki, broadcast on October 18th, 2015.

Since 2017, the Space SquadIcon-crosswiki film series serves to bring back most of the Metal Hero protagonists, crossing over with various Super Sentai such as Tokuso Sentai DekarangerIcon-crosswiki and Uchu Sentai KyurangerIcon-crosswiki.

[]

TV specials[]

Films[]

Toei Manga Festival[]

3D Event[]

Toei Superhero Fair[]

Post-series films[]

Net Movie[]

Video works[]

International works[]

These remakes were produced beyond Japan.

Games[]

LSI electronic games[]

Video games[]

[]

Trading Card Games[]

Pachislot[]

Manga[]

Novels[]

Other[]

International adaptations[]

United States[]

In the 1990s, Saban adapted some of the Metal Hero Series shows for American audiences in the United States. Stock footage from Metalder, Spielvan and Shaider was used in VR Troopers (1994–1996). Later, footage from both B-Fighter series was used in Big Bad Beetleborgs. Both shows ran for two seasons and ended when all the stock footage from those series were used up.

Jiraiya was adapted into Power Rangers Super Ninja Steel as Sheriff Skyfire, with Gavan as Captian Chaku in the second season of Beast Morphers.

Philippines[]

In the Philippines, where several series have aired and dubbed into local languages, Zaido: Pulis Pangkalawakan has been given the go ahead from Toei to be allowed to be a "sequel" to Shaider, featuring characters intended to be the descendents of those of the original series.[2] Later on, Toei had refused the production to be aired. Instead, a spin-off series set 20 years after the end of Shaider was given the go ahead.[3]

Brazil[]

The Metal Hero series were arguably the most successful tokusatsu in Brazil. In 1988, Juspion, under the title Jaspion, was broadcast by TV Manchete and became an instant hit. Manchete followed by broadcasting Jiraiya in 1989, Jiban in 1990, Spielvan (renamed Jaspion 2) in 1991, Winspector in 1994 and Solbrain in 1995. Manchete also aired Jiraiya when it was renamed TV! (later RedeTV!) in 1999. Other networks also brought shows, with TV Bandeirantes broadcasting_Metalder_ and Sharivan in 1990, and two networks, Rede Globo and TV Gazeta, showing Sheider and Gavan (renamed Gyaban) simultaneously in 1991. Jaspion, Jiraiya and Jiban were later released on DVD in Brazil.

In February 2018, it was announced that Jaspion would get a remake movie produced by Brazilian company Sato Company, with Toei's endorsement and approval. The movie's cast is expected to be announced in 2019, with the film set to be released sometime later. However, the production of this film is not moving forward since 2020.

Homages[]

GIGA Tokusatsu created a homage to the Metal Hero Series known as Juuko Tokusou Dinnovator.

References[]

  1. ↑ http://risingsuntokusatsu.com/?p=4280
  2. ↑ "GMA-7 acquires exclusive rights to "Shaider"".pep.ph. Retrieved 2007-09-20.
  3. ↑ "Rights for Shaider Remake Revoked to GMA-7"Gameops.net, n.d. http://www.gameops.net/2007/07/rights-for-shaider-remake-revoked-from.html. Retrieved 2007-10-27.