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Metal Hero Series

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Metal Hero Series
Created byToei Company
∟Saburō Yatsude
Susumu Yoshikawa
Original workSpace Sheriff Gavan
Films and television
Film(s)Space Sheriff Gavan: The Movie
Space Sheriff Sharivan: Next Generation
Space Sheriff Shaider: Next Generation
Television seriesSee below
Games
TraditionalRangers Strike
Video game(s)The Space Sheriff Spirits
Miscellaneous
Toy(s)Souchaku Henshin Series
S.H. Figuarts

TheMetal Hero Series(メタルヒーローシリーズ,Metaru Hīrō Series)is ametaseriesoftokusatsusuperheroTV series produced byToeifor Japanese television.

The protagonists of theMetal Hero Seriesare mainlyspace,militaryandpolice-based characters who are typically either androids, cyborgs, or human beings who don "metallic"[clarification needed]armored suits. Henceforth, most of the Metal Heroes are also referenced as another example of the "Henshin (transforming) Heroes" genre. 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 byToeifrom 1982 through 1999 in conjunction with their other Tokusatsu superhero shows,Kamen RiderandSuper Sentai.In addition toJapan,they are also popular inFrance,Brazil,thePhilippines,MalaysiaandIndonesia.During the 1990s,Saban Entertainmentused some of the shows to produce programs similar to theirPower Rangersseries. Some of theMetal Hero Serieseven spawned such 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.

List ofMetal Hero Series[edit]

  • 1982:Space Sheriff Gavan(Vũ trụ hình sự ギャバン,Uchū Keiji Gyaban)
  • 1983:Space Sheriff Sharivan(Vũ trụ hình sự シャリバン,Uchū Keiji Shariban)
  • 1984:Space Sheriff Shaider(Vũ trụ hình sự シャイダー,Uchū Keiji Shaidā)
  • 1985:MegaBeast Investigator Juspion(Cự thú đặc sưu ジャスピオン,Kyojū Tokusō Jasupion,Space Wolf Juspion)
  • 1986:Jikuu Senshi Spielban(Thời không chiến sĩ スピルバン,Jikū Senshi Supiruban,Spacetime Warrior Spielban)
  • 1987:Choujinki Metalder(Siêu nhân cơ メタルダー,Chōjinki Metarudā,Superhuman Machine Metalder)
  • 1988:Sekai Ninja Sen Jiraiya(Thế giới nhẫn giả chiến ジライヤ,Sekai Ninja Sen Jiraiya,World Ninja War Jiraiya)
  • 1989:The Mobile Cop Jiban(Cơ động hình sự ジバン,Kidō Keiji Jiban)
  • 1990:Special Rescue Police Winspector(Đặc cảnh ウインスペクター,Tokkei Uinsupekutā)
  • 1991:Super Rescue Solbrain(Đặc cứu chỉ lệnh ソルブレイン,Tokkyū Shirei Soruburein,Special Rescue Command Solbrain)
  • 1992:Special Rescue Exceedraft(Đặc sưu エクシードラフト,Tokusō Ekushīdorafuto,Special Rescue Exceedraft)
  • 1993:Tokusou Robo Janperson(Đặc sưu ロボ ジャンパーソン,Tokusō Robo Janpāson,Special Investigations Robo Janperson)
  • 1994:Blue SWAT(ブルースワット,Burū Suwatto)
  • 1995:Juukou B-Fighter(Trọng giáp ビーファイター,Jūkō Bī Faitā,Heavyshell Beetle Fighter)
  • 1996:B-Fighter Kabuto(ビーファイターカブト,Bī Faitā Kabuto,Beetle Fighter Kabuto)
  • 1997:B-Robo Kabutack(ビーロボカブタック,Bī Robo Kabutakku,Beetle Robo Kabutack)
  • 1998:Tetsuwan Tantei Robotack(テツワン tham trinh ロボタック,Tetsuwan Tantei Robotakku,Iron Bark Detective Robotack)

Theatrical releases[edit]

V-Cinema releases[edit]

Televi Magazine Super Video/Special DVD
  • Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters vs. Beet Buster vs. J
  • Space Sheriff Gavan Special DVD

International adaptations[edit]

United States[edit]

During the 1990s,SabanadaptedMetal Hero Seriesshows for American audiences; stock footage fromMetalder,SpielvanandShaiderwas used inVR Troopers(1994–1996), and footage from bothB-Fighterseries was later used inBig Bad Beetleborgs.Both shows ran for two seasons. As of 2018,Discotek Mediahas licensedJuspionfor release marking the first release of the Metal Heroes in the US. BothJiraiyaandGavanwere used for thePower Rangersfranchise with Jiraiya as Sheriff Skyfire inPower Rangers Super Ninja Steeland Gavan as Captain Chaku inPower Rangers Beast Morphers.

Philippines[edit]

In 1987,Space Sheriff Shaiderwas the first Metal Hero series aired in the Philippines onGMA Network.

In 1997, GMA airedBeetleborgs,produced by the AmericanSaban Entertainmentand adopted from bothJuukou B-FighterandB-Fighter Kabuto,pitting up against thePower Rangersseries on its rival network ABS-CBN in which Saban also produced from theSuper Sentaiwith Toei as well.

Zaido: Pulis Pangkalawakanwas greenlighted by Toei as a sequel toShaider,with characters who are descendants of those in the original series.[1]Toei later halted production, instead authorizing a spin-off series set 20 years after the end ofShaider.[2]

Brazil[edit]

TheMetal Heroseries were successful in Brazil. In 1988,Juspion(asJaspion) was broadcast byTV Manchete.Manchete followed withJiraiyain 1989,Jibanin 1990,Spielvan(renamedJaspion 2) in 1991,Winspectorin 1994 andSolbrainin 1995. Other networks also bought shows, withTV BandeirantesbroadcastingMetalderandSharivanin 1990 and two networks (Rede GloboandTV Gazeta) airingSheiderandGavan(renamedGyaban) in 1991.Jaspion,JiraiyaandJibanwere later released on DVD in the country.

Until 2016, most of the series that were released in Brazilian television in 80's and 90's are going toNetflix,Amazon Prime VideoandPlayplusin Brazil. The distribution company Sato Company acquired many of those series and negotiated withNetflix.Also, some new products like Garo series are in these negotiations too.[3]

Current status[edit]

Other similar heroes, such asNebula Mask Machine Man,Kyodai Ken Byclosser,Lady Battle Cop,andChoukou Senshi Changéríon,were also produced during the time that theMetal Hero Serieswere on the air, but are not included as part of theMetal Hero Seriesfor various reasons.Machine ManandBicrosserwere created byShotaro Ishinomori,while Changéríon's armor is not metallic and aired onTV Tokyo.It's unknown if Lady Battle Cop is part of Toei's shared universe.

Currently, theMetal Hero Serieswere one of Toei's defunct genres as the company rather favors more of theSuper SentaiandKamen Rider Seriesof shows and allegedly the passing of Shotaro Ishinomori. Although, many of the Metal Hero traits have been adopted into the new generation of Super Sentai and Kamen Rider shows. Today, the present versions of this type of heroes are also merged in with theHenshin Heroesdescription.

Some Metal Heroes have also made cameo appearances. In 2004, a specialTokusou Sentai Dekarangerstage show had a special appearance by Gavan, who assisted Hurricane Red fromNinpuu Sentai Hurricanegerand Aba Red fromBakuryuu Sentai Abarangerin battling various Alienizer monsters fromDeka Ranger.

In 2005, Toei released someUchuu Keijitrilogy 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, aPlayStation 2video game titledThe Space Sheriff Spiritswas 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.[original research?]In early 2008, the trading card company Cardass announced a new, Metal Heroes based expansion to theirRangers Strikecard game, entitledSpecial Metal Edition,featuring characters and vehicles from the variousMetal Hero Seriesfor use within the game.

Despite no more television series having been made, the Space Sheriff Series re-emerged in the 2010s with feature films, including new actors portraying successors to Gavan, Sharivan, and Shaider. Some of them are stand alone entries, while others feature crossovers with other Super Sentai and Kamen Rider characters.

References[edit]

  1. ^"GMA-7 acquires exclusive rights to" Shaider "".pep.ph.Archived fromthe originalon August 27, 2007.RetrievedSeptember 20,2007.
  2. ^"Rights for Shaider Remake Revoked from GMA-7".Gameops.net, n.d.RetrievedOctober 27,2007.
  3. ^"Exclusivo: Séries Tokusatsu na Netflix".May 25, 2015.
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