Speilban's relative low ratings showed that the "space sheriff " like shows were becoming out of fashion. As a result, the Metal Hero series tried to refresh itself, with new concepts.
Metalder was the first of those shows: while it still had some elements of the Space Sheriff shows, it was nevertheless a departure from the franchise, the hero being a robot, and he was fighting villains with a huge organization, with a very complex hierarchy, and with almost every villain being a recurring character: however, it was a failure, with the lowest ratings ever for a Metal Hero show, and the show was cancelled at episode 39. The next show, Jiraiya was a completely different concept, never seen before, and never used again in Metal Hero, all the characters (protagonists and antagonists) being ninjas confronting each other : the heroes's uniform were much less metallic than in any other show. Then came Jiban, which was pretty much a Robocop homage, using a similar concept. Jiban introduced the concept of a Metal Hero being an urban cop, and with supporting characters being regular cops : that concept would be more explored in the later era of Metal Hero, the Rescue Police era.
Susumu Takaku and Noboru Sugimura are the two major writers of that era: Takaku as head writer of Metalder and Jiraiya and secondary writer of Jiraiya, Sugimura as head writer of Jiban, and secondary writer of Jiraiya. Sugimura would then be the major writer who would start the Rescue Police era.
Metalder (Choujinki Metalder)
Susumu Takaku (main writer) : 1-6, 13, 16-22, 24-26, 30, 33-37 (23 episodes)
Haruya Yamazaki : 7 (1 episode)
掛札昌裕 : 8 (1 episode)
Kunio Fujii : 9, 12, 15, 28, 31, 38-39 (7 episodes)
Shouzo Uehara : 10 (1 episode)
Nobuo Oogisawa : 11, 27 (2 episodes)
中原朗 : 14, 23, 29 (3 episodes)
Shigeru Yanagawa : 32 (1 episode)
Jiraiya (Sekai Ninja Sen Jiraiya)
Susumu Takaku (main writer) : 2-3, 5, 7, 9-11, 13, 15, 19, 24-25, 28, 31, 34-35, 37-39, 41, 48-50 (23 episodes)
中原朗 : 1, 20 (2 episodes)
Kunio Fujii : 4, 6, 8, 12, 17-18, 26, 32, 45, 47 (with 藤井康浩) (10 episodes)
Kenji Terada : 14, 16, 21, 23 (4 episodes)
九鬼隆 : 22, 27 (with 小池剛 ) (2 episodes)
小池剛 : 27 (with 九鬼隆), 29, 44 (3 episodes)
Nobuo Oogisawa : 30, 33, 36, 42, 46 (5 episodes)
Noboru Sugimura : 40, 43 (2 episodes)
藤井康浩 : 47 (with Kunio Fujii)
Mobile Cop Jiban ( Kidou Keiji Jiban)
Noboru Sugimura (main writer) : 1-3, 5, 11, 13, 17-20, 25, 27-28, 34-35, 37, 39, 46, 51 (with Kenichi Araki), 52 (20 episodes)
Kunio Fujii : 4, 7, 10, 14, 32, 43 (6 episodes)
Susumu Takaku : 6, 9, 12, 16, 21-22, 24, 31, 40, 47 (10 episodes)
Nobuo Oogisawa : 8, 15, 23, 26, 29, 36, 38, 42, 48 (9 episodes)
Kyoko Sagiyama : 30, 33, 44, 49 (4 episodes)
Kenichi Araki: 41, 45, 50, 51 (with Sugimura) (4 episodes)
With the hi-tech 80s shining. Metalder was nothing but a retelling of Shotaro Ishimori's Kikaider. Everything was similar from Top Gunder/Hakaider.
ReplyDeleteThe Pinocchio theme of the Robot with a human soul.
And the mysterious villain of God Neros and Professor Gill.
Overall Metalder was a way more hi-tech looking show and it almost had more dimensions then Ishimori's classic.
If there is ever a reboot, I hope it can be as gritty and cool as Metalder.
Jiraiya is the return of the Ninja adventures. Toei did dish it as Akakage and Henshin Ninja Arashi another Ishimori's classic. Then again it was the 80s version of Akakage.
Jiraiya is not a real metal hero but because of his Ninja suit compose of armor we have to call him a metal hero. It was unique and if Toei will produce another hero show as Sentai and Rider is the primary. A show like Jiraiya should return.
Meanwhile Jiban alone has opened doors to the law and rescue series that stayed strong in the 90s. It wasnt until Beetle Fighter rearanged the genre.