Spider-Man (Japanese TV series): Difference between revisions

Spider-Man
File:Toei Spiderman TC.PNG
Created by	Toei Company
Country of origin
No. of episodes	41
Production
Running time	30 minutes
Original release
Network	Tokyo Channel 12 (Now TV Tokyo)
Release	May 17, 1978 – March 14, 1979

The Japanese tokusatsu version of Spider-Man (スパイダーマン, Supaidāman) was a television series produced by Toei Company in 1978, based on Marvel's superhero of the same name.

This version of the famous web-slinging hero 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 popularizing 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.

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.

• Takuya Yamashiro/Spider-Man : Shinji Todou
• Professor Monster : Mitsuo Ando
• Niiko Yamashiro : Izumi Ooyama
• Hitomi Sakuma : Rika Miura
• Amazone : Yukie Kagawa

1. 復讐の時は来たれり! 撃て鉄十字団!!
   Fukushū no Toki wa Kitareri! Ute Tetsu Jūji Dan!!/The Time of Revenge Has Come! Beat Down Iron Cross Group!!
2. 怪奇の世界! 宿命に生きる男
   Kaiki no Sekai! Shukumei ni Ikiru Okoto/Mysterious World! The Man Lives to Fate
3. 怪盗001vsくも男
   Kaitō Daburu-Ō Wan Tai Kumo Otoko/Mysterious Thief 001 VS. Spider-Man
4. 恐怖の半魚人! 奇蹟を呼ぶ銀の糸
   Kyōfu no Han Kyojin! Kiseki o Yobu Gin no Ito/The Terrifying Half Merman! Calling the Miracle Silver Thread
5. 激突マシンGP-7! 兄弟の誓い
   Gekitotsu Mashin Jī-Pī-Sebun! Kyōdai no Chikai/Crash Machine GP-7! The Oath Siblings
6. 戦慄の実験室! 悪魔のモンスター教授
   Senritsu no Shikkenshitsu! Akuma no Monsutā Kyōshu/Shuddering Laboratory! Devilish Professor Monster
7. 恐ろしきヒット曲! 歌って踊る殺人ロック
   Osoroshiki Hitto Kyoku! Katte Odoru Satsujin Rokku/Fearful Hit Tune! Song Dancing Murder Rock
8. 世にも不思議な昔ばなし 呪いの猫塚
   Yo ni mo Fushigi na Mukashi ba Nashi Noroi no Neko Chō/Once Upon a Time in the Mysteriousless World: The Cursed Cat Mound
9. 動くアクセサリーは恋のカブト虫スパイ
   Ugoku Akusesarī wa Koi no Kabuto Mushi Supai/Motion Accessory is a Loveful Beetle Insect Spy
10. 炎地獄にへび女の涙を見た
    Honō Jigoku ni Hebi Onna no Namida o Mita/To the Flaming Hell: See the Tears of the Snake Woman
11. モンスター教授のウルトラ毒殺
    Monsutā Kyōshu no Urutora Dokusatsu/Professor Monster's Ultra Poisoning
12. 華麗なる殺人マシーンへの変身
    Karei Naru Satsujin Mashīn e no Henshin/Becoming Splendid: To the Murderous Machine of Transformation
13. ドクロ団対悪魔の霊柩車
    Dokuro Dan Tai Akuma no Reikyūsha/The Skull Group VS. The Devilish Hearse
14. 父に捧げよ 戦えぬ勇者の歌を
    Chichi ni Sasage yo Tatakae nu Yūsha no Uta o/Giving Father! Fight to the Song of the Hero
15. ぼくたちの命の約束
    Boku tachi no Inochi no Yakusoku/The Life of Our Arrangement
16. 名犬よ 父のもとへ走れ
    Meiken yo Chichi no moto e Hashire/Fine Dog! Run to the Under of Father
17. プロレスラー サムソンの涙
    Puro Resurā Samuson no Namida/Pro Wrestler Samson's Tears
18. 母の胸に甦る少年
    Haha no Mune ni Yomigaeru Shōnen/In the Mother's Chest: Resurrect The Young Boys
19. まぼろしの少年 地図にない村
    Maboroshi no Shōnen Chizu ni nai Mura/The Boy Phantom: To the Villageless Map
20. 謎が謎を呼ぶ私の出生の秘密
    Nazo ga Nazo o Yobu Watashi no Shuushō no Himitsu/Riddle: Calling the Riddle of My Secret Birth
21. 大空に散る父の愛
    Ōzora ni Chiru Chichi no Ai/Fall to the Great Skies: Father's Love
22. 暗い運命に泣け 父と子
    Kurai Unmei ni Nake Chichi to Ko/Shedding Tears to the Dark Fate: Father and Child
23. 家なき子たちに愛の学園を
    Ienakiko Tachi ni Ai no Gakuen o/To the Love Academy of the Homeless Children
24. ゴキブリ少年大戦争
    Gokiburi Shōnen Dai Sensō/Cockroach Boy: Great War
25. 秘宝と犬と複成人間
    Hihō to Inu to Fuku Sei Ningen/Treasure, Dog, and Double Grow Human
26. 絶対ピンチのにせものヒーロー
    Zettai Pinchi no Nise mono Hīrō/To the Absolute Crisis: The Imitation Hero
27. さらば戦友 愛しのセパード
    Saraba Sen'yū Itoshi no Sepādo/Farewell War Buddy: Beloved German Shepard
28. 駅前横町の少年探偵団
    Ekimae Yokochō no Shōnen Tantei Dan/The Front of the Alley: Boys' Detective Group
29. 急げGP-7 時間よ止まれ
    Isoge Jī-Pī-Sebun Jikan yo Tomare/Hurry, GP-7: Time of Stop Sign
30. ガンバレ美人おまわりさん
    Ganbare Bijin Omawarisan/Good Luck, Beautiful Police Officer
31. 明日なき子連れ刑事
    Ashita naki Kotsure Keiji/There is no Child-Taking Detective Tomorrow
32. 甘くささやく妖女
    Amaku Sasaku Yōjo/Sweet Whispering Enchantress
33. 男の子をイビる野性の凄い少女
    Otokonoko o Ibiru Yasei no Sugoi Shōjo/The Boy Teases the Horrible Wild Girl
34. びっくりカメラ殺人事件
    Bikkuri Kamera Satsujin Jiken/Surprising Camera: Murderous Event
35. 秘境アマゾンから来たミイラ美女
    Hikyō Amazon Kara Kita Mīra Bijo/From the Unexplored Amazon: Here Comes the Mummified Beautiful Woman
36. たまねぎ鉄仮面と少年探偵団
    Tamanegi Gin Kamen to Shōnen Tantei Dan/The Onion Silver Mask and the Boys' Detective Group
37. 地獄からの密使 えん魔大王
    Jigoku Kara no Missha Enma Daiō/From the Secret Messenger of Hell: Great King Enma
38. ブリキの一番星と少年探偵団
    Buriki no Ichibanboshi to Shōnen Tantei Dan/The First Tin Plate Evening Star and the Boys' Detective Group
39. 格闘技世界一大会
    Kakutōki Sekai Ichidai Kai/Sports World: One Great Meeting
40. さらばゼロ戦の謎
    Saraba Zero Sen no Nazo/Farewell Zero Battle Tricks
41. 輝け熱血の勇者
    Kagayake Nekketsu no Yūsha/The Hero's Shining Hot Blood

• Opening Theme
  • 駆けろ!スパイダーマン
    Kakerou! Spider-Man/Go For It! Spider-Man
    • Music/Arrangement by: Watanabe Chumei
    • Lyrics by: Hatte Saburo
    • Vocals: ‘Hideyuki’

• Closing Theme:
  • 誓いのバラード
    Chikai Ballad/Declaration Ballad
    • Music/Arrangement: Watanabe Chumei
    • Lyrics: Hatte Saburo
    • Vocals: ‘Hideyuki’

On December 9, 2005 Toei released the entire Spiderman series on a 8 disc DVD boxset.

• Apart from the costume and powers of the main character, this TV series has nothing to do with Ryoichi Ikegami's 1970 manga adaptation of Spider-Man or the original Spider-Man comics. Yet, a second manga series by Mitsuru Sugaya was published by Akita Shoten in Bohken-Oh Magazine in 1978. This version was based on the TV series and included Leopardon, Marveller and all the typical tokusatsu elements.

• In this version of the character, Spider-Man's costume was not worn under everyday street clothes. Instead, the super suit was released from a wrist device worn by the hero, Takuya. Upon activation, the costume would eject from the bracelet and spring through the air (much like the expanding costume for DC's The Flash when released by Barry Allen's ring), literally sweep down, and "cover" the young man from the top of his mask down to his feet. The scene would be quickly followed by a close shot of the hero zipping up the costume at the back at the neck, and then taking a heroic pose having transformed into the wall-crawler.

• The Marvel/Toei deal resulted in this series and Battle Fever J (1979), which was not only the third Super Sentai series, but essentially a Japanese version of Captain America. ^[1]

• 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. ^[1]

• 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.

• One of the monsters in the show has a resemblance to Marvel's Ben Grimm, aka The Thing.

• Stan Lee, in an interview conducted by Toei, stated that he enjoyed the way Spider-Man was done, especially with Leopardon and the way that it was filmed. He also stated that he was invited by Toei to do a future sequel to Spider-Man with him doing the storyline. ^[2]

• The show was lampooned on an episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live, referencing the release of the Japanese Spider-Man 3 trailer.

• Spider-Man at IMDb
• Stomp Tokyo Review
• Japan Hero's Information on the series
• Website for the 8 Disc DVD Boxset (Includes an interview with Stan Lee with Japanese subtitles.)
• Information on the Leopardon toy.
• Pictures of the manga version by Mitsuru Sugaya (Japanese)