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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

The Metal Hero Series (メタルヒーローシリーズ, Metaru Hīrō Series) is a metaseries 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 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 by Toei from 1982 through 1999 in conjunction with their other Tokusatsu superhero shows, Kamen Rider and Super Sentai. In addition to Japan, they are also popular in France, Brazil, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. During the 1990s, Saban Entertainment used some of the shows to produce programs similar to their Power Rangers series. Some of the Metal Hero Series even 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 of Metal Hero Series

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  • 1982: Space Sheriff Gavan (宇宙刑事ギャバン, Uchū Keiji Gyaban)
  • 1983: Space Sheriff Sharivan (宇宙刑事シャリバン, Uchū Keiji Shariban)
  • 1984: Space Sheriff Shaider (宇宙刑事シャイダー, Uchū Keiji Shaidā)
  • 1985: MegaBeast Investigator Juspion (巨獣特捜ジャスピオン, Kyojū Tokusō Jasupion, Space Wolf Juspion)
  • 1986: Jikuu Senshi Spielban (時空戦士スピルバン, Jikū Senshi Supiruban, Spacetime Warrior Spielban)
  • 1987: Choujinki Metalder (超人機メタルダー, Chōjinki Metarudā, Superhuman Machine Metalder)
  • 1988: Sekai Ninja Sen Jiraiya (世界忍者戦ジライヤ, Sekai Ninja Sen Jiraiya, World Ninja War Jiraiya)
  • 1989: The Mobile Cop Jiban (機動刑事ジバン, Kidō Keiji Jiban)
  • 1990: Special Rescue Police Winspector (特警ウインスペクター, Tokkei Uinsupekutā)
  • 1991: Super Rescue Solbrain (特救指令ソルブレイン, Tokkyū Shirei Soruburein, Special Rescue Command Solbrain)
  • 1992: Special Rescue Exceedraft (特捜エクシードラフト, Tokusō Ekushīdorafuto, Special Rescue Exceedraft)
  • 1993: Tokusou Robo Janperson (特捜ロボ 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 (重甲ビーファイター, 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 (テツワン探偵ロボタック, Tetsuwan Tantei Robotakku, Iron Bark Detective Robotack)

Theatrical releases

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V-Cinema releases

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

International adaptations

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United States

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During the 1990s, Saban adapted Metal Hero Series shows for American audiences; stock footage from Metalder, Spielvan and Shaider was used in VR Troopers (1994–1996), and footage from both B-Fighter series was later used in Big Bad Beetleborgs. Both shows ran for two seasons. As of 2018, Discotek Media has licensed Juspion for release marking the first release of the Metal Heroes in the US. Both Jiraiya and Gavan were used for the Power Rangers franchise with Jiraiya as Sheriff Skyfire in Power Rangers Super Ninja Steel and Gavan as Captain Chaku in Power Rangers Beast Morphers.

Philippines

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Zaido: Pulis Pangkalawakan was greenlighted by Toei as a sequel to Shaider, 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 of Shaider.[2]

Current status

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Other similar heroes, such as Nebula Mask Machine Man, Kyodai Ken Byclosser, Lady Battle Cop, and Choukou Senshi Changéríon, were also produced 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. Machine Man and Bicrosser were created by Shotaro Ishinomori, while Changéríon's armor is not metallic and aired on TV Tokyo. It is unknown if Lady Battle Cop is part of Toei's shared universe.

Currently, the Metal Hero Series is one of Toei's defunct properties, as the company rather favors the Super Sentai and Kamen Rider Series of shows, allegedly due to the passing of Shotaro Ishinomori. However, many of the traits of the series have been adopted into the newer installations of the Super Sentai and Kamen Rider shows. Today, the present versions of this type of heroes are also merged in with the Henshin Heroes description.

Some Metal Heroes have also made cameo appearances. In 2004, a special Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger stage show had a special appearance by Gavan, who assisted Hurricane Red from Ninpuu Sentai Hurricaneger and Aba Red from Bakuryuu Sentai Abaranger in battling various Alienizer monsters from Deka Ranger.

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.[original research?] In early 2008, the trading card company Cardass announced a new, Metal Heroes based expansion to their Rangers Strike card game, entitled Special Metal Edition, featuring characters and vehicles from the various Metal Hero Series for 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

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  1. ^ "GMA-7 acquires exclusive rights to "Shaider"". pep.ph. Archived from the original on August 27, 2007. Retrieved September 20, 2007.
  2. ^ "Rights for Shaider Remake Revoked from GMA-7". Gameops.net, n.d. Retrieved October 27, 2007.
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