Megaloman
Megaloman (メガロマン, Megaroman) is the name and titular superhero of a tokusatsu SF/superhero/kaiju/Kyodai Hero TV series. Created by Tetsu Kariya, the show was produced by Toho Company Ltd., and aired on Fuji TV from May 7 to December 24, 1979, with a total of 31 half-hour episodes. Starting with Episode 14, the show's title became Flaming Superman Megaloman (炎の超人メガロマン - Honô no Chôjin Megaroman).
Like Toho's Meteor Man Zone, the series mixes elements of the Kyodai Hero genre with those of the Sentai Series (Battle Fever J, the first "Super Sentai", had premiered on TV around the same time). This series features a superhero quintet similar to those seen in the Super Sentai Series, but just like in Zone Fighter, the team's leader/main character Takashi Shishidou transforms into a giant long-haired Ultraman-like colossus, Megaloman.
The Story
The planet Rosetta has been taken over by the Black Star army led by Captain Dagger. Takashi Shishido and his mother Rosemary escaped to Planet Earth after his father Gou was captured by Dagger, who is actually Takashi's evil twin brother Hiroshi! While living peacefully on Earth, Takashi attends a kung-fu school in Japan, and has four friends, but they had no idea that he was from another planet, a secret only his martial arts teacher Takamine knew. But when Captain Dagger initiates his attack on Earth using his army of various giant monsters, Rosemary (who also goes by the civilian name "Mari") gives Takashi the Megalon-Bracelets, with which he can transform into the giant long-haired warrior Megaloman to fight the evil monsters for the protection of Earth. Early in the show, Takashi's four martial arts school friends, Seiji Kurogawa (a tough, Bruce Lee-like fighter), Hyosuke Yuri (the comedy relief), Ran Takamine (Master Takamine's daughter & Takashi's girlfriend) and Ippei Saru (the little kid) discover his secret and Rosemary decides to invite them to join Takashi in battle. So she gives them their own Megalon Bracelets to transform into a quartet of multicolored martial arts super-warriors to fight alongside Takashi.
Staff
- Original Story: Tetsu Kariya
- Planning: Kimio Ikeda
- Producers: Kiichi Shitamura, Yoichi Manoda, Yoshio Yamamoto
- Music: Seiji Yokoyama (Conductor: Hiroshi Kumagai), Shozo Tozuka (theme songs)
- Theme song singer: Ichirou Mizuki
- Lighting: Kunio Kishida
- Photography: Kazumasa Nomura, Yoshihiro Mori
- Art Director: Akihiko Takahashi
- Martial Arts Choreography: Junji Yamaoka (Japan Action Club)
- Special Effects: Koichi Kawakita, Yoichi Manoda
Cast
- Takashi Shishido/Megaloman/Captain Dagger: Yuki Kitazume
- Ran Takamine: Madoka Sugi
- Hyousuke Yuri: Pepe Hozumi
- Seiji Kurogawa: Jimmy Araki
- Ippei Mashira: Koji Hashimichi
- Rosemary/Mari Shishido: Yukiko Takabayashi
- Sougen Takamine Yoshio Inoue
- Berlock: Susumu Kurobe
Episode
- The Fiery Superman Strikes
- The Bracelets of Friendship
- The Shout of the Space Team
- Appearance of the Magnetic Monster
- The Star of Mt Hoshimigoka
- Order: Operation Invasion
- Fighting the Warrior of Love
- On Guard, Small Hero
- A UFO and a Dead Soldier in the Sea
- Combat in the Crime Army
- Battle For Command
- The Great Challenge
- The Battle of the Monsters
- The Earth's Children are Threatened
- Inner Conflict
- The Mask of Gold
- Where is the Secret Base?
- Proof Positive
- The Secret of the Scales
- The Great Invasion of Monsters
- The Heroism of Mary
- The Secret of the Megalo-Fire
- Infernal Prisoner
- Blood Urge
- The Death of Seiji
- The Monster Zagno Zvider
- A Providential Aide
- The Sacrifice of Hyme
- Takeshi - Don't Shoot the Monster!
- Dagger's Counterattack
- The Ultimate Challenge