| Title | Period broadcast |
No of times broadcast |
Broadcasting station (network) |
Outline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harimau | April 5, 1960 – June 27, 1961 | 64 | Nippon Television | Original author: Katsuro Yamada Ishinomori produced a manga version. This was the first media franchise in Japan. |
| Masked Rider | April 3, 1971 – February 10, 1973 | 98 | Mainichi Broadcasting System | The start of all of Ishimori’s hero legends. The word, “Henshin!” (transformation), became very popular. |
| Metamorphosis Ninja Arashi | April 27, 1972 – February 23, 1973 | 47 | Mainichi Broadcasting System | Said to have influenced Star Wars; what you might call a period drama version of Masked Rider. |
| Kikaider | July 8, 1972 – May 5, 1973 | 43 | Nihon Educational Television (TV Asahi) |
In the same vein as Masked Rider; a typical Ishimori hero. Depicts the complications of an android, Jiro. |
| Masked Rider V3 | February 17, 1973 – February 9, 1974 | 52 | Mainichi Broadcasting System | The first and second Masked Riders produced the astonishing third Masked Rider which has 26 secrets. |
| Robot Detective | April 5 – September 27, 1973 | 26 | Fuji Television Network | Full-scale science fiction detective story with splendid actors such as Kaku Takashina and Shinichi Chiba. |
| Kikaider 01 | May 12, 1973 – March 30, 1974 | 46 | Nihon Educational Television (TV Asahi) |
No need to say that this is the second series of Kikaider. The battle between two Kikaiders and the band of the four strong Hakaiders thrills! |
| Inazuman | October 2, 1973 – March 26, 1974 | 25 | Nihon Educational Television (TV Asahi) |
Typical Ishimori psychic hero! The two stage transformation, pupa stage and butterfly stage, is unique! |
| Masked Rider X | February 16 – October 12, 1974 | 35 | Mainichi Broadcasting System / Tokyo Broadcasting System | The third Masked Rider series. The 5th Masked Rider, named X, who fights GOD with various weapons. |
| Inazuman F (Flash) | April 9 – September 24, 1974 | 23 | Nihon Educational Television (TV Asahi) |
Inazuman Flash with increased power! His secret weapon is a zebra. |
| Masked Rider Amazon | October 19, 1974 – March 29, 1975 | 24 | Mainichi Broadcasting System / Nihon Educational Television | The theme returns to the original. The 6th Masked Rider, Amazon Masked Rider, is the king of the jungle. |
| Masked Rider Stronger | April 5 – December 27, 1975 | 39 | Mainichi Broadcasting System / Tokyo Broadcasting System | The transformed human, Stronger, has the shape of a rhinoceros beetle and uses electricity. His partner, Tackle, impressed people. |
| Gorenger | April 5, 1975 – March 27, 1977 | 84 | Nihon Educational Television (TV Asahi) |
Five warriors with faces hidden by masks of five different colors. The start of all Ishinomori’s squad stories! |
| Akumaizer 3 | October 7, 1975 – June 29, 1976 | 39 | Nihon Educational Television (TV Asahi ) |
Three people of the Akuma Race living in the Down World underground start fighting for peace of humans. |
| Space Ironman Kyodain | April 2, 1976 – March 11, 1977 | 48 | Tokyo Broadcasting System | Protect the earth from invading aliens from Dada. Two brother robots going full blast! |
| Superhuman Bibyun | July 6, 1976 – March 29, 1977 | 37 | Nihon Educational Television (TV Asahi) |
The second series of Akumizer 3. Akuma, destroyed by an evil curse, is resurrected as a god. |
| Kaiketsu Zubat | February 2 – September 28, 1977 | 34 | Tokyo 12 channel (TV Tokyo) |
Story of private detective, Ken Hayakawa, famous for his phrase, “I’m the second best in Japan.” One of script writer Nagasaka’s best works. |
| Daitetsujin 17 | March 18 – November 11, 1977 | 35 | Mainichi Broadcasting System | An antithesis of the modern times, as a supercomputer rises in revolt, typical of Ishimori. |
| J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai | April 2 – December 24, 1977 | 35 | TV Asahi | The second squad series after the Gorenger. In the latter half, squad leader, Big One, joins, making five. |
| Message From Space Great Galaxy War + |
July 8, 1978 – January 27, 1979 | 27 | TV Asahi | TV series continuing the story depicted in a movie directed by Kinji Fukasaku. The young Hiroyuki Sanada appears! |
| Masked Rider (Skyrider) | October 5, 1979 – October 10, 1980 | 54 | Mainichi Broadcasting System / Tokyo Broadcasting System | Revival after about four years of the Masked Rider series. Masked Rider in this series is Skyrider, and he can fly. |
■Comment■
This section has comments on live-action hero dramas broadcast on TV. Please see the section for children’s dramas for TV programs which do not have transforming heroes, such as Robocon.
■Credit, original story by Shotaro Ishimori
Thinking of Shotaro Ishinomori, many people recall him as being the person who established the hero programs and remember the credit stating the original story by Shotaro Ishimori, rather than remembering him as a manga artist, which was his major occupation. This is to be expected, since twenty hero drama series of Ishinomori were broadcast in the seventies, including the Masked Rider series, which caused such a great stir. It may be a matter of course that a generation who were boys full of sentimentalism in those years became imprinted with hero dramas.
■The great second and third monster booms of the seventies
The second monster boom occurred at the beginning of the seventies. An amazing number of programs with special effects were produced. This boom was also called the transformation boom and spread through the whole of Japan, lasting until around 1974. Broadcasts of the Masked Rider series started, and Ultraman — the principal hero of Tsuburaya Productions — was revived in the Return of Ultraman series (1971, TBS Network). Both series became great hits. After successes, TV stations broadcast dramas with special effects one after another.
The boom ceased in the mid-seventies. The third monster boom started gradually in or around 1978, lasting up to the early eighties. Godzilla and Gamera were revived in movies and a new Ultraman series started in 1980. A new Godzilla movie was screened in 1984. A new Masked Rider series, with the same title as the first series, which fans had wanted for a long time, was revived in 1979 after a lapse of four years.
There may be some people asking “You say boom, but isn’t this something of an exaggeration?” and so on. One look at the table below will instantly dispel any such doubt. My dear young friends who did not experience the booms may say gyafun (have the wind taken out of their sails) by seeing the not-at-all-halfway numbers of programs (intentionally written in seventies style).
The boom ceased in the mid-seventies. The third monster boom started gradually in or around 1978, lasting up to the early eighties. Godzilla and Gamera were revived in movies and a new Ultraman series started in 1980. A new Godzilla movie was screened in 1984. A new Masked Rider series, with the same title as the first series, which fans had wanted for a long time, was revived in 1979 after a lapse of four years.
There may be some people asking “You say boom, but isn’t this something of an exaggeration?” and so on. One look at the table below will instantly dispel any such doubt. My dear young friends who did not experience the booms may say gyafun (have the wind taken out of their sails) by seeing the not-at-all-halfway numbers of programs (intentionally written in seventies style).
| Title | Period broadcast |
Production | Broadcasting station (network) |
Outline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Space Apeman Gori | January 2, 1971 – March 25, 1972 | P Productions | Fuji Television | Spectreman (Enemies are polluting monsters.) |
| Return of Ultraman | April 2, 1971 – March 31, 1972 | Tsuburaya Productions | Tokyo Broadcasting System | Ultraman (Later named Jack) |
| Silver Mask | November 28, 1971 – May 21, 1972 | Senkosha Production | Tokyo Broadcasting System | Silver Mask (Later becomes gigantic and is called Giant) |
| Mirrorman | December 5, 1971 – November 2, 1972 | Tsuburaya Productions | Fuji Television | Mirrorman |
| Kaiketsu Lion-Maru | April 1, 1972 – April 7, 1973 | P Productions | Fuji Television | Lion-Maru (The enemy is Tiger Joe) |
| Superhuman Baromu 1 | April 2 – November 26, 1972 | Toei | Yomiuri Telecasting | Baromu 1 (Original story by Takao Saito) |
| Redman | April 3 – September 2, 1972 | Tsuburaya Productions | Nippon Television | Redman (The enemies are ultra monsters) |
| Ultraman Ace | April 7, 1972 – March 30, 1973 | Tsuburaya Productions | Tokyo Broadcasting System | Ultraman Ace Four ultra brothers. |
| Triple Fighter | July 3 – December 29, 1972 | Tsuburaya Productions | Tokyo Broadcasting System | Green Fighter, Red Fighter, Orange Fighter, Triple Fighter (merged form) |
| Thunder Mask | October 3, 1972 – March 27, 1973 | Hiromi Productions | Nippon Television | Thunder Mask (Only one hero program with special effects with the original story written by Osamu Tezuka) |
| Go! Godman | October 5, 1972 – September 28, 1973 | Toho Project | Nippon Television | Nippon Television |
| Warrior of Love Rainbowman | October 6, 1972 – September 28, 1973 | Toho | Nihon Educational Television (TV Asahi) |
Rainbowman (Transforms into seven forms, from 1 dash form to 7 dash form) |
| Charge! Human!! | October 8, 1972 – April 8, 1973 | Mo Buru | Nippon Television | Human 1 and Human 2 (designed by Toru Narita — the designer of Ultraman) |
| Iron King | October 8, 1972 – April 8, 1973 | Senkosha Production | Tokyo Broadcasting System | Iron King (An interesting story where a supporting character, not the main character, transforms into a different form) |
| Fireman | January 7 – July 31, 1973 | Tsuburaya Productions | Nippon Television | Fireman (Naoya Makoto, who played the role of Red Ranger, played the main character) |
| Mysterious Hunter Mitsurugi | January 8 – March 26, 1973 | International broadcasting | Fuji Television Network | Mitsurugi (Experimental footage using stop motion) |
| Jumborg Ace | January 17 – December 29, 1973 | Tsuburaya Productions | Mainichi Broadcasting System / Nihon Educational Television | Jumborg Ace / Jumborg Nine (The first transformation robot?) |
| Meteor Human Zone | April 2 – September 24, 1973 | Toho Picture | Nippon Television | Zone Fighter, Zone Angel, Zone Junior |
| White Lion Mask | April 4 – June 27, 1973 | Yamato Project | Nippon Television | White Lion Mask |
| Ultraman Taro | April 6, 1973 – April 5, 1974 | Tsuburaya Productions | Tokyo Broadcasting System | Ultraman Taro, Ultra father, ultra mother, five ultra brothers |
| Fuun Lion-Maru | April 14 – September 29, 1973 | P Productions | Fuji Television | Lion-Maru (The second hero has a helmet) |
| Super Robot Redbaron | July 4, 1973 – March 27, 1974 | Senkosha Production | Nippon Television | Redbaron |
| Beam Warrior Diamond Eye | October 5, 1973 - | Toho | Nihon Educational Television (TV Asahi ) |
Diamond Eye |
| 鉄人タイガーセブン | 1973/10/6〜1974/3/30 | ピープロ | フジテレビ | タイガーセブン |
| 行け！グリーンマン | 1973/11/12〜1974/9/27 | 東宝企画 | 日本テレビ | グリーンマン |
| 電人ザボーガー | 1974/4/6〜1975/6/29 | ピープロ | 毎日放送／TBS | ザボーガー／ストロングザボーガー （ライダーマン役の山口豪久氏主演） |
| ウルトラマンレオ | 1974/4/12〜1975/3/28 | 円谷プロ | フジテレビ | ウルトラマンレオ／アストラ／ウルトラマンキング |
| ザ・カゲスター | 1976/4/5〜1976/11/29 | 東映 | NET （現テレビ朝日） |
カゲスター／ベルスター |
| 円盤戦争バンキッド | 1976/10/3〜1977/3/27 | 東宝 | 日本テレビ | バンキッド・ペガサス／オックス／スワン／ラビット |
| バトルホーク | 1976/10/4〜1977/3/28 | 創通エージェンシー／ナック | 東京12チャンネル （現テレビ東京） |
バトルホーク／ビッグホーク／クイーンホーク （永井豪氏／石川賢氏原作） |
| プロレスの星 アステカイザー | 1976/10/7〜 | 円谷プロ | NET （現テレビ朝日） |
アステカイザー （永井豪氏原作／新日本プロレス協力作品） |
| 小さなスーパーマン ガンバロン | 1977/4/3〜1977/9/25 | 創英社 | 日本テレビ | ガンバロン／合体ロボ・ダイバロン |
| 恐竜大戦争 アイゼンボーグ | 1977/10/7〜1978/6/30 | 円谷プロ | 東京12チャンネル （現テレビ東京） |
アイゼンボー |
| UFO大戦争 戦え！レッドタイガー | 1978/4/8〜1978/12/28 | 創英社 | 東京12チャンネル （現テレビ東京） |
レッドタイガー／要塞ランボルジャイアント （大野剣友会と後楽園遊園地の共同企画） |
| スパイダーマン | 1978/5/17〜1979/3/14 | 東映 | 東京12チャンネル （現テレビ東京） |
スパイダーマン／ロボット・レオパルドン （MARVELの原作を日本向けにアレンジ） |
| 恐竜戦隊コセイドン | 1978/7/7〜1979/6/9 | 円谷プロ | 東京12チャンネル （現テレビ東京） |
人間大砲コセイダー |
| バトルフィーバーＪ | 1979/2/3〜1980/1/26 | 東映 | テレビ朝日 | バトルジャパン／バトルフランス／バトルケニア／Missアメリカ／バトルフィーバーロボ |
| 炎の超人 メガロマン | 1979/5/7〜1979/12/24 | 東宝 | フジテレビ | メガロマン |
Just listing the TV programs has worn me out. Nearly forty weekly hero programs with special effects were broadcast on TV in the seventies. The table above only covers programs with heroes. If children’s fantasy dramas (such as Fifth Grade, Class 3, Class Magic and Guru-guru Medaman) are included, the number exceeds sixty. These numbers are only of programs with original stories not written by Ishinomori.
The seventies was a great decade for hero programs; all of the commercial TV stations produced and broadcast programs of this genre. No need to say that the majority of the hero programs were aired during peak viewing time, which is when the highest number of viewers watch TV in the day. The facts stated above help people to understand the magnitude of the booms. In addition to the programs, movies with special effects such as Godzilla and Gamera were also popular. The special effects had irresistible power in those years.
Under the circumstances of excessive competition, programs with original stories written by Ishinomori exceeded one quarter, which is nothing but a miracle. Toei’s super squad movie series, which included Bakuryu Squadron Abaranger, the 27th movie produced in 2003, was based on Ishinomori’s, as many of you know. It must be rare, anywhere in the world, for one person to create so many heroes. This shows the versatility of Shotaro Ishinomori’s talents.
Some of you may have noticed that the seventies started with the birth of Masked Rider and ended with the revival of Masked Rider. It is interesting that Masked Rider stands out like a symbol of the transformation booms in the seventies in the chronological table.
The seventies was a great decade for hero programs; all of the commercial TV stations produced and broadcast programs of this genre. No need to say that the majority of the hero programs were aired during peak viewing time, which is when the highest number of viewers watch TV in the day. The facts stated above help people to understand the magnitude of the booms. In addition to the programs, movies with special effects such as Godzilla and Gamera were also popular. The special effects had irresistible power in those years.
Under the circumstances of excessive competition, programs with original stories written by Ishinomori exceeded one quarter, which is nothing but a miracle. Toei’s super squad movie series, which included Bakuryu Squadron Abaranger, the 27th movie produced in 2003, was based on Ishinomori’s, as many of you know. It must be rare, anywhere in the world, for one person to create so many heroes. This shows the versatility of Shotaro Ishinomori’s talents.
Some of you may have noticed that the seventies started with the birth of Masked Rider and ended with the revival of Masked Rider. It is interesting that Masked Rider stands out like a symbol of the transformation booms in the seventies in the chronological table.
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