Megaloman

Megaloman (メガロマン, Megaroman) is the name and titular superhero of a tokusatsu SF/superhero/kaiju 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

1. The Fiery Superman Strikes
2. The Bracelets of Friendship
3. The Shout of the Space Team
4. Appearance of the Magnetic Monster
5. The Star of Mt Hoshimigoka
6. Order: Operation Invasion
7. Fighting the Warrior of Love
8. On Guard, Small Hero
9. A UFO and a Dead Soldier in the Sea
10. Combat in the Crime Army
11. Battle For Command
12. The Great Challenge
13. The Battle of the Monsters
14. The Earth's Children are Threatened
15. Inner Conflict
16. The Mask of Gold
17. Where is the Secret Base?
18. Proof Positive
19. The Secret of the Scales
20. The Great Invasion of Monsters
21. The Heroism of Mary
22. The Secret of the Megalo-Fire
23. Infernal Prisoner
24. Blood Urge
25. The Death of Seiji
26. The Monster Zagno Zvider
27. A Providential Aide
28. The Sacrifice of Hyme
29. Takeshi - Don't Shoot the Monster!
30. Dagger's Counterattack
31. The Ultimate Challenge