Spectreman (スペクトルマン Supekutoruman)
Spectreman is the name and title superhero of a tokusatsu sci-fi TV series. Produced by P Productions and created by producer Souji Ushio, this series aired on Fuji TV from January 2, 1971 to March 25, 1972 with a total of 63 episodes. This was the first major superhero show of the 1970s.
Plot
Banished from the peaceful simian Planet E, the mad scientist Dr.
Gori and his brutish assistant Karras [Lla in the Japanese version]
search for a new planet to rule after Gori's plot to conquer Planet E
had been foiled by its government. Coming across the Earth, Gori is
captivated by its beauty, but is appalled by its inhabitants' misuse of
its environment, leading to severe pollution (a huge topic back when
this series was made, since Tokyo was the most polluted city in the
world at the time), so mankind must be quickly conquered if this planet
is to be inhabitable, so he plots to, ironically, use the very same
pollution that's plaguing the Earth to create horrible giant rampaging
monsters to wipe out and/or enslave mankind.
Fortunately, hope comes in the form of the Nebula 71 Star, a Saturn-like artificial satellite
that observes the Earth incognito. Fearing that Gori may eventually
make the Earth uninhabitable, they dispatch Spectreman, their
super-cyborg agent, to battle the menace of the mad apeman. Spectreman
disguises himself as a Japanese man named Jôji Gamô to walk among the
humans and scout out Gori's weekly menace for the Nebula 71 Star. He
works with a government-run group called the Pollution G-Men, run by
Chief Kurata. This group investigates phenomena involving pollution, but
they don't (until late in the show's run) have the facilities to handle
giant monsters, so unbeknownst to them, their comical-yet-mysterious
teammate Jòji disappears on them, only to help them as Spectreman!
As the series comes to a conclusion, Dr. Gori is defeated and driven
to face Spectreman by himself in the last episode. While the hero tries
to convince him that his remarkable intelligence should be put at the
service of good rather than be used for destruction and tyranny, Gori
eventually commits suicide, after replying that he'd rather die than be
denied his supremacy over Earthlings.
Jôji Gamô, Spectreman requests his transformation from the Nebula Star, or is ordered by same to do so. Saying "Roger", or "Ready" in the US version, he raises his right hand towards the Nebula Star, which shoots a beam at him, transforming into Spectreman, a cyborg in a gold-and-copper cuirass, with a full helmet looking somewhat like the Rocketeer's mask. Before transforming back into a human, however, he simply faints, possibly from using up his energy.
Spectreman EPISODE 01
