Spectreman (1971 - 1972)

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