Spider-Man (スパイダーマン, Supaidāman) is a Japanese tokusatsu TV series aired from May 17, 1978 to March 14, 1979 on TV Tokyo 12 Channel. It was produced by Toei Company, Ltd and slightly based off the Marvel Comics series of the same name. "Spider-Man" is notable because it is Toei's first series to use the concept of the hero fighting a monster which enlarges, requiring the hero to summon a giant robot to battle it. This became a staple of Super Sentai beginning with Battle Fever J.
Story
Young motorcycle racer Takuya Yamashiro sees a UFO falling to earth, in fact a space warship named the "Marveller" from the planet "Spider". Takuya's father Dr. Hiroshi Yamashiro, a space archaeologist, investigates the case, but is killed upon finding the spaceship. The incident also brings the attention of Professor Monster and his evil Iron Cross Army (鉄十字団, Tetsu Jūji Dan), an alien group that plans to rule the universe.
Takuya follows his father to the Marveller and discovers the last survivor of Spider, who gives him a bracelet that gives him special spider-like powers and the ability to control the ship and transform it into a giant robot called "Leopardon" for battle. Using his powers, he fights Professor Monster's army and other threats to Earth under the name Spider-Man.
Characters
Spider-Man
| Spider‑Man | Takuya Yamashiro |
Allies
- Hitomi Sakuma
- Shinko Yamashiro
- Takuji Yamashiro
- Dr. Yamashiro
- Garia
- Ichiro Murakami
- Juzo Mamiya
- Detective Go Tachibana
Iron Cross Army
- Professor Monster
- Amazoness/Saeko Yoshida
- Bella
- Rita
- Ninders
Machine Bem
- Machine Bem Boukunryu (1)
- Machine Bem Soutoukin (2)
- Machine Bem Genyouchu (3)
- Machine Bem Mer-Man (4)
- Machine Bem Chojinju (5)
- Machine Bem Robacular (6)
- Machine Bem Sasora (7)
- Machine Bem Cat Demon Monster (8)
- Machine Bem Kabuton (9)
- Machine Bem Snake Woman (10)
- Machine Bem Sea Devil (Movie)
- Machine Bem Shinkaioh (11)
- Machine Bem Biker Monster (13)
- Machine Bem Big Bat (14)
- Machine Bem Killer Unicorn (15)
- Machine Bem Centipede (16)
- Machine Bem Samson (17)
- Machine Bem Carnivorous Plant (18)
- Machine Bem Kamenger (19)
- Machine Bem Primitive Man (20)
- Machine Bem Tanto Buffalo (21)
- Machine Bem Skeleton Beast (22)
- Machine Bem Sorceress Beast (23)
- Machine Bem Cockroach Machine (24)
- Machine Bem Ganima (25)
- Machine Bem Volcano Beast (26)
- Machine Bem Kinokongar (31)
- Machine Bem Fire Fox (33)
- Machine Bem Scrapman (34)
- Machine Bem Tiger Pump (35)
- Machine Bem Toothache Alligator (38)
Arsenal
Weapons
Leopardon
- Spider Protector: Spider-Man's suit.
- Spider Bracelet: Spider-Man's henshin device.
- Spider Strings: A rope made of spider webbing shot from Spider-Man's Spider Bracelet.
- Spider Net: A net made of spider webbing also shot from Spider-Man's Spider Bracelet.
- Spider Machine GP-7: Spider-Man's flying car.
- Leopardon: Spider-Man's mecha.
Episodes
- The Time of Revenge Has Come! Beat Down Iron Cross Group!! (復讐の時は来たれり! 撃て鉄十字団!!, Fukushū no Toki wa Kitareri! Ute Tetsu Jūji Dan!!)
- Mysterious World! The Man Who Follows His Fate (怪奇の世界! 宿命に生きる男, Kaiki no Sekai! Shukumei ni Ikiru Otoko)
- Mysterious Thief 001 VS. Spider-Man (怪盗001vsくも男, Kaitō Daburu-Ō Wan Tai Kumo Otoko)
- The Terrifying Half Merman! Calling the Miracle Silver Thread (恐怖の半魚人! 奇蹟を呼ぶ銀の糸, Kyōfu no Han Kyojin! Kiseki o Yobu Gin no Ito)
- Crash Machine GP-7! The Oath Siblings (激突マシンGP-7! 兄弟の誓い, Gekitotsu Mashin Jī-Pī-Sebun! Kyōdai no Chikai)
- Shuddering Laboratory! Devilish Professor Monster (戦慄の実験室! 悪魔のモンスター教授, Senritsu no Shikkenshitsu! Akuma no Monsutā Kyōshu)
- Fearful Hit Tune! Song Dancing Murder Rock (恐ろしきヒット曲! 歌って踊る殺人ロック, Osoroshiki Hitto Kyoku! Katte Odoru Satsujin Rokku)
- Once Upon a Time in the Mysteriousless World: The Cursed Cat Mound (世にも不思議な昔ばなし 呪いの猫塚, Yo ni mo Fushigi na Mukashi ba Nashi Noroi no Neko Zuka)
- Motion Accessory is a Loveful Beetle Insect Spy (動くアクセサリーは恋のカブト虫スパイ, Ugoku Akusesarī wa Koi no Kabuto Mushi Supai)
- To the Flaming Hell: See the Tears of the Snake Woman (炎地獄にへび女の涙を見た, Honō Jigoku ni Hebi Onna no Namida o Mita)
- Professor Monster's Ultra Poisoning (モンスター教授のウルトラ毒殺, Monsutā Kyōshu no Urutora Dokusatsu)
- Becoming Splendid: To the Murderous Machine of Transformation (華麗なる殺人マシーンへの変身, Karei Naru Satsujin Mashīn e no Henshin)
- The Skull Group VS. The Devilish Hearse (ドクロ団対悪魔の霊柩車, Dokuro Dan Tai Akuma no Reikyūsha)
- Giving Father! Fight to the Song of the Hero (父に捧げよ 戦えぬ勇者の歌を, Chichi ni Sasage yo Tatakae nu Yūsha no Uta o)
- The Life of Our Arrangement (ぼくたちの命の約束, Boku tachi no Inochi no Yakusoku)
- Fine Dog! Run to the Under of Father (名犬よ 父のもとへ走れ, Meiken yo Chichi no moto e Hashire)
- Pro Wrestler Samson's Tears (プロレスラー サムソンの涙, Puro Resurā Samuson no Namida)
- In the Mother's Chest: Resurrect the Young Boys (母の胸に甦る少年, Haha no Mune ni Yomigaeru Shōnen)
- The Boy Phantom: To the Villageless Map (まぼろしの少年 地図にない村, Maboroshi no Shōnen Chizu ni nai Mura)
- Riddle: Calling the Riddle of My Secret Birth (謎が謎を呼ぶ私の出生の秘密, Nazo ga Nazo o Yobu Watashi no Shuushō no Himitsu)
- Fall to the Great Skies: Father's Love (大空に散る父の愛, Ōzora ni Chiru Chichi no Ai)
- Shedding Tears to the Dark Fate: Father and Child (暗い運命に泣け 父と子, Kurai Unmei ni Nake Chichi to Ko)
- To the Love Academy of the Homeless Children (家なき子たちに愛の学園を, Ienakiko Tachi ni Ai no Gakuen o)
- Cockroach Boy: Great War (ゴキブリ少年大戦争, Gokiburi Shōnen Dai Sensō)
- Treasure, Dog, and Double Grow Human (秘宝と犬と複成人間, Hihō to Inu to Fuku Sei Ningen)
- To the Absolute Crisis: The Imitation Hero (絶対ピンチのにせものヒーロー, Zettai Pinchi no Nisemono Hīrō)
- Farewell War Buddy: Beloved German Shepherd (さらば戦友 愛しのセパード, Saraba Sen'yū Itoshi no Sepādo)
- The Front of the Alley: Boys' Detective Group (駅前横町の少年探偵団, Ekimae Yokochō no Shōnen Tantei Dan)
- Hurry, GP-7: Time of Stop Sign (急げGP-7 時間よ止まれ, Isoge Jī-Pī-Sebun Jikan yo Tomare)
- Good Luck, Beautiful Police Officer (ガンバレ美人おまわりさん, Ganbare Bijin Omawarisan)
- There Is No Child-Taking Detective Tomorrow (明日なき子連れ刑事, Ashita naki Kotsure Keiji)
- Sweet Whispering Enchantress (甘くささやく妖女, Amaku Sasayaku Yōjo)
- The Boy Teases the Horrible Wild Girl (男の子をイビる野性の凄い少女, Otokonoko o Ibiru Yasei no Sugoi Shōjo)
- Surprising Camera: Murderous Event (びっくりカメラ殺人事件, Bikkuri Kamera Satsujin Jiken)
- From the Unexplored Amazon: Here Comes the Mummified Beautiful Woman (秘境アマゾンから来たミイラ美女, Hikyō Amazon Kara Kita Mīra Bijo)
- The Onion Silver Mask and the Boys' Detective Group (たまねぎ鉄仮面と少年探偵団, Tamanegi Gin Kamen to Shōnen Tantei Dan)
- From the Secret Messenger of Hell: Great King Enma (地獄からの密使 えん魔大王, Jigoku Kara no Missha Enma Daiō)
- The First Tin Plate Evening Star and the Boys' Detective Group (ブリキの一番星と少年探偵団, Buriki no Ichibanboshi to Shōnen Tantei Dan)
- Sports World: One Great Meeting (格闘技世界一大会, Kakutōki Sekai Ichidai Kai)
- Farewell Zero Battle Tricks (さらばゼロ戦の謎, Saraba Zero Sen no Nazo)
- The Hero's Shining Hot Blood (輝け熱血の勇者, Kagayake Nekketsu no Yūsha)
Special
A special interview titled Stan Lee Interview in USA: Toei Spider-Man meets American Spider-Man was featured in the DVD release box in 2004.
Movie
A theatrical version of Spider-Man was shown on the Toei Manga Matsuri film festival on July 22, 1978. It was directed by series director Kōichi Takemoto and written by Susumu Takaku. The movie was the first appearance of the character of Juzo Mamiya, who subsequently appeared in three episodes of the series (episodes 11, 12 and 14). Because of this, the movie takes place between episodes 10 and 11. In Marvel's video site for the series, the movie is listed as "Episode 0".
Cast
- Takuya Yamashiro (山城 拓也, Yamashiro Takuya): Shinji Tōdō (藤堂 新二, Tōdō Shinji)
- Hitomi Sakuma: Rika Miura
- Shinko Yamashiro: Izumi Ōyama
- Takuji Yamashiro: Yoshiharu Yabuki
- Professor Monster: Mitsuo Andō
- Amazoness: Yukie Kagawa
- Garia: Toshiaki Nishizawa
- Dr. Hiroshi Yamashiro: Fuyuki Murakami
- Jūzō Mamiya: Noboru Nakaya
- Rita: Rie Rinehart
- Bella: Tina Margo
- Narrator: Tōru Ōhira
- Spider-Man (suit actor): Hirofumi Koga
Spider-Man Actors/Actress who have appeared in the Super Sentai Series
- Mitsuo Andō - Professor Monster
- Shōzō Iizuka - Machine Bem
- Iron Man Mask General Temujin
and Commander-in-Chief Golden Mask (Himitsu Sentai Gorenger) - Satan Egos (Battle Fever J)
- Vader Monsters (Denshi Sentai Denziman)
- Führer Hell Saturn (Taiyou Sentai Sun Vulcan)
- Dora Goldhorn (Kyouryuu Sentai Zyuranger)
- Morgumorgu (Sejiuu Sentai Gingaman)
- Lost Highness Rakushaasa (Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger vs. Super Sentai)
- Hyde Gene (GoGo Sentai Boukenger The Movie: The Greatest Precious)
- Iron Man Mask General Temujin
- Yukie Kagawa - Amazoness
- Hiroshi Miyauchi - Detective Go Tachibana
- Akira Shinmei/Aorenger (Himitsu Sentai Gorenger)
- Banba Soukichi/Big One (J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai, J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai vs. Gorenger, Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger vs. Super Sentai and Gokaiger Goseiger Super Sentai 199 Hero Great Battle)
- Chief of Staff Naoyuki Miura (Chouriki Sentai Ohranger, Chouriki Sentai Ohranger: Ole vs. Kakuranger and Gekisou Sentai Carranger vs. Ohranger)
- Akira Shinmei
- Noboru Nakaya - Juzo Mamiya
- Shinji Tōdō - Takuya Yamashiro/Spider-Man
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Notes
- Spider-Man was the first of Toei's series to use a giant robot to fight evil.
- Spider-Man was originally going to have a sequel in Battle Fever J, which would have featured a hero called Captain Japan, who was going to just basically be Captain America's equivalent.
- Until 2013, Marvel had the entire series available to view for free on its website. This is most likely due to licensing issues with Toei, as some of the characters of the show were created by them and thus trademarked to Toei Co LTD.
- The same problem applies to Toei, as they borrowed the rights to Spider-Man character from Marvel and thus any potential future video release is impossible unless authorized by Marvel Entertainment, who is now owned by the Walt Disney Company.
- The companies did manage an agreement in 2005 for a Japanese DVD Release, but the commercials advertised that this would be the ONLY time it would ever see release, as both companies would not agree a deal to future re-releases or a Region 1 DVD release.
- This can be compared to the infamous licensing issues which plagued the Batman 1966 TV series, as legal battles between 20th Century Fox and Warner Brothers kept the series held from getting any kind of home video release for 48 years.
- The same problem applies to Toei, as they borrowed the rights to Spider-Man character from Marvel and thus any potential future video release is impossible unless authorized by Marvel Entertainment, who is now owned by the Walt Disney Company.
- In 2014, the Toku Spider-Man appeared in American comics for the first time as part of a Spider-Verse event which crossed-over many of the existing Spider-Men throughout comics and other media. Leopardon made an appearance as well.