Spider Man 

Motorcyclist Takuya Yamashiro fights the evil forces of Professor Monster as the superhero Spiderman.

Creators:

Steve Ditko, Stan Lee

Stars:

Shinji Tôdô, Mitsuo Andô, Yukie Kagawa

Cast

Series cast summary:
Shinji Tôdô	...	Spider-Man / ... 41 episodes, 1978-1979
Mitsuo Andô	...	Professor Monster 41 episodes, 1978-1979
Yukie Kagawa	...	Amazoness 41 episodes, 1978-1979
Hirofumi Koga	...	Spider-Man (suit actor) 41 episodes, 1978-1979
Tôru Ôhira	...	The Narrator 41 episodes, 1978-1979
Izumi Oyama	...	Shinko Yamashiro 40 episodes, 1978-1979
Rika Miura	...	Hitomi Sakuma 38 episodes, 1978-1979
Yoshiharu Yabuki	...	Takuji Yamashiro 36 episodes, 1978-1979

Storyline

To fight against the evil Iron Cross Army, led by the space emperor Professor Monster, a daredevil motorcyclist transforms into the famous Marvel Superhero, with a racecar and giant transforming robot at his disposal.

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Plot Keywords:

giant monster | giant robot | spider man character | psychotronic series | 1970s | 

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Family | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

Spider-Man's transforming giant robot Leopardon (which transforms from the huge spacecraft Marveller, named in honor of the Marvel Comics Group) was featured in America in both Mattel's Shogun Warriors toy collection (only the 3" figure version, named "Leopaldon") and Bandai America's Godaikin toy line (Bandai Japan's deluxe diecast toy with complete transforming features). However, only a few people in America knew that this robot was somehow tied with everyone's favorite web-slinger.

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Connections

Featured in The Toys That Made Us: Power Rangers (2019)

User Reviews

An Adaptation That Must Be Seen To Believe

When a strange UFO lands on Earth, young motorcycle racer Takuya Yamashiro hears a voice calling to him. However, when he arrives to the spaceship known as the Marveller, he finds his father dead. He meets Gaira after being attacked by foot soldiers of the Iron Cross Army, led by the evil Professor Monster, and at death's door, the last surviving being from planet Spider saves young Takuya by injecting him with his own blood, which gives Takuya spider-like powers. Now Takuya become Spider-Man to fight against the Iron Cross Army and its selection of Machine Bem.

A Japanese adaptation of the wall-crawler, this show does do things differently, but it manages to keep some elements of the original Spidey in (like the death of a loved one). It also does things unique, like give Takuya/Spider-Man a spaceship that can turn into a giant robot called Leopardon to fight giant monsters (an addition that was soon put into Sentai, resulting in it becoming Super Sentai, as each team would have a giant robot).

It is a series that needs to be seen to believe, but this is not one for the younger fans of the webhead. As this show is from Japan, expect a lot more violence (people die from Iron Cross attacks in some episodes) and religious figures (the second episode has a scene in a church where Takuya looks at a statue of Jesus being crucified).

Details

Country:

Japan

Release Date:

17 May 1978 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Spider Man

Company Credits

Production Co:

Toei Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min (41 episodes) 25 min (41 episodes)