Machine Man
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Machine Man
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|---|---|
| Episodes: | 36 |
| Year: | 1984 |
| Country: | Japan |
| Seasons: | 1 |
| Seasons Breakdown: | (1) 36 |
| Category: | Superhero |
| Colour: | Yes |
| Format: | Series |
| Company: | Toei Company and Ishimori Productions |
| Creator: | Shotaro Ishinomori (Developed by Shozo Uehara and Susumu Takaku) |
| Run Time (mins): | 24 |
| Language: | Japanese |
| Type of Show: | Live Action |
| Status: | Ended |
| Broadcaster: | NTV |
| First Aired: | |
| Last Aired: | |
Summary
The narrative follows Nick, an extra-terrestrial researcher who travels aboard the spacecraft Space Colony as part of his doctoral studies. Accompanied by his spherical robot assistant, Ball Boy, he arrives on Earth to observe human behaviour and social customs. Assuming the identity of Ken Takase, a young man living among the local population, he encounters Maki Hayama, a photographer for the Shūkan Hit newspaper, and rescues her during a fall from a collapsing building. Maki had been investigating the unexplained destruction of several structures, a pattern later attributed to the activities of the criminal organisation known as Tentacle.
Upon discovering Tentacle’s involvement in these incidents and other global acts of sabotage, Nick elects to prolong his stay on Earth. Using his advanced alien technology and superior physical abilities, he adopts the superhero persona Machineman, distinguished by a red‑and‑yellow suit and an array of sophisticated weapons. In this guise, he undertakes the protection of Maki and the children of Earth, confronting Tentacle’s cyborg operatives and working to thwart the organisation’s schemes.
Following Machineman’s eventual dismantling of Tentacle, its leader, Professor K, escapes to Spain. His niece, Lady M, subsequently emerges as the new antagonist. Assisted by her subordinate Tonchinkan, she establishes a successor organisation named Octopus. Like her uncle, Lady M suffers from an allergy to children, signalled by her nose turning red whenever she is near them. Initially, she recruits notorious criminals and thieves from around the world, but later deploys robotic drones to combat Machineman. In the closing stages of the series, Professor K returns, introducing Machineman’s most formidable adversary: Golden Monsu, an enhanced and heavily fortified iteration of Tetsujin Monsu.
Cast
Professor K EISEI AMAMOTO, Ken Takase/Machineman OASMU SAKUTA, Lady M CHIAKI KOJO, Tetsujin Monsu (voice) TOKU NISHIO , Ball Boy (voice) MACHIKO SOGA, Maki KIYOMI TSUKADA.
aka: Nebula Mask Machineman and Seiun Kamen Mashinman
Tags: Superhero, Japan, 1984, Japanese
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