Supaidāman (Spiderman)
May 17, 1978 - March 14, 1979 (41 episodes)
Opening Theme
Produced by Hirayama, Tōru & Yoshikawa, Susumu
Music by Watanabe, Michiaki
| Character | |
Actor/Actress |
| Yamashiro, Takuya/Spiderman | |
Todo, Shinji |
| Professor Monster | |
Ando, Mitsuo |
| Yamashiro, Niiko | |
Ooyama, Idzumi |
| Sakuma, Hitomi | |
Miura, Rika |
| Amazone | |
Kagawa, Yukie |
| Narrator | |
Ōhira, Tōru |
When I was a kid and we lived in Hawaii my favorite super heroes were Kikaida, Kamen Rider V3, and Rainbowman. After we moved back to Nebraska my favorite superhero was Marvel Comic's Spiderman as seen in reruns of the original 1960s cartoon. So decades later when as an adult I redicovered Japanese superheroes I was pleasantly suprised to find out that Toei had produced a Spiderman series of its own.
The evil "Iron Cross Army" (Testsu-Jyuuji-Gun) murders Yamashiro, Hiroshi and attempt to kill his son Takuya (Todo, Shinji). Takuya's live is saved by Garia, the Spiderman, an alien who came to Earth in the spacecraft Marveller. Garia injects a liquid into Takuya which not only heals his wounds but also gives him super strength, the ability to climb walls and a special sense of danger (ie "Spider-sense").
Yamashiro, Takuya wears a special bracelet which contains the Spiderman costume. To become Spiderman, he presses a button on the bracelet which releases the costume.
Spiderman gets his web shooting ability from the bracelet, which is also a communications device used to summon Marveller.
Supaidāman was the first series in which the hero uses a giant robot to defeat giant monsters. After Spiderman beats up on the human sized monsters they turn into giants. Spiderman then calls "Marveller" to fire missles at the monster and then transform into the giant robot "Leopardon".
Leopardon uses various weapons to kill the monster. This concept proved so pupular that Toei added it there third Sentai series "Battle Fever J", which was originally planned to be "Captain Japan", based on Marvel's "Captain America".
This Spiderman drives a car, "Spider Machine GP-7" which he uses to transport himself to Marveller before transforming Marveller into Leopardon.
The best thing about this Spiderman is the way he actually moves like a spider, especially when climbing walls.
Unlike most Japanese super heroes who henshin (transform) in front of the monsters Yamashiro, Takuya puts on the Spiderman costume in secret. So no one living knows who Spiderman really is. Unfortunantly Yamashiro, Takuya doesn't know that his girlfriend Sakuma, Hitomi is working for Amazone an agent of the Iron Cross Army. Of course she doesn't know her boss is really Amazone either.
Miyauchi, Hiroshi guest stars in episodes 31 and 40, as a Hayakawa, Ken like private detective (he does NOT become Kaiketsu Zubat or Kamen Rider V3 despite the publicity photo shown above).
The opening and ending themes to Spiderman were recorded by Hide Yuuki, probably best known for his recording of "Go Go Kikaida" the opening theme to Jinzo Ningen Kikaida.
Ando, Mitsuo (Professor Monster) had previously played Professor Gill in Jinzo Ningen Kikaida (1972), President Geisel in Inazuman Flash (1974) and Black Cross President in Himtsu Sentai Gorenjaa (1975). Todo, Shinji (Yamashiro, Takuya) would go on to play the chief villain in Chōjinki Metalder (1987).
Supaidāman was one of the few series produced by Hirayama, Tōru which featured characters that were not created by Ishinomori, Shotaro.
Episode Titles
Ending Theme
Back To Henshin Hall Of Fame
Last modified Monday, August 4, 2008
Spiderman © 1962 Marvel Comics, licensed to Toei Co., Ltd. 1978.
Title screen provided by "Shin Hyata"