Xenorama #64

Here is the latest issue of Xenorama, Journal of Heroes and Monsters.  It is about the genre called "kyodai" heroes, or giant heroes fighting giant monsters.  We cover Spectreman, Mirrorman, Zone Fighter and more!  It is all in full color, and you can order it through the link to the right!  There are episode guides and just a look at the various cool shows we were denied over here in the States.  It would have been a much more fun childhood seeing a few more shows like this over here.  Or any, if you lived in Colorado.

Brain Monster Noman

Spectreman is a great show,  This last third of the series has definitely been influenced by Kamen Rider, since the action quotient has been kicked up a notch.  I mean, the human action.  The villains have more hench-beings as well.  I thought that Megaloman was the show that did this first, but Spectreman is had the fighting group with the giant hero first.  Kudos!  The action isn't always paced properly, as one episode had a really long fight scene with no breaks.  That got a little much, I'll tell you what.  There has to be a breather here and there at times, you know?

HOTW- Spectreman

Spectreman is sent to Earth to track down renegade scientist Dr. Gori and Gori's idiot assistant, Karis.    There he assumes the identity of George, and joins the Anti-Pollution and Monster Squad.  He is from the Nebula 71, where his creators (Overlord) monitor his progress.  He then battles Gori and his monstrous minions, along some other aliens that show up.  He also has to learn to be human, and then makes friends all over Tokyo.  And after defeating Gori, he has to say goodbye to his friends.

Spectreman, revisited

 

I have talked about this show on occasion, but not often.  I never saw the show growing up, and the copies I saw later were grainy and had been dubbed by at least a generation of two.  Add to that, only 24 episodes had been released on VHS, so seeing the complete series, even in the 90s, was a pipe dream.  I knew of one fan who had the entire run on tape, but he wouldn't trade them since it would spread through the Japanese fan community like wildfire.    Fortunately the entire series is on YouTube, to varying quality, but it is there, and we can Spectreman battle Dr. Gori and Karas for 63 episodes.  This makes the show more fun to watch.  I have experienced that with The Space Giants as well.

Spectreman: A Great Earthquake Levels Tokyo - Part 1

It's an episode from some part of the show. I sure wish I had seen this when I was growing up, as I know I'd like it far more than I do now. I want to like it, but knowing it's edited for US consumption makes it more difficult as an adult. I think it's dubbed well, despite the changing of the names from Japanese to Western ones. That is just lame, really, since it didn't seem to matter when other Japanese shows and movies were brought over here earlier.

Spectreman Stage Show 2000

recorded at the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood in the summer of 2000, this is Damon Foster's presentation of a Superhero Stage show. Mike Keller and Madison Carter were my partners in crime for this- I was just the brainwashed thrall. I can hardly believe that was 12 years ago now.  this is a much cleaner copy than the one I had, probably first gen.  gotta love it.

Spectreman vs space apes

I do have an affinity for Spectreman. I played a mind-controlled slave in a stage show battling him way back in the year 2000. someday I will watch the entire series. someday.

this little clip makes it seem so exciting. I think I'd like the show more now than I did before. if you look closely, you will see the stop-motion monster he fights. there's a few quick shots.

Spectreman

I wish I had seen this show growing up, as I am sure I would love it more now.  not that it would have aired in Colorado (see previous lamentations about Japanese genre shows) but perhaps I could have seen it in WV or somewhere else.

unfortunately, Spectreman had such a limited release I only ever heard about it in 1988 or so, when looking through a video store catalog, which had 12 volumes of the show.  which seemed pretty cool, but when I tried to order one, it was never delivered.  which looking back on it should have been no surprise to anyone, but at least they tried.

I also tried to order one in a SunCoast as well, but again was met with failure. 

the show is fun, but I don't have the attachment to it that I do with Ultraman or even Johnny Sokko.  I'd still probably buy a legit release of it if it ever happened.

I'm not gonna hold my breath...