4. SPIDER-MAN TOEI ADAPTATION
Spider-Man was a Japanese Tokusatsu series based on the character. Produced by Toei Company, the series ran from May 17th, 1978 to March 14th, 1979. Tokusatsu refers to the “specialized filming” – meaning that the series contained special effects much like Godzilla or Ultraman. In 2009, Marvel uploaded all 41 episodes to their website to share them with the public.
The series focused on young motorcycle racer Takuya Yamashiro who investigated a UFO falling to earth. Upon closer inspection the ship is revealed to be the “Marveller” from planet “Spider”. Takuya’s father Dr. Hiroshi Yamashiro is a space archaeologist called to investigate the crash, but he’s killed shortly after by Professor Monster and his evil “Iron Cross” army. Takuya follows his father to the ship and meets Garia the last warrior of planet Spider who tells Takuya about Professor Monster and the battle for the world. He enlists Takuya’s help, injecting him with some of his blood and giving him his Spider-Man suit. He also gives him a bracelet that can control the Marveller which can turn into a giant robot called Leopardon.
The series featured characters who have mirrors to the comic book including Hitomi Sakuma, a 20 year old freelance photographer and Takuya’s girlfriend and Juzo Mamiya who enlists Spider-Man to help him fight crime. Notable villains include Professor Monster who is sustained by the blood of other beings, and Amazoness, the general of the Iron Cross Army. Much like J Jonah Jameson, she is unable to prove that Takuya is Spider-Man. When her identity as Amazoness is discovered she abandons her magazine and devotes herself to taking him down.
This adaptation has had a major impact in pop culture and is even mentioned in the Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. The main character of the book, Wade, is given a digital version of Leopardon to use in his battle. It remains to be seen if Spider-Man will make it into the film version of Ready Player One, but it’s clear fans have a fondness for this take on the character.
UP NEXT: Spider-Man and the Birth of the Superhero Blockbuster.