is the name and titular

superhero A superhero or superheroine is a stock character that typically possesses ''superpowers'', abilities beyond those of ordinary people, and fits the role of the hero, typically using his or her powers to help the world become a better place, ...

of a

tokusatsu is a Japanese term for live action film or television drama that makes heavy use of practical special effects. ''Tokusatsu'' entertainment mainly refers to science fiction, war, fantasy, or horror media featuring such technology but is som ...

SF/

kaiju is a Japanese media genre that focuses on stories involving giant monsters. The word ''kaiju'' can also refer to the giant monsters themselves, which are usually depicted attacking major cities and battling either the military or other monster ...

Kyodai Hero is a television subgenre in tokusatsu that involves Japanese superheroes or robots either with the ability to grow to immense heights to fight giant monsters or who are originally giant as a part of their lives. The Kyodai Hero is the mainstrea ...

TV series. Created by

Tetsu Kariya Tetsu (written: 哲, 徹, 鉄 or テツ in katakana) is a masculine Japanese given name. Notable people with the name include: *, Japanese photographer *, Japanese voice actor *, Japanese musician *, Japanese politician and Prime Minister of Japan ...

, the show was produced by

Toho Company Ltd. is a Japanese film, theatre production and distribution company. It has its headquarters in Chiyoda, Tokyo, and is one of the core companies of the Osaka-based Hankyu Hanshin Toho Group. Outside of Japan, it is best known as the producer a ...

, and aired on

Fuji TV JOCX-DTV (channel 8), branded as and colloquially known as CX, is a Japanese television station based in Odaiba, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Owned and operated by the it is the key station of the Fuji News Network (FNN) and the Fuji Network S ...

from May 7 to December 24, 1979, with a total of 31 half-hour episodes. Starting with Episode 14, the show's title became ''Flaming Superman Megaloman'' (炎の超人メガロマン - ''Honô no Chôjin Megaroman''). Like Toho's '' Meteor Man Zone'', the series mixes elements of the

genre with those of the

Sentai In Japanese, is a military unit and may be literally translated as " squadron", " task force", " division (of ships)", " group" or "wing". The terms "regiment" and "flotilla", while sometimes used as translations of ''sentai'', are also used ...

Series (''

Battle Fever J is a live-action Japanese-American TV series. The third entry of the ''Super Sentai'' series franchise, ''Battle Fever J'' was a co-production of Toei Company and Marvel Comics. A total of 52 episodes aired on TV Asahi from February 3, 1979 to ...

'', the first "Super Sentai", had premiered on TV around the same time). This series features a superhero quintet similar to those seen in the Super Sentai Series, but just like in ''Zone Fighter'', the team's leader/main character Takashi Shishidou transforms into a giant long-haired

Ultraman ''Ultraman'', also known as the , is the collective name for all media produced by Tsuburaya Productions featuring Ultraman, his many brethren, and the myriad monsters. Debuting with ''Ultra Q'' and then ''Ultraman'' in 1966, the series is one ...

-like colossus, Megaloman.

The Story

The planet Rosetta has been taken over by the Black Star army led by Captain Dagger. Takashi Shishido and his mother Rosemary escaped to Planet Earth after his father Gou was captured by Dagger, who is actually Takashi's evil twin brother Hiroshi! While living peacefully on Earth, Takashi attends a kung-fu school in Japan, and has four friends, but they had no idea that he was from another planet, a secret only his martial arts teacher Takamine knew. But when Captain Dagger initiates his attack on Earth using his army of various giant monsters, Rosemary (who also goes by the civilian name "Mari") gives Takashi the Megalon-Bracelets, with which he can transform into the giant long-haired warrior Megaloman to fight the evil monsters for the protection of Earth. Early in the show, Takashi's four martial arts school friends, Seiji Kurogawa (a tough, Bruce Lee-like fighter), Hyosuke Yuri (the comedy relief), Ran Takamine (Master Takamine's daughter & Takashi's girlfriend) and Ippei Saru (the little kid) discover his secret and Rosemary decides to invite them to join Takashi in battle. So she gives them their own Megalon Bracelets to transform into a quartet of multicolored martial arts super-warriors to fight alongside Takashi.

Staff

*Original Story:

*Planning: Kimio Ikeda *Producers: Kiichi Shitamura, Yoichi Manoda, Yoshio Yamamoto *Music:

Seiji Yokoyama was a Japanese incidental music composer from Hiroshima. He graduated from the Kunitachi College of Music in 1957. Yokoyama is best known for his work on the anime series ''Saint Seiya'' and ''Space Pirate Captain Harlock'', and for his Symphon ...

(Conductor: Hiroshi Kumagai), Shozo Tozuka (theme songs) **Theme song singer:

Ichirou Mizuki , better known by his stage name , was a Japanese singer, lyricist, composer, voice actor and actor best known for his work on theme songs for anime and tokusatsu. For over 50 years, he had recorded over 1,200 songs for Japanese film, televisio ...

*Lighting:

Kunio Kishida Kunio Kishida (岸田國士, Kishida Kunio, 2 November 1890 – 5 March 1954) was a Japanese playwright, dramatist, novelist, lecturer, acting coach, theatre critic, translator, and proponent of Shingeki ("New Theatre"/”New Drama"). Kishida spe ...

*Photography:

Kazumasa Nomura Kazumasa (written: 数正, 和正, 和昌, 和政, 一眞, 一正, 一将, 一存, 一政 or 員昌) is a masculine Japanese given name. Notable people with the name include: *, Japanese baseball player *, Japanese musician *, Japanese writer *, J ...

Yoshihiro Mori Yoshihiro is a Japanese masculine given name, and less commonly, a surname. There are dozens of different ways to write the name in kanji. Some examples of possible writings *義弘, "justice, vast" *義広, "justice, wide" *義寛, "justice, g ...

*Art Director:

Akihiko Takahashi Akihiko (written: 昭彦, 明彦, 彰彦 or 聡彦) is a masculine Japanese given name. Notable people with the name include: *, Japanese mixed martial artist *, Japanese actor *, Japanese engineer and astronaut *, Japanese actor and voice actor * ...

*Martial Arts Choreography:

Junji Yamaoka is a common masculine Japanese given name. Possible writings Junji can be written using different kanji characters and can mean: *純二, "chaste, two" * 純次, "chaste, next" * 純治, "chaste, govern" * 淳司, "pure, conduct" * 淳次, " ...

( Japan Action Club) *Special Effects: Koichi Kawakita, Yoichi Manoda

Cast

*Takashi Shishido/Megaloman/Captain Dagger: Yuki Kitazume *Ran Takamine:

Madoka Sugi Madoka is both a feminine Japanese given name and a Japanese surname. Possible writings Madoka can be written using different kanji characters and can mean: ;as a given name *円, "circle" *円花, "circle, flower" *窓香, "window, incense/arom ...

*Hyousuke Yuri: Pepe Hozumi *Seiji Kurogawa:

Jimmy Araki Jimmy may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Jimmy'' (2008 film), a 2008 Hindi thriller directed by Raj N. Sippy * ''Jimmy'' (1979 film), a 1979 Indian Malayalam film directed by Melattoor Ravi Varma * ''Jimmy'' (2013 f ...

*Ippei Mashira: Koji Hashimichi *Rosemary/Mari Shishido:

Yukiko Takabayashi Yukiko is a feminine Japanese given name. Possible writings Yukiko can be written using different combinations of kanji characters. Here are some examples: *雪子, "snow, child" *幸子, "happiness, child" *由紀子, "reason, chronicle, child" ...

*Sougen Takamine Yoshio Inoue *Berlock:

Susumu Kurobe (born ; 22 October 1939) is a television, film and stage actor from Kurobe, Toyama, Japan, widely known for his portrayal of Shin Hayata, the first Ultraman in the '' titular character series'', a role he has played since the original series in ...

Episode

# The Fiery Superman Strikes # The Bracelets of Friendship # The Shout of the Space Team # Appearance of the Magnetic Monster # The Star of Mt Hoshimigoka # Order: Operation Invasion # Fighting the Warrior of Love # On Guard, Small Hero # A UFO and a Dead Soldier in the Sea # Combat in the Crime Army # Battle For Command # The Great Challenge # The Battle of the Monsters # The Earth's Children are Threatened # Inner Conflict # The Mask of Gold # Where is the Secret Base? # Proof Positive # The Secret of the Scales # The Great Invasion of Monsters # The Heroism of Mary # The Secret of the Megalo-Fire # Infernal Prisoner # Blood Urge # The Death of Seiji # The Monster Zagno Zvider # A Providential Aide # The Sacrifice of Hyme # Takeshi - Don't Shoot the Monster! # Dagger's Counterattack # The Ultimate Challenge {{Div col end 1979 Japanese television series debuts 1979 Japanese television series endings Fuji TV original programming Toho tokusatsu Tokusatsu television series