Choujinki Metalder

Chojinki Metalder (超人機メタルダー) is the sixth and shortest entry of the Metal Hero Series, running from March 16, 1987, to January 17, 1988, for only 39 episodes. The action footage of Metalder was adapted for the first season of VR Troopers. On February 21, 2007, Toei released the complete Metalder TV series and film on a seven-disc DVD set.

Toei went for a darker and more grim direction for Choujinki Metalder, and this turned off younger viewers. As a result, rating started to slip in the second half, and the series was cancelled after just 39 episodes, making it the shortest Metal Hero series.

For distribution purposes, Toei refers to this television series as Metalder.

Story
In 1945, Dr. Ryuichiro Koga designed Metalder as a top-secret weapon for the Japanese Imperial Army for use in the Pacific War, modeling it after his late son, Second Sub-lieutenant Tatsuo Koga. However, the pacifistic Dr. Koga put Metalder to sleep in the Silver Carcass base and left for America to work for NASA. During the 42 years, Dr. Koga's former colleague Major Muraki became the evil God Neros, ruler of Neros Empire. God Neros sends out his massive armies to kill Dr. Koga, who learned of their organization and returned to Japan to activate Metalder. Koga desperately tries to activate his android creation, who he named Ryusei Tsurugi, but the android is unable to understand what to do. In order to give Ryusei a "purpose", Koga runs out of the Silver Carcass base, allowing Neros' troops to kill him. Suddenly seeing his creator die, Ryusei becomes shocked, and soon is beaten by Neros' troops. Ryusei becomes fueled with rage, evoking the conversion to his 'true' form, the android known as Metalder. After a brief battle with Coolgin (which he loses), Ryusei goes onward, meeting future friend Mai Ogi.

Main
{|
 * Springer
 * Mai Ogi
 * Hakko Kita
 * Hakko Kita

Allies

 * Dr. Ryuichiro Koga
 * 2nd Sub-lieutenant Tatsuo Koga
 * Shingo Ogi

Neros Empire

 * God Neros
 * Beautiful Secretary K and Beautiful Secretary S
 * The Four Armies of the Neros Empire
 * Brave General
 * Violent Spirit
 * Heroic Fighter
 * Explosive Fighter
 * Furious Fighter
 * Fierce Fighter
 * Strong Fighter
 * Medium Fighter
 * Light Fighter

Armored Army

 * Victorious Saint Coolgin
 * Brave Generals Tagsky and Tagsron
 * Violent Spirit Chuubo
 * Violent Spirit Hidouman
 * Heroic Fighter Wogger
 * Heroic Fighter Barloc
 * Explosive Fighter Galador
 * Explosive Fighter Robinken
 * Furious Fighter Ben K
 * Furious Fighter Jamune
 * Medium Fighters Mukimukiman and Fuufuuchu
 * Light Fighter Apprentice Madonna
 * Shadow Light Fighters

Robotic Warrior Army

 * Victorious Saint Valsky
 * Brave General Galdos
 * Bigwayne
 * Crosslander
 * Heroic Fighter Jars
 * Explosive Fighter Gochak
 * Furious Fighter Gebaros
 * Fierce Fighter Zargen
 * Fierce Fighter Rhapsody
 * Strong Fighter Lortail
 * Goblit and Dedemos
 * Light Fighter Bluekid

Monster Army

 * Victorious Saint Geldring
 * Brave General Bridy
 * Violent Spirit Bankora
 * Heroic Fighter Gamadone
 * Explosive Fighter Damnen
 * Furious Fighter Zakembor
 * Light Fighter Hedogross
 * Wisdom
 * Hedogross Jr.
 * Dog-Gyaran

Armament Army

 * Victorious Saint Dranger
 * Brave General Megadron
 * Violent Spirit Darbarbo
 * Violent Spirit Agmis
 * Heroic Fighter Barbery
 * Furious Fighter Strobe
 * Fierce Fighter Bulchek

Movie
A film version of Choujinki Metalder, set between episodes 17 & 18 premiered on July 18, 1987 at the "Toei Manga Matsuri" film festival, where it was shown as part of a quadruple feature alongside Dragon Ball: Sleeping Princess in Devil's Castle, Saint Seiya: The Movie and the film version of Hikari Sentai Maskman.

Cast

 * Ryusei Tsurugi, Tatsuo Koga: Seikō Senō (妹尾 青洸) (credited as Akira Senō (妹尾 洸))
 * Metalder (voice): Michirō Īda (飯田 道朗)
 * Mai Ougi: Hiroko Aota (青田 浩子)
 * Hakko Kita: Kazuoki Takahashi (高橋 和興) (credited as Hiroshi Kawai (河合 宏))
 * Springer (voice): Genpei Hayashiya (林家 源平)
 * Mukimukiman: Seiji Tsushima (対馬 誠二) (credited as Mukimukiman (ムキムキマン))
 * Fuufuuchu: Benkei Daikokubō (大黒坊 弁慶) (credited as Hana Arashi (花 嵐))
 * Beautiful Secretary K: Yūko Mitsui (美津井 祐子)
 * Beautiful Secretary S: Emiko Yamamoto (山本 恵美子)
 * Shingo Ougi: Hiroshi Arikawa (有川 博)
 * Gozo Kirihara: Shinji Tōdō (藤堂 新二)
 * God Neros (voice): Takeshi Watabe (渡部 猛)
 * Dr. Ryuichiro Koga: Kiyoaki Ikehata (池端 清亮) (credited as Ken Uehara (上原 謙))
 * Narrator: Issei Masamune (政宗 一成)

Guest actors

 * Tenko Hikita (引田 天功)
 * Kenji Ohba 25 & 26

Suit actors

 * Metalder: Kazuyoshi Yamada (山田 一善), Noriaki Kaneda (金田 憲明)

Songs

 * Opening theme
 * "Kimi no Seishun wa Kagayaite Iru ka?" (君の青春は輝いているか)
 * Lyrics: James Miki (ジェームス三木)
 * Composition: Takashi Miki (三木 たかし)
 * Arrangement: Kōhei Tanaka
 * Artist: Isao Sasaki


 * Ending theme
 * "Time Limit" (タイムリミット)
 * Lyrics: James Miki
 * Composition: Takashi Miki
 * Arrangement: Kōhei Tanaka
 * Artist: Ichirou Mizuki, Koorogi '73


 * Others
 * "Shunten! Yume no Senshi"
 * "Fighting Shoot da! Metalder"
 * "Hoshi kara no Tegumi"
 * "Isshun no Chance"
 * "Neros Teikoku Yon Gundan"
 * "Voltage Up!"
 * "Never Give up!"
 * "Dash! Side Phantom"

Trivia

 * In the French dub of Choujinki Metalder, the entire music score by Seiji Yokoyama were replaced with their own musical pieces by Shuki Levy himself, who was also worked with Saban Brands. However, Episode 17 and 18 kept the saxophone variant of the original Metalder theme song.