Metal Heroes is a classic tokusatsu series that aired, along with Super Sentai, on TV Asahi. It lasted from 1982 to 1999.
Super Sentai
Kenji Ohba, the star of the original series, Space Sheriff Gavan, previously had two main roles in Super Sentai, Shirou Akebono (Battle Kenya) in Battle Fever J and Daigorou Oume (DenziBlue) in Denshi Sentai Denziman.
As part of the 30th anniversary of Metal Heroes, the 35th Super Sentai, Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger, had a crossover movie with the original Metal Hero series, Space Sheriff Gavan, in Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger vs. Uchuu Keiji Gavan: The Movie. It is rumoured that this could lead to the revival of the Metal Heroes series.
Akibaranger
In the unofficial Super Sentai series, Hikonin Sentai Akibaranger, all official Super Sentai series exist as TV shows as in the real world, while other tokusatsu series exist in different form. The Metal Hero franchise is turned into several anime series. The Space Sheriff Trilogy exist as the "Galactic Sheriff" series, which air on Saturdays at 6:30 am. The Galactic Sheriff series are Galactic Sheriff Gavian (Uchuu Keiji Gavan) in April 2004, Galactic Sheriff Sharian (Uchuu Keiji Sharivan) in April 2005, and Galactic Sheriff Shainer (Uchuu Keiji Shaider) in April 2006. There is also Heavy Armored B-Trooper (Juukou B-Fighter) which aired in 2011. TV STORY-Ep. 8: The Bonds of Painful Special Training are the Authorization Road's Conspiracy Intersection
Metal Heroes with Super Sentai
- This is a list of Metal Heroes series along with the Super Sentai series it aired alongside.
Adaptation
In the 1990s Saban adapted some of the Metal Hero shows for American audiences just as they adapted Super Sentai into Power Rangers. Stock footage from Metalder, Spielvan and Shaider was used in VR Troopers. Later, footage from B-Fighter was used in Big Bad Beetleborgs and Beetleborgs Metallix. Both shows ran for two seasons and ended when all the stock footage from those series were used up. Some costumes from these shows would later be used in Power Rangers, most notably when costumes for the Beetleborgs were used as the Machine Empire Generals in Forever Red.
In addition Marvel Comics published 5 issues of VR Troopers in a flipbook with the Mighty Morphin' Ninja Rangers. Acclaim published a oneshot comic featuring a teamup between the Turbo Rangers and Beetleborgs.
In the 2010s Power Rangers Ninja Steel adapted the character World Ninja Jiraiya into Space Sheriff Skyfire for the episode of the same name.
Gallery
External links
- Metal Hero Series at the Metal Heroes Wiki
- Super Sentai at the Metal Heroes Wiki