# Japanese Spiderman (1978)

> A motorcycle racer turned spider-powered hero battles the Iron Cross Army and a parade of monsters and giant robots.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/2508

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 41
- Episode runtime: 24 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: action, science fiction, family
- Created by: Shozo Uehara, Susumu Takaku
- Network: Tokyo Channel 12
- Cast: Shinji Tôdô, Toshiaki Nishizawa, Mitsuo Andō, Yukie Kagawa, Rie Rinehart, Fuyuki Murakami, Tina Margo, Tōru Ōhira
- TMDB rating: 6.6/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0185116/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: moderate
- Complexity: simple
- Violence: mild
- Tone: earnest, campy, adventurous, hopeful, breezy

## What critics say

Audiences rate the series as mixed, with its tokusatsu action and kaiju-style monster battles remembered as campy and dated.

## Synopsis

Japanese Spiderman (1978-1979) is a Japanese tokusatsu superhero series produced by Toei Company for Tokyo Channel 12. Across forty-one episodes of roughly twenty-four minutes each, motorcycle racer Takuya Yamashiro, played by Shinji Tôdô, is transformed into a spider-powered hero who slings and swings through a contemporary Japanese setting. His engine is simple and urgent: he must stop the Iron Cross Army, a criminal organization led by the scheming Professor Monster, played by Mitsuo Andō, from carrying out its plans. Each episode typically pits the hero against a new monster or giant machine, with the battles built around bright costumes, practical effects and lively action set pieces. The series is a single continuing story with a recurring villain organization, giving it the rhythm of a weekly kids' serial rather than a sprawling saga. Its tone is earnest, campy and unabashedly heroic, with a cheerful sense of wonder that flows through the spectacle. Fans of Kamen Rider, Super Sentai and the 1967 Spider-Man series will find the same mix of costumed heroics, monster battles and gadget-driven action here. Shared cast members include Rie Rinehart, Tina Margo and Yukie Kagawa in supporting roles, adding to its classic 1970s flavor.

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