Kidou Keiji Jiban

infobox television
show_name = Kidou Keiji Jiban
format = Metal Hero
Tokusatsu
runtime = 30 minutes (per episode)
country = Japan
network = TV Asahi
imdb_id = 0185812


caption = Kidou Keiji Jiban
num_episodes = 52
creator = Keita Amemiya
starring = Shouhei Kusaka, Michiko Enokida, Hajime Izu and Shōzō Iizuka
narrated = Toru Ohira
first_aired = January 30, 1989
last_aired = January 29, 1990|

nihongo|"Kidou Keiji Jiban"|機動刑事ジバン|Kidō Keiji Jiban, translated into English as Mobile Detective Jiban, is a Japanese tokusatsu television series produced by Toei, aired by TV Asahi in Japan from January 30, 1989 to January 29, 1990 with 52 episodes [http://incolor.inebraska.com/stuart/henshin/metal.htm Metal Heroes (Metaru Hiro).] Retrieved on January 22, 2008.] and a feature movie aired on July 17, 1989 [http://incolor.inebraska.com/stuart/henshin/metal.htm Metal Heroes (Metaru Hiro).] Retrieved on January 22, 2008.] . It was also translated as Mobile Sheriff Jiban [http://incolor.inebraska.com/stuart/henshin/metal.htm Metal Heroes (Metaru Hiro).] Retrieved on January 22, 2008.] . According to Toei's International Sales & Promotion Department, the series' English title can be localized as Jiban. [ [http://tvarc.toei.co.jp/tv/library/series-title.html Title Lists: TV Series.] Retrieved on January 22, 2008.]

Plot

:Tamura Naoto, a new detective in Central City was killed by a Bioron agent in the line of duty. Doctor Kenzou Igarashi, a man whose experiments had been responsible for the Bioron syndicate's existence, brought the man back to life as a robot detective, Jiban. Eventually Madogarbo and Rhinonoid killed Jiban, who returned to life again as Perfect Jiban (basically the same design as the original, but with a blue-colored metal body and three new weapons). In the finale, Bioron destroyed Jiban's base and transformed Madogarbo into false Jiban. Jiban defeated his duplicate and ultimately Gibanoid, the true form of Bioron's leader Doctor Giba. The victorious Jiban then learned that Igarashi Mayumi, the one civilian that knew his secret, had been his missing younger sister all along.

Characters

* (Perfect) Jiban/Naoto Tamura (Marco in the Philippine dub) - A human revived as a cyborg by Doctor Igarashi to fight Bioron. He is capable of reverting to his human identity at will. He holds the rank of police commissioner (as a robot) and detective (as human). Jiban's programming enables him to follow these directives:

# Arrest criminals in any circumstance without a warrant.
# Punish criminals on his own judgment if they happen to be members of Bioron.
# Use lethal force depending on the circumstances.
* Mayumi Igarashi - The only civilian who knew Jiban's secret identity. She lost her memory in battle, after falling from a waterfall, because, Bioron put in her finger a Bomb Ring. If Jiban approaches her, the bomb will burst. She called Naoto her 'big brother,' only to find that she was really his lost sister in the finale.

* Shun'ichi and Shizue Igarashi - Mayumi's parents, relocated as witnesses to Bioron.

* Doctor Kenzo Igarashi - Started the Jiban's project to counter Bioron, the results of his biological experimentation. He died when Jiban was built.

* Youko Katagiri - A female detective of Central City. Naoto's senior. Manly sharpshooter who could not figure out that Naoto was Jiban.

* Kiyoshirou Muramatsu - Elite detective of Central City with a liking for Youko.

* Seiichi Yanagida - The head of the Police Department. He cooperated with Doctor Igarashi in the Jiban Project two years earlier. He collaborated with Jiban after Igarashi's death. He died when Jiban's base was destroyed.

* Section Chief Takeko Bandou - The Central City Section Chief of Detectives. Got headaches trying to keep the peace in jurisdictions where strange events occurred, no thanks to Bioron.

* Matsumoto Michiyo - A tea server of the Detectives' Section of Central City Police Department. She is always cheerful and encouraging.

* Boy/Harry Boy - Jiban's robotic assistant. He stays at his secret base. Originally he was simply Boy, an immobile camera-like robot who had to give instructions to Mayumi to operate the control center, but then his computer was transferred to panda-like "Harry" (a robot devised by another student of Doctor Igarashi's) and began substituting for the amnesiac Mayumi. He died when Jiban's base was destroyed.

* Ryou Hayakawa - A drifter who takes in Mayumi after she loses her memory, mistaking her for his dead sister, Midori. He initially refers to her by that name but later refers to her by her own name Mayumi after reading a missing person's notice, although Mayumi does not tell him her true origins (since her memory is faulty). In the scuffle, Mayumi goes away, unable to remember what just happened.He died in Episode 46, when Jiban removed the Bomb Ring from Mayumi's finger with a very precise shot, without hurt her. Ryu take the ring and run, to throw it out, but the explosion was too much strong, killing him.

Equipment

* Jiban's Badge - It can be used as a communicator to contact Harry Boy, Seiichi and Mayumi in Jiban's Base or used to summon any of his vehicles, as well as to control their armaments electronically.

Vehicles

* Super Police Machine Reson - Jiban's patrol car, a Pontiac Firebird with a sixth generation computer and hence a will of its own, and it was destroyed by Gibanoid.

* Super Police Bike Vaican - Jiban's Suzuki motorcycle with a sixth generation computer and hence a will of its own, and it was destroyed by Gibanoid.

* Super Police Jet Spylas - Jiban's stealth fighter plane with a will of its own, and it was destroyed by Doctor Giba using his ship's weapon systems.

Weapons

*Spikes - It is hidden in Jiban's upper arms to puncture and break a hold or to shoot.

*Jiban Hip Beam - It is hidden in Jiban's upper arms to shoot into areas that cannot be accessed through physical means (example: doors). Jiban used it in the movie.

* Maximillian Type 3 - Jiban's personal weapon. Concealed in a collapsible holster located on his right leg, it can transform into either Pistol, Stun Gun, or Sword Mode.

The Maximillian Type 3 can also perform the following moves and techniques:

# Disclose Shock - It is used in stun gun mode, essentially a stun gun.
# Last Shooting/Search Buster - It is used in pistol mode, firing laser shots.
# Jiban End (Energy Sword) - It is used in sword mode, splits enemies in half.
* Daedalus - Jiban's personal cannon. Required to perform the Daedalus Bombard Technique, which is used to finish off foes. It can be made into a backpack jet to enable Jiban to fly short distances.

* Autoderringer Rifle - Jiban's personal rifle. He acquired it after being resurrected as Perfect Jiban. It has a machine gun mode and a bazooka mode. The machine gun mode is used to stun and set up the enemy; after an "Energy Charge" in which the bazooka is charged, it fires a powerful shot to finish off the enemy. It was destroyed by Gibanoid during Jiban's final fight with him.

* Powerbreaker Claw - A left arm attachment. It can be used to attack enemies. He acquired it after being resurrected as Perfect Jiban.

* Needricker Drill - A right arm attachment. It can be used to drill into areas that cannot be accessed through physical means (e.g. doors). Acquired it after being resurrected as Perfect Jiban.

Criminal Syndicate Bioron

An armed force organized by the mysterious scientist Doctor Giba intending to take over Japan by means of narrow attacks rather than large-scale destruction. Their theme/weapon is biochemistry.

* Doctor Jiba (Professor Stevie in the Philippine dub) - A brown-haired, bearded human-looking leader and founder of Bioron. His real identity is Gibanoid, a biomonster born by accident from the chemical waste of the Tiete river. As a result, Jiba is filled with malice for humans. He assumed his true form in the series finale, using Mayumi as a shield to escape in his ship. He died while fighting Jiban on his ship as it crashed into the mountainside.

* Marsha and Karsha (Katrina and Sabrina in the Philippine dub) - The first biolifeforms created by Kiba, his secretaries and intermediaries between him and his Bionoid agents. They can transform into small spiders (for spying on people), and assume their inhuman "Battle" forms (Battle Marsha and Battle Karsha), armed with energy whips. They were killed in the series finale by Doctor Giba for failing to kill Jiban.

* Bubi and Muku - The cute and not so-cute creatures living in Bioron's base. Muku was one of Jiban's foes in early chapters, in giant size, but only as a distraction. They hanged out with Mayumi in the finale.

* Madogarvo (17-51) - A Jiban Killer Cyborg created by Dr.Giba as a counter to Jiban. Using power from Queen Cosmos, she and Rhinonoid are able to kill Jiban in Episode 34, but he is resurrected as Perfect Jiban. She turns to be Jiban's partner in destroying earth* Queen Cosmos (28-46) - A lunar life form resembling a human woman (but actually a floating rock like starfish with a long tail) intent on conquering Earth to establish an all-woman empire. In her own words, she is made of space garbage. She is more powerful than the other Biorons (except Doctor Giba himself), she allies with them to destroy Jiban. In Episode 46, she was defeated by Jiban.

* Masques - The mass-produced grunt human-like life forms armed with knives, guns, machine guns and bazooka. They can disguise themselves as humans and regenerate lost limbs. A determined human (usually Yoko and sometimes Kiyoshiro) can take them out by shooting them in the head or chest or by physically choking them out.

Bionoids

Monsters of the week, the product of Doctor Giba's research. They can disguise themselves as humans.

* (01) - This monster posed as a middle-age man to steal top-secret files. This monster fires missiles from its chest.
* Catnoid (Nekonoid)(02)
* Mudnoid (Doronoid) (03)
* Rosenoid (Baranoid)(04)
* Octopusnoid (Takonoid) (05)
* Vulturenoid (Hagetakanoid) (06)
* Influenzanoid (Kazenoid) (07) - The only Bionoid with a heart. Originally a simple doll transformed into a carrier of a flu-like disease engineered by Bioron, he is nevertheless unable to hurt his previous owner (as a doll), a little girl.
* Molenoid (Moguranoid) (08)
* Hyenanoid (09)
* Nightmarenoid (Akumunoid) (10)
* Hedgehognoid (Urchinoid) (11) - The first Bioron killed Naoto as he was defending Doctor Igarashi. Flashback episode.
* Skunknoid (13)
* Killernoid (14)
* Wolfnoid (Ookaminoid) (15)
* Jellyfishnoid (Kuragenoid)
* Butterfly (Agehanoid) (17)
* Starfishnoid (Hitodenoid) (18)
* Injectnoid (Chuushanoid) (19)
* Moneynoid (Kanenoid) (20)
* Bugnoid (Mushinoid) (21) - This monster was made from the eggs of a bug stolen from a little girl by Bioron during a burglary.
* Hunternoid (22)
* Goatnoid (Yaginoid) (23)
* Suicidenoid (Jisatsunoid) (24)
* Explodenoid (Bakuhanoid) (25)
* Dragonoid (Ryuunoid) (26)
* Centipedenoid (Mukadenoid) (27)
* Elephanoid (Zounoid) (28)
* Doublenoid (29)
* Kabukinoid (30)
* Shinobinoid (31)
* Distnoid (32)
* Fishnoid (Sakananoid) (33)
* Rhinonoid (Sainoid) (34)
* Chambaranoid (36) - This monster was a samurai who confusses Yoko with his long lost love his in past life, but transformed into monster by Doctor Giba. The monster was armed with swords,chains,glue,and a bomb in his body given by Madogarbo. He was remarkable honorable, a very rare trait in the Bioron.
* Tortoinoid (Kamenoid) (37)
* Mushroonoid (Kinokonoid) (38) - Disseminates spores that cause laziness in people, including Seishiro and local traffic officer Kotani, who decide to leave town on a fishing trip.
* HermitCrabnoid (Yadokarinoid) (39)
* Panthernoid (40)
* Anacondanoid (Uwabaminoid) (41)
* Tyrannosaurusnoid (42) - Not active as a monster; actually a suckling needing electricity to grow, provided by Namazunoid.
* Catfishnoid (Namazunoid) (42) - This monster steals electricity, which he uses to power the incubator for Tyrannosaurusnoid.
* Cobranoid (43) - This monster takes the appearance of an old lady to inject a drug on Yoko that is eventually carried over to Jiban after he rescues her from a Bioron attack. This monster uses a flute to control Yoko into hurting him.
* Suitorunoid (Suitorunoid) (44)
* Squidnoid (Ikanoid) (45)
* Unicornnoid (47)
* TempleBellnoid (Tsuriganenoid) (48)
* Fakemomnoid (Nisehahanoid)(49)
* Great Gibanoid (DaiGibanoid) (Movie)
** Batblock(Movie)
** Ammoblock(Movie)
** Spiderblock (Movie)

Movie

A movie for the series, entitled "Kidou Keiji Jiban: Great Explosion at the Monster Factory of Fear", was released on July 15, 1989, alongside the "Kousoku Sentai Turboranger" Special as part of the 1989 "Manga Matsuri" Special Festival. [http://incolor.inebraska.com/stuart/henshin/metal.htm Metal Heroes (Metaru Hiro).] Retrieved on January 22, 2008.]

Foreign Broadcast

Jiban has also been broadcasted in other countries, dubbed in their national language.

Cast

*Naoto Tamura / Kidou Keiji Jiban - Shouhei Kusaka
*Doctor Kenzo Igarashi - Hajime Izu
*Doctor Giba - Leo Meneghetti
**Doctor Giba - Shōzō Iizuka (voice)
*Mayumi Igarashi/Midori Hayakawa - Konomi Mashita
*Youko Katagiri - Michiko Enokida
*Ryuu Hayakawa - Ryohei Kobayashi
*Seiichi Yanagida - Akira Ishihama
*Marsha - Ami Kawai
*Karsha - Akemi Kogawa
*Narrator - Toru Ohira
*Seishiro Muramatsu - Kunio Konishi
*Madogarbo - Kazuko Yanaga
*Queen Cosmos - Yoko Asakura

ongs

;Opening theme
*nihongo|"Kidou Keiji Jiban"|機動刑事ジバン|Kidō Keiji Jiban
**Lyrics: Keisuke Yamakawa
**Composition: Kisaburō Suzuki
**Arrangement: nihongo|Kazuya Izumi|和泉 一弥|Izumi Kazuya
**Artist: Akira Kushida;Ending theme
*nihongo|"Tomorrow's Forecast is Always Sunny"|未来（あした）予報はいつも晴れ|Ashita Yohō wa Itsumo Hare
**Lyrics: Keisuke Yamakawa
**Composition: Kisaburō Suzuki
**Arrangement: Kazuya Izumi
**Artist: Akira Kushida

Media

Jiban's episodes and movie has been released in Japan in several VHS tapes. Though it had been obscure for a long time with the rest of the other metal hero TV shows, there has been sightings of a DVD release. It is most likely subtitled in other languages such as Portuguese in bootlegged form as there has been no word from Toei officials if Jiban would receive an official release in Japanese or licensed release in foreign subtitled languages such as English.

Cultural References

* Jiban was influenced by the success of the movie Robocop. Jiban's three main directives with the location of his Maximillian Type 3 sidearm and collapsable holster has been copied from the Robocop cyborg, as well the origin story. The series was also influenced by Robotto Keiji.
* When Jiban becomes Perfect Jiban, his armor color is now blue, and coincidently in Robocop 2, Robocop's armor color is now blue instead of silver. This could be a homage to Jiban himself, but most likely coincidencial.
* Jiban sort-of breaks tradition by using an American car (a cosmetically modified Pontiac Firebird 1983 model police car) as his four-wheel transport. Toei usually uses cars from Mazda and/or Suzuki. It remains the only left-hand drive car in the tokusatsu world, and the only one of American origin.
* Ryohei Kobayashi, the actor who plays Ryuu Hayakawa, also plays Fumiya Hoshikawa/Five Black in Chikyuu Sentai Fiveman.
* Though the emblem on Jiban's head is the crest of the Japanese National Police Agency, the emblem on his chest resembles an American sheriff star.
* Doctor Giba is played by Italian actor Leo Meneghetti, however, the actor is dubbed by seiyuu Shozo Iizuka. The reason is still unknown, but it is probably because Meneghetti did not have much experience in Japanese language (or could speak properly, but with an accent). That way, Shozo Izuka had to dub him. The difference and lack of synchronization is clearly noticeable in the series.

References

External links

*
* [http://www.grnrngr.com/documents/METAL.TXT Metal Hero FAQ]