Plot - Choujinki Metalder
The sixth and shortest entry in the Metal Hero Series, Chojinki Metalder, only lasted 39 episodes from March 16, 1987, to January 17, 1988. Younger viewers were put off by Toei’s decision to take Choujinki Metalder in a darker and grimmer direction.
The series was canceled after 39 episodes, making it the shortest Metal Hero series, as a result of ratings declines in the second half.
The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers actor Jason David Frank’s unaired series Cybertron was originally supposed to use the action footage of Metalder, but that project was later scrapped. For the first season of VR Troopers, they later used the same material.
Toei refers to this TV show as Metalder for distribution reasons. On a seven-disc DVD package, Toei released the whole Metalder TV series and movie on February 21, 2007.
Story Chojinki Metalder
Dr. Ryuichiro Koga modeled the top-secret weapon Metalder after his late son, Second Sub-Lieutenant Tatsuo Koga, for the Japanese Imperial Army’s use in the Pacific War. Metalder was put to sleep at the Silver Carcass base by the pacifistic Dr. Koga, who then left to work for NASA in America.
In those 42 years, Major Muraki, a former coworker of Dr. Koga, evolved into the malevolent god Neros, tyrant of the Neros Empire. After learning of their scheme and returning to Japan to activate Metalder, Dr. Koga is assassinated by God Neros’ mighty army.
Ryusei Tsurugi, the android Koga created and gave the name of, resists activation despite Koga’s urgent efforts. Koga escapes from the Silver Carcass stronghold, allowing Neros’ soldiers to kill him, in order to give Ryusei a “purpose”. Ryusei is stunned when he unexpectedly sees his creator dying, and he is quickly defeated by Neros’ soldiers.
Ryusei’s fury causes him to transform into his “true” self, the android known as Metalder. Ryusei moves on after a brief battle with Coolgin, which he loses, and runs into Mai Ogi, who will become a buddy.
