was a Japanese tokusatsu

Tokusatsu

is a Japanese term that applies to any live-action film or television drama that usually features superheroes and makes considerable use of special effects ....

 series created by Shotaro Ishinomori

Shotaro Ishinomori

was a Japanese manga artist who became an influential figure in manga, anime, and tokusatsu, creating several immensely popular long-running series such as Cyborg 009 and Himitsu Sentai Goranger, what would go on to become part of the Super Sentai series, and the Kamen Rider Series...

 and produced by Toei

Toei Company

is a Japanese film, television production, and distribution corporation. Based in Tokyo, Toei owns and operates thirty-four movie theaters across Japan, a modest vertically-integrated studio system by the standards of the 1930s United States; operates studios at Tokyo and Kyoto; and is a...

. The Series aired in January 13 until September 28, 1984, telling the adventures of Nick, a.k.a Ken Takase, a college student from the Ivy planet (located at the Pleiades

Pleiades (star cluster)

In astronomy, the Pleiades, or Seven Sisters , is an open star cluster containing middle-aged hot B-type stars located in the constellation of Taurus. It is among the nearest star clusters to Earth and is the cluster most obvious to the naked eye in the night sky...

) to study the behavior of the Earthlings.

Plot

Travelling in the ship Space Colony, Nick, with the help of tiny robot called Ball Boy (which looks exactly like a baseball) comes to Earth to spend a week studying the behaviour of human beings for his doctorate. Under the human name of Ken Takase, he saves a photographer, Maki Hayama, from an accident, and ends up developing a relationship with her throughout the series. Maki was taking photographs for a report on a building which had been mysteriously demolished. Later, she and Ken find out those responsible: the Tentacle Organization, a gang led by the unscrupulous Professor K, a man who hates children and just wants to get rid of them all, not caring about World domination. Due to this, Nick decides to extend his stay on Earth and use his advanced technology and superior powers to protect his beloved Maki, as well as the children of Earth, under the guise of Machineman. His main weapon, apparently an ordinary sword, is actually a powerful weapon that, when energized, is able to wipe out the deadliest of Professor K's cyborgs. Aside from the sword and its transparent layer, Machineman counts also on the quick Dolphin car that could be changed into a species of spurt. Some episodes later, Machineman succeeds in dismantling Tentacle; however, after that, Professor K flees to Spain and his niece, Lady M, appears. With her aide TonChinkan, they establish a new gang, called "The Octopus". Like her uncle, she too has an allergic reaction to children - so much so that, whenever she is next to one, her nose goes red. In the beginning, she calls up various thieves and legendary criminals from around the world, but later robotic drones are assembled to combat Machineman. By the end of the series, the missing Professor K returns, bringing with him the biggest threat the hero had ever faced: Golden Monsu, a fortified version of Tetsujin Monsu.

Main characters

• Ken Takase/Nick/Machineman
• Ballboy
• Maki Hayama
• Masaru Hayama
• Misa
• Sanjirou
• Yuma
• Kazu
• Hideaki
• Kame
• Editor-in-chief
• Remiko

Cast

• Ken Takase/Nick/Machineman (close-ups):
• Professor K: Hideyo Amamoto
  Hideyo Amamoto
  was a prolific Japanese actor from the Wakamatsu ward of Kitakyūshū best known for portraying Dr. Shinigami in the original Kamen Rider series as well as many other characters in tokusatsu films and the Godzilla series. Amamoto also used the pseudonym of Eisei Amamoto for most of his career, Eisei...
  
  
• Maki Hayama: Kiyomi Tsukada
• Lady M/Meiko: Chiaki Kojo
• Ball Boy (voice): Machiko Soga
  Machiko Soga
  was a Japanese voice actress and actress.- Life and career :Machiko had humble upbringings and was raised to be a singer, though her talents were with acting. She was “discovered” after doing a play in Tokyo Center...
  
  
• Tetsujin Monsu (voice): Toku Nishio
  Toku Nishio
  was a Japanese actor and voice actor from Gifu Prefecture, Japan. He was represented by Tokyo Actor's Consumer's Cooperative Society.He was most known for the roles of Mammoth Nishi , Musashi , and Mister Popo ....
  
  
• Golden Monsu (voice): Shōzō Iizuka
  Shozo Iizuka
  is a male Japanese voice actor from Fukushima Prefecture who is affiliated with Sigma Seven. He graduated from the fine arts department of Nihon University....
  
  
• Machineman (suit-actor):
• Narrator: Osamu Kobayashi
  Osamu Kobayashi (voice actor)
  was a Japanese seiyū and actor from Tokyo and the former executive director of Dōjinsha Production. He was a baritone.-Television animation:* Alps Story: My Annette: Pierre...
  
  

Songs

Opening theme:

• • Lyrics:
  • Composition:
  • Arrangement:
  • Artist: MoJo
    MoJo
    better known as is a Japanese folk singer and anime song singer who has performed on the soundtracks of various anime and tokusatsu series and movies. He is perhaps best known as the vocalist for the theme songs for Battle Fever J, Dai Sentai Goggle V, Kagaku Sentai Dynaman, , Albegas, and...
    
    

Ending theme:

• • Lyrics: Saburo Yatsude
  • Composition: Yuji Ohno
  • Arrangement: Yuji Ohno
  • Artist: MoJo
    MoJo
    better known as is a Japanese folk singer and anime song singer who has performed on the soundtracks of various anime and tokusatsu series and movies. He is perhaps best known as the vocalist for the theme songs for Battle Fever J, Dai Sentai Goggle V, Kagaku Sentai Dynaman, , Albegas, and...