Iron King (series)

is a tokusatsu superhero TV series about a giant cyborg. The series was produced by Nippon Gendai and Senkosha Productions Senkosha, and aired on Tokyo Broadcasting System from October 8, 1972 to April 8, 1973, with a total of 26 episodes.
==Plot==
The Shiranui Clan have planned for 2000 years to conquer Japan in retaliation for their nomadic ancestors being banished from the country by the Yamato Clan (who eventually became known as the Japanese people). Each armored ninja-like member of the clan controls a gigantic robot warrior in order to overthrow the "Yamato Government," as they call it.
In response to this terrorist threat, Japan's National Security Organization sends agent Gentaro Shizuka (pop star Shoji Ishibashi), disguised as what can best described as a spaghetti western version of a singing cowboy, to stop their plans with the assistance of the comical Goro Kirishima (Mitsuo Hamada). In an unusual direction for such tokusatsu programs, it is not the heroic but often surprisingly ruthless Gentaro but the bumbling, bespectacled Goro who has the power to become the giant cyborg superhero Iron King by touching the medals on the sides of his unique red Turning Hat and shouting "Iron Shock!" when danger threatens.
However, often Iron King is unable to defeat the clan's giant robots without help from Gentaro, who wields a weapon called the Iron Belt that can become a slender rapier-like sword or an infinitely extendable metal whip capable of hurting giant monsters. In addition, transforming into the water-powered Iron King quickly dehydrates Goro, and he can only remain as Iron King for a short period of time. Strangely, although Gentaro knows Iron King's time limit comes from using up his water supply he never manages to connect it with Goro's omnipresent thirst until the final episode.
In the tenth episode the Shiranui Clan is destroyed but their place is taken by the skull-symboled Phantom Militia (A.K.A. the Phantom Opposition Party) who also use giant robots to enact their revolution against the Japanese government, although rather than being humanoid in shape their's take the form of dinosaur like kaiju.
From the nineteenth episode to the end of the series Gentaro and Goro battle black cloak and Puritan hat-clad white-masked aliens called Titanians who have various inhuman powers such as flight, possession, mind control and the ability to enlarge themselves to giant size. Upon doing the latter they are then able to assume their true, insect-like monster forms.http://www.senkosha.net/sakuhinlist/aianking
==Characters==
===Protagonist===
*Gentaro Shizuka
*Goro Kirishima
===Others===
*Yukiko Takamura
*Noriko Fujimori
*Taro Shiranui
===Heroes===
*Iron King
===Villains===
====Shiranui Clan====
*Shiranui Taro (1-10, Leader)
*Vacumira (1)
*Jairoges (2)
*Double Satan (3)
*Devil Tiger (4)
*Monster Zorro (5)
*Black Knight (6)
*Bronze Demon (6)
*Monster Bird (6-7)
*Silver Rider (8)
*Gold Fire (9-10)
====Phantom Militia====
*Phantom Gekko (10-18, Leader)
*Zaira-Unicorn (10-11)
*Tongasaurus (12-13)
*Jurass-Don (14)
*Capri-Gon (15)
*Toragilas (16)
*Dojira (17)
*Kumagross (18)
====Alien Titanians====
*Titanian No. 1 (19-26, Leader)
*Kabutron (19-20)
*Kamagyrus (21)
*Kirigiron (22)
*Kangarole (23)
*Gokibura (24)
*Cricketton/Possessed Iron King (25-26)
==Cast==
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===Voice Actors===
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===Suit Actors===
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*Robot and Kaiju:
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==Staff==
*Producers: Yoji Hashimoto (TBS), Toshio Kobayashi
*Assistant producers: Shozo Tamura, Tetsuya Kobayashi
*Screenwriter: Mamoru Sasaki
*Directors: Shozo Tamura, Toru Toyama, Hiroshi Fukuhara, Hiroshi Edagawa, Noriaki Yuasa
*Special effects directors: Kiyoshi Suzuki, Masataka Yamamoto, Koichi Takano
*Music: Shunsuke Kikuchi
*Photography: Kiyoshi Suzuki, Daijiro Ogawa, Shinichi Ooka
*Art: Noriyoshi Ikeya, Katsuhiko Sakurai
*Production cooperation: Nippon Gendai
*Production: TBS, Nobukosha
==Episodes==
No.	Title	Airdate
1. 	 	October 8, 1972
2. 	 	October 15, 1972
3. 	 	October 22, 1972
4. 	 	October 29, 1972
5. 	 	November 5, 1972
6. 	 	November 12, 1972
7. 	 	November 19, 1972
8. 	 	November 26, 1972
9. 	 	December 3, 1972
10.	 	December 10, 1972
11.	 	December 17, 1972
12.	 	December 24, 1972
13.	 	January 7, 1973
14.	 	January 14, 1973
15.	
マラソン怪獣カプリゴン	January 21, 1973
16.	 	January 28, 1973
17.	 	February 4, 1973
18.	 	February 11, 1973
19.	 	February 18, 1973
20.	 	February 25, 1973
21.	 	March 4, 1973
22.	 	March 11, 1973
23.	 	March 18, 1973
24.	 	March 25, 1973
25.	 	April 1, 1973
26.	 	April 8, 1973
==Music==
:;Opening Theme
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**Lyrics: Mamoru Sasaki
**Composition: Shunsuke Kikuchi
**Artist: Masato Shimon
:;Ending Theme
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**Lyrics: Mamoru Sasaki
**Composition: Shunsuke Kikuchi
**Artist: Masato Shimon
==Home Media==
On December 1, 1990, Toho released the LD-BOX of Iron King. This box set is the only version that contains greeting videos from the two main characters promoting the new show. On December 18, 1998, Beam Entertainment released an LD-BOX that includes all episodes of the series. On December 18, 1999, Beam Entertainment released 9 VHS volumes, available as individual volumes and in box sets.
On March 25, 2001, Transworld Entertainment released a DVD-BOX version of the series, consisting of 7 volumes. Later, on April 5, 2006, Geneon Entertainment also released a DVD-BOX, containing 6 volumes. On June 24, 2011, Humming released single-volume DVDs, totaling 6 volumes. The restoration of the footage was supervised by the Digital Ultra Project. https://www.amazon.co.jp/アイアンキング-Vol-1-DVD-石橋正次/dp/B004VV5ZPY December 25, 2013, and January 24, 2014, Humming released single-volume Blu-ray discs, consisting of 6 volumes. On May 22, 2015, the Digital Ultra Project released Iron King Complete DVD-BOX, a collection that includes behind-the-scenes footage of the actors, special effects rehearsal scenes, the first production stills of the series, and a collection of art designs.https://www.dupj.jp/p/iron_photonicle/
On October 30, 2020, Best Field released the Blu-ray set as part of the Revived Hero Library Vol. 35. The set contains 2 discs and is the first restoration made using Pure HD technology.https://www.bestfield.com/8j0uu5e_0re/
Iron King 2011 1.jpg|2011 volume 1 (episodes 1-5)
Iron King 2011 2.jpg|2011 volume 2 (episodes 6-10)
Iron King 2011 3.jpg|2011 volume 3 (episodes 11-14)
Iron King 2011 4.png|2011 volume 4 (episodes 15-18)
Iron King 2011 5.jpg|2011 volume 5 (episodes 19-22)
Iron King 2011 6.jpg|2011 volume 6 (episodes 23-26)
Iron King 2013 1.jpg|2013 Blu-ray volume 1 (episodes 1-5)
Iron King 2013 2.jpg|2013 Blu-ray volume 2 (episodes 6-10)
Iron King 2013 3.jpg|2013 Blu-ray volume 3 (episodes 11-14)
Iron King 2013 4.jpg|2013 Blu-ray volume 4 (episodes 15-18)
Iron King 2013 5.jpg|2013 Blu-ray volume 5 (episodes 19-22)
Iron King 2013 6.jpg|2013 Blu-ray volume 6 (episodes 23-26)
Iron King 2015.jpg|2015 Complete DVD-BOX
Iron King 2020.jpg|2020 Blu-ray
In the North American market, on November 6, 2007, BCI Eclipse released the complete series on DVD. By 2009, the series had gone out of print due to the company's closure, but Mill Creek Entertainment took over the distribution rights and re-released the complete series on DVD on March 9, 2010.
BCI Eclipse Iron King.jpg|Cover to the 2007 BCI Eclipse DVD release
==Gallery==
Iron King 1972 01.png
Iron King 1972 02.jpg
Iron King 1972 03.png
Iron King 1972 04.jpg
Iron King 1972.jpg
==External Links==
*Iron King at the Internet Movie Database
==References==
id:Iron King (seri)
Category:Series
Category:Showa Series
Category:Non-Ultraman Series
Category:Iron King