Japanese Name

Iron Kingu

English Name

 Iron King

Air Dates and Times

10/8/1972 – 4/8/1973; Fridays, 7:00-7:30 PM – TBS (Tokyo Broadcasting System)

Number of Episodes

26 Episodes

Creator/Writer

Sasaki Mamoru

Producer

Hashimoto Youji (TBS), Kobayashi Tetsuya

Director

Suzuki Michio

Assistant Producer

Abe Sadao

Cinematography

Ooka Shinichi, Kogawa Daijiro

Lighting

Nakamura Ichizou

Art Direction

Sakurai Yoshihiko, Ikeyama Narikatsu

Editing

Oide Yoshiyuki, Kobayashi Yoshiyuki

Stage Direction

Tsukamoto Sadashige

Visual Effects

Suzuki Kiyoshi, Yamamoto Masataka, Takano Koichi

Costumes

Hosaka Akira

Stunts

Takakura Eiji, Wakakoma Bouken Group (The Young Pony Adventure Group)

SFX

Nihon Effects Center

Produced by

Nippon Gendai Kikaku, TBS, Nobuhiro Sha (Nobuhiro Group)

Music

Kikuchi Shunsuke

Theme Song

Iron King
Lyrics by: Sasaki Mamoru
Composed by: Kikuchi Shunsuke
Sung by: Shimon Masato

Cast

Ishibashi Shoji (Shizuka Gentaro)
Hamada Mitsuo (Kirishima Goro)
Morikawa Chieko (Takamura Yukiko)
Sakyo Chiaki (Fujimori Noriko)
Izu Hajime (Prof. Tsushima)
Hota Shigeru/Hota Shizou (Shiranui Taro)
Matsumura Yoshimi (Maboroshi No Gekko [Phantom Moonlight])
Kato Hisashi (Suit Actor - Iron King)

Shizuka Gentaro is a happy-go-lucky youth who just so happens to also be a member of Japan’s Special Security Defense Force and is entrusted with the country’s defense. Gentaro travels Japan searching for those who would try to threaten the Island. On his journey he meets the feeble and clumsy Kirishima Goro. Goro appears to just be a friendly fellow traveler but is secretly also a member of the Japanese Security Defense Force. He was sent to look after Gentaro during his journey. Goro also has another stunning secret. Fitted with a computer control mechanism in his body, he can alter his genetic structure to become the super cyborg giant “Iron King”. Together Gentaro and Goro (as Iron King) battle against those that would threaten Japan’s National security.

#1 “Kyofu No Mitsushi” (The Deadly Secret Weapon) – Vacumira, Jairogesu, Double Satan, Devil Tiger
#2 “Haikyo No Bakucho” (Swan Among The Ruins) – Double Satan, Jairogesu
#3 “Senshi No Hijyo” (A Hero’s Smile) – Double Satan, Devil Tiger
#4 “Gentaro Kodoku Tai” (Kotaro’s Lone Journey) – Devil Tiger
#5 “Akikaze No Naka No Gettou” (Decisive Hit Amid An Autumn Breeze) – Monster Zero
#6 “Senshi No Komori Uta” (A Hero’s Lullaby) – Bronze Demon, Monster Bird, Black Knight
#7 “Ozora O Tadaku Mono” (He Who Attacks From The Sky) – Monster Bird
#8 “Kage No Chitai” (Shadow Zone) – Gold Fire, Silver Rider
#9 “Gentaro Kiki Ippatsu” (Gentaro In Danger) – Gold Fire
#10 “Shisha E No Kuchizuke” (Whisper To The Fallen) – Robot Kaiju Gundan (Robot Monsta Battalion, Gold Fire)
#11 “Tokyo Wa Moeteiru” (Tokyo Ablaze) – Zaira Unicorn
#12 “Tokyo Hijoutai Sengen” (Tokyo - Under State of Emergency) – Dongazaurus
#13 “Chika Yosai Kogeki Meirei” (Attack the Underground Bunker)
#14 “Nou Ha Robot No Himitsu” (The Brain Robot’s Secret) - Jyurasudon
#15 “Marathon Kaijyu Kapurikon” (Kapurikon, The Marathon Monster) - Kapurikon
#16 “Toragirasu O Taose” (Destroy Toragirasu) – Toragirasu
#17 “Iron King Satsugai Meirei” (Assasinate Iron King) -Dojira
#18 “Robot Kaiju Zenmetsu Sakusen” (Operation Destroy All Robot Monsters) – Titanian, Kumagorosu
#19 “Dai Chu Jin Titania Shutsugen” (Titania, The Insect Humanoid) – Titanian, Kabutoron
#20 “Dai Chu Jin Titania No Gyakushu” (Titania’s Revenge) – Titanian
#21 “Kamagiyurasu Satsujin Gas O Nerau” (Strike Against Kamagiyurasu’s Killer Gas) - Kamagiyurasu
#22 “Kyofu Titania Jikogu” (Titania’s Terrifying Hell) – Kirigirin
#23 “Onna Ni Baketa Chu Jin” (The Insect Humanoid Masquerades As A Woman) – Gangaroru
#24 “Tokyo Kogeki Zensen Kichi” (Tokyo Assault Frontline) - Gokibura
#25 “Iron King Dai Pinch” (Iron King In Danger) - Keriketon
#26 “Tokyo Dai Sensou” (Tokyo Great Battle)

Shizuka Gentaro
Twenty Three Year Old (23) Shizuka Gentaro is a member of Japan’s Special Security Defense Force. He was formally a technician at the Japanese Science Institute. Not wanting to wait for trouble to happen, carefree and jovial Gentaro decides to travel Japan looking for any signs of trouble or danger. Dresses up as a cowboy complete with chaps. He is a master of several martial art styles and has even been given the alias “Gen No Ji” (The Bow’s String). Can sometimes be very cold and calculating but is very happy-go-lucky most of the time.

His only weapon is his miraculous “Iron Belt” which is a multipurpose gadget that can be utilized in the following ways:

1 - Used as a binding weapon and whip. Magically elongating his     “Iron Belt” Gentaro can use it to bind enemies, even those that are      several hundred feet tall! It can also be used as a conventional      whip weapon and can be snapped with blinding speed.

2 - The “Iron Belt” can also be stiffened into a handheld stick weapon      and used like a “sword”.

3 - In “stick mode” the “Iron Belt” can fire explosive blasts from its      hilt. These explosives blasts are strong enough to stun enemies      several feet tall.

Goro/Iron King
Kirishima Goro is a member of Japan’s Special Security Defense Force. He is a special operative of the Force charged to secretly keep an eye on Gentaro. While he is very skilled operative and fearless fighter, he plays the part of a bumbling, feeble and weak minded traveler, complete with mountain climbing gear.

When the need arises however, Goro can become the invincible super giant known as “Iron King” by yelling out the command “Iron Shock” and touching the metal pins in his hat (which is oddly enough called his “Turning Hat”). “Iron King” is several hundred feet tall tall and has a host of amazing powers including super strength, near invulnerability, deadly fighting prowess and spectacular acrobatic skills. His main weapons are his “Kyurot Gun” and “Laser Gun” which are able to devastate and blow apart his enemies.

Unfortunately, amid all these incredible powers “Iron King” has two major weaknesses:

1 - Since Goro expends so much Psychic/Mental energy when transforming into “Iron King” he is unable to keep that form for more than one minute (sometimes sources say three minutes), after which he is forced to revert back to his human form. The “time limit” is denoted by several of Iron King’s jewel ornamentations – after 30 seconds his breast jewel (Lamp Iron Star) starts to flash. After another 20 seconds his throat ornament (Lamp King Star) starts to flash. Finally, his helmet jewel, the “Iron Top” starts to flash the final 10 second countdown.

2 - Since the transfer into “Iron King” is so taxing on his human body, Goro must consume massive amounts of water after each transformation. If he does not hydrate after transformation then he is severely weakened to the point of unconsciousness.

“Iron King” was created through the experiments of kindly Prof. Tsushima. Goro was implanted with a computer system that is responsible for altering his genetic structure into the cyborg Iron King. Goro keeps his true identity a highly guarded secret and goes out of his way to fool Gentaro.

Iron King's allies include:

Prof. Tsushima - Prof. Tsushima is Gentaro’s foster father and Gogo’s teacher. Prof. Tsushima was the one who created the technology that turned Goro into Iron King.

Fujimori Noriko – Noriko is another agent of the Japanese Defense Force. She is quite a serious and capable agent. She carried the “Seven Tool” weaponry used by Goro and Gentaro during their fight against the Insect Humanoids. Gentaro and Goro affectionately called her “Tenko”, which she disliked.

Takamura Yukiko – Was one of the Shiranui Clan’s “Ten Shadows”. Was sent to secretly spy on Gentaro and Goro, yet she eventually fell in love with Gentaro and betrayed her “brothers”. She died as a result of her betrayal. Dressed up as an “Indian” princess. Carried a white guitar.

Shiranui Ichizoku (The Shiranui Family/Clan) – Episodes 1-10
Descendants of Japan’s aborigines. Two Thousand years ago, their family/clan had been exiled and banished by the Yamamoto Imperial Court. Swearing revenge against all Japan, the Shiranui have for generations, secretly plotted to take back control of the country. Using advanced science and mysticism, they created a cadre of nine super robots which they hoped would aid them in conquering Japan. Their leader is the eldest son of the Shiranui Clan, Shiranui Taro who also controls the most powerful of the robots, Gold Fire. His nine other siblings each control additional robots via a hand-held control device. The other brothers include:

Shu Ichiro who commands Vacumira.
Shu Jiro who commands Jairogesu.
Shu Saburo who commands Double Satan.
Shu Yonro who commands Devil Tiger.
Shu Goro who commands Monster Zero.
Shu Rokuo who commands Black Knight.
Shu Shichiro who commands Bronze Demon.
Shu Hachiro who commands Monster Bird.
Shu Kyuro who commands Silver Rider.

The tenth sibling is Takamura Yukiko, the lone sister who did not command any mecha. They were also referred to as the Shiranui “Ten Shadows”. All the siblings were masters of disguise and frequently assumed other identities when on missions.

The Shiranui Clan also made use of a band of Ninja followers who acted as their bodyguards and henchmen. These underlings more futuristic ninja costumes with full armored face masks. They were known to carry an assortment of weaponry and were highly agile.

Maboroshi Heidan (The Phantom Corp) – Episodes 10-18
Descendants of Japan’s aborigines. Two Thousand years ago, their family/clan had been exiled and banished by the Yamamoto Imperial Court. Swearing revenge against all Japan, the Shiranui have for generations, secretly plotteembles “Darth Vader’s” helmet mask [which it predates by a good five years]).

The Maboroshi Heidan (or more formerly known as the Tokuritsu Maboroshi Yatou [Phantom Opposition Party]) is another cult faction that also sought to take control of Japan and initiate a revolution. Like the Shiranui Clan, they were also political exiles who were once banished from the country. Their figurehead leader was the megalomaniac known as Maboroshi Gekko (Phantom Moonlight). Agents of the Maboroshi Heidan were given names based on the ancient Japanese lunar calendar:

Moboroshi Mutsuki (Phantom January)
Maboroshi Kisaragi (Phantom February)
Maboroshi Yayohi (Phantom March)
Maboroshi Utzuki (Phantom April)
Maboroshi Satsuki (Phantom May)
Maboroshi Minatzuki (Phantom June)
Maboroshi Futzuki (Phantom July)
Maboroshi Hatzuki (Phantom August)
Maboroshi Nagatsuki (Phantom September)
Maboroshi Kanatzuki (Phantom October)
Maboroshi Shimotsuki (Phantom November)
Maboroshi Shihasu (Phantom December)

They were collectively know as the “Maboroshi Jyunin Shu” (The Phantom Twelve Clan).

Similar to the Shiranui Clan, they also mastered the technology of cybernetics and created an army of robots, which they built to resemble monstrous creatures of legend. They would control these “Tetsu Douji” (Steel Brethren) with control devices shaped like human skulls.

Titania & The Insect Humanoids- Episodes 18-26
The “Titania” are ghostly invaders from outer space who are hell bent on conquering the world. While humanoid in form, they possess ghostly “smiling” translucent faces and are able to grow to giant form. They can effortlessly control humans through mind control and have even assumed the bodies of their victims. They are able to fly about like bats and can create huge gusts of wind through their flowing capes. When provoked or attacked, they can also assume monstrous insect forms. In these Insect Humanoid forms they possess a number of special powers and attacks.

“Iron King” was Nobuhiro Sha’s (Nobuhiro Group) second foray into creating a Tokusatsu/Sci-Fi drama, the first being “Silver Kamen” (Silver Mask; Nippon Gendai Kikaku, 1971). In fact Iron Mask’s costume bears more than a passing resemblance to Silver Kamen.

Singer/Actor Ishibashi Shoji has starred in numberous movies including the live action adaptation of “Ashita No Joe” (Tomorrow’s Joe; Nikkatsu, 1972) and the popular “Tobidase! Seishun” (Go For It! Youth; Teatoru Pro, 1973). Some of Ishibashi’s singles include the songs “Tetkyo O Wataru To Namida Ga Hajimaru” (The Tears Start When I Cross The Train Tracks) and “Yowake No Teishaba” (Daylight Station).

Hamada Mitsuo was a regular in many of Nikkatsu Studio’s “Seishun” (Youth) oriented movies during the 60’s. Hamada has recently been seen in episodes of Ultraman Gaia (TBS/Tsuburaya, 1998).

Morikawa Chieko appeared as Midorikawa Ruriko in the first half of the Original Kamen Rider series (Toei, 1971).

Fans of the immensely popular Kikaider series (Toei, 1972) will easily recognize Izu Hajime as Dr. Komiyoji.

Hota Shigeru (AKA Hota Shizou) is another Kamen Rider alumnus who played General Monster in the Kamen Rider (Sky Rider) series (Toei, 1980)

The show “Iron King” is unique in that while the main character Gentaro is technically the main hero of the show, it is the sidekick Goro who is the real hero.

Goro shares some similarities to Superman’s alter ego character of Clark Kent.