is the sixth and shortest entry of the Metal Hero Series franchise, running from March 16, 1987, to January 17, 1988, for only 39 episodes. The series was broadcast on TV Asahi, initially inheriting the same Monday 7:00PM time slot of all the preceding Metal Hero shows for its first 24 episodes before switching to the Sunday 9:30AM slot for the remainder of its run. Metalder bears many similarities to Shotaro Ishinomori's Android Kikaider and Kikaider 01, particularly in its themes, characters, and the hero's costume design. Footage from the show was used in VR Troopers.
For distribution purposes, Toei refers to this television series as simply Metalder.
Story In 1945, Dr. Ryūichirō Koga designed Metalder as a top-secret weapon for the Japanese Imperial Army for use in the Pacific War, modeling it after his late son, Second Sub-lieutenant Tatsuo Koga. However, the pacifistic Dr. Koga put Metalder to sleep in the Silver Caucus base and left for the United States to work for NASA.
During the 42 years, Dr. Koga's former colleague Kunio Muraki became evil God Neros, the ruler of the Neros Empire which is notorious as a merchant of death. God Neros sends out his massive armies to kill Dr. Kōga, who learned of their organization and returned to Japan to activate Metalder. Koga desperately tries to activate his android creation, who he named Ryūsei Tsurugi, but the android is unable to understand what to do. In order to give Ryusei a "purpose", Koga runs out of the Silver Caucus base, allowing Neros' troops to kill him. Suddenly seeing his creator die, Ryūsei becomes shocked, and soon is beaten by Neros' troops. Ryūsei becomes fueled with rage, evoking the conversion to his true form, the android known as Metalder. After a brief battle with Coolgin (which he loses), Ryūsei goes onward, meeting future friend Mai Ougi.
Characters
Metalder is a "Choujinki", a powerful war android built by Dr. Koga at the end of World War II originally as a countermeasure against the Americans. He was hidden in a secret base of the Japanese Imperial Army until Dr. Koga activated him years later to fight the Neros Empire. His human guise, , is directly modeled after that of Dr. Koga's son Tatsuo of whom he lost during the war. Whenever his energies reach a peak from rage, with the cry , he transforms into his metallic form. Like Tatsuo, he loves music and plays the saxophone from time to time. His Reflection Circuit gave him the same feelings as humans and a sense of right and wrong. Powered by 'super-gravitational energy', his killing techniques include "Laser Arm", "G-Kick", "Metal Tornado" spinning kick, "Head Crash" ram, "Plasma Punch", "Metal Bomber" punching attack from above, and "1000 Hand Punch". At the end of the series he defeats God Neros but in the process, his super-gravitational energy is severely damaged, as a result whenever he moves longer, he will explode and the world will be destroyed by its impact. With Kita's help, Metalder is spared from destruction but at the cost of his human form and his ability to fight as a Choujinki.
Allies is a robot dog that guards the Silver Carcass. He was built by Dr. Koga before Metalder as his "older brother". Capable of human speech, he repairs Metalder and runs the machines inside the Silver Carcass. Springer enjoys watching TV, particularly anime. is a tomboyish camerawoman who works for the Weekly Up magazine. She is Metalder's first human friend and constant companion. is an armored Sōhei warrior with a large hammer named after the legendary Saitō Musashibō Benkei. As a member of the Armored Army, Ben K wins the honor to hunt down Metalder after defeating Gebaros in the Ghost Bank. He secretly attacks Ryusei by throwing a hatchet at his leg. With an injured leg, Ryusei leaves Mai behind and retreats into the woods. Ben K has the advantage with his mighty hammer, but Metalder manages to store just enough power to destroy Ben K's helmet. However, despite Metalder's wish to kill him, he spares Ben K's life upon realizing he was a human. After that, Ben K abandons the Empire. He returns in Episode 13 to help Metalder save Hidouman's captives, the miner and his family. He is killed by the Shadow Light Fighters, whom he simultaneously defeats. Like the legend, Ben K dies standing with arrows in his body. is an athlete dressed in blue-green tights and a silver mask resembling a Greek warrior. His outfit fits the theme of a scuba diver. He wields a scythe and chain in his right hand and a clawed gauntlet on his left hand. Barlock was a former decathlon athlete who sabotaged his rival's chance to enter the Olympics. After his rival commits suicide, he feels shame at his cowardice and seeks out challengers to prove himself by becoming a member of the Armored Army. In Episode 8, he battles with Hedogross in the Ghost Bank for the chance to fight Metalder, but loses. He later appears and snags Hedogross' hostage to use as bait to draw Metalder into battle. He is defeated, but not destroyed by Metalder's Laser Arm attack. Redeemed by fighting honorably, he sacrifices himself by taking a tank blast that was meant for Metalder, and possibly the hostage, thus killing him. is the only female Light Fighter. She's also special for working specifically and only in Coolgin's Armored Army. Originally seen as a slave like Wisdom, she proved to be a strong and brave fighter when she protected an exhausted fellow slave from Wogger's blows. Coolgin, having watched the altercation, was impressed by her combat skills and promoted her to Light Fighter. Before becoming a slave, she was a tennis player who was "recruited" by The Secretaries to work as a slave by rebuilding damaged robots for the Empire. She had a sister whom Metalder rescued and took to a hospital after the girl appeared injured to him. Once promoted, Wogger gave her a flat-bladed sword with which to battle, as well as the new name/title of Madonna and freedom from her slave rank. Also ala Wisdom, she faked being a damsel in distress on the beach, only to turn on and attack Metalder after he tried to help her. Metalder recognized her from her sister's picture and tried to talk some sense into her by telling her that her sister was alive, which caused her to leave the battle. She returned to Wogger after her battle with Metalder and Wogger implanted a device into her armor to help her in her next battle with him. In reality, unknown by her, it was a detonation device. She was then used a decoy, faking a needed rescue, only to be saved by Metalder, luring him into a trap. Once he discovered it was a trap, Metalder used his Laser Arm attack to destroy her weapon and with Springer's help, learned of the bomb in her armor and chucked it out of her before it could harm them. Upon learning that she had been used, and that Metalder was right all along, she attacked Wogger long enough for Metalder to escape. Afterwards, she left the Empire and with Metalder's help was reunited with her sister in the hospital. is a peaceful robot of the Robotic Warrior Army with a Stradivarius violin. However, when this robot is upgraded by God Neros and plays his violin, Metalder's circuits go haywire and seem to paralyze his suit. Rhapsody was originally an un ranked and friendly robot, like the repair robots, before being upgraded/promoted by Emperor God Neros. He battles Tagsky and Tagsron in the Ghost Bank and wins the chance to fight Metalder. In the battle with the brothers, he breaks both their weapons. Fighting Metalders, he is struck by Metalder's Laser Arm attack, which seems to turn him back into a peaceful violinist. This does not last, as Darbarbo soon appears and blasts him, causing him to fall over and explode. Both Metalder and the Neros Empire remember his memory and musical talents. In Episode 19, it is revealed that he has been rebuilt and is no longer at Fierce Fighter status. He appears when a little girl becomes lost inside the Ghost Bank. He manages to protect her from the other robots and mutants by hiding her behind his cape until Chuubo discovers them together. He also plays the little girl a song for which she gives him a flower. After helping Metalder and Top Gunder rescue the girl, he leaves the Empire. Rhapsody has decided to stay good and is last seen working for what appears to be a carnival/boardwalk by entertaining patrons with his musical talents. He appears again in Episode 31, still working as a peaceful carnival entertainer. : A slave married to Hedogross, who later gives birth to Hedogross Jr. She has both a humanoid and a mutant of indeterminate description form. When she first appears in Episode 9, she gives her husband her earring to hold during battle. When he is destroyed, she plucks the earring from his remains and vows revenge on Metalder, getting her chance in Episode 12. She uses her human guise to portray a damsel in distress for Metalder to rescue before revealing her true form and attacking. She flees when her labor pains become too intense. Back at the lab, Metalder learns she is just a pregnant slave. He saves her from Galador, who attacked her because she failed to defeat Metalder and ruined their plan. After Metalder rescues her, he returns her earring which she dropped fighting him, and allows her to escape. Sometime before Episode 15, she bears Hedogross Jr. When Junior attacks Metalder, she becomes angry and informs him that Metalder had saved her life. She tries to steer her son away from the Empire, but in vain. Wisdom is later taken hostage by the Empire, but is rescued by her son. She helps both he and Metalder fight off the Empire before leaving the Neros Empire with him. is the son of Hedogross and Wisdom. Hedogross Jr. is a green mutant with silver hair who could project three long claws on each hand. Like his father, Hedogross Jr. can dissolve into slime and takes human form like his mother. He first appears in Episode 12 in Wisdom's memory/imagination as a baby. In Episode 15 he is determined to exact revenge on Metalder for his father and wants to take his father's place. Hedogross Jr. is recruited by Galdos and given status after proving himself. He is assigned to kill Metalder by God Neros after thrashing numerous members of the Monster Army in the Ghost Bank. However, during mid-battle with the Metal Hero, Metalder saves him from falling off a cliff. Metalder tries to reason with him. After seeing his mother held hostage, Hedogross Jr. finally realizes God Neros is the true villain, and the two fight off Bridy, Gamadone, Damnen, Zakembor and the Shadow Light Fighters together. is the end result of Geldring's attempt to revitalize his ranks. Originally a stray German Shepherd named George, he is captured by God Neros' secretaries and mutated into a member of the Monster Army via a special booth-looking machine. During the battle with Metalder, its memories are restored by the Saint Bernard belonging to Mai and Kita, who had earlier shown it kindness. When it refuses to follow orders and destroy Metalder, Geldring kills him by spraying him with toxic foam. is a Grand Prix motorcyclist who was originally head of a motorcycle gang. He first appears in episode 16, where he meets Ryusei and Mai on a photo shoot for a new motorcycle magazine, and gets involved in the fighting. Calling himself the 'Neros Hunter', Kita saw himself as Mai's bodyguard and has feelings for her. Though Kita was willing to aide Ryusei's war against the Neros Empire, his efforts almost always result in a comedic or humiliating defeat.