Tetsujin 28-go (Iron Man 28 a.k.a. Gigantor)

Real Name: Tetsujin 28-go

Identity/Class: Robot

Occupation: Crimebuster

Affiliations: Shotaro Haneda (1st pilot), Professor Haneda (creator), ? Haneda (2nd pilot), Dr. Shikishima, Inspector Otsuka

Enemies: Testusjin-26, Testujun-27, the Magmans, Magma X, Gold Wolf, the Franken organisation, the Pink Mafia

Known Relatives: Testusjin-26, Testujun-27 (predecessors, "brothers" of a sort)

Aliases: Iron Man 28; Gigantor

Base of Operations: Japan

First Appearance: Tetsujin 28 (Television Corporation of Japan, 8p.m., October 20th, 1963)

Powers/Abilities: Gigantor was extremely durable, being made of steel. He was very strong, and stood around 3 stories tall. He had a rocket backpack which allowed him to fly. He had no mind of his own, and was directed by Shotaro using a wrist worn radio remote control.

History: (Tetsujin 28) Dr.Haneda was developing experimental giant robot warriors to fight the allies during the Second World War, but before his creations could see action, Allied bombs destroyed the facility and killed him. A decade later criminals discovered two of the surviving prototypes, #26 and 27 in the series, and used the remote controlled robots to commit a number of crimes. Young Shotaro Haneda, the twelve year old son of Dr.Haneda, did some investigating and discovered that the mob were hunting for the twenty-eighth robot in the series, rumoured to be the most powerful of them all. Racing the villains, Shotaro discovers the robot first, along with Dr.Shikashima, a colleague of his father's who was also believed killed by the Allied bombing. Together the two prevent Tetusjin-28 (the robot's official designation) from falling into the hands of the bad guys, and decide to dedicate him to peace rather than war.

Shotaro fought crime for a long time, supported by Dr.Shikashima, who would repair Tetsujin-28 when he was damaged, and by police officer Otsuka. Shotaro even battled the alien Magmans, invaders from the planet Magma, who came to Earth late in his career, bringing their own giant robots, Magma X and Gold Wolf, with them.

Tetsujin's more streamlined look for the 1980's cartoon.(Tetsujin 28-go, c.1980) Years later,  Shotaro had become an Interpol agent, working with Branch Robo, the antirobot crime unit of that organisation. He still employed Tetsujin

(Tetsujin 28 FX, 1992) By 2030 Shotaro's son was in charge of Tetsujin-28. An Interpol agent like his father, he used the aged robot to combat the Pink Mafia and the Franken organisation.

Comments: Created by Mitsuteru Yokoyama.

Tetsujin has been said to be the first of the Japanese giant robots.

In the U.S. version Shotaro Haneda was renamed Jimmy Sparks, while Dr.Shikashima became Bob Brilliant. The Japanese original ran for 96 episodes, while the U.S. one ran for 52. The first 26 episodes were not translated, at the request of their creators, who felt the work on them didn't reflect them at their best.

The new 1980 version of Tetsujin was not strictly a sequel, but rather a remake, as it had Professor Haneda dying and leaving his robot to his adult son. It also eliminated the WWII connection. It ran for fifty-one episodes. The third version only lasted twenty-four.

In 2005 a live action (with CGI Tetsujin) movie was released - Tetsujin niju-hachigo.

CLARIFICATIONS: Not to be confused with

Any Additions/Corrections? Please let me know.

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