Гигантор: Железный человек №28

1960s Japanese animated TV show featuring a giant robot
the 1963 anime adaptation of Tetsujin 28 go

Gigantor (鉄人28号) is a 1963 anime adaptation of Tetsujin 28 go, a manga by Mitsuteru Yokoyama released in 1956. It debuted on US television in January 1966. As with Speed Racer, the characters' original names were altered and the original series' violence was toned down for American viewers. The dub was created by Fred Ladd distributed in the US by Peter Rodgers Organization. A new series was produced in Japan in 1980 and was later shown as The New Adventures of Gigantor, on the Sci Fi Channel from 1993 to 1997.

Gigantor is set in the then distant year of 2000. The show follows the exploits of Jimmy Sparks, a 12 year old boy who controls Gigantor, a huge flying robot, with a remote control. The robot is made of steel and has a rocket powered backpack for flight, a pointy nose, eyes that never move and incredible strength, but no intelligence (although he started to tap his head as if trying to think in one episode). Whoever has the remote control controls Gigantor. Originally developed as a weapon by Jimmy's father, Gigantor was later reprogrammed to act as a guardian of peace. Jimmy Sparks lives with his uncle, Dr. Bob Brilliant, on a remote island. Jimmy usually wears shorts and a jacket, carries a firearm and occasionally drives a car. Together, Jimmy and Gigantor battle crime around the world and clash with the many villains who are always trying to steal or undermine the giant robot.

In 1963, Fred Ladd, while working on the animated feature Pinocchio in Outer Space and on the animated TV series The Big World of Little Adam had seen artwork of Mitsuteru Yokoyama presenting a giant robot remote controlled by a young boy. The Tokyo based artist had designed the robot for a Japanese shōnen manga series Tetsujin 28 and later a black and white animated TV series called Tetsujin 28 go. Ladd, who had produced the successful international, English language adaptation of Astro Boy, and Al Singer formed a corporation called Delphi Associates, Inc. to produce and distribute an English language version of Tetsujin 28 gō. They took only 52 episodes of the black and white Japanese series for the American market and renamed the series Gigantor. Peter Fernandez wrote much of the English script and participated in the dubbing. Delphi then sub licensed worldwide distribution rights to Trans Lux Television. The series became an immediate hit with juvenile audiences, though adult reactions were sometimes hostile. Despite the fact that the Tetsujin 28 go manga (which debuted in 1956) predates the Marvel Comics character Iron Man (who debuted in 1963), Tetsujin 28 go (which literally means "Iron Man No. 28") could not be released as Iron Man in North America due to the Marvel character Iron Man appearing in that market before Tetsujin debuted there, so the series was renamed Gigantor for the American version. Gigantor premiered in the United States in syndication in January 1966. It was playing at 7:00 p. m. on New York's WPIX TV when Variety gave it a particularly scathing review, calling it a "loud, violent, tasteless and cheerless cartoon" which was "strictly in the retarded babysitter class". The reviewer added that Gigantor was popular; he said, "Ratings so far are reportedly good, but strictly pity the tikes and their misguided folks." Gigantor became a popular Japanese export during this time. The series was shown in Australia on Melbourne television in January 1968 through Trans Lux, on ATV 0 at 5:00 pm. It was described by the TV Week as an "animated science fiction series about the world's mightiest robot, and 12 year old Jimmy Sparks who controls the jet propelled giant". The series aired in other markets around Australia, including Sydney on TEN 10, and in Adelaide, South Australia on SAS 10, (its debut on Monday October 28, 1968, at 5.55 pm). It was also screened in New Zealand around the same time. Gigantor was one of a number of Japanese TV series that enjoyed strong popularity with young viewers in Australia during the 1960s. The first and undoubtedly the most successful of these was the hugely successful live action historical adventure series The Samurai, the first Japanese TV series ever screened in Australia, which premiered in late 1964. It was followed by a contemporary ninja based live action espionage series, Phantom Agents, and a number of popular Japanese animated series including Astro Boy, Ken The Wolf Boy, Prince Planet and Marine Boy. In July 1994, Fox Family Films, a division of 20th Century Fox, acquired the rights to "Gigantor" for a live action motion picture. Anticipating that Gigantor would become a franchise for the studio, Fox tapped screenwriters Steve Meerson and Peter Krikes to prepare the script and budgeted between $35 million and $50 million for the film.

The title song "Gigantor" was written by Louis C. Singer and Eugene Raskin. A cover version of the theme song "Gigantor", performed by Helmet, is included on the 1995 tribute album Saturday Morning: Cartoons' Greatest Hits, produced by Ralph Sall for MCA Records.