The Mobile Cop Jiban
A cyborg detective fights the Bioron syndicate.
The Mobile Cop Jiban is a Japanese tokusatsu series, the eighth in the Metal Hero Series franchise and the first of the Heisei period. Toei produced it for TV Asahi, where it aired from January 29, 1989, to January 28, 1990, totaling 52 episodes plus a feature film released on July 15, 1989. Toei's international sales department lists the English title as simply Jiban. The series honors the 25th anniversary of the 8-Man manga and anime.
Quick Facts
- Country
- Japan
- Network
- TV Asahi (ANN)
- Episodes
- 52
- Genre
- Tokusatsu
- Superhero fiction
- Science fiction
- Police drama
- Biopunk
- Cyberpunk
- Creator
- Saburō Yatsude
- Company
- Toei Company; Asatsu-DK
- Developer
- Noboru Sugimura
- Director
- Michio Konishi
Facts from the source article.
Plot
Naoto Tamura, a detective in Central City, is killed by a Bionoid Monster. Doctor Kenzo Igarashi revives him as Jiban, a cybernetic police detective to fight the Bioron syndicate. Jiban is later killed by Madogarbo and Rhinonoid but returns as Perfect Jiban with a blue metal body and three new weapons. In the finale, Biolon destroys Jiban's base and Madogarbo becomes a Jiban doppelganger. Jiban defeats him and Gibanoid, the true form of Doctor Giba, then learns that Mayumi Igarashi is his missing younger sister.
Characters
Naoto Tamura, revived as the cyborg Jiban by Doctor Igarashi, can revert to human form and holds the rank of deputy police commissioner as a robot and detective as a human. His programming allows warrantless arrests, punishment of Bioron members on his own judgment, and lethal force when needed. In human form, Naoto plays the fool and is looked down on by Youko and Kiyoshiro, though Youko warms to him after suspecting he is Jiban. Mayumi Igarashi is the only civilian who knows Jiban's secret; she later loses her memory after a waterfall fall, and Madogarbo gives her a Bomb Ring that would detonate if Naoto approaches her as Jiban. She calls Naoto her big brother, and in the finale is revealed to be his lost sister. Shun'ichi and Shizue Igarashi are Mayumi's adoptive parents; Shunichi is the son of Doctor Kenzou Igarashi but not a scientist. Doctor Kenzo Igarashi started the Jiban project to counter Bioron, designed the Daedalus system, and died after Jiban's completion. Youko Katagiri is a female detective and Naoto's senior, a sharpshooter who does not realize Naoto is Jiban. Kiyoshiro Muramatsu is an elite detective who likes Youko. Seiichi Yanagida, head of the Police Department, cooperated with Doctor Igarashi on the Jiban Project and is killed when Jiban's base is destroyed. Section Chief Takeko Bando gets headaches from strange events caused by Biolon. Michiyo Matsumoto is a cheerful tea server in the Detectives' Section.
Broadcasts and home video
In Japan, the series aired on TV Asahi for 52 episodes from January 29, 1989, to January 28, 1990. Toei released the series on DVD from June 21, 2009, to October 21, 2009, across five volumes; each of the first two volumes contains two discs and 10 episodes, while volumes 3 and 4 contain 11 episodes each. The series streams on Toei's YouTube channel Toei Tokusatsu Official. Brazil was the first country outside Japan to air the series, beginning in January 1990 on Rede Manchete with a Brazilian Portuguese dub as Policial de Aço Jiban; the network aired the first episode while the final episode aired in Japan. The dub was produced by Álamo and licensed by Everest Vídeo do Brasil. For cost reasons, only the first 50 episodes were broadcast, leaving the series incomplete for over two decades. In 2011, Dubrasil dubbed the final two episodes, and Focus Filmes released a full DVD set with all 52 episodes including both Japanese audio and the Brazilian Portuguese dub. Sato Company has held the license for the region since 2015 and made the series available on Amazon Prime Video in July 2019. In France, the series aired as Jiban on TF1's Club Dorothée block on August 24, 1990, with a French dub by Arachnée licensed by AB Groupe, but only the first 26 episodes were aired and dubbed; it later aired on cable in 2001 on Mangas. In Spain, it aired in 1991 on TVE 2 with a Castillian Spanish dub as Jiban. In Latin America, it aired from 1991 with a Latin Spanish dub by Coral Pictures, dubbed in Venezuela by Lips Studio. In Thailand, it aired with a Thai dub on Channel 9, later rebranded as MCOT HD. In the Philippines, it aired with a Tagalog dub on IBC-13 from 1992 to 1996 and on GMA-7 from 1998 to 1999, but only 10 of 52 episodes were broadcast. In Indonesia, it aired on Indosiar with an Indonesian dub in 1996, and also on TV 7 (now Tran7).
Frequently Asked Questions
Who created The Mobile Cop Jiban?
The Mobile Cop Jiban was created by Saburō Yatsude.
Who stars in The Mobile Cop Jiban?
The Mobile Cop Jiban stars Shouhei Kusaka, Konomi Mashita, Michiko Enokida, Hajime Izu and Leo Meneghetti.
Which network aired The Mobile Cop Jiban?
The Mobile Cop Jiban aired on TV Asahi (ANN).
More in Japanese Science Fiction Television Series
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced