Microid S
Miniature heroes shrink to insect size to fight an insect empire.
Microid S is a Japanese manga created by Osamu Tezuka, who both wrote and illustrated it. It ran in Akita Shoten's *Weekly Shōnen Champion* from March to September 1973. Toei later produced an anime adaptation, which changed the title from the manga's original *Microid Z* to *Microid S* so the first letter matched that of the sponsor, Seiko. The series aired for 26 episodes on TV Asahi. In Italy, it is known as *Microsuperman*.
- field
- Manga and anime
- creator
- Osamu Tezuka
- published_in
- Weekly Shōnen Champion
- publisher
- Akita Shoten
- anime_studio
- Toei
- broadcast_network
- TV Asahi
- episodes
- 26
Quick Facts
- Ja Kanji
- ミクロイドZ / ミクロイドS
- Ja Romaji
- Microid Z / Microid S
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The story follows the miniature Microids, humans shrunk to insect size by the evil Gidoron, who escaped wearing winged super-suits they use to protect humanity. The cast includes Yanma the Dragonfly Man (leader), Ageha the Butterfly Girl, Mamezo the Beetle Boy, and Dr. Midoro, a Nobel Prize-winning scientist who befriends the tiny heroes. The antagonist is Gidoron, ruthless ruler of a highly advanced insect empire beneath the Arizona desert, who sends his army of ant-like Gidrons and other mutant bug monsters to conquer the world and purge it of pollution-causing humans.
Reader's Guide
Microid S represents a notable entry in Osamu Tezuka's prolific body of work, blending environmental themes with superhero action. The anime adaptation's title change from 'Microid Z' to 'Microid S' to accommodate sponsor Seiko illustrates the commercial realities of television production in 1970s Japan. The series' Italian title, Microsuperman, reflects its international distribution. While not as widely remembered as Tezuka's major franchises, Microid S showcases his ability to craft engaging narratives around miniature heroes and ecological concerns, predating similar concepts in later media. The 26-episode run on TV Asahi and its publication in Weekly Shōnen Champion mark it as a product of the early 1970s manga and anime boom.
Did You Know?
- The anime adaptation replaced the letter 'Z' with 'S' to match the initial letter of the show's sponsor, Seiko.
- The series is known as Microsuperman in Italy.
- The evil Gidoron rules an insect empire beneath the Arizona desert.
- Dr. Midoro is a Nobel Prize-winning scientist who befriends the Microids.
More in Osamu Tezuka anime 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record