There's A New Guy in Town... His Name is Robocop... Errr... JANPERSON!

If America has a Robocop, Asia also has a Robocop but he's fully mechanical!

The success of Robocop in America in the 80s spawned the Metal Hero Jiban in January 29, 1989 but true to the typical Toku spirit, Jiban was a Robocop that fought against monsters of the week.  Not so much in Janperson.  Janperson itself presented himself as a mysterious hero who one way or another was the "new guy in town".  Much of Janperson really followed the successful Hollywood movie Robocop in a very Japanese fashion.  Unlike the typical Tokusatsu, he doesn't fight monsters of the week but instead, focuses on fighting super criminals beyond the control of the Tokyo Police.


Yup there's a new guy in Tokyo Town... and he ain't Robocop but Janperson!

Janpersion's first episode was just like... well where is Janperson?  It starts with the crisis of a little girl who caught a rare virus that has a hard to reach vaccine.  Just then you have robot criminals and crook from another organization, showing up.  But when things get tight... guess who comes in?  There's a new guy in town and his name is Robocop... errr.... Janperson!  Janperson must fight against the criminal activities which makes the police startle... who's the new guy in town?  Like Robocop, Janperson upholds the law from the thugs that have crime-infested Japan.


Shun Sugata manages to live up to Kurtwood Smith's performance... as Japan's very own version of Clarence Boddicker with the characteristics of Dick Jones!

Not everything is so good news well... for crooks.  Janperson just got rid of a cyborg madman two episodes ago but all is not well.  The local mafia run by a Dick Jones/Clarence Boddicker Hybrid shows up and his name is Ryuzaburo Tatewaki.  This guy is pretty much crazy, he hires killers to go after Janperson.  Somehow, I felt like the producers wanted Janperson to be formerly human and that Tatewaki was the killer.  Like Clarence Boddicker, this guy has a very bad temper and like Dick Jones, not so many know of his criminal activities.  For two episodes, he had the focus as a real madman who was serious about killing Robocop errr... Janperson!


Well here's Guild cult's new leader... and he's a more menacing version of Cain and Kazuoki Takahashi who had a heroic role, now plays the role of a fanatic cult leader!

Janperson had another villain to fear namely Guild's new leader George Makebe.  His brother died and he did't really care, he wanted to take over the world for himself establishing himself as a god of sorts.  He had a godlike complex and considered himself the god of robots.  His first episode appearance had him lead a robot revolt and create a new mechanical robot to eliminate Janperson.  Most of his plans would be centered around him achieving a godlike status.  Kazuoki Takahashi was able to play the cult leader well.


Atsuko Takahata has Belinda Bauer's charm in playing Juliette Faxx... in playing Reiko Ayanokouji!

Super Science Network is well, unscrupulous and the kind of science network Juliette Faxx will establish if she had the resources.  Her network focuses on the misuse of biological weapons and she has a team of scientists under her.  She is shown to be ruthless and manipulative towards everyone for her own selfish ends.

Overall, Janperson really is indeed the Asian Robocop, inspired by the original Robocop.