The references to Robocop is unavoidable now, isn't it? After the Robocop movie was screened in 1987 - 1988 was the year when a 12-episode Robocop cartoon. The movie's main villain was Dick Jones and the secondary villain was Clarence Boddicker. However, like Robert G. Durant of Darkman fame - Jones was left out and Boddicker became the more popular villain. Boddicker even became the MAIN VILLAIN of the Robocop 1988 TV series. Here, it seems Toei Ltd. wasn't all too interested in Jones. Yeah, Jones was a boring generic villain. Instead, Boddicker becomes an Ascended Extra in the form of Ryuzaburo Tatewaki. Yeah, the same guy who'd become Bill Goldy that will come for another day.
After the destruction of the Guild - we have the Tatewaki Konzern. In public, it's viewed as a friend to the public like Omni Consumer Products. However, its leader is pretty much like Boddicker in many ways. Shun Sugata clearly makes his own Boddicker. Sugata doesn't need to mimic the awesome performance of Kirkwood Smith. True, Tatewaki is Boddicker Lite but tends to be more dangerous than the cartoon Boddicker. Heck, Tatewaki really shows he's not someone you can just take lightly even if he doesn't do much fighting directly - at least not yet!
Tatewaki is aware how dangerous Janperson is as a threat. The fits of insanity that Tatewaki throws are very similar to Boddicker. Tatewaki is also served by Sarah and Maya - two female bodyguards that would remind you of Dr. Giba's two bodyguards in Jiban. Tatewaki also hires some assassins (which also includes Kazuo Niibori and Jiro Okamoto). Speaking of Niibori - I never realized how he was that important Red Ranger stuntman until I saw Akibaranger. I only called Niibori back then Mr. Mustache every time he made a cameo. The assassins were all tasked with assassinating Janperson.
Tatewaki shows other signs of being like Boddicker. Boddicer would chew on gum. Tatewaki had his lollipop. Tatewaki is shown to be rather dangerous and not to be underestimated. Janperson wouldn't shoot down a human being presumably due to part of his derivative. It's also in Isaac Asimov's three law of robotics. Tatewaki also wants that skeleton key. Seriously... we know that Tatewaki wants any access. Tatewaki has a great control of Japan's industries. Meanwhile, he also runs several illegal industries. The only thing missing for Tatewaki to say in Japanese is, "See I got this problem. Cops don't like me so I don't like cops." Yup, that pretty much summarizes why he hates Janperson. Janperson is a friend to law enforcement wherever he goes!
What's interesting is that the next two episodes will focus on two more villains. George Makabe who is the head of Neo-Guild. We also have Reiko Ayanokouji who appears to have a similar hairstyle to Juliette Faxx in Robocop 2. The show does get interesting but the identity of Janperson isn't explored yet until in the late tens.
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See you again!
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