Janperson Episodes 37-42

Janperson pretty much had a long journey - something Metalder wasn't able to do for a reason. Now, it's time to focus on the next few episodes before the fall of the evil organizations. 

Episode 37

This is another joint episode. We have Naoyuki Sakai and Nobuwo Oogizawa joining up to write this episode. This episode also adds a robot named Silent (who freakishly looks like a modified Sol-Dozer from Solbrain) and a female robot named Gelsomina. This is also a Tatewaki Konzern episode. This reveals how Boddicker ahem Tatewaki is willing to set up innocent people just to get the job done.

It's plain genius (really) how Tatewaki sets up Silent. Tatewaki is a pretty crafty guy for someone with insanity. Tatewaki uses his Bill Goldy persona to murder Jelsomina AND set Silent up. Silent can't be silent anymore. Silent was a robot to do exploration. Gun Gibson is able to relate to Silent in many ways. Jelsomina is pretty much Carol's equivalent. Though, the robots were manufactured by the Tatewaki Konzern. Not so many know who Bill Goldy truly is.

R-Zico gets injured and we get a new weapon. Not satisfied with giving Janperson a twin cannon - we get Jiban's Autoderingger for Gun Gibson. I guess the references to Jiban are inescapable. Gun Gibson does the honor of putting away the now-malfunctioned Silent out of his misery. Yeah, it's a bit of how Japanese culture tends to say, "Death is better than dishonor."

Episode 38

Perhaps another intense episode with Gun Gibson. Gun Gibson's revenge-bent personality is a contrast to Janperson. Gun Gibson still has a lot to learn about what it takes to be a hero. Unlike Top Gunder, Gun Gibson is pretty much a harder survivor as this episode by Noborwo Oogisawa reveals. This is an episode where Gun Gibson is still obsessed with revenge over Carol. Didn't the previous episode teach him something? 

Makabe is pretty much one cruel bastard. Makabe knows that if he does defeat Gun Gibson - he can find Janperson's secret base. Oh yeah, that scheme would eventually play itself into episode 40 written by Yasuko Kobayashi. Gun Gibson requests for his memory chip to be removed as some kind of precaution. This episode also reveals Makabe's willingness to play dirty. Gun Gibson releases 12 legendary assassins. One of them is a woman that was programmed to explode. Talk about playing dirty!

I really expected Gun Gibson to die in this episode. However, it turns out that a robotics engineer kept Gun Gibson's memory chip. Gun Gibson was later restored. I think Makabe was pretty careless here. Makabe should've dragged Gun Gibson's body. We know how villains tend to get overconfident. This episode will bite back Makabe's ass in later episodes.

Episode 39

Another great episode by Hirohisa Soda. One of Tatewaki's secretaries, Sarah, was previously destroyed. Why the actress Saori Iwama resumed her role after her character was written off is something. Iwama made a guest role before no longer getting involved. This is a pretty weird episode regarding genetic experimetns. We have Clone Sarah - a totally different character keeping memories of the original Sarah!

Clone Sarah is practically modified with super powers. The big problem is though as the clone rapidly ages - its powers also disappear. This Clone Sarah practically lives a very short term in the show. Clone Sarah starts out as a baby then becomes a child then grows up as an adult. This episode may have also inspired that ridiculous episode in Ohranger. Yeah, the Sarin Gas incident caused the emotional rollercoaster. The Ohrangers had to try and calm down babies that were becoming destructive.

This episode reveals how cruel Bill Goldy can get. Bill Goldy ends up killing Clone Sarah for one reason - she's no longer of use. Clone Sarah has her redemption compared to her genetic donor. It's a very emotionally crushing episode. I wonder if the scientist was a plant inside Super Science Network. That was never addressed.

Episode 40 

The first episode by Yasuko Kobayashi. Yup, Kobayashi got involved and this is one weird episode. We have Gun Gibson still obsessed with vengeance. We've got Bad Boy Robin Padilla ahem Kazuoki Takahashi play two roles. A salaryman named Satoshi Tasaki shows up and is played by Takahashi as well. George Makabe comes up with another plan. Makabe decides to finish things off especially when he finds out Gun Gibson is back.

Makabe's plan is plain genius. Gun Gibson is impulsive. Earlier on, Gun Gibson nearly harmed Satoshi thinking he's Makabe. Well, both are played by Padilla err Takahashi. Makabe switches places with Satoshi and sets bombs up. The only problem though is Makabe fails to kill his doppelganger. One of the Neo-Guild robots ends up unable to harm Makabe. Satoshi manages to slowly but surely give the Neo-Guild Robot a new purpose in life. Satoshi was also tasked with recruiting Gun Gibson.

Makabe finds Janperson's base but not the exact route. Makabe uses bombs and boy does it nearly succeed. I think Makabe could've used a computer virus or something instead. The episode has Makabe face off against the heroes again. Later, Satoshi tries to introduce the Neo-Guild android to a new life. However, the episode ends with a sour note as Kobayashi decided to show how ruthless Neo-Guild can be. Granted, Kobayashi would later be the head writer of Mirai Sentai Timeranger - a series that was overly serious that some Power Rangers fans ended up preferring her later works. 

Episode 41 

I think this is my favorite Kyoko Sagiyama episode but I'll still cite flaws. Like Boddicker, Tatewaki wants to eliminate all competition in his quest to become the biggest crime lord in Japan. The plan is to set both Neo-Guild and Super Science Network against each other. I guess a perfectly good plot was wasted. I kind of wanted both Neo Guild and Super Science Network to try and get the Tree of Life. Instead, that opportunity was wasted. I guess the producers and writers overlooked that!

This episode has Tatewaki wanting to destroy all his enemies. This also involves a plant named Kurohiko Kageta to infiltrate both sides. Heck, we even have a "daughter" who's really a BOMB. I'm amazed at how both Neo-Guild and Super Science Network give really cool fight scenes. All the while, Tatewaki plans to end all of them in one shot. This also includes getting rid of Janperson once and for all on an isolated island.

Though, I'd like to say this was another wasted opportunity. I think this should've been a two-parter since we hardly saw the villains directly clash with each other. Sure, we had Tatewaki, Makabe, and Reiko Ayanokouji clash with each other via some Zoom meeting before it was invented in real life. The clash was concluded too quickly. I felt extending it would've been better.

Episode 42

This is another frame-up. Makabe probably read the script of Robocop and watched Jiban along the way. Here's another episode by Nobowo Oogizawa who was also involved with Jiban. This episode has Gun Gibson getting framed for killing people. The rivalry between Gun Gibson and Makabe is taken too far. The villain of the week, Maciej, has taken over the jails and it's really going to get rough.

Janperson has the directives of Robocop. It's safe to assume he has similar directives to Jiban. Apparently, Janperson's programming has him also being able to apply punishment to cyborgs and bio-humans at his own judgment. The priority is human life. Gun Gibson is still learning the directives. Gun Gibson gets framed and goes to robot jail infiltrated once again by Neo-Guild. Seriously, hasn't the Japanese Diet learned its lesson? Are people in superhero fiction that stupid?

Janperson goes to the extreme. Janperson decides to do some law-breaking to get rid of some criminals. Fortunately, Janperson still managed to hold his three directives in the process. Sometimes, when a police station is infiltrated - it becomes permissible to do temporary damage. Janperson still prioritizes human lives like Jiban does. Janperson and Gun Gibson finally free the prison from the terrible infiltration. However, I felt they needed to chastise the authorities for their lack of vigilance. 

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