Armored Police Metal Jack is a Japanese animated TV series co-produced by Sunrise, TV Tokyo and I&S BBDO. The series was broadcast by TV Tokyo affiliates in 1991 on the Monday 5:30PM time slot and aired weekly from April 7 to December 23, lasting 37 episodes. Metal Jack was originally planned as a sequel to the live-action tokusatsu show Dennou Keisatsu Cybercop, but due to complications with the show's production, it was made into an animated series instead without any official ties to Cybercop. However, due to low viewership, the length of the show's run was shortened by thirteen episodes. Head writer Hiroyuki Kawasaki would later recycled some of the same situations from Metal Jack in Brave Police J-Decker. The show was also the debut of Nobutoshi Canna.
Plot
In the year 2015, cyber-crimes, murders and terrorism have become an epidemic in Tokyo and the average police force are not capable enough to handle it all. Commander Masanao Daigo of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department plans to solve this problem by searching for talented candidates for his "Metal Project". One day, a robot sent out by the criminal organization Ido targets Jun Zaizen, the young heir of the Zaizen Konzern, during a party held in his honor. Three young men, MPD officer Ken Kanzaki, F1 race car driver Ryo Aguri, and professional wrestler Go Goda, are mortally wounded while protecting the young boy. Because of their heroic deed, the three men are chosen for the Metal Project and brought back to life as cyborgs, forming the Armored Police Metal Jack.
Characters
Metal Jack
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Friends and relatives
Ido
Zaizen Group
Criminals
Equipment
Jack Armors
The are the secondary equipment of the Metal Jacks, which are wore over the Jack Suits when facing an extremely dangerous threat. They are transmitted unto the Jack Suits by the Jack Braces when the command "Jack On!" is given. The Jack Armors are actually support robots or vehicles that are dismantled into upper and lower armor, as well as weapons when they transform. When wearing a Jack Armor, the wearer's uncovered portions will not suffer damage even if the armors are destroyed. However, due to the fact that the armors are neurally linked to their bodies, their arms will sustain injuries if they carry too much load.
released a set of action figures based on the show under a line called the "Armored Police Series". Each set came packaged with an action figure and a robotic partner or vehicle that could transform into powered suits worn by the figures. The available sets were Red Jack Armor, Silver Jack Armor, Blue Jack Armor, Shadow Jack Armor and Hyper Red Jack Armor. Model kits were also released of the five Jack Armors called the "Jack On Collection". Other toys were released by Takara, including toy versions of the Jack Chaser, Jack Braces and Buster Shot.
Armored Police Metal Jack - Released by Takara for the Game Boy on January 8, 1992. It is a turn-based tactical game that loosely follows the series' storyline. It was developed by KID.
Armored Police Metal Jack - Released by Atlus for the Super Famicom on July 31, 1992. It is a side-scrolling action game. A North American version was planned, with the story's setting changed from Tokyo to Los Angeles. The heroes' names were also changed from Ken Kanzuki, Ryo Aguri and Go Goda to Ken Striker, Billy Crash and Jake Gonzales respectively. Ido's name was changed to CRASS.
Home video
The series was gradually released on VHS and Laserdisc following its original airing by King Records. Ten volumes were released in total, with four episodes each for the first eight volumes, three episodes for Vol. 9 and two episodes and a special interview for Vol. 10. A later DVD set of all 37 episodes was released in Japan by King Records on June 7, 2006 to commemorate the show's 15th anniversary.
Books
Metal Jack Mini Mook, published by Movic Co. Ltd. in 1992.
Armored Police Metal Jack, a two-volume novel published by Tairiku Novels in 1992.
