The Mobile Cop Jiban


The Mobile Cop Jiban is a Japanese tokusatsu television series which serves as the 8th entry in the Metal Hero Series franchise, and the first entry in the Heisei period. It is also the first series to have toy commercials that were filmed on Videotape. Produced by Toei and aired by TV Asahi in Japan from January 29, 1989 to January 28, 1990, it ran for 52 episodes and a feature movie aired on July 17, 1989. According to Toei's International Sales & Promotion Department, the series' English title can be referred to as Jiban. Created by Keita Amemiya, the premise for the series combines elements from the American film RoboCop and the 1970s tokusatsu Robot Detective.
The opening catchphrase of the series is: "This is the drama of a girl's and a young man's hearts which love people and protect justice."

Plot

Naoto Tamura, a new detective in Central City, is killed by a Bionoid Monster in the line of duty. Doctor Kenzo Igarashi, a man whose experiments had been responsible for the Bioron syndicate's existence, brought the man back to life as a cyborg detective, Jiban. Eventually Madogarbo and Rhinonoid killed Jiban, who returned to life again as Perfect Jiban. In the finale, Biolon destroyed Jiban's base and transformed Madogarbo into false Jiban. Jiban defeated his duplicate and ultimately Gibanoid, the true form of Biolon's leader Doctor Giba. The victorious Jiban then learned that Mayumi Igarashi, the one civilian that knew his secret, had been his missing younger sister all along.

Characters

A human revived as a cyborg by Doctor Igarashi to fight Biolon. He is capable of reverting to his human identity at will. He holds the rank of police commissioner and detective. Jiban's programming enables him to follow these directives:
  1. Arrest criminals in any circumstance without a warrant.
  2. Punish criminals on his own judgment if they happen to be members of Bioron.
  3. Use lethal force depending on the circumstances.
In human form, Naoto often plays the fool and is looked on down by Yoko and Kiyoshiro for this, but Yoko begins to warm up to him after realizing he could be Jiban. In the Filipino Dubbing Version, His name was Marco Tamura.
The only civilian who knew Jiban's secret identity. She lost her memory in battle, after falling from a waterfall, because, Madogarbo gave her a Bomb Ring. If Jiban approaches her, the bomb will burst. She called Naoto her 'big brother,' only to find that she was really his lost sister in the finale.
Mayumi's parents. Shunichi is the son of Doctor Kenzou Igarashi but is not a scientist. Relocated as witnesses to Biolon, they resumed their life as Mayumi's foster parents in the finale.
Started the Jiban's project to counter Bioron, the results of his biological experimentation. He died when Jiban was built.
A female detective of Central City. Naoto's senior. Manly sharpshooter who could not figure out that Naoto was Jiban. She is also known in the Filipino Dubbed Version as Lori.
Elite detective of Central City with a liking for Yoko.
The head of the Police Department. He cooperated with Doctor Igarashi in the Jiban Project two years earlier. He collaborated with Jiban after Igarashi's death. He died when Jiban's base was destroyed.
The Central City Section Chief of Detectives. Got headaches trying to keep the peace in jurisdictions where strange events occurred, no thanks to Biolon.
A tea server of the Detectives' Section of Central City Police Department. She is always cheerful and encouraging.
Jiban's robotic assistant. He stays at his secret base. Originally he was simply Boy, an immobile camera-like robot who had to give instructions to Mayumi to operate the control center, but then his computer was transferred to panda-like "Harry" and began substituting for the amnesiac Mayumi. He died when Jiban's base was destroyed.
A drifter who takes in Mayumi after she loses her memory, mistaking her for his dead sister, Midori. He initially refers to her by that name but later refers to her by her own name Mayumi after reading a missing person's notice, although Mayumi does not tell him her true origins. In the scuffle, Mayumi goes away, unable to remember what just happened. He died in Episode 46, when Jiban removed the Bomb Ring from Mayumi's finger with a very precise shot, without hurting her. Ryou took the ring and ran, to throw it out, but was killed in the resulting explosion. He is played by Ryouhei Kobayashi Who would later play Fumiya Hoshikawa / Five Black in the 1990 sentai series Chikyuu Sentai Fiveman.

Equipment

It can be used as a communicator to contact Harry Boy, Seiichi and Mayumi in Jiban's Base or used to summon any of his vehicles, as well as to control their armaments electronically.

Articles

Every episode, when Jiban faces his Bionoid enemy, he ejects his badge from his waist and shows it to the monster, reading a code of articles and laws that served as his directives :
Mobile Cop Jiban, under any circumstances, can arrest the criminal without a warrant.
Mobile Cop Jiban, in case the enemy is recognized as Biolon, can apply the punishment by his own judgement.
Depending on the circumstances, even erasing him is allowed.
Mobile Cop Jiban's maximum priority is human life, and every given order that disregards this can be rejected.
In the case of Biolon manipulating the humans' heart, the punishment can be applied by his own judgement.
The crime of disposing of children's dreams, and hurting their heart is especially severe.
Mobile Cop Jiban can erase everyone that destroys all lifeforms' peace by his own judgment.

Super Police Vehicles

Jiban's patrol car, a modified Pontiac Firebird with a sixth generation computer and hence a will of its own, and it was destroyed by Gibanoid.
Jiban's Suzuki motorcycle with a sixth generation computer and hence a will of its own, and it was destroyed by Gibanoid. In the Philippine Version, it is known as Mecha Panther.
Jiban's stealth fighter plane with a will of its own, and it was destroyed by Doctor Giba using his ship's weapon systems.

Weapons

It is hidden in Jiban's upper arms to puncture and break a hold or to shoot.
It is hidden in Jiban's upper arms to shoot into areas that cannot be accessed through physical means. Jiban used it in the movie.
Jiban's personal jutte-like weapon. Concealed in a collapsible holster located on his right leg, it can transform into either Pistol, Stun Gun, or Sword Mode.
The Maximillian Type 3 can also perform the following moves and techniques:
  1. Disclose Shock
It is used in stun gun mode, essentially a stun gun.
  1. Last Shooting/ThermalBeam/Search Buster
It is used in pistol mode, firing laser shots.
  1. Jiban End
It is used in sword mode, splits enemies in half. It is also known as Jiban Slash in the Filipino Version.
Jiban's personal cannon. Required to perform the Daidaros Bombard Technique, which is used to finish off foes. It can be made into a Jetpack jet to enable Jiban to fly short distances.
Jiban's personal rifle. He acquired it after being resurrected as Perfect Jiban. It has a machine gun mode and a bazooka mode. The machine gun mode is used to stun and set up the enemy; after an "Energy Charge" in which the bazooka is charged, it fires a powerful shot to finish off the enemy. It was destroyed by Gibanoid during Jiban's final fight with him.
Pincer/claw. A left arm attachment. It can be used to attack enemies. He acquired it after being resurrected as Perfect Jiban.
Drill. A right arm attachment. It can be used to drill into areas that cannot be accessed through physical means. He acquired it after being resurrected as Perfect Jiban.

Criminal Syndicate Bioron

An armed force organized by the mysterious scientist Doctor Giba intending to take over the Earth by means of narrow attacks rather than large-scale destruction. Their theme/weapon is biochemistry.
The bearded brown-haired Caucasian human-looking leader and founder of Bioron. His real identity is Gibanoid, a bio-monster born by accident from the chemical waste of Doctor Igarashi's National Science Academy Bio Laboratory. As a result, Giba is filled with malice for humans. He assumed his true form in the series finale, using Mayumi as a shield to escape in his ship. He died while fighting Jiban on his ship as it crashed into the mountainside.
The first bio-lifeforms created by Kiba, his secretaries and intermediaries between him and his Bionoid agents. They can transform into small spiders, and assume their inhuman "Battle" forms, armed with energy whips. They were killed in the series finale by Doctor Giba for failing to kill Jiban.
The cute and not so-cute creatures living in Bioron's base. Muku was one of Jiban's foes in early chapters, in giant size, but only as a distraction. The 4 critters had a tendency to annoy Marsha and Karsha with their Commentary of what the 2 recently did during that episode. Sometimes just showing up once to be used as target practice by the Bionoids demonstrating their powers. The four became friends with Mayumi when she told them about a mother's love and she tried to defend them from Marsha and Karsha who attacked the critters for saving Mayumi's life by Defusing the bomb in Fake Momnoid. They hung out with Mayumi in the finale.
A Jiban Cyborg Killer created by Doctor Giba as a counter to Jiban. Using power from Queen Cosmos, she and Rhinonoid are able to kill Jiban in Episode 34, but he is resurrected as Perfect Jiban. She later assumes his total appearance to attack him by having his Reson, Spylas and Vaican attack Jiban making them believe Jiban was Madogarbo. She even got as far as damaging Jiban so badly that he went Blind but Mayumi's Despair at seeing her brother about to be killed caused what energy of Queen Cosmos was left to gather and blast Fake Jiban turning her back into regular Madogarbo she was then killed by Jiban.
Mad Garbo's motorcycle with rhino horn and sidecar with machine guns.
A lunar life form resembling a human woman intent on conquering Earth to establish an all-woman empire. She appeared in episode 28 but did not reveal her name till episode 34. In her own words, she is made of space garbage and came from a place that was cold and ugly, lacking anything beautiful, thus her obsession with having everything beautiful and being called beautiful herself. She is more powerful than the other Biorons ; she allies with them to destroy Jiban. Her jewelry turns into parasite creatures: Earring into a skull patterned ladybug that would infuse into Jiban distorting his circuitry and her Brooch would turn into a spider creature blasting Jiban with tiny powerful balls of light. Her bracelet was able to transform into a snake creature wrapping around one's neck to control their mind. In Episode 46, she was defeated by Jiban.
An offshoot of Queen Cosmos herself, this entity was created to be her champion from a piece of herself. The creature was extremely powerful, armed with a crescent sword and shield, she very nearly defeated Jiban Until he grabbed her sword wrist with Powerbreaker, twisting her wrist and impaling her with Needricker. She then turned back into her clay statue state and dissolved. Weapons: A long silvery sword, shield, energy blasts from sword and laser blasts from eyes.
The mass-produced grunt human-like life forms armed with knives, guns, machine guns and bazooka. They can disguise themselves as humans and regenerate lost limbs. A determined human can take them out by shooting them in the head or chest or by physically choking them out.

Bionoid

Bionoids are the product of Doctor Giba's research. They can disguise themselves as humans.
  1. My Lovely Girl Boss
  2. I Love! Naoto Older Brother
  3. The Strange Man and the Haunted Vegetables
  4. Truly Beautiful Rose's Present
  5. Three Great Mecha Mobilize! Rescue the Idol Robo!
  6. The Secret of the Broken Dinossaur Egg
  7. Dreadful Sneezing Man!
  8. Dekoboko! Tokyo Mole Map
  9. The Puppy Became a Cat
  10. Papa Isn't Papa!?
  11. The Girl's and the Warrior's Heart Pledge
  12. Danger! Yoko Senpai
  13. Help the Sorrowful Boy
  14. Love's Great Reversal Game!
  15. The Werewolf Likes Piano
  16. I Am a Transparent Person!!
  17. Birth! VS Jiban Deadly Weapons
  18. Mother and Daughter・In the Edge of Sadness
  19. Give Up the Electronic Badge!
  20. City Money Rained Down!
  21. Steel Insect - Poisonous Insect - Guerilla Insect
  22. It Was Mayumi!!
  23. The Monster Who Overate Manga
  24. Welcome!! To the Great Spiritual World
  25. Strike the Goddess!
  26. Dragon-Fished Beautiful Gourmet
  27. Love Children are Demon Children
  28. Papa is Doctor Giba?!
  29. Mass Loving Encounters!
  30. Handsome Boy Kotaro's Party Monster
  31. The Midsummer's Night Ninja Battle
  32. Pearl's Tears are in the Golden Ocean
  33. Millenium Flower Smiled at the Garbo
  34. Heroic! Jiban Dies
  35. It's Perfect Jiban!
  36. Dreaming Sword Fighting Monster!
  37. I Am the Most Beautiful Woman in the World!?
  38. It's Birthplace, Mother!
  39. Mayumi's Bomb Ring!!
  40. Great Revolt!! Haunted Clock
  41. Digression! Unmanageable Policewoman
  42. Monster Rock'n Roll!
  43. Yoko Pierced Jiban...!
  44. The Genius Scientist Who Turned into a Kid
  45. Dreadful Squid-Human Operation!
  46. I Like! Two Brothers
  47. Clash! Christmas Final Battle!!
  48. Year-Ending Biolon Extermination Party!
  49. Devasted Jiban Base
  50. Tie Both Lines and Points
  51. Slash the Illusion Mayumi!
  52. The Final Battle of Love
A movie for the series, entitled The Mobile Cop Jiban: Great Explosion at the Monster Factory of Fear, was released on July 15, 1989 Special as part of the 1989 "Manga Matsuri" Special Festival.

Cast

Shouhei Kusaka
Hajime Izu
Leo Meneghetti
Konomi Mashita
Michiko Enokida
Ryohei Kobayashi
Akira Ishihama
Ami Kawai
Akemi Kogawa
Toru Ohira
Kunio Konishi
Kazuko Yanaga
Yoko Asakura

Voice Actors

Shōzō Iizuka

Songs

;Opening theme
Keisuke Yamakawa
Kisaburō Suzuki
 Kazuya Izumi
 Akira Kushida
;Ending theme
 Keisuke Yamakawa
 Kisaburō Suzuki
 Kazuya Izumi
 Akira Kushida

Media

Jiban's episodes and movie has been released in Japan in several VHS tapes. Though it had been obscure for a long time with the rest of the other Metal Hero TV shows, there has been sightings of a DVD release. Toei later released the series in DVD from June 21, 2009 to October 21, 2009. The series can now be streamed on Toei's YouTube channel called "Toei Tokusatsu Official".
In 2009 Jiban was released on R2 DVD in 5 volumes.