Gigantor the space-age robot, his power is in your hand..."
TETSUJIN 28-GO was his real name, but we Brit-kids never knew that back in the '60s. The articulated (that means poseable, Melvin) toy pictured above is one that I acquired on the way back to my house after having my dog ZARA privately cremated in November of 1998. I'd seen the robot and his human chum (JIMMY SPARKS) in a shop a week or two before, but I was undecided whether to buy them or not. Now I was decided so I bought 'em! Gigantor and Jimmy sat on the box containing my dog's still-warm ashes all the way home; I scattered the ashes in my back garden in 2002 (no, it didn't take that long for them to cool down), Gigantor and Jimmy I still have, 20 years later.
And I'd like to thank Gigantor and his young pal Jimmy for posing out in the rain for these photographs. Do you remember the show's theme song? If not, that's it below to refresh your memory. Tetsujin 28-go? Nah, he'll always be Gigantor to me.
In the '90s, an updated version of Gigantor appeared on US TV (don't know if it was shown in Britain), adapted from the 1980 Japanese show. The opening credits are below.
Of all the associations to have attached to a pop culture artifact that would have to be the most poignant I've heard of.
ReplyDeleteHow could One not forget Gigantor...Jimmy Sparks Dr Bob Brilliant and the Officer ? Cant remember his name...Great show. I watched it when I was a kid...
ReplyDeleteThere was another guy too...Dick ??? Scratcher ...nope Dick Strong .I knew it would come back to me..Still cant remember the Officers name.
ReplyDeleteEvery time I look at them I think of my dog, PC, so I guess you're right. Had I bought them the week before, Zara would have actually got to see them. Maybe she did, from wherever she was.
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Yep, a classic from the '60s, LH - along with Marine Boy, made by the same studios I think.
In the English-language version, the bumbling police officer was named Inspector Blooper, and his voice was very similar to the 1940s radio comedy character, The Great Gildersleeve.
ReplyDeleteCan't remember if I've ever heard of The Great Gildersleeve, TC. What does surprise me is that Gigantor was considered an extremely violent show back in the day. I think bits were omitted from the version we got, but the critics were still scathing in their condemnation of it.
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