Series REVIEW: Daitetsujin 17

Following his work on 1976's Space Ironman Kyodain, creator Shotaro Ishinomori expressed an interest in creating his own giant robot show akin to the likes of Tetsujin 28 and Giant Robo as its successor - an idea that the sponsors were also keen on. Though initially conceived as an animated series, it was eventually decided that a live-action tokusatsu production would be far more impressive - the first Toei would have produced since Giant Robo nearly a decade ago. The result was Daitetsujin 17 (pronounced "One-Seven"), a 35-episode series which ran from March to November 1977. Following this, giant robots would become a staple of Toei's tokusatsu productions - first in Spider-Man the following year, and from there a core component of the Super Sentai franchise.

The giant supercomputer Brain was created by the International Peace Corps Science Institute to protect humanity from disasters and preserve the Earth's environment. However as it gained self-awareness, Brain concluded humanity is what will destroy the Earth - rebelling against its creators and escaping the institute alongside one of its creators, the eccentric genius Professor Hassler. One year later, a giant steamroller robot appears, destroying everything in its path. Brain has returned, allying itself with Hassler and various criminals to form the Brain Party - an evil organisation determined to destroy humanity.

After his family is killed in the robot's rampage, 13-year-old Saburo Minami stumbles upon the Brain Party's secret base as well as the dormant titan Daitetsujin 17. Despite being created by Brain to carry out its will, One-Seven possesses free-will - and after providing Saburo with a communication helmet chooses instead to defeat Brain's creation. Working alongside Brain's other creator Dr Masaru Sahara and the Red Muffler Corps, Saburo is thrust into the battle against the Brain Party - fighting together with humanity's mysterious new guardian.

Right from its very beginning, Daitetsujin 17 lets its audience know exactly what kind of show it's going to be. An evil AI has set its sights on humanity, and there will be casualties. The first episode sees main protagonist Saburo's entire family brutally killed in a landslide as they make their way to his sister's wedding, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. A grieving Saburo not only has to contend with inadvertently befriending a giant robot, but also being thrust into a war he was never prepared to be part of. While at its heart Daitetsujin 17 is very much a giant robot show, its early episodes also very heavily focus on the military exploits of the Red Mufflers and how they handle suddenly having both a child and unknown machine in their ranks. The imagery of the Brain Party is far from subtle either, as the AI's legion of soldiers is commanded by the ruthless Captain Gomez and his subordinate Chief Kidd - terrorists clad in black SS uniforms. When the Red Mufflers' commander is exposed whilst trying to infiltrate their ranks, they respond by crucifying him as a warning to their enemies. With Gomez' schemes often as much about targeting the Red Mufflers' psychologically as it on the battlefield, the conflict between these two military forces often feels as though its on a different plain to the weird and wonderful robots clashing at the same time. The way Daitetsujin 17 plays itself completely straight is immediately alluring, and combined with the distinct formatting of the show helps it stay engaging throughout. "How did they get away with that?" can often be a common sentiment watching shows from this era, but it's one that feels particularly prevalent here.

Which is why perhaps unsurprisingly it doesn't last for very long, and following poor ratings the show was retooled from episode 16 onwards to have a noticeably lighter tone. The military aspect of the series and the presence of the Red Mufflers was significantly decreased, with Saburo now instead spending more time with Dr Sahara's youngest daughter Rumi and a number of other child characters. Chaperoning them is the newly introduced Tetsugoro "Gontetsu" Iwayama - a rather clownish young man and ally to the Red Mufflers. One-Seven gains the power to speak in full sentences, allowing for a more prominent relationship with the children as he takes them on adventures. On the villain side of things the more serious characters like Gomez and Kidd are written out, replaced with mystic monk turned criminal mastermind Black Tiger and his pair of femme fatale agents Pink and Blue Jaguar. Even Brain's schemes become a little sillier, trapping the kids not only aboard a high-speed Shinkansen robot but a Concorde one as well. Whilst the show itself is still enjoyable thanks to the strength of its characters, it definitely loses a lot of that edge which make that first third of episodes so engaging. Thankfully that more serious tone doesn't completely go away though, with the final stretch of episodes a lot more reminiscent of them as it approaches a fairly hard-hitting finale.

One interesting aspect to Daitetsujin 17 that does stay throughout the show though is its formatting, which feels quite unique for the year in which it aired. Whereas most children's tokusatsu productions of the time where predominantly episodic with only a few ongoing plot strands woven in, Daitetsujin 17's structure is far more serialised. Most of the battles Saburo and the Red Mufflers face are multi-part stories with defined cliff-hangers, and even as one battle ends and another begins there are often consequences (be an injury or the destruction of a base) that carry through. It feels particularly prevalent in that initial section of the show, the more ongoing format helping to build a sense of urgency that contributes to its more serious tone. Even when that begins to subside the show still has some designated story arcs up its sleeve - the most significant being the introduction of One-Seven's younger brother One-Eight, as well as story beats that continue to pop up and shape the overall narrative. While the format itself might not be unique to Daitetsujin 17, it's at least uncommon enough for the series to stand out against its contemporaries.

Though the show’s overall premise pays homage to the likes of Tetsujin 28 and Giant Robo, the main area in which it differs is in the portrayal of One-Seven himself. Rather than simply being an extension of Saburo, One-Seven instead feels like a character in his own right – one whose portrayal changes drastically between the two tones of the series. Early One-Seven is presented as this mysterious mechanical being who, while clearly having a bond with Saburo and acting in his best interests, tends to appear and act on his own accord. He rarely speaks, and even when he does its rarely more than a yes or no – the rest of his dialogue a garble of mechanical noise that only Saburo can decipher. The show also keeps One-Seven’s origins close to its chest, further heightening the mystery. When the audience does finally learn more about just why Brain’s ultimate creation rejected his command, the show moves into its new phase and introduces a more approachable One-Seven. Now fully blessed with the gift of speech, One-Seven truly is a champion of humanity and a friend to all children. But even when he’s able to engage in proper dialogue with Saburo, One-Seven still exhibits his own free will when he disagrees with his partner’s ideas. This aspect of his personality is especially brought to the forefront during the One-Eight arc, as One-Seven fully adopts a big brother role and refuses to abandon his younger sibling despite the risk of his “Satan Circuit” bringing him back under Brain’s command. Regardless of which interpretation you prefer, it’s the personality that’s imbued into One-Seven which makes him more than just a tool in the fight against Brain.

One-Seven may be the character it’s named after, but the show also belongs just as much to Saburo. A regular child actor of the time, most notably appearing as Masaru Komyoji in Android Kikaider a few years earlier, Kamiya Masahiro does a great job as the orphaned boy turned Red Muffler operative – his childish impulsiveness smoothing out over the course of the series. Whilst perhaps coincidental the shift in series’ tone works well for the character’s progression – him spending more time with children his own age feeling like a sign of him being able to take back some semblance of a normal life. He also has the right level of maturity for someone who’s effectively been thrust into a warzone, proving to be determined and headstrong in his duties as a Red Muffler but also empathetic towards others – adopting his own big brother-esque role as the younger cast is expanded.

Daitetsujin 17 also boasts a fairly sizeable supporting cast, spread across the various ranks of Red Mufflers and later also Saburo's group of friends. Dr Sahara (Tadao Nakamaru, Professor Shibata in Choudenshi Bioman) acts as the scientific commander of the team, with his eldest daughter Chie (Midori Takei) his assistant and communications officer. With the Mufflers taking more a backseat as the show progresses they are perhaps the most constant of the adult characters, with Dr Sahara acting as a heroic counterpart to Professor Hassler. Leading the Red Mufflers into battle though is Captain Kenmochi (Tsuyoshi Haraguchi), a no-nonsense soldier who may have a tough demeanour but behind it deeply cares for both his comrades. Kenmochi is just an effortlessly cool character, not just shining through his heroism on the battlefield but also the way he takes Saburo under his wing. The reduction in his role following the retool is perhaps Daitetsujin 17's greatest sin, but even then he remains a commanding presence whenever onscreen. The show features a number of other regulars among the Red Muffler ranks, but it's the introduction of Gontetsu (Masahiro Takashina) that stands out the most. This school uniform-clad misfit is more of an honorary member of the Mufflers (much to their chagrin), getting into all sorts of misadventures with Saburo, Rumi and Tetsuji as they find themselves caught up in Brain's latest schemes. The move from more serious characters like Kenmochi to this goofball is the biggest sign of a shake-up in Daitetsujin 17's storytelling, and can feel like quite a hurdle at first. But much like the move to a more lighter tone Gontetsu grows on you as the series progresses, and as the main source of comic relief often makes the children feel like the mature ones.

Compared to the more strait-laced Red Mufflers, the Brain Party are a far more colourful bunch of characters. Even Brain himself has his quirks, insisting that its subordinates refer to him as “Mister Brain” as he commands them from his central command room. Although much of the grunt work is done by its subordinates, even just as a concept Brain makes for an excellent overarching villain – an eerie, bodyless supercomputer designed by human hands by now sworn to destroy them as it increasingly develops a god complex about being the planet’s true saviour. Assisting Brain through the course of the entire series is pipe-smoking Professor Hassler (Ulf Otsuki, who would later go on to play Professor Henry in Kamen Rider Super-1 and Harley Hendrickson in Kamen Rider Drive), who stands out as one of the most memorable characters of the series. Even when the story is at its most serious, Otsuki takes his role as a villainous mad scientist to the extreme – chewing the scenery with his exaggerated mannerisms and bursts of English. Hassler is the one character who might have actually benefitted from the retool, as the lighter tone allows him to go whole hog with this over-the-top portrayal. You can tell Otsuki is enjoying every moment of it too, not only supposedly bringing his own pipe on set but also adlibbing many of his lines. But as well as being a (somewhat self-proclaimed) genius on the same level as Dr Sahara, Hassler is also incredibly petty – with the constant bickering and rivalries between him and his fellow Brain Party generals what really makes him such an unforgettable character.

With Hassler acting as more of a pantomime bad guy, it makes the real villainy of Captain Gomez (Hirata Akihiko, who previously portrayed Doctor Serizawa in the original Godzilla) and Chief Kidd (Takehisa Yamaguchi, best known as Joji Yuki/Riderman in Kamen Rider V3) stand out all the more. If them both being draped in Nazi paraphernalia wasn’t enough, the pair are terrorism and military experts that work as the perfect foil to the Red Mufflers. Gomez has a history with Kenmochi, and although we don’t see any of that backstory play out onscreen the show does a great job of building up their rivalry and making that history felt. But again it’s from the infighting from within the Brain Party where they really shine, especially as these goons for hire are far more treacherous than the loyal Hassler. Following the retool Black Tiger (Rinichi Yamamoto) takes over as the Brain Party strategist, and while still certainly a force to be reckoned with his mystical monk powers lack the same bite as his predecessors. The same can also be said for Pink Jaguar (Lucia Santo) and Blue Jaguar (Mio Ota), who make a strong first impression as Brain’s new spy team but quickly feel more like nuisances than actual threats. That said, the pair play off Gontetsu well and by the end of the series have developed a fun little dynamic that suits the show’s new tone.

Predating both Spider-Man and Super Sentai, Daitetsujin 17 also stands out as landmark giant robot show for Toei in being one of its first to feature a fully transforming robot. Sure said transformation might not be especially complex (with One-Seven essentially just folding up into a box to form his flight and fortress modes), but the visuals combined with his eye-catching design make it no less impressive. One-Seven oozes that retro super robot charm with his boxy design and bright colour palette, topped off with striking multicolour eyes. One-Seven also commands a number of mini-vehicles, ranging from the Sigcon Jet and Tank to the Submachine – a special flying car he gifts to Saburo. Between the suited robot fights and the miniature work required for the vehicles Daitetsujin 17 flexes some impressive visual effects even if continuity isn't all that well maintained (for example One-Seven may appear damaged in one shot, only for it to disappear for the next before reappearing again later), with the episodes usually topped off by the robot's Gravitron attack – an all-powerful finishing move that sees his enemies both explode and implode simultaneously. But although the bright colours and dazzling attacks of One-Seven make him immediately stand out as the poster child of the show, there’s also some interesting mechanical design amongst Brain’s forces as well – often sporting rather unorthodox designs that emphasise their main purpose. For example, following on from that initial Steamroller robot Brain unleashes a powerful Hurricane robot shaped like a windmill, and then later a piston-styled Jackhammer robot to create earthquakes. As the show continues to evolve the designs only continue to get weirder, with a Loch Ness Monster robot counted among the aforementioned Shinkansen and Concorde. Even Hassler gets in on the action, taking to the skies in his wonderfully silly flying pyramid fortress. Daitetsujin 17 has a lot of “on the ground” action going on with the Red Mufflers and whatever scheme Brain is cooking up, but the giant robot action always remains the centrepiece.

Cliché as it may be, Daitetsujin 17 really is a series of two halves – though it certainly helps that both halves are pretty great. Those first 15 episodes are a surprisingly serious military adventure with high stakes and plenty of mystery, whereas the rest is more of a fantastical battle of good versus evil starring a boy and his robot. However the two constants throughout the series are its fantastic characters and superb action sequences, featuring a cast full of familiar faces in the world of tokusatsu. By virtue of not being a Henshin Hero show it perhaps doesn’t get the recognition it deserves compared to some of Toei’s other classic series, but is certainly every bit as memorable.