Shaider invades Philippine television

Okay, time for Philippine entertainment news. Are you a Shaider fan? Here is an article from the Philippine Entertainment Portal.
****
For those who grew up during the late ‘80s, their memories of the said period will always include (in any order) the historic EDSA Revolution, synthesized disco music, failed coup attempts, Madonna, and a blue-colored metal fighting machine known as Shaider.

THE ORIGIN. The program's original title was Uchuu Keiji Shaider, which is "space sheriff shaider" in English. The said show was the third part of the so-called Metal Heroes genre popularized in Japan .

According to Wikipedia, the Metal Heroes is a genre of characters revolving around a technological theme and bordering on being futuristic. Toei produced the shows from 1982 to 1996. Owing to the success of the first installment, the Metal Hero series generated a number of sequels that remained faithful to the origin of the previous shows, thus, creating continuity.

The other two Metal Heroes that preceded Shaider were Uchuu Keiji Gavan and Uchuu Keiji Sharivan. Both shows enjoyed tremendous success and were shown in other countries and translated into different languages.

Right from the start, the Metal Heroes program created a sensation that was felt in Asia and even extended to France and Brazil . Not one to be left behind, the Philippines latched on to the burgeoning phenomenon and imported some of the shows under the genre.

SHAIDER'S PLOT. Shaider graced Japan 's TV Asahi from March 2, 1984, to February 22, 1985.

Shaider tells the heroic exploits of Dai Sawamura (Alexis Del Mundo in its Philippine version), an archeologist-turned-space sheriff, as he tries to save the planet Earth against Great Emperor Kubilai (baptized as Fuuma Le-ar here in the Philippines) who has evil plans of domination.

Dai, or Alexis, is aided by his best friend and classmate, Annie (played by Naomi Morinaga), as he fulfills his duty of protecting the world. Annie also has a score to settle against Le-ar for annihilating her home world named Mount.

The Shaider hero and Annie join forces to halt Le-ar and his troops from successfully carrying out their wicked mission.

THE PHENOMENON. Shaider's advent in Philippine television was welcomed with great anticipation by a new generation of young viewers who were looking for a modern superhero to embrace.

Locally, Shaider became the Voltes V of the post-Martial Law kids. And just like the popular robot cartoon, Shaider would end up leaving a lasting legacy to its audience, triggering a feeling of nostalgia whenever memory buttons are pushed.

It is important to note that Shaider's dawning came at a time when cable television was still totally unheard of (at least to most of the majority) here in our shores. Shaider, and the Metal Heroes in general, were also a novelty back then simply because they appeared more real to the viewers, compared to cartoons.

Aside from Shaider's notable characters like Alexis, Annie, Babaylan Ida, and Fuuma Le-Ar—the show successfully nailed the right formula of visual effects mixed with memorable tunes that would boom from the TV speakers to prompt the highlight of an episode or a change in the plot.

Who could ever forget the hypnotic shigi shigi wakashigi wuga chant that infiltrated the sound waves while Le-ar cast his spell on individuals who simultaneously raised their hands in a trance as a form of salute?

In times of Shaider's great despair, a music containing the lyrics: Juu wo tottara / Anii ni -o makase / O-ribon-yutte oshare shite... comes out to add more drama to a helpless metal hero.

There is also the popular line, "Time space warp ngayon din," by Le-ar's loyal advisor and strategist Ida. The said phrase became so popular that during the alternative band explosion of the ‘90s, a band named Balahibong Pusa wrote a socio-political song titled "Time Space Warp."

And of course, the kids of the '80s would remember his weapons and powers: Shaider Super Scope, Shaider Blade Cutter, and Shaider Super Slash! The plot per episode was actually predictable. Once he shouted "Shaider Super Slash," the viewers expected that the next frame would show the death of his nemesis.

THE LEGACY. Of course, just like any other television trend, Shaider's popularity came to an end the moment it ceased airing. Shaider fanatics had no choice but to find new heroes to fill up that fantasy void left by the blue-armored space sheriff.

Regardless of its foreign origin, Shaider would go on to become a cultural icon and one of the lasting symbols associated with the ‘80s.

Hiroshi Tsuburaya, the actor who played Shaider, died from a liver disease on July 24, 2001, at the young age of 37. His time of death was recorded at 9:27 a.m., Tokyo time.

Much more disturbing was the news that after her stint as Annie in Shaider, Naomi Morinaga ended up in a number of low-budget adult films. She also graced a couple of men's magazine, including Penthouse Japan , as a nude model.

Yet, despite the heartbreaking news and the years that passed since Shaider's original run, people who grew up watching the program have sprung up, particularly in cyberspace, to pay homage to the legendary Metal Hero.

MODERN VERSION. Recently, GMA-7 sought out Toei in the hope of doing a remake of Shaider. Toei reportedly turned down the script and granted the Kapuso Network their blessing instead to make an original series, featuring the descendants of the original Shaider characters. The locally-produced show, as we all know, is now called Zaido.

The show is currently doing well in primetime television although hardcore fans of Shaider, as well as purists, have expressed their collective rage for what they view as an inferior attempt to ride on the Shaider legacy.

One fan site even blatantly labeled Zaido as a "rip-off " before criticizing the modern version for allegedly altering some important facts that were vital to the original storyline. Other Shaider fans openly voiced out their disgust for what they viewed as sloppy acting and the plot's apparent focus on drama rather than action.

Despite the differing views, all these talks and debates only affirmed the lasting legacy created by Shaider, not just in Philippine television but also in the hearts of its Filipino viewers.

Source: Bong Godinez of PEP