Jumborg Ace
Jumborg Ace (ジャンボーグA Janbōgu Ēsu) is the title superhero of a tokusatsu science fiction/kaiju/superhero TV series. Produced by Tsuburaya Productions, the show was broadcast on Mainichi Broadcasting System from January 17 to December 29, 1973, with a total of 50 episodes. This was also one of several shows Tsuburaya did to celebrate the company's 10th Anniversary (the other two being Ultraman Taro and Fireman).
Plot summary
Young air delivery boy Naoki Tachibana (played by, oddly enough, Naoki Tachibana; His character's first name is spelled in katakana, however) is out to deliver a package for his grumpy boss Daisaku Banno (played by veteran actor Jun Tazaki), when his older brother Shin'ya (Toshiaki Amada), who commanded the defense force, Protective Attacking Team (PAT), was killed in an attack by a giant monster called King Jyglus (which was sent by the evil alien Antigone of the planet Groth). When PAT retaliates against a second attack by the monster, Naoki, in retaliation for his brother's death, suicidally tries to ram his air delivery cessna into the monster, to their shock. When the monster downs the plane, Naoki and his plane are teleported into an energy dimension by an Ultraman-like alien from the Emerald Star. The Emerald Alien has instantly used his technology to completely modify the plane, as well as Naoki's wristwatch. He suddenly finds himself back in his cessna's cockpit in the real world, but he hears the Emerald Alien's voice, telling him to activate his wristwatch, and upon shouting the command "Jum-Fight!!!", his jet transforms into the giant cyborg, Jumborg Ace, with Naoki, in a VR movement-control suit, piloting the robot from inside the head with his own physical movements! He fights with King Jyglas, eventually destroying the monster. But his battle against the Groth Aliens has only just begun . . .
Powers and Abilities
Jumborg Ace has a vast array powers, including a sword coming from his stomach, missiles, and energy beams. He can cut enemies heads off with a kick or change his body into a slicing machine. He can also transfer energy from his eyes if Jumborg 9 is out of power.
Later episodes find Naoki alternating from Jumborg Ace with a Honda Z, (Not to be confused with the vehicle) which transforms into a similar giant cyborg called Jumborg 9 (upon the command "Jum-Fight Two Dash!!!"). It has a pattern of red and silver and it has a light on its belt resembling Ultraman's Color Timer. Like color timer, it blinks when Jumborg 9 is running out of power.
Powers and Abilities
Unlike Ace, he can move very fast and can perform a dashing attack. But like him, he can shoot energy from his eyes to Ace. However unlike Ace, he cannot fly.
The next year, Jumborg Ace appeared in a Japanese/Thai coproduction, Jumborg Ace & Giant.
Cameos
A Mirrorman bank owned by Kazuya can be seen in one episode. In addition, the characters of Chief Murakami, Yasuda and Nomura originally appeared in Mirrorman, thus placing the shows in the same universe.
Jumborg Ace was integrated into the "M78 Canon" in the form of "Jeanbot": A double-changing robot warrior making who debuted in Ultraman Zero The Movie: Super Deciding Fight! The Belial Galactic Empire. He joined forces with updated versions of Fireman (Glen-Fire) and Mirrorman (Mirror-Knight), in addition to Ultraman Zero.