Line #18 Series/MoonlightMask


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3	''Moonlight Mask'' (translated from ''Gekko Kamen'') was Japan's first {{tokusatsu}} SpyFiction CopShow series from 1958[[note]]''Supergiant'' (redubbed as ''Starman'') is actually the first toku show. Though ''Moonlight Mask'' has the first ''masked'' toku hero.[[/note]]. It was very popular with kids, but was cancelled due to a kid dying trying to imitate the titular character's stunts. It was later adapted into an anime in the 70s (aka ''El Capitán Centella'' in its Latino Spanish dub version, which aired in the U.S. on Creator/{{Univision}}) and again in the 90s.
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5	The original tokusatsu series was followed by {{Spiritual Successor}}s, ''Series/SevenColorMask'' and ''Series/MessengerOfAllah''.
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7	Definitely ''not'' to be confused with ''Manga/KekkoKamen'' (although the latter was named in parody of the former).
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10	!!This series provides examples of:
11	* ArcVillain: The show goes through a few, the first and most prolific being Skull Mask, followed by Satan's Claw[[note]]Satan no Tsume[[/note]]. Assassin X then serves in this capacity for the Mammoth Kong arc, using the beast as a weapon. He is followed by the Ghost Party, and then another Skull Mask.
12	* AutomobileOpening: Most of the opening has Moonlight Mask riding on his bike much like a proto-''Series/KamenRider''.
13	* BadassNormal: No superpowers for this hero. [[spoiler:He's a normal human HardboiledDetective.]]
14	* BadassBiker: Moonlight Mask rides a custom Honda bike everywhere.
15	* BadBoss: Skull Mask kills one of his own henchmen to prevent Moonlight Mask gaining information from them. (#3)
16	* BadPeopleAbuseAnimals: Assassin X and his gang revive Mammoth Kong only to force the beast to do their bidding.
17	* BigStormEpisode: The ''Mammoth Kong'' opener (#94), which sees storms hit Japan as well as the ship transporting Mammoth Kong in the vicinity, leading to the beast falling into the hands of criminals.
18	%% BlastingItOutOfTheirHands
19	* BroughtToYouByTheLetterS: Guess what letter Assassin X and his henchmen wear.
20	* CharacterSignatureSong: Moonlight Mask has his own which he is heard singing at the start of the OpeningCredits just before the ThemeTune itself kicks in. #3 has him sing it to disperse a pack of {{mooks}} as they go looking for him, allowing him to capture one of them.
21	* ChestInsignia: Both Assassin X and his henchmen wear the letter on their chests.
22	* ChildrenAreInnocent: In response to the announcement that Mammoth Kong will be killed before he can be potentially broken from containment at sea, there is an outpouring of children pleading that his life be spared in spite of the risk he poses.
23	* {{Cliffhanger}}: Common for this show being a serial drama.
24	* CoDragons: Assassin X has Sanji, his main henchman, and the Doctor, responsible for reviving Mammoth Kong.
25	* CopShow: The main characters are of people working in police departments, [[spoiler:including the titular hero]] of course.
26	* {{Cult}}: Moonlight Mask fights one in the Mammoth Kong story arc.
27	* DavidVsGoliath: Yes, Moonlight Mask, armed with a pair of pistols, does end up going up against Mammoth Kong. For context, Mammoth Kong is large enough that Moonlight Mask can sit atop his head.
28	* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: To the tokusatsu series that would follow:
29	** The earlier installments of ''Moonlight Mask'' itself were just short of 7 minutes long. Later episodes ran for about 26, just a bit longer than typical toku shows.
30	** That the hero is a BadassNormal who does not [[HenshinHero transform]].
31	* EvilWearsBlack: Most of Moonlight Mask's enemies, most notably Skull Mask.
32	* ExpositoryThemeTune: "Who is Moonlight Mask?"[[note]]Gekko Kamen wa dare deshou[[/note]]
33	* {{Expy}}: Mammoth Kong to ''Film/KingKong'', a giant ape who is as sympathetic as he is fearsome. The Latin American Spanish dub of the animated adaptation made that link further, as his name was changed to ''Rey Kong'', literally, ''King Kong''.
34	* TheFilmOfTheSeries: As it was broadcast on television, the series arcs were adapted into theatrical films.
35	* FilmSerial: The films contemporary to the TV series were released as this, with the Skull Mask arc divided into the first two movies.
36	* GoodWearsWhite: Moonlight Mask is distinguished by his mostly white suit.
37	* GunsAkimbo: Moonlight Mask's stance.
38	* HardboiledDetective: Juro Iwai, who runs the Iwai Detective Agency.
39	* HeroWithBadPublicity: #3 has the police finding Moonlight Mask with the body of one of Skull Mask's slain henchmen, falsely concluding that he is a murderer.
40	* {{Kaiju}}: Mammoth Kong, who was the first TV Kaiju.
41	* LeftHanging: While we know that [[spoiler:Inspector Iwai is Moonlight Mask]], the only thing that we don't about him is [[spoiler:his reasons to becoming a super hero. He just appears and disappears when the need arises]].
42	* LightningCanDoAnything: Assassin X uses electricity to revive the dead body of Mammoth Kong by kick-starting his brain, then to compel the beast to do his bidding.
43	* {{Mooks}}: Perhaps the first ever in tokusatsu, the {{Arc Villain}}s have their own henchmen dressed in black.
44	* NonMaliciousMonster: Mammoth Kong is not evil, but is nonetheless dangerous especially after being taken out of his natural habitat and compelled by Assassin X.
45	* PreviouslyOn: This being a serial, there are recaps from time to time. #3 for one, repeats the shocking moment which ended the previous episode, albeit using a different take. Things may have gotten a bit out of hand when the episodes get longer; the last '''three'''-odd minutes of #95 are repeated as the opening of the next episode.
46	* SecretIdentity: [[spoiler:Juro Iwai]] is Moonlight Mask.
47	* StoryArc: ''Moonlight Mask'' ran for five arcs.
48	** ''Skull Mask''[[note]]Dokuro Kamen[[/note]] (1-72, 72 episodes)
49	** ''The Secret of the Paradai Kingdom[[note]]Paradai Ohkoku no Himitsu[[/note]] (73-93, 21 episodes)
50	** ''Mammoth Kong'' (94-104, 11 episodes)
51	** ''The Ghost Party Strikes Back''[[note]]Yureitou no Gyakushuu[[/note]] (105-117, 13 episodes)
52	** ''Don't Turn Your Hand to Revenge''[[note]]Sono Fukushuu ni Te wo Dasu na[[/note]] (118-131, 14 episodes)
53	* SuperheroPackingHeat: The TropeMaker.
54	* ThouShaltNotKill: Moonlight Mask's mantra: Do Not Hate. Do Not Kill. (the crime)Let's prevent it. Though [[CowboyCop he has no problem killing Mooks]].
55	* TelevisionSerial

Context Series / MoonlightMask