Moonlight Mask (translated from Gekko Kamen) was Japan's first tokusatsu Spy Fiction Cop Show series from 1958note . 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 and again in the 90s.
The original tokusatsu series was followed by Spiritual Successors, Seven Color Mask and Messenger Of Allah.
Definitely not to be confused with Kekko Kamen (although the latter was named in parody of the former).
This series provides examples of:
- Badass Normal: No superpowers for this hero. He's a normal human Hardboiled Detective.
- Badass Biker: Moonlight Mask rides a custom Honda bike everywhere.
- Blasting It Out of Their Hands
- Cop Show: The main characters are of people working in police departments, including the titular hero of course.
- Cult: Moonlight Mask fights one in the Mammoth Kong story arc.
- Expository Theme Tune: "Who is Moonlight Mask?"
- Film Serial
- Guns Akimbo
- Kaiju: Mammoth Kong, who was the first TV Kaiju.
- Left Hanging: While we know that Inspector Iwai is Moonlight Mask, the only thing that we don't about him is his reasons to becoming a super hero. He just appears and dissapears when the need arises.
- Secret Identity / Hardboiled Detective: The titular hero.
- Superhero Packing Heat: The Trope Maker.
- Thou Shalt Not Kill: Moonlight Mask's mantra: Do Not Hate. Do Not Kill. (the crime)Let's prevent it. Though he has no problem killing Mooks.
- Television Serial
