Condorman
By Jeffrey Couto

>>Information for this review including character names and story details come from posting made on alt.tv.sentai by August Ragone (Henshin Online) and Arthur David.

Introduction:

I saw Condorman for the first time last week, when I got Vol-1 through the mail (Thanks Henshin Video!). Wasn't sure on what to expect as all I've seen of this program till that point were photos in TV Kun and B-Club magazines. Thankfully, it turns out, Condorman was a blast to watch as the show featured a lot of great monster designs (although there were some questionable ones too) and many well done action scenes. However, like everything else Condorman also had some things that could be considered questionable, like depictions of violence against children by the show's monsters.

The Story:

The Earth is in great danger! The terrible Monster Clan has come together from all over the world to begin plotting the destruction of the world's environment and the corruption of the world's population. Only Ishin Mitsuya (who was killed while protecting the Dragon Condor's egg and then reborn through the dying creatures' powers and his pure heart) can help save the world from the Monster Clan as Condorman: Symbol of Justice!

How Good it?

Condorman is a great example of Toei's classic hero programs, showcasing several well done action scenes that are integrated into a very remarkable storyline, populated by interesting characters on both sides of the battle being fought.

I particularly like the villains presented in the first couple of episodes of the series, which make up the Monster Clan. Each of these monster is designed in such a way as to represent a different social problem currently affecting the world, for example one of the monsters known as Zeni-Kureiji (Money Crazy) represents human greed while others like Smogton (symbolizes air pollution) represent problems created by humans in the natural world.

Condorman himself is a worthy heroic figure, constantly tracking down the Monster Clan members in his car (Mach Condor) and defeating their attempts at wrecking havoc throughout the world. Seems like Condorman should get rid of his cape though, it makes every battle more difficult than it should be by getting in front of his face while punching the bad guys.

If you're a fan of classic special effects you will love Condorman! There are some great FX sequences in this show, including the one where Ishin Mitsuya henshin's into his heroic alter ego using his Golden Feather. Other notable FX's include great pyrotechnics during battles scenes and the great model work used to depict certain parts of the program.

I love Condorman but like I mention above I have problems with some of the violent scenes in which members of the Monster Clan beat up on defenseless kids. I know this was filmed a long time ago and that I probably should not apply today's standards of what can/should be depicted on television, but it still bothers me. Thankfully these scenes are short and limited; Condorman always arrives to save everyone who is being attacked by the monsters.

Conclusion

If you love classic hero programs like Rainbow Man or Diamond Eye, Condorman will be another great addition to your hero collection. If you never seen classic hero shows or are not sure as to what program to get in order to give them a try, you should get Condorman Vol-1. This program is a lot of fun and will keep you on the edge of your sit as every episode comes to its conclusion, which by the way, always end in a cliffhanger.

Jeffrey Couto