SPACE
GIANTS
This is a Japanese live action show known as Ambassador Magma in Japan, first
airing there in 1966 but was not 
until 1978 that it was shown in English around the
world including Australia. It was originally dubbed into English under the title
‘Space Avenger’ in 1972 keeping the original Japanese theme song but was not
sold to any TV stations until 6 years later under the new name of ‘Space
Giants’, with a new opening theme song. Though I recently received an email from
Adrienne Lamm (a_lamm@msn.com) from New York who remembers seeing Space Giants via Channel
11 in New York during 1969-1971... This was backed up from Robin Mach (robmach@iglou.com)
who remembers watching Space Giants and Johnny Sokko in New York during this time.
David Dalessandro from South Philadelphia also remembers watching Space Giants
everyday after scholl in the early 70's on channel 48 at 4pm (PENDRGN44@aol.com)
I received this email from John Gallagher (maddrummer5@comcast.net)
I remember the show from around 1971....maybe '72. Definitely around that time
as I lived in the South Jersey area, very close to Philadelphia. I believe it was ch.48 or
ch.17, 3:00 or 4:00pm, Mon.-Fri. Everyday after school.
Not exactly sure of all the details, but I clearly remember the show. I was a very big
fan much like kids like 'Power Rangers' and 'Pokemon' today, we liked 'Ultraman' and 'Space Giants'.I was about 8yrs'
old,so I remember it very well.
'Martin Urquiza' (Martin Urquiza <brujomartin@prodigy.net.mx>) from
Mazatlan, Mexico remembers watching "Space Giants" (known as "Monstruos del
Espacio"). in 1972 Saturday mornings on channel "8" - a national broadcast station that
doesn't exists anymore.
Johnny (johnny@cyber-systemes.com) from Venezuela saw it for the first time in 1968!!!! It was called: MONSTRUOS DEL
ESPACIO (Monster from Outer Space) like in Mexico.
From: Ray Radlein <rayradlein@earthlink.net>
"Space Giants" was also broadcast here in America in the late '70s and very early '80s on WTBS out of Atlanta. This was after Ted Turner had
started using satellites to distribute WTBS for free to any cable system in the country willing to carry it, but before that strategy had given
him the money to start CNN, win the America's Cup, buy the MGM film library, become a billionaire, and sell out while buying in to Time
Warner, only to watch AOL step in and drive the company into the ground, making his stock nearly worthless. Ah, memories.
At any rate, there will still be quite a few people around the country who would have gotten TBS on cable back then; and anyone who ever
watched "Space Giants" will *certainly* have remembered it.
Peter Fernandez was responsible the dubbing for the English version, after his success
with Speed Racer and Marine Boy. The narrator was the same person who did Prince Planet
but I have no information on whom it was.
The first episode opens with an attack on Earth by the evil Rodak who has already
conquered most of the Planets in the Universe and plans to conquer Earth as well.
Methusan, a wizard of many powers with long white hair and beard brings to Earth two
robots – Goldarr and Silvarr from the 2rf Galaxy, dedicated to stopping Rodak and
defending the world.
Goldarr is a 50ft golden robot, 14 feet wide and weighs 20 tonnes and his wife
Silvarr, a
silver coloured 5ft robot. They live with their son GAM (created by Methusan) in a volcano
in Mt Olympian.
They all have large antennae that fire Gamma rays (lazer beams) and can all transform into
rockets. Through an opening in Goldarr's chest he can fire Torpedoes.
Rodak sends out a whole range of monsters to conquer Earth but ultimately are all defeated
by Goldarr and his robot family. The original Japanese names are kept in the series. The
main human characters are centered around a Japanese chain smoking reporter - Ita Mura,
who works for a world wide newspaper and his wife Tomoko and son Mikko whom when in
trouble blows his whistle given to him by Goldarr to summon Goldarr or members of his family
for help.
One blow - Gam
Two blows – Silvar
Three blows - Goldar
Space Giants was a low budget series.
52 episodes were made. Each story contained 4 parts, each around 25mins long, saving
on costs, as only one monster suit was needed for each story. The eyes and mouth on
Goldarr's and Rodaks masks did not move at all and you never see the full transformation
from Goldarr and his family into robots.
Bernard Schulman's Lakeside Television Company originally produced THE SPACE
GIANTS in America and continues to own all domestic rights to the program.
Despite being in his late 60's, Mr. Schulman is still very active in
production and is currently negotiating for re-broadcast of this program!