Eye-bleeding cover of a ZONE children's book (Shogakukan, 1973).
During the height of the Henshin Boom of the early 1970s, every network wanted their own superhero television series, and a number of studios were busy offering them proposals. One of the more conservative was Toho Co., Ltd., who had produced the popular RAINBOWMAN, THE WARRIOR OF PIETY the previous year, they also planned to capitalize on the phenomenon with the conception of GODZILLA VS. MEGALON (1973), which opened in cinemas on March 17th — featuring the very superheroic sidekick, Jet Jaguar.
Hot on it's heels, Toho and Mannensha Co. Ltd. unleashed ZONE, THE SHOOTING STAR MAN (shortened to ZONE FIGHTER for overseas sales) for the NTV (Nippon Television) network, with feature film monsters Godzilla, King Ghidorah, and Gigan appearing as guest stars (the Big G appears in five episodes). For 26 colorful and exciting episodes, Zone Fighter and his siblings sally forth against the vile alien forces of Garoga to protect their adopted home from destruction and bring peace to all mankind — with the help of Godzilla, of course!
