Japanese Title:

Dai Gekitou – Mad Cop 80 (Later re-titled Tokumei Keiji)

Number of Episodes:

26

Broadcast:

4/8/1980 – 9/30/1980; Wednesdays 9:00 PM – 9:54 PM

Network:

Nihon TV

Series Director (s):

Sekimoto Ikuo, Hasebe Yasuharu, Murakawa Toru, Nishimura Kiyoshi

Screen Writer (s):

Nagahara Shuichi, Kashiwabara Hiroshi, Mineo Motomi, Yamamoto Hideaki, Takada Jun, Miyata Yuki

Produced by:

Toei

Ending Theme Song:

“Urei No Machi” [How Can You Love The City]
(City of Sadness – How Can You Love The City)
Lyrics: Narahashi Yoko
Music: Ohno Yuji
Vocals: Kimura Noboru

In 1980, Japan’s Criminal Underworld united to form a more unified and organized criminal network. Allying itself with the Foreign Mafia, they grew to become an even more powerful Syndicate. Calling itself the “JM” or “Japan Mafia”, this criminal cartel began its reign of corruption and crime. Unable to combat such an organized and monumental threat, The Japanese Metropolitan Police Force gathers together an elite team of specialists from its ranks to form a specialized combat unit specifically charged with the destruction of the “JM”. Codenamed “MP” or Mad Police, these men and women use whatever means necessary to battle this imposing threat.

#1 – “Mafia Kara Chosen” (Challenge From The Mafia)
#2 – “No. 1 Masatsu Keikan” (The No. 1 Destruction Plan)
#3 – “Shogekisha O Ute” (Aim For The Sharp Shooter)
#4 - “Kiributa Wa Black Queen” (The Trump Card Is The Black Queen)
#5 – “Syndicate No Onna” (The Woman From The Syndicate)
#6 – “Koroshi No Tsuiseki” (Killing Rampage)
#7 – “Chika Ginko Shugeki” (Bank Attack From Underground)
#8 – “Hakai” (Destruction)
#9 – “Satsujin Keimusho” (Prison of Death)
#10 – “Shokei Gishiki” (Execution Ceremony)
#11 – “Bakusatsu Machine” (Killer Machine)
#12 – “Seikou Daisakusen” (The Secret Mission Plan)
#13 – “Sky Rider Daisakusen” (The Sky Rider Plan)
#14 – “Hunter Killer”
#15 – “005 Pin De Kita Shogeki Sha [Sniper]” (The Quick Sniper)
#16 – “Ningen Kari” (Human Hunt)
#17 – “Kaitei No Ogon” (The Sea’s Gold)
#18 – “Datsu Goku” (Prison Break)
#19 – “Scandal Lady”
#20 – “Kiken Kaiiki” (Dangerous Waters)
#21 – “Chisana Bomeisha” (The Littlest Refugee)
#22 – “Kuroi Okami (Black Wolf)
#23 – “Tobou Chitai” (Escape Zone)
#24 – “Oto Chan No Diamond” (Papa’s Diamond)
#25 – “San Biyaku Oku Yen O Ubaikaese” (Bring Back The Three Hundred Million Yen)
#26 – “Final Challenge”

Veteran movie tough guy Watase Tsunehiko is probably best remembered as Kosaka Hiroshi, one of the motorcycle riding hoodlums in the 1970s Toei movie series “Furyo Bancho” (Juvenile Boss). He would later go on to star in such films as “Zubeko Bancho – Tokyo Nagaremono” (Toei; 1970), “Jingi Naki Tatakai AKA Fight With Honor or Humanity” (Toei; 1973), “Fukatsu No Hi AKA Virus” (Toho; 1980), “Ten To Chi To AKA Heaven and Earth” (Toei; 1990), “Andromedia” (1998), “Sailor Fuku To Kikanju AKA Sailor Uniform and Machine Gun” (Toei/Kadokawa; 1981) and “Bodyguard Kiba” (Toei; 1973). Brother Watari Tetsuya is probably most familiar to audiences as detective Daimon Keisuke in the Ishihara Pro series “Seibu Keisatsu” (TV Asahi; 1979) which ultimately competed against and won over Watase’s series.

Umemiya Tatsuo also starred with Watase in the “Furyo Bancho” (Juvenile Boss) series as well as “Jingi Naki Tatakai AKA Fight With Honor or Humanity” (Toei; 1973) and its sequels. Umemiya is a familiar personality on TV shows and has guest starred in many TV Dramas and Variety Shows. American audiences can see him frequently on the Food Network’s dub of “Iron Chef” for which he is a regular guest commentator.

Katagiri Ryuji is another Toei movie regular having starred in a number of Toei films including “Onna Bancho Blues” (Toei; 1971), “Jingi Naki Tatakai AKA Fight With Honor or Humanity” (Toei; 1973), “Onna Hissatsu Godan Ken” (Toei; 1976), and “Doberman Deka” (Toei; 1977). He also appeared in “Yotou Chitai – Kiriko AKA Fighting Beauty Zone – Kiriko (Japan Home Video; 1994), “Another XX” (Toei Video; 1998) and more recently in “Gun Crazy – Episode 4” (Pioneer; 2003).

Popular actor Sakuragi Kenichi’s first hit series was the TBS Sport’s Drama “Judo Ichigosen” (Judo’s Straight Line; TBS, 1967). He would later be identified most with his next starring role as the lead detective in the popular series “Keiji-Kun” (Junior Detective; TBS/Toei, 1971).

Series Writer Nagahara Shuichi also penned the script for the 1984 Toho remake of “Godzilla”.

Series Director Sekimoto Ikuo also helped helm many of Toei’s “Gyakudo No Tsumatachi” movie series.

Series Director Hasebe Yasuharu also directed such movies as “Ashita No Joe” (Dai Nichi, 1970), “Sukeban Deka – Dirty Mari” (Nikkatsu, 1974), “Onna Sasori 701 Go – Urami No Bushi AKA Female Convict Scorpion – Song of Vengence” (Toei, 1974), “Nora Neko Rock – Sex Hunter AKA Alley Cat’s – Sex Hunter” (Dai Nichi, 1970), and “Abunai Deka” (Toei, 1987).

Yamamoto Hideaki was the writer behind the landmark anime film “Yamoto Yo Eien Ni AKA Farewell Yamato” (Toei, 1980). Yamamoto also helped to pen the subsequent sequels “Yamato: Aratanaru Tabidachi AKA Yamoto: The New Journey” (Toei, 1981) and “Yamato:Kanketsu Hen AKA Final Yamato” (Toei, 1983).

Ohno Yuji’s infectious and jazzy theme is reminiscent of many of his earlier works including the theme song to “Lupin San Sei AKA Lupin The Third” (Toho, 1979).

Stylistically very similar to the American TV Drama “S.W.A.T.” (ABC/ Spelling-Goldberg Productions; 1975).

Whether because of low ratings or pressure from Japanese PTA groups, the format of “Dai Gekitou – Mad Cop ‘80” was changed drastically and the show soon became known simply as “Tokumei Keiji” (Special Operations).

The violence was toned down considerably and two new detectives were introduced to lighten and humanize the show more.

No references to the “JM” were referred to again and the cases became more procedural and atypical to other Police Drama.

These changes did very little to change ratings and the show was soon canceled. Oddly enough Ishihara Pro’s “Seibu Keisatsu” (Western Police), which was showing at the same time and had even more violence and bloodshed in it, soared in the ratings.