My Piece of Cake: On ABS-CBN Continuing the Tokusatsu Saga on PH TV

ABS-CBN played a role in the tokusatsu programming story in Philippine TV.  Tokusatsu, for starters, is the live-action series with special effects that originated from TV stations and TV production firms from Japan.

Before ABS-CBN woke up from its EDSA 1986 slumber from Martial Law 1972, Channel 9 (formerly owned by ABS-CBN, then owned by the dictators' cronies before 1972) was the first PH TV channel to air Super Sentai shows such as Lucky Aces (J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai), Star Rangers (originally Himitsu Sentai Goranger) and Goggle 5 (Dai Sentai Goggle V).

In the first years of ABS-CBN after its 1986 slumber, the Super Sentai show Bioman was part of the channel's Friday prime time TV programming. First aired in late 1986/early 1987, the show was then moved to Sunday then Saturday.

In 1988 it devoted an hour of tokusatsu shows as Channel 2's Saturday afternoon pre-programming for the current affairs show Magandang Gabi Bayan.  The 2 shows were the Super Sentai show Bioman and the Metal Hero show Shaider.  In 1990, a Super Sentai show Maskman, which aired from Asahi Network and Channel 13, succeeded Bioman.  By 1992/1993, Magandang Gabi Bayan moved to an earlier time slot then covering 1.5 hours, thus putting an end to ABS-CBN's Saturday afternoon tokusatsu hour.

Still, tokusatsu shows aired on ABS-CBN Channel 2 like Ultra Man, Magma Man and Koseidon into the 1990's.  (Other tokusatsu shows like Machine Man, Masked Rider Black, Jet Man, Five Man, Jiban, Jan Person, Sky Ranger Gavan and Turbo Rangers made their way into various other free TV channels in the Philippines.)

Into the 2000s, ABS-CBN continued the tokusatsu story.  Channel 2 broadcast more of the Ultra Man series and Masked Rider Ryuki in 2004.  ABS-CBN launched the anime/tokusatsu channel Hero TV in 2005, featuring mostly anime and tokusatsu series from Japan.

Incidentally, this year marks 30 years since Maskman premiered in Asahi Network/Japan (before airing on Channel 13 first before moving to ABS-CBN).  More than 3 decades ago, Bioman premiered.  What is concerning from your humble servant is the lack of tokusatsu series on PH TV (be it on free TV--Channel 2 or otherwise--or cable--Hero TV or otherwise) and the discontent of hard-core supporters of tokusatsu shows on PH TV.  Here is hoping Hero TV once more airs more tokusatsu content and leads the charge to answering the needs of the tokusatsu supporters.  For your humble servant, may the Kapamilya connection to the tokusatsu saga or even the tokusatsu saga itself be not left as a mere footnote in PH TV history. And that's a Deal.