Heroman (stylized as HEROMAN) is a Japanese manga and anime series created by Marvel's Stan Lee and Bones.[2][3][4] The manga was published in Square Enix's magazine Monthly Shōnen Gangan from August 2009 to October 2011, with its chapters collected in five tankōbon volumes. The 26-episode anime television series was broadcast on TV Tokyo from April to September 2010.[5] Lee came up with the series' basic plot,[6]
Orphaned American little boy Joey lives with his grandmother, working at a restaurant in the West Coast city of Center City (センターシティ),[8] while going to school. Upon hearing of a new toy robot called the Heybo, Joey believes that getting one will make his life better, turning him into a hero to protect his friends and family. However, he cannot afford to buy it on his meager salary. His luck changes when he picks up a broken down Heybo abandoned by a school bully.[9] He tries to fix it, naming it Heroman, but does not have any luck in getting it to work. However, when it gets struck by a bolt of strange lightning, it transforms into a giant robot, just in time to save his friend Lina from impending danger. Now, Joey and Heroman are Earth's only defense against the evil insectoid Skrugg (スクラッグ) aliens, unknowingly summoned to Earth by Joey's science teacher.[10]
There are some differences in story between the anime and manga series.
The Skrugg (スクラッグ) are an evil race of cockroach-like aliens, led by Kogorr, who travel to Earth in order to invade it after being inadvertently contacted by Denton. They have powerful armor that can withstand the majority of Earth's weaponry. Their own arsenal includes laser pistols, as well as powerful shoulder cannons that convert air into a powerful energy blast. Besides the strength Heroman is capable of, they are also weakened by high pitched noises due to their manner of communication.
The All American Network (AAN) is a television station based in Center City.
A manga adaptation of Heroman, illustrated by Tamon Ohta, was serialized in Square Enix's Monthly Shōnen Gangan from August 12, 2009, to October 12, 2011.[15][16] Square Enix collected its chapters in five tankōbon volumes, released from March 20, 2010, to December 22, 2011.[17][18]
In North America, the manga was licensed for English release by Vertical.[19] The five volumes were released from October 30, 2012, to July 23, 2013.[20][21]
The anime series, produced by Bones, POW! Entertainment and Wowmax Media spawned 26 episodes, and aired on TV Tokyo and related stations between April 1, 2010, and September 23, 2010. It was also streamed on Crunchyroll. The series' music is composed by Metalchicks and Music Heroes. For episodes 1–12, the opening theme is "Roulette" performed by Tetsuya of L'Arc-en-Ciel while the ending theme is "CALLING" performed by Flow. An insert song by Tatsuyuki Hashimoto featuring ACO on vocals titled "Niji no Fumoto" (虹のふもと) was featured in episode 11. From episode 13 onwards, the opening theme is "missing" by Kylee while the ending theme is "Boku no Te wa Kimi no Tame ni" (僕の手は君の為に) by Mass Alert.[22] A promotional video released prior to the premiere of the series featured a song performed by Hajime Uchiyama with Slavomir Kowalewski on vocals, eventually revealed to be titled "Joey and Heroman" when it was included on the series' soundtrack.
