Spoilers for the Space Sheriff entries in the Metal Heroes franchise preceding this one, particularly Space Sheriff Sharivan, will be unmarked ahead. You Have Been Warned!
Space Sheriff Shaider was the third and final entry in the Space Sheriff subgenre of Metal Heroes Tokusatsu shows.
Archaeologist Dai Sawamura's remarkable analytical skills impresses the galaxy police enough to recruit him. He is then transferred to planet Bird, where he receives his training at the Space Sheriff Academy.
The unforeseen appearance of the mysterious cult Fuuma leads to the destruction of several planets, requiring an urgent need of manpower for mobilization to all remaining planets.
Once it is established that Earth is the next target of Fuuma, Governor Kom gives Dai the codename of Shaider and assigns him to safeguard the planet. Together with his fellow trainee, Annie, whose planet was destroyed by Fuuma, Dai returns to his home to fulfill his duty.
Space Sheriff Shaider: Next Generation is the sequel movie to the Shaider television series and to Space Sheriff Gavan: The Movie. For tropes specifically related to that film, please use the specific page
Became one of the series adapted in VR Troopers.
Recurring Metal Hero tropes include:
- Action Girl: Annie, Shaider’s assistant. Notably, she ends up getting the dearth of action scenes in the series.
- Big Bad: Kubilai, the Great Emperor and the Fuuma Clan.
- By the Power of Grayskull!: Shaider's "Shouketsu!" ("Sinter!")
- Calling Your Attacks: LASER BLADE!
- Energy Weapon : The Video Beam gun, equipped with a video scope.
- Finishing Move: "SHAIDER BLUE FLASH!" A powerful Laser Blade slash that split the monster horizontally and causes them to explode.
Space Sheriff Shaider provides examples of the following tropes:
- Abusive Precursors: Kubilai ruled over Earth in ancient times, before he was disposed of by the Warrior Shaider.
- BFG: Big Magnum. A starship-sized one.
- Cain and Abel: Hessler's little brother, Himley, appears in episode 19 only for Hessler to kill him during combat because he was threatened of his position.
- Creepy Crossdresser: Priest Poe may seem like a very masculine woman, but it’s actually just a guy in makeup and a headdress that looks like a wig.
- Crossover: His predecessors appear in the final episode, which doubles as the Grand Finale to the Space Sheriff trilogy.
- Master of Disguise: Annie spends a whole episode adopting several disguises (including an old crone, a worker, a mannequin, a kabuki actress and a bride) to infiltrate a department store run by Fuuma.
- Meaningful Name: Fuuma translates to Wind Demon.
- Mook Mobile: The carriage-like Fuuma fighters.
- Religion of Evil: The Fumma revere Kubalai as a god.
- Scary Dogmatic Aliens: The Fuuma have destroyed many planets throughout the universe within the span of several thousand years. They nearly conquer the galaxy in the last few episodes.
- Ship Tease: Episode 24, for some reason, offers this on Poe/Annie front. It is never mentioned again, so this whole episode may as well be one huge Non Sequitur.
- Space Police: As in the previous two seasons, Shaider works for the Galactic Federal Police.
- Tank Goodness: The Shaian tank, which can split into the Sky Shaian and the Battle Shaian.
- Transforming Mecha: The Vavilos, which also counts as a Cool Star Ship, Home Base and BFG.
- Villain Song: Fuuma has a creepy leitmotif
that accompanies some of their stranger moments. - Wham Episode: Episodes 17-18 reveals Dai’s origin story and hints at a greater connection to ancient mythology.
