It looks like Japan joined the superhero craze that swept television sets across the U.S. in the 1970s, with shows like Wonder Woman and The Incredible Hulk dominating the ratings. 

In 1978, a Japanese television station partnered with Marvel to create Spider-Man. But instead of being truly faithful to the comic book, Japan's version of the web slinger was a little different, to say the very least.

Instead of being photographer Peter Parker, this Spider-Man is Takuya Yamashiro, a 22-year-old motocross racer. 

Takuya wasn't bitten by a radioactive spider, either. Instead, he is visited by an alien named Garia from the planet Spider. Garia, the sole survivor from his planet, injects Takuya with alien blood and gives him a bracelet. 

Toei Company

Morphing into Spider-Man, the superhero's main purpose is to fight the Iron Cross Army, a group of aliens that plan to control the universe. 

You won't find enemies like the Green Goblin and the Sandman in this adaptation. Spider-Man's archenemy is Professor Monster, a villain who drinks blood to stay immortal. 

Toei Company

In true Japanese fashion, Spider-Man also fights giant monsters who threaten to destroy the city. Luckily, he had a giant robot named Leopardon to help him! 

Toei Company

If some of this looks familiar to diehard action fans, it's because the same company that produced this series went on to produce a couple Power Rangers films in the 1990s.  

What do you think, would you want to see the Japanese Spider-Man on Super Sci-Fi Saturday Night?