TV-Series
Description
Mitsuo Suwa, also known as Superkid or Perman Number 1, is the protagonist of the series. He is an ordinary elementary school boy with black hair styled into upward-pointing spikes and a tendency to be clumsy and lazy. His life changes when he meets an alien superhero named Birdman, who recruits him to become a member of a peacekeeping team called the Permans. Birdman provides Mitsuo with a special helmet that multiplies his physical strength and intellect while also serving as a mask, a cape that enables flight at speeds up to 119 kilometers per hour, and a badge that functions as a communicator and can generate breathable air underwater. To help maintain his secret identity, he is also given a copy robot: a doppelganger that can take his place when he is acting as Perman. Mitsuo is strictly warned that if his true identity is ever revealed, he will be transformed into an animal.
Despite gaining superpowers, Mitsuo remains a flawed and relatable child. He dislikes studying, is frightened by ghosts and cockroaches, and often avoids chores, earning scoldings from his mother. He has a strong but sometimes misguided crush on his classmate Michiko Sawada, who is herself infatuated with Perman No. 1 and unaware of Mitsuo's alter ego. He is also an enthusiastic fan of the singer Sumire Hoshino, not realizing that she is actually his fellow Perman, Perko (Perman No. 3). His relationship with Perko is marked by frequent comedic quarrels. At home, he lives with his parents and his younger sister Ganko, who often reports his misbehavior. At school, he is frequently teased by classmates Kabao and Sabu.
Mitsuo serves as the leader of the team of Permans, which includes Booby (a chimpanzee and No. 2), Perko (No. 3), Peryan (No. 4), and originally Perbo (No. 5, omitted in later versions). The group works together to fight crime, stop disasters, and help people while struggling to keep their identities hidden. Although Mitsuo can be lazy and sometimes uses his copy robot for personal convenience, he possesses a strong sense of justice and cannot ignore a situation where someone is in trouble. Over the course of the series, he matures through his adventures and the responsibilities of being a hero. Ultimately, Birdman selects Mitsuo to journey to Bird Planet for advanced training as his successor. He bids a secret farewell to his family, friends, and fellow Permans, leaving a copy robot in his place on Earth, and departs with the promise to return as the greatest Perman in the galaxy. His key abilities stem entirely from his Perman equipment: superhuman strength and speed, flight, enhanced intelligence, underwater breathing, and the strategic use of his copy robot.
Despite gaining superpowers, Mitsuo remains a flawed and relatable child. He dislikes studying, is frightened by ghosts and cockroaches, and often avoids chores, earning scoldings from his mother. He has a strong but sometimes misguided crush on his classmate Michiko Sawada, who is herself infatuated with Perman No. 1 and unaware of Mitsuo's alter ego. He is also an enthusiastic fan of the singer Sumire Hoshino, not realizing that she is actually his fellow Perman, Perko (Perman No. 3). His relationship with Perko is marked by frequent comedic quarrels. At home, he lives with his parents and his younger sister Ganko, who often reports his misbehavior. At school, he is frequently teased by classmates Kabao and Sabu.
Mitsuo serves as the leader of the team of Permans, which includes Booby (a chimpanzee and No. 2), Perko (No. 3), Peryan (No. 4), and originally Perbo (No. 5, omitted in later versions). The group works together to fight crime, stop disasters, and help people while struggling to keep their identities hidden. Although Mitsuo can be lazy and sometimes uses his copy robot for personal convenience, he possesses a strong sense of justice and cannot ignore a situation where someone is in trouble. Over the course of the series, he matures through his adventures and the responsibilities of being a hero. Ultimately, Birdman selects Mitsuo to journey to Bird Planet for advanced training as his successor. He bids a secret farewell to his family, friends, and fellow Permans, leaving a copy robot in his place on Earth, and departs with the promise to return as the greatest Perman in the galaxy. His key abilities stem entirely from his Perman equipment: superhuman strength and speed, flight, enhanced intelligence, underwater breathing, and the strategic use of his copy robot.