“Johnny Sokko and His Flying Robot”, does this ring a bell?
Well what was popular in the 1960’s in Japan as ジャイアントロボ (Giant Robot) and was a hit in the US in the 70’s as “Johnny Sokko and His Flying Robot” was on Indian television channel Doordarshan in the mid 1980’s when I was 12 years old.

The first experience of a science fiction, I used to complete my homework early on Wednesday afternoon, skip playing cricket with friends and stay glued to the television set as Giant Robot used to fight evil forces of alien emperor called Guillotine. Johnny Sokko with his wrist watch used to command his robot (well I guess Apple Watch will eventually get there) and I also remember the cute Japanese Girl Mari who used to pair with Johnny Sokko as part of the Unicorn team. Mari could speak 36 languages!!! and yeah she was sooooo cute, that’s what I thought then.

I have many such inspirations of why I came to Japan and Giant Robot is a big one. I started to locate the places where the serial was shot and one was right in Tokyo, the Kyu Furukawa Teien, walkable distance from the Kami Nakazato Station on the Keihin Tohoku Line.