Technic curse

The Technic curse refers to a series of supposed misfortunes that plagued the cast and the crew involved in the Technic Heroes and Technic Western franchises. The "curse" is associated with Hayato Nakahara, who portrayed Scuba in the Robo series, and was killed in a car accident in 1980, Michael J. Fox, who played Berix in Bionicle IX: The Legend Reborn, was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1991, Hiroto Sasaki, who portrayed Taro Maeda, alias Nuju in the Bionicle series, was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2001 and died a year later, Hiroki Saitou, who portrayed Takuma Mori, alias Aguni, took his life in 2005 due to his deteriorating popularity,, who portrayed Erika Fujioka in Bionicle VIII: The Final Battle, was diagnosed with dementia in 2015 leading to her retirement from acting, and Tsubame Kayos, who wrote for Superaction!, who died from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in 1993.

Technic Heroes actors who allegedly became the victims of the curse
The following people who played the roles of heroes in the franchise sometimes cited as victims of the "Technic curse".

Hayato Nakahara
Hayato Nakahara played Scuba in Throwbots and Roborider. He was killed in a car accident on January 12, 1980 at 27. His death inspired the urban legend of the curse associated with a franchise.

Olivia Newton-John
Olivia Newton-John played Kaelyn Macy, aka. Uira in the Nova Orbis series. In 1992, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and she managed to win the battle. In 2017, the cancer had returned and metastasised her lower back.

Hiroto Sasaki
Hiroto Sasaki played Taro Maeda, aka. Toa Nuju in Bionicle installments 4 & 5. He was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2001 and he died on February 20, 2002 at 37.

Hiroki Saitou
Hiroki Saitou played Takuma Mori, aka. Aguni in the television series Midgygiant and films Robotman 5: X.O Centuries and Lana X: The Ladybot. His waning career started to decline after Midgygiant, which caused him to have depression and he took his life in his house on July 15, 2005 at 27.

Elkan Boukough
Elkan Boukough is known as the creator of the Technic Heroes franchise and he directed Robotman and its sequel, Robotman 2, Nova Orbis 2: Return of the Team Miro, and Bionicle films 1 through 5. He was killed in a car accident on July 11, 1984 at 65.

Jon Pertwee
played Turaga Dume in Bionicle IV: Legends of Metru Nui and Bionicle VI: Island of Doom. He died in 1996.

Taro Yamada
Taro Yamada played Fred Tamashi in Bionicle VI: Island of Doom, Bionicle VII: Sea of Darkness, and Bionicle VIII: The Final Battle. He died in 2001 in a car accident.

Apples Alvarez
Apples Alvarez played some bit roles in Phantom Bolt and Shukutan. She died in the 2009 Westfield Caelum shooting.

Michael J. Fox
Michael J. Fox played Berix in Bionicle IX: The Legend Reborn. In 1991, he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, which caused him to partially retire from acting in 2000, and then fully in 2020, as his disease worsened.

Tsubame Kayos
Tsubame Kayos was a writer for Superaction!. She retired in 1992 after her diagnosis with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and died from it on August 22, 1993 at the age of 50.

Shouhei Fujita
Shouhei Fujita played Karzahni in Bionicle VI and Bionicle VII, Raanu in Bionicle IX and Shiori Oshiro in Boost. He died of kidney cancer on August 3, 1998 at the age of 75.

Hideki Takahashi
Hideki Takahashi played Ehlek in Bionicle VII: Sea of Darkness. He died of complications of Hepatitis C on October 22, 2004 at the age of 44.

Nobuyo Ōyama
played Erika Fujoka in Bionicle VIII: The Final Battle. In 2015, she was diagnosed with dementia, which caused her to retire from voice acting.

Samantha Smith
played Marvin Huber's little sister Liza in Bionicle IV: Legends of Metru Nui and Bionicle V: Web of Shadows. She died on August 25, 1985 at the age of 13 in the plane crash.

Stephen Gately
played Old Shatterhand in the 1998 Technic Western film Winnetou. Gately died of a congenital heart defect on October 10, 2009 at the age of 33.