SG's First TV Superhero VR Man Returns In AI-Generated Fan Video And S'poreans Are Loving It

Remember VR Man? Singapore's very own TV superhero who burst onto our screens in 1998 wearing a black spandex suit and half mask, in what remains one of local television's most unforgettable experiments.

Played by James Lye, the hunky actor-turned-global head of international banking at Standard Chartered Bank, the character possessed the ability to alter reality. Which sounds incredibly powerful until you remember the production budget had other ideas.

The English series lasted 13 episodes and quickly became legendary. Not because it was a ratings juggernaut, but because it made it to the rare hall of fame reserved for shows that were so cringeworthy, they became impossible to forget.

Though if you've been inspired to revisit the show, good luck. We couldn't find it on mewatch.

And yet, nearly 30 years later, people still remember it.

Including VR Man fan Aphelion, who recently posted an AI-generated tribute titled VR Man 2026 on Reddit.

All we can say is, damn effort.

The 1-minute-43-second video opens like a superhero retirement drama.

An older man, dressed in a sharp suit, walks into a dark room. He opens a drawer, pulls out his iconic mask and quietly says: "I remember. I am VR Man."

He puts on the mask and suddenly the memories come flooding back.

We're transported back to the, um, glory days of VR Man fighting criminals, saving civilians and doing whatever exactly VR Man used to do every week.

The fan video cleverly mixes AI-generated footage with clips from the original series, creating the feeling of a forgotten hero looking back at his past.

Then comes the transformation.

He starts building himself a high-tech battle suit. Think less "1998 Mediacorp wardrobe department" and more "Bruce Wayne after a massive funding round."

The upgraded armour looks like a cross between Iron Man, Batman and a futuristic military exoskeleton.

As one commenter joked: "You made VR Man become Iron Man + Superman."

Aphelion was quick to point out another inspiration.

"Don't forget Batman too. The battle armour like in Batman v Superman and Arkham Knight,” he replied.

According to him, the video took about three days to complete.

“There wasn't any storyboard, just a rough idea of VR Man has forgotten he's the VR and only remembers now in 2026. Fights corrupt cops, won them but needed more firepower with a new battle suit,” wrote Aphelion.

The most surprising thing about the Reddit thread was the affection people still have for the series.

One commenter wrote: "Thank you for this. I didn't know I wanted it so much until now."

To which Aphelion replied: "Same, it's been 30 years. He needs to come back."

Another commenter proposed that VR Man's new sidekick should be called "AI Man" or "AI Agent".

Aphelion had an even bigger idea.

"We need a Mediacorp Cinematic Universe."

Producers, are you taking notes?

Our favourite exchange came courtesy of a user who imagined a future episode of Talking Point: "When is AI getting too much? Host: Diana Ser.”

Another user immediately replied: "She'll have to sit down and have an intimate heart-to-heart talk with her man."

For those unfamiliar with the reference, Diana is married to James Lye and they have three kids together. 

We can't help but wonder what James thinks of all this.