Denshi Sentai Denjiman (
Denshi Sentai Denjiman | |
---|---|
![]() Title Screen | |
Genre | Tokusatsu Superhero fiction Science fiction |
Created by | Toei Company Marvel Comics |
Developed by | Shozo Uehara |
Starring | Shinichi Yuuki Kenji Ohba Eiichi Tsuyama Naoya Uchida Akira Koizumi Machiko Soga Shinji Todo Chiaki Kojo Rie Yoshikawa |
Narrated by | Toru Ohira |
Composer | Michiaki Watanabe |
Country of origin | Japan |
No. of episodes | 51 |
Production | |
Running time | 30 minutes |
Production companies | Toei Company Marvel Comics |
Original release | |
Network | TV Asahi |
Release | February 2, 1980 January 31, 1981 | –
Related | |
List of Super Sentai TV series |
Plot
edit3,000 years ago, the Vader Clan, led by Queen Hedrian, devastated the planet Denji. Denji Land, an island from Denji, landed on Earth. In modern times, the computer of Denji Land awoke the Denji Dog IC when it detected the Vader Clan approaching Earth. IC found five young people (who may or may not be descendants of the Denji people) to become the Denjiman in order to defend Earth, the Vader Clan's next target.
Characters
editDenjimen
editThe eponymous Denjiman is the first Super Sentai team to use a personal transformation device carried on their person (see below). Their costumes are the first to use helmets with translucent materials for visors (although some exterior footage shows their helmets with perforated visors as was the practice with previous Super Sentai series).
- Ippei Akagi (
赤城 一平 , Akagi Ippei) / Denji Red (デンジレッド, Denji Reddo): A teacher of karate and other sports to children at the Athletic Club. Twenty years after Denjiman ended, Ippei appeared along with 23 other Red Rangers summoned by Liveman's Red Falcon, in Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger vs. Super Sentai. - Daigoro Oume (
青梅 大 五 郎 , Ōme Daigorō) / Denji Blue (デンジブルー, Denji Burū): A circus acrobat who teaches yoga and gymnastics at the Athletic Club and loves anpan. Years later, he becomes an anpan vendor, during which time he encounters the Gokaigers. - Jun Kiyama (
黄 山 純 , Kiyama Jun) / Denji Yellow (デンジイエロー, Denji Ierō): An inventor and space researcher. He coaches calisthenics. - Tatsuya Midorikawa (
緑川 達也 , Midorikawa Tatsuya) / Denji Green (デンジグリーン, Denji Gurīn): A detective who lost his father to a Vader attack. He coaches boxing. - Akira Momoi (
桃井 あきら, Momoi Akira) / Denji Pink (デンジピンク, Denji Pinku): A former tennis player who teaches swimming at the Athletic Club. Quit the team in the first episode rejoined at the end of episode two. She saw her coach burn to death because of the Vader Clan's first attack.
Allies
edit- Denji Dog IC (デンジ
犬 アイシー, Denji-ken Ai Shī): Intelligent robot dog that came from planet Denji 3000 years ago to assemble the Denjiman team. He sacrificed his life to become a circuit for DaiDenjin in order to defeat the Omnipotent Monse. - Officer Chieko Matsuo (
松尾 千恵子 , Matsuo Chieko): (12-51) A fellow Police Officer who is good friends and allies with Tatsyua. - Princess Denji (デンジ
姫 , Denji-hime) (Movie, 26 and 45): A survivor of planet Denji who visited Earth 3000 years ago, ordering a servant girl to defend the Earth with the rainbow stones. She left Earth to patrol the universe.
Vader Clan
editThe Vader Clan (ベーダー
- Queen Hedrian (ヘドリアン
女王 , Hedorian-joō): She hates inner beauty and wants to pollute the world. She finds happiness in human suffering. Cares deeply about her subjects. She vanished and sealed herself away in the North Pole, only to be found by Black Magma and revived as a cyborg under their control. - General Hedrer (ヘドラー
将軍 , Hedorā-shōgun) (1-50): The field commander. He had a personal rivalry with Banriki Demon King. He was killed in battle when he interrupted the battle between the Denjimen and Banriki Demon King and Bankiri Monster. He grew giant and fought against the DaiDenjin but fell to the Denji Sword after the Denjiman used the Denji Ball. He was saluted by the Denjimen after being defeated. - Keller and Mirror (ケラー&ミラー, Kerā to Mirā): The female spies in silver and gold respectively. Keller can change into a shield, and Mirror a vanity mirror. Though Keller only turned into a shield once and that was to defend Queen Hedrian from an attack by Banriki Demon King. Sadly, it cost Keller her life, just as Mirror lost her life defending her Queen by blinding the Omnipotent Demon King.
- Demon King Banriki (バンリキ
魔王 , Banriki-maō) (37-51): A half-naked, musclebound space wanderer. He had a personal rivalry with General Hedrer. He attacked all the Denjiman until there was Denji Red, not injured in Episode 37 (Denji Yellow blinded in one eye, Denji Green injured by the wind, Denji Blue injured by hand in the water, and Denji Pink being injured by things blowing up around her and getting hit by a van). The others fought through their fight against him. In Episode 37, he grew after fighting Denjiman and was wounded after the Denjiman used Denji Boomerang. The Denjiman tried to give him the final blow with the Electronic Full Moon Cut in Episode 37. In Episode 48, he had Sakkalar to help him take over Vader Clan. He was turned into a human candle. With the help of the Bankiri Monster, he turned into a human and took back the Vader Clan. He was finally killed off by the Denji Boomerang. - Dustlers (ダストラー, Dasutorā): The grunts (foot soldiers) in black tights with skeletal designs. Armed with sickles. They can teleport from one spot to another.
- Vader Monsters (ベーダー
怪物 , Bēdā Kaibutsu): The monsters hatched from eggs that all have a specific numbered belt buckle. The number on the buckle is usually the episode number minus one. They all also possess the ability to control their body's Cellular structure and are thus able to make themselves grow larger or smaller. Each time a Vader Monster was destroyed, a bust was made in its honor.
Episodes
editNo. | Title | Director | Writer | Original air date |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "Take the Express to the Super Fortress" Transliteration: "Chō Yōsai e Kyūkō Seyo" (Japanese: | Koichi Takemoto | Shozo Uehara | February 2, 1980 |
2 | "The Cannibalism Soap Bubbles" Transliteration: "Hito-kui Shabondama" (Japanese: | Koichi Takemoto | Shozo Uehara | February 9, 1980 |
3 | "Oil Hell, Big Panic" Transliteration: "Abura Jigoku Dai Panikku" (Japanese: | Koichi Takemoto | Shozo Uehara | February 16, 1980 |
4 | "Vader Demon Castle, Pursuit" Transliteration: "Bēdā Majō Tsuigeki" (Japanese: ベーダー | Koichi Takemoto | Shozo Uehara | February 23, 1980 |
5 | "The Red Poison Flower That Crawls up the Wall" Transliteration: "Kabe ni Ugomeku Akai Doku Bana" (Japanese: | Itaru Orita | Shozo Uehara | March 1, 1980 |
6 | "A Girl's Demon Offshoot" Transliteration: "Akuma Bunshin no Shōjo" (Japanese: | Itaru Orita | Shozo Uehara | March 8, 1980 |
7 | "The Great Tragedy of Planet Denji" Transliteration: "Denjisei no Dai Higeki" (Japanese: デンジ | Koichi Takemoto | Shozo Uehara | March 15, 1980 |
8 | "The Skeleton Town's Great Demon King" Transliteration: "Hakkotsu Toshi no Dai Maō" (Japanese: | Koichi Takemoto | Takashi Ezure | March 22, 1980 |
9 | "The Bizarre Telephone That Calls Death" Transliteration: "Shi o Yobu Kaiki Denwa" (Japanese: | Koichi Takemoto | Shozo Uehara | March 29, 1980 |
10 | "I Love Witchcraft Cuisine!?" Transliteration: "Mahō Ryōri Daisuki!?" (Japanese: | Itaru Orita | Shozo Uehara | April 5, 1980 |
11 | "Chase the Life-Stealer" Transliteration: "Inochi Dorobō o Oe" (Japanese: いのち | Itaru Orita | Shozo Uehara | April 12, 1980 |
12 | "The Dangerous Child Spy" Transliteration: "Kiken na Kodomo Supai" (Japanese: | Koichi Takemoto | Shozo Uehara | April 19, 1980 |
13 | "The Rainbow-Colored Balloon is Torn" Transliteration: "Wareta Niji-iro no Fūsen" (Japanese: | Koichi Takemoto | Takeshi Ezure | April 26, 1980 |
14 | "Come to the 100-Point Cram School" Transliteration: "Hyakuten-Juku e Oide" (Japanese: 100 | Kimio Hirayama | Shozo Uehara | May 3, 1980 |
15 | "An Invitation to the Garden of Evil" Transliteration: "Aku no Sono e no Shōtaijō" (Japanese: | Kimio Hirayama | Shozo Uehara | May 10, 1980 |
16 | "Smash the Conspiracy at Atami" Transliteration: "Atami no Inbō o Kudake" (Japanese: | Koichi Takemoto | Shozo Uehara | May 17, 1980 |
17 | "Don't Cry! Baseball Novice" Transliteration: "Naku na! Yakyū Kozō" (Japanese: | Koichi Takemoto | Takeshi Ezure | May 24, 1980 |
18 | "Romance Blooms at the Southern Sea" Transliteration: "Nankai ni Saku Roman" (Japanese: | Koichi Takemoto | Hirohisa Soda | May 31, 1980 |
19 | "My Prince of the Stars" Transliteration: "Watashi no Hoshi no Ōjisama" (Japanese: | Itaru Orita | Shozo Uehara | June 7, 1980 |
20 | "Gorilla Boy's Great Riot" Transliteration: "Gorira Shōnen Ōbare" (Japanese: ゴリラ | Itaru Orita | Susumu Takaku | June 14, 1980 |
21 | "Attack the Grim Reaper Faction" Transliteration: "Shinigami Tō o Kōgeki Seyo" (Japanese: | Yoshiaki Kobayashi | Shozo Uehara | June 21, 1980 |
22 | "Super Time, Strange Experience" Transliteration: "Chō Jikan Fushigi Taiken" (Japanese: | Yoshiaki Kobayashi | Shozo Uehara | June 28, 1980 |
23 | "A Demon That Walks Above the Ceiling" Transliteration: "Tenjōura o Aruku Akuma" (Japanese: | Ichigi Yoshikawa | Hirohisa Soda | July 5, 1980 |
24 | "The Man With the Mysterious Power to Affix Traps" Transliteration: "Wana o Haru Kairiki Otoko" (Japanese: | Ichigi Yoshikawa | Takashi Ezure | July 12, 1980 |
25 | "The Tiger's Hole is an Escape Maze" Transliteration: "Tora no Ana wa Tōsō Meiro" (Japanese: | Kimio Hirayama | Hirohisa Soda | July 19, 1980 |
26 | "Princess Denji's Space Tune" Transliteration: "Denji-hime no Uchū Kyoku" (Japanese: デンジ | Kimio Hirayama | Shozo Uehara | July 26, 1980 |
27 | "Red Beetle Bomb" Transliteration: "Akai Kabutomushi Bakudan" (Japanese: | Yoshiaki Kobayashi | Susumu Takaku | August 2, 1980 |
28 | "The Secret Butcher of the Cursed House" Transliteration: "Noroi no Yakata no Missatsusha" (Japanese: | Yoshiaki Kobayashi | Shozo Uehara | August 9, 1980 |
29 | "The ESPer Detective's Raid" Transliteration: "Chōnōryoku Keiji no Kyūshū" (Japanese: | Koichi Takemoto | Shozo Uehara | August 16, 1980 |
30 | "Missing, Stolen, Gone" Transliteration: "Kieta Nusunda Deta" (Japanese: | Koichi Takemoto | Hirohisa Soda | August 23, 1980 |
31 | "The Magician's Battle of Secret Arts" Transliteration: "Mahōtsukai Hijutsu Gassen" (Japanese: | Koichi Takemoto | Shozo Uehara | August 30, 1980 |
32 | "Hell's Great Shooting Battle" Transliteration: "Jigoku no Dai Jūgekisen" (Japanese: | Takafumi Hattori | Susumu Takaku | September 6, 1980 |
33 | "The Bloodsucking Instrument Lesson" Transliteration: "Kyūketsu Gakki Ressun" (Japanese: | Takafumi Hattori | Shozo Uehara | September 13, 1980 |
34 | "The Sad Orphan's Tale" Transliteration: "Kanashii Sutego no Monogatari" (Japanese: | Koichi Takemoto | Hirohisa Soda | September 27, 1980 |
35 | "The Puzzling Weaver Princess" Transliteration: "Nazo no Hataori Hime" (Japanese: | Koichi Takemoto | Hirohisa Soda | October 4, 1980 |
36 | "Poem of the Brave Puppy" Transliteration: "Yūki Aru Koinu no Uta" (Japanese: | Koichi Takemoto | Hirohisa Soda | October 11, 1980 |
37 | "Brute Force Banriki Devil King" Transliteration: "Banriki Banriki-maō" (Japanese: | Yoshiaki Kobayashi | Hirohisa Soda | October 18, 1980 |
38 | "The Infinite Demon Sky's Great Adventure" Transliteration: "Mugen Makū no Daibōken" (Japanese: | Yoshiaki Kobayashi | Shozo Uehara | October 25, 1980 |
39 | "The Queen's Angry Apparition Art" Transliteration: "Joō Ikari no Yōmajutsu" (Japanese: | Koichi Takemoto | Shozo Uehara | November 1, 1980 |
40 | "The Champion's Enemy" Transliteration: "Chanpion no Teki" (Japanese: チャンピオンの | Koichi Takemoto | Shozo Uehara | November 8, 1980 |
41 | "The Greatest All-Out War in History" Transliteration: "Shijō Saidai no Sōryokusen" (Japanese: | Takafumi Hattori | Shozo Uehara | November 15, 1980 |
42 | "The Bad Dream That Ate Boys" Transliteration: "Shōnen o Kuu Warui Yume" (Japanese: | Takafumi Hattori | Hirohisa Soda | November 22, 1980 |
43 | "The Puzzling Spectrum Lady" Transliteration: "Nazonazo Nanairo Redi" (Japanese: | Koichi Takemoto | Takashi Ezure | November 29, 1980 |
44 | "The Tale of the Strange Lamp" Transliteration: "Fushigi Ranpu Monogatari" (Japanese: | Koichi Takemoto | Shozo Uehara | December 6, 1980 |
45 | "Princess Denji was Two People" Transliteration: "Futari Ita Denji-hime" (Japanese: | Takafumi Hattori | Hirohisa Soda | December 13, 1980 |
46 | "Starvation Hell X Plan" Transliteration: "Harapeko Jigoku Ekkusu Keikaku" (Japanese: | Takafumi Hattori | Hirohisa Soda | December 20, 1980 |
47 | "The Mermaid Who Disappeared in the Morning Sun" Transliteration: "Asahi ni Kieta Ningyo" (Japanese: | Takafumi Hattori | Hirohisa Soda | December 27, 1980 |
48 | "Demon King Banriki's Rebellion" Transliteration: "Banriki-maō Hanran" (Japanese: バンリキ | Yoshiaki Kobayashi | Shozo Uehara | January 10, 1981 |
49 | "Vader Castle Big Disaster" Transliteration: "Bēdā-jō Daiihen" (Japanese: ベーダー | Yoshiaki Kobayashi | Shozo Uehara | January 17, 1981 |
50 | "The General Dies Twice" Transliteration: "Shōgun wa Nido Shinu" (Japanese: | Itaru Orita | Shozo Uehara | January 24, 1981 |
51 | "Resound, Bells of Hope!" Transliteration: "Hibike Kibō no Kane yo" (Japanese: ひびけ | Itaru Orita | Shozo Uehara | January 31, 1981 |
Movie
editThe movie for Denshi Sentai Denjiman (written by Shozo Uehara and directed by Koichi Takemoto) premiered during the Toei Manga Matsuri film festival on July 12, 1980, the same day episode 24 aired. The character of Princess Denji makes her first appearance in this film and is referenced in two later episodes of the series (26 & 45), placing the events of this film sometime before Episode 26.
Cast
edit- Ippei Akagi: Shinichi Yuuki (
結城 真一 , Yūki Shin'ichi) - Daigoro Oume: Kenji Ohba (
大葉 健二 , Ōba Kenji) - Jun Kiyama: Eiichi Tsuyama (
津山 栄一 , Tsuyama Eiichi) - Tatsuya Midorikawa: Naoya Uchida (
内田 直哉 , Uchida Naoya) - Akira Momoi: Akira Koizumi (
小泉 あきら, Koizumi Akira) - Queen Hedrian: Machiko Soga (
曽我 町子 , Soga Machiko) - Denji Dog IC (Voice): Hisako Kyōda
- Officer Chieko Matsuo: Yukie Sakai
- Princess Denji: Tamaki Funakura (
舟倉 たまき, Funakura Tamaki) - General Hedrer: Shinji Tōdō (
藤堂 新二 , Tōdō Shinji) - Demon King Banriki: Kin Oomae
- Mirror: Rie Yoshikawa
- Keller: Chiaki Kojo
- Constable Matsuo Tieko: Yukie Sakai
- Vader Monsters: Shōzō Iizuka (
飯塚 昭三 , Īzuka Shōzō) (Majority of Episodes)
Songs
edit- Opening theme
- "Ah Denshi Sentai Denjiman" (ああ
電子 戦隊 デンジマン, Aa Denshi Sentai Denjiman, "Oh Denshi Sentai Denjiman")- Lyrics: Kazuo Koike
- Composition & Arrangement: Michiaki Watanabe
- Artist: Ken Narita, Koorogi '73
- Ending theme
- "Denjiman ni Makasero!" (デンジマンにまかせろ!, Denjiman ni Makasero!, "Leave it to Denjiman!")
- Lyrics: Kazuo Koike
- Composition & Arrangement: Michiaki Watanabe
- Artist: Ken Narita
International broadcast and home video
edit- In its home country of Japan, Toei Video released all 51 episodes of the series on VHS throughout 18 volumes for both sale and rental, from November 13, 1987 to February 25, 1992. At that time, most Super Sentai shows did not get complete releases of all episodes released on VHS up until Chojin Sentai Jetman, making Denjiman the only 1980s' Sentai series to get a full VHS release. Due to a change from the original planned masterpiece selection towards the recordings of these episodes, the recording order does not match the broadcast order. At the end of the first volume, there is a preview of the first episode which is not included on the series' DVD release. From July 21, 2004 until December 10, 2004, the series would receive a DVD release for the first time in a total of six volumes holding two discs, with the final release only holding one disk. The first four volumes contain nine episodes, Volume 5 contains ten episodes, and the final volume contains only five episodes. The first volume came with a full volume storage box for only the first production of the release. On May 12, 2021, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the series' conclusion, a collection set to spread through two volumes was released with the first volume having 22 episodes, and the second having 28. Six select episodes (Episodes 1, 7, 43, 48, 50 and 51) are included for a Blu-Ray release known as the "Super Sentai Ichimi Blu-ray 1975-1981" released on April 14, 2021. The Denjiman movie was included on a DVD boxset for the "Super Sentai THE MOVIE BOX" on July 21, 2003, later released on "Super Sentai The MOVIE VOL.3" on July 21, 2004, and a Blu-Ray release on June 21, 2011 as part of the "Super Sentai THE MOVIE Blu-Ray BOX 1976-1995."
- Denshi Sentai Denjiman was the first Super Sentai series being broadcast in Thailand. The series was given a Thai dub and aired on Channel 7 and proved to be very popular amongst viewers which led to more broadcasts of Super Sentai series later in the country.
- In the Philippines, it was aired on BBC-2 as Denziman from 1983 to 1984.
- Denjiman was also broadcast in Italy, in some regional channels, where all episodes were dubbed in full. This along with Dai Sentai Goggle Five were the only two Super Sentai series to be dubbed and aired in the region.
Notes
edit- ^ Also spelt as Denziman.
References
edit- ^ "Library -- English Titles -- TOEI TV Website". Archived from the original on 2009-01-19. Retrieved 2009-01-13.
External links
edit- Official Denshi Sentai Denjiman website Archived 2008-03-25 at the Wayback Machine (in Japanese)