Denshi Sentai Denjiman (電子戦隊デンジマン, Electric Squadron Denjiman)[a] is Toei's fourth entry to its Super Sentai metaseries. It was broadcast from February 2, 1980, to January 31, 1981, replacing Battle Fever J and was replaced by Taiyo Sentai Sun Vulcan. The title given to this series for international distribution by Toei is Denjiman, Denziman or Electric Fighters.[1] Denjiman is the second Super Sentai series to be produced in partnership with Marvel Comics.
| 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 | TV Asahi Toei Company |
| Original release | |
| Network | ANN (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 (ベーダー一族, Bēdā Ichizoku) are invaders from another dimension with warped (to us) concepts of outer beauty. They intend to pollute and corrupt the Earth and its inhabitants to fit its unusual aesthetic.
- 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
edit| No. | Title | Director | Writer | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Take the Express to the Super Fortress" Transliteration: "Chō Yōsai e Kyūkō Seyo" (Japanese: 超要塞へ急行せよ) | Koichi Takemoto | Shozo Uehara | February 2, 1980 |
| 2 | "The Cannibalism Soap Bubbles" Transliteration: "Hito-kui Shabondama" (Japanese: 人喰いシャボン玉) | Koichi Takemoto | Shozo Uehara | February 9, 1980 |
| 3 | "Oil Hell, Big Panic" Transliteration: "Abura Jigoku Dai Panikku" (Japanese: 油地獄大パニック) | Koichi Takemoto | Shozo Uehara | February 16, 1980 |
| 4 | "Vader Demon Castle, Pursuit" Transliteration: "Bēdā Majō Tsuigeki" (Japanese: ベーダー魔城追撃) | 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: 壁に蠢く赤い毒花) | Itaru Orita | Shozo Uehara | March 1, 1980 |
| 6 | "A Girl's Demon Offshoot" Transliteration: "Akuma Bunshin no Shōjo" (Japanese: 悪魔分身の少女) | Itaru Orita | Shozo Uehara | March 8, 1980 |
| 7 | "The Great Tragedy of Planet Denji" Transliteration: "Denjisei no Dai Higeki" (Japanese: デンジ星の大悲劇) | Koichi Takemoto | Shozo Uehara | March 15, 1980 |
| 8 | "The Skeleton Town's Great Demon King" Transliteration: "Hakkotsu Toshi no Dai Maō" (Japanese: 白骨都市の大魔王) | Koichi Takemoto | Takashi Ezure | March 22, 1980 |
| 9 | "The Bizarre Telephone That Calls Death" Transliteration: "Shi o Yobu Kaiki Denwa" (Japanese: 死を呼ぶ怪奇電話) | Koichi Takemoto | Shozo Uehara | March 29, 1980 |
| 10 | "I Love Witchcraft Cuisine!?" Transliteration: "Mahō Ryōri Daisuki!?" (Japanese: 魔法料理大好き！？) | Itaru Orita | Shozo Uehara | April 5, 1980 |
| 11 | "Chase the Life-Stealer" Transliteration: "Inochi Dorobō o Oe" (Japanese: いのち泥棒を追え) | Itaru Orita | Shozo Uehara | April 12, 1980 |
| 12 | "The Dangerous Child Spy" Transliteration: "Kiken na Kodomo Supai" (Japanese: 危険な子供スパイ) | Koichi Takemoto | Shozo Uehara | April 19, 1980 |
| 13 | "The Rainbow-Colored Balloon is Torn" Transliteration: "Wareta Niji-iro no Fūsen" (Japanese: 割れた虹色の風船) | Koichi Takemoto | Takeshi Ezure | April 26, 1980 |
| 14 | "Come to the 100-Point Cram School" Transliteration: "Hyakuten-Juku e Oide" (Japanese: 100点塾へおいで) | Kimio Hirayama | Shozo Uehara | May 3, 1980 |
| 15 | "An Invitation to the Garden of Evil" Transliteration: "Aku no Sono e no Shōtaijō" (Japanese: 悪の園への招待状) | Kimio Hirayama | Shozo Uehara | May 10, 1980 |
| 16 | "Smash the Conspiracy at Atami" Transliteration: "Atami no Inbō o Kudake" (Japanese: 熱海の陰謀を砕け) | Koichi Takemoto | Shozo Uehara | May 17, 1980 |
| 17 | "Don't Cry! Baseball Novice" Transliteration: "Naku na! Yakyū Kozō" (Japanese: 泣くな！野球小僧) | Koichi Takemoto | Takeshi Ezure | May 24, 1980 |
| 18 | "Romance Blooms at the Southern Sea" Transliteration: "Nankai ni Saku Roman" (Japanese: 南海に咲くロマン) | Koichi Takemoto | Hirohisa Soda | May 31, 1980 |
| 19 | "My Prince of the Stars" Transliteration: "Watashi no Hoshi no Ōjisama" (Japanese: 私の星の王子さま) | Itaru Orita | Shozo Uehara | June 7, 1980 |
| 20 | "Gorilla Boy's Great Riot" Transliteration: "Gorira Shōnen Ōbare" (Japanese: ゴリラ少年大暴れ) | Itaru Orita | Susumu Takaku | June 14, 1980 |
| 21 | "Attack the Grim Reaper Faction" Transliteration: "Shinigami Tō o Kōgeki Seyo" (Japanese: 死神党を攻撃せよ！) | Yoshiaki Kobayashi | Shozo Uehara | June 21, 1980 |
| 22 | "Super Time, Strange Experience" Transliteration: "Chō Jikan Fushigi Taiken" (Japanese: 超時間ふしぎ体験) | Yoshiaki Kobayashi | Shozo Uehara | June 28, 1980 |
| 23 | "A Demon That Walks Above the Ceiling" Transliteration: "Tenjōura o Aruku Akuma" (Japanese: 天井裏を歩く悪魔) | Ichigi Yoshikawa | Hirohisa Soda | July 5, 1980 |
| 24 | "The Man With the Mysterious Power to Affix Traps" Transliteration: "Wana o Haru Kairiki Otoko" (Japanese: 罠をはる怪力男) | Ichigi Yoshikawa | Takashi Ezure | July 12, 1980 |
| 25 | "The Tiger's Hole is an Escape Maze" Transliteration: "Tora no Ana wa Tōsō Meiro" (Japanese: 虎の穴は逃走迷路) | Kimio Hirayama | Hirohisa Soda | July 19, 1980 |
| 26 | "Princess Denji's Space Tune" Transliteration: "Denji-hime no Uchū Kyoku" (Japanese: デンジ姫の宇宙曲) | Kimio Hirayama | Shozo Uehara | July 26, 1980 |
| 27 | "Red Beetle Bomb" Transliteration: "Akai Kabutomushi Bakudan" (Japanese: 赤いカブト虫爆弾) | Yoshiaki Kobayashi | Susumu Takaku | August 2, 1980 |
| 28 | "The Secret Butcher of the Cursed House" Transliteration: "Noroi no Yakata no Missatsusha" (Japanese: 呪いの館の密殺者) | Yoshiaki Kobayashi | Shozo Uehara | August 9, 1980 |
| 29 | "The ESPer Detective's Raid" Transliteration: "Chōnōryoku Keiji no Kyūshū" (Japanese: 超能力刑事の急襲) | Koichi Takemoto | Shozo Uehara | August 16, 1980 |
| 30 | "Missing, Stolen, Gone" Transliteration: "Kieta Nusunda Deta" (Japanese: 消えた盗んだ出た) | Koichi Takemoto | Hirohisa Soda | August 23, 1980 |
| 31 | "The Magician's Battle of Secret Arts" Transliteration: "Mahōtsukai Hijutsu Gassen" (Japanese: 魔法使い秘術合戦) | Koichi Takemoto | Shozo Uehara | August 30, 1980 |
| 32 | "Hell's Great Shooting Battle" Transliteration: "Jigoku no Dai Jūgekisen" (Japanese: 地獄の大銃撃戦) | Takafumi Hattori | Susumu Takaku | September 6, 1980 |
| 33 | "The Bloodsucking Instrument Lesson" Transliteration: "Kyūketsu Gakki Ressun" (Japanese: 吸血楽器レッスン) | Takafumi Hattori | Shozo Uehara | September 13, 1980 |
| 34 | "The Sad Orphan's Tale" Transliteration: "Kanashii Sutego no Monogatari" (Japanese: 哀しい捨て子の物語) | Koichi Takemoto | Hirohisa Soda | September 27, 1980 |
| 35 | "The Puzzling Weaver Princess" Transliteration: "Nazo no Hataori Hime" (Japanese: 謎のはたおり姫) | Koichi Takemoto | Hirohisa Soda | October 4, 1980 |
| 36 | "Poem of the Brave Puppy" Transliteration: "Yūki Aru Koinu no Uta" (Japanese: 勇気ある仔犬の詩) | Koichi Takemoto | Hirohisa Soda | October 11, 1980 |
| 37 | "Brute Force Banriki Devil King" Transliteration: "Banriki Banriki-maō" (Japanese: 蛮力バンリキ魔王) | Yoshiaki Kobayashi | Hirohisa Soda | October 18, 1980 |
| 38 | "The Infinite Demon Sky's Great Adventure" Transliteration: "Mugen Makū no Daibōken" (Japanese: 無限魔空の大冒険) | Yoshiaki Kobayashi | Shozo Uehara | October 25, 1980 |
| 39 | "The Queen's Angry Apparition Art" Transliteration: "Joō Ikari no Yōmajutsu" (Japanese: 女王怒りの妖魔術) | Koichi Takemoto | Shozo Uehara | November 1, 1980 |
| 40 | "The Champion's Enemy" Transliteration: "Chanpion no Teki" (Japanese: チャンピオンの敵) | Koichi Takemoto | Shozo Uehara | November 8, 1980 |
| 41 | "The Greatest All-Out War in History" Transliteration: "Shijō Saidai no Sōryokusen" (Japanese: 史上最大の総力戦) | Takafumi Hattori | Shozo Uehara | November 15, 1980 |
| 42 | "The Bad Dream That Ate Boys" Transliteration: "Shōnen o Kuu Warui Yume" (Japanese: 少年を喰う悪い夢) | Takafumi Hattori | Hirohisa Soda | November 22, 1980 |
| 43 | "The Puzzling Spectrum Lady" Transliteration: "Nazonazo Nanairo Redi" (Japanese: 謎なぞ七色レディ) | Koichi Takemoto | Takashi Ezure | November 29, 1980 |
| 44 | "The Tale of the Strange Lamp" Transliteration: "Fushigi Ranpu Monogatari" (Japanese: 不思議ランプ物語) | Koichi Takemoto | Shozo Uehara | December 6, 1980 |
| 45 | "Princess Denji was Two People" Transliteration: "Futari Ita Denji-hime" (Japanese: 二人いたデンジ姫) | Takafumi Hattori | Hirohisa Soda | December 13, 1980 |
| 46 | "Starvation Hell X Plan" Transliteration: "Harapeko Jigoku Ekkusu Keikaku" (Japanese: 腹ペコ地獄X計画) | Takafumi Hattori | Hirohisa Soda | December 20, 1980 |
| 47 | "The Mermaid Who Disappeared in the Morning Sun" Transliteration: "Asahi ni Kieta Ningyo" (Japanese: 朝日に消えた人魚) | Takafumi Hattori | Hirohisa Soda | December 27, 1980 |
| 48 | "Demon King Banriki's Rebellion" Transliteration: "Banriki-maō Hanran" (Japanese: バンリキ魔王反乱) | Yoshiaki Kobayashi | Shozo Uehara | January 10, 1981 |
| 49 | "Vader Castle Big Disaster" Transliteration: "Bēdā-jō Daiihen" (Japanese: ベーダー城大異変) | Yoshiaki Kobayashi | Shozo Uehara | January 17, 1981 |
| 50 | "The General Dies Twice" Transliteration: "Shōgun wa Nido Shinu" (Japanese: 将軍は二度死ぬ) | Itaru Orita | Shozo Uehara | January 24, 1981 |
| 51 | "Resound, Bells of Hope!" Transliteration: "Hibike Kibō no Kane yo" (Japanese: ひびけ希望の鐘よ) | 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)