Jikuu Senshi Spielban

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Jikku Senshi Spielban
Format Metal Hero Tokusatsu
Created by Toei
Starring Hiroshi Watari
Makoto Sumikawa
Naomi Morinaga
Shozo Izuka
Narrated by Toru Ohira
Country of origin Japan
No. of episodes 44
Production
Running time 30 minutes (per episode)
Broadcast
Original run April 7, 1986March 9, 1987

Jikuu Senshi Spielban (時空戦士スピルバン Jikū Senshi Supiruban?) translated as Spacetime Warrior Spielban is a Japanese tokusatsu television series, part of the Metal Heroes franchise created by Toei Co. Ltd. from April 7, 1986 to March 9, 1987. Its footage was later used from 1994 to 1996 for the American program VR Troopers.

Contents

[edit] Plot

The Wahrer Empire destroyed the planet Clin in search of water for its' deity. Two Clinian children, Spielban and Diana, escaped to Earth aboard the Gran Nazca. Having grown up during the long journey, the two don High Tech Crystal Suits to defeat Wahrer, who have come to Earth in search of more water and appearing to the two Clinians yet again. Spielban must avenge his dead mother Anna and homeworld and find his missing father Ben and missing older sister Helen, who have, unknowingly to Spielban at the start of the series, become members of Wahrer against their will. Overtime, they learned they were 10,000 years in the past.

[edit] Characters

[edit] Spielban

Spielban
Spielban
Spielban (adult)(unmasked)
Spielban (adult)(unmasked)
  • Spielban: 20. Comes from Clin. he took the name of Yousuke Jou (Jō Yōsuke) on Earth. When he shouts "Kesshou!" (Crystalize), the Gran Nazca showers Clin Metal Super Corpuscles upon him, which crystalize to form the silver, black and red suit around his body in 10 microseconds. Spielban's primary weapon is a sword which then becomes the Twin Blade, a double-edged laser lance used to destroy the Machine Men and Lifeforms. Before using the final attack, the Arch Impulse, in early episodes, viewers were able to see Spielban's thoughts as he briefly recollects the people who were either victimized or were bystanders,in his war against the Wahrer, in the said episode.

[edit] Diana Lady

  • Diana: 18. Spielban's partner, helping him fight as Diana Lady by performing the same techniques as Spielban to activate her own white and red suit. Like Spielban, Diana is quite capable in a fight both in and out of uniform and carries with her, the Lady Sniper, which acts as her own personal weapon. She primarily serves as a backup for Spielban when they battle the Machine Men or when the Wahrer/Deathzero sends in tanks and jets. There have been times when the Wahrer has turned their attention towards her when they recognized how much of a threat to them she can be. They came close once when Hellvira and Battle Machine Man Offside double-teamed her. A running gag on the show was that she would use her charm and sex appeal on the Kinclons, distracting them from their duties while she made her move. Another gag is that she sometimes uses her rear end to attack the Kinclons, which apparently knocks them out cold.

[edit] Helen Lady

  • Helen/Hellvira(4,18,21,29)/Helen Lady (31-44): 22. Spielban's older sister, who was captured by the Wahrer Empire when she was only a child. She was forced to witness her father's fate as the Wahrer turned him into Dr. Bio. Later, Dr. Bio was instructed to do the very same to her as well. In Episode #4, Hellvira was born. Helen had no control over her transformations as they were activated by Dr.Bio's remote control. Therefore, she constantly kept away from her brother fearing the her evil persona would be unleashed to kill him. When Spielban and Diana confronted Bio's monster form, Helen stood in the way and revealed that Bio was their father in Episode #21. However, her attempts were in vain as Spielban refused to believe such a creature was originally his father. It was in that same battle Pandora used the remote to reveal Helen's Hellvira form. Before anything else could be done, Pandora activated a trap in an attempt to kill all four of them, but Bio was able to act quickly and save both Helen and himself. After the ordeal, Bio placed a now comatose Helen in a protective tube. Diana would later discover that Helen was still alive in Episode #29, which is also the last episode in which Helen appears in her Hellvira form. Helen and Spielban were reunited the next episode after Dr. Bio broke the remote control for her Hellvira form, which also broke her curse in the process in Episode #30. After she was freed of her Hellvira alter ego, she tried to and eventually became Helen Lady in Episode #31, wearing high-tech crystal armor identical to Diana's, after the Gran Nazca showered her with energy. The only difference is Helen Lady is armed with the Helen Cutter,instead of the Lady Sniper, as her own personal weapon. The Helen Cutter is a curved, double-sided blade that can easily be thrown at enemies. Helen/Helen Lady would finish out the remainder of the series alongside Spielban and Diana Lady.

[edit] Others

  • Anna: Spielban and Helen's mother. Chose Spielban and Diana to survive by escaping in the Gran Nazca shortly before the destruction of the Clin mothership. Died, but was "restored" to life in the alternate future timeline in which the Wahrer Empire never existed.
  • Marin: Diana's mother. Died when the Clin detonated their own mothership, but was "restored" to life in the alternate future timeline in which the Wahrer Empire never existed.
  • Space Swordsman Teacher (14, 31): A hologram generated by the Gran Nazca's computers to train Spielban in swordsmanship. Later trains Helen/Helen Lady in the same capacity.
  • Daigorou Koyama: Owner of the invention shop 'Edison.' Claims to be a genius. Comes up with various gadgets that don't quite work out. Was once tricked into building a robot for the Wahrer.
  • Miwa Koyama: Daigorou's younger sister. Helps out at Edison, but is sick of his inventions that don't sell.

[edit] Wahrer Empire

Main article: Wahrer Empire

[edit] Vehicles

  • Gran Nasca Spielban and Diana's massive space-ship, it is the source of Spielban and Diana's armor and vehicles. Diana also pilots it to see above the battlefield while Spielban is in Gaios. Its projectile weapons are Nasca Missiles and Nasca Rockets. It also transforms into the Big Bang Cannon, a bazooka-type weapon that Spielban can use. It can also go into Combat Formation, where it becomes a giant robot that performs the Nasca Hyper Crush where it stomps General Deathzero's tank vehicles, shoot X-Ray Beams from its eyes, and uses Nazca Bomber, where it punches General Deathzero's fighter planes in mid-air.
  • Gaios : Smaller Tank-like vehicle piloted by Speilban. Armed with Gaios Rockets, Gaios Missiles and a Gaios Laser , it is also able to remove it's cockpit and turn into Jet Gaios for aerial combat. The Jet Gaios fires the Gaios Beam.
  • Hoverian : A hover-craft vehicle piloted by Spielban. Turns into a motorcycle, which can fire Hoverian Lasers and perform the Hovarian Rush.
  • Gamedeath : The Wahrer's massive base of operations that orbits the Earth. It can send out Skulljaws and Fighter Jets.
  • Skulljaw : The Wahrer's transport battleships, looking like giant flying sharks. Launched from Gamedeath.
  • Skulldon : General Deathzero's black tank. Splits into the Skulldon Jet (top half) and the Skulldon Cutter (bottom half), a tank armed with a buzzsaw. Accompanied by numerous,lesser, unnamed black tanks.

[edit] Cast

  • Yousuke Jou/Spielban: Hiroshi Watari
  • Diana/Diana Lady: Makoto Sumikawa
  • Helen/Hellvira(4-21;29)/Helen Lady(31-44); Medor/Fake Helen(26): Naomi Morinaga
  • Doctor Ben: Ichiro Mizuki
    • Doctor Bio: Toshimichi Takahashi
  • Anna: Rachel Huggett
  • Marin: Maria Hernandez
  • Pandora: Machiko Soga
  • Emperor Guillotine: Mickey Curtis
  • Rikki: Michiko Nishiwaki
  • Deathzero: Shōzō Izuka (voice)
  • Narrator: Tōru Ōhira

[edit] Songs

Opening theme
  • "Jikuu Senshi Spielban" (時空戦士スピルバン Jikū Senshi Supiruban?)
    • Lyrics: Keisuke Yamakawa
    • Composition & Arrangement: Michiaki Watanabe
    • Artist: Ichiro Mizuki
Ending themes
  • "Your Friend Spielban" (君の仲間だスピルバン Kimi no Nakama da Supiruban?)
    • Lyrics: Keisuke Yamakawa
    • Composition & Arrangement: Michiaki Watanabe
    • Artist: Ichiro Mizuki
    • Episodes: 1-10
  • "Crystallize! Spielban" (結晶だ!スピルバン Kesshō da! Supiruban?)
    • Lyrics: Shōzō Uehara (上原 正三 Uehara Shōzō?)
    • Composition & Arrangement: Michiaki Watanabe
    • Artist: Ichiro Mizuki
    • Episodes: 11-44

[edit] External links