Akumaizer 3

Akumaizer 3
Genre Tokusatsu
Created by Shotaro Ishinomori
Country of origin Japan
Language(s) Japanese
No. of episodes 38
Broadcast
Original channel TV Asahi
Original run October 7, 1975 – June 29, 1976

Akumaizer 3 (アクマイザー3 Akumaizā Surī?) is a Japanese science fiction tokusatsu television series, created by Shotaro Ishinomori and produced by Toei Company. The series premiered on Tuesday October 7, 1975 at 7:30, and ran for 38 episodes in that timeslot on NET, now known as TV Asahi. The series remains obscure outside of Japan, but was popular and renowned in its home country. The series was followed by a sequel called Chojin Bibyun which used rejected designs from the Kamen Rider series as its hero designs.

Contents

Production

The program frequently alludes to the famous Alexandre Dumas, père novel The Three Musketeers.

Due to the inhuman nature of the main characters, the primary protagonists and antagonists were portrayed exclusively by stuntmen, with only their voices being portrayed by professional actors. Because of this, an unusual number of well-known voice actors star in the series, as the voices of the main characters. Makio Inoue portrays Xavitan.,[1] Kōji Yada plays Evil, and Jōji Yanami provides Gabra's[2] gravelly intonation.

Plot summary

The program follows the adventures of three mutant superhero-refugees from the "Akuma Clan" ("Devil Clan", in English), a vast empire that exists below the surface of the Earth, and their efforts to stop the Akumas from attacking the surface world. The three warriors are Xavitan, a half-demon swordsman, Evil, a somewhat vain and foppish sharpshooter, and Gabra, a slow-and-dim-witted strongman. Together, they make up the superheroic team of the show's title. At the end of the series, the heroes' bodies are destroyed, but their souls survive to be reincarnated in the direct sequel to the show, Choujin Bibyun

Characters

Akumaizer 3

Based on the Zaiderbeck.

Totou Times

Allies

Akuma Clan

The Akuma Clan are a race of magical cyborgs who live deep within the earth, plot to invade the surface world.

Episodes

  1. Why? Xavitan's Rebellion (なぜだ?! ザビタンの反逆! Naze da?! Zabitan no Hangyaku?)
  2. Why Did she Die?! Xavitan's Mother (なぜ死んだ?! ザビタンの母 Naze Shin da?! Zabitan no Haha?)
  3. Why?! Gabra's Disappearance (なぜだ?! ガブラが消えた Naze da?! Gabura ga Kieta?)
  4. Why?! Evil's Treachery (なぜだ?! イビルの裏切り Naze da?!?)
  5. Why?! Xavitan's Refusal To Fight (なぜだ?! 闘わぬザビタン Naze da?!?)
  6. Why?! Gabra's Big Comeback (なぜだ?! ガブラの大逆転 Naze da?! Gabura no Daigyakuten?)
  7. Why?! The Hundred Degrees Below Zero Revenge (なぜだ?! 逆襲の零下百度 Naze da?!?)
  8. Why?! Xavitan Is Captured By Children (なぜだ?! 子供につかまったザビタン Naze da?!?)
  9. Why?! Gabra The Enemy (なぜだ?! ガブラが敵に Naze da?!?)
  10. Why?! Darunia's Crisis (なぜだ?! ダルニアの危機 Naze da?!?)
  11. Why?! Evil and the Child (なぜだ?! 子連れイビル Naze da?!?)
  12. Why?! Blinded Xavitan (なぜだ?! ザビタン失明 Naze da?!?)
  13. Why?! Xavitan Impersonated (なぜだ?! ザビタンが化けた? Naze da?!?)
  14. Why?! Ippei's Double (なぜだ?! 一平がふたり? Naze da?!?)
  15. Why?! Ippei The Tengu (なぜだ?! 一平がテングになった Naze da?!?)
  16. Why?! Secret of the Red Umbrella (なぜだ?! 赤い傘の秘密 Naze da?!?)
  17. Why?! The Other Xavitan (なぜだ?! もう一人のザビタン Naze da?!?)
  18. Why?! Target: Evil (なぜだ?! 狙われたイビル Naze da?!?)
  19. Why?! Xavitan's Five Secrets (なぜだ?! ザビタン五つの謎 Naze da?!?)
  20. Why?! Xavitan's Secret Power (なぜだ?! ザビタンの秘密能力 Naze da?!?)
  21. Why?! Tokyo Encased In Ice! (なぜだ!? 東京がカチンカチン Naze da?!?)
  22. Why?! The Fake Genius Project (なぜだ?! インチキ天才計画 Naze da?!?)
  23. Why?! Magic Powers Have No Effect (なぜだ?! 魔法力がきかない Naze da?!?)
  24. Why?! The Overprotective Nobera Family (なぜだ?! 親馬鹿ノッペラー Naze da?!?)
  25. Why?! Gabra's Transformation Into A Bird (なぜだ?! ガブラが鳥になった Naze da?!?)
  26. Why?! The Dancing Gabra Cho (なぜだ?! 踊るガブラッチョ Naze da?!?)
  27. Why?! Xavitan Has Been Blown Away (なぜだ?! ザビタンが吹っ飛んだ Naze da?!?)
  28. Why?! The Deadly Tengu Manipulation (なぜだ?! 恐怖のテングあやつり Naze da?!?)
  29. Why?! Xavitan's Judgement (なぜだ?! 裁かれるザビタン Naze da?!?)
  30. Why?! The Mystery of the Sleeping Beauty (なぜだ?! 眠る少女の謎 Naze da?!?)
  31. Why?! The Challenge From Hell (なぜだ?! 地獄からの挑戦状 Naze da?!?)
  32. Why?! The Akuma Fugitive (なぜだ?! アクマの逃亡者 Naze da?!?)
  33. Why?! Xavitan In Hot Water (なぜだ?! ザビタン釜ゆで Naze da?!?)
  34. Why?! 2 + 3 Is The Magic Number (なぜだ?! 2+3はへのへのもへじ Naze da?!?)
  35. Why?! The Human Robots (なぜだ?! 人間がロボットに Naze da?!?)
  36. Why?! Gabra Cho Is Swallowed Up (なぜだ?! のみこまれたガブラッチョ Naze da?!?)
  37. Why?! The Akuma Clan's All Out Attack (なぜだ?! アクマ族総攻撃! Naze da?!?)
  38. Why?! The Time Capsule (なぜだ?! 明日へのカプセル Naze da?!?)

Merchandise

The series was released on Region 2 DVD in October 2005.[3] In December of the same year, a boxed set of action figures of slightly redesigned versions of the three characters was released as part of Bandai's Super Imaginative Chogokin series.[4][5] Many toys and action figures have been released in connection with the series.[6]

Cultural influence

Although Akumaizer has not achieved the fame or international recognition of its tokusatsu contemporaries like Kamen Rider (also created by Ishinomori) or Ultraman, it is not without cultural resonance: In the 2007 anime, Lucky Star, in which the characters sing popular songs, karaoke-style, over the end credits, the character Konata sang the series theme song in the second episode.[7]

See also

Both Go Nagai's Devilman and Ryōsuke Takahashi's Blue Comet SPT Layzner share many themes with Akumaizer 3, such as the rebellion against an evil empire that the protagonist is also a part of, and being forced into combat against former friends, allies, and family members. Devilman also has the particular similarity of featuring a protagonist who fits the more traditional image of a monster or a demon than a hero.

References

Footnotes

  1. ^ "According to S.I.C. Saga Vol. 2, the official name is "Xavitan", not Zabitan.". http://fcti.multiply.com/photos/photo/310/120. Retrieved 2008-01-25. 
  2. ^ "According to S.I.C. Saga Vol. 2, the official name of the two is "Evil" and "Gabra".". http://fcti.multiply.com/photos/photo/310/121. Retrieved 2008-01-25. 
  3. ^ Akumaizer 3 at "Asian DVD Guide"
  4. ^ SIC Akumaizer 3 at Hobby Links Japan.
  5. ^ A gallery of the Akumaizer 3 figures
  6. ^ http://zincpanic.com/view_series.phtml?toys=374
  7. ^ "Lucky Star Ending Theme Collection" (in Japanese). Lantis. http://www.lantis.jp/new-release/data.php?id=8caacd2ed0e617dd4a8a2e2d2012866d. Retrieved September 11, 2008.