Kyojuu Tokusou Juspion

Kyojuu Tokusou Juspion (巨獣特捜ジャスピオン, Kyojū Tokusō Jasupion, translated as Special Megabeast Investigator Juspion) is a Japanese tokusatsu television series and part of the Metal Hero series.^[1] Produced by Toei Company, it was originally broadcast from 15 March 1985 to 24 March 1986, running for 46 episodes. The name "Juspion" is a portmanteau of "Justice" and "Champion". Juspion is the only Metal Hero series to focus on giant robot combat. Kyoujuu Tokusou Juspion was aired in Brazil through the now-defunct TV Manchete, becoming very popular in that country under the remodeled name "Jaspion". It was also aired in Indonesia and in France, where only a few episodes of the show were dubbed and transmitted. This was the first Metal Hero series to air on Mondays instead of Fridays.

For distribution purposes, Toei refers to this television series as Juspion.^[2]

Plot

While reading the Galaxy Bible, Ejin learns of a shocking prophecy: When the dark god Satan Gorth awakens, the universe will be ravaged by giant monsters filled with rage. After Satan Gorth appears and the prophecy is set in motion, Ejin orders Juspion, who Ejin has been tutoring, to stop him and combat the corrupted Megabeasts. He travels with his friends in the Daileon.

Characters

Heroes (Daileon crew)

Based from the silvery Ultra Planetary Battleship Daileon, Juspion travels across worlds to pursue Satan Gorth. When facing a rampaging Megabeast, Juspion converts Daileon into Battle Giant Daileon to defeat Megabeasts with its Cosmic Crash double punches.

• Juspion (ジャスピオン, Jasupion): the main hero of the series, Juspion is an orphan raised by Ejin, until he embarks on his quest to fight the Megabeasts and defeat Satan Gorth. Juspion travels between planets to stop Satan Gorth until he arrives on Earth. His Metal Tech Suit armor is made from the very rare galactic mineral Ejinium and grants superhuman capabilities to its owner.
• Anri (アンリ, Anri): A gynoid created by Ejin, she is Juspion's companion in his journey. Being a machine, Anri is immune to evil powers.
• Cosmic Beast Miya (宇宙の珍獣ミーヤ, Uchūnoyajū Mīya): A baby alien creature found by Juspion and Anri on the jungle planet of Beezee when her parents were killed saving them from the Beezeeian hunters. Soon after, Juspion adopts Miya as pet. She is very friendly, intelligent, sociable and excellent cook. However, she almost doesn't speak, sometimes only repeating her name.

Vehicles

• Iron Wolf (アイアンウルフ, Aian Urufu): Juspion's silver motorcycle, a 'Super Planet Machine'.
• Garbin (ガービン, Chō Wakusei Sensha Gābin): Juspion's silver tank, which splits into the Garbin Tank with twin drills and the Garbin Jet.

Allies

• Ejin (エジン, Ejin): A space hermit and scientist on the Planet of the same name, Ejin is the descendant of prophets who defended the Galaxy Bible for millennia. While raising Juspion, he serves as Juspion's spiritual guide and mentor. He sacrifices his own life at the end of the series by confronting Satan Gorth alone to give Juspion the time he needed to find the "Tarzan of the Galaxy".
• Boomerang (ブーメラン, Būmeran, 5-10, 31-32): after his older brother, an Interpol investigator, was killed by Satan Gorth's forces, this medical student vowed revenge and became a 'Federal Nations Sheriff', fighting with his twin boomerangs.
• The Nanbara Family (15-46): photographer Ken'ichiro Nanbara (南原 健一郎, Nanbara Ken'ichirō), his older daughter Kanoko Nanbara (南原 かの子, Nanbara Kanoko) and his younger son Kenta Nanbara (南原 健太, Nanbara Kenta) became closely linked with Juspion when Ken'ichirou took a photo of the Golden Bird. It turned out that Kanoko was one of the 5 children chosen by the Golden Bird to house its power until the time comes.
• Carrie and Hanna (ケーリーとハンナ, Kērī to Hanna, 18): Juspion's biological parents, they zealed for the health of animals in several planets from Milky Way. Kerly was a forest guard while Hanna was a zoologistic doctor. They were both killed when their wrecked spaceship, attacked by Zampa, fell on Ejin's planet. They both reappeared as sprits to help Juspion defeat Zampa.
• The Golden Bird (黄金の鳥, Ōgon no Tori): guardian phoenix god of the galaxy, a manifestation of the energies of righteousness. The bird scattered itself into five pieces that choose Kanoko, along with four other children (Kumiko, Daisaku, Hiroshi and Mika) to serve as its vessels until all five are brought together so that Golden Bird can leave their bodies and become whole again for the final battle with Satan Gorth, turning itself into a golden sword used by Daileon.
• Tarzan of the Galaxy (銀河のターザン, Ginga no Tāzan, 46): a baby mentioned in a prophecy in the Galaxy Bible, he landed on Earth, sleeping in a life-preserving capsule, as the sole survivor of a spaceship attacked by space pirates. Juspion saw himself in the baby and named it the Tarzan of the Galaxy.

Villains (Megabeast Empire)

• Satan Gorth (サタンゴース, Satangōsu): A being born of the negative energy of the Universe, the great-god-demon whose revival was foretold in the Galactic Bible with the power to enrage the creatures, turning then in vicious monsters. Satan Gorth's objective is to create a Megabeast Empire in the Galaxy and rule it from the Earth, more specifically from Tokyo, Japan. Originally a giant resembling a cross between Darth Vader and Megatron, in the finale, Satan Gorth reaches the peak of his power and discards his shell to become Great Satan Gorth (大サタンゴース, Dai Satangossu), possessing a Cthulhu-like appearance and the power to bend nature to his will, turning cities into forests overnight. Defeated by Daileon branding a giant golden sword created by the Golden Bird in the final episode.
• Mad Gallant (マッドギャラン, Maddogyaran, 04-45) Mad Gallant (pronounced with a silent "T") is Satan Gorth's son and his heir to the Megabeast Empire. Juspion's antagonist throughout the series, he is capable of fighting him with his sword (similar to Juspion's) and with his black VTOL 6-legged insectoid walker/plane, the Juldbooma. He wears a reminiscent black Metal Tec Suit similar to Juspion's and can take on human form. Mad Gallant is destroyed once by Juspion in the episode 29, but is soon resurrected by Gilza; in the penultimate episode of the series he has a climatic final battle with Juspion. After being deadly damaged by Juspion in this battle and furious by refusing to admit that a "simple human" (Juspion) could be stronger than a mutant (him), he turns himself into a giant Satan Gorth for a few moments, similar to his father's first form, and tries to attack the hero, but due to being previously wounded he returns to his original form and dies right after.
• The 4 Deva Kings (悪の四天王, Aku no Shitennō): hirelings of Mad Gallant.
  • Iki (イッキ, Ikki, 13-15): top-ranking ruthless bodyguard in the galaxy. Born in a planet located at the other extreme of the galaxy, he was the first enemy in the entire series to be killed via Juspion's fatal attack Cosmic Halley. His main weapon was a trident who could blow fire from its bottom tip, and he could also fire his own clenched fists like jet-propelled explosive projectiles.
  • Zampa (ザンパ, Zanpa, 13-18): evil android who wrongly attributed to Kerly and Hanna (Juspion's biological parents) the downfall of Machine Empire, which he wanted to rule. As a revenge, Zampa attacked Juspion's family's spaceship, forcing a disastrous crash land which killed them both, leaving only Juspion to survive. His main weapon was a scythe attached to a long chain, and he transformed into his machine self with superior strength and endurance, and ability to fire concussive lasers from his eyes, but even so Juspion managed to destroy him, thus avenging his deceased family.
  • Brima (ブリマ, Burima, 13-44) and Guilleau (ギョール, Gyōru, 13-44): two women who became Mad Gallant's personal bodyguards after Iki's and Zampa's deaths by Juspion. Brima is a dark prophet with white clothing and a ball-shaped helmet, her main weapons were a crystal ball and occasional magic daggers; Guilleau is a spy and disguise master clad in basic red and black space armor, her main weapon was a combination of spear/flute/blowgun, not only could she shoot the blade on the end forward to explode against Juspion, but she could also play a tune on it to transform herself and others into different forms (such as disguising herself into a bird to spy on others, or to turn other people into animals to get this one boy to use his skills to draw Juspion being defeated). She could also use the flute to control others's minds but as a result of Juspion's armor he was immune to her flute, however she could cause him to suffer vertigo so as to teleport herself and others to safety. In their final appearance their weapons were destroyed by Juspion, resulting in them magically combining themselves into a wolf-beast form to attack Juspion, who defeated the beast with his Cosmic Halley fatal attack, killing both.
• Galactic Witch Gilza (銀河魔女ギルザ, Gingamajo Giruza, 29-36): alien witch who was responsible of bringing Mad Gallant back to life when he was first defeated in battle by Juspion. Gilza is precisely an expert in curses and general dark arts. She had successfully removed Juspion's soul but it was returned to him shortly after. She had with her an enchanted knife that was her focus in battle and trying to remove Juspion's soul which she kept trying to do until she was killed. Her knife was the only thing which could harm her and Juspion used to finally destroy Gilza with Cosmic Halley attack.
• Gilmarza (ギルマーザ, Girumāza) - Spectre Queen of the Dark Galaxy Kurai Ginga no Bōrei no Joō (暗い銀河の亡霊の女王) (39-46): Gilza's elder sister, debuting shortly after Gilza's death. In order to receive some of Satan Gorth's evil power, Gilmaza infiltrated several planets across the Universe and slowly caused the extinctions of these civilisations through sutile strategies - such as, in Planet Zobos, by preaching the worship of Satan Gorth to young people and ruining them, drowning the planet in a wave of crimes; or, in Planet Sweet, by cleverly manipulating the leaders of East and West, leading them ultimately to war. She died with the Aliens, after Satan Goss was killed and the energy he released vaporized them all. She has the 5 Space Ninjas as her top soldiers.
• The 5 Space Ninjas (宇宙忍者, Uchū Ninja): Gilmarza's top soldiers created through her black magic, they wear suits of black armor differing only in the color of their forehead plates (which name them after the element he/she represents, in a conception taken directly from Taoism). They all have two "default attacks" (a plasmic projectile with the same color of their forehead plates and a kind of "plasma sword", both channeled via their hands) and one peculiar fighting "special technique" (except for Sui). They only revealed their true forms after having their heads split open by Juspion's sword.
  • Ka (カ, Fire, Red Plate; 39-43): apparently the group's leader. His "special technique" consists on him jumping above a jet of fire and then rushing into the enemy, strongly hitting him with an explosion; his true form is of a cannon which springs out from his neck, fueled by Fuu's meteor/comet.
  • Fuu (フウ, Fū, Wind, Yellow/Golden Plate; 39-43) his "special technique" is similar to Ka's but using wind instead of fire; his true form is of a massive meteor/comet which fuels Ka's cannon.
  • Dou (ドウ, Dō, Earth, White/Silver Plate; 39): his "special technique" has him burrowing deep into the earth to provoke massive earthquakes or ambush careless enemies; his true form is of a giant skeletal serpent-like demon that can project plasma discharges and create an illusion of itself with double size, thus increasing attack power.
  • Sui (スイ, Water, Blue Plate; 39-40): unlike the other 4 ninjas, he has no "special technique" of his own, thus being limited to default attacks; his true form is of a kind of spiked satellite/steel orb which shoots powerful electric discharges and sticks physically into any surface to drain energy through physical contact.
  • Moku (モク, Wood, Green Plate; 39-42): his "special technique" allows him to fire green gravity beams from his fingertips; his true form is of a space fighter wearing white clothing with a horrible demonic mask and fighting with a long halberd, in similarity with a kabuki artist.

Episodes

On January 6, 1986 (The day that episode 35 aired) the show later aired on Mondays instead of Fridays.

1. The Giant Monsters' Planet (巨大怪獣の惑星, Kyodai Kaijū no Wakusei)
2. Super Electronic Star Sakura's Sadness (悲しみの超電子星サクラ, Kanashimi no Chōdenshisei Sakura)
3. Protect! The Dream of the Galaxy Boy (守れ! 銀河少年の夢, Mamore! Ginga Shōnen no Yume)
4. Taking Course For The 3rd Planet (第3惑星に進路を取れ, Daisan Wakusei ni Shinro o Tore)
5. Look! That is Father's Star (ほら! あれが父さん星だ, Hora! Are ga Tōsan Hoshi Da)
6. Child Beast and Children (子供獣と子供たち, Kodomojū to Kodomotachi)
7. Strengthened Iwagorilla's Great Counterattack (怪力イワゴリーラの大逆襲, Kairiki Iwagorīra no Dai Gyakushū)
8. Shining Smiles in the Meadow, Lotto and Sachi Run (草原に輝く笑顔・ロットとサチが駈ける, Sōgen ni Kagayaku Egao! Rotto to Sachi ga Kakeru)
9. The Tale of a Certain Tree (ある巨木のものがたり, Aru Kyoboku no Monogatari)
10. The Ancient Strange Fish Joined by the Female Spy (女スパイを連れた古代怪魚, Onna Supai o Tsureta Kodai Kaigyo)
11. Quack! Tsukuba's Giant Ducks Great March (グェッ! ツクバの巨大ガマ大行進, Gue! Tsukuba no Kyodai Gama Dai Kōshin)
12. Satan Gorth Fears the Mysterious Prophecy (神秘の大予言にサタンゴースがおびえる, Shinpi no Daiyogen ni Satan Gōsu ga Obieru)
13. The Evil Raging Four Celestial Kings from Outer Space (宇宙からの助っ人 大暴れ悪の四天王, Uchū kara no Suketto Ōabare Aku no Shitennō)
14. Tear the Japan's Archipelago! Hamanako Attack Operation (日本列島を断て! 浜名湖アタック作戦, Nihon Rettō o Tate! Hamanako Atakku Sakusen)
15. Dream? Illusion? The Golden Bird's Wings Flapping (夢か? 幻か? はばたく黄金の鳥, Yume ka? Maboroshi ka? Habataku Ōgon no Tori)
16. Future of Humanity? Giant Beast Empire Panic (人類の未来か? 恐怖の巨獣帝国, Jinrui no Mirai ka? Kyōfu no Kyojū Teikoku)
17. The Galactic Tarzan Who Dashes into the Ocean of Love and Tears (愛と涙の海を疾走する銀河のターザン, Ai to Namida no Umi o Shissō Suru Ginga no Tāzan)
18. Red-Eyed Machine Fighter Zanba (破壊しても立ち上がる赤目の戦闘機械人, Hakai Shite mo Tachiagaru Akame no Sentō Kikai jin)
19. The Cursed Seabed People Smile! S.O.S. Dolphin's Sea (呪いの海底人が笑う イルカの海SOS, Noroi no Kaiteijin ga Warau Iruka no Umi Esu Ō Esu)
20. Daughter! Son! Leave It to the Last Chance (娘よ! 息子よ! ラスト・チャンスに賭けろ!, Musume yo! Musuko yo! Rasuto Chansu ni Kakero!)
21. Hot-Air Balloon Boy Cast Away! Brave Speed 160 km/h (熱気球少年が投げる 時速160kmの勇気, Nekkyū Shōnen ga Nageru Jisoku Hyakurokujukirometoru no Yūki)
22. The Spell of Female Stranger Who Returned the Girl to the Demon (少女を悪魔にかえる怪女チキタの大妖術, Shōjo o Akuma ni Kaeru Kaijo Chikita no Daiyōjutsu)
23. Giant Beast Sho from the World Ruled by the Magic Hand (魔の手があやつる世紀の巨獣ショー, Ma no Te ga Ayatsuru Seiki no Kyojū Shō)
24. Careful! ¥100,000,000 Salary Offer (ご用心! 月給1億円さしあげます, Goyōjin! Gekkyū Ichiokuen Sashiagemasu)
25. Help the Vanishing Tokyo! Evil Bullet Good Bullet Death Match (救え東京消失! 悪だま善だまデスマッチ, Sukue Tōkyō Shoshitsu! Akudama Zendama Desumacchi)
26. Roaring Soil! Daileon's Angry Great Counterattack (とどろく大地! ダイレオン怒りの大逆襲, Todoroku Daichi! Daireon Ikari no Dai Gyakushū)
27. Run Swiftly Through the Singing Dancing Road of Youth (歌って踊って青春ロードを突っ走れ!, Utatte Odotte Seishun Rōdo o Tsuppashire!)
28. The Electronic Monster's Lethal Data (電子頭脳獣の必殺データー, Denshi Zunōjū no Hissatsu Dētā)
29. Mad Galant Dies! However Gilza... (マッドギャラン死す! しかしギルザが..., Maddogyaran Shisu! Shikashi Giruza ga...)
30. Red Balloon, Blue Balloon: Balloon Panic (赤い風船・青い風船・バルーンパニック, Akai Fūsen, Aoi Fūsen: Barūn Panikku)
31. Teacher and Children Scream at Live Broadcast Panic (お母さん助けて! 恐怖の生中継, Okāsan Tasukete! Kyōfu no Nama Chūkei)
32. The Robot Maid's Midnight Albite (お手伝いロボットの真夜中のアルバイト, Otetsudai Robotto no Mayonaka no Arubaito)
33. The Bully's Dancing Magic Great Battle (いじめっ子も踊りだす魔法大合戦, Ijimekko mo Odoridasu Mahō Dai Gassen)
34. Love of Father and Child that Breaks the Impregnable Fortress (鉄壁の要塞を砕く父と子の愛, Teppeki no Yōsai o Kudaku Chichi to Ko no Ai)
35. Bible Found! Now a Fearful Fact... (発見された聖書(バイブル)今恐るべき事実が..., Hakken Sareta Baiburu Ima Osorubeki Jijitsu ga...)
36. The Shining of a New Life that Calls For A Miracle (奇蹟を呼ぶ新しい生命の輝き, Kiseki o Yobu Atarashii Inochi no Kagayaki)
37. Full Course Panic! How About an Infernal Cuisine? (恐怖のフルコース地獄料理はいかが?, Kyōfu no Furu Kōsu Jigoku Ryōri wa Ikaga?)
38. Older Sister is Strange! Planned Miracle (姉ちゃんが変だ! ワッペン作戦の怪奇, Nē-chan ga Hen Da! Wappen Sakusen no Kaiki)
39. Miyo's Kiss is 1 Million Horsepower (ミヨちゃんのキッスは百万馬力, Miyo-chan no Kissu wa Hyakuman Bariki)
40. Rich Man Tactic: Mystery of the Diamond Meteor (リッチマン作戦・ダイヤ流星群の謎, Ricchi Man Sakusen: Daiya Ryūseigun no Nazo)
41. Time to Duel: You Scream Deadly Gunman's Justice (決闘の時・君が呼ぶ必殺ガンマンの正義, Kettō no Toki: Kimi ga Yobu Hissatsu Ganman no Seigi)
42. Friends that Came from the Stars: The Tale of Pippi and Hiroshi (星から来た友だち・ピッピと浩の物語, Hoshi kara Kita Tomodachi: Pippi to Hiroshi no Monogatari)
43. Alice Saw Satan Gorth's Wonderland (アリスが見た不思議の国のサタンゴース, Arisu ga Mita Fushigi no Kuni no Satan Gōsu)
44. You Survived? Appeared Ancient Haunt (君は生き残れるか? 出現した太古の魔境, Kimi wa Ikinokoreru ka? Shutsugen-shita Taiko no Makyo)
45. I Am Satan Gorth' Son (おれはサタンゴースの息子だ, Ore wa Satan Gōsu no Musuko Da)
46. People from All Galaxies Hold Hands (手をつなぐ全銀河の人類たち, Te o Tsunagu Zenginga no Jinrui-tachi)

Cast

• Juspion: Seiki Kurosaki
• Anri: Kiyomi Tsukada
• Miya: Sawatokuko Okane
• Ejin: Noboru Nakaya
• Boomerang: Hiroshi Watari
• Ken'ichiro Nanbara: Isao Sasaki
• Kanoko Nanbara: Kiyomi Sone
• Kenta Nanbara: Daisuke Yamashita
• Kumiko: Miki Takahashi
• Lotto: Hiroshi Satō
• Sachi: Yoshie Hayashi
• Satan Gorth: Shōzō Iizuka (voice)
• Mad Gallant: Jyunichi Haruta
• Brima: Misa Nirei
• Guilleau: Kei Anan
• Zampa: Daigaku Sekine
• Icki: Toshimichi Takahashi
• Gazami 1: Eiichi Kikuchi
• Gazami 2: Shun Ueda
• Gilza: Atsuko Takahata
• Gilmarza: Yukie Kagawa
• Narrator: Tōru Ōhira

Songs

Opening theme

• "Ore ga Seigi da! Juspion" (俺が正義だ！ジャスピオン, Ore ga Seigi da! Jasupion, "I am Justice! Juspion")
  • Lyrics: Keisuke Yamakawa
  • Composition: Michiaki Watanabe
  • Artist: Ai Takano (アイ高野)

Ending theme

• "Space Wolf Juspion" (銀河狼（スペースウルフ）ジャスピオン, Supēsu Urufu Jasupion)
  • Lyrics: Keisuke Yamakawa
  • Composition: Michiaki Watanabe
  • Artist: Ai Takano

Video Release

The official Toei video releases in the '80s listed in English, below the title, "Space Wolf Juspion" (named after the ending theme for instance). This has created some confusion and has led some to believe that is the actual title of the series and translation of "Kyojuu Tokusou." The Space Wolf name is simply one of Juspion's nicknames much like the "Galactic Tarzan" in order for him to have a title to introduce himself by.

References

External links

• Kyojuu Tokusou Juspion at the Internet Movie Database