Denshi Sentai Denziman

Denshi Sentai Denziman
Title Screen
Genre	Tokusatsu Superhero fiction Science fiction
Created by	Toei Marvel Comics
Starring	Shin'ichi Yuuki Kenji Ohba Eiichi Tsuyama Naoya Uchida Akira Koizumi
Narrated by	Toru Ohira
Composer(s)	Michiaki Watanabe
Country of origin	Japan
No. of episodes	51
Production
Running time	30 minutes
Production company(s)	TV Asahi Toei Company Toei Advertising
Release
Original network	TV Asahi
Original release	February 2, 1980 – January 31, 1981
Chronology
Preceded by	Battle Fever J
Followed by	Taiyo Sentai Sun Vulcan

Denshi Sentai Denziman (電子戦隊デンジマン, Denshi Sentai Denjiman, ^{[Note 1]}) is Toei's fourth entry to its Super Sentai series. It was broadcast from February 2, 1980 to January 31, 1981. The title given to this series for international distribution by Toei is Denziman, Electric Fighters.^[1]

Plot

3000 years ago, the Vader Clan devastated the planet Denzi. Denziland, an island from Denzi, landed on Earth. In modern times, the computer of Denziland awoke the Denzidog IC when it detected the Vader Clan approaching Earth. IC found five young people (who may or may not be descendants of the Denzi people) to become the Denzimen in order to defend Earth, the Vader Clan's next target.

Characters

Denzimen

The Denzimen are 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). Prior to battle, the team shouts "Behold, the Denshi Sentai, Denziman!"

The Surnames of the members contain the kanji for their corresponding colors.

• Ippei Akagi (赤城 一平, Akagi Ippei) / Denzi 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 Denziman ended, Ippei appeared along with 23 other Red Rangers summoned by Liveman's Red Falcon, in Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger vs. Super Sentai.
  • Special move: Denzi Vacuum Kick (デンジ真空蹴り, Denji Shinku Keri), Denzi Punch (デンジパンチ, Denji Panchi)
• Daigoro Oume (青梅 大五郎, Ōme Daigorō) / Denzi 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 he encounters the Gokaigers.
  • Special moves: Blue Rocket (ブルーロケット, Burū Roketto), Blue Screw Kick (ブルースクリューキック, Burū Sukuryū Kikku), Blue Snake (ブルースネーク, Burū Sunēku), Denzi Drill (デンジドリル, Denji Doriru)
• Jun Kiyama (黄山 純, Kiyama Jun) / Denzi Yellow (デンジイエロー, Denji Ierō): An inventor and space researcher. He coaches calisthenics.
  • Special moves: Denzi Suplex (デンジスープレックス, Denji Sūpurekkusu), Flying Attack (フライングアタック, Furaingu Atakku), Hammer Punch (ハンマーパンチ, Hanmā Panchi), Yellow Headbutt (イエローヘッドバット, Ierō Heddobatto), Denzi Pile Diver (デンジパイルダイバー, Denji Pairu Daibā)
• Tatsuya Midorikawa (緑川 達也, Midorikawa Tatsuya) / Denzi Green (デンジグリーン, Denji Gurīn): A detective who lost his father to a Vader attack. He coaches boxing.
  • Special move: Green Spin Kick (グリーンスピンキック, Gurīn Supin Kikku)
• Akira Momoi (桃井 あきら, Momoi Akira) / Denzi 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.
  • Special move: Denzi Thunder (デンジサンダー, Denji Sandā)

Allies

• Denzi Dog IC (デンジ犬アイシー, Denji Ken Ai Shī): Intelligent robot dog that came from Denzi Star 3000 years ago to assemble the Denziman team. He sacrificed his life to become a circuit for DaiDenzin in order to defeat the Omnipotent Monse.
• Princess Denzi (デンジ姫, Denji Hime) (movie, 26, 45): A survivor of Denzi Star 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.

Arsenal

• Denzi Ring (デンジリング, Denji Ringu): The Denzimen's transformation device. The transformation call is "Denzi Spark!" (デンジスパーク, Denji Supāku).
• Denzi Stick (デンジスティック, Denji Sutikku): Each Denziman is armed with a Denzi Stick. These combine into the DenziBoomerang and are all used in the Electronic Lightning Fall. Other team attacks, not involving the sticks, include the Shot Gun, Blitzkrieg Attack, Denzi Circle, Denzi Shower, Dragonfly, Scramble Chain, Denzi Super Science, and Denzi Tower.

Vehicles

• Denzi Machine (デンジマシーン, Denji Mashīn): DenziRed's motorcycle.
• Denzi Buggy (デンジバギー, Denji Bagī): A jeep for the rest of the team.
• Denzi Crafts (デンジクラフト, Denji Kurafuto): Hovercrafts that the team uses.
• Denzi Shooter (デンジ射手, Denji Shoota): Underground transporter that can travel from the Athletic Club to Denzi Land.

Mecha

• Denzi Tiger (デンジタイガー, Denji Taigā): The flying fortress carrying the Denzi Fighter that launches from Denzi Land (デンジランド, Denji Rando), the island headquarters.
• DaiDenzin (ダイデンジン, Daidenjin, Giant Electric Man, Big Electroid, or Great Electronic God): The first transforming giant robot in the Super Sentai genre, DaiDenzin transforms from an airship called the Denzi Fighter (デンジファイター, Denji Faitā). The Denzi Fighter nose becomes DaiDenzin's back, the sides of the underside become the chest, and the lateral sides become the legs. Its main weapon is the Denzi Sword (デンジ剣, Denji Ken) and it destroys monsters with its finishing attack, the Electronic Full-Moon Cut (電子満月斬り, Denshi Mangetsu Giri). Its other weapons are the Denzi Ball (デンジボール, Denji Bōru) and DaiDenzin Boomerang (ダイデンジンブーメラン, Daidenjin Būmeran, Great Electric Man Boomerang). The Denzi Fighter helped out in the fight against Rakushaasa in Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger vs. Super Sentai.

Vader Clan

The 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): Field commander. He had a personal rivalry with Banriki Demon King. He was killed in battle when he interrupted the battle between the Denzimen and Banriki Demon King and Bankiri Monse. He grew giant and fought against the DaiDenZin but fell to the DenjiSword after the Denziman used the DenziBall. He was saluted by the Denzimen after being defeated.
• Keller and Mirror (ケラー&ミラー, Kerā to Mirā): 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 Denziman until there was DenziRed, not injured in Episode 37 (DenziYellow blinded in one eye, DenziGreen injured by the wind, DenziBlue injured by hand in the water, and DenziPink 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 Denziman and was wounded after Denziman used DenziStick Boomerang. Denziman 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 Monse, he turned into a human and took back the Vader Clan. He was finally killed off by the Denzi Boomerang.
• Dustlers (ダストラー, Dasutorā): Grunts (footsoldiers) 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): 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

Movie

The movie version of Denshi Sentai Denziman premiered during the Toei Manga Matsuri film festival on July 12, 1980, the same day episode 24 aired. The character of Princess Denzi makes her first appearance in this movie and is referenced in two later episodes of the series (26, 45), placing the events of this movie sometime before Episode 26.

Cast

• 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)
• DenziDog IC (Voice): Hisako Kyōda
• Princess Denzi: Tamaki Funakura (舟倉 たまき, Funakura Tamaki)
• General Hedrer: Shinji Tōdō (藤堂 新二, Tōdō Shinji)
• Demon King Banriki: Hitoshi Oomae
• Mirror: Rie Yoshikawa
• Keller: Chiaki Kojo
• Constable Matsuo Tieko: Yukie Sakai
• Vader Monsters: Shōzō Iizuka (飯塚 昭三 Iizuka Shōzō) (Majority of Episodes)

Songs

Opening theme

• "Ah Denshi Sentai Denziman" (ああ電子戦隊デンジマン, Aa Denshi Sentai Denjiman, "Oh Denshi Sentai Denziman")
  • Lyrics: Kazuo Koike
  • Composition & Arrangement: Michiaki Watanabe
  • Artist: Ken Narita, Koorogi '73

Ending theme

• "Denziman ni Makasero!" (デンジマンにまかせろ！, Denjiman ni Makasero!, "Leave it to Denziman!")
  • Lyrics: Kazuo Koike
  • Composition & Arrangement: Michiaki Watanabe
  • Artist: Ken Narita

International broadcasts

Denshi Sentai Denziman was the first Super Sentai series being broadcast in Thailand. The series was 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. Denziman was also broadcast dubbed in Italy, in some regional channels.

Notes

References

External links

• Official Denshi Sentai Denziman website (in Japanese)