Choukou Senshi Changéríon

Choukou Senshi Changéríon (超光戦士シャンゼリオン) is a tokusatsu series created by Toei Company. The series aired from April 3, 1996, to December 25, 1996. It was originally planned to run for a full 52 episodes before being cut down to 39 due to low ratings.

Plot
The DarkZide stealthily appeared on Earth from their dying world in Dark Dimension to acquire the Larmu, human life-energy, to continue their existence. To counter the threat, Takeshi Munakata of the Cabinet Secret Service established the group SAIDOC to intercept the DarkZide. SAIDOC developed the Crystal Power needed to complete the Changérion project. However, the power was accidentally transferred into the body of detective Akira Suzumura.

Suzumura Detective Agency

 * Akira Suzumura (涼村 暁) / Changéríon (シャンゼリオン): A happy-go-lucky, frivolous PI who ended up with the Crystal Power. His favorite food is banana parfait. He has a vast debt and loves women and gambling.
 * Akemi Tachibana (橘 朱美) (1-14): Akira's aid and supposed girlfriend. She eventually left Suzumura to be a kindergarten teacher.
 * Rui Kiribara (桐原 るい) (18-36) Akira's new aid. Her capability as a detective is higher than Akira's. Rui is the daughter of a big zaibatsu, and her real name is Reika Ayanokouji (綾乃小路 麗華).

SAIDOC

 * Takeshi Munakata (宗方 猛): Chief of SAIDOC. He is anguished that the government doesn't believe DarkZide exists. Especially, he is afflicted by financial problems, and SAIDOC's development fund is supported by his own property.
 * Katsuhiko Hayami (速水 克彦) / The Blader (ザ・ブレイダー): The SAIDOC member originally meant to have the Crystal power. He is a serious, strait-laced man in contrast with Akira, and his sense of duty is very strong. He feels a bit of animosity towards Akira for stealing his thunder. Later in the series he gains the ability to transform himself into the Blader when he eats the "Seed of Darkness" in the form of an umeboshi. However, he reverts back when the umeboshi is digested in his stomach, and his memory of the time during the transformation disappears.
 * Eri Minami: The only female SAIDOC member. A brave, willful & confident woman. She falls in love with Kuroiwa (Gawer).

DarkZide

 * Queen Erieza (女王エリーザ): Queen of the DarkZide in Parallel world.
 * The Sacred Cadres of the DarkZide
 * Dark General Zander (闇将軍ザンダー): A muscular demon who assumed the guise of Kazuki Katayama (片桐 一樹)
 * Doctor Vinsue (博士ヴィンスー): A toad-like demon.
 * Priest Mordos (神官モードス): A tree-like demon who possesses the Key Bird. Mordos is the calm one of the 3 Cadres.
 * Dark Knight Gawer (暗黒騎士ガウザー): A rogue DarkZide. He assumes the human identity of Shogo Kuroiwa (黒岩 省吾).
 * Zapphire (ザファイア): She assumes the human identity of Sayoko (小夜子).

DarkZide Monsters

 * Gingar (01): Posed as Izumian elementary school teacher, kidnapping children to use their lifeforce to resurrect Sacred Cadres. Though killed, she succeeded in reawakening her masters.
 * Shoeser (02): Posing as a lady's shoe salesman, he kidnapped his victims through the shoes he sold to them.
 * Jatou (03): Abducts brides.
 * Miraiza (04): A mummy-like monster who posed as the driver of a paper recycling truck. He was the first to be defeated by the Choukou Kishi.
 * Insurar (13)
 * Shiragar (14)
 * Do Gotch (15)
 * Chameleo (16)

Episodes

 * 1) A Hero!! Me? (ヒーロー！！俺？)
 * 2) Twinkle, Twinkle, my Light Brain (ノーテンキラキラ)
 * 3) A Lot of Brides (花嫁ゾロゾロ)
 * 4) Ah friendship, Ah Cruelty (ああ友情　ああ無情)
 * 5) He is the Culprit! (犯人は誰だ！)
 * 6) Sorry, Jiro (ごめんね、ジロウ)
 * 7) Idol!! Me? (アイドル！！私？)
 * 8) Daughter, Pick a Man!! (娘よ、男は選べ！！)
 * 9) Hayami, Radiant! (速水、燦然！)
 * 10) Not Mackerel! (サバじゃねぇ！)
 * 11) Save the Cognac (コンニャク残して)
 * 12) Mr. Daruma Fallen (ダルマさん転んだ)
 * 13) Rose and Sunflower (バラとひまわり)
 * 14) Farewell, Akemi (サヨナラ、朱美)
 * 15) The Super-Rare What? (超まぼろしのアレ)
 * 16) Part-Time with Kiriko! (バイトで霧子！)
 * 17) Full Rivals (ライバルいっぱい)
 * 18) Further Rivals (さらなるライバル)
 * 19) Your Daughter, this Abnormality (ご令嬢、これ異常)
 * 20) Hero!! Huh? Changéríon 133 Days of Fighting (ヒーロー！！あれ？シャンゼリオン 激闘の１３３日)
 * 21) Reliving Unrequited Love (モーレツに片思い)
 * 22) Phantom Gold Reserves! (幻の埋蔵金！)
 * 23) Mysterious Dark Courtroom! (ナゾの闇法廷！)
 * 24) Life's Worst Flirt (人生最悪のナンパ)
 * 25) Phantom Thief Kuroageha! (怪盗クロアゲハ！)
 * 26) Black Knight, Arrives! (闇の騎士、出馬！)
 * 27) Akemi Returns! (朱美リターンズ！)
 * 28) Dog and Cat and Horse and Deer (犬と猫と馬と鹿)
 * 29) Hayami is a Criminal! (速水はヤミに！)
 * 30) A Hero's Teacher! (ヒーローの先生！)
 * 31) Sheep and Pie and Money and (羊とパイと現金と)
 * 32) The Second Soldier Arrives! (第２の戦士現る！)
 * 33) Not Mackerel! 2 (サバじゃねぇ！２)
 * 34) Is it Friendship? (友情ええやないか)
 * 35) Cursing Woman and Helping Woman (呪う女と救いの女)
 * 36) A New Enemy?! (新たなる敵！か？)
 * 37) Baketeke Before the Storm (嵐の前のバケタケ)
 * 38) Held the Emperor (皇帝の握ったもの)
 * 39) Over the Times… (時（いま）を越えて…)

Cast

 * Akira Suzumura/Changéríon - Takashi Hagino
 * Akemi Tachibana - Mie Hayashi
 * Rui Kirihara - Yuka Matsui
 * Katsuhiko Hayami/Blader - Kazunari Aizawa
 * Eri Minami - Chika Kochihira
 * Takeshi Munakata - Noboru Ichiyama
 * Shogo Kuroiwa/Gawer - Atsushi Ogawa
 * Dark General Zander (Voice) - Ryūzaburō Ōtomo
 * Doctor Vinsue (Voice) - Tomoyuki Terai
 * Priest Mordos (Voice) - Toshimichi Takahashi
 * Kazuki Katagiri - Yutaka Hirose
 * Sayoko - Ayami Endō
 * Eureka - Mieko Kinoshita
 * Narration - Noboru Ichiyama, Daiki Nakamura

Suit actor
 * Changéríon - Jiro Okamoto

Songs

 * Opening themes
 * 1) "OVER THE TIMES ~ Ima o Koete" (OVER THE TIMES～時（いま）を越えて) by MISA
 * 2) "OVER THE TIMES (English Version)" by MISA
 * Ending themes
 * 1) "Hohoemi no Tabidachi" (微笑みの出発（たびだち）) by Moku Hon'iden (本位田 牧)
 * 2) "Changéríon ~ Hikari no Mirai" (シャンゼリオン～光りの未来) by KAT

International Broadcasts

 * In the Philippines, it was aired on ABS-CBN from 1998 to 1999 with a Tagalog dub under the title of Changerion.