Dengeki Sentai Changeman

Dengeki Sentai Changeman (電撃戦隊チェンジマン) is a Japanese television series and the ninth installment of the Super Sentai metaseries. It aired from February 2, 1985, to February 22, 1986, replacing Choudenshi Bioman and was replaced by Choushinsei Flashman running for 55 episodes, making it the second longest after Himitsu Sentai Goranger. It is the third Super Sentai series after J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai and Battle Fever J where the Yellow Ranger is absent, followed by 2013's Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger and 2019's Kishiryu Sentai Ryusoulger. The international English title is listed by Toei as simply Changeman.

Plot
After conquering hundreds of planets, the Star Cluster Gozma sets its sights on Earth. To defend it, the Japanese military forms an elite Earth Defense Force. Under Commander Ibuki, the force begins rigorous training.

Meanwhile, as their first act, the Gozma decide to eliminate those who pose the greatest risk of interfering with their invasion: the military. After a brutal day of training, the Earth Defense Force recruits are fed up with Ibuki's cruel ways and leave the training session. Soon afterwards, they are attacked by Gozma troops. Five surviving officers gather together, beaten and exhausted but refusing to retreat from the threat. The Earth trembles, empowering them with the Earth Force, giving them the power of mythological beasts and becoming the Changemen. With the mystical power of the Earth Force and military technology, the Changemen begin their war against Gozma.

Changeman
The eponymous Changeman are all former members of the various branches of Japanese military who were hand picked by the Earth Defense Force to combat Gozma. As the Changemen, they derive their powers from a mysterious energy called Earth Force (アースフォース), which gives its users the power to protect Earth from any threat to it.


 * Hiryuu Tsurugi/Change Dragon (剣 飛竜／チェンジドラゴン): Hiryu was previously an officer from Kōchi Prefecture in the Japanese Air Force before becoming Change Dragon, colored red. Tsurugi is a passionate leader with a kind heart, often getting so focused on a task that he does not think of the possible danger he puts himself in to complete it. He is a sharpshooter and a skilled motorcycle driver. He was also his high school's best baseball player until an accident forced him to quit the game. As Change Dragon, Hiryu is a master of airborne attacks as well as close-range and long-range attacks, even adding some of his baseball skills into his techniques.
 * Shou Hayate/Change Gryphon (疾風 翔／チェンジグリフォン): Sho was previously a Japanese Army Ranger from Aomori Prefecture before becoming Change Gryphon, colored black. He's a narcissistic womanizer, often combing his hair before entering battle, though it's an exterior for his kind personality.
 * Yuma Ozora/Change Pegasus (大空 勇馬／チェンジペガサス): Yuma was previously a Branch Officer in the Japanese Army before becoming Change Pegasus, colored blue. He serves as the group's tech member with the ability to tap into superhuman strength. As the youngest, he tends not to respect authority much and often associates himself with the children that the Changemen help. Yuma also has a dream to open up a tonkatsu shop after getting enough money to start it up.
 * Sayaka Nagisa/Change Mermaid (渚 さやか／チェンジマーメイド): Sayaka was previously a task force officer in the Japanese Army before becoming Change Mermaid, colored white. She is the team's strategist, and sometimes focuses too much on the etiquette of her fellow Changemen. However, Sayaka has a loving and caring aspect of her seen in animals and her feelings for Hiryu.
 * Mai Tsubasa/Change Phoenix (翼 麻衣／チェンジフェニックス): Mai was previously a spy for the Japanese Army before becoming Change Phoenix, colored pink. Like Hiryu, she is also skilled at motorcycle driving. Though appearing to be a tomboy who is rough around the edges, Mai is a caring figure and good friends with Sayaka despite their differences.

Arsenal

 * Change Brace (チェンジブレス): The transformation device of the Changemen. The transformation call is "Let's Change!" (レッツチェンジ!), followed by the name of the team or the transforming member. It can also fire a Change Laser.
 * Change Sword (チェンジソード): A sidearm with two modes: blaster and knight (sword and shield)
 * Dragon-Zooka (ドラゴンズーカ): The weapon of Change Dragon, which forms the body of the Power Bazooka.
 * Gryphon-Zooka (グリフォンズーカ): The weapon of Change Gryphon, which forms the front barrel of the Power Bazooka.
 * Pegasus-Zooka (ペガサスズーカ): The weapon of Change Pegasus, which forms the lower-body cover of the Power Bazooka.
 * Mermaid-Zooka (マーメイドズーカ): The weapon of Change Mermaid, which forms the targeting scope of the Power Bazooka.
 * Phoenix-Zooka (フェニックスズーカ): The weapon of Change Phoenix, which forms the upper-body cover of the Power Bazooka.
 * Power Bazooka (パワーバズーカ): The finishing cannon formed from the Zooka weapons of the Changemen. Hiryu supplies the shell, while Sayaka aims the weapon. On one occasion in Episode 7, it received a power-up. In Episode 36, the Changemen learned to infuse the Earth Force inside the shell to further enhance its power, in the final episode, it was used to fire a signal for Gyodai to enlarge the memory doll.

Vehicles

 * Auto Changers (オートチェンジャー): Each Changeman rides one of these motorcycles.
 * Change Cruiser (チェンジクルーザー): The 4WD for the quintet
 * Jet Skis (ジェットスキー): This vehicle was used in one episode during their clash with Ahames' forces in Nagasaki.
 * Shuttle Base (シャトルベース): Modeled after the Space Shuttle, is the ship that transports the team's mecha to the danger zone, and is the first Terran-made carrier to travel into space.

Mecha

 * Change Robo (チェンジロボ): The team's signature mecha. Hiryu yells "Earth Conversion Start!" to begin the mecha's conversion, and then "Combine, Earth Conversion" (合体、アースコンバージョン!) to combine them. It is armed with the Blitzkrieg Sword (電撃剣), which allows it to perform finishers like the Super Thunder Volt (スーパーサンダーボルト), Windmill Cut (風車斬り), and Swallow Return (燕返し). Its other weapons are the Change Shield (チェンジシールド), which acts as the Lightning Sword's sheath, Change Robo Missile (チェンジロボミサイル), Change Vulcan (チェンジバルカン) shoulder cannons, and Change Robo Flash (チェンジロボフラッシュ), which is a beam that the Change Robo fires from its eyes.
 * Jet Changer I (ジェットチェンジャー1): The mecha of Change Dragon, which forms the head and lower body of the Change Robo. It is stored in the fuselage of the Shuttle Basee, with wings and rudders retracted. It appeared again in Gaoranger vs Super Sentai.
 * Heli Changer II (ヘリチェンジャー2): A helicopter piloted by Change Gryphon and Change Mermaid, it forms the torso and arms of the Change Robo. It is stored in back of the Shuttle Base, behind the Jet Changer I. Mai once took it for a joyride.
 * Land Changer III (ランドチェンジャー3): A cruiser piloted by Change Pegasus and Change Phoenix, it forms the legs of the Change Robo. It is stored in halves in back of the Shuttle Base, with the Heli Changer II between the two halves.

Allies

 * Commander Ibuki (伊吹長官): The head of the Blitzkrieg Squadron who seems cruel at first but has a caring side too. He is eventually revealed to be Yui Ibuki of Planet Heath which was destroyed by Gozma.
 * Blitzkrieg Squadron (電撃戦隊): A group of people from various military organization like the Changemen, who function as the team's support. They help out the Changemen in certain situations.
 * Captain Inogoro: A Blitzkrieg Squadron mechanic who works on the Auto Changers

Aliens
The Changemen meet other aliens who end up on Earth because of Gozma:
 * Nana (ナナ): A young girl from the planet Rigel with superhuman abilities. She is used in tipping the scales for Gozma for when Rigelian girls reach an age they release a massive energy which would give power to whoever is caught in its path. Though aged by 20 years old thanks to Giluke's scheme to become stronger, Nana gains telepathic abilities along with heighten physical abilities.
 * Sakura (さくら): An alien from Planet Merle (メルル星)
 * Volta (ボルタ) An alien from Planet Tora (トーラ星), also a Space Beast Warrior.
 * Shinpei Mizuhara (水原 新平): A boy who has the blood of.
 * Zoorii and Waraji (ゾーリーとワラジー): Gaata's wife and son. Their role in the plot grows towards the end of the series because Waraji is able to play in his ocarina a tune which induces homesickness on space creatures, and is eventually used against Gozma members themselves, causing them (even a reluctant Gaata) to target the boy, who angrily breaks the ocarina and storms off, declaring he has no father. Zoorii, in the meantime, becomes pregnant with her and Gaata's daughter, forcing him to abandon Gozma for good.

Great Star League Gozma
The Great Star League Gozma (大星団ゴズマ) is an interstellar criminal shogunate that devastates planets and uses the survivors as warriors to invade other planets. The group is based on the battleship Gozmard (ゴズマード).


 * Star King Bazeu (星王バズー): Bazeu is the leader of Gozma who only appears to his followers as a giant blue limbless torso, which is an illusion created by his true form: the living planet Gozma Star (ゴズマスター) who absorbs other worlds throughout its interstellar conquest of the universe. Though he spares some planets, Bazeu uses them as a means to intimidate his minions with their destruction as both a drafting method and to ensure no failure. He manages to approach Earth undetected by hiding himself into the tail of Halley's Comet, but is ultimately destroyed by the Changemen after they ride the Change Robo deep onto his body and destroy its core.
 * General Giluke (ギルーク司令): Originally from Planet Girath (ギラス星), Girook is the invasion leader and secretly plots on overthrowing Bazeu, his first attempt ending in failure. He uses a sword made for the strongest warrior from his homeworld. After being killed, he comes back as Ghost Giluke (ゴーストギルーク) and then force grows Nana to be endowed with the backlash of her energies to become Super Giluke (スーパーギルーク) before becoming the Space Beast Warrior Girath (ギラス) and is finally defeated by the Changemen.
 * Adjutant Booba (副官ブーバ): Booba is a former space pirate who has been conscripted to be one of the lieutenants of Giluke. Armed with the Buldobas Sickle, Booba is the rival of Change Dragon. Eventually, learning of the brain washing he went through after seeing his former love, Booba helps free Sheema from the control of Gozma's before dying in a duel against Change Dragon.
 * Adjutant Sheema (副官シーマ): Sheema is the former princess of Planet Amanga (アマンガ星), whose people are able to fight with psychic powers called Amanga Energy (アマンガエネルギー). When her planet was conquered, she was taken in by a Space Beast Warrior named Wuba and raised on its milk, turning her into a cold warrior with a deep male voice and no memories of her past. Thanks to Booba, she manages to return to her former self and joins forces with the Changemen.
 * Queen Ahames (女王アハメス): Ahames is the former queen of Planet Amazo (アマゾ星) who joined with Giluke in his attempt to overthrow Bazeu. After the attempt failed, Ahames's whereabouts were unknown until she arrives to Earth. After Giluke is killed the first time, she takes over as the leader of Gozma's forces until his return. With all her minions defeated or defected, she was transformed into a Space Beast Warrior by Super Giluke, and used her newfound powers to pinpoint the secret base of the Changemen. Regaining her original form, but not her sanity, she destroys the base completely, killing herself in the process.
 * Navigator Gator (航海士ゲーター): Gator the navigator of the Gozmard, originally from the Planet Navi (ナビ星). He reluctantly joins Gozma for the safety of his family, and also for the sake of his family, he eventually defects, siding with the Changemen through the rest of the series.
 * Gyodai (ギョダーイ): A one-eyed creature from the planet of the same name who is used by Gozma to enlarge its minions. Left alone into a derelict Gozmard, he is rescued by the Changemen and aids them in the final battle against Bazeu.
 * Jangeran (ジャンゲラン): Jangeran is the familiar of Ahames. It is a twin-headed dragon whose left head fires a cone of ice while its right unleashes a torrent of flame. When Bazeu grows impatient with Ahames' lack of results against the Changemen, he splits Jangeran into two separate beings called Jan (ジャン) and Geran (ゲラン).
 * Hidler Soldiers (ヒドラー兵): Gozma's foot soldiers, these blue skinned aliens are feral creatures that use their talons as weapons. If wounded enough, a Hidler would bleed steam before evaporating within seconds.

Episodes

 * 1) "Arrival! The Secret Power!" (出現！秘密の力！)
 * 2) "The Wrath of Star King Bazoo" (星王バズーの怒り)
 * 3) "Scram! Soldier Group" (スクラム! 戦士団)
 * 4) "A Kiss After the Fight" (キスは戦いの後で)
 * 5) "Pegasus Arrest Order" (ペガサス逮捕指令)
 * 6) "The Targeted High-School Girls" (狙われた女子高生)
 * 7) "The Sad Space Soldier" (悲しき宇宙戦士!)
 * 8) "The Lady is a Vampire" (お嬢さんは吸血鬼)
 * 9) "Shine! The Deadly Miracle Ball" (輝け! 必殺の魔球)
 * 10) "The Dreadful Driverless-Car Army" (恐怖の無人車軍団)
 * 11) "S.O.S. Koko and Kiki" (SOSココとキキ)
 * 12) "Mama is Mermaid" (ママはマーメイド)
 * 13) "Papa Sells the Earth" (地球を売るパパ)
 * 14) "Attack! The Huge Lizards" (攻撃！巨大トカゲ)
 * 15) "Reckless Rider Mai" (暴走ライダー麻衣)
 * 16) "The Girl Who Had Wings" (翼を持った少女！)
 * 17) "Nagasaki's Mysterious Ghost Ship" (長崎の謎の幽霊船)
 * 18) "Ahames' Challenge" (アハメスの挑戦！)
 * 19) "Bet on Sayaka!" (さやかに賭けろ！)
 * 20) "Grand Counterattack! Giluke" (大逆襲！ギルーク)
 * 21) "Gozma's Big Star" (ゴズマの大スター)
 * 22) "The Soldier Who Disappeared Into a Mirror" (鏡に消えた戦士)
 * 23) "The Boy Who Rides Dolphins" (イルカに乗る少年)
 * 24) "Runaway Gyodai" (ギョダーイの家出)
 * 25) "Sing With a Great Voice" (歌え！大きな声で)
 * 26) "Mai's 20-Year-Old First Love" (麻衣20歳の初恋)
 * 27) "Gator's Dream of Parent and Child" (ゲーター親子の夢)
 * 28) "The Cursed Crayon" (呪われたクレヨン)
 * 29) "Protect the Flower! Phantom Butterfly" (花を守れ！幻の蝶)
 * 30) "Run, Pegasus!" (走れ！ペガサス！)
 * 31) "Reveal It! The Mystery of Bazoo" (暴け！バズーの謎)
 * 32) "Nana: Dangerous Reunion" (ナナ！危険な再会)
 * 33) "The End of Girook?" (ギルークの最期！？)
 * 34) "Ahames the Terrible" (恐ろしきアハメス)
 * 35) "Earth, Help Us!" (地球よ！助けて！)
 * 36) "Behold Our Power!" (見たか！俺達の力)
 * 37) "Missing Dragon" (消えたドラゴン！)
 * 38) "Ghost Baseball" (幽霊ベースボール)
 * 39) "Dreadful Hide-and-Seek" (恐怖のかくれんぼ)
 * 40) "Strange Candy" (おかしなお菓子)
 * 41) "The Missing Prince of the Stars" (消えた星の王子！)
 * 42) "Sailor-Suited Nana" (セーラー服のナナ)
 * 43) "Super Giluke" (スーパーギルーク)
 * 44) "Leave it to Mai!" (麻衣におまかせ！)
 * 45) "The Rainbow-Colored Girl Ira" (虹色の少女アイラ)
 * 46) "Beautiful Sheema" (美しきシーマ！)
 * 47) "Gaata's Tears of Parent and Child" (ゲーター親子の涙)
 * 48) "Pirate Booba's Storm of Love" (海賊ブーバ愛の嵐)
 * 49) "The Sad Sheema Beast Soldier" (哀しきシーマ獣士)
 * 50) "The Day Gozma Trembled" (ゴズマが震えた日)
 * 51) "Nana, Tell Him!" (ナナよ！伝えて！)
 * 52) "Booba Dies on Earth" (ブーバ地球に死す)
 * 53) "Fiery Ahames" (炎のアハメス！)
 * 54) "Girook Grand Explosion" (ギルーク大爆発！)
 * 55) "Farewell, Space Friends" (さらば宇宙の友よ)

Films

 * Changeman theatrical short
 * Changeman Shuttle Base! The Critical Moment!

International broadcast and home video

 * In its home country of Japan, both of the Changeman films were released on VHS. Dengeki Sentai Changeman: The Movie and Dengeki Sentai Changeman: Shuttle Base! The Critical Moment! as well as on DVD for "Super Sentai THE MOVIE BOX" on July 21, 2003, later released on "Super Sentai The MOVIE VOL.3" on July 21, 2004, and a Blu-Ray release on June 21, 2011 as part of the "Super Sentai THE MOVIE Blu-Ray BOX 1976-1995." In 2009 from June 21 till October 21, the full series was released on home video for the first time with five DVD volumes and each volume contains 11 episodes in a 2-disc set. Seven episodes (being 1, 33, 43, 51-53 and 55) are included in the Super Sentai Ichimi Blu-ray 1982-1986" released on April 14, 2021 for a Blu-Ray release.
 * In Thailand, the series was aired with a Thai dub in 1987 on Channel 7, distributed and licensed by TIGA Company, Ltd. There were also two Thai dubs made for home video over the years, one released by Square Video and another later on by Focus, bringing the total of three Thai dubs.
 * The series was broadcast in Brazil under the title Esquadrão Relâmpago Changeman (Lightning Squadron Changeman) airing on Rede Manchete on February 22, 1988 with all episodes dubbed in Brazilian Portuguese. It was a huge hit and was the first Super Sentai to air in the region and has enjoyed unprecendeted success along with another Toei tokusatsu series MegaBeast Investigator Juspion (which aired as O Fantástico Jaspion) as that aired around the same time on the same channel, causing them to air more tokusatsu shows. Years later, it continued re-runs on other channels and it even received a VHS release by Everest Video at the peak of its popularity spread across several volumes. It even received a full DVD release with all episodes included with both the original Japanese audio with Brazilian Portuguese subtitles and also the Brazilian Portuguese dub included.
 * In Indonesia, the series aired on TVRI in 1988 with an Indonesian dub. And it aired again on MNCTV in 1994.
 * In South Korea, the series was imported and dubbed in Korean in 1993 exclusively for home video by Daeyoung Panda and released under the same title as the original Japanese title (전격전대 체인지맨, Jeongyeogjeondae Cheinjimaen). This marks the first and only time that a Korean dubbed Sentai kept the title as is. As for the Korean dub of Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger, it was officially renamed as Power Rangers Changeman. (파워레인저 체인지맨)

Cast

 * Hiryu Tsurugi: Haruki Hamada
 * Sho Hayate: Kazuoki Takahashi
 * Yuma Ozora: Shiro Izumi
 * Sayaka Nagisa, Fake Sayaka (episode 22) and Icarus' mother (Episode 41): Hiroko Nishimoto
 * Mai Tsubasa: Mai Oishi
 * Commander Yui Ibuki: Jun Fujimaki
 * Officer Suzuki: Genshu Suzuki
 * Officer Shoji: Hirokazu Shoji
 * Officer Watanabe: Minoru Watanabe
 * Officer Nomoto: Nahoko Nomoto
 * Officer Kikuchi: Kaori Kikuchi
 * Waraji: Kazuhiko Ohara
 * Nana: Tokie Shibata
 * General Giluke: Shohei Yamamoto
 * Queen Ahames; Voice of Maze: Fukumi Kuroda
 * Star King Bazeu: Kazuto Kuwabara
 * Adjutant Booba: Yoshinori Okamoto
 * Adjutant Sheema: Kana Fujieda

Voice actors

 * Star King Bazeu: Seizō Katō
 * Adjutant Sheema (Male voice): Michiro Iida
 * Navigator Gator: Hiroshi Masuoka
 * Gyodai: Takeshi Watabe
 * Zoorii: Makoto Kōsaka
 * Narration: Nobuo Tanaka

Crew

 * Directors: Minoru Yamada, Takao Nagaishi, Nagafumi Hori
 * Writers: Hirohisa Soda, Kunio Fujii, Kyoko Sagiyama
 * Action Directors: Junji Yamaoka, Ryoujirou Nishimoto

Songs
The opening theme is "Dengeki Sentai Changeman" (電撃戦隊チェンジマン) and the closing theme is "Never Stop Changeman" (Never Stopチェンジマン). Both have lyrics by Yoshiaki Sagara (さがら よしあき), music by Katsuo Ohno (大野 克夫), arrangements by Tatsumi Yano (矢野 立美) and were sung by Kage.