Dengeki Sentai Changeman (Laura Clarke's Version)

Dengeki Sentai Changeman (電撃戦隊チェンジマン) is the 9th series of the Super Sentai series. It aired from February 2, 1985 to February 22, 1986, running for 55 episodes. This Sentai is based on European mythological animals. Changeman was released in South Korea as Lightning Squadron Changeman (전격전대 체인지맨 Jeongyeog Jeondae Cheinjimaen).

Production
The success of Choudenshi Bioman had exceeded Toei's expectations with its popularity and sales and the follow-up season was to continue with this trend. However, the companies involved believed that they were aiming for too "mature" an audience with the work with many of it's experimental aspects, such as no "monsters of the week" or giant growths. Hoping to recapture the younger audiences, many of the typical Sentai tropes would return with this season, with a more "traditional" villain squadron by way of the Star League Gozma, while creating a Sentai squad who was based on the Japanese Self-Defense Forces as the heroes by way of the Earth Defense Force the team associates with while keeping an element of "youth" for the squad. However in order to keep much of the interest of the older audience, the element of the villains was expanded as to not just make them one "united organization of evil", creating a dramatic approach where the Gozma were treated as invaders who came to Earth due to unavoidable circumstances, allowing for the creation of drama which would allow for a better blend of aspects to interest both younger and older Sentai viewers. As new gimmicks, elements of the supernatural were added in by associating fantastic creatures with the powers of this Sentai team, as well as the first shell-based bazooka cannon finisher. In regards to toys, the Super Sentai franchise had to work with the Metal Heroes franchise to keep up the interest in their audience in purchasing their items, particularly with the male audience turning in the mid 80s to new items of entertainment such as home video game systems.

Of particular note with this season was it's airing of 55 episodes, making it the second longest Super Sentai after Gorenger. It was originally scheduled to end in January at 51 episodes, but a delay in the early filming of Changeman's follow-up lead to the addition of four extra episodes at the end of the story.

Plot
After already conquering hundreds of planets, the Great Star League Gozma sets its sights onto Earth. To defend the lands in such a great crisis, the military begins a special branch known as the Earth Defense Force, comprised of elite members from all areas of the military. Under the supervision of Commander Ibuki, the numerous gathered soldiers of the Earth Defense Force begin a harsh training.

As their first action, the Gozma decide to eliminate those who pose the greatest risk of interfering with their invasion — the military. After a particularly brutal day of training, the Earth Defense Force are fed up with Ibuki's cruel ways and abandon the training session. Soon afterwards they're met with an attack by numerous Gozma troops. Five surviving officers gather together, beaten and exhausted, but refusing to step down from this threat. Just then, the earth shakes and it empowers the five with the Earth Force, enabling them to possess the power of mythological beasts. With the mystical power of the Earth Force and the technology of the military, the Changeman begin their war against Gozma.

Allies

 * Earth Defense Force
 * Supreme Commander Johnson (5)
 * General Honda (5, 36)
 * Doctor Togo (26)
 * Dengeki Squadron
 * Commander Yui Ibuki
 * Captain Inogoro (3)
 * Officer Suzuki
 * Officer Shouji
 * Officer Watanabe
 * Officer Nomoto
 * Officer Kikuchi
 * All Super Sentai

Aliens
The Changemen meet other aliens who end up on Earth, both good and evil, because of Gozma.

Alien Allies

 * Nana
 * Sakura (16, 55)
 * Zoorii (27, 47 & 49-55)
 * Kukku (51 - 55)
 * Waraji (27, 47 & 49-55)

Booba Pirates

 * Gigara (29)
 * Jill (48)
 * Bubuka (48)

Other Aliens

 * Taro (7)
 * Koko and Kiki (11)
 * Shinpei Mizuhara (23)
 * Aira (45)

Great Star League Gozma

 * Star King Bazeu
 * General Giluke
 * Adjutant Booba
 * Adjutant Shiima
 * Uba (4, 12, 46 & 49)
 * Doctor Kumazawa (13 & 14)
 * Queen Ahames (17-53)
 * Jangeran (32-50)
 * Jan (50)
 * Geran (50 & 51)
 * Ahames's Space Beast Trio (32-36)
 * Gizan (32-36)
 * Jella (32-35)
 * Davon (32-34)
 * Navigator Gator
 * Gyodai
 * Volta (21)
 * Icarus (41)
 * Bola (41)
 * Great Star League Gozma Mechanics
 * Mothership Gozmard
 * Gozma Pod
 * Gozma Fighters
 * Hidrer Soldiers
 * Space Beast Warriors
 * Gabu (1)
 * Gomu (2)
 * Zobi (3)
 * Picara (5)
 * Kamira (Movie 1)
 * Marzo (6)
 * Demost (7)
 * Dokyura (8)
 * Ooz (9)
 * Haust (10)
 * Ghost (11)
 * Bamba (12)
 * Ballas (13 & 14)
 * Rogan (15)
 * Gaubar (16)
 * Gilba (17 & 18)
 * Jeeg (19)
 * Seala (20)
 * Miralca (22)
 * Zela (23)
 * Dodon (Movie 2)
 * Kiga (24)
 * Zonos (25)
 * Hougul (26)
 * Gilom (27)
 * Pain (28)
 * Derical (30)
 * Zolbas (31)
 * Baruruka (37)
 * Doron (38)
 * Damus (39)
 * Zolte (40)
 * Kaage (42)
 * Gouda (43)
 * Zados (38-44)
 * Daros (45)
 * Galga (46)
 * Jigura (47)
 * Zuune (49)
 * Daryl (52)
 * Maze (53)
 * Girath (54)

Songs

 * Opening: Dengeki Sentai Changeman
 * Ending: Never Stop Changeman
 * Mecha Theme (Change Robo): Fight! Change Robo
 * Kagayake! Changeman
 * Love Forever
 * We Can Change
 * Great Passion ~Jounetsu no Arashi~
 * Mermaid and Phoenix
 * Earth Force, Shukumei no Hoshi
 * Wakasa de Changeman
 * Pinch wa Chance da, Changeman

Cast

 * Hiryuu Tsurugi (剣 飛竜): Haruki Hamada (浜田治貴)
 * Shou Hayate (疾風 翔): Kazuoki Takahashi (高橋 和興)
 * Yuma Ozora (大空 勇馬): Shiro Izumi (和泉 史郎)
 * Sayaka Nagisa (渚 さやか): Hiroko Nishimoto (西本ひろ子)
 * Mai Tsubasa​ (翼 麻衣): Mai Ooishi (大石麻衣)
 * Chief Yui Ibuki (ユイ・イブキ): Jun Fujimaki (藤巻潤)
 * Officer Suzuki: Genshu Suzuki (鈴木玄秀)
 * Officer Shoji: Hirokazu Shoji (庄司 浩和)
 * Officer Watanabe: Minoru Watanabe (渡辺実)
 * Officer Nomoto: Nahoko Nomoto (野本奈穂子)
 * Officer Kikuchi: Kaori Kikuchi (菊池香理)
 * Icarus' mother: Hiroko Nishimoto (episode 41)
 * Nana: Miyako Hayakawa (早川美也子), Tokie Shibata (柴田時江)
 * Sakura: Sachiko Shigeno
 * General Giluke (ギルーク司令): Shohei Yamamoto (山本昌平)
 * Queen Ahames (女王アハメス); Voice of Maze: Fukumi Kuroda (黒田 福美)
 * Adjutant Booba (副官ブーバ): Yoshinori Okamoto (岡本美登)
 * Adjutant Shiima (副官シーマ): Kana Fujieda (藤枝かな)
 * Shiima (Voice): Michirou Iida (飯田 道朗)
 * Star King Bazeu (星王バズー): Kazuto Kuwahara (桑原一人)
 * Star King Bazeu (Voice): Seizō Katō (加藤 精三)
 * Gyodai (ギョダーイ): Takeshi Watabe (渡部猛)
 * Gator (ゲーター): Hiroshi Masuoka (増岡弘)
 * Zoorii (ゾーリー): Makoto Kousaka (高坂真琴)
 * Waraji (ワラジー): Kazuhiko Ohara (大原和彦)
 * Narrator: Nobuo Tanaka

Guest Stars

 * Saga (ep 19): Tsutomu Kitagawa
 * Nana's Adoptive Mother (eps 32-33): Yuriko Hishimi
 * Aira (ep 45): Youko Nakamura

Stunts

 * ChangeDragon: Kazuo Niibori
 * ChangeGriffon: Koji Matoba
 * ChangePegasus: Tsutomu Kitagawa
 * ChangeMermaid: Masato Akada
 * ChangePhoenix: Yuichi Hachisuka
 * Star King Bazoo: Kazuto Kuwabara
 * Gyodai/Change Robo: Hideaki Kusaka
 * Gator: Minoru Watanabe

Crew

 * Directors:
 * Minoru Yamada, Takao Nagaishi, Nagafumi Hori
 * Writers:
 * Hirohisa Soda (main writer), Kunio Fujii, Kyoko Sagiyama
 * Action Director:
 * Junji Yamaoka, Ryojirou Nishimoto

Stage Shows

 * Changeman Stage Show at Super Hero Korakuen Yuenchi