Choukou Senshi Changerion

This article is about a show in the Tokusatsu Super Hero subgenre.

Choukou Senshi Changerion
Information
Number of episodes	39
First episode	A Hero!! Me?
Last episode	Over the Times…
Original airing	April 3, 1996 - December 25, 1996

Choukou Senshi Changerion (超光戦士シャンゼリオン, Chōkō Senshi Shanzerion), translated as "Super Optical Soldier Changerion", 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. Alphabet notation for title is originally "Changéríon" written in French, but "Changerion" written in English is often used instead.

In April 2020, Changerion became one of the 70 shows to stream on the Toei Tokusatsu World Youtube channel.

Features

This work was produced as a tokusatsu televison drama produced by Toei Company, and was the first single-shot film in 11 years, since Kyodai Ken Byclosser. It is characterized by an unconventional story which unfolds through its unique characters, including the protagonist.

Planning Process

Unlike other Toei tokusatsu work, Sega was attached as the main sponsor. The film Mechanical Violator Hakaider, which was released the prior year, had also been co-produced with Sega, making this work their second.

Originally considered as a TV series of Mechanical Violator Hakaider, it was decided to produce an original work because it is a new program frame. Around that time, Toei producer Susumu Yoshikawa was considering a new material hero planning with a rainbow molding, which led to the creation of a transparent hero concept.

The series title at the time of planning was Mascaraizer (マスカレイザー Masukareizā), and it was confirmed that it was used as a title proposal until around October 1995. The protagonist was supposed to transform into four forms or Roles in addition to the Mascaraizer (who looks similar to the final design), and it was revealed that the Mascaraizer was not supposed to appear until the end of battles, with the action left to other Roles. The TV broadcast was described as a one-year schedule in the plan, with it later being shortened to 39 episodes, and the final battle being reached without defeating the enemy. However, there seems to have been a plan for the final round without defeating the enemy even before the shortening was decided, and Toei's official website also said, “There was no other way to finish it”. In addition, if it was broadcast for the full year as originally planned, it is said that there was a possibility that the next version of Changéríon would appear. The concept design for this second Changéríon, dubbed Gaiapolon, was also revealed. This information can be confirmed on the site of Tamotsu Shinohara, who was the character designer of Changéríon.

Story

Changéríon and the Super Light Knights.

While escaping their rapidly dying home world of the Dark Dimension, the members of Darkzide came to Earth, where they began to prey on humans for their life-energy, or Larm. Each monster hunts in their own unconventional ways, and many take on human forms to fight more stealthly. To counter this threat, Chief Takeshi Munakata of the Cabinet Secret Service established SAIDOC to intercept Darkzide’s activities. To do so, SAIDOC developed the Crystal Power, thus completing the Changéríon Project. However, before it could be transferred into the body of their well-trained Katsuhiko Hayami, it was accidentally absorbed by detective Akira Suzumura.

Characters

Changerion	Akira Suzumura
The Blader	Katsuhiko Hayami

Super Light Knights

• Riksinki
• Kuretsuki
• Hojinki

Suzumura Detective bureau

• Akemi Tachibana: Akira's aid and supposed girlfriend. She is very reliable and she is the pivot of the detective office of Akira. She left Suzuma to be a kindergarten teacher.　
• Rui Kiribara: Akira's new aid. Her capability as detective is higher than Akira's. In fact, Rui is actually the daughter of a big zaibatsu, and her real name is Reika Ayanokouji.

SAIDOC

• Takeshi Munakata: Chief of SAIDOC. He is anguished that the government doesn't believe in the existence of Darkzide. Because of this, he receives little funding, and is afflicted by financial problems as SAIDOC's development fund is supported with his own money.
• Eri Minami: The only female SAIDOC member. A brave, willful & confident woman. She falls in love with Kuroiwa (Gauzer).

Darkzide

• Dark General Zander
• Priest Modes (神官モードス Shinkan Mōdosu?): A plant-like demon who possesses the Key Bird. Modes is the calm one of the 3 Cadres.
• Dr. Vinsu (博士ヴィンスー Hakase Winsū?): A reptile-like demon.
• Darkness Knight Gauzer: He assumes the human identity of Shogo Kuroiwa, an ambitious man and prideful politician. Initially assisting other Darkzide, he soon turned his ideals towards conquering human society.
• Zafire (ザファイア Zafaia?): She assumes the human identity of Sayoko (小夜子 Sayoko?). Sayoko abnormally devotes herself to the man whom she loved and wastes him. She murders a rival in love and takes revenge on a man who betrayed her love.
• Dark Aristocrat Destar
• Dark Demon Iceler
• Yurika (ユリカ Yurika?): Kuroiwa's secretary. Yurika loves Kuroiwa.
• Queen Eliza (女王エリーザ Joō Erīza?, 39): Queen of the Darkzide in Parallel world.

Darkzide Monsters

• Gingar (01): Posed as Izumi, the teacher of an elementary school, 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): Posing as a youth with handkerchief, he 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 Super Light Knights.
• Elegis (05)
• Dachura (06)
• Maniya (07)
• Langoria (08)
• Bashiza (09)
• Bakurina (10)
• Shuranza (11)
• Insurar (13)
• Shiragar (14)
• Dogotch (15)
• Gameleo (16)
• Irezuma (19)
• Miminga (21)
• Batanza (22)
• Buroda (25)
• Deringa (26)
• Getora (27)
• Meganosu (28)
• Bochakka (29)
• Gohatto (30): An obsessive Changéríon fan whose main goal was to reform Akira in order to have a proper and "heroic" fight against him. Gohatto also used his singing to psychically control victims.
• Jabu (31)
• Gluris (32)
• Fonder (33)
• Hargun (37-38)
• Glocker (38)

Episodes

1. A Hero!! Me? (ヒーロー！！俺？ Hīrō!! Ore?)
2. Twinkle, Twinkle, my Light Brain (ノーテンキラキラ Nōten Kirakira)
3. A Lot of Brides (花嫁ゾロゾロ Hanayome Zorozoro)
4. Ah friendship, Ah Cruelty (ああ友情　ああ無情 Aa Yūjō, Aa Mujō)
5. Who is the Culprit! (犯人は誰だ！ Hannin wa Dare da!)
6. Sorry, Jiro (ごめんね、ジロウ Gomen ne, Jirō)
7. Idol!! Me? (アイドル！！私？ Aidoru!! Watashi?)
8. Daughter, Pick a Man!! (娘よ、男は選べ！！ Musume yo, Otoko wa Erabe!!)
9. Hayami, Radiant! (速水、燦然！ Hayami, Sanzen!)
10. Not Mackerel! (サバじゃねぇ！ Saba Ja nee!)
11. Save the Konjac (コンニャク残して Konnyaku Nokoshite)
12. Mr. Daruma Fallen (ダルマさん転んだ Darumasan Koron da)
13. Rose and Sunflower (バラとひまわり Bara to Himawari)
14. Farewell, Akemi (サヨナラ、朱美 Sayonara, Akemi)
15. His Super Phantom (超まぼろしのアレ Chōmaboroshi no Are)
16. Bitten Fog Child! (バイトで霧子！ Baito de Kiriko!)
17. Full Rivals (ライバルいっぱい Raibaru Ippai)
18. Further Rivals (さらなるライバル Saranara Raibaru)
19. Your Daughter, this Abnormality (ご令嬢、これ異常 Goreijō, Kore Ijō)
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 Hīrō!! Are? Shanzerion Gekitō no 133 Nichi)
21. Reliving Unrequited Love (モーレツに片思い Mōretsu ni Kataomoi)
22. Phantom Gold Reserves! (幻の埋蔵金！ Maboroshi no Maizō Kin!)
23. Mysterious Dark Courtroom! (ナゾの闇法廷！ Nazo no Yami Hyōtei!)
24. Life's Worst Flirt (人生最悪のナンパ Jinsei Saiaku no Nanpa)
25. Phantom Thief Kuroageha! (怪盗クロアゲハ！ Kaitō Kuroageha!)
26. Black Knight, Arrives! (闇の騎士、出馬！ Yami no Kishi, Shutsuba!)
27. Akemi Returns! (朱美リターンズ！ Akemi Ritānzu!)
28. Dog and Cat and Horse and Deer (犬と猫と馬と鹿 Inu to Neko to Uma to Shika)
29. Hayami is a Criminal! (速水はヤミに！ Hayami wa Yami ni!)
30. A Hero's Teacher! (ヒーローの先生！ Hīrō no Sensei!)
31. Sheep and Pie and Money and (羊とパイと現金と Hitsuji to Pai to Genkin to)
32. The Second Soldier Arrives! (第２の戦士現る！ Daini no Senshi Arawaru!)
33. Not Mackerel! 2 (サバじゃねぇ！２ Saba Ja nee! 2)
34. Is it Friendship? (友情ええやないか Yūjō Ee Yanai ka)
35. Cursing Woman and Helping Woman (呪う女と救いの女 Norō Onna to Sukui no Onna)
36. A New Enemy?! (新たなる敵！か？ Arata naru Teki! ka?)
37. Baketake Before the Storm (嵐の前のバケタケ Arashi no Mae no Baketake)
38. Held the Emperor (皇帝の握ったもの Kōtei no Nigitta Mono)
39. Over the Times… (時（いま）を越えて… Ima o Koete…)

Notes

To Be added