Rainbowman (レインボーマン, Reinbōman) is the name and titular superhero of the tokusatsu TV series Warrior of Love Rainbowman (愛の戦士レインボーマン, Ai no Senshi Reinbōman). Created by Kōhan Kawauchi, this was the first superhero TV series produced by Toho Company Ltd., and was broadcast on NET (now TV Asahi) from October 6, 1972 to September 18, 1973, with a total of 52 episodes. Mitsuru Adachi wrote a manga series based on the show which was serialized in TV Magazine Otomodachi from 1972 to 1973.
Plot
Rainbowman's Dashes
The series focuses on Takeshi Yamato, a young man who, after training in India with the yogi sage Devadatta, gains the ability to transform into a superhero called Rainbowman who possesses seven different superhero forms called "Dashes", with the seven Dashes representing yin and yang (the Moon and the Sun) and the five elements (wu xing) of ancient Chinese philosophy. In each Dash form, (with Dash 1 representing the Moon (yellow), Dash 2 representing fire (red), Dash 3 representing water (blue), Dash 4 representing wood (green), Dash 5 representing metal (gold), Dash 6 representing earth (brown) and Dash 7 representing the Sun (white)), Rainbowman is endowed with a color-coded costume and powers related to that element. When he returns to Japan he battles The Die Die Gang and its leader, Mr. K.
Characters
| Rainbowman | Takeshi Yamato |
Villains
- Iguana
- Fudora
- Prof. Garado
- Garuma
- Icelee
- Herodenia III
- Hedoron
- Geno-Bat
- L-Banda
- Malinda
- Norma
- Mogurard
- Olga
- DAC
- Lolita
- Pagora
- Dakkaa
- Dr. Borg
- God Iguana
- Bat Sister
- Mummy Sister
- Master Sorcerer of Death's Head Man
- Praying Mantis Man
Shine Shine Dan
Notes
- An animated adaption series of Rainbowman was broadcasting in Japan from 1982 to 1983, made by Tatsunoko Productions. This version of Rainbowman is different from its original tokusatsu counterpart, in addition, it even added a Giant Robot called "Rainbow Seven".