Choudenshi Bioman


Choudenshi Bioman is Toei Company's eighth installment in the Super Sentai metaseries. Its 51 episodes aired on TV Asahi from February 4, 1984 to January 26, 1985 with a movie being released during the show's initial run.
It is the first Super Sentai series to have two females in the main five as well as the first Super Sentai series to have a female Yellow Ranger. The international English title is listed by Toei as Bioman. It was dubbed into English in the Philippines in the late 80's.

Synopsis

The once prosperous Planet Bio is destroyed after a world war erupted over the use of a scientific discovery called "Bio Particles". The Planet Bio Peacekeeping Alliance, which sought to use Bio Particles for peaceful purposes, sends the giant robot Bio Robo and an assistant robot named Peebo to prevent the same tragedy from happening on Earth. Bio Robo arrives in 15th century Japan, where it showers Bio Particles on five young individuals. Five centuries later, the descendants of these individuals, infused with Bio Particles, are chosen by Peebo and Bio Robo to become the Bioman team to protect the Earth from the Neo-Empire Gear, an organization led by mad scientist Doctor Man.

Characters

Bioman

The Bioman are the descendants of five people showered with Bio Particles centuries ago who were spirited way by the Bio Robo during Gear's initial attack to obtain the Techno Braces from Peebo to become the Bioman. To transform individually they call their color and number and to transform as a group they call Bioman. Along with their Bio Swords, a versatile sidearm with sword, dagger, and blaster modes, the Bioman have a variety of team attacks that are executed after their Bio Brain Computers are synched up. Among their team attacks are Bio Electron Beam and Miracle Laser.
;Shirō Gō/Red One: Shirō Gō is the pilot of the first Japanese space shuttle before getting caught in the crossfire just as the Gear begins the invasion. In him, passion and responsibility unite. He grew up believing that his father was dead. However, after meeting Professor Shibata, he is not so sure. The Bio Particles within him enable him to communicate with animals; thus making them useful in reconnaissance missions. His Bio Brain Computer allows him to target any opponent with his Super Electron Radar ability. Armed with the Fire Sword and his special attack is Spark Sword.
;Shingo Takasugi/Green Two: Shingo Takasugi is a race car driver. Shingo can be very tough to enemies yet very kind to children. Despite his bravado, there are times when he doubts his abilities. Despite these doubts, he knows what he must do and does his best. He is the designated driver of Bio Turbo. His Bio Brain Computer allows him to use his Super Electron Scope ability to see through any deception. Armed with the Hurricane Sword and the Green Boomerang and his special attack is Break Action.
;Ryūta Nanbara/Blue Three: Ryūta Nanbara is a water sportsman who is boyish and adventurous. He loves to explore and discover new things. His years of diving have made him very nimble and is skilled in stealth techniques. He can't tolerate bullies considering he used to be one. His Bio Brain Computer allows him to use his Super Electron Ear ability to enhance his sense of hearing. He wields the Elec-Sword and his special attack is Super Sky Diving.
;Mika Koizumi/Yellow Four I: Mika Koizumi was a photographer who dreams of following in her late brother's footsteps to photograph African wildlife. Initially, she is hesitant to join the team until she is convinced that Gear's evil would eventually put the animals in danger. When Gear manage to gather a bit of Anti-Bio Particles to weaponize, Mika dies by Pysgorn's hand sacrificing herself to empty the Bio Killer Gun's ammo so her allies can fight without being poisoned by the Anti-Bio Particles. The others mourn her as Bio Robo activates her Bio-Brain Computer to present her memories to give the Bioman hope. Her Bio Brain Computer allows her to present photographic projections in her Super Electron Holography ability. Her weapon was the Thunder Sword. Her special attack is Strobe Flash.
;Jun Yabuki/Yellow Four II: Jun Yabuki is an Olympic archer. Sometimes dressing up in a hybrid American Indian cowgirl/feudal Japan outfit. The last two letters in her surname "ki" form the kanji for her color. After watching Bioman in action, she tries to join them, but is initially refused due to her lack of understanding how serious the fight is. However, her fearlessness enabled the Bioman to learn that she is also a descendant of the original Bioman. When she accidentally injures Shirō during the Samecanth incident, Jun is confronted by her old squad captain who learns of her reasons for leaving the Olympic archery team and allows her to remain with the Bioman. Having the same abilities and arsenal as her predecessor, the new Yellow Four also uses the Bio Arrow as her weapon.
;Hikaru Katsuragi/Pink Five: Hikaru Katsuragi is a carnival flutist. She is sweet yet strong and is a mistress of disguise. She bears an unusually strong spirit with a strong motherly instinct. She plays the flute to calm her spirits and to strengthen her resolve. She is able to befriend the evil computer Brain and teach him about friendship, which pays off when Brain sacrifices himself to save the Bioman and the world from destruction. She is the most emotional member of the team. Her Bio Brain Computer allows her to use her Super Electron Beamlight ability. She wields the Laser Sword. Her special attacks are Pink Flash, Pink Barrier and Spin Chop.

Allies

The Neo-Empire Gear was founded and led by the cyborg Doctor Man, from his Neo-Cloud fortress at the South Pole. Gear's forces believe themselves to be a technologically advanced society with the right to rule Earth.
The Five Beast Warrior Jyunoids are mechanical monsters that fight the Biomen and support the Big Three in their battles.
Bio Hunter Silva is a robot who was given the Anti-Bio Particles as a power source and with a built-in arrow launcher in his elbow, from Planet Bio built by the Anti-Bio Union with the objective to terminate anything with Bio Particles. However, Silva malfunctions and uses his mecha Balzion to destroy Planet Bio. Tracking the Bio Particle signature of Peebo and Bio Robo, Silva arrives on Earth to complete his objective. Though an arch-enemy of the Bioman, Silva is also at odds with Gear who desire to utilize Balzion's technology for their own use. Losing his robot, Silva retrieves Balzion while killing Mason. In the end, Silva is destroyed when Balzion was defeated by a sudden charge of Bio Energy from Bio Robo.

Episodes

Movie

A movie version of Chōdenshi Bioman premiered at the Toei Manga Matsuri film festival on July 14, 1984, the same day episode 24 aired. It was directed by Nagafumi Hori and written by Hirohisa Soda, who both worked on the series. The events of the movie are set somewhere between Episodes 11 and 31 due to the presence of Jun Yabuki as Yellow Four and the appearance of all five Beastnoids.

International broadcasts

;Asia
Bioman aired in the Philippines on ABS-CBN in 1987-1989 and IBC-13 in 1993-2000 - making it the third Sentai show to be broadcast there since Battle Fever J and Taiyou Sentai Sunvulcan. It was also the last tokusatsu title in the Philippines to be dubbed in English, as Space Sheriff Shaider - which was aired on the same year - began the trend of dubbing tokusatsu in Filipino. In recent years, Bioman was re-broadcast and re-dubbed in Filipino. The series also aired on Channel 7 in Thailand. It was aired in South Korea under the title Space Commando Bioman.
;Europe
The series was very popular in France, being first aired in Canal + in 1985, every Saturday at 12:30, and later on TF1, on the programme Club Dorothée, from September 2, 1987 with singer/actor Bernard Minet recording a French version of the show's theme for that country. It also was released dubbed on video in Greece.
;United States
In 1986, Haim Saban produced a pilot episode of an American adaptation of the series simply titled Bio-Man.

Cast

;Opening theme
;Ending theme