JAPAN "LIVE ACTION" HERO
BIO MAN (1984) "PABORITO KO 2 NOONG GRADE SCHOOL PA AKO"
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JAPAN "LIVE ACTION" HERO
BIO MAN (1984) "PABORITO KO 2 NOONG GRADE SCHOOL PA AKO" |
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CHODENSHI BIOMAN is Toei's 1984 entry to the Super Sentai
series. Super Sentai is a subgenre of the "henshin hero" (transforming hero) genre of Japanese science fiction.
This genre started with 1975's Himitsu Sentai Goranger (Secret Task Force Five Rangers) and involved five heroes with
different colored costumes fighting a monster-of-the-week. Since 1979's Bttle Fever J, the series has also been
associated with giant robots, usually formed from different components piloted by the sentai heroes. For more on the
super-sentai series, please check out the links page. This site was created because the author felt a lack of available
comprehensive sites concentrating on the older Sentai series. Bioman was the choice of sentai because it is the one
that I'm most familiar with. A lot of Filipinos and Frenchmen still remember this show, you know... BIOMIC SOLDIER is a nonprofit website dedicated to the propagation
and preservation of Chodenshi Bioman fandom. Disclaimer: CHODENSHI BIOMAN and all
related elements are property of Asahi Network, Toei Company, LTD and Toei Agency.© 1984. Biomic Soldier: The Super Electron Bioman
Chronicles © 2003 by Philip Nino Tan-Gatue.
GOU SHIROU played by RYOSUKE SAKAMOTO 24 year old pilot. Shirou is the pilot of the
first Japanese space shuttle. Unfortunately, he gets caught in the crossfire just as the Gear begin the invasion. In him, passion and responsibility unite in an unusual combination. He
is a little quick-tempered at times. Because of the power of the Bio Particles, Red One is able to speak with animals. 500 years ago, when the Bio Robot came and showered people with Bio Particles, Shirou's ancestor was there. The ancestor was a samurai
of the warrior class. Is it any wonder that Shirou is quite adept with the use of the sword? He is also good with many
sports, and is adept at various forms of martial arts. Shirou grew up believing that his father was dead. However,
after meeting Professor Shibata, even he is not so sure. Interesting anecdote about Mr. Sakamoto from Damien
Martinet: "For your information, M. Sakamoto was interviewed in the last issue of
Toei Hero Max magazine and he was telling that he had been in the Philippines a while ago as a volunteer. He was surprised
to see that Bioman was broadcast at that time and enjoyed playing with kids and making the transformation pose for them !"
(He was here and I didn't know about it? Darn! - Phil) Red One shares standard powers with the other Biomen
as chronicled in the Team Attacks page. His unique abilities include the following:
SHINGO TAKASUGI played by NAOTO OTA 23 year old race car driver. Shingo can be very tough
to enemies yet very kind to children, for whom he has a soft spot for. Yet despite his bravado, there are times when
Shingo doubts his own abilities. Once, he was depressed when a little boy's confidence in him was shattered. Another
time, he doubted himself after he quit playing baseball as a high schooler. Yet despite these doubts, Shingo knows what
he must do and does them as well as possible. At one time, at band camp (just kidding), he pretended to be a criminal
and ended up having a boy idolize and imitate him. To prove to the boy that crime does not pay, Shingo let himself be
beaten up by street thugs while the boy was watching! Green Two is the designated driver of the Bio Turbo. This
is natural as he is the best driver on the team. He also breakdances and this is incorporated into his attacks.
Shingo's ancestor who received the Bio Particles was a hunter. Green Two
shares standard powers with the other Biomen as chronicled in the Team Attacks page. His unique abilities include the following
RYUUTA NANBARA played by AKIHITO OOSUGA 19 year old watersportsman. Boyish and adventurous,
Ryuuta loves to explore and discover things new. Do not mistake him for an absent-minded child, though, he is quite
level headed and full of determination, as his confrontation with the evil Prince showed. His years of diving have made
him very nimble, and thus he is very skilled in stealth techniques. His personality is evident when he helps a girl return a
stolen statue to the rightful owner. Ryuuta's ancestor who received the Bio Particles was a peasant. I wouldn't be surprised
if he was a fisherman. Blue Three shares standard powers with the other Biomen
as chronicled in the team page. His unique abilities include the following:
MIKA KOIZUMI played by YUKI YAJIMA 18 year old camerawoman. Dreams of following in her
brother's footseps to photograph the wildlife in Africa. Initially, Mika is hesitant to join the Bioman team.
However, she is convinced when she realizes that if she doesn't fight, then even the animals in Africa that she loves will
eventually be in danger. For someone who is hesitant to do battle, Mika is a powerful and skilled martial artist. She is the descendant of a ninja who was exposed to bio
particles. However, Mika is not one to hide behind others when facing danger. Her strong personality and strong
sense of justice eventually led her to sacrifice her life by absorbing the full brunt of the Anti-bioparticle blast in episode
10. She died a true heroine. Yellow Four shares standard powers with the other
Biomen as chronicled in the team attack page. Her unique abilities include the following:
JUN YABUKI played by SUMIKO TANAKA 19 year old olympic archer. After watching the
Biomen in action, she tries to join them but is initially refused, even though Mika Koizumi had just died. The others were looking for another descendant of the original five who were bombarded
with bio particles. However, she proves her courage, and it was also a pleasant surprise to discover that Jun has Bio
Particles also! It was thus with great joy that she was presented with a technobrace to become the new Yellow Four.
Jun has to sacrifice her membership in the Japanese Olympic Archery Team, yet her skills become invaluable to the Bioman team. Yellow Four
shares standard powers with the other Biomen as chronicled in the Team Attacks page. Her unique abilities include the following:
HIKARU KATSURAGI played by MICHIKO MAKINO 20 year old carnival flutist. Sweet yet strong, a
mistress of disguise. Unusually strong spirit yet with a strong motherly instinct. She plays the flute both to
calm her spirits and to strengthen her resolve. Willing to risk her life to save children from a mysterious plague,
disguising herself as a nurse (she has a soft spot for nurses) to look at the patients, and later on, risking infection in
order to find a cure. Another time, at band camp (hey she DOES play a flute...), she is able to befriend the evil computer
Brain and teach it about friendship. Hikaru is descended from a upper-class noblewoman who was bombarded with Bio Particles.. Pink Five shares standard powers with the other Biomen
as chronicled in the Team Attacks page. Her unique abilities include the following:
Peebo is the guardian of the Bio Particles,
Bio Robot and Bio Dragon. She came to earth 500 years ago and showered five courageous people with Bio Particles.
Now that Gear has made its move, it is time for Peebo to summon descendants of the original five...
Thinking himself an orphan, in reality he is
the son of Doctorman. At first, Doctorman tries to get him to join Gear, but Junichi rejects Doctorman. (episodes 25-26)
Eventually, Junichi finds and joins Dr. Shibata (43-44). Later, he helps the Biomen ultimately defeat Gear. (47-51)
A brilliant cybernetics and robotics professor who develops
a "conscience circuit". Later revealed to have a dual identity...
A mountain youth who loves nature. He also possesses
formidable fighting skills. He meets and falls in love with Jun Yabuki and tries to join the team. Later, Gear mind-controls him into becoming an evil armored being powered by negative magnetism.
He is freed by Jun and eventually proposes marriage to her. Unfortunately for him, Jun refuses. (episode 35-36).
Total length: 25.6 m Weight: 368 t Full speed:
Mach 12 Piloted by the others. Tentative name was BIO FOOT 2. (I'm glad they changed it.)
Carrier ship for Bio Jets one and two, On the
fuselage side, 2 laser guns are equipped. With the magnetic force crane, it can pick up an inert Bio Robot. Was originally to be named BIOMUSASHI
The Bio Robot is 52 m tall, 920 tons heavy
and can fly at a maximum speed of Mach 3. Coming from the Bio Star 500 years ago, it is
the Bio Robot that showers five youths with Bio Particles. In episode one, it is the Bio Robot that also gathers our
five protagonists together, literally picking them up like action figures! It is also semi-sentient, showing fear at
the arrival of Silver. Unlike other sentai robots, The Bio Robot has
an arsenal of attacks with his sword, the Super Mazer.
Usual method of Bio Particle Irradiation; how
the five biomen's ancestors were given bioparticles years ago. Can also be used destructively.
One of many other sword techniques that I can't
understand the names.
The Super Mazer is charged with Bio Particles.
Used against later Mechagigans.
Straightforward thrust.
Vulcan cannons on the shoulders
The Neo Empire Gear was founded and led by
the cyborg Doctorman. After Doctorman comes the Big Three, Meison, Fara and Monster, who supervise field missions.
Adding some muscle to the Big Three are the Beastnoids. These are five mechanical monsters with special abilities. The bulk of their forces is composed of generic android
soldiers known as mechaclones. Fara is also assisted by Faracat. Gear's secret base Neograd is located in the
South Pole. From Neograd Gear launches Mirage fighter ships and Mechagigan launch pods. Mechagigans are giant robot warriors and are usually used as a last resort by Gear. Covered below are the principal members of Gear.
Click on one to see his/her profile and sketches. Not included in the picture are Prince and the mechaclones.
Yet a counter-Bio alliance formed, seeking
to overthrow the Bio Star rulers. Anticipating the use of the Bio Particles as weapons, this group developed the android
Bio Hunter Silver. Silver was programmed for one purpose only: to destroy anything and everything that contains or is
powered by Bio Particles. Silver first appeared in episode 37, hijacking
a mechagigan and going off to look for Balzion, who was separated from Silver when he first arrived on earth. Together,
their power is so formidable, that even the semi sentient Bio Robot is paralyzed with fear! For Silver had assimilated
half of the power of the Bio Particles for himself, and for him to regain the rest, he must destroy the current wielders:
the BIOMEN!
Nope, it's BIOMIC (sic). The name of this website was
inspired by the ending theme song of the TV series, entitled "BIOMIC SOLDIER". It's even spelled out in the song ("B!-I!-O!-M!-I!-C!")
Check it out on the Song Lyrics page. Even the Philippine English dub uses the term "biomic" as in biomic brain and biomic missile. 2) Do you sell Bioman videos? Do you know who else sells
Bioman videos and merchandise? No, I don't sell videos. I know I should be getting
paid for advertising them (ahem ahem), but try Henshin Video Heroes. Be sure to mention this site when contacting them! For those who prefer VCD format, well, I don't know anyone
in particular. If enough people contact me to offer to sell their products, perhaps I'll open a classified ads seciton.
In the meantime, we should hope and pray that Toei releases Bioman on DVD soon. Boy, I'd love that. 3) Why was the first Yellow Four killed off? Obviously, because the actress (Yuki Yajima) had to leave.
Now why she left is something I've wondered also. This is one apocryphal story that I've heard somewhere: Yuki Yajima
is a member of the Japan Action Club or JAC, a group of stuntmen. Her contract was with THEM, not directly with Toei
( or so my contact said...). I was told that at the time, JAC was in a financial nadir, and Ms. Yajima quit JAC.
The problem is, by quitting JAC, she couldn't continue with Bioman anymore. Hence, a hastily written Episode 10 where
Yuki Yajima doesn't even appear except in flashback. Yellow Four there appears in costume all throughout. So we
had one episode with no out-of-suit Yellow Four. Enough time (I presume) to find a replacement, Sumiko Tanaka as Jun
Yabuki, the new Yellow Four. I am not sure of the reliability of this story, but I am inclined
to believe the following: Yuki Yajima did leave quite abruptly, too abruptly to film an episode showing her character to be
seen leaving. In other sentai shows,, when an actor or actress leaves and a new character takes over the sentai member,
the writers find a way to "write them off". Battle Cossack 1 of Battle Fever J was shown killed in civilian form, while
Vul Eagle 1 of Sun Vulcan was promoted and a new Vul Eagle took his place. The two Vul Eagles were even seen shaking
hands (untransformed, of course). With Bioman this didn't happen at all, and Yellow Four 1 was never shown out of costume
in the episode where she died. If anyone can confirm the aforementioned story, and/or tell me the real deal, I'tll be
much appreciated. 4) Sun Vulcan? Battle Fever J? What's all this sentai
stuff you keep mentioning? Sentai means "battle team" and is a genre of Japanese sci-fi
tv. The premise is five (or so) heroes in different colored yet similar costumes fighting a monster of the week and
possessing a giant robot (for toy merchandising). Find out more at http://www.supersentai.com, Toei's Super Sentai Site (in Japanese). For weekly updates on the current sentai team, check out http://www.sentaispoilers.com. Sentai has been going on for more than 25 years, with a new team each year. 5) Does Bioman have anything to do with Power Rangers? Only in that Power Rangers is culled from different sentai
shows made by Toei. Bioman is the 1984 sentai. 6) Why does Bioman have only one robot? I thought sentai
teams have several robots? Not all sentai teams have several robots. Two (Goranger
and JAKQ) don't even have any. Sentai robots started in 1979 with Battle Fever J, and multiple robots started in 1986
with Flashman's Flash King and Flash Titan. Combining robots started with 1988's Liveman having Live Robo and Live Boxer combining
to form Super Live Robo. Disclaimer: CHODENSHI BIOMAN and all
related elements are property of Asahi Network, Toei Company, LTD and Toei Agency.© 1984. Biomic Soldier: The Super Electron Bioman
Chronicles © 2003 by Philip Nino Tan-Gatue. |
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