The is a

tokusatsu is a Japanese term for live-action films or television programs that make heavy use of practical special effects. Credited to special effects director Eiji Tsuburaya, ''tokusatsu'' mainly refers to science fiction film, science fiction, War fi ...

superhero A superhero or superheroine is a fictional character who typically possesses ''superpowers'' or abilities beyond those of ordinary people, is frequently costumed concealing their identity, and fits the role of the hero, typically using their ...

TV franchise which debuted in

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

from 2003 through 2006. The ''Chouseishin Series'' was produced by

Toho Company, Ltd. is a Japanese entertainment company that primarily engages in producing and distributing films and exhibiting stage plays. It is headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo, and is one of the core companies of the Osaka-based Hankyu Hanshin Toho Group. ...

, in association with

Konami , commonly known as Konami, , is a Japanese multinational entertainment company and video game developer and video game publisher, publisher headquartered in Chūō, Tokyo, Chūō, Tokyo. The company also produces and distributes trading card ...

, to emulate and partner the success of Toei's ''

Super Sentai The is a Japanese superhero team media franchise consisting of television series and films produced by Toei Company and Bandai, and aired by TV Asahi. The shows are of the '' tokusatsu'' genre, featuring live action characters and colorfu ...

'' and ''

Kamen Rider The , also known as ''Masked Rider Series'' (until ''Kamen Rider Decade, Decade'' and except Thailand), is a Japanese superhero fiction, superhero media franchise consisting of tokusatsu television programs, films, manga, and anime, created by ...

'' series.

The Chouseishin Series

* - 2003/2004
The first of the Chouseishin series, the Gransazers involves a group of 12 ordinary people who have the power to transform and don the Gransazer battle suits, that were created by an ancient race of

humans Humans (''Homo sapiens'') or modern humans are the most common and widespread species of primate, and the last surviving species of the genus ''Homo''. They are Hominidae, great apes characterized by their Prehistory of nakedness and clothing ...

, before an alien alliance wiped them out millions of years ago for being a threat to the universe. The Gransazers are divided into four tribes:

flame A flame () is the visible, gaseous part of a fire. It is caused by a highly exothermic chemical reaction made in a thin zone. When flames are hot enough to have ionized gaseous components of sufficient density, they are then considered plasm ...

wind Wind is the natural movement of atmosphere of Earth, air or other gases relative to a planetary surface, planet's surface. Winds occur on a range of scales, from thunderstorm flows lasting tens of minutes, to local breezes generated by heatin ...

earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to Planetary habitability, harbor life. This is enabled by Earth being an ocean world, the only one in the Solar System sustaining liquid surface water. Almost all ...

, and

water Water is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula . It is a transparent, tasteless, odorless, and Color of water, nearly colorless chemical substance. It is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known liv ...

. Each tribe has a mechanoid called a Chouseishin, which they can summon only when the three GranSazers of each tribe join together and use their Knuckle Risers. With their Chouseishin, the Cloud Dragon, and Guntras, the Gransazers combat alien threats from the alliance that intend to finish what they started. However, near the series finale, the GranSazers learn the truth of what occurred in the past and try to clear humanity of the charges placed against it by a devious member of the alliance. * - 2004/2005
The second of the Chouseishin series, the Justirisers involves a group of three people who were given the power to transform and don the Justiriser battle suits, powered by the Justicrystal which is sought by the forces of the Hadess Army under Kaiser Hadess. Eventually joined by their former enemy Demon Knight, the bearer of the Riser Stone, Riser-Shirogane defeats Kaiser Hadess and then the JustiRisers contend with Hadess older brother Majin Daruga who seeks both powers for his own use. * - 2005/2006
The last of the Chouseishin series, it opens to Earth in the year 2500 when it has been taken over by a group of space pirates known as Neo-Descal. The remaining members of the human resistance send their trump card weapons, the three Ryuuseishin warships to the past to try and change the future by defeating Neo-Descal's ancestors, the Descal fleet, when they invade Earth in 2005. Along with the Ryuuseishin comes Ad, captain of the Adle-Eagle squad and his right-hand man, Gordo; Kane, captain of the Beet-Vizor squad; the twin Sazers Ein and Zwein; and Remy, who pilots Great Lio. Ad and Kane are joined by Takuto Andou, whose grandfather met Captain Shark, leader of the resistance, as a young man and was left with a Knuckle Cross to allow his grandson in 2005 to become the third member of the team known as Sazer-X.

TV specials

* ''Chouseishin Gransazer: Super Battle Memory'' (2005) * ''Genseishin Justirisers: Super Battle Memory'' (2005)

Movie

* '' Chousei Kantai Sazer-X the Movie: Fight! Star Warriors'' - 2005

Trademark themes

* "Souchaku" (meaning "Equip") is the series' trademark henshin call, yet in the Philippine and English dubs of ''Gransazers'', they replaced it with "Transform" in Cartoon Network Philippines, GMA, and

Hero A hero (feminine: heroine) is a real person or fictional character who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage, or Physical strength, strength. The original hero type of classical epics did such thin ...

. There were ''Gransazers'' VCDs in the Philippines dubbed in English with the style used in Cartoon Network Philippines, except episodes 37-40. In ''Justirisers'', Filipino dubbers from Hero Channel and English dubbers from Cartoon Network Philippines used "Transform", while those from GMA had used both "Transform" and "Equip" for the whole series. Meanwhile, in ''Sazer-X'', Filipino dubbers discontinued the use of "Transform" and replaced it with "Equip" in Hero and "Gear Up" in GMA, while the dubbers in Cartoon Network Philippines used "Power Up". * "Dive In" is the series' trademark command for entering inside a particular Star God. * In ''Justirisers'', the Filipino dubbers of both Hero Channel and GMA used "Justiriser" instead of "Riser" to prefix the heroes' names so that Riser Glen was known as Justiriser Glen, Riser Kageri was known as Justiriser Kageri, and Riser Gant was known as Justiriser Gant, although they also used the prefix "Riser" in some episodes.

References to ''Godzilla''

* The Maser Cannons, usually seen in ''

Godzilla is a fictional monster, or ''kaiju'', that debuted in the eponymous 1954 film, directed and co-written by Ishirō Honda. The character has since become an international pop culture icon, appearing in various media: 33 Japanese films p ...

'' films, are seen in the series. * Several Toho daikaiju, many of them from the ''Godzilla'' franchise, are lampooned in the series, including monster designs and monster roars; similar to what '' Ultra Q'' did in the past. *The Gotengo from the 1963 Toho film '' Atragon'' and the 2004 Toho film '' Godzilla: Final Wars'' appears in ''Sazer X the movie''.

Other media

* Riser Glen and Lio-Sazer featured in a

professional wrestling Professional wrestling, often shortened to either pro wrestling or wrestling,The term "wrestling" is most often widely used to specifically refer to modern scripted professional wrestling, though it is also used to refer to Real life, real- ...

match for HUSTLE with Kenzo Suzuki and Hiroko Suzuki, which they won.

External links

Toho website
{{ChouSeiShin Series Toho tokusatsu Mass media franchises introduced in 2003 Television franchises Konami franchises