JAKQ Dengekitai

, known in the Philippines as ''Lucky Aces'', is a Japanese tokusatsu television show and the second installment in the Super Sentai metaseries. It aired from 8 April to 23 December 1977, replacing ''Himitsu Sentai Gorenger'' and itself being replaced by ''Battle Fever J''. It was created by Shotaro Ishinomori and featured 35 episodes. It marks the first appearance of a White Ranger in the franchise. Toei distributes the series internationally under the title ''The Jackers''.

Synopsis

Iron Claw is the leader of a global criminal empire known as "Crime". Crime has a network of wealthy, influential sympathizers and employs an army of faceless, leather-masked thugs and cyborg assassins. It seeks to become the most powerful mafia organization in the world.

To combat the threat of Crime, the is formed. The focus of the series is ISSIS' battles against Crime in Tokyo and Japan.

Tokyo's ISSIS branch commander, Daisuke Kujirai, proposes a radical experiment. Taking the code name "Joker", he recruits four young test subjects to undergo his cyborg Gold medalist; Ryu Higashi, a disgraced boxing champion; Karen Mizuki, a policewoman who has been critically injured; and Bunta Daichi, an oceanographer who is clinically dead and is being cryogenically sustained. All four are surgically altered and given various bionic enhancements as well as energy manipulation powers. They are given the code name J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai, or J.A.K.Q (pronounced "Jacker"), and the mission to destroy Crime. Later in the series Joker leaves to head ISSIS' advanced engineering branch, and Sokichi Banba, a master of disguise and a cyborg, becomes their new boss, known as Big One.

Characters

J.A.K.Q.

Goro Sakurai

was a Japanese pentathlon athlete and Olympic Gold Medalist, a champion in karate, archery, and judo, a skilled equestrian, and a top all-around athlete. He initially turned down Joker's offer to join J.A.K.Q. but changed his heart when he saved Karen Mizuki (later Heart Queen). Goro and Karen become romantically involved towards the end of the series.

Goro's bionic enhancements allow him to manipulate atomic energy in various ways. He can see through walls and other barriers using X-ray vision (his Chu Seishi eutronScope), move at super speed (using his Kosouku ccelerationSwitch), and hear distant sounds (using his Enkaku Shuon Souchi ltra Sound Device. As the red-colored , he wields several specially designed weapons, particularly his bow. With this bow, Goro is able to shoot "atomic charged" arrows that puncture and bore through most substances. The Spade Arts bow could also be converted into a whip for binding an opponent. Goro is also a powerful fighter.

Goro is a born leader and uses his abilities to seek out his enemies' weak points.

Goro appeared in the movie '' Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger vs. Super Sentai'', a movie made to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Super Sentai metaseries, leading 24 Red Rangers to help inspire the Gaoranger team.

Karen Mizuki

is a Japanese-American female police detective who was assigned to investigate the routes used to traffic illegal narcotics into Japan. During one of her investigations, she uncovered the fact that Crime controlled a majority of these routes, and decided to assist ISSIS in destroying them. Crime attempted to kill Karen by arranging a fatal car accident. Karen survived the accident but lost her right arm. Her father, a fellow police officer, was killed in the crash. Enraged and seeking revenge, Karen willingly accepted Joker's offer to undergo the bionic process and join J.A.K.Q.

Karen's bionic enhancements allow her to control magnetism. She named her magnetism-based powers "Heart Cute Jiryoku agnetPower". As the pink-colored , her powers allow her to attract and repel metallic objects at will, literally stopping bullets in mid-air. Her powers are further augmented by using her Q-shaped weapon. Using the Heart Cute, Karen can send out waves of magnetic energy that can bowl over opponents or force them into erratic behaviors. She takes pleasure in this, asking afterward ). The Heart Cute can also be used as a blunt instrument to strike opponents. Her right index finger carries her "Magnetic Counter". This sends out a magnetic detection pulse, which she can then use to pinpoint and identify objects (both metal and organic) in a way similar to radar.

Karen is a skilled martial artist and is proficient in a number of fighting methods. She was temporarily part of the Kono Karate School where she befriended Natsuko Kono (Etsuko Shihomi), also a skilled martial artist. She has a flair for fashion and often sports tight red leather hotpants and long red boots. She falls in love with Goro towards the end of the series.

Ryu Higashi

was the former WBC welterweight boxing champion. He was falsely accused of murder by boxing promoters in Las Vegas when he refused to rig a championship fight. Joker intercepted him when he was being extradited to Japan for prosecution, and asked him to choose between working for ISSIS as part of J.A.K.Q. or serving his prison sentence. Ryu reluctantly accepted Joker's offer.

Ryu's bionic enhancements allow him to manipulate electric currents. His right index finger carries a powerful cutter (Eleki lectricCutter), which he uses to cut through dense objects. His left ring finger carries a laser beam (Dia Laser) that shears through most materials. As the blue-colored , Ryu wields the powerful , which he can imbue with his electrical powers to strike the enemy with deadly effect. The sword can slash and cut through solid steel and other dense metals. It can also be used to focus and fire electrical bolts of energy.

Ryu is a rough and gruff individual who is at times very headstrong and tends to prefer working alone. He continues to keep in touch with his former boxing partners, and loves jazz and fast cars.

Bunta Daichi

is an oceanographer who died of oxygen deprivation in a freak submarine accident. He lost his beloved younger sister Nami years earlier in an airplane crash. Bunta's body was cryogenically sustained in a medical facility for research until Joker found him. Using bionic technology, Joker revived Bunta as a cyborg.

Bunta's bionic enhancements allow him to manipulate gravitational forces. He can gain superhuman strength by increasing his body weight and density. When his power is cycling in the range of 700 horsepower, he can use his "Juroku uperpowerEnergy" to punch and kick opponents with devastating effect. As the green-colored , Bunta can throw opponents across great distances with his Juroku Nage (Power Throw) and can take down dozens of opponents with his (a flying jump attack). His left hand can be converted into the , a ball and chain that can be used to strike and hit enemies or to bind them.

Sokichi Banba

is a cyborg, a flamboyant playboy, and a master of disguise. He helped Joker implement the J.A.K.Q. project and was called in to take over operations in Tokyo when Joker left. As the white-colored , he is the ultimate "super cyborg" because his bionic implants allow him to harness and manipulate all four powers (atomic, magnetic, electric, and gravity). His nickname is the .

Sokichi can use his powers to fly and has superhuman speed and strength. He also wields the , which he uses to strike opponents with great force and impact. Sokichi is a cool-headed leader and masterful tactician who can come up with brilliant battle plans. He can transform into his cyborg persona at will without the use of the Kyouka Capsules: he takes a sniff of a magic red rose, then leaps up and transforms in mid-air.

Twenty-four years after the fall of Crime, Sokichi returned in '' Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger vs. Super Sentai'' as the leader of the "Dream Sentai" team.

Commander Daisuke Kujirai

, codenamed , is the recruiter of the J.A.K.Q team and their manager for most of the series. He is married and has a young daughter.

Criminal Organization Crime

The global is headed by the mysterious Iron Claw. It seeks to become the world's premier crime organization. In each episode of the series, Crime launches spectacular and elaborate schemes to loot, kill, plunder and obtain absolute power. It is later revealed that Crime is a cover organization for an alien entity called Shine, who sought to conquer the world.

Boss Iron Claw

is the godfather of the Crime organization. He is oddly dressed and nothing is known about him including his nationality. He appears human but was later revealed to be a cyborg

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