Taiyo Sentai Sanbarukan [Solar Task Force Sun Vulcan]
February 07, 1981 through January 30, 1982, 50 episodes
Taiyo Sentai Sanbarukan [Solar Task Force Sun Vulcan], the fifth sentai, is the first sentai to feature an all male team, of only three. It's also the only sentai in which the red member changes and the only sentai to be a sequel to a previous sentai (Denshi Sentai Denjiman [Electronic Task Force Denziman]). Since there is no female member, this is the first sentai not to have a pink member.
Opening Theme
The Cast
| Character | |
Actor/Actress |
| Ôwashi, Ryûsuke [episodes 1-23] | |
Kawasaki, Ryûsuke |
| Vul Eagle 1 | |
Niibori, Kazuo & Haruta, Junichi |
| Hiba, Takayuki [episodes 23-50] | |
Godai, Takayuki |
| Vul Eagle 2 [episodes 23-50] | |
Okamoto, Misumi |
| Samejima, Kinya | |
Sugi, Kinya |
| Vul Shark | |
Shibahara, Takanori & Watari, Hiroshi |
| Hyô, Asao | |
Kobayashi, Asao |
| Vul Panther | |
Itô, Kuniyasu |
| Sun Vulcan Robo | |
Kusaka, Hideaki |
| Commander Arashiyama | |
Kishida, Shin |
| Arashiyama, Misa | |
Nemoto, Yumi |
| President Hell Satan | |
Kusaka, Hideaki |
| President Hell Satan (voice) | |
Îzuka, Shôzô |
| Queen Hedrian | |
Soga, Machiko |
| Zero One [episodes 1-22] | |
Kitagawa, Takako |
| Zero Two | |
Higashi, Mariko |
| Zero Three | |
Udagawa, Yuki |
| Zero Four [episodes 1-4] | |
Takashima, Toshiko |
| Zero Four [episodes 5-50] | |
Hiro, Kyoko |
| Amazon Killer [episodes 23-50] | |
Kagawa, Yukie |
| Inazuma Ginga [episodes 45-49] | |
Haruta, Junichi |
| Inazuma Ginga (voice) | |
Watanabe, Takeshi |
| CC (voice) | |
Egawa, Hinako |
| Narrator | |
Ôhira, Tôru |
When the Machine Empire Black Magma attempts to invade Earth, robotics expert Commander Arashiyama of the Earth Peace Defense Squad (a.k.a. Guardians of World Peace) chooses one man from each of the three branches of the EPDS, airforce, navy and army, to form the Solar Task Force Sun Vulcan in order to stop the invaders.
EPDS air force officer Ôwashin, Ryûsuke (episodes 1-23) becomes Vul Eagle. Vul Eagle's special combat techniques are "Eagle Wings", "Eagle Diving", "Eagle Fire". Ôwashin, Ryûsuke eventually leaves Sun Vulcan to work with NASA on Space Shuttles. (Kawasaki, Ryûsuke was a musician who signed a contract to act for Toei for only 6 months. His leaving the series was intended from the beginning.)
EPDS naval officer Samejima, Kinya becomes Vul Shark. Vul Shark's special combat techniques are "Shark Jaws", "Shark Washer", "Shark Typhoon", "Shark Rolling". Samejima, Kinya entertains himself by playing accustic guitar.
EPDS ranger Hyô, Asao becomes Vul Panther. Vul Panther's special combat techniques are "Rolling Panther", "Panther Claws", "Panther Galaxy", "Panther Bomber", "Panther Mole", "Panther Throw". Hyô, Asao suffers from an irrational fear of dogs, likes to eat a lot and is generally a comical character.
Ôwashi, Ryûsuke's friend Hiba, Takayuki (episodes 24-50) takes over as the new Vul Eagle. A master of kendo Hiba, Takayuki's Vul Eagle adds new combat abilities "Dashing Sword Technique" and "Secret Sword Style Cross Cut".
The combined attack techniques of Sun Vulcan are "Vulcan Ball" (intially vollyball, later soccer), "Combined Vulcan Sticks", "Sky Jetter", "Scram Hurricane", "Solar (Taiyo) Flash", "Solar Kick", "Vulcan Shoot" and "New Vulcan Balls" (3 footballs which merge into one large spikked ball).
Each Sun Vulcan member has the ability to use "Vulcan Eye" to see that things that are far away, "Vulcan Eye See Through" to see through walls or under the skin of people to determine whether their human or a robot duplicate and "Vulcan Ear" to hear distant sounds. The heroes can also "Solar Jump" (alone or all three togther).
Vul Eagle drives a jeep called Sandvulcan, Vul Shark rides a motorcycle called Sharkmachine and Vul Panther rides Panthermachine.
"Vul Eagle!" - "Vul Shark!" - "Vul Panther!"
Ôwashi, Ryûsuke; Samejima, Kinya; Hyô, Asao and later Hiba, Takayuki; transform using their Sun Vulcan braclets.
Assisting Commander Arashiyama at the Sun Vulcan base is his daughter Misa. Misa has a crush on Samejima, Kinya (Vul Shark). Misa has a talking, robot dog, CC, made by her father (he made all the Sun Vulcan machines). CC looks like a real dog not like a machine at all. Hyô, Asao (Vul Panther) is afraid of CC.
In episode 29 Arashiyama, Misa creates a mask and costume to appear as White Rose Mask (Shiro Bara Kamen) to help Sun Vulcan fight Red Rose Mask (human form of Rose Monga). White Rose Mask only appears in this episode, she does not become a member of Sun Vulcan.
From their secret underground base Sun Vulcan's battle machine Jaguar Vulcan is launched.
Jaguar Vulcan carries the components of Sun Vulcan Robo (Sanbarukan Robo).
The aircraft Cosmo Vulcan, usually piloted by Vul Eagle, merges with Bull Vulcan to form the Sun Vulcan Robo.
Sun Vulcan Robo is the first sentai mecha to be assembled from seperate parts. Although Sun Vulcan has only the one giant robot, Sun Vulcan Robo has many different weapons.
Unlike most other sentai robots which have a single control room in which all the rangers sit Sun Vulcan Robo has 3 seperate control rooms, one for each Sun Vulcan.
In episode 23 the Sun Vulcan base is found and destroyed but a top secret second base had already been built as a back up. When the first base was destroyed the original Jaguar Vulcan was also destroyed which means the Sun Vulcan Robo blew up too. Commander Arashiyama had prepared for this however, and a second Jaquar Vulcan was stored in the back up headquarters.
Sun Vulcan battles the alien invaders of the evil Machine Empire Black Magma, which has as one of its leaders Queen Hedrian the defeated leader of the Vader Clan (Denshi Sentai Denjiman [Electronic Task Force Denjiman]).
Sun Vulcan star in their own movie "Solar Task Force Sun Vulcan" (July 18, 1981).
Episode Titles
First Ending Theme Second Ending Theme
After the defeat of Machine Empire Black Magma, Sun Vulcan is disbanded, the members each going their own way, returning to their normal lives. The final words of Taiyo Sentai Sanbarukan, as spoken by the narrator: "Sayônara Sanbarukan Robo" (Goodbye Sun Vulcan Robo).
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Last modified Thursday, June 14, 2007
Taiyo Sentai Sanbarukan © 1981-1982 Toei Co., Ltd.
Images are for viewing only.
Some information from Marc H. Miyake's Sentai Series Manual Version 2.095 © 1995 Marc H. Miyake.
Cast names provided by Tetsuya Sawaki.
Background courtesy of
