April 6, 1974 - June 29, 1975, 52 episodes
Created by Koike, Kazuo
Music by Kikuchi, Shunsuke
| Character | |
Actor |
| Zabôgâ | |
Tajiri, Yoichiro |
| Daimon, Yutaka | |
Yamaguchi, Akira |
| Chief Inspector Nitta, Daigoro (episodes 1-29) | |
Nagami, Jun |
| Nitta, Miyo (episodes 1-39) | |
Hoshino, Midori |
| Nitta, Hiroshi | |
Kamiya, Masahiro |
| Detective Nakano | |
Kikuchi, Eeichi |
| Dr. Akunomiya (episodes 1-39) | |
Okabe, Ken |
| Miss Borg (episodes 1-35) | |
Fujiyama, Ritsuko |
| Akitzuki, Gen (episodes 22-30, 34-38) | |
Kazato, Ken |
| Lady Borg (episodes 37-39) | |
Yoshida, Taeko |
| Narrator (episodes 1-15) | |
Okabe, Masâki |
| Narrator (episodes 16-39) | |
Watabe, Takeshi |
| Asao, Yuki (episodes 40-52) | |
Motoki, Noriko |
| Devil Hat (episodes 40-52) | |
Toya, Takanobu |
| Queen Meza (episodes 40-52) | |
Tsutsumi, Mitsuko |
| Matsue, Ken (episodes 40-52) | |
Sakada, Tatsuya |
| Narrator (episodes 40-52) | |
Okabe, Ken |
Stuck In Somebody's Frame
Opening Theme
My Drawing
Starred Yamaguchi, Akira as Secret Police (Himitsu Keiji) agent Daimon, Yutaka; the man who controlled Denjin Zabôgâ (Electroid Zabôgâ). Yamaguchi Akira also played Yuki Joji/Riderman in Kamen Rider V3. Unlike the quiet Yuki Joji, Daimon Yutaka is always shouting as he goes into combat. Daimon is determined to destroy the evil group Sigma, for its murder of his father (the creator of Zabôgâ). This determination leads him into bloody battles against cyborgs and robots which are usually stronger than he is. Of course Daimon and Zabôgâ always win. (Yamaguchi, Akira died on April 6, 1986 of lung cancer. He was only 39 years old.)
At age six Daimon, Yutaka was "killed" in an automobile accident. To revive him a special circuit (a kind of super pacemaker) was implanted in his chest. This circuit keeps Daimon alive when he's been so badly wounded that he should die. This circuit was created by Daimon's scientist father who decades later created Denjin Zabôgâ. Daimon and Zabôgâ are linked by this circuit. Zabôgâ is powered by Daimon's anger. In at least one episode Zabôgâ cannot function because Daimon is not angry enough.
While Daimon, Yutaka was out of the country his father, Dr. Daimon was murdered by his former partner Dr. Akunomiya. Dr. Akunomiya murdered Dr. Daimon over Dr. Daimon's invention of the metal Daimonium (which Dr. Akunomiya wanted to use to create cyborgs and robots to carry out a crime spree). Daimon, Yutaka returned to Japan to find his father's murderer. Dr. Daimon left his son a map to his secret lab and a key. The key turned on Dr. Daimon's greatest invention the robot warrior Denjin Zabôgâ (made out of Daimonium).
Unlike the android heroes "Jinzo Ningen Kikaida" and "Kikaida 01" or the non-transforming "Robot Detective", Denjin Zabôgâ can not speak, has no emotions and has to be activated by Daimon's command "Go Zabôgâ" or "Denjin Zabôgâ Go" or "Fight Zabôgâ" or "Henshin Zabôgâ". Once activated, Zabôgâ's programming allows him to fight, although Daimon normally has to order Zabôgâ to use the special techniques. Daimon controls Zabôgâ through a microphone built into his motorcycle helmet.
Should Daimon not be wearing his helmet he can still control Zabogâ using a second microphone. In early episode he kept this backup microphone in his pocket. In later episodes he stores it inside an especially designed watch.
Daimon, Yutaka knew that Zabogâ was needed because he received radio messages, which only he could hear, through a special receiver implanted on his eyeglasses, whenever cyborgs, robots or dinosaur men were on the prowl. In the early episodes the messages came through Chief Inspector Nitta, Daigoro. In later episodes the messages came from the Zabôgâ-Head Base (introduced in episode 26) operated by Nitta, Hiroshi; Daigoro's son and the young woman Asao, Yuki.
Daimon, Yutaka was trained in Shorinji Kempo, Judo and Karate. His special combat technique is "Flying Dragon Tri-Stage Kick" (Hi Ryuu San Dan Geri).
Zabôgâ's special attacks are "Jet Punch" (fist on chain fires at enemies at 10 yards per second), "Double Punch" (both fists shoot out), "Boomerang Cutter" (his "ears" are blades which, when thrown, return to him after doing their damage)...
...and "Rapid-Fire Destruction Gun" (Sokusha Hakai Juu) - his mouth opens to reveal a gun which fires exploding shells to destroy the evil robots.
Denjin Zabôgâ can transform into the motorcycle Machine Zabôgâ, for Daimon, Yutaka to ride.
Inside Zabôgâ's head is Heli-Cat, a miniature helicopter with a video camera, used for spying on the villains. The video appears on a screen on Machine Zabôgâ's back.
Zaboga's eyes take still photographs.
Inside Zabôgâ's back is a Sea Shark, looks like a miniature jet and flies but also operates underwater like a submarine.
In each of Zabôgâ's feet is 1/2 of a small car. The two pieces snap together to form Mouse Car.
Initially Daimon, Yutaka is assisted by Chief Inspector Chief Nitta, Daigoro who has a daughter Miyo and a son Hiroshi. Hiroshi is the requisite child. He is played by the Jinzo Ningen Kikaida Masaru actor Kamiya, Masahiro. Later in the series Detective Nakano takes over for Chief Inspector Nitta.
After Miyo and Hiroshi learn that Daimon, Yutaka controls Denjin Zabôgâ they run the Zabôgâ-Head Base for Daimon.
Denjin Zabôgâ's 52 episodes were divided into two chapters. The first chapter, episodes 1-39, featured the terrorist group Sigma, led by the evil Doctor Akunomiya and his female assistants Miss Borg (episodes 1-35) and Lady Borg (episodes 37-39). This part of the series was shown on TV in Hawaii.
After many others have failed to kill Daimon, Yutaka, Dr. Akunomiya assigns the task of eliminating his greatest enemy to Akitzuki, Gen (episodes 22-30 and 34-38) a young assassin who rides the motorcycle Machine Hawk.
After the death of Dr. Akunomiya and the destruction of Sigma peace should have been restored, but another group arose to terrorize Japan....
Denjin Zabôgâ vs. the Dinosaur Army
(Denjin Zabôgâ tai Kyouryuu Gundan)
The second chapter, episodes 40-52, had a new version of Zabôgâ, Strong Zabôgâ fighting Kyouryuu Gundan (Dinosaur Army), led by Triple Neck Demon, Devil Hat and Queen Meza. Actually the Dinosaur Army was introduced in episode 39 but Daimon, Yutaka doesn't encounter them until episode 40. This part of the series was not shown in Hawaii.
Starting in episode 40 Daimon, Yutaka wears a sort of uniform, green and red jacket, white shirt, red tie, green and red pants. The episode also introduces Secret Police (Himitsu Keiji) agent, Matsue, Ken who rides a motorcycle that has two bazookas mounted on it, Machine Baja. After episode 43 Daimon, Yutaka's shirt is black and the tie is gone.
Nitta, Hiroshi's sister Miyo vanishes from the show to be replaced by Asao, Yuki who seems to like Matsue, Ken.
"Change Strong Zabôgâ!"
In episode 41 Machine Baja and Machine Zabôgâ combine to form Strong Zabôgâ. Episode 42 reveals that Matsue, Ken can command Strong Zabôgâ.
Strong Zabôgâ's new weapons are "Jet Boomerang", "Rocket Jet Punch" and "Strong Bazooka Fire".
Episode Titles
Over all I prefer the Sigma episodes over the Dinosaur Army episodes. Daimon, Yutaka gets in more fights with Sigma soldiers then he does the dinosaurs, and Denjin Zabôgâ sees more combat than Strong Zabôgâ. Matsue, Ken doesn't add much to the series, his primary function is to get beaten up by the dinsosaurs, in place of Daimon.
Ending Theme
P-Productions also produced Magma Taishi [Ambassador Magma] (1966-1967), Kaiju Ouji [Monster Prince] (1967), Supekutoruman [Spectreman] (1971-1972), Kaiketsu Lion Maru [Swift Hero Lion Maru] (1972-1973), Fuun Lion Maru [Storm Cloud Lion Maru] (1973) and Tetsujin Taiga 7 [Ironman Tiger 7] (1973-1974). As far as I know Denjin Zabôgâ was their last tokusatsu series.
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Last modified Thursday, June 14, 2007
Denjin Zabôgâ © 1974 P-Productions
Majority of photos provided by Arislan