Kaiketsu Lion-Maru
Kaiketsu Lion-Maru (快傑ライオン丸 Kaiketsu Raionmaru), The Vigilant Lion Knight (or literally translated as Swift Hero Lion Maru), was a Japanese tokusatsu television series in the Lion-Maru franchise that aired in 1972-1973, produced by P Productions and set during Japan's Sengoku period (the Age of Warring States).
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[edit] Plot
During the late 16th century, a trio of ninja orphans are wandering Japan and saving people from evil by battling a villain of the week in each episode.
[edit] Characters
- Shishimaru (獅子丸): A man who becomes Lion-Maru (ライオン丸 Raionmaru) by unsheathing the katana Kinsachi (キンサチ) and uttering the words "O Wind! O Light! Ninja Art: Lion Change!" (風よ! 光よ! 忍法: 獅子変化ん! Kaze yo! Hikari yo! Ninpō: Shishi-Hengen!) to take on the power. [1]
- Saori: An acrobatic female fighter who often becomes a damsel in distress.[2]
- Kosuke: The young boy who uses his flute to summon the pegasus Hikarimaru.
- Gousan (豪山 Gōsan): The series' chief villain.
- Tora Jōnosuke: A man recruited by Gosun, given the mysterious sword Ginsachi (ギンサチ) to become Tiger Joe (タイガージョー Taigā Jō).
[edit] Cast
- Tetsuya Ushio as Shishimaru
- Akiko Kujō as Saori
- Norihiko Umechi as Kosuke
- Kazuo Kamoshida as Kaiketsu Lion Maru (suit actor)
- Shingo Fukushima as Tiger Joe (suit actor)
- Kiyoshi Kobayashi as Akuma Gosun / Devil Gosuun (voice)
- Kōji Tonohiro as Tora Jōnosuke [episodes 27-30, 36-41]
- Yoshitaka Fukushima as Tora Jōnosuke [episodes 42-51]
- Daisaku Shinohara as Narrator
The opening theme "Kaze yo Hikari yo" (風よ光よ, Oh Wind, Oh Light) by Yuki Hide with Young Fresh.
[edit] Foreign releases
The series was broadcast in Italy in the late 70s, dubbed as Ultralion, and in Brazil under the title Lionman. The series was also dubbed into English, but only one episode (the first) surfaced in North America, released on a VHS tape in the 1980s, entitled Magic of the Ninja and sold through toy store chains such as Toys R Us.
[edit] DVD release
In P Productions' publicity materials for the 2002 DVD release, Lion Maru was subtitled The Beast-Transformed Ninja Warrior.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
| Preceded by N/A |
Lion-Maru 1972 |
Succeeded by Fuun Lion-Maru |
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