Warrior of Love Rainbowman

Warrior of Love Rainbowman
愛の戦士レインボーマン; (Ai no Senshi Reinbōman)
Manga
Written by	Mitsuru Adachi
Published by	TV Magazine Otomodachi
Demographic	Shōnen
Original run	1972 – 1973
Anime television series
Directed by	Nobuhiro Okasako
Produced by	Sayumi Kawauchi
Music by	Jun Kitahara
Studio	MBS/Ai Kikaku Center
Original network	TBS
Original run	10 October 1982 – 27 March 1983
Episodes	22

*Warrior of Love Rainbowman*
Warrior of Love Rainbowman
Created by	Toho Company Ltd.
Starring	Kunihisa Mizutani; Eriko Ishigawa; Akihiko Hirata
Country of origin	Japan
No. of episodes	52
Production
Running time	24 minutes (per episode)
Original release
Network	NET (now TV Asahi)
Release	6 October 1972 –; 18 September 1973

Warrior of Love Rainbowman (愛の戦士レインボーマン, Ai no Senshi Reinbōman) is a tokusatsu series created by Kōhan Kawauchi. This was the first superhero TV series produced by Toho Company Ltd., and was broadcast on NET (now TV Asahi) from October 6, 1972 to September 18, 1973, with a total of 52 episodes. Mitsuru Adachi wrote a manga series based on the show which was serialized in TV Magazine Otomodachi from 1972 to 1973.

Overview

The series focuses on pro wrestler Takeshi Yamato, a young man who, after training in India with the yogi sage Devadatta, gains the ability to transform into a superhero called Rainbowman who possesses seven different superhero forms called "Dashes", with the seven Dashes representing yin and yang (the Moon and the Sun) and the five elements (wu xing) of ancient Chinese philosophy. In each Dash form, Rainbowman is endowed with a color-coded costume and powers related to that element. Dash 1 (yellow) represents the Moon, Dash 2 (red) represents fire, Dash 3 (blue) represents water, Dash 4 (green) represents wood, Dash 5 (gold) represents metal, Dash 6 (brown) represents earth, and Dash 7 (white) represents the Sun. Later in the series, he gains the ability to create a fusion state between Dash 7 and any two other forms with all their related powers.

Rainbowman opposes the "Die Die Gang", a group representing hostile foreign powers bent on revenge against Japan for acts carried out in World War II. They make use of elite mercenaries, cyborgs, wizards and supernatural monsters in pursuit of their plans.

In 1982, a 22-episode anime remake loosely based on the series was produced. Instead of a superhero as in the live action series, the anime featured a young man who commands seven giant robots which can merge into a larger giant robot.

Cast

Takeshi Yamato (大和タケシ, Yamato Takeshi): Kunihisa Mizutani (水谷邦久, Mizutani Kunihisa)
Devadatta: Shōbun Inoue (井上昭文, Inoue Shōbun)
Tami Yamato (大和たみ, Yamato Tami): Kakuko Motoyama (本山可久子, Motoyama Kakuko)
Miyuki Yamato (大和みゆき, Yamato Miyuki): Eriko Ishigawa (石川えり子, Ishigawa Eriko)
Ichirō Yamato (大和一郎, Yamato Ichirō): Hiroshi Koizumi (小泉汪 (as 小泉博), Koizumi Hiroshi)
Hisasō Yamato (大和久蔵, Yamato Hisasō): Junji Masuda (増田順司, Masuda Junji)
Akiko Yamato (大和秋子, Yamato Akiko): Reiko Mutō
Toshie (淑江, Toshie): Megumi Itō (伊藤めぐみ, Itō Megumi)
Mr. K (ミスターＫ, Misutā Kei): Akihiko Hirata
God Iguana (ゴッドイグアナ, Goddo Iguana): Machiko Soga

Theme songs

Opening song

Yuke Rainbowman (行けレインボーマン, Go Rainbowman)

Lyrics: Kawauchi Kohan
Composition: Jun Kitahara
Singer: Yū Mizushima (as Kenji Yasunaga)

Closing songs

Yamato Takeshi no uta (ヤマトタケシの歌, Theme of Yamato Takeshi (ep. 1 - ep. 13))

Lyrics: Kawauchi Kohan
Composition: Jun Kitahara
Singer: Yū Mizushima

Aitsu no namae wa Rainbowman (あいつの名前はレインボーマン, That Man's Name is Rainbowman (ep. 14 - ep. 52))

Lyrics: Kawauchi Kohan
Composition: Jun Kitahara
Singers: Cat's Eye and Young Fresh

Other song

Shineshine-dan no uta (死ね死ね団の歌, Theme of Shineshine-dan)
Lyrics: Kawauchi Kohan
Composition: Jun Kitahara
Singers: Cat's Eye and Young Fresh

External links

Ai No Senshi Rainbow Man at Japan Hero (Archived)
Ai no Senshi Rainbow Man (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia