Choujyu Sentai Liveman (超獣戦隊ライブマン, Chōjū Sentai Raibuman; Super Beast Squadron Liveman) is a Japanese television tokusatsu series broadcast by TV Asahi. The series is the twelfth installment of Super Sentai. Directed by Takao Nagaishi, Minoru Yamada and Shouhei Toujou, it stars Daisuke Shima, Kazuhiko Nishimura, Megumi Mori, Seirou Yamaguchi, Jin Kawamoto, Jouji Nakata, Yutaka Hirose, Akiko Amamatsuri, Toru Sakai and Yoshinori Okamoto. It aired from February 27, 1988 to February 18, 1989, replacing Hikari Sentai Maskman and was replaced by Kousoku Sentai Turboranger. Its international English title as listed by Toei is simply Liveman.
Contents
Plot
Science Academia is an elite school that various genius students from across the globe attend. Among them are Yusuke Amamiya, Joh Ohara and Megumi Misaki who with Takuji Yano and Mari Aikawa sought to create a suit strong enough for space exploration. However, three of their classmates and friends Kenji Tsukigata, Rui Senda, and Goh Omura felt their talents were being wasted and leave to join an evil organization called Volt who offers to raise their full scientific potential.
In 1988, the present day, with Kenji, Rui, and Goh now known as Doctors Kemp, Mazenda and Obular, Volt begins its attack by devastating Science Academia. As a result, Yusuke, Joh, and Megumi take up the suits they created and become the Livemen to battle against their former classmates and Volt.
Characters
Science Academia
Science Academia (科学アカデミア, Kagaku Akademia)
The eponymous Livemen utilize two-piece Twin Braces (ツインブレス, Tsuin Buresu) to transform. While transformed, each member carries a Liblaster (ライブラスター, Raiburasutā) sidearm, which can switch between Gun Mode (ガンモード, Gan Mōdo) and Sword Mode (ソードモード, Sōdo Mōdo). They can also use the Biomotion Buster (バイモーションバスター, Baimōshon Basutā) cannon to destroy human-sized Brain Beasts. Their special team attack is the Spark Attack (スパークアタック, Supāku Atakku).
The primary members composed of Yusuke, Joh, and Megumi ride Moto Machine (モトマシン, Moto Mashin) motorcycles for transportation. When facing enlarged Brain Beasts, they combine their personal mecha to form Live Robo (ライブロボ, Raibu Robo). Later in the series, Yusuke and Joh acquire new personal weapons that can combine with Megumi's to form the Triple Bazooka (トリプルバズーカ, Toripuru Bazūka).
The secondary members composed of Tetsuya and Junichi ride the Live Cougar (ライブクーガー, Raibu Kūgā) four-wheel-drive for transportation. When facing enlarged Brain Beasts, they combine their personal mecha to form Live Boxer (ライブボクサー, Raibu Bokusā), which can further combine with Live Robo to form Super Live Robo (スーパーライブロボ, Sūpā Raibu Robo).
Yusuke Amamiya (天宮 勇介, Amamiya Yūsuke)/Red Falcon (レッドファルコン, Reddo Farukon)
A poor student at Academia, but a strong leader and quick at thinking under pressure. He is a brave hard worker and enjoys rock music and work outs. Initially starts as a hot-headed and sarcastic rebel, but grows into the role of dependable leader as the series progresses. Yusuke was once in love with Rui Senda, but she did not return his love. He was good friends with Kenji during their first year or so at Science Academia until things went sour between them once Kenji started down a dark path.
In the crossover film Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger vs. Super Sentai, Yusuke is found visiting the graves of Takuji Yano, Rui Senda, Kenji Tsukigata, and Mari Aikawa. He briefly dueled Gao Yellow in a sword fight and then lectured Gaku on the many sword-wielding warriors of the Super Sentai franchise, and introduced the Gaorangers to all the 23 other Red Warriors. He performed his roll call twice in that special, one along with the Dream Sentai and Gaorangers and then again with the other Red Warriors.
Armed Brain Volt Army
Believing most of humanity to be inferior, the Armed Brain Volt Army (武装頭脳軍ボルト, Busō Zunō Gun Boruto) is based on the orbiting space station Zuno Base (ヅノーベース, Zunōbēsu) with its officers using a triangular shuttle to journey between it and Earth.
Great Professor Bias (大教授ビアス, Daikyōju Biasu): A super genius scientist whose appearance belies his actual age, well versed in all knowledge, and worshiped as a god by his officers.
Kenji Tsukigata/Doctor Kemp (月形 剣史/ドクター・ケンプ, Tsukigata Kenji/Dokutā Kenpu): Yusuke's former friend at Academia whose dream was to develop biotechnological means to make humans immune to any disease. However, Kenji became egotistical and power-hungry after taking the test Bias sent to him, killing Takuji and Mari while leaving to join Volt.
Rui Senda/Doctor Mazenda (仙田 ルイ/ドクター・マゼンダ, Senda Rui/Dokutā Mazenda): A haughty woman who was Megumi's rival at Science Academia and broke Yusuke's heart. Rui reconstructs herself as a cyborg to reflect her coldness and her desire to preserve her beauty, with concealed weapons within her robotic body like the Arm Gun, Elbow Gun, and Finger Gun.
Goh Omura/Doctor Obular (尾村 豪/ドクター・オブラー, Omura Gō/Dokutā Oburā): Joh's one-time friend at Science Academia. Goh is a childhood prodigy who uses Volt's research with his inferiority complex as a motivation to turn himself into a completely inhuman monster, called Monster Obular (獣人オブラー, Kaijin Oburā); in this state, he uses a battle axe as his weapon.
Arashi Busujima/Doctor Ashura (毒島 嵐/ドクター・アシュラ, Busujima Arashi/Dokutā Ashura): A tough-as-nails underworld figure and gang leader with a poor education who bears a grudge against the Science Academia and those smarter than he is.
Guardnoid Gash (ガードノイド・ガッシュ, Gādonoido Gasshu): Bias's robot bodyguard, a relentless machine who has knowledge of firearms and uses his Video Eye to locate targets.
Guildian Guildos (ギルド星人ギルドス, Girudo Seijin Girudosu): A robot secretly built by Bias to spur his scientists to break their limitations, believing himself to be an alien intelligence from the planet Guildo.
Others
Dinosaur Gon (恐竜ゴン, Kyōryū Gon): A dinosaur that Time Brain brought to the present, Gon was befriended by a boy named Kenichii.
Giga Volt (ギガボルト, Gigaboruto): Created by Bias as the result of his Giga Project, using the Giga Metal that Kemp synthesized and powered by the Giga Energy developed by Mazenda from geothermic heat to build this giant robot personally. Once finally activated, this robot emerges with Kemp piloting it.
Cast
Yusuke Amamiya: Daisuke Shima (嶋 大輔, Shima Daisuke)
Joh Ohara: Kazuhiko Nishimura (西村 和彦, Nishimura Kazuhiko)
Megumi Misaki: Megumi Mori (森 恵, Mori Megumi)
Tetsuya Yano: Seiro Yamaguchi (山口 正朗, Yamaguchi Seirō)
Junichi Aikawa: Jin Kawamoto (河本 忍, Kawamoto Jin)
Great Professor Bias: Jōji Nakata (中田 譲治, Nakata Jōji)
Kenji Tsukigata/Doctor Kemp: Yutaka Hirose (広瀬 裕, Hirose Yutaka) (credited as Takumi Hirose (広瀬 匠, Hirose Takumi))
Rui Senda/Doctor Mazenda: Akiko Amamatsuri (天祭 揚子, Amamatsuri Akiko) (credited as Akiko Kurusu (来栖 明子, Kurusu Akiko))
Goh Omura/Doctor Obler: Toru Sakai (坂井 徹, Sakai Tōru)
Arashi Busujima/Doctor Ashura: Yoshinori Okamoto (岡本 美登, Okamoto Yoshinori)
Guest stars
Doctor Hoshi: Daisuke Ban (伴 大介, Ban Daisuke) (credited as Naoya Ban (伴 直弥, Ban Naoya)) (1–2)
Takuji Yano: Hiromichi Hori (堀広道, Hori Hiromichi) (1, 5, 8, 29–30)
Mari Aikawa: Masae Hayashi (林優枝, Hayashi Masae) (1, 8, 29–30)
Takeshi Yano: Hirofumi Taga (多賀啓史, Taga Hirofumi) (5)
Great Professor Bias (Child): Kentaro Ishizema (石関賢太郎, Ishizema Kentarō) (48–49)
Voice actors
Colon: Makoto Kōsaka (高坂 真琴, Kōsaka Makoto)
Beast Man Obler: Atsuo Mori (森 篤夫, Mori Atsuo)
Guildos: Moichi Saito (斉藤 茂一, Saitō Moichi)
Butchy: Takuzō Kamiyama (神山 卓三, Kamiyama Takuzō)
Gash: Hideaki Kusaka (日下 秀昭, Kusaka Hideaki)
Narrator: Takeshi Kuwabara (桑原 たけし, Kuwabara Takeshi)
Songs
Opening theme
"Choujyu Sentai Liveman" (超獣戦隊ライブマン, Chōjū Sentai Raibuman)
Lyrics: Akira Ohtsu (大津 あきら, Ōtsu Akira)
Composition: Yasuo Kosugi (小杉 保夫, Kosugi Yasuo)
Arrangement: Ohzuchi Fujita (藤田 大土, Fujita Ōzuchi)
Artist: Daisuke Shima
Ending theme
"Ashita ni Ikiru ze!" (あしたに生きるぜ!; "Live to Tomorrow!")
Lyrics: Akira Ohtsu
Composition: Yasuo Kosugi
Arrangement: Ohzuchi Fujita
Artist: Daisuke Shima