Kagaku Sentai Dynaman

Kagaku Sentai Dynaman (科学戦隊ダイナマン) is the 7th entry in the Super Sentai series produced by Toei Company Ltd. The series aired from February 5, 1983, to January 28, 1984, with a total of 51 episodes. It had originally been intended as a baseball-themed sentai. In 1987, six episodes were given a spoof dub and aired on the USA cable network under the simplified title Dynaman.

Dynaman was called "Kayaku Sentai" (火薬, meaning "gunpowder") from Japanese fans because of the many explosions. Producer Takayuki Suzuki even said the staff used the "highest quantity of gunpowder".

Voice actor, Toru Ohira, who narrated the Super Sentai series beginning with Himitsu Sentai Gorenger, departed after this series. After narrating the Metal Hero Series from 1984 to 1989 (Except for Choujinki Metalder in 1987), he would later return to narrate Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger in 1992, and perform the voice of Emperor Bacchus Wrath in Chouriki Sentai Ohranger in 1995.

Production
The original name of the series was "Yakyuu Sentai V-Leaguer" (Baseball Sentai V-Leaguer), with the motif of the team being that they were a baseball-based team (possibly to ride on Goggle V's success with rhythmic gymnastics) and with development made to the point of the baseball motif being rather prominent in the season. However, it was judged through the development of the uniform that the appropriate "coolness" was not achieved in it and thus the concept was scrapped. It was ultimately switched to "Dynaman" due to the concept of the heroes having an "explosion of spirit" similar to the explosion of dynamite. However even with the sudden change in motif, many aspects of the "baseball" image ultimately remained in Dynaman: the suits still remained with the "baseball" look even with some slight differences, certain poses still looked more appropriate to baseball and DynaRobo's fusion term was "Grand Slam"; while the "clang" within the opening theme holds a similarity of a ball being hit by a metal bat. Other major evolutions and developments with Dynaman occurred with the evolution of the villains of the season in the Jashinka Empire. Initially, Jashinka was to have a "beautiful villain" by way of Prince Megiddo, who was modeled off various similar "bishonen male villains" of giant robot anime. However when the Sentai producers realized that the level of beauty they needed was impossible in live action compared to anime, Megiddo was eventually "changed" only to return near the end as the mysterious Dark Knight. It was as the Dark Knight that Megiddo made a greater impact, becoming the first Sentai "Dark Hero". Jashinka likewise experienced developments that would impact storytelling in Sentai, including character development and, with the successful return of the "mid-season upgrade" in Goggle V, the first true "villain upgrade" in Sentai for their side.

Possibly the greatest "change" that Dynaman held in Sentai's evolution was unintentional but important: due to the increase in time of a Japanese news program, the Sentai timeslot was suddenly reduced from 30 minutes to 25, which included opening, ending and preview. This reduction ended up forcing a tightening of action and story and less time with stock footage, ultimately improving the franchise in the long run.

Plot
The Jashinka Empire (ジャシンカ帝国) (Combination of the Japanese words for "evil" (邪心), and "evolution" (進化)) rises from the depths of the Earth to conquer the world.

To stop them, Dr. Yumeno assembles five inventors to his laboratory, Yumeno Invention Laboratory and gives them the power to become Dynamen. Each member has their own goal, but as the Kagaku Sentai Dynaman, they are united to stop the Jashinka Empire in their tracks.

Allies

 * Dr. Kyuutarou Yumeno
 * Kendo Robo

Tailed People Clan Jashinka Empire

 * Emperor Aton
 * General Kar
 * Prince Megiddo / Dark Knight
 * Gira and Geel (1-8)
 * Princess Chimera
 * General Zenobia
 * Tail Soldiers
 * Gizmosquito
 * Evolution Monsters
 * Crab Evo (1)
 * Rhino Evo (2)
 * Bat Evo (3)
 * Trilobite Evo (4)
 * Tapir Evo (5)
 * Spider Evo (Movie, 32)
 * Snake Evo (6)
 * Sponge Evo (7)
 * Butterfly Evo (8)
 * Scorpion Evo (9)
 * Octopus Evo (10)
 * Dolphin Evo (11)
 * Flea Evo (12)
 * Frog Evo (13)
 * Diving Beetle Evo (14)
 * Gecko Evo (15)
 * Archaeopteryx Evo (16)
 * Dinosaur Shinka (17)
 * Stingray Shinka (18)
 * Porcupine Shinka (19)
 * Squid Shinka (20)
 * Crocodile Shinka (21)
 * Cat Shinka (22)
 * Slug Shinka (23)
 * Fox Shinka (24)
 * Bee Shinka (25)
 * Starfish Shinka (26)
 * Cicada Shinka (27)
 * Striped Mosquito Shinka (28)
 * Cactus Shinka (29)
 * Thorn Ant Shinka (30)
 * Mantis Shinka (31)
 * Mammoth Shinka (33)
 * Mechavolution Beasts
 * Missile Crayfish (34)
 * Guillotine Lizard (35)
 * Machinegun Jaguar (36)
 * Electric Eel (37)
 * Armor Rose (38)
 * Laser Hawk (39)
 * Word Processor Armadillo (40)
 * Drill Horse (41)
 * Drill Pegasus (41)
 * Masakari Bear (42)
 * Rocket Tiger (43)
 * Shovel Kong (44)
 * Rainbow Chameleon (45)
 * Jet Flying Squirrel (46)
 * Poison Gas Weasel (47)
 * Boomerang Jackal (48)
 * Computer Dragon (49)
 * Fire Sphinx (50-51)

Songs

 * Opening: Kagaku Sentai Dynaman
 * Ending: Yume wo Kanaete Dynaman
 * Mecha Theme (Dyna Robo): Go Go Dyna Robo
 * Matte Ita n da Dynaman
 * Honoo no Senshi ~Fire Crew~
 * Ore no Heart wa Yumejikake
 * Mahiru no Arashi ~Bomber Twist~
 * Super Dynamite
 * Endless Way

Cast

 * Hokuto Dan: Satoshi Okita (English Parody voice: Peter Alves)
 * Ryu Hoshikawa: Jyunichi Haruta (English Parody voice: Bill Johnston)
 * Yosuke Shima: Kouji Unogi (English Parody voice: Mark McKinney)
 * Kosaku Nango: Yuu Tokita (English Parody voice: Bruce Pirrie)
 * Rei Tachibana: Sayoko Hagiwara (English Parody voice: Kathleen Laskey/Angela Muto)
 * Dr. Kyutaro Yumeno: Junji Shimada (English Parody voice: Peter Alves)
 * Emperor Aton: Takeshi Watabe (voice) (English Parody voice: Jack Newman)
 * Megiddo: Takeki Hayashi (English Parody voice: Peter Alves)
 * Dark Knight (voice): Michirou Iida
 * General Kar: Masashi Ishibashi (English Parody voice: Alan Gordon)
 * Princess Chimera: Mari Kouno (English Parody voice: Angela Muto)
 * General Zenobia: Ritsuko Fujiyama

Crew

 * Directed by
 * Shouhei Toujou, Minoru Yamada, Kazushi Hattori, Nagafumi Hori
 * Story and Screenplay by
 * Hirohisa Soda, Kousuke Miki, Kyoko Sagiyama, Kenji Terada, Isao Matsumoto, Ichirou Yamanaka, Shuu Yoshida
 * Action Director
 * Junji Yamaoka

Stage Shows

 * Dynaman Stage Show at 3 Heroes Korakuen Yuenchi
 * Dynaman Stage Show at Super Hero Korakuen Yuenchi