Zone Fighter
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Zone Fighter, known in Japan as Ryūsei Ningen Zone (流星人間ゾーン Ryūsei Ningen Zōn?, lit. "Meteor Human Zone"), is a tokusatsu SF/superhero TV series. Produced by Toho Company Ltd., the show aired on Nippon Television from April 2 to September 24, 1973, with a total of 26 episodes. This was Toho's answer to not only the popular Ultra Series, but the Henshin Hero phenomenon started by shows like Kamen Rider and Android Kikaider. The previous year, Toho had just made their successful first superhero show, Warrior of Love, Rainbowman.
This series was also notable for its guest appearance by Toho's own Godzilla, as well as two other Toho Monsters, King Ghidorah and Gigan.
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[edit] Characters
[edit] The Sakimori Family/Zone Family
The Sakimori/Zone Family resembles a normal Japanese family, but they are an alien family that came to Earth after their home planet Peaceland was destroyed by the evil buglike Garoga aliens. To stop the Garoga Army's invasion on Earth, the Sakimori Family's three children, Hikaru (the oldest son), Hotaru (the teenage sister) and Akira (the young boy) respectively transform into the superheroes Zone Fighter, Zone Angel and Zone Junior. Their transformation code (associated with a "henshin" pose) is "Zone Fight Power".
- Hikaru Sakimori/Zone Fighter (防人光／ゾーンファイター Sakimori Hikaru/Zōn Faitā?): The oldest of the siblings. He works as test driver of car. As Zone Fighter, upon uttering the command "Zone Double Fight", he can also grow to giant size (with a streamlined metallic head) to fight Garoga's FearBeasts. His killing attack is the Meteor MissileMite (流星ミサイルマイト Ryūsei Misairumaito?)or Meteor proton beam (流星プロトンビーム Ryūsei Purotonbímu?) where he shoots a monster with missiles mounted on his wrists. Just like Ultraman, he can only become giant sized for a limited time, and the meter light on his belt buckle changes from green (normal) to yellow (caution) to red (danger). Zone Angel and Junior can recharge Fighter's energy with the emergency battery from Smokey.
- Played by Kazuya Aoyama
- Hotaru Sakimori/Zone Angel (防人螢／ゾーンエンジェル Sakimori Hotaru/Zōn Enjeru?): The second oldest of the siblings. Also attends high school.
- Played by Kazumi Kitahara
- Akira Sakimori/Zone Junior (防人明／ゾーンジュニア Sakimori Akira/Zōn Junia?): The youngest of the siblings. Also attends grade school.
- Played by Kenji Sato
- Yoichiro Sakimori (防人陽一郎 Sakimori Yōichirō?): The father of the three children. He is the proprietor of the Toy Research Institute, which explains the family's penchant for toys. Also invents the gadgets and vehicles used by the Zone Siblings to fight the Garoga Army.
- Played by Shoji Nakayama
- Tsukiko Sakimori (防人月子 Sakimori Tsukiko?): Yoichiro's wife and the mother of the three children.
- Played by Sachiko Kozuki
- Raita Sakimori/Zone Great (防人雷太／ゾーングレート Sakimori Raita/Zōn Gurēto?): Yôichirô's father and the grandfather of the three children. When his grandchildren are in a terrible predicament, he uses the Great Raideki satellite to get them out of a jam.
- Played by Shiro Amakusa.
- Godzilla (ゴジラ Gojira?): Although he is not a member of the Zone Family, he is Zone Fighter's occasional ally in fighting the Garoga FearBeasts. Zone Fighter even built a "Godzilla Cave" for him to live in and come out of when needed for an emergency. Godzilla has appeared in Episodes 4, 11, 15, 21 and 25.
- Played in costume by Toru Kawai and Isao Zushi.
[edit] Zone Arsenal
- Mighty Liner (マイティライナー - Maiti Rainâ) - Zone Fighter's car. Transforms from his racecar Skyline GT. It can also fly.
- Smokey (スモーキー - Sumòkì) - The mini-aircraft Zone Angel and Junior ride. So named because it resides in a cloud until called upon. Contains an emergency battery for giant-sized Zone Fighter when he runs out of energy.
- Bolt Thunder／Great Raideki - The cloud controlled by Raita Sakamori from the control panel in the family's house. Shoots destructive lightning bolts that can damage a Garoga FearBeast.
[edit] The Garoga Army
Garoga-Barans(ガロガバラン星人 - Garoga Baran Seijin)is a race of insect-like demons from the planet Garoga. They have red, black, blue & yellow bodies, silver bug-eyed faces (somewhat resembling the Green Goblin from the Spider-Man comic books) and floppy antennas. They operate in a huge satellite in space.
- Gold Garoga (ゴールドガロガ - Gôrudo Garoga) - The leader of the Garoga Army. Has a gold head (as opposed to silver) and a cape.
- Silver Garoga (シルバーガロガ - shirubà Garoga) - The Garoga henchmen.
- FearBeasts (恐獣 - Kyòjù) - Also referred to as Terro-Beasts, these are the various giant monsters sent by the Garoga Army to attack the Earth. They are sent in various ways:
- They are launched to Earth from the Garoga satellite via a FearBeast Missile (恐獣ミサイル - Kyòjù Misairu)
- A Garoga-Baran (either singular or group) transforms into a FearBeast while spying on Earth.
- Red Spark (1): the very first fearbeast.
- Jikiro (1,22,25) a monster who shows up a lot.
- Destro-King (2,12): A two headed monster.
- Dorola (3): A plant/animal hybrid.
- Wagilar (4): a giant bug like creature who can breath fire. He teamed up with Spyler and almost killed Zone fighter. However, Godzilla came in and battled the monster. He then battled Spyler (removing the item on his back) when Wagilar came in he smocked Godzilla with his ray, but the lizard breathed the bug with his breath.
- Spyler (4,12): A kaiju who teams up with Wagilar. He only battled Godzilla at one point in the episode. Zone Fighter killed him with his mighty missile might, threw him in the air, and blew him up with a protain beam.
- Dragon King (7,12)
- Gilmoras (7)
- Gellderah (8)
- Garoga Spider (9): a giant spider. However, he can't shoot webs.
- Goro-Gorilla (9)
- Spider Uros (9,12,25):Gargoa's spider's humanoid form. Unlike his original form, he can shoot web. He only battled Godzilla in 25.
- Jipudoro (10): A giant star fish like creature.
- Shadorah (10): a mutated monster that was made from Zone Fighter's shadow and grew when he left his body. weakness: will explode when his control system is damaged.
- Barakidon (12)
- Garoborg (13,25)
- Dedragon (14): a dragon transformed from red Gargoas. he can shoot missiles from his hands.
- Zandolla (15): A giant monster with a drill for a head. Zandolla defeated Zone Fighter, but did not do as well against Godzilla. At one point Godzilla tore his tail out and used it like a baseball bat.
- Moguranda (16)
- Barugas (17): A monster who can roll into an orb.
- Gondargilas (18-19)
- Goramu (20)
- Jellar (21): A Hedorah like kaiju who is immune to Zone's protain beam.
- Kastam-Jellar (21): A Jellar made when Godzilla ripped one of Jellar's arm off. Looks just like Jellar, but has a tiny face.
- Bakugon (23)
- Needlar (24)
- Kabutoji (25)
- Grotogauros (26): like Dedragon, he was made from Garogas. He can shoot a spray that causes his foes to hallucinate.
- King Ghidorah (キングギドラ - Kingu Gidora) - Godzilla's greatest foe becomes Zone Fighter's greatest foe when the Garoga Army dispatches him to attack the Earth in a series two-parter. Appeared in Episodes 5 and 6 (without Godzilla). In these appearances Ghidorah is made out to be a creation of the show's villains. (This was Ghidorah's last classic appearance.)
- Gigan (ガイガン - Gaigan) - Another one of Godzilla's adversaries is dispatched by Garoga to attack both Godzilla and Zone Fighter. Launched to Earth via a FearBeast Missile. Appears in Episode 11, "In the Twinkling of an Eye". (This was also Gigan's last classic appearance, aptly since he dramatically dies at the hands of Zone Fighter at the end of above episode.)
