Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Hero Profile: Akumaizer 3

Akumaizer 3 is a Japanese science fiction tokusatsu television series, created by Shotaro Ishinomori and produced by Toei Company. The series ran for 38 episodes in 1975 on NET, now known as TV Asahi. The series remains obscure outside of Japan, but was popular and renowned in its home country. 

 The program frequently alludes to the famous Alexandre Dumas, père novel The Three Musketeers.  Due to the inhuman nature of the main characters, the primary protagonists and antagonists were portrayed exclusively by stuntmen, with only their voices being portrayed by professional actors. Because of this, an unusual number of well-known voice actors star in the series, as the voices of the main characters. Makio Inoue portrays Xavitan., Kōji Yada plays Evil, and Jōji Yanami provides Gabra's gravelly intonation. 



The program follows the adventures of three mutant superhero-refugees from the "Akuma Clan" ("Devil Clan", in English), a vast empire that exists below the surface of the Earth, and their efforts to stop the Akumas from attacking the surface world. The three warriors are Xavitan, a half-demon swordsman, Evil, a somewhat vain and foppish sharpshooter, and Gabra, a slow- and dim-witted strongman. Together, they make up the superheroic team of the show's title. At the end of the series, the heroes' bodies are destroyed, but their souls survive to be reincarnated in the direct sequel to the show, Choujin Bibyun.

 Recently Bandai made S.I.C. (Super Imaginative Chogokin) figures.

They will soon cameo in Kamen Rider Wizard.

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