J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai

**J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai** (ジャッカー電撃隊, *Jakkā Dengekitai*?, translated as **J.A.K.Q. Blitzkrieg Squad**) is the second entry of the *Super Sentai* series, created by Shotaro Ishinomori.

It aired from April 9, 1977 to December 24, 1977 for 35 episodes. The title given to this series for international distribution by Toei is *The Jackers*.

## As a Super Sentai

*JAKQ* was the final Sentai series to use only the "Sentai" name. *Battle Fever J* was the first series to use the "Super Sentai" name. Prior to the 1995 series *Ohranger*, *JAKQ* and *Gorenger* were not recognized as "Super Sentai" series. During episode 0 of the 1989 series *Turboranger*, *Battle Fever J* was introduced as the first Super Sentai. Toei's announcement of *Ohranger* as the 19th Super Sentai series signaled the inclusion of *Gorenger* and *JAKQ* as Super Sentai series.

It should be noted that even if Goranger and JAKQ were not labelled as Super Sentai during the time that term was introduced in *Sun Vulcan's* run in 1981, AkaRanger and Spade Ace were part of an official Red Warrior picture.

Although *Choujuu Sentai Liveman* was officially treated as the tenth Super Sentai show at the time, there was a VHS released at the time of *Choushinsei Flashman* that had all of the Super Sentai openings, including Goranger's and JAKQ's. Also, during *Gosei Sentai Dairanger* in 1993, the term "Cho Seiki Zen Sentai" (Super Century All Sentai) was coined as an umbrella term for both, Super Sentai and the Ishinomori shows. It was later dropped in *Mirai Sentai Timeranger's* run back in 2000 and declared Goranger and JAKQ as part of the Super Sentai franchise.

## Development

After the massive success of *Himitsu Sentai Gorenger*, Toei and Ishinomori Productions decided to work together on another team show. However instead of following Gorenger's formula to a tee, the series went in a different direction: influence by crime, police and spy shows, they decided to go with a harder-approached series where humans were transformed into cyborgs and fought against an international criminal organization.

The first title for the series was *Dengeki Sentai Grossbomber*, then *Kagaku Tokusoutai Borg Hunter* before settling on *J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai*; however elements of the second name remain with the original Japanese name of group ISISS: Kokusai Kagaku Tokusoutai. The series took advantage of many of the popular elements within Japanese pop culture at the time, including supercars and spy shows as elements within the early episodes hoping for success.

However when the show failed to find ratings, a period of retooling began to emerge that would change the show completely. More kid elements were introduced to make it similar to *Gorenger* as well as more "kid-plot episodes" were written from the thirteenth episode. One idea for a complete overhaul involved introducing a being known as "Empirian", a man from the future who controlled CRIME behind the scenes who was pursued by another future man named "Page One" which would join the team.

While the concept was not quite used due to difference of opinions on the current direction of the world, a new "leader" was still brought to the team in the form of Big One, portrayed by Hiroshi Miyauchi after working on fellow Ishinomori series *Kaiketsu Zubat*; the show was completely overhauled and expected to have big success. However the ratings didn't improve and the show ultimately was cancelled, becoming the shortest Sentai series with the worst ratings and potentially bringing an end to costumed team shows...until a unique fluke occurred over a year later.

## Plot

Iron Claw is the leader of a global criminal empire known simply as "Crime". With a network of wealthy and influential sympathizers and employing an army of faceless, leather-masked thugs and cyborg assassins, Crime seeks to become the most powerful mafia organization in the world. To combat this threat, ISSIS, the **I**nternational **S**cience **S**pecial **I**nvestigation **S**quad, is formed. ISSIS organizes its forces around the world to battle Crime, including Tokyo, Japan.

Tokyo's ISSIS branch commander, Daisuke Kujirai, proposes a radical experiment to aid his forces in Japan. Taking the codename "Joker", he recruits four young test subjects to undergo his cyborg enhancement project – multi-talented athlete and Olympic Gold medalist Goro Sakurai, disgraced boxing champion Ryu Higashi, critically injured policewoman Karen Mizuki and clinically dead and cryogenically sustained oceanographer Bunta Daichi.

Surgically altered and given various energy manipulation powers and bionic enhancements, the four youths begin their mission to destroy Crime as the crime-busting quartet code-named J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai. Later on, Joker leaves and Sokichi Banba, a master of disguise and a cyborg, becomes their new boss, as Big One.

## Characters

### Allies

#### ISSIS

* Commander Daisuke Kujirai/Joker
* Keiko Hayashi (Agent 7)
* Junko Yamamoto (Agent 8)
* Yoshiko Iijima (Agent 9)
* Agent 10
* Tamasaburo Hime

### Criminal Organization Crime

* Shine (23-35)
* Boss (Warrior) Iron Claw (1-35, JAKQ vs. Gorenger)
* Big Crime Four (JAKQ vs. Gorenger)
	+ Baron Iron Mask
	+ General Sahara
	+ Captain UFO
	+ Hell Boxer
* Crimers
* Crime Monsters
	+ Mechanical Monsters (1-22)
		- Devil Killer (1)
		- Devil Drill (2)
		- Devil 'Mite (3)
		- Devil Gun (4)
		- Devil Wrestler (5)
		- Devil Amazon (6)
		- Devil Electric (7)
		- Devil Flower (8)
		- Devil Spider (9)
		- Devil Cane (10)
		- Devil Gang (11)
		- Devil Sphinx (12)
		- Devil Goo (13)
		- Devil Wolf (14)
		- Devil Mummy (15)
		- Devil Ball (16)
		- Devil Devil (17)
		- Devil Fishing (18)
		- Devil Athletic (19)
		- Devil BEM (20)
		- Devil Batter (21)
		- Devil Scrap (22)
	+ Invader Robots (23-35)
		- Atomic Witch (23)
		- Hell's Angel (24)
		- General Antongam (25)
		- Captain Ghost (26)
		- Führer Crocodile (27)
		- Tentacles Lay Priest (28)
		- Chief Mantis (29)
		- Great Priest Cobra (30)
		- Shachira Khan (31)
		- Battalion Leader Chameleon (32)
		- Admiral Buffalo (33)
		- Great King Icarus (34)
		- Warrior Iron Claw (35)

## Arsenal

### Weapons

* JAKQ Gear
	+ Spade Arts ◆
	+ Dia Sword ◆
	+ Heart Cute ◆
	+ Club Megaton ◆
	+ Big Baton ◆

### Vehicles

* JAKQ Vehicles
	+ Spade Machine ◆
	+ Mach Dia ◆
	+ Heart Buggy ◆
	+ Auto Clover ◆
* Sky Ace
* Jack Tank

## Mecha

*Legend*:✶ team-piloted mecha
* Sky Ace ✶

## Episodes

*Main article: J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai Episodes*
Like *Gorenger* before it, all J.A.K.Q. titles are two statements, with the first an exclamation. The first 12 episodes all have a number motif in the first title.

1. Ep. 1: 4 Cards!! The Trump is J.A.K.Q. (4カード!! 切り札はJAKQ, *Fō Kādo!! Kirifuda wa Jakkā*?)
2. Ep. 2: 2 Ten-Jacks!! Destroy the Secret Factory (2テンジャック!! 秘密工場を破壊せよ, *Tsū Tenjakku!! Himitsu Kōjō o Hakai Seyo*?)
3. Ep. 3: 5 Flashes!! Roar, Panther (5フラッシュ!! ほえろパンサー, *Faibu Furasshu!! Hoero Pansā*?)
4. Ep. 4: 1 Joker!! The Perfect Crime's Assassin (1ジョーカー!! 完全犯罪の刺客, *Wan Jōkā!! Kanzen Hanzai no Shikaku*?)
5. Ep. 5: 3 Snaps!! The Ballade of Betrayal (3スナップ!! 裏切りのバラード, *Surī Sunappu!! Uragiri no Barādo*?)
6. Ep. 6: 9 Pokers!! The Beauty's Trap (9ポーカー!! 美女の罠, *Nain Pōkā!! Bijo no Wana*?)
7. Ep. 7: 8 Supercars!! Super-Speed, 350 km/h (8スーパーカー!! 超速350キロ, *Eito Sūpākā!! Chōsoku Sanbyaku Gojū Kiro*?)
8. Ep. 8: 6 Targets!! Exploding Flowers (6ターゲット!! 爆発する花, *Shikkusu Tāgetto!! Bakuhatsu Suru Hana*?)
9. Ep. 9: 7 Straights!! The Deadly Fist of Hell (7ストレート!! 地獄の必殺拳, *Sebun Sutorēto!! Jigoku no Hissatsu Ken*?)
10. Ep. 10: 11 Collections!! Invitation to Happiness (11コレクション!! 幸福への招待, *Erebun Korekushon!! Kōfuku e no Shōtai*?)
11. Ep. 11: 13 Jackpots!! Burn! Flames of Friendship (13ジャックポット!! 燃えよ! 友情の炎, *Sātīn Jakkupotto!! Moe yo! Yūjō no Honō*?)
12. Ep. 12: 10 Pyramids!! The Maze of the Golden Mask (10ピラミッド!! 黄金仮面の迷路, *Ten Piramiddo!! Ōgon Kamen no Meiro*?)
13. Ep. 13: Blue Key Quiz!! The Riddle of the Secret Room Murder (青いキークイズ!! 密室殺人の謎・なぞ, *Aoi Kī Kuizu!! Misshitsu Satsujin no Nazo - Nazo*?)
14. Ep. 14: All Supercars!! Violence!! Great Violent Dash!! (オールスーパーカー!! 猛烈!! 大激走!!, *Ōru Sūpākā!! Mōretsu!! Dai Gekisō!!*?)
15. Ep. 15: The Crimson Occult!! Ghost Story - Vampire (真赤なオカルト!! 怪談・吸血鬼, *Makka na Okaruto!! Kaidan - Kyūketsuki*?)
16. Ep. 16: Black Baseball!! The Attacking Miracle Ball (黒いベースボール!! 襲撃する魔球, *Kuroi Bēsubōru!! Shūgeki Suru Makyū*?)
17. Ep. 17: Black Demon Moon!! Ghost Story - Hell House (黒い悪魔つき!! 怪談・地獄の家, *Kuroi Akuma Tsuki!! Kaidan - Jigoku no Uchi*?)
18. Ep. 18: Blue Whirling Tides!! The Face of the Secret Spy (青いうず潮!! 秘密スパイの顔, *Aoi Uzushio!! Himitsu Supai no Kao*?)
19. Ep. 19: Great Crimson Adventure!! Demon Extermination of Bottomless Haunts (真赤な大冒険!! 底なし魔境の鬼退治, *Makka na Daibōken!! Sokonashi Makyū no Oni Taiji*?)
20. Ep. 20: Messenger of Darkness!! The Transparent Monster Runs the Darkness (暗黒の使者!! 透明怪物が闇を走る, *Ankoku no Shisha!! Tōmei Kaibutsu ga Yami o Hashiru*?)
21. Ep. 21: The Rose-Colored Baseball Era!! CRIME's Slugger (バラ色の野球時代!! クライムの強打者, *Bara-iro no Yakyū Jidai!! Kuraimu no Kyūdasha*?)
22. Ep. 22: Big Red Counterattack!! Attack the Suicide Bomber Army (赤い大逆転! 自爆軍団を攻撃せよ, *Akai Dai Gyakushū!! Jibaku Gundan o Kōgeki Seyo*?)
23. Ep. 23: White Birdman! Big One (白い鳥人! ビッグワン, *Shiroi Chōjin! Biggu Wan*?)
24. Ep. 24: Demon? Angel?! The Marvelous Flute-Playing Man (悪魔か? 天使か?! 不思議な笛吹き男, *Akuma ka? Tenshi ka?! Fujiki na Fuefuki Otoko*?)
25. Ep. 25: Victory? Death?! Demon Shogun and Mechanization Army (勝利か? 死か?! 鬼将軍と機械化軍団, *Shōri ka? Shi ka?! Oni Shōgun to Kikaika Gundan*?)
26. Ep. 26: Invaders!? The Mysterious Space Pirate Ship (インベーダーか!? 謎の宇宙海賊船, *Inbēdā ka!? Nazo no Uchū Kaizokusen*?)
27. Ep. 27: The Despot's Ambition!! Break it! The Death Camp (独裁者の野望!! 砕け! 死の収容所, *Dokusaisha no Yabō!! Kudake! Shi no Shūyōjo*?)
28. Ep. 28: My Secret! A Space Monster in My Pocket (ぼくの秘密! ポケットの中の宇宙怪物, *Boku no Himitsu! Poketto no Naka no Uchū Kaibutsu*?)
29. Ep. 29: Go, Seven Changes! Iron Claw vs. Big One (行くぞ七変化! 鉄の爪対ビッグワン, *Iku zo Shichi Henge! Tetsu no Tsume Tai Biggu Wan*?)
30. Ep. 30: The Code That Calls Death! Deadly Poison, Cobra Twist (死を呼ぶ暗号! 猛毒コブラツイスト, *Shi o Yobu Angō! Mōdoku Kobura Tsuisuto*?)
31. Ep. 31: Red Impact! The Spy is a Fourth-Grader (赤い衝撃! スパイは小学四年生, *Akai Shōgeki! Supai wa Shōgaku Yonensei*?)
32. Ep. 32: Which is the Real One?! Danger, Big One (どっちが本もの?! 危うしビッグワン, *Dotchi ga Hon Mono?! Ayaushi Biggu Wan*?)
33. Ep. 33: The Blitzkrieg Squad Annihilated?! CRIME's Cooking Class (電撃隊全滅か?! クライムのお料理教室, *Dengeki Tai Zenmetsu ka?! Kuraimu no O-ryōrikyōshitsu*?)
34. Ep. 34: Infiltration! CRIME Fortress Island (潜入! クライム要塞島, *Sennyū! Kuraimu Yōsai Shima*?)
35. Ep. 35: Big Victory! Farewell, J.A.K.Q. (大勝利! さらばジャッカー, *Daishōri! Saraba Jakkā*?)

**Movies**

1. *J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai* (ジャッカー電撃隊, *Jakkā Dengekitai*?) (Movie version of Episode 7)
2. *J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai vs. Gorenger* (ジャッカー電撃隊VSゴレンジャー, *Jakkā Dengekitai tai Gorenjā*?)

## Cast

* Goro Sakurai (桜井 五郎, *Sakurai Gorō*?): Yoshitaka Tanba (丹波義隆, *Tanba Yoshizaki*?)
* Ryu Azuma (東 竜, *Azuma Ryū*?): Tairayama Itou (伊東平山, *Tairayama Itou*?)
* Karen Mizuki (カレン水木, *Karen Mizuki*?): Mitchi Love (ミッチー・ラブ, *Mitchī Rabu*?)
* Bunta Daichi (大地 文太, *Daichi Bunta*?): Yuusuke Kazato (風戸佑介, *Yuusuke Kazato*?)
* Sokichi Banba (番場 壮吉, *Banba Sōkichi*?): Hiroshi Miyauchi (宮内洋, *Hiroshi Miyauchi*?)
* Iron Claw (アイアンクロー, *Iron Claw*?): Masashi Ishibashi
* Narrator: Toru Ohira

### Guest Stars

* Keiji Mizuki (Karen's Father) (1): Jun Todo
* Captain Robert (1): Ousmane Yusef
* ISSIS Soldiers (1): Jyunichi Haruta, Yutaro Osugi
* Keiji (1)/Katsuya's Brother (9): Toshimichi Takahashi
* Police Officer (at airport) (1): Nenji Kobayashi
* Crime Boss' Tokyo (1-2): Junji Masuda
* Yamauchi (Ryu's master boxing) (2): Takeshi Omaeda
* Sam (2): Jim Max Baden
* Crime Boss' Yokohama (3-4): Yoshikazu Sugi
* Hayato Kono (3): Kenji Ohba (credit as Kenji Takahashi)
* Natsuki Kono (3): Etsuko Shihomi
* Nami Daichi (Bunta's sister) (4): Terumi Sato
* Emi Nishizaki (4): Takako Ishikawa
* Emi's Father (4): Tsuyoshi Shintaku
* Emi's Mother (4): Mari Nakamura
* Crime Boss #3 (5): Kenji Ushio
* Junko Koyama (5): Yoko Natsuki
* Dr. Koyama (Junko's Father and Kujirai's teacher) (5): Hiroshi Katayama
* Crime Boss Tomioka (6): Makoto Takagiri
* Devil Amazon's human form (6): Rena Natsuki
* Himself (7, 14): Toru Kirikae
* Herself (7): Masako Kirikae
* Crime Boss #5 (8): Fumitake Omura
* Kumiko (Karen's closest friend) (8): Kyoko Okada
* Kanako (Butique's Owner) (8): Mieko Muramatsu
* Katsuya Nakayama (9): Hiroyuki Sanada
* Big Satan (9): Willie Dorsey
* Crime Boss #6 (9): Shinji Takano
* Miki Ota (10): Megumi Shimizu
* Henry Ota (10): Shuntaro Emi
* Akao (10): Tomokazu Hokuto
* Crime Boss #7 (10): Koji Miemachi
* Wakamiya (11): Kouki Tanioka
* Crime Boss #8 (Dr. Fujita) (11): Takashi Toyama
* Crime Boss #9 (12): Susumu Kurobe
* Crime Boss #10 (Jan Muto) (13): Kazuo Arai
* Ryuichi Iwasaki (13): Kenichi Mochizuki
* Tamiko Hayashida (13): Eriko Hama
* Reika (13): Keiko Shimizu
* Bone (14): David Friedman
* Himself (14): Makoto Kaneko
* Maya (14): Ritsuko Fujiyama
* Crime Boss (008) (14): Eiichi Kikuchi
* Crime Boss #11 (15): Chikako Susumu
* Megumi (15): Yumi Tamai
* Kenta (15): Fumihiko Ogawa
* Sachiko Suzuki (15): Fumiyo Shigeno
* Female Member nº 7 (15): Rumi Kudo
* Crime Boss #12 (16): Nobuo Yana
* Jiro Kanai (16): Hisashi Kubota
* Misako Akizuki (17): Yuriko Izuka
* Crime Boss #13 (Misako's Uncle) (17): Koji Kawamura
* Ryoji Sada (18): Mutsumi Okabe
* Ryochi Sada (Ryoji's Brother and Crime's Spy) (18): Koichi Okabe
* Crime Boss #14 (18): Keisuke Nakai
* Coronel Gamudi (20): Kentaro Kaji
* Princess Cindy (20): Mayo Suzuki
* Crime Boss #15 (20): Kin Oomae
* Mr. Shin (22): Shin Misuta
* Director Hosoda (Atomic Witch's human form) (23): Naomi Jimbo
* Hiker (25): Eisuke Yoda
* Fujita (27): Ken Sudo
* Isamu Nishikawa (28): Kazuto Ando
* Yukie Hamato (30): Sumiko Kakizaki
* Director Hamato (30): Yoshio Yoshida
* Shinta Yamamoto (31): Seiichi Ando
* Shinta's Father (31): Tsuyoshi Soma
* Shinta's Mother (31): Michiko Hoshi
* Suikan (31): Akira Oizumi
* Cooks (Admiral Buffalo's human form) (33): Tadashi Nakamura
* Kujirai's Wife (35): Isuzu Igarashi
* Mari Kujirai (Kujirai's Daughter) (35): Kumi Shimizu

### Suit actors

* Spade Ace/Big One: Jun'ichi Haruta (credited as Misao Haruta), Yoshinori Okamoto
* Dia Jack: Hiromichi Suzuki
* Heart Queen: Minoru Yokohama
* Clover King: Hirohumi Koga

## Songs

Opening theme
* "J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai" (ジャッカー電撃隊, *Jakkā Dengekitai*?)
	+ Lyrics: Shotaro Ishinomori
	+ Composition & Arrangement: Michiaki Watanabe
	+ Artist: Isao Sasaki with Koorogi '73

Ending theme
* "Itsuka, Hana wa Saku Daro" (いつか、花は咲くだろう, *"Itsuka, Hana wa Saku Daro"*? Someday, Flowers Will Bloom)
	+ Lyrics: Saburo Yatsude
	+ Composition & Arrangement: Michiaki Watanabe
	+ Artist: Isao Sasaki

Insert theme
* Ike! Sky Ace
* J.A.K.Q., Susume J.A.K.Q.
* Spade Ace Wakaki Shishi
* Sore ga Hajimari Datta
* J.A.K.Q. Covack
* J.A.K.Q. Machine Rock
* Crime no Theme
* J.A.K.Q. Ai no Theme

## Notes

* For 35 years, J.A.K.Q. held the title of shortest Sentai. This was broken in 2012, with *Akibaranger* being only 13. However, J.A.K.Q. still holds the title of shortest official Sentai.
	+ Ironically, it is preceded by the longest Super Sentai season; Goranger.
* This series introduces the following firsts in Super Sentai:
	+ The first not to feature a Yellow Ranger, followed by *Battle Fever J*, *Changeman*, and *Kyoryuger*.
	+ The first to feature a White Ranger (Big One).
	+ The first to feature an additional Ranger joining (Big One).
	+ The first to have the boss himself join as a Ranger (Big One), followed by *Dekaranger's* DekaMaster and *Kyoryuger's* Kyoryu Silver.
	+ The first to have a non-Red Ranger lead the team (Big One), followed by *Kakuranger*, *Megaranger*, *Timeranger*, and *Gekiranger*.
* The only series to start with an even number of Rangers, four. It is likewise the first to start with less than five, followed by *Sun Vulcan*, *Liveman*, *Hurricaneger*, *Abaranger*, *Gekiranger*, *Go-Onger* and *Go-Busters*, all of which started with three.
	+ Uniquely, J.A.K.Q. shares it's distinction of having a four-man team with *Abaranger*; however things get more complicated from there. Although J.A.K.Q. starts with four, Big One is considered a core Ranger and not an extra thus making their "five" a general five-man team by the end. In Abaranger's case, the series appears to start with three, but Asuka (AbareBlack) is around from the beginning and just doesn't use his power until some time in. Further, the fifth for this season (AbareKiller) is treated as a "sixth-ranger", even though he is technically the fifth like Big One.
* This is the only series to share an epithet with another Sentai: the "Dengeki" of "Dengekitai" is the exact same as the "Dengeki" of *Dengeki Sentai Changeman*.
* This is one of four teams to not have "Sentai" in their name but the only one of the four to have another designation to refer to them as a team. (the 'tai' ending is the same as that of 'sentai', thus them being "Dengekitai" makes them "the Blitzkreig Squadron" instead of "Battle Squadron" like all those who use "Sentai")
* J.A.K.Q holds a TV show rating of 9.8%. [1]
* This series was originally called *Dengeki Sentai Crossbonger* (Blitzkrieg Squadron Crossbonger) and *Kagaku Tokusou-tai Borghunter* (Science Special Team Borghunter). The *Dengeki* and *Kagaku* titles would later be used for *Dengeki Sentai Changeman* and *Kagaku Sentai Dynaman*.

## References

1. ↑ "Library -- English Titles -- TOEI TV Website". http://tvarc.toei.co.jp/tv/library/series-title.html. Retrieved 2009-01-13.
2. ↑ http://risingsuntokusatsu.com/?p=1568

## External links

* *J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai* at super-sentai.net
* *J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai* at Wikipedia
* *J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai* at Japanese Wikipedia