Denkou Choujin Gridman(電光超人グリッドマン,Lightning Superman Gridman) is a Japanese tokusatsu "Giant Hero" series created by Tsuburaya Productions, the producers of Ultraman. The show ran from 1993 to 1994. It was the inspiration and source material for DiC Entertainment's Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad. This would be Tsuburaya's last non-Ultra superhero production before Bio Planet WoO.
Shot on live video, Gridman was the first series by Tsuburaya Productions to utilize D-2 digital video for its special effects scenes, allowing for smoother slow-motion photography. Tsuburaya, having switched to digital techniques since then, would continue to use D-2 for all future productions.
Story
Three computer-savvy kids, Naoto, Yuka and Ippei create their own videogame super-hero, but then discover it possessed by an inter-dimensional police officer, Gridman. Pursuing an evil program called Kahn Digifer, he merges with Naoto and fights Kahn Digifer's digitized monsters (created by social misfit Takeshi) in order to prevent the computerized demon from wreaking havoc on the Human World.
Characters
Naoto Sho (翔 直人,Shō Naoto): The main protagonist of the series. A kind-hearted boy who loves computers. After the attacks by Kahn Digifer began to occur, he was contacted by Gridman and sent the changing brace known as the "Acceptor". By pressing a blue button on the Accessor and shouting "ACCESS FLASH!", Naoto is sent into the 'Hyper World' and merges with Gridman to fight in the Computer World against the monsters sent by Takeshi and Kahn Digifer.
Yuka Inoue (井上 ゆか,Inoue Yuka): A young girl that is one of Naoto's best friends. She helps maintain the "Junk" Computer she and the gang made together. Yuka provides the team spirit and constantly encourages her friends to do their best.
Ippei Baba (馬場 一平,Baba Ippei): Naoto's other friend. Cheerful, he also helps monitor the computer when Naoto/Gridman fights. Ippei is also a talented artist. When Junk was first brought online, he used the painting program to design a superhero that would eventually become Gridman's body. He later used his skills, and hunger, to create the Barrier Shield.
Gridman (グリッドマン,Guriddoman): A 'policeman' of the Hyper World, a parallel world to the "Computer World" a world within all computers. While tracking down Kahn Digifer he encountered Naoto and, seeing that Naoto had a good heart, chose him to merge with whenever battle must be done within the Computer world. To fight the larger and more powerful monsters, Gridman receives the upgrade program P-L6806OX to grow gigantic and battle against his foes. However, this massive power-up last only for a few minutes as it could overload Junk's system. When the power up begins to fade, a blue light on Gridman's head begins to blink as a warning. Naoto, Yuuka, and Ippei chat with Gridman over their computer by typing messages to him.
Junk (ジャンク,Janku): Computer built from used computers and other junk.
Takeshi Todo (藤堂 武史,Todō Takeshi): A lonely, rich classmate of Naoto and his friends. Alone and having no friends himself, Todo enjoys making monsters on a PC Game known as "The Castle of Torture". He was put under Kahn Digifer's control to make monsters, which Kahn Digifer then brings to "life" in the computer world. Takeshi's motivation for making a monster varies each episode. He makes them a means of getting revenge on misfortune, petty grudges, or punishing humanity. Takeshi also develops an unhealthy crush on Yuka, having some of his creations targeted her specifically. He was eventually freed from his control and helps Naoto and his friends find a way to defeat Kahn Digifer. He was to become Gridman Sigma (グリッドマンシグマ,Guriddoman Shiguma) in a sequel TV series that was planned, but never made.
Dark Lord Kahn Digifer (魔王カーンデジファー,Maō Kān Dejifā): The main villain. A Legendary 'Devil' of the Computer World that wishes to wreak havoc on the Human World. Putting Takeshi Todo under his control, Khan Digifer uses him to create monsters which he brings to life in order for them to attack the Computer World. He later upgraded himself into Gigantic Kahn Digifer (巨大カーンデジファー,Kyodai Kān Dejifā) for his final battle with Gridman, destroying Gridman's Helper Vehicles and overwhelming him. Kahn Digifer was ultimately destroyed by the Grid Hyper Beam.
Hiroshi Baba (馬場 寛司,Baba Hiroshi): Ippei's father.
Ayako Baba (馬場 彩子,Baba Ayako): Ippei's mother.
Police Officer Koganemura (小金村巡査,Koganemura Junsa): The police officer of the town in which Naoto lives.
Police Officer Amagasaki (尼崎巡査,Amagasaki Junsa): The police officer who appeared instead of Koganemura.
Kaijū
Most are virus monsters created by Takeshi and brought to life by Kahn Digifer to go his bidding, acting on their creator's petty grudges to the catastrophic extremes that Kahn Digifer intends to have an effect on the human world.
Crystal Kaijū Gilarus (結晶怪獣ギラルス,Kesshō Kaijū Girarusu, 1): A dinosaur-like monster with a diamond-covered back, Gilarus was sent into the hospital's computer system and caused havoc in the operating room where Daichi was undergoing surgery at. Luckily, Girdman manages to destroy Gilarus with his Grid Beam. Gilarus's data was later upgraded into Mecha Gilarus (メカギラルス,Meka Girarusu, 14), redesigned with body armor and steel claws, and was used to tamper with time all around the world and the internal clocks of every human; Yuka and Naoto were in the basement at the time and therefore were unaffected. The upgraded monster was destroyed by Thunder Gridman's Thunder Grid Beam.
Elastic Kaijū Bamora (弾力怪獣バモラ,Danryoku Kaijū Bamora, 2): An orange dinosaur-like monster with six long spike-like appendages created to track down the owner of the Axepter. Rampaging in an information center's mainframe, sealing Gridman off, Bamora creates a satellite tower that could tear a hole into reality. But Gridman manages to keep Bamora from leaving the Computer World once the portal opened and deletes it with is Gird Beam. Bamora's data is later upgraded into Mecha Bamora (メカバモラ,Meka Bamora, 16), with armor and a mace on both its left hand and tail, used by Takeshi to get revenge on the police by disabling police communications and jail cells. Though it overpowered Gridman, Bamora is destroyed by Thunder Gridman.
Volcano Kaijū Volcadon (火山怪獣ボルカドン,Kazan Kaijū Borukadon, 3): A turtle-like quadrapedic virus with two volcano holes built into its shell that launch powerful fireballs. Volcadon was created to disrupt cell phone frequencies to give its creator's mother a good reason to see him. Volcadon is destroyed by Girdman.
Stealth Kaijū Stealgan (透明怪獣ステルガン,Tōmei Kaijū Suterugan, 4): A blue Pterodactyl-like virus that can turn invisible. Kahn Digifer sent Stealgan into Soichiro's boss's computerized automobile. Though Stealgan overwhelmed Girdman, Yuka sends him a paint program to disable Stealgan's cloaking so he can blast the virus's wings off and finally destroyed it with the Grid Beam. Stealgan's data was upgraded into Mecha Stealgan (メカステルガン,Meka Suterugan, 20), created by Takeshi to get even with a CG art company and stealing color from the city. It was destroyed by Gridman after the Dina Fighter and the King Jet disable its cloaking.
Acceptor (アクセプター,Akuseputā): The transform item given to Naoto from Gridman. By shouting Access Flash! Naoto is able to enter the Computer World and merge with Gridman to fight.
Capabilities
At giant size, Gridman's specifications are (the Computer World equivalents of): 70 meters in height, 60,000 metric tons in weight, and a flight speed of Mach 25. Gridman's powers include the Spark Beam (スパークビーム,Supāku Bīmu) (fired from the left wrist), the Grid Beam (グリッドビーム,Guriddo Bīmu) (fired from the back of the left arm), the Grid Hyper Beam (グリッドハイパービーム,Guriddo Haipā Bīmu) (fired from both hands), the Grid Light Saber (グリッドライトセイバー,Guriddo Raito Seibā) (generated by the left hand, wielded by the right), the Neo Superconductivity Kick (ネオ超電導キック,Neo Chōdendō Kikku), and the chest-projected Fixer Beam (フィクサービーム,Fikusā Bīmu) (which repairs damaged computer systems). Gridman's Helper Programs manifest as weapons and mecha, all designed by Ippei. Either Ippei or Yuka operate the machines via videogame control pad. His most prominent Helper Programs are:
The Plasma Blade (プラズマブレード,Purazuma Burēdo) and Barrier Shield (バリアーシールド,Bariā Shīrudo), which combine to form the Thunder Axe (サンダーアックス,Sandā Akkusu), which in turn transforms into the Lightning Thunderbolt Sword Gridman Sword (電光雷撃剣グリッドマンソード,Denkō Raigeki Ken Guriddoman Sōdo). The Gridman Sword's final attack is the Lightning Thunderbolt (ライトニング・サンダーボルト,Raitoningu Sandāboruto).
The Thunder Jet (サンダージェット,Sandā Jetto), a Mach-5 aircraft armed with Thunder Missiles.
Twin Driller (ツインドリラー,Tsuin Dorirā), a drill tank armed with Twin Lasers.
God Tank (ゴッドタンク,Goddo Tanku), an armored, tracked vehicle armed with God Cannon.
Can combine to form the humanoid robot Combination Electric God GodZenon (合体電神ゴッドゼノン,Gattai Denjin Goddo Zenon). (Height: 80m, Weight: 100 kilotons.)
GodZenon's punch is called the GodBreaker (ゴッドブレイカー,Goddo Bureikā)
Its kick is called the GodKick (ゴッドキック,Goddo Kikku).
Its final attack is the GodPunch (ゴッドパンチ,Goddo Panchi)," in which GodZenon fires its fists off like missiles at its opponent.
The Thunder Jet, Twin Driller and God Tank can also become a suit of mechanized armor for Gridman, forming Combination Super God Thunder Gridman (合体超神サンダーグリッドマン,Gattai Chōjin Sandā Guriddoman). (Height: 88m, Weight: 160 kilotons.) Thunder Gridman's attacks include
Thunder Grid Fire (サンダーグリッドファイヤー,Sandā Guriddo Faiyā)
Thunder Grid Beam (サンダーグリッドビーム,Sandā Guriddo Bīmu), fired from the right hand.
Drill Break (ドリルブレイク,Doriru Bureiku) (in which the Twin Driller's boretips are fired from the shoulders and home in on the target like missiles)
The DinaFigher (ダイナファイター,Daina Faitā) and the KingJet (キングジェット,Kingu Jetto). The DinaFighter is a Mach-36 aircraft (armed with DinaMissiles and the DinaLaser) which can transform into the massive Dragonic Cannon (ドラゴニックキャノン,Doragonikku Kyanon), a shoulder-fired weapon wielded by Gridman. The KingJet is a Mach-18 aircraft (armed with KingMissiles and the KingLaser) to which the DinaFigher can dock, forming the Dragon Fortress (ドラゴンフォートレス,Doragon Fōtoresu); this 106.4m-long, 240-kiloton, Mach-43 aircraft is armed with Fortress Missiles.
It can transform into the Super Dragon Combination DinaDragon (超竜合体ダイナドラゴン,Chōryū Gattai Daina Doragon). This bipedal dinosaur-like robot is 85m tall and fights with its burning Dragon Roar (ドラゴンロアー,Doragon Roā) breath attack.
In addition, the KingJet can become another mechanized suit of armor for Gridman, forming Combination Dragon Emperor King Gridman (合体竜帝キンググリッドマン,Gattai Ryūtei Kingu Guriddoman). (Height: 93 meters, Weight: 200.4 kilotons.) King Gridman's attacks include:
King Grid Punch (キンググリッドパンチ,Kingu Guriddo Panchi).
King Grid Kick (キンググリッドキック,Kingu Guriddo Kikku).
King Grid Fire (キンググリッドファイヤー,Kingu Guriddo Faiyā).
King Grid Launcher (キンググリッドランチャー,Kingu Guriddo Ranchā) (fired from the forearms).
King Grid Beam (キンググリッドビーム,Kingu Guriddo Bīmu) (fired from the right hand).
The chest-fired Fixer Beam.
Episodes
The Birth of a New Century Hero! (新世紀ヒーロー誕生!,Shinseiki Hīrō Tanjō!)
The Secret of Axepter (アクセプターの秘密,Akuseputā no Himitsu)
