The Gransazers (2003-2004)

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Ultra Star God Series
None
The Gransazers
The Justirisers
The Gransazers
Japanese title screen for The Gransazers
Air date October 4, 2003 -
September 25, 2004
Funded by TV Tokyo, Yomiko Advertising, Toho
Production company General Entertainment,
Dream Planet Japan
Channel(s) TV Tokyo
Genre(s) Tokusatsu, action, drama, sci-fi
Episodes 51*
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4.60
(5 votes)

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The Gransazers (超星神グランセイザー,   Chōseishin Guranseizā, lit. Ultra Star God Gransazer) is a Japanese tokusatsu drama series funded by TV Tokyo, Yomiko Advertising, and Toho and produced by General Entertainment, with special effects produced by Dream Planet Japan. The series was primarily directed by Hirochika Muraishi, who also helmed Toho and TV Tokyo's previous collaborations Cyber Cop and Guyferd. Other directors include Godzilla 2000: Millennium and Godzilla vs. Megaguirus special effects director Kenji Suzuki and Rebirth of Mothra 2 director Kunio Miyoshi. Toshimichi Okawa is the series' lead writer, and its special effects were directed by Koichi Kawakita. It aired weekly from October 10, 2003 to September 25, 2004 and kicked off the Ultra Star God multimedia franchise, which continued with The Justirisers in 2004.

The series stars a team of 12 colorful superheroes, known collectively as the Gransazers, who each possess a different animal motif and are aligned with a different constellation of the zodiac. They are divided into four elemental tribes of three members—the Fire Tribe, Wind Tribe, Earth Tribe, and Water Tribe—each of which possesses its own giant robot called an Ultra Star God. Developed by an advanced ancient civilization who were annihilated by extraterrestrial invaders, the power of the Gransazers is reawakened in a group of young adults in the 21st century. The tribes must learn to overcome their differences while fending off the renewed attacks of the very alien alliance which threatened their home millennia ago. The show is split into four "cours", or parts, each of which focus on a different variety of aliens.

Plot

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To be added.

Episodes

Title translations adapted from the show's international English dub.

No. Title Director Writer Air date
Part 1
1 "Awaken! Star Warrior" Hirochika Muraishi Toshimichi Okawa 10/04/2003
2 "Move! Dorcrus" Hideki Sonoda 10/11/2003
3 "The Formation of the Fire Tribe" Kenji Suzuki Kenji Konuta 10/18/2003
4 "The Earth's Warrior" Hiroshi Ishii 10/25/2003
5 "The Burning Police Spirit" Hirochika Muraishi Toshimichi Okawa 11/01/2003
6 "Fight! Wind, Fire and Earth" 11/08/2003
7 "Run! To Save a Life" Kenji Suzuki Hideki Sonoda 11/15/2003
8 "Descend! Dragon from the Sky" Kenji Konuta 11/22/2003
9 "Tremble! Karin's Real Shape" Hirochika Muraishi Toshimichi Okawa 11/29/2003
10 "Achelon Captures the Earth" 12/06/2003
11 "The Nine Sazers Finally Unite" Kenji Suzuki 12/13/2003
12 "Ultra Star Gods vs. the Achelon Star Beast" Kenji Konuta 12/20/2003
Part 2
13 "The Impactor Attacks" Hirochika Muraishi Toshimichi Okawa 12/27/2003
14 "Awaken! Water Warrior" 01/10/2004
15 "Arise! Ultra Star God of Water" 01/17/2004
16 "Emergency! Commander Logia" Hiroshi Ishii 01/24/2004
17 "Crisis! The Plan to Exterminate Humanity" Kenji Suzuki Hideki Sonoda 01/31/2004
18 "The Ultimate Enemy! Guntras" 02/07/2004
19 "Go! Guncaeser" Kunio Miyoshi Kazuhiro Inaba 02/14/2004
20 "Prepare for the Big Battle" 02/21/2004
21 "The End of the World is Coming!" Tsutomu Kashima Kenji Konuta 02/28/2004
22 "The Unification of the Ultra Star Gods" 03/06/2004
23 "Logia's Revenge" Hirochika Muraishi Hiroshi Ishii 03/13/2004
24 "Menace! Dailogian" 03/20/2004
Part 3
25 "Mastermind! The Brand-New Enemy" Hirochika Muraishi Hiroshi Ishii 03/27/2004
26 "The Prisoner of Ijigen" Kenji Suzuki Kazuhiro Inaba 04/03/2004
27 "Burn in Fury, Burning Swords!" 04/10/2004
28 "The Pretty Fugitive" Hirochika Muraishi Kenji Konuta 04/17/2004
29 "Go! Type-05 GS Assist Robot!" 04/24/2004
30 "Velsou Strikes!" Kunio Miyoshi Toshimichi Okawa 05/01/2004
31 "Pompous Princess in Danger!" Kenji Suzuki Kazuhiro Inaba 05/08/2004
32 "Nightmare on the Spaceship" Toshimichi Okawa 05/15/2004
33 "Demon of Revenge, Logia Returns" Tsutomu Kashima Kazuhiro Inaba 05/22/2004
34 "Defeat Him, Dailogian" 05/29/2004
35 "Dancing Dream" Kunio Miyoshi 06/05/2004
36 "Farewell, Partner!" Hirochika Muraishi Shuji Kawata 06/12/2004
37 "Day of the Dolphin" Tsutomu Kamishiro 06/19/2004
38 "Visitor from the Ancient Times" Kenji Suzuki Rima Nozoe 06/26/2004
39 "Project Omega" 07/03/2004
40 "Counterattack! Jet-Black Soldier" Teruyoshi Ishii Kazuhiro Inaba 07/10/2004
41 "Showdown!" 07/17/2004
Part 4
42 "Revive! Ancient Life Form" Hirochika Muraishi Hideki Sonoda 07/24/2004
43 "Boscheat the Destroyer" 07/31/2004
44 "Unraveled! Mystery of the Ancient War" Kenji Suzuki Rima Nozoe 08/07/2004
45 "Final Battle Against Boscheat" 08/14/2004
46 "Beginning of the End" Toshiharu Ikeda Tsutomu Kamishiro 08/21/2004
47 "Prelude to Destruction" Tsutomu Kashima 08/28/2004
48 "The Dragon's Memory, Heaven's Will" Shuji Kawata 09/04/2004
49 "The Space Alliance's Army Advances!" Hirochika Muraishi Kazuhiro Inaba 09/11/2004
50 "Tenma's Death!" 09/18/2004
51 "Day of Resurrection" Toshimichi Okawa 09/25/2004

Staff

Staff role on the left, staff member's name on the right.

  • Directed by   Hirochika Muraishi, Kenji Suzuki, Kunio Miyoshi, Tsutomu Kashima, Teruyoshi Ishii, Toshiharu Ikeda
  • Written by   Toshimichi Okawa, Hideki Sonoda, Kenji Konuta, Hiroshi Ishii, Kazuhiro Inaba, Shuji Kawata, Tsutomu Kamishiro, Rima Nozoe
  • Organized by   Masamichi Fujiwara, Kazuhisa Yanagita, Katsufumi Miyazaki
  • Produced by   Norio Yamakawa, Yoshiya Futamura, Nobuhiko Ishii
  • Music by   Yasuharu Takana
  • Opening theme "Life Goes On"
    • Written and performed by   U-ya Asaoka
    • Composed by   Eddy Blues
    • Arranged by   Koichi Sawazaki
  • Ending theme "Take You Away"
    • Performed by   Asami Abe
    • Written by   326
    • Composed by   Kyohei Tsutsumi
    • Arranged by   Yoshimasa Inoue
  • Cinematography by   Takehiro Kuramochi
  • Edited by   Masayuki Horiguchi
  • Production design by   Masato Inatsuki
  • First assistant directors   Yoshiaki Kondo, Mikihiro Honda
  • Director of special effects   Koichi Kawakita
  • First assistant director of special effects   Hiromasa Mitsudome

Cast

For minor roles and monster suit actors, see the cast sections on their respective episode pages.

Actor's name on the left, character played on the right.

Appearances

Gransazers

Monsters and races

Weapons, vehicles and organizations

Foreign releases

An advertisement for The Gransazers' television run in India

An English-language dub of the series was recorded under the name Ultra Star God Gransazer, possibly commissioned by Toho. It aired on television in English-speaking territories of Asia as The Gransazers; this is known to have included Singapore's Kids Central[1] in early 2005, and the Toonami block on India's Cartoon Network beginning in November of 2006.[2] The full dub was released on VCD by Singaporean company Poh Kim.

Several inconsistencies and alterations to the Japanese version's script are present in the dub, as well as the subtitles on the VCDs. Examples include:

  • The time period during which the Earth was inhabited by an advanced civilization is changed from hundreds of millions of years ago to billions of years ago.
  • Despite marketing for the show's Indian release calling them Super Star Gods, the Gransazers' mechas are referred to as Ultra Star Gods throughout the dub. The subtitles occasionally call them Chou Seishin.
  • The Wind Tribe's Ultra Star God is inconsistently pronounced "Dolcross" and "Dorcruz." The VCD subtitles vary between Dolcross, Dorcruz, Docrus, Dorcous, and Dorcrus.
  • The Earth Tribe's Ultra Star God is written by the subtitles as "Gun Caesar," "Gunshisa," "Guncaesar" or "Guncaeser."
  • Impactor Logia's mecha, called Dailogian in the original Japanese, is pronounced "Dailogia." The subtitles, nonetheless, write it Dailogian.
  • Despite the dub consistently using the name Fire Tribe, "Flame Tribe" is occasionally written by the subtitles.
  • Karin Saeki's species are consistently called "Akerons." However, the subtitles vary between Akerons, Achelons, and Achelonese.
  • All of the show's alien species (sans the Achelons) are translated with an "-ean" or "-ian" ending, similar to a nationality. For example, クリミネル星人 (Alien Kliminel) is translated as "Kliminelean."
  • The pronunciation of the main antagonist organization's name varies between "Warf Manauf," "Wouf Manauf," and "Uofu Manafu." The subtitles variously write it Warf Manarf, Uofu Manafu, Gofumanafu, and Wouf Manafe.
  • The name of the fodder henchmen used by Wouf Manafe varies between Gig Fighter, Gig-Fighter, and Gigfighter in the subtitles.
  • Impactor Lucia's name is spelled "Rusia" by the subtitles upon her first appearance, but is changed to Lucia in later episodes. The dub consistently pronounces it like "Luchia."
  • The series' final antagonist, whose original name ボスキート (Bosukīto) is homophonous with the Japanese rendering of 'mosquito,' is called "Boscheat" with a 'ch' sound.
  • A line in episode 13 referring to Ultra Star God Leviathan as a "metallic whale" (金属製のクジラ,   kinzokuesei no kujira) is changed to say "a golden Godzilla." This was most likely caused by confusion over the Japanese word for metallic, which contains the kanji for "gold" (金,   kin), and a mishearing of kujira ("whale") as Gojira. The line is especially peculiar in context due to Leviathan being blue, not gold, and its lack of resemblance to Godzilla.

Video releases

Toho DVD (2004) [Volume 1]

  • Region: 2
  • Discs: 1
  • Audio: Japanese
  • Special features: Three promotional videos.
  • Notes: Contains episodes 1-3. Reissued in 2021.

Toho DVD (2004) [Volume 2]

  • Region: 2
  • Discs: 1
  • Audio: Japanese
  • Special features: Interview with Kenji Suzuki, Sayaka Isoyama, and Soji Masaki.
  • Notes: Contains episodes 4-7. Reissued in 2021.

Toho DVD (2004) [Volume 3]

  • Region: 2
  • Discs: 1
  • Audio: Japanese
  • Special features: Interview with Asuka Shimizu, Kohei Takeda, and Maya Hoshino.
  • Notes: Contains episodes 8-11. Reissued in 2021.

Toho DVD (2004) [Volume 4]

  • Region: 2
  • Discs: 1
  • Audio: Japanese
  • Special features: Collection of bumpers, four textless openings, and collection of textless sponsor messages.
  • Notes: Contains episodes 12-15. Reissued in 2021.

Toho DVD (2004) [Volume 5]

  • Region: 2
  • Discs: 1
  • Audio: Japanese
  • Special features: Interview with Hirochika Muraishi, Chisun, and Ryo Segawa.
  • Notes: Contains episodes 16-19. Reissued in 2021.

Toho DVD (2004) [Volume 6]

  • Region: 2
  • Discs: 1
  • Audio: Japanese
  • Special features: Interview with Hideki Okada, Kumiko Ito, and Shinnosuke Abe.
  • Notes: Contains episodes 20-23. Reissued in 2021.

Toho DVD (2004) [Volume 7]

  • Region: 2
  • Discs: 1
  • Audio: Japanese
  • Special features: Interview with Hideaki Serizawa, Tomohide Nakahara, and Koichi Kawakita.
  • Notes: Contains episodes 24-27. Reissued in 2021.

Toho DVD (2004) [Volume 8]

  • Region: 2
  • Discs: 1
  • Audio: Japanese
  • Special features: Behind-the-scenes TV special.
  • Notes: Contains episodes 28-31. Reissued in 2021.

Toho DVD (2004) [Volume 9]

  • Region: 2
  • Discs: 1
  • Audio: Japanese
  • Special features: TV special.
  • Notes: Contains episodes 32-35. Reissued in 2021.

Toho DVD (2004) [Volume 10]

  • Region: 2
  • Discs: 1
  • Audio: Japanese
  • Special features: Interview with Takuma Sugawara, Ren Matsuzawa, and Shoichiro Akaboshi.
  • Notes: Contains episodes 36-39. Reissued in 2021.

Toho DVD (2004) [Volume 11]

  • Region: 2
  • Discs: 1
  • Audio: Japanese
  • Special features: Collections of bumpers, textless sponsor messages, and TV spots.
  • Notes: Contains episodes 40-43. Reissued in 2021.

Toho DVD (2004) [Volume 12]

  • Region: 2
  • Discs: 1
  • Audio: Japanese
  • Special features: Two direct-to-video specials.
  • Notes: Contains episodes 44-47. Reissued in 2021.

Toho DVD (2004) [Volume 13]

  • Region: 2
  • Discs: 1
  • Audio: Japanese
  • Special features: Making-of special.
  • Notes: Contains episodes 48-51. Reissued in 2021.

References

This is a list of references for The Gransazers. These citations are used to identify the reliable sources on which this article is based. These references appear inside articles in the form of superscript numbers, which look like this: [1]

  1. Guy27anime (26 November 2017). "Kids Central Men in Tights (Gransazers/Masked Rider/Power Rangers) Promo". YouTube.
  2. "Cartoon Network to host 'Toonami: Game On, Video Gaming Championship'; re-freshed Toonami block starts 6 November". Indian Television. 2 November 2006. Retrieved 26 January 2022.

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