is a Japanese tokusatsu television series. It is Toei's 22nd entry of the Super Sentai metaseries. The series aired from February 22, 1998, to February 14, 1999, replacing Denji Sentai Megaranger, and was replaced by Kyuukyuu Sentai GoGoFive. Its footage was used in Power Rangers Lost Galaxy. The lead screenwriter for the series is Yasuko Kobayashi. Toei given the name for international distribution is Gingaman.
At the 2017 San Diego Comic-Con, Shout! Factory announced that they would be releasing Seijuu Sentai Gingaman in Japanese with English subtitles on DVD. It was released on January 30, 2018. This is the seventh Super Sentai series released on Region 1 DVD in North America. In July 2018, Shout! made the series available on-demand on their website.
Plot Three thousand years ago, the Space Pirates Balban invaded Earth. The Starbeasts and the first Gingamen, warriors of the Ginga Forest, fought them with a mystical power known as Earth and eventually imprisoned them. The Ginga people later cloaked their forest within marked boundaries and passed on the duty of the Ginga warriors through generations.
In the present day, Hyuuga, Hayate, Gouki, Hikaru and Saya are chosen as the 133rd warriors of the Starbeast Swords. Ryouma is very happy that his elder brother Hyuuga succeeds to the title. When Orghi holds the succession ceremony of the Starbeast Swords, an earthquake breaks the seal on the Balban.
Orghi orders the 133rd warriors to get the Ginga Braces hidden in Roaring Mountain. However, the Balban attacks them to prevent the birth of the new Gingamen. During the battle, Hyuuga is swallowed into a crack in the ground created by the Balban's leader Captain Zahab. Enraged, Ryouma activates his hidden Earth Power and awakens the Ginga Braces. The Gingamen fight together with the Starbeasts against the Balban, who desire to revive the Demon Beast Daitanix, on whose corpse they built their castle.
Characters Gingamen
The eponymous Gingamen are descendants of the original Gingamen from the Ginga Forest who use a fighting style originating 3,000 years ago and are chosen at a ceremony to become the current Gingamen. Before battle, the team announces their arrival by saying, .
Later in the series, with the , the Gingamen can assume forms.
Ryouma is a 22-year-old who becomes to fulfill his older brother Hyuuga's last wish. He is bright, optimistic, and hardworking.
With his Earth Power being fire, Ryouma can perform the elemental technique and the (with the Starbeast Sword) and Two Swords Flash (used with Kiba Cutter). In civilian form, he wields a boomerang.
Hayate is a 22-year-old who fights as . He is cool and quick-witted. He is an expert flute player and is the second-in-command. He has a weakness for tomatoes, but this is resolved, and honey. He is engaged to and always carries the flute and amulet she gave him before leaving the Ginga Forest.
With his Earth Power being wind, Hayate can perform the elemental technique, the (with the Starbeast Sword), and the Two Swords Gust (with the Kiba Cutter). As a Wind Warrior, he has the power to eliminate evil sounds whenever he plays his flute, which he can also use as a pea-shooter in civilian form. He is rivals with Shellinda after she destroys his flute, and has a sword fight with her on the day he and Miharu would have been married. He makes a new flute with similar materials on Moon Mountain. After the final battle, Hayate is reunited with Miharu.
Gouki is a 22-year-old who fights as . He is strong, shy, and slightly nervous as well as a lover of forests and wildlife. He is good at cooking. In the show, he believes this aspect of his personality would not let him be a good Gingaman, but at the end, he manages to win the love of Suzuko Miyasawa.
With his Earth Power being water, Gouki can perform the elemental technique and the (used with the Starbeast Sword). In civilian form, he wields a whip. In Gaoranger vs. Super Sentai, Gouki lectures Soutarou Ushigome (Gao Black) on the many strong warriors of the Super Sentai franchise. He later offers his assistance in the fight against Rakushassa alongside the other Dream Sentai warriors.
Hikaru is a 17-year-old who fights as . Although he is portrayed as being childish at times, he dislikes for others to treat like a kid. Hikaru is a gluttonous prankster and his favorite food is Mister Donut's donut. It is revealed he has been orphaned since childhood following his parents' death. After the appearance of Biznella, they often fight each other.
With his Earth Power being thunder, Hikaru can perform the elemental technique, the Ancestor Burst, the (with the Starbeast Sword), and the Severe Burn Lava (with the Kiba Cutter). In civilian form, he wields a shotgun.
Saya is a 17-year-old who fights as . Her admiration for Hyuuga gives her the courage to fight. She is always playing and competing with Hikaru, and loves climbing trees. Saya is strong, but also introverted and very popular with shopping districts residents. She holds a deep affection and care for Ryouma.
With her Earth Power being flowers, Saya can perform the and the (with the Starbeast Sword). In civilian form, she can wield a slingshot.
Black Knight is a moniker utilized by its original user and his successor.
Bull Black
Hyuuga is Ryouma's 27-year-old brother who was originally chosen to become the 133rd Ginga Red, but fell into a crack in the ground caused by Zahab. He is saved by Bull Black, who possesses Hyuuga's body for a while before discarding him. Soon after, Hyuuga is given the power to become the new Black Knight. When Gou Taurus is wounded during the battle against Evil Empress Iliess, he is captured by Bucrates who blackmails Hyuuga into working for him so he could sever his connection to the Earth to wield the cursed Knight Axe, the only thing that can shatter Zahab's Star Soul Jewel. Hyuuga agrees to give up his Earth Power in hopes of using the Knight Axe to kill Zahab. Hyuuga regains his Earth Power in the finale after the Knight Axe is destroyed and fights as the Black Knight alongside the Gingaman to finally kill Zahab.
With his Earth Power also being fire, Hyuuga can perform the Mane of Fire and the (with the Bull Riot).
Starbeasts The are sentient beings, originally from different planets (Galeon, Galcon, Garilla, Gaverick, Gat, Taurus, Rhinos, Phoenix, and Bitus). They help the Gingaman. The Gingaman's Earth Power increases when man and beast combine. When the Gingaman channel the energy of the Starbeasts' home planet through their Kiba Swords the first five Starbeasts are able to transform into by the command .
: The lion-themed beast of flame and Ginga Red's partner. Its attack is Strong Flame. It appears whenever Ginga Red calls out "Ginga Leon!". A native of the field planet Galeon, it gives Yuuta its planet stone as a sign of their friendship. It later gains the ability to become , with an attack called Silver Flame. It helps out in Gaoranger vs. Super Sentai. : The falcon/dragon-themed beast of wind and Ginga Green's partner. Its attack is Roaring Cyclone. It appears whenever Ginga Green calls out "Gingalcon!". It is a native of the wind planet Galcon. It later gains the ability to become , with an attack called Silver Cyclone. : The gorilla-themed beast of water and Ginga Blue's partner. Its attack is Mighty Strength. It appears whenever Ginga Blue calls out "Gingarilla!". It is native to the hidden forest planet Garilla. It gains the ability to become , with an attack called Silver Blizzard. The toy version stores the GingaiOh fists in its feet. : The wolf-themed beast of thunder and Ginga Yellow's partner. Its attack is Strong Electric Shock. It appears whenever Ginga Yellow calls out "Ginga Verick!". It is a native of the forest planet Gaverick. It later gains the ability to become , with an attack called Silver Flash (used with Gingat). : The wildcat-themed beast of flowers and Ginga Pink's partner. Her attack is Flower Bullet. She appears whenever Ginga Pink calls out "Gingat!". She is a native of the sand planet Gat and loves sweet-tasting things. She later gains the ability to become , with an attack called Silver Flash (used with Ginga Verick). A gemstone falls from the sky one night and lands near Gingat, turning her into a small kitten, while absorbing her power. A little girl, Yuuko, who was looking for her kitty found the small-sized Gingat, naming her "Mii". The Gingaman track down Gingat, but out of sorrow, Saya leaves Gingat with Yuuko. Yuuko then realizes Gingat was needed for battle and breaks the gemstone, restoring Gingat. : The Black Knight's bull-themed partner who appears when they call out "Gou Taurus!". It is a native of the dead planet Taurus. It transforms the Black Knight into the giant , who dual wields the twin lances and can perform the attack. During the fight against Illies, Gou Taurus is seriously injured and cannot fight in the next few episodes. It forms a bodysuit for the Heavy Knight when forming Bull Taurus. : A red-armored robot, formerly the humanoid rhinoceros-themed beast , whose body can break into five , only to reform as one again through its . It is a native of the dead planet Rhinos that was attacked by the Space Pirates Balban and was found in a near-death state by Dark Merchant Biznella who rebuilt it into its current form. It uses its powerful cannon in battle. It combines with Phoenix for an energy cyclone attack. Giga Wheel 1 forms Giga Rhinos' head and back and the "clip" of the Gigantis Buster that is stored between the "feet" of Giga Bitus' Scramble Mode. Giga Wheel 2 forms Giga Rhinos' upper torso and the "generator" of the Gigantis Buster that is stored in the left "foot" of Giga Bitus's Scramble Mode, to Giga Wheel 3's left. Giga Wheel 3 forms Giga Rhinos' waist and the "frame" of the Gigantis Buster that is stored in the left "foot" of Giga Bitus' Scramble Mode, to Giga Wheel 2's right and Giga Wheel 4's left. Giga Wheel 4 forms Giga Rhinos' arms and the muzzles of the Gigantis Buster. Stored in the left "foot" of Giga Bitus' Scramble Mode, to Giga Wheel 3's right. Giga Wheel 5 forms Giga Rhinos' helmet and legs and the "barrel" of the Gigantis Buster that is stored in the right "foot" of Giga Bitus' Scramble Mode. Giga Rhinos is known to have sharp concentration. Giga Rhinos was later destroyed along with Giga Phoenix in battle with Ghelmadix. : A blue-armored robot, formerly the phoenix-themed beast , whose body can break into five , only to reform as one again through its . It is a native of the dead planet Phoenix that was attacked by the Space Pirates Balban and was found in a near-death state by Dark Merchant Biznella who rebuilt it into its current form. With its weapon, the , it aids the Gingamen in many battles. It combines with Rhinos for an energy cyclone attack. Giga Wing 1 forms Giga Phoenix's head and arm and is stored in Giga Bitus' jaw, ahead of Giga Wings 2 and 3. Giga Wing 2 forms Giga Phoenix's body. Stored in Giga Bitus' jaw, left of Giga Wing 1. Giga Wing 3 forms Giga Phoenix's helmet, waist and upper legs and is stored in Giga Bitus' jaw, right of Giga Wing 1. Giga Wing 4 forms Giga Phoenix's right leg and is stored in the right "arm" of Giga Bitus' Scramble Mode. Giga Wing 5 forms Giga Phoenix's left leg. Stored in the left "arm" of Giga Bitus' Scramble Mode. Giga Phoenix is known to have a calm edge aesthetic, which makes him a good choice to battle Majins with overwhelming great strength. Giga Phoenix was later destroyed along with Giga Rhinos in battle with Ghelmadix.