J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai


J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai is the second installment in the Super Sentai metaseries. It was aired from April 9, 1977 to December 24, 1977. It was created by Shotaro Ishinomori, and was screened for 35 episodes. It marks the first appearance of a White Ranger in the franchise. Toei distributes the series internationally under the title The Jackers.

Plot

Iron Claw is the leader of a global criminal empire known as "Crime". Crime has a network of wealthy, influential sympathizers and employs an army of faceless, leather-masked thugs and cyborg assassins. It seeks to become the most powerful mafia organization in the world.
To combat the threat of Crime, ISSIS, the International Science Special Investigation Squad, is formed. The focus of the series is ISSIS's battles against Crime in Tokyo and Japan.
Tokyo's ISSIS branch commander, Daisuke Kujirai, proposes a radical experiment. Taking the code name "Joker", he recruits four young test subjects to undergo his cyborg enhancement project: Goro Sakurai, a multi-talented athlete and Olympic Gold medalist; Ryu Higashi, a disgraced boxing champion; Karen Mizuki, a policewoman who has been critically injured; and Bunta Daichi, an oceanographer who is clinically dead and is being cryogenically sustained. All four are surgically altered and given various bionic enhancements as well as energy manipulation powers. They are given the code name J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai, or J.A.K.Q, and the mission to destroy Crime. Later in the series Joker leaves to head ISSIS's advanced engineering branch, and Sokichi Banba, a master of disguise and a cyborg, becomes their new boss, known as Big One.

Characters

ISSIS

ISSIS's Tokyo headquarters is located in a skyscraper in the heart of Shinjuku. ISSIS has an army of blue-uniformed military troops that it uses to assist J.A.K.Q. when needed. ISSIS agents include Agent 7, Agent 8, Agent 9, Agent 10 and Hime Tamasaburou, a dimwitted and clumsy low-level agent who masquerades as a ramen takeout cook and carrier. ISSIS Tokyo's mascot is a talking hamster that was enhanced using bionic technology, which Kujirai keeps as a pet.

J.A.K.Q.

Before entering battle, J.A.K.Q. members transform into their cyborg forms in Enhancing Capsules. These chambers spray them with particles that transform into their individual costumes.

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Sakurai was a Japanese pentathlon athlete and Olympic Gold Medalist, a champion in karate, archery, and judo, a skilled equestrian, and an all-around top athlete. He originally turned down Joker's offer to join J.A.K.Q., but had a change of heart when he was saved by Karen Mizuki. Sakurai and Mizuki become romantically involved towards the end of the series.
Sakurai's bionic enhancements allow him to manipulate atomic energy in a wide variety of ways. He can see through walls and other barriers using X-ray vision, to move at super speed and to hear distant sounds. As Spade Ace, he wields a number of specially designed weapons, particularly his "Spade Arts" power bow. With this bow, Sakurai is able to shoot "atomic charged" arrows that puncture and bore through most substances. The Spade Arts bow could also be converted into a whip for binding an opponent. Sakurai is also a powerful fighter.
Sakurai is a born leader and uses his abilities to seek out his enemies' weak points.
Sakuria appeared in the movie Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger vs. Super Sentai, a movie made to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Super Sentai metaseries, leading 24 Red Rangers to help inspire the Gaoranger team

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Higashi was a former Japanese welterweight boxing champion. He was falsely accused of murder by boxing promoters in Las Vegas when he refused to rig a championship fight. Joker intercepted him when he was being extradited to Japan for prosecution, and asked him to choose between working for ISSIS as part of J.A.K.Q. or serving his prison sentence. Higashi reluctantly accepted Joker's offer.
Higashi's bionic enhancements allow him to manipulate electric currents. His right index finger carries a powerful cutter, which he uses to cut through dense objects. His left ring finger carries a laser beam that shears through most materials. As Diamond Jack, Higashi wields the powerful "Dia Sword", which he can imbue with his electrical powers to strike the enemy with deadly effect. The sword can slash and cut through solid steel and other dense metals. It can also be used to focus and fire electrical bolts of energy.
Higashi is a rough and gruff individual who is at times very headstrong and tends to prefer working alone. He continues to keep in touch with his former boxing partners, and loves jazz and fast cars.

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Mizuki is a female police detective who was assigned to investigate the routes used to traffic illegal narcotics into Japan. During one of her investigations she uncovered the fact that Crime controlled a majority of these routes, and decided to assist ISSIS in destroying them. Crime attempted to kill Mizuki by arranging a fatal car accident. Mizuki survived the accident but lost her right arm. Her father, a fellow police officer, was killed in the crash. Enraged and seeking revenge, Karen willingly accepted Joker's offer to undergo the bionic process and join J.A.K.Q.
Mizuki's bionic enhancements allow her to control magnetism. She named her magnetism-based powers "Heart Cute Jiki Power", and she is known as Heart Queen. These powers allow her to attract and repel metallic objects at will, literally stopping bullets in mid-air. Her powers are further augmented by using her Q-shaped "Heart Cute" weapon. Using the Heart Cute, Mizuki can send out waves of magnetic energy that can bowl over opponents or force them into erratic behaviors. She takes pleasure in this, asking afterward "Do you want another?"). The Heart Cute can also be used as a blunt instrument to strike opponents. Her right index finger carries her "Magnetic Counter". This sends out a magnetic detection pulse, which she can then use to pinpoint and identify objects in a way similar to radar.
Mizuki is a skilled martial artist and is proficient in a number of fighting methods. She was temporarily part of the Kono Karate School where she befriended Kono Natsuko, also a skilled martial artist. She has a flair for fashion and often sports tight red leather hotpants and long red boots. She falls in love with Sakurai towards the end of the series.

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Daichi is an oceanographer who died of oxygen deprivation in a freak submarine accident. He lost his beloved younger sister Nami years earlier in an airplane crash. Daichi's body was cryogenically sustained in a medical facility for research until Joker found him. Using bionic technology, Joker revived Daichi as a cyborg. His cyborg name is Clover King.
Daichi's bionic enhancements allow him to manipulate gravitational forces. Daichi can gain superhuman strength by increasing his body weight and density. When his power is cycling in the range of 700 horsepower, he can use his "Juroku Energy" to punch and kick opponents with devastating effect. Daichi can throw opponents across great distances and can take down dozens of opponents with his flying jump attack. His left hand can be converted into a weapon, becoming a ball and chain that can be used to strike and hit enemies or to bind them.

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Banba is a cyborg, a flamboyant playboy and master of disguise. He helped Joker implement the J.A.K.Q. project and was called in to take over operations in Tokyo when Joker left. He is the ultimate "super cyborg", because his bionic implants allow him to harness and manipulate all four powers. His nickname is "Shiroi Chojin".
Banba can use his powers to fly, and has superhuman strength and super speed. Banba wields a fighting baton, which he uses to strike opponents with great force and impact. He is a cool-headed leader and masterful tactician who can come up with brilliant battle plans. He can transform into his cyborg persona at will without the use of the Kyouka Capsules: he takes a sniff of a magic red rose, then leaps up and transforms in mid-air.
Twenty-four years after the fall of Crime, Banban returned in Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger vs. Super Sentai as the leader of the "Dream Sentai" team.

Commander Daisuke Kujirai/Joker

Kujirai is the recruiter of the J.A.K.Q team and their manager for most of the series. He is married and has a young daughter.

Vehicles

Vehicles used in the series include:
The J.A.K.Q team have several stereotyped attacks they use to finish fights, including:
The global criminal organization Crime is headed by the mysterious Iron Claw. It seeks to become the world's premier crime organization. In each episode of the series, Crime launches spectacular and elaborate schemes to loot, kill, plunder and obtain absolute power. It is later revealed that Crime is a cover organization for an alien entity called Shine, who sought to conquer the world.

Iron Claw is the godfather of the Crime organization. He is oddly dressed and nothing is known about him including his nationality. He appears human but was later revealed to be a cyborg like the members of J.A.K.Q.. His right hand is a powerful "Iron Claw", which fires talon-like missiles and can detach from Iron Claw's body to attack enemies independently. Iron Claw is a master of disguise, often masquerading as a female. He is a longtime rival of Big One, and the two of them have clashed at various times in the past.
Iron Claw's fighting form is a silver colored super cyborg form known as "Warrior Iron Claw". He is defeated by the Big Bomber in the final battle of the series.
Iron Claw returned in J.A.K.Q. vs. Gorenger. In that episode he planned to bomb seven countries, go out into space until the Earth was inhabitable again, and conquer it as the "Emperor of the Solar System". However the Gorengers and J.A.K.Q. crushed his plans by destroying the craft that Iron Claw was in, taking Iron Claw with it.

Shine is revealed to be the real mastermind behind Crime towards the end of the series. An artificial intelligence entity who is said to have come from the 2nd star of the "Shine" Galaxy, he attempted to use Crime to take over the Earth. He created the super cyborg Great King Icarus to take control of Crime from Iron Claw and to battle J.A.K.Q. He was later driven from Earth by J.A.K.Q. and Iron Claw.

Crimers are minions of the Crime organization. Their objective is to commit as many crimes as possible to advance Crime's goal of turning Japan into a crime-ridden nation. They wear dark purple masks and gray clothing and are armed with Sten Mark II submachine guns. Their distinct sound is "kwee".

The Big Four are a quartet of ruthless mercenaries and despots who joined forces with Iron Claw to wreak havoc across the globe. Their headquarters is a gigantic UFO that can fly around the world undetected. They have battled with other heroes across the globe including Kikaider, Kamen Rider V3, and Kamen Rider Amazon.
In J.A.K.Q. vs. the Gorengers, the Big Four combine into the super cyborg entity "Big Four Robo", a hulking mechanical monster with multiple cannons protruding from his body and a grinder in his lower torso. It takes the combined attacks of J.A.K.Q.'s Big Bomber and the Gorenger's Gorenger Hurricane Ball to destroy the monster.

Iron Mask is a despot who terrorized the European continent. He leads the "Tetsu Men Gundan", his own specialized troopers. He carries a heavy iron shield and battle spear, which he can hurl with devastating skill, and also carries a blowgun, which he uses to fire poison darts.

Sahara is an African conqueror who once battled the Gorengers in Africa with his Sahara Battalion. He is a master swordsman and strategist, and both ruthless and cruel in battle.

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Captain UFO is a brilliant criminal mastermind who commands the UFO command ship that the Big Four use to travel the world.

Hell Boxer is a tyrant from Mongolia who uses his hideous skull-adorned armor to strike fear in his foes. He wields an iron ball and chain to crush and kill his opponents.

Episodes

Episodes aired on Saturdays at 7:30 PM JST.
No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal airdateRating

Movie

The movie J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai vs. Goranger was released after the conclusion of the J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai series and featured a crossover between J.A.K.Q. and the Goranger.
While investigating a UFO in the Sky Ace, J.A.K.Q. is caught off guard by the return of Iron Claw, with the Big Four now leading the remnants of Crime and the Black Cross Army. The next day, while arriving on the scene of a washed-up corpse, Heart Queen and Spade Ace encounter Peggy Matsuyama, who has pursued the Sahara Army to Japan. After Matsuyama reveals markings on the murdered man's back, J.A.K.Q. learns of Crime's "Citybuster" project and the location of the syndicate's island base.
After infiltrating Crime's base, Spade Ace and Heart Queen learn of Iron Claw's plan to use the "Citybuster" bombs on the United States, the Soviet Union, China, France, the United Kingdom, West Germany and Japan, wiping out humanity while he and his forces retreat into space via a UFO before returning to Earth and conquering it. After saving Matsuyama, Spade Ace and Heart Queen escape the base but are surrounded by the Big Four and their armies. Clover King, Diamond Jack and the rest of the Gorengers appear and save them. Together, the teams go on to defeat the Crime and Black Cross armies.
The Big Four combine to form the super cyborg "Big Four Robo", who overwhelms both teams until Big One arrives and J.A.K.Q. and the Gorengers combine their attacks to destroy it. Iron Claw then retreats to his UFO and begins to activate the "Citybuster" bombs until his UFO self-destructs, finishing him off for good. It turns out that Big One switched Iron Claw's hand with a remote controlled one that Spade Ace used to detonate the "Citybuster" bombs, destroying the craft and Iron Claw with it.

Cast

;Opening theme
;Ending theme