Choudenshi Bioman (Super Electronic Bioman) was one of the first Super Sentai series that I remember. When I was a kid, I’d buy the monthly Televi-kun, a magazine about children’s Japanese TV programs. Even though it was in Japanese, I’d obsess over the pictures. During that time, Choudensi Bioman was the featured Sentai series.
So what’s Bioman?
The sixth Super Sentai. Centuries ago, the android Peebo and the Bio Robot came to earth from the fallen Bio Star. The Bio Robot showered five people with Bio Particles, which would be passed on to later generations. In the present time, Doctorman and his Shin Teikoku (New Empire) Gear threaten the world. Peebo must find the descendants of the original five to form the Chodenshi (Super Electron) Bioman.
It ran from February 1984 to February 1985, totaling 52 episodes. Ranger Wiki has a very good profile on this series.
Typical of Super Sentai, you have 5 color-coded heroes in spandex fighting a new monster every week. At the end of the battle, the monster would grow into a giant and the heroes will summon their giant robot (in this case Bio Robo) and beat the heck out of it. Then repeat all over again the next week with a new monster.
On one of his business trips to Japan, my Dad got me some Bioman toys and an episode of Bioman on Betamax cassette (remember those things?). All I remember from the episode was that it was set at a rock quarry and the action was eye-popping to this pre-teen. Check out the opening sequence:
Bio Robo, the giant robot Bioman pilots, was one of the toys my Dad got for me, along with its base, the Bio Dragon. These were such cool toys:
- Bio Robo transformed exactly as the real thing
- It came with a big-ass sword and shield
- It came with 2cm or so tall figures of Bio Red, which you can then put into Bio Jet 1
- It had spring loaded missile launchers and fists
- Bio Jet 2 came permanently with figures of Bio Blue and Green inside the cockpit
- Bio Dragon transformed from an armored box-like shuttle into an open topped carrier
- While in shuttle form, it had securing mechanisms so you can swoosh it around the house with Bio Jet 1 and 2 securely inside
I remember that sometimes I’d make my Bio Robo into an Autobot and it also beat the crap out of my Macross Valkyries. Good stuff. Bio Robo and Bio Dragon became one of my most treasured items. They also happen to be one of the few complete toys I had left by the time I left Singapore and went to college. My home ended up being rented out.
Unfortunately, the tenants broke into my store room and took some items before clearing out the house. Among these items were Bio Robo and Bio Dragon. Bastards.
However, I STILL have another copy of Bio Robo. This was a stand alone set my Mom got for me before my Dad did (which came in one box set). This copy is now standing proudly (with a ton of scratches) in my display case, in the old school toys section. 🙂
Part 1 of a series