Taiyo Sentai Sun Vulcan

Taiyo Sentai Sun Vulcan (太陽戦隊サンバルカン) is Toei's fifth entry to its Super Sentai series. It was broadcast in February 7, 1981-January 30, 1982 and is the only sentai to serve as a direct sequel to the one prior, Denshi Sentai Denziman. It was Toei’s last series with a Marvel copyright, but again with no Marvel involvement in the production. The theme was air, land, and sea.

Development
At the time it aired, Denziman was an exteremely popular series and Toei was stumped trying to figure out ways to build on it. At first Toei just thought of extending Denziman into a second year ala Goranger, but that didn't work out for whatever reasons. Toei then tried to go for making a sequel and calling the show "Plasman" (which was basically just going to be Denziman with new suits), but that name was trademarked, so it finally settled on Sun Vulcan. The Denziman were originally supposed to appear for a five episode arc, but it was too hard to get everyone back.

Plot
The threat of the Machine Empire Black Magma causes the EPDS (Earth Peace Defense Squad) to decide to establish the Solar Squadron at a summit. From the EPDS's air force, navy, and rangers, Commander Arashiyama assembles three specialists to become Sun Vulcan. Harsh training begins. Learning of this, Black Magma attacks the EPDS base, but the Sun Vulcan debuts in time to save it. Hell Saturn prays to the Black Solar God and is rewarded with a revived Queen Hedrian, now a cyborg with a mechanical heart and a metallic afro. But plot after plot of Black Magma, even with Hedrian's aid, fails. Following the death of 01, Amazon Killer, a Vader, arrives from space, destroying the Sun Vulcan Base. A new Vulcan Base is built.

The original Vul-Eagle, Ryuusuke Oowashi, is replaced by a friend and master of the sword, Takayuki Hiba (who first appeared on episode 21). The team successfully defends the psychic descendant of the Denzi, the nun Himiko, from Black Magma. Shortly after this, Lightning Galaxer shows up. Sun Vulcan devises the New Vulcan Ball, but their attacks are no use against Lightning Galaxer until he becomes the gigantic Lightning Monger. Finally, the trio and their commander go to the North Pole to rescue Arashiyama Misa, and succeed not only in doing so (despite a fake Misa to confuse them), but also in defeating the Omnipotent God, the true leader of Black Magma, by feigning surrender and striking when it lowers its guard.

Allies

 * Daizaburou Arashiyama
 * Misa Arashiyama
 * CC

Machine Empire Black Magma

 * Führer Hell Saturn
 * Zero Girls
 * The Omnipotent God
 * Queen Hedrian
 * Amazon Killer
 * Lightning Galaxer
 * Dark Q
 * Machinemen
 * Hell Fighters
 * Black Magma Monsters

Arsenal

 * Vulcan Brace
 * Vulcan Sticks

Mecha

 * Jaguar Vulcan
 * Sun Vulcan Robo
 * Cosmo Vulcan
 * Bull Vulcan

Trivia

 * This is the first Sentai series to have a combining Robo, Sun Vulcan Robo.
 * This is the first and only Sentai series where the core team is all-male.
 * At the time of this series, the three colors of Red, Blue and Yellow were always male whenever used, including in Goranger and every series from Denziman through Dynaman, including Sun Vulcan.
 * This is the first Sentai series to have a core team of less than 5 (3), followed by Abaranger (4).
 * If you count the Goraiger as their own organization, then Hurricanger is the only other series to match this feat.
 * This is the first Sentai series without a Pink Ranger, followed by Liveman,Jetman,Kakuranger, Gaoranger,Hurricaneger,Abaranger,Gekiranger,.
 * This is the first Sentai series without a Green or Black Ranger, followed by Gekiranger.
 * Ryusuke Oowashi (the original VulEagle) was written off the script because his actor was a singer and had to leave to make a new record.
 * While the title does not suggest any of the traditional Sentai names, it actually is based on a pun that makes it work: the Japanese pronunciation for "Sun" is "San", which is the same as the Japanese word for "Three"; with this the three-man team of Sentai, the pun works perfectly akin to the usage of "Go" in Sentai names such as Goranger, GoGo-V and Go-busters.