Himitsu Sentai Gorenger

Himitsu Sentai Goranger (秘密戦隊ゴレンジャー Himitsu Sentai Gorenjā, translated as Secret Squadron FiveRangers) is a Japanese tokusatsu superhero television series. Goranger was the first in the long-running Super Sentai series of tokusatsu programs (although the series wouldn't be called by that specific name until the release of Battle Fever J). Himitsu Sentai Goranger was created by Shotaro Ishinomori, and was broadcast on NET (now TV Asahi) from April 5, 1975 to March 26, 1977, with a total of 84 episodes.

As a Super Sentai
The name "Super Sentai" was introduced in the 1979 series Battle Fever J. Originally, Goranger and its successor JAKQ were not included as Super Sentai series. In episode 0 of the 1989 series Turboranger, when it honored the past ten Super Sentai series, Battle Fever J was listed as the first Sentai. It was not until the 1995 series Ohranger that Goranger and JAKQ were included as the original first two series.

Plot
When world peace is threatened by the emergence of an international secret society of evil called the "Black Cross Army/Black Crusaders" (黒十字軍 Kuro Juujigun), the United Nations sets up an "EAGLE" (EArth Guard LEague) (国際的平和組織イーグル Kokusaiteki Heiwa Soushiki Īguru) to combat the threat. This special army is distributed to various parts of the world (designated as "Blocks"). One of the largest "Blocks" is Japan.

The "Black Cross Army/Black Crusaders", fearful of this united threat against them, decides to launch a surprise attack against the Japan EAGLE Block and sends five of its most dangerous cyborg operatives to attack Japan's various EAGLE branches.

Across Japan the Black Cross Army decimates its targets, killing all those who oppose them. Yet from the ashes of these destroyed bases, five young recruits miraculously survive and vow vengeance. Given a special interlocking "key", the various survivors are summoned to snackshop "Gon", secret gateway to EAGLE Japan's main command center by Japan's EAGLE Commander Edogawa Gonpachi. There they are given special formfitting electronic battlesuits, which empower its wearer with various superhuman abilities. Edogawa tells them that they are the Secret Squadron "Goranger", the world's best chance against the forces of the Black Cross Army. Armed with these battlesuits and other special weapons created by EAGLE scientists, they exact their revenge upon the Kuro Juujigun operatives who killed their comrades and dedicate themselves to crushing the remaining forces of the Black Cross Army and its sinister leader, Black Cross Führer.

EAGLE

 * Edogawa Gonpachi (played by Toshio Takahara)
 * EAGLE Agents
 * Yoko Katou aka Agent 007 (played by Eri Kanuma)
 * Tomoko Hayashi aka 008 (played by Megumi Shiragawa)
 * Haruko Nakamura aka 009 (played by Miki Honda)

Black Cross Army/Black Crusaders
Masked Monsters
 * Black Cross Führer/Generalissimo (played by Mitsuo Andō (1-55);Nobuo Yana)
 * Sun Mask (played by Hiroshi Masuoka)
 * Iron Man Mask General Temujin (played by Shōzō Iizuka)
 * Fire Mountain Mask General Magman (played by Eisuke Yoda (42-45); Shōzō Iizuka (46-54))
 * Commander-in-Chief Golden Mask (played by Shōzō Iizuka)
 * Steel Sword Dragon (Goranger: The Bomb Hurricane)
 * Zolders

Arsenal and Attacks

 * Birdies
 * (New) Red Bute
 * Spear Bute
 * Drill Bute
 * Red Hunter
 * Silver Shot
 * (Ultra) Blue Cherry
 * YTC Radio
 * Ki Sticker
 * Rock
 * Paper
 * Scissors
 * Momo Mirror
 * Momo Card
 * Earring Bombs
 * Mido Puncher
 * (New) Midomerang
 * Goranger Storm / Goranger Hurricane
 * Red, Blue, and Green Machines (1-54) - The motorcycles driven by the Red, Blue, and Green Rangers. The Yellow and Pink Rangers ride in the sidecars of the Blue and Green Machines; the Red Machine has no sidecar. Armed with explosives and sent to the Navarone Fortress, which exploded, taking them (but not the Gorangers) with it.
 * Red, Blue, and Green Stars (55-84) - The replacements for the Red, Blue, and Green Machines.
 * Variblune (1-42) - An early flying fortress, propelled by helicopter blades under the craft. It blew up with Iron Man Mask Temujin aboard (but not the Gorangers, fortunately).
 * Varidreen (43-84) - A birdlike replacement for the Varibloon.
 * Varitank (43-84) - A six-wheeled tank with claw arms that rolls out of the 'beak' of the Varidreen.
 * Variccune (69-84) - A passenger-carrying balloon for the Gorangers.

Manga sequel
Shotaro Ishinomori released a manga sequel of the series on Weekly Shōnen Sunday. The sequel takes place several years after the defeat of the Black Cross Army. When AkaRanger is killed by the remnants of the Black Cross Army, his son sets out to avenge his death by recruiting the children of the former Gorangers and seeking mentorship from Daita Ooiwa, the former KiRanger.

Main cast

 * Tsuyoshi Kaijou - Naoya Makoto
 * Akira Shinmei - Hiroshi Miyauchi
 * Daita Ooiwa - Baku Hatakeyama
 * Daigoro Kumano - Jirō Daruma
 * Peggy Matsuyama - Lisa Komaki
 * Kenji Asuka - Yukio Itō
 * Commander Kenpachi Edogawa - Toshio Takahara
 * Yoko Kato/Zero Zero Seven - Eri Kanuma
 * Tomoko Hayashi/Zero Zero Eight - Megumi Shiragawa
 * Haruko Nakamura/Zero Zero Nine - Miki Honda
 * Taro Kato - Hiroyuki Konuma
 * Black Cross Führer I - Mitsuo Andō (Episodes 1-55)
 * Black Cross Führer II - Nobuo Yana (Episodes 56-84)
 * Gon - Saiko Kogawa (voice)
 * Sunring Mask - Hiroshi Masuoka (voice)
 * General Iron Mask Temujin - Shōzō Iizuka (voice)
 * General Fire Mountain Mask Magman - Eisuke Yoda [voice (Episodes 42-45)] - Shōzō Iizuka [voice (Episodes 46-54)]
 * Great General Golden Mask - Shōzō Iizuka (voice)
 * Narrator - Nobuo Tanaka (Episodes 1-14) - Tōru Ōhira (Episodes 15-84)

Stunt Actors

 * AkaRanger - Kazuo Niibori (episodes 1-60), Kenji Ohba (episodes 61-84)
 * AoRanger - Hirō Karawazaki, Bunya Nakamura, Tetsuya Nakayashiki, Hiroyuki Yuasa (Episodes 1-60), Yoshinori Okamoto (episodes 61-84)
 * KiRanger - Naotaka Maeda, Kōsaburō Tanaka, Masato Amano, Kōji Ueda (Episodes 1-60), Yutaka Takebe (Episodes 61-84), Jiro Daruma (episode 67)
 * MomoRanger - Midori Naitō, Kōji Ueda, Ryōji Kurihara, Shōji Ozawa, Maki Kiyōda (Episodes 1-60), Minoru Yokohama (episodes 61-84)
 * MidoRanger - Bunya Nakamura, Yasuo Yukawa, Haruhiko Yashimoto (episodes 1-60), Jun Murakami (episodes 61-84)

Songs
Opening Theme
 * "Susume! Goranger" (進め！ゴレンジャー)
 * Lyrics: Shotaro Ishinomori
 * Composition and Arrangement: Michiaki Watanabe
 * Artists: Isao Sasaki and Mitsuko Horie with Columbia Yurikago-kai on (chorus)

Ending Themes
 * "Himitsu Sentai Goranger" (秘密戦隊ゴレンジャー)
 * Lyrics: Saburo Yatsude
 * Composition and Arrangement: Michiaki Watanabe
 * Artist: Isao Sasaki with Koorogi '73 (chorus)
 * Episodes: 1-63
 * "Mi yo!! Goranger" (見よ！！ゴレンジャー)
 * Lyrics: Shotaro Ishinomori
 * Composition and Arrangement: Michiaki Watanabe
 * Artists: Isao Sasaki and Koorogi '73 with Wilbees
 * Episodes: 64-84

In other countries
In the Philippines, Goranger was released as Star Rangers between 1978 and 1979 on Saturday afternoon on RPN-9. In this version, aside from their color designations, the Gorangers also had numeric designations, in order of their introduction to the enemy prior to battle: Aka Ranger = Star 1, Ao Ranger = Star 2, KiRanger = Star 3, Momo Ranger = Star 4, and Mido Ranger = Star 5.

Trivia

 * Himitsu Sentai Goranger is the first Super Sentai series.
 * The longest running show of the Super Sentai franchise.