Choujuu Sentai Liveman

Choujuu Sentai Liveman, (超獣戦隊ライブマン|Chōjū Sentai Raibuman), translated into English as Super Beast Squadron Liveman, was the 12th entry of the Japanese Super Sentai franchise. It was produced by Toei Company and aired on TV Asahi on February 27, 1988 to February 21, 1989.

Plot

 * Friends, why have you sold your soul to the demon!?

This series takes place on Academia Island, which is both a location and a school for scientists. One day, Academia's three finest students, Tsukigata, Senda, and Omura felt their talents were being wasted at Academia and left. They accepted a position in the evil organization Volt. On the night of their departure, their former classmates Yuusuke Amamiya, Jou Oohara, Megumi Misaki, Takuji Yano, and Mari Aikawa saw them leaving. Tsukigata drew a gun on the five, killing Takuji and Mari.

Prior to the pair's deaths, Takuji and Mari were working alongside Yuusuke, Jou, and Megumi in creating a suit strong enough for space exploration. They had made substantial progress on the night that they were murdered. One of the professors at the school, Professor Hoshi, pitched in to help them complete their original ambitions. Hoshi was also worried that Volt would begin attacking people, and thus helped out to prepare against a future assault.

Two years later, Academia launched a shuttle for space exploration. However, a mysterious ship appears and downs the shuttle; Yuusuke, Jou and Megumi are among the few survivors. They discover that Tsukigata, Senda, and Omura were responsible for the destruction of the shuttle. As a result, Yuusuke, Jou, and Megumi took up the powers of the original project, becoming Liveman to battle against their former classmates and Volt.

Later in the series, they are joined by Tetsuya and Jun'ichi, younger brothers of the late Takuji and Mari.

Allies

 * Doctor Hoshi
 * Colon
 * Takuji Yano
 * Mari Aikawa
 * Gou Omura
 * Dr. Dorothee

Armed Brain Army Volt
Brain Beasts
 * Great Professor Bias
 * Kenji Tsukigata / Doctor Kempu / Beauty Beast Kemp / Fear Beast Kemp
 * Rui Senda / Doctor Mazenda / Machine Mazenda / Robo Mazenda
 * Gou Omura / Doctor Obular
 * Arashi Busujima / Doctor Ashura
 * Guardnoid Gash
 * Guildos of Planet Guild
 * Butchy of Planet Chibuchi
 * Jimmers

Arsenal

 * Twin Brace
 * Live Blaster
 * Triple Bazooka
 * Falcon Saber
 * Lion Bazooka
 * Dolphin Arrow
 * Falcon Sword
 * Lion Punch
 * Bison Rod
 * Sai Cutters
 * Biomotion Buster
 * Moto Machines
 * Moto Falcon
 * Moto Lion
 * Moto Dolphin
 * Live Cougar

Mecha

 * Machine Buffalo
 * Super Liverobo
 * Liverobo
 * Jet Falcon
 * Land Lion
 * Aqua Dolphin
 * Live Boxer
 * Bison Liner
 * Rhino Fire

Trivia

 * Along with its successor, Turboranger, Liveman celebrates the anniversary of the Sentai franschise, an anniversary logo was created and Daisuke Shima and Megumi Mori (who both were extremely popular singers at the time) were cast as a little something special for the anniversary. Although Liveman is the twelfth series, at the time of the series' debut, it was the tenth series, as Goranger and JAKQ weren't counted as Super Sentai until later. Both series celebrated the tenth anniversary of Super Sentai as Liveman was the tenth series and Turboranger aired ten years after the then first series, Battle Fever J.
 * This is the first Sentai series to have a Super Fusion Robo, Super Live Robo (combination of Live Robo and Live Boxer).
 * This is also the first series to feature both a Black Ranger and a Green Ranger in the core team instead of interchanging them wherein one will be featured but not the other (or in the case of Zyuranger, Gingaman and Ohranger, wherein one is in the core team and the other will join later as the sixth member) followed by Go-Onger.
 * Blue Dolphin was the first female Blue Sentai warrior.
 * They also have the same three core mecha in Hurricaneger.