J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai

J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai, (ジャッカー電撃隊|Jakkā Dengekitai), translated into English as J.A.K.Q. Blitzkrieg Squad is the second Sentai series. Aired in April 9, 1977-December 24, 1977. Unlike most of the other Sentai which start out with a team of 5 members the JAKQ team started out with only 4. A fifth member (Big One) appeared in episode 23. J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai was not nearly as popular as Goranger, only running for 35 episodes. J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai is the second and final sentai created by Shotaro Ishinomori.

J.A.K.Q. or JAKQ comes from Jack, Ace, King, Queen. The J.A.K.Q. team members are named after playing cards. Their leader goes by the code name of "Joker".

There are no giant monsters or giant robots to fight them in J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai. CRIME uses human sized monsters assisted by masked soldiers called Crimers. CRIME also has bat-winged aircraft called Devil Sharks.

JAKQ was the final Sentai series to use only the Sentai name. Afterwards the name "Super Sentai" was used.

Plot
Iron Claw is the "Crime Czar" of a global criminal empire known simply as "Crime". With a network of wealthy and influential sympathizers and employing an army of faceless, leather- masked thugs (Crimers) and cyborg/robot assassins, "Crime" seeks to become the most powerful mafia organization in the world.

To combat this threat, INTERPOL organizes a special taskforce to spearhead the efforts to bring Crime to justice. Based in New York, ISSIS (International Science Special Investigation Squad [Kokusai Kagaku Tokusou Tai]) begins to organize its forces around the world to battle Crime. Tokyo ISSIS branch commander, Kujirai Daisuke, proposes a radical experiment to aid his forces in Japan. Taking the codename “Joker”, he recruits four young test subjects to undergo his cyborg enhancement project – multitalented athlete and Olympic Gold medalist Sakurai Gorou, disgraced Junior Walter Weight Champion boxer Higashi Ryuu, critically injured Police Woman Karen Mizuki and clinically dead and cryogenically sustained Oceanographer Daichi Bunta. Surgically altered and given various energy manipulation powers and bionic enhancements, the four youths begin their mission to destroy Crime as the crime-busting quartet code-named "JAKQ – Dengekitai". Later on, uber cyborg and master of disguise Banba Soukichi is added to the team to strengthen their number and step up their attack on Crime.

Allies

 * ISSIS
 * Commander Daisuke Kujirai / Joker
 * ISSIS Agents
 * Keiko Hayashi / Agent 7
 * Junko Yamamoto / Agent 8
 * Yoshiko Iijima / Agent 9
 * Agent 10
 * Hime Tamasaburou
 * Himitsu Sentai Goranger

Criminal Organization Crime
Crime Monsters
 * Shine
 * Boss Iron Claw
 * Big Crime Four
 * Baron Iron Mask
 * General Sahara
 * Captain UFO
 * Hell Boxer
 * Crimers

Arsenal

 * Strengthening Capsules
 * JAKQ Gear
 * Spade Arts
 * Dia Sword
 * Heart Cute
 * Club Megaton
 * Big Baton
 * Big Bomber
 * JAKQ Vehicles
 * Spade Machine
 * Mach Dia
 * Heart Buggy
 * Auto Clover
 * Sky Ace
 * Jack Tank

Trivia

 * The shortest Super Sentai series to date, at 35 episodes.
 * The first series not to feature a Yellow Ranger, followed by Battle Fever J and Changeman.
 * The first series to feature a White Ranger (Big One).
 * The first series to feature an additional Ranger joining (Big One).
 * The first series to not have a Red Ranger lead the team.
 * The first, and to date only series to start with an even number of Rangers, and the first to start with less than five, followed by Sun Vulcan, Liveman, Hurricaneger, Abaranger and Gekiranger.