This article is about a ranger in Taiyo Sentai Sun Vulcan. |
- "VulPanther!"
- ―VulPanther's roll call[src]
Asao Hyou (豹 朝夫 Hyō Asao) is VulPanther (バルパンサー Baru Pansā) of the Sun Vulcan.
Biography
Sun Vulcan
Asao Hyou is a GWP Ranger recruited to be VulPanther to oversee land operations. Asao also had quite the appetite as he was a big eater. He's 19 years old (49 in Gokaiger), and has a comical fear of dogs like CC.
Prior to being in the GWP, Hyou lived in the city of Hida in Gifu prefecture, where his father, Atarou, was a rich and powerful man who owned four mountains, selling one so he could try various food throughout the world. When Atarou discovers his son no longer in the Rangers (but not knowing he was in Sun Vulcan), he pursued him to come back home but with Asao trying to make him confident in his current life without telling him. After discovering him as VulPanther, Atarou allows Asao to continue his work with GWP with confidence. TV STORY-Ep. 38: Asao Hyou's Dad-Lord
Turboranger
Asao and his team joined up with the other nine Sentai to stand behind the newest Sentai, the Turborangers, as they faced off against the Hundred Boma Tribes. TV STORY-Counting on You! Turboranger
Gokaiger
Legend War
Years later, Asao fought alongside not only his own team, but every single Sentai ranger in existence, against the Empire of Zangyack when it attacked the Earth in the Great Legend War. After fighting against hundreds of Gormin and their Zgormin commanders. Kaijou noticed the fleet moving towards them, he gathered all the Rangers together and gave them the order to sacrifice their powers to wipe out the first invasion's armada. The VulPanther powers are later utilised by Luka Millfy via the Ranger Keys. TV STORY-Ep. 1: The Space Pirates Appear TV STORY-Gokaiger Goseiger Super Sentai 199 Hero Great Battle
Farewell Space Pirates
After the Zangyack's final defeat, Marvelous returned the Ranger Keys to their original owners. Takayuki was seen receiving his Ranger Key and it is assumed Asao and Kin'ya received theirs as well. TV STORY-Final Ep.: Farewell Space Pirates
Super Hero Taisen
Asao, alongside his team, among the majority of the Super Sentai heroes, was caught up in the "Super Hero Taisen" incident which eventually resulted in the Super Sentai teams and Kamen Riders joining forces to defeat both Dai-Zangyack and Dai-Shocker. TV STORY-Kamen Rider × Super Sentai: Super Hero Taisen
Zyuohger vs. Ninninger
VulPanther appeared with his team among the first 38 Super Sentai whom collectively empowered Wild Tousai Shuriken King in its fight against the titanic Gillmarda, granting the Ninningers and Zyuohgers the power to perform the Zyuoh Ninnin Super Sentai Burst which destroyed Gillmarda with the combined power of all 40 Super Sentai. TV STORY-Doubutsu Sentai Zyuohger vs. Ninninger: Message from the Future from Super Sentai
Super Sentai Strongest Battle
Asao joined the Super Sentai Strongest Battle as a member of Big Eater Team. It’s unknown whether he participated in the match, but his team was eliminated after losing the first round against the Gilded Team.
Akibaranger
In Nobuo Akagi/AkibaRed's roll call in the fifth episode of the first season of Hikonin Sentai Akibaranger, he says "For parental visit episode, I recommend that of VulPanther!" TV STORY-Ep. 5: Our Pain ☆ Yellow Mama
Stage Show appearances
Sun Vulcan Stage Show at Super Hero Korakuen Yuenchi
In a stage show where the Sun Vulcan are seen fighting Machine Empire Black Magma, DenziRed, DenziGreen, Battle Kenya, Kamen Rider Super-1, Kamen Rider Stronger, Kamen Rider V3, and Ultraman Taro arrive to assist the Sun Vulcan.
Goggle V Stage Show at Super Hero Korakuen Yuenchi
In a stage show where the Goggle V are seen fighting Dark Science Empire Deathdark, VulPanther, DenziRed, DenziGreen, Kamen Rider V3, Kamen Rider Stronger, Gavan and Ultraman Taro arrive to assist the Goggle V.
Dynaman Stage Show at Super Hero Korakuen Yuenchi
In a stage show where the Dynamen are seen fighting Tailed People Clan Jashinka Empire, GoggleRed, GoggleBlack, GogglePink, Ultraman Taro, Gavan, Sharivan, VulPanther, and Kamen Rider Stronger arrive to assist the Dynamen.
Bioman Stage Show at Super Hero Korakuen Yuenchi
In a stage show where the Biomen are seen fighting Neo Empire Gear and Bio Hunter Silva, Kamen Rider Stronger, Shaider, Kamen Machineman, DynaRed, DynaBlue, GoggleBlack, VulPanther, and DenziGreen arrive to assist the Biomen.
Video game appearances
Super Sentai Battle: Dice-O
- Profile
- Asao Hyou/VulPanther: to be added
Super Sentai Battle Base
VulPanther is among the vast pantheon of Rangers which are available in the mobile game Super Sentai Battle Base.
Super Sentai Legend Wars
VulPanther appears with his team among all Sentai in the mobile game Super Sentai Legend Wars.
Vul Panther
Mecha
Arsenal
- Vulcan Brace
- Vulcan Stick
- Vulcan Ball (with Blue and Red)
Special Moves
- Panther Galaxy: With his Vulcan Stick, Vul Panther thrusts the Stick into the ground to open the ground in front of him.
- Panther Claw: Vul Panther repeatedly smacks his hands in a foe's face in a claw-like motion.
- Panther Bomber
- Panther Mole
- Rolling Panther
- Panther Throw
Design
VulPanther wears a yellow cloth suit with a white stripe around the collar and a large "V" that appears in the middle of the chest. His gloves and boots are inverse in color: the colors are white while the stripe is yellow, around the wrist in the gloves and creating a similar "V" formation along the ankle of the boots. A silver belt surrounds his mid-section with a buckle with the raised relief of an big cat (such as a panther or cougar) upon it; while a pin with the Sun Vulcan logo is pinned on his right side and a scarf flows around his neck. His helmet has a black visor that is jagged at the bottom going down to a gray mouthpiece, while the top and sides are surrounded in yellow with a relief form of the big cat head, with the rest of the helmet completely yellow in color.
Ranger Key
- "Sun Vulcan!"
- ―Mobilates' Gokai Change announcement[src]
The VulPanther Ranger Key (バルパンサアーレンジャーキー Buru Pansā Renjā Kī) is Asao Hyou's personal Ranger Key and what became of his powers after he along with the rest of the 34 Super Sentai sacrificed their powers to end the Great Legend War.
This key along with the majority of the Ranger Keys were collected by the Red Pirates and later used by the Gokaigers. The VulPanther Ranger Key was mainly used by Luka Millfy (Gokai Yellow), who used it to fight as VulPanther.
- Among several changes while taking on Action Commander Nanonanoda. TV STORY-Ep. 6: The Most Important Thing
- When the first three Gokaigers became Sun Vulcan while fighting Cosmic Kenpō Master Pachacamac XIII. TV STORY-Ep. 7: Niki-Niki! Kenpō Lesson
- When the three Gokaigers became Sun Vulcan while fighting Action Commander Juju. TV STORY-Ep. 46: Hero Eligibility
- As part of a bombardment of changes in the final battle with Emperor Ackdos Gill. TV STORY-Final Ep.: Farewell Space Pirates
- When the three Gokaigers became Sun Vulcan to take down an Avatar replica of Basco. TV STORY-Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters vs. Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger: The Movie
The Sun Vulcan keys, along with all the Ranger Keys of the first 33 Super Sentai, were briefly taken by the Black Cross King and turned into Ranger puppets that were fought by the Gokaigers and the Goseigers. Splitting up, the puppet VulPanther was defeated as part of a group of surviving Yellow warrior keys by Gokai Yellow and Super Gosei Yellow. TV STORY-Gokaiger Goseiger Super Sentai 199 Hero Great Battle
After Zangyack were finally defeated, the Gokaigers gave the Ranger Keys back to their rightful owners. Asao received his key and became VulPanther once more. TV STORY-Final Ep.: Farewell Space Pirates
Gallery
Behind the scenes
Etymology
- Asao's surname is literally "Leopard".
Notes
- While notable as the first official "big cat" Ranger, there are some controversies regarding the representation of VulPanther
- During the opening credits, the animal that symbolizes Vul Panther is not part of the genus Panthera; it is a cheetah, which is a member of the subfamily "Felinae", which are closer in genetics to domestic cats than to many other species of big cat, which are in the subfamily "Pantherinae" (which includes lions, tigers, jaguars and leopards). However the cat with the closest genetic link to cheetahs is the puma (also called a "Panther")
- The animal known as a "black panther" likewise does not exist; a black panther is merely a jaguar, leopard, or puma with melanism, which is why their fur is so dark.
- While only the third Yellow Ranger (after Kirenger and DenziYellow), the inclusion of VulPanther as part of Sun Vulcan sets up the classic "three colors" of Red, Blue and Yellow and likewise leads to Yellow becoming the third-most popular Ranger color.
- Hyou holds a similarity to the original Yellow Ranger, Daita Oiwa, regarding his love of curry: both prefer to eat the meal at a stand run by the team mentor (Snack Safari & Daizaburou Arashiyama for Hyou; Snack Gon & Gonpachi Edogawa for Daita).
Appearances
- Taiyo Sentai Sun Vulcan
- Ep. 1: The Machine Empire of the North Pole
- Ep. 2: The Day Mankind Lapses
- Ep. 3: Challenging Japan, Iron Claw
- Ep. 4: Boy, Detective Work and Spy
- Ep. 5: The Wicked Sun God
- Ep. 6: The House Dominated by Machines
- Ep. 7: Beast Batter Tears
- Ep. 8: The Song of Diligence Sung by Father
- Ep. 9: Papa Became a Monster
- Ep. 10: The Ambushing Poison Spider Mansion
- Ep. 11: The Mecha Girl of Sadness
- Ep. 12: The Queen Who Eats Diamonds
- Ep. 13: The Living Black Ball
- Ep. 14: The Day the Earth Surrenders
- Ep. 15: The Queen's Greed Dance
- Ep. 16: A Demon Runs the Schoolyard
- Ep. 17: Ghost Story! The Valley of Goblins
- Ep. 18: The Surprising Big Star
- Ep. 19: The Dangerous 100-Point Boys'
- Ep. 20: The Machine Wrestler's Trap
- Ep. 21: Love Brought by the Sea Breeze
- Ep. 22: Tokyo's Big Panic!
- Ep. 23: The Female Commander of Galaxy Haunts
- Ep. 24: Hamanako's Nessie
- Taiyo Sentai Sun Vulcan: The Movie
- Ep. 25: The Hole of the Shocking Sea Serpent
- Ep. 26: Starving Filling Cooking
- Ep. 27: A Midsummer Night's Great Fear
- Ep. 28: Is Sukehachi Friend or Foe?
- Ep. 29: Pretty Swordsman, White Rose Mask
- Ep. 30: The Giant Monster of the Big Riot Dream
- Ep. 31: The Great Tokyo Numbing Ondo
- Ep. 32: Arrest the Face-Thief
- Ep. 33: The Hateful, Stylish Thief
- Ep. 34: The Cursed Dead
- Ep. 35: Friends!? La Cucaracha
- Ep. 36: The ESPer
- Ep. 37: Himiko!
- Ep. 38: Asao Hyou's Dad-Lord
- Ep. 39: The Tomboy that Falls on Her Rear
- Ep. 40: The Best Friend Assassination Angel
- Ep. 41: The Quick-Changing Doronpa Tanuki
- Ep. 42: Daydreams of Boys Who Sleep In
- Ep. 43: You Can Be a Genius Too
- Ep. 44: The Great Escape - Heli Explosion
- Ep. 45: The Galaxy's Invincible Electric Man
- Ep. 46: The Female Commander's (Secret) Plan
- Ep. 47: The Machine Empire's Rebellion
- Ep. 48: The Giant Aircraft Carrier has been Stolen
- Ep. 49: The Queen's Last Appirition Art
- Final Ep.: Shine, North Pole Aurora
- Kousoku Sentai Turboranger Ep. 1: The Great Gathering of 10 Sentai: Counting on You! Turboranger
- File:Icon-prtf.png Mirai Sentai Timeranger Super Sentai Big Gathering (archive footage only)
- File:Icon-prwf.png Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger vs. Super Sentai (archive footage only)
- File:Icon-oo.png GoGo Sentai Boukenger vs. Super Sentai (archive footage only)
- Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger (as VulPanther only)
- Kamen Rider × Super Sentai: Super Hero Taisen (as VulPanther only)
- Doubutsu Sentai Zyuohger
- Ep. 29: The Monarch of the Monarchs (transformed archive footage only)
- Doubutsu Sentai Zyuohger vs. Ninninger: Message from the Future from Super Sentai (as VulPanther only)