Genki Bakuhatsu Ganbaruger facts for kids

Genki Bakuhatsu Ganbaruger
The main characters from Ganbaruger.
Quick facts for kids 元気爆発ガンバルガー (genki bakuhatsu ganbaruger)
Genre	Adventure, Mecha, Comedy, Henshin Hero, Magical Boy
Anime television series
Directed by	Toshifumi Kawase
Written by	Kenichi Kanemaki
Music by	Tomoki Hasegawa
Studio	Sunrise
Network	TV Tokyo
Original run	April 1, 1992 – February 24, 1993
Episodes	47

Genki Bakuhatsu Ganbaruger (which means "Energetic Explosion Ganbaruger" in Japanese) is an exciting 47-episode anime TV show. It's also known as Energy Bomb or Rocket Kidz. This show is part of the Eldran series, which features cool giant robots called mecha.

The series was made by Sunrise and funded by Tomy. It aired in Japan on TV Tokyo from April 1, 1992, to February 24, 1993. Ganbaruger is the second show in the Eldran series, coming after Matchless Raijin-Oh. It was the first Eldran show to give its heroes special helmets, unique colors, and signature vehicles. It also introduced an extra robot and a super robot made from three smaller robots.

What is Ganbaruger About?

After a hero named God Raijin-Oh brought peace, things were calm in Hinobori. But in Aozora City, a ninja-in-training named Kotaro accidentally set free Gokuark. Gokuark is a powerful demon king from the Demon World. Eldran, a good guardian, managed to trap Gokuark again. However, one of Gokuark's helpers escaped and is now trying to free his master.

Eldran gives three new powerful robots to Kotaro and his friends, Yosuke and Rikiya. These robots are Go Tiger, King Elephant, and Mach Eagle. The kids also get special suits that give them superpowers! But there's a catch: a dark wizard named Yaminorius III puts a curse on them. If anyone finds out their secret identity, they turn into a dog!

Later in the series, two more powerful robots, Revolger and Gekiryuger, appear. All these robots can combine to form the ultimate super robot, Great Ganbaruger! The heroes, known as the Miracle Ninja Ganbar Team, must defeat Yaminorius and the evil monsters. They have to keep their identities a secret until the next Eldran series begins a year later.

Meet the Characters

The Ganbar Team

The Ganbar Team and Gon

• Kotaro Kirigakure (Yellow Ganbar)
  • Kotaro is a fourth grader who is being trained as a ninja by his father. He's smart and thoughtful, but sometimes skips his ninja training. When he wears his Ganbare Suit, he gains super-speed. His vehicle is the Ganbar Bike, and he pilots Go Tiger. He is also the main pilot for Ganbaruger and Great Ganbaruger. Kotaro loves banana daifuku (a sweet treat) and sometimes uses his powers for fun. He's known for playing pranks, which makes some people in Aozora City not like him very much.

• Yosuke Kazamatsuri (Blue Ganbar)
  • Yousuke is the smart and curious one in the group. He's a bit shy and sometimes acts unexpectedly. His mom wants him to get good grades, and he has a crush on a girl named Yurika. As Blue Ganbar, he's the first to discover his superpower: super-senses. He flies the Ganbare Jet and Mach Eagle. Later, he also becomes the pilot of Gekiryuger.

• Rikiya Ryuzaki (Red Ganbar)
  • Rikiya is a kind, hardworking, and responsible older brother. He dreams of becoming a professional baseball player. He's very dedicated and sometimes gets annoyed with Kotaro's messy habits. As Red Ganbar, Rikiya gains super-strength. His vehicle is the Ganbar Buggy, which looks like a red go-cart. He pilots King Elephant. Rikiya's family owns a ramen restaurant. He also becomes the pilot of Revolger when more help is needed.

Friends and Allies

• Toubei Kirigakure (Gonzales or Gon)
  • Kotaro's father and a great ninja master. Early in the series, Yaminorius turns him into a dog, and he stays that way for most of the show. He's called Gonzales, or Gon for short. His doghouse hides a secret ninja training room. He eventually turns back into a human for the final battle.

• Kasumi Kirigakure
  • Kotaro's older sister. Kasumi is a strong and determined second-year Junior High student. She's a great badminton player and often argues with Kotaro. In one episode, she accidentally turns into an evil wizard herself!

• Yayoi Kirigakure
  • Kotaro and Kasumi's mother. She's a calm and gentle principal at Aozora Kindergarten. She and Kasumi believe Toubei is away on ninja training.

• Aiko Tachibana
  • The kind but strict teacher of the 4-1 class at Aozora Elementary. Ms. Aiko is also a judo master! She falls in love with Mr. Yamino, who is Yaminorius's human form. Even after learning his true identity, she tries to convince him to become good.

• Chinatsu Yuuki
  • A photographer for the school newspaper. Chinatsu wants to be a journalist and is always looking for a "Great Scoop." She's Kotaro's childhood friend and often argues with him. However, she's a big fan of Yellow Ganbar because he saved her.

• Yurika Komaki
  • The girl Yousuke likes. Yurika is quiet, serious, and ladylike. She takes violin lessons with Yousuke. She has special feelings for Blue Ganbar after he saved her.

• Katsura Takeda
  • The daughter of General Takeda. Katsura is stubborn and prim. She used to dislike the Ganbar Team but started to soften after Red Ganbar saved her.

• Eldran
  • The guardian of Earth's light. He gave the Raijin-Oh robot to heroes a year before and now trusts Ganbaruger to the Ganbar Team. Eldran has been fighting Gokuark for a long time.

The Demon World

• Yaminorius III
  • A dark sorcerer and servant of Gokuark. He has great magic power but often makes silly mistakes. He usually hides inside a human skeleton model at Aozora Elementary. His human form is a young journalist named Kyouji Yamino, or Mr. Yamino. He later rebels against Gokuark because Gokuark wants to destroy Earth, not just rule it.

The Three Demon Kings

• Gokuark
  • The first and most powerful of the three demon kings. He was sealed under a big rock in Aozora City and wants to rule the entire universe.

• Seiyark
  • The second demon king. He was sealed in Brazil and has control over Lightning.

• Retsuark
  • The last demon king. He was sealed near the Great Pyramids of Giza and has the power to summon other demons.

The Awesome Robots

Go Tiger

This is the robot piloted by Kotaro, Yellow Ganbar. It can launch from under a park or a mall warehouse.

• Animal Mode: It has sharp claws and can breathe fire.
• Robot Mode: It uses the Go Saber. It forms the lower body and upper legs of Ganbaruger.

King Elephant

This is Rikiya, Red Ganbar's robot. It launches from under an apartment building or a highway overpass.

• Animal Mode: It can crush things with its feet and use its tusks. It also has a King Missile.
• Robot Mode: It uses the King Tomahawk. It forms the lower legs of Ganbaruger.

Mach Eagle

This is Yousuke, Blue Ganbar's robot. It launches from an intersection or under a toll road.

• Animal Mode: It has cannons on its wings and can create a tornado (Mach Cyclone).
• Robot Mode: It fires the Mach Arrow. It forms the arms, wings, and chest of Ganbaruger.

Ganbaruger

This is Raijin-oh's successor robot. When Kotaro shouts "Miracle Combine!", the three robots (Go Tiger, King Elephant, and Mach Eagle) combine to form Ganbaruger!

• Attacks:
  • Ganbar Fire: A stream of fire from its chest.
  • Ganbar Missile: Fires a missile from its shield.
  • Ganbar Slugger: Throws an energy boomerang.
  • Ganbar Sword: Summons a powerful sword.
  • Ganbar Final Attack: The finishing move! It holds the enemy in place, draws its flaming sword, and cuts the monster into pieces.

Revolger

This is the first of two reinforcements for the team. Rikiya, Red Ganbar, pilots it. It launches from under a railroad crossing.

• Animal Mode: It can use its claws and teeth to attack, and fire shots from its tail.
• Robot Mode: It has a Head Bomber and a Shot Blaster.
• RevolBuster: Revolger can transform into a huge double-barrel gun called the RevolBuster for a powerful finishing move.

Gekiryuger

Gekiryuger is the last of the reinforcements, piloted by Yousuke.

• Animal Mode: It can fire shots from its tailguns and create a tornado.
• Robot Mode:
  • Dragon Shot: Fires shots from its rifle.
  • Gekiryu Cannon: Charges a powerful energy blast.
  • Dragon Thunder Crash: Launches the energy blast at the enemy.
• It can also team up with Revolger and Ganbaruger for a special attack called Ultra Ganbare Ninpo, where they become a wheel of flame and roll through the enemy.

Great Ganbaruger

This is the ultimate and final form of the robot! Ganbaruger forms the main body, Revolger becomes the head and lower arms, and Gekiryuger forms the legs and wings.

• Attacks:
  • Ganbar Breast Flash: Fires an energy blast from its chest.
  • Final Ganbar Sword: Summons a giant sword from a pillar of light.
  • Great Final Attack: The super finishing move! It uses an electric blast from its sword to freeze the enemy, then slashes it in half.

Episode List

English Version and Games

This series was dubbed into English and shown on Cartoon Network in the Philippines. You could buy a licensed set of four VCD boxsets that included both the English and original Japanese versions.

Ganbaruger also appears in the Super Robot Wars video game series by Bandai Namco and Banpresto. It first appeared in Super Robot Wars NEO for the Wii, along with the other three Eldran robots.

Images for kids

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  The main characters from Ganbaruger.

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  Ganbar Team and Gon