Akumaizer 3

 is a Japanese science fiction tokusatsu television series, created by Shotaro Ishinomori and produced by Toei Company. The series premiered on Tuesday October 7, 1975, at 7:30, and ran for 38 episodes in that timeslot on NET, now known as TV Asahi. The series remains obscure outside Japan, but was popular and renowned in its home country. The series was followed by a sequel called "Chojin Bibyun" which used rejected designs from the Kamen Rider series as its hero designs.
Production.
The program frequently alludes to the famous Alexandre Dumas, père novel "The Three Musketeers".
Due to the inhuman nature of the main characters, the primary protagonists and antagonists were portrayed exclusively by stuntmen, with only their voices being portrayed by professional actors. Because of this, an unusual number of well-known voice actors star in the series, as the voices of the main characters. Makio Inoue portrays Xavitan., Kōji Yada plays Evil, and Jōji Yanami provides Gabra's gravelly intonation.
Plot summary.
The program follows the adventures of three mutant superhero-refugees from the "Akuma Clan" ("Devil Clan", in English), a vast empire that exists below the surface of the Earth, and their efforts to stop the Akumas from attacking the surface world. The three warriors are Xavitan, a half-demon swordsman, Evil, a somewhat vain and foppish sharpshooter, and Gabra, a slow- and dim-witted strongman. Together, they make up the superheroic team of the show's title. At the end of the series, the heroes' bodies are destroyed, but their souls survive to be reincarnated in the direct sequel to the show, "Choujin Bibyun"
Characters.
Akuma Clan.
The Akuma Clan are a race of magical cyborgs who live deep within the earth, plot to invade the surface world.
Merchandise.
The series was released on Region 2 DVD in October 2005. In December of the same year, a boxed set of action figures of slightly redesigned versions of the three characters was released as part of Bandai's Super Imaginative Chogokin series. Many toys and action figures have been released in connection with the series.
Cultural influence.
Although "Akumaizer" has not achieved the fame or international recognition of its "tokusatsu" contemporaries like "Kamen Rider" (also created by Ishinomori) or "Ultraman", it is not without cultural resonance: In the 2007 anime, "Lucky Star", in which the characters sing popular songs, karaoke-style, over the end credits, the character Konata sang the series theme song in the second episode. The main antagonists of the movie "" are a villainous Akumaizer trio directly inspired by the heroes of the original series.