Space Sheriff Sharivan: History and Collector Guide
Sharivan is the direct sequel that turned Gavan's handoff into a darker 51-episode mythology. Here is the series history and merchandise landscape.
Uchuu Keiji Sharivan aired from March 4, 1983, to February 24, 1984, for 51 episodes. It is the second Space Sheriff programme and a direct continuation of Gavan's world. Den Iga does not arrive as an unexplained replacement: viewers see his path toward becoming Sharivan during Gavan, and he assists his senior in the earlier series' final battle.
From forest patrolman to space sheriff
Den is introduced as a young man caught in Makuu's violence. After severe injury, he receives treatment on Bird Planet and is recruited by the Galactic Union Police. When Retsu Ichijouji moves to a wider assignment, Den becomes Earth's principal sheriff. Hiroshi Watari plays him with an action background that allows the sequel to preserve Gavan's emphasis on physical performance.
Sharivan's red combat suit arrives through Sekisha, commonly translated as red shine. The transformation is a counterpart to Gavan's Jouchaku, but the colour and solar-energy language establish a separate identity rather than a red repaint in story terms.
Madou and the darker atmosphere
Sharivan fights the Space Crime Syndicate Madou, ruled by Demon King Psycho. Madou's dream-and-illusion world gives the production room for disturbing images, deceptive spaces and horror plots. Toei Video's official retrospective specifically highlights the programme's mystery and horror elements.
Fan discussions often call Sharivan stranger and more serialized than Gavan. That description is fair as criticism, but should not be confused with a genre change into adult horror. It remained a children's Friday-evening superhero programme with weekly monsters, vehicles and finishing attacks.
The Iga people storyline
Den's origin becomes central as the series reveals his connection to the Iga people, survivors linked to a world destroyed by Madou. The Iga Warrior resistance turns his mission from assigned police work into cultural recovery. This continuing mystery gives the 51 episodes a stronger long arc than a summary focused only on Demon King Psycho would suggest.
Gavan returns as a senior ally, preserving the sense of an operating police institution. The shared character does not make Makuu and Madou one organization. Sharivan inherits the jurisdiction and mentor, not the previous villain hierarchy.
Equipment and display identity
Sharivan operates from the Grand Birth and uses the Crime Buster and Laser Blade. His robot and vehicle arsenal includes Battle Birth formations and the motorcycle-like Motobarian. Names vary across older fan translations, so collectors should compare Japanese packaging and product codes when a listing uses unfamiliar English.
The red chrome suit is the collection anchor. Metallic finishes reveal scratches, fingerprints and paint wear more readily than matte plastic, making close photographs important on used figures.
Modern releases and viewing options
Discotek's North American Blu-ray includes all 51 episodes in high definition with English subtitles. Toei Video has released Japanese Blu-ray boxes. These are region, subtitle and packaging decisions rather than identical editions, so buyers should verify playback needs before importing.
Tamashii Nations released an S.H.Figuarts Sharivan through its web shop in 2013. Older soft vinyl, chogokin-style toys, role-play items and vehicles also exist. The 2014 Sharivan Next Generation production introduces Kai Hyuga as a successor and has its own merchandise context; a listing marked Next Generation should not be assumed to depict Den Iga.
Why Sharivan remains important
Japanese retrospectives report strong initial ratings and substantial theme-record sales, confirming that Sharivan was not a minor stop between better-known names. Its success sustained the Space Sheriff format and allowed Shaider to complete the trilogy.
For a new collector, the practical starting set is the complete series, one accurately labelled Den-era figure and a reference image of the original red suit. Sharivan rewards depth: its value lies not just in chrome armour, but in the way a handoff character grew into a hero carrying a lost people's history.