Other Japanese Tokusatsu Series Series By Toei Celebrating Their Major Anniversary This 2017!

Aside from the 30th anniversary of Maskman, Metalder and Kamen Rider Black there are also other series that will be celebrating their major anniversaries. These are the other shows that are celebrating their anniversary but not their 30th anniversary.

40th anniversary


Dengekitai JAKQ's 40th birthday

The shortest lived Super Sentai series. I don't know if I want to try checking this 35 episode series considering I feel a generation gap with shows older than Goggle V. But what's the harm if I tried? I would like to give it a peek and see if something this old can still click with me.

35th anniversary


Dai Sentai Goggle V

This year should also be the celebration of Hirohisa Soda's debut as a Super Sentai writer. Some younger Super Sentai fans today may feel Soda's overrated but they don't see what contributions he's brought to the franchise. I've seen some episodes of Goggle V and it's the start of something new for Super Sentai. If it wasn't for Soda I don't think Super Sentai would have moved forward. Goggle V may be considered a stepping stone to newer styles of Super Sentai writing. In short it's been 35 years of Soda and last 2012 was 30 years of Soda.

25th anniversary


Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger

Zyuranger would probably be looked as the opening of the post-Jetman era but also the first series to be localized as Power Rangers in the United States by next year. After watching Abaranger, I don't think Zyuranger is all that great. I may prefer it over Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers anytime but I can still agree that too much kid of the week is a weakness. I can still rewatch it but I still think Abaranger is better than this series.


Tokosou Exceedraft

The last of the Rescue Police series. From what I heard, Exceedraft was supposedly a standalone series from Solbrain. Like its predecessors Winspector and Solbrain, there wasn't a central villain though the greatest villain the series would appear later in the series as their final enemy. Why the series would later tighten the loose ties to Solbrain were actually established late in the series. Good thing that Sailor Otaku will be handling it anytime soon!

20th anniversary


Denji Sentai Megaranger

1997 was pretty much a mixed year. After Ohranger and Carranger had low ratings but had good toy sales (4.5% to 4.8% rating is not a good thing), Megaranger brought the ratings to 6.5%. Meanwhile, it was the year that Kabutack was going to be the second to the last Metal Hero series. Metal Hero already started to suffer decline with B-Fighter Kabuto and maybe 1995 can also be considered a loser year. Super Sentai's ratings managed to get back higher and Megaranger "saved" Super Sentai but Metal Hero's new formula wasn't really working.


B-Robo Kabutack

I haven't seen this series yet but from what I know, it's the second to the last Metal Hero series. Unlike Kamen Rider, Metal Hero never made any real comeback and it's almost 20 years already. Next year's Robotack would be the final Metal Hero series.

15th anniversary


Ninpuu Sentai Hurricanger

Hurricanger Ten Years Later was shown in 2012. It was 2002 when Hurricanger came out and it's already 2015. After watching this series I felt like, "WTF why did I even watch Ninja Storm?". Junichi Miyashita wasn't at his best here but he certainly gave me something enjoyable. It's been 15 years since this series had appeared. Too bad my mom didn't give birth to Nao Nagasawa.


Kamen Rider Ryuki

Yet another series that had me mixed. Potentially, Kamen Rider Ryuki could have been a brilliant series but there was the Writer vs. Executives war. Both Yasuko Kobayashi and Toshiki Inoue had a lot of good ideas but executive meddling comes in. I always feel like that Ryuki was pretty much an experiment for the Battle Royale type of series. On the other hand, it's just one huge disappointment in the end because you know why. Stupid executives pressed the reset button throwing away everything I loved (and hated) about the series before it was pressed! While Kobayashi and Inoue don't write the best endings but I don't think any of them wanted that stupid ending! Good thing Kamen Rider Gaim fixed the whole mess several years later.

10th anniversary


Jyuken Sentai Gekiranger

It's been ten years since Gekiranger and last year was Boukenger. I didn't warm up to this series immediately until I saw more of it. It may not be as good as Dairanger but I can't dismiss how it was a nice mixture of old school and new school. Even after 10 years I still consider it as the greatest post-Timeranger Super Sentai in terms of plot and action. I haven't seen Jungle Fury and I don't intend to so I'd rather talk about how great Gekiranger is based on its own merits.


Kamen Rider Den-O

I personally think this show can be quite a mess with the whole time travel plots. The show has some weird sense of humor which Takeru Sato manages to pull off. It was interesting to have the concepts of the Imagin or some barren future but the show tends to beat around the bush. But I'll consider giving it a rewatch anytime soon to fully understand it.

5th anniversary


Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters

It's been five years and I wish I never hid in the closet about me liking the series. The same might be true for me and Kamen Rider Faiz. Sure it wasn't a popular series and Yasuko Kobayashi was showing signs of burning out. It was also the time when producer Naomi Takebe showed she's either hit or miss. I personally feel that Takebe's not so good or really bad when it comes to Super Sentai but I like her as Kamen Rider producer. I personally like the series but I can't bring myself to like it more than other series like Maskman, Liveman, Jetman, Dairanger or any other serious Super Sentai seasons before it. Too bad Kobayashi didn't make a cameo like Inoue did in Faiz.


Kamen Rider Fourze

Who says kiddie can't be a good thing? Kamen Rider OOO was pretty kiddie but I enjoyed it. The series has been pretty much improving the concepts left behind by Kamen Rider Super-1 last 1980 before another long hiatus for the Showa era of Kamen Rider. It's the first true Space Kamen Rider and I'd watch it over Kamen Rider Super-1. As much as Go-Busters was pretty dark and edgy but there's some Fourze to help lighten up the mood. Now I'm really in for a Fourze rewatch due to all the comic humor it has.

A Case Of Direct Sequels VS. Not So Direct Sequels

As Zyuonger vs. Ninninger is the latest Super Sentai VS. movie until the next one comes, I want to take a huge rewind to think about what I call as direct sequels vs. not so direct sequels. There's something that I wrote before about the concept of a Super Sentai timeline which may have been an afterthought after some time. A lot of events between series tend to contradict each other. These events are like how dinosaurs got extinct in Super Sentai, that certain events happen only when the Earth is in grave danger or how certain events in crossover movies make the movies just impossible to fit in both series involved in some cases (ex. Ohranger vs. Kakuranger). It seems to be that after Kamen Rider Decade and Gokaiger most Super Sentai series now take place in the VS. Movies Continuity. Even JAKQ vs. Goranger showed that the heroes were in one continuity though they weren't included in the list of "Super Sentai" series. Both Goranger and JAKQ were only included during the 90s and were honored as such in Timeranger's post-series clip show.

All hail the power of retroactive continuities anyone?


The downside and upside of having direct sequels

As I've watching Solbrain subbed by Sailor Otaku (also called Weeaboo Shogun) and saw through Kamen Rider Stronger, remembered Kamen Rider Black RX and watched Sun Vulcan some months ago they were direct sequels. Kamen Rider Black RX is the sequel of Kamen Rider Black, Solbrain is the sequel of Winspector and Sun Vulcan is in some way the sequel of Denziman. Let's talk about the downside with direct sequels first.

It can be fun to have direct sequels but it can also be disadvantageous if you're trying to access through older series. Sometimes, you need to watch the previous series before you can fully understand the sequel. Watching Solbrain before Winspector and watching Kamen Rider Black RX before Kamen Rider Black may or may not lead to confusion. My reason is Solbrain is so tightly knit to Winspector as a sequel that not watching the previous installment may confuse you. Black RX may not be that tightly knit to Black (ex. it annoys me that Kyoko and Katsumi were soon conveniently ignored or how Shadow Moon's return wasn't handled properly) but still you need to watch Kamen Rider Black. It also reminds me of how Kamen Rider V3 was so tightly knit towards the first Kamen Rider that you may need to sit through the first installment to understand how events unfolded.

I've seen very little of the first Kamen Rider and Kamen Rider V3 but I could talk about the progressive storyline with almost every Kamen Rider during the Showa era. Every Kamen Rider passes the torch and the concept of the Great Leader was somewhat explored for almost the entirety of the Showa Era except for a few Riders that didn't directly fight him. Kamen Rider V3 showed how remnants of Shocker ended up forming Destron or later Showa era episodes showed how evil never dies. The Great Leader seems to be a metaphor of that as he's shown to have been using either decoys or may actually be a malevolent spirit. If Grand Lord Crisis were the Great Leader he said he'd return one day as long as evil exists. The Heisei era of Kamen Rider has a more different approach and the Great Leader has only appeared as an iconic butt monkey in the VS. Movies.

I could also talk about the advantage of having direct sequels. It's sort of like a direct passing the torch moment. We've been seeing red rangers passing torches to the next red rangers for some time in Super Sentai. But there's one thing about the direct sequel that I could like about them. I felt Black RX's recycling Tetsuo Kurata was a downside so I'll talk about Solbrain and Winspector as an example. The cast of Winspector graduated and Captain Masaki mentioned he was making a new organization to save the heart and the brain of human beings. Solbrain then starts taking where Winspector left behind. It gives a good storyline a potential to evolve but it may also give a good storyline a potential to devolve when it's overextended. It's good to improve a storyline but it can also deteriorate along the way.

Perhaps the best advice for this style of writing is use with caution. I guess Toei's used this sparingly because they prefer the second alternative which is...


The advantage and disadvantage of not-so-direct sequels

I'm thinking about the not-so-direct sequels such as the anniversary seasons. Okay, maybe this time Toei's already made the Super Hero Taisen Universe as one. Zyuohger had the Gokaigers return for the 2000th episode celebration which is also five years after Gokaiger. Gokaiger's two part crossover with Zyuohger was pretty much a break from the tradition of VS. Movies. Gokaiger was pretty much the huge anniversary season that a lot of Super Sentai fans may have dreamed of.  Boukenger and Gaoranger featured movies where past Super Sentai alumni returned though none of the events happened within the series. VS. Movies don't happen within the series. The beauty with them is that with them not being direct sequels means you can choose to watch which series you want to watch first in any order.

Gokaiger is more of a not so direct sequel to all 34 Super Sentai series before it. The Legend War in the beginning shows you all Super Sentai series before it. Did you really need to watch everything from Goranger up to Goseiger to understand it? If you're an older fan it's a nostalgic review. The children may view it as an introduction to their elders' Super Sentai. Sure there are Super Sentai seniors reprising their roles but they may either be viewed as nostalgic flashbacks or introductions to their respective series. But nobody needed to watch Goranger up to Goseiger to fully understand Gokaiger. The way the teacher explained Gokaiger at the beginning felt more like a history lesson. While watching Gokaiger may not give you everything you need to know about its predecessors but you didn't need to watch them to avoid being confused with the series' events.

Ninninger featured guest stars from other series such as Sasuke/Ninja Red, Yousuke/Hurricane Red and Toha Yamaji/Jiraiya. Ninninger may have been intended to be part of the VS. Series universe instead of being standalone like Kakuranger and Hurricanger. Did you need to watch Kakuranger, Hurricanger or Jiraiya before watching Ninninger? Much of Ninninger's events aren't even tightly knit to them. The events of Ninninger weren't dependent on Kakuranger's or Hurricanger's plotline. Did the Jakanja or Youkai even interact with the Kibaoni Corps? Nothing was hinted otherwise some plot like finding the remains of Jakanja and Youkai to turn them into monsters could have been added. The Kibaoni Corps may have had little or no history with the predecessors of the Hurricangers and the Kakurangers. The beauty of it is that you may have seen Ninninger or Hurricanger first but you can watch all three ninja shows in any order you please.

Did you even need to watch a lot of old school Super Sentai to understand all the new school ones? Even if there were two or three (or soon possibly more) Super Sentai series that repeats a motif from some decade or some years ago doesn't automatically mean it's a sequel. Right now you didn't even need to watch Gaoranger to understand the events of Zyuohger. You didn't need to watch Maskman and Dairanger to understand the events in Gekiranger. You didn't need to watch Turboranger to understand the events in Carranger and Go-onger. You didn't need to watch Zyuranger and Abaranger to further understand the events in Kyoryuger because the three of them operate very differently in terms of plot and execution. That's just a few examples of same motif but carries on an entirely different story to watch. You can still watch them in any order you wish. IMO, this provides more flexibility in the writing than to rely on the previous season. On the other hand, it's also nice to try and explore a storyline further.

On the other hand, I thought about it that there could have been cooler concepts to be explored if there were more direct sequels. Sun Vulcan certainly gave a little more depth to Queen Hedrian though the Denzimen didn't appear. I gave thought on ideas like what if Ohranger were written as something directly linked to Bioman like making the Baranoia Empire the very heart of the Anti-Bio Alliance, what if Mondo Tatsumi were once friends with Professor Hoshikawa from Fiveman, what if Carranger were directly linked to Turboranger, what if Hurricanger were directly linked to Liveman... those were some storylines that could have been pursued. Instead, most Super Sentai end up indirectly linked. As much as Gokaiger and Decade now several shows together but there seems to be more fun when you watch the latest season/s without having to watch previous shows to understand the basic plots. I couldn't imagine if I had to watch all 34 Super Sentai series just to understand Gokaiger's events!

Meanwhile, I've decided that I'll write one long post as a Zyuohger update as soon as show ends. Just wait for a crammed post sometime next month.

"I'm Small But Mighty!" Super Sentai Warriors!

There are cases of small warriors in Super Sentai so I decided to compile them all. Here are a list of Super Sentai rangers who are small but mighty. Here they are as far as I can remember:


Akira/Blue Mask

Perhaps the first in the list or am I wrong? Maskman pretty much highlighted the idea during his first focus episode involving the incredibly ridiculous face swapping scheme. He got berated several times by Kenta/Black Mask but he shows he's no ordinary guy. Sure he's the youngest Maskman but he's not to be underestimated. Best moment? It was when he entered a fake martial arts tournament and only morphed at the last minute to help wrap up the battle with the monster.


Ako Hayasaka/Blue Swallow

Unlike Megumi Misaki in Liveman she's presented to be the small but mighty member of Jetman. She's the shortest and she's the youngest member of the Jetman team. One may think of her as a female version of Akira though she's just an ordinary student. No special training whatsoever yet she showed some incredibly unusual skills. So why did she easily learn to pilot the Jet Swallow or do a lot of crazy stunts like when she fought blind? She may seem ditzy but she's pretty smart for her age like when she snuck away with a communicator when the Jetmen were supposedly banished forever. As much as I like Jetman but I feel her concept got improved with Kotoha Hanaori in Shinkenger.


Kou/Kibaranger

He's literally small but mighty though most of the stunts were done by the stuntmen. You can't have children doing the dangerous stunts can you? I really can say he's still small but mighty as far as the scripts are concerned. Move over Tommy you're not wanted and he's not Justin disgracing Tommy! He's got one of the most developed stories ever. His storyline where he's actually half-Gorma and his ongoing conflict with his twin brother Akomaru don't make him just another gimmick to appeal to children. Justin's got nothing on this kid, nuff said.


Riki

Biologically he's older than Kou. I think he should be at least 12-14 years old. He's the youngest of the Ohrangers as far as biology is concerned though he's chronologically much older than they are. But don't let his "wimpy" appearance fool you as he's actually badass both in suit and out of suit. He also pilots the most powerful mecha in the series namely King Pyramider.


Sion/Time Green

A freaking idiot. But that's only because he spent his life in a laboratory and he's the last Hubbardian. In spite of him being kind of an "idiot" but he's pretty much a genius when it comes to the creation of equipment.


Sae Taiga

The youngest of the Gaoranger team and also the shortest. I don't know how to react to why the sole female member not only the youngest but the shortest. Even if she's the youngest and the shortest but it's amazing to see how she's actually a karate master herself. I also find her to be tougher than Kai Samezu.


Umeko Kodou

I think it's really something to push Umeko behind and behind. I tend to do that myself in favor of Jasmine. She may be small, I may not really like her for stupid reasons but she's able to do the job. She's ditzy (and fortunately she's not a brat) but it doesn't mean she can't pull off some cool action scenes like her drunking kung fu moment.


Natsuki Mamiya/Bouken Yellow

I don't know what was in the producers' head when they actually created this klutz. She's naive because she knows NOTHING about the modern world yet she's able to use the equipment given to her. Even if she's a klutz it's still funny she gets to accomplish the task anyway. She's probably a terrible alcoholic off-screen huh? Also, please don't commit the mistake that me and others did in comparing her to Ako Hayasaka who's a lot more sane than she is.


Hant "Patrick Star" Jo/Go-on Green

If Shoji Yonemura isn't the only person I call "Patrick Star" it's also Hant. This guy dared to actually impersonate a doctor when Sosuke was sick though I doubt it the writers had Spongebob in mind. He's pretty naive and might actually be a potential pervert (though he hasn't been shown harassing any of the girls which I expected to happen) especially he got a job to get close to girls. He still gets the job done even if he's so freaking stupid.


Saki Royama/Go-on Yellow

She's the shortest of the Go-ongers but she's definitely not weak. I feel she's actually a better fighter than Hant who's probably the stupidest character in Go-onger.


Chiaki Tani/Shinken Green

Chiaki is the youngest male member of the crew. But don't underestimate him just because he's shown signs of being a slacker. After taking responsibility for his two friends' injuries he's been devoting himself to besting out Takeru Shiba himself.


Kotoha Hanaori/Shinken Yellow

She's the younger one between Mako and her. She's a fighting school girl like Ako in Jetman. Both were forced to fight because circumstances demanded them they would. One got hit by a Birdonic Wave and her older sister was sickly so what choice does she have? She wasn't supposed to be a Shinkenger by birthright but circumstances involving her older sister made her the next Shinken Yellow.


Kaoru Shiba/Princess Shinken Red

The true head of the Shiba Clan. I always felt sorry for her with how she's underrated, underused and WTF she left her rightful place? She appeared to accomplish her job, Takeru Shiba had the burden of filling up for her as a shadow warrior. Good thing Gokaiger gave her some justice!


"ERI!!!!!"/Gosei Pink

Okay she's really air-headed and not to mention I'd imagine her playing in the most forbidden of places and we may be seconds closer to a nuclear disaster. Still, you can't deny she's able to get the job done in many instances.


Yoko Usami/Yellow Buster

She's the shortest among the Go-Busters but she's able to get the job done. Even earlier episodes showed she's capable in her own way of giving her contribution to the team. Not fond of her but I still like how she gets the job time.


Amy Yuzuki/Kyoryu Pink

Although she's the youngest of the group and the shortest but she's still able to kick some ass. Good thing that sexist producer Takahito Oomori didn't intervene too much here. Good thing that Kyoryugers all get the chance to show their badass scenes. How's that for Oomori's "girls are weak" argument? Unfortunately Oomori ended up making Kiriko in Drive from a badass Junko Fujino type character to a damsel in distress.


Yayoi Ulshade

She's also another small but mighty member in Kyoryuger. I didn't highly of her though.


Fuuka Igasaki/Shironinger

The shortest of the Ninningers no doubt but she actually fills up the spot for her idiotic brother Takaharu. I may not think highly of Ninninger but I think highly of Fuuka as a character. She's actually got the most brains in the Igasaki family compared to her grandfather, father and brother. But I don't think she's the smartest Ninninger since I'd give that title to Kasumi Momochi.

Missed any? Let me know!

Updated: February 1, 2017

Sentai DVD Rambling Part 5: I'd Say Megaranger's Gonna Be That Mega-Legendary Super Sentai DVD Release!

With the fact that a Carranger with English subs DVD release is coming soon I'm thinking about how Megaranger may be the Mega-Release that U.S. fans are waiting for. Awhile ago, I remembered rambling on the Sentai DVD releases where I considered releasing something different or from the pre-Zyuranger era. I even felt like Shout should have released Turboranger instead of Carranger then they can go ahead and proceed with Megaranger. I originally thought that Shout should release Changeman over Megaranger but my mind's changed. I think Megaranger would do better in the long run. It took me some time to think of what to write in this post but now here it is!

So why did I change of mind about my wish for a Changeman DVD release instead of a Megaranger DVD release? 

Changeman may be considered a groundbreaking innovative series but I don't think so many Power Rangers fans new to Super Sentai would immediately pick it up. I've read some summaries of Changeman episodes in the past. I think that Star King Bazoo is the one true Dark Specter that truly menaces the galaxy and not the Dark Specter of Power Rangers in Space. I want to think that Astronema's just a watered down version of Shiima or that Ecliptor may not match the skills of Space Pirate Buuba. I even think that maybe they can relate to Queen Ahames in a similar way with Lost Galaxy's Trakeena as both are treacherous vixens. Except that Queen Ahames was permitted to do more than what Trakeena was permitted to do by TV-Y7-FV standards. But I think Power Rangers fans right now would want to settle for Megaranger due to its high school theme... something that Power Rangers started with.

I could talk about my opinions vs. the facts surrounding Megaranger and its Americanized version Power Rangers in Space. Sometimes, localized versions of stuff can deviate from the original material. Megaranger is all about video games and teenagers (along with the science theme of the Hirohisa Soda era) while Power Rangers in Space is well... in space. If you want a space themed Super Sentai then Changeman and Flashman would be a good start. This year we will also have Kyuranger the first space themed Super Sentai after a long time. If you want a Super Sentai season with high schoolers then Turboranger and Megaranger is for you. 

Megaranger may help repair the damage done by Power Rangers MEGAFAILED did last 2014 by miles!

Both Megaranger (the true Mega series) and Megafailed (just an idiotic anniversary that wasted a better cast than Power Rangers Samurai) involve teenagers with attitude. The difference is the execution. Megaranger has the teenagers with attitude getting dragged into the conflict against the Nezire's invasion where they learn a lot. Megafailed may have had a few lessons but I felt character development went nowhere or that there was hardly any development. The Megarangers were a more balanced group than the Megafailed Rangers. Megaranger may owe its success to good writing, likable characters and proper character development. In fact, I feel the urge to rewatch Megaranger yet again with Maskman and Kamen Rider Black (though I'm still watching Super-1 at a super slow pace) even if I'm more inclined to like Heisei Riders over Showa Riders. I've seen Kuuga up to EX-AID but not in their proper orders but I'm so left behind with Showa Riders.

Power Rangers Megafailed is the biggest anniversary disaster for Power Rangers no questions asked. Just the term "Mega" brings me back to Megaranger the one true Mega Series. Sure, it's still teenagers with attitude but they thought of actually making it more than that and sought to learn from whatever mistakes Turboranger had. Megaranger is pretty much its own series. You don't hear Turboranger's theme song having Turboranger replaced with Megaranger or reusing the Turboranger theme. No, it's really its own theme song and that's just one positive point that makes Megafailed well Megafailed. It's really its own series that seeks to play teenagers with attitude in a whole new angle. You don't have a fairy recruiting the Megarangers in the same way. Instead, we have an entirely different way on how teenagers with attitude get to see their lives changed the day they became the Megarangers. It's an enjoyable series from start to end and will give a real sense of satisfaction that Megafailed can never give.

In short, there's only one true Mega series and it ain't Megafail. Are you really ready for a true-Mega release anytime soon? 

We've Got Only 4 Episodes Left And It's Time For Kyuranger!

This week's Zyuohger was just a clip show. I don't see much of a reason why I should give updates on clip shows vs. plot material. It was nice for the the others to reveal they're Zyumen, Mario gets his jacket and there's a nice review for the audience. The time for Zyuohger's end is upon is and I'm excited to see things wrap up.

It turns out that part of Azald was mixed with Bard's cubes. The heroes narrate how many of their foes have been defeated but there's still Azald, Naria and Genis. We've seen Bangray and Kubar die so how will Azald, Naria and Genis be destroyed? I personally can't wait to see the last four episodes then it's SPACE TIME with Kyurangers!

As of this time, I may only give a final update on Zyuohger when it's done. Until then, just don't be too surprised if I'd be snoozing off or ranting something else. Until then, see you in the finale!

Kamen Rider Black, Hikari Sentai Maskman And Chojinki Metalder Are Already Turning 30 Years Old!

Yup, they'll be celebrating their 30th birthday this year!

I really feel ashamed that I didn't put to mind that 2014 was the year Bioman turned 30, 2015 was the year Changeman turned 30 and last year Flashman turned 30! This year we have Kamen Rider Black, Hikari Sentai Maskman and Chojinki Metalder all turning 30 years old! What are my thoughts on this momentous event of Maskman turning 30? It's just like when parents say that their children are growing up so fast it's just like it's yesterday. Maskman may be one of the childhood Super Sentai of many 80s children or some 90s children like myself in some areas of the world. Although Bioman was my first but I grew up liking Maskman and Jetman as my two favorite Super Sentai. Kamen Rider Black was my first exposure to the Kamen Rider franchise.

I agree with Shogo B'Stard where he thinks that 1987 was a champion year for Toei's innovation for Super Sentai, Metal Hero and Kamen Rider. Kamen Rider Black was a reimagined return for Kamen Rider after a six year hiatus when Kamen Rider Super-1 ended. Metalder was pretty much trying to reinvent Kikaider's concept into a darker and edgier story which only lasted for 39 episodes. Maskman was pretty much another turning point for Hirohisa Soda as he wanted to introduce a romance concept into Super Sentai - something that Chojin Sentai Jetman would try to somewhat innovate causing a renewed interest in Super Sentai.

Childhood revisited with Hikari Sentai Maskman and Kamen Rider Black

With the exception of Metalder and no, I don't want to even talk about how VR Troopers really flunked (I blame the TV stations that love to keep favoring the American product over the Japanese product) and have no intention of rewatching it... Maskman and Kamen Rider Black were part of my childhood. I remembered watching the Tagalog dubs on IBC-13 as a child though I hate the station for how they never picked other Tokusatsu shows to broadcast and ended up rewinding Bioman, Maskman, Turboranger and Kamen Rider Black FOR YEARS. It's annoying how I was 11 years old when I watched them in the afternoon and well I reached 17 years old and is that it?! In short what about other seasons? What about diversification?

I senjoyed viewing Super Sentai more than what Power Rangers and I didn't know the term "Super Sentai". I simply called these shows as the "original Power Rangers from Japan". Even when I was still a child I felt that the Super Sentai I've first known from the pre-Zyuranger era were Goggle V, Bioman, Maskman, Turboranger, Fiveman and Jetman. I just felt the more I watched them the more I really didn't give too much of a care about Mighty Morphin' plus discovering bits and pieces of Zyuranger and beyond made me think less of the franchise. I could still name some positives from Power Rangers but I feel like I could name more positives from Super Sentai than Power Rangers.

Maskman and Kamen Rider Black gave me what I'd call the courage to move on. I wasn't doing well in high school and I wanted to quit more than once. I end up thinking of how Takeru talked with his past self about not running away. Kamen Rider Black gave me the inspiration that one day you're going to have to make difficult choices. While IBC-13 sucked for how it didn't show more Super Sentai or Kamen Rider but watching the repetitive broadcasts were better than watching than a whole load of American shows (which soon started to annoy me) or those annoying telebasuras by ABiaS-CBN and GMA-7. But still a lack of diversification is just as bad as too much of it.

Viewing the innovative concepts all three shows brought during 1987

Kamen Rider Black is basically trying to reimagine Kamen Rider. I wish I knew what caused the six year hiatus between Kamen Rider Black and Kamen Rider Super-1. After watching (and I mean PAINFULLY watching) some old school Kamen Rider older than the 80s, it's easy to see why Kamen Rider Black is sort of a "reboot". Hero who got captured by some evil organization? You've got Gorgom as a new kind of organization that while it had no standard foot soldiers but you've got blind followers. The story also added the very first evil Kamen Rider in Shadow Moon. The evil Kamen Rider concept would get improved during the Heisei era. Too bad that Black RX didn't get well-received though I view its sequel as still part of trying new stuff.

Maskman was another of the old school Super Sentai that I'd say wasn't afraid to try anything new. It's the first martial arts series which may have inspired the creation of two more masterpieces namely Dairanger and Gekiranger. It set a standard for most Super Sentai series today where each ranger would have their individual mecha which forms the main robot. It's also the first to introduce a love story that may have inspired Chojin Sentai Jetman's sad love story to a whole new level. The whole series was pretty much another huge groundbreaking Super Sentai. The designs and special effects managed to get ahead of its time.

Metalder may be viewed by some as an improved Kikaider. He's the first fully mechanical Metal Hero and may have partly inspired Janperson's creation. Although it's the shortest Metal Hero series but there's been a lot of new stuff that was introduced. Since I haven't seen all 39 episodes so I don't want to talk more about it.

Maskman and Kamen Rider Black fan subs got me out of my Tokusatsu break

It's no secret that I didn't watch Tokusatsu for a few years because I wanted to "move on" with Taiwanese and Korean shows. I felt I wanted diversification so I ended up watching Taiwanese and Korean shows only for a year. Then there was Japanese drama but absolutely no Tokusatsu in the Japanese sense. The only "Tokusatsu" I ever watched if it could ever be counted as one were the Wuxia series or new school martial arts series that used special effects that were obviously meant to be better than what Japanese Tokusatsu had to offer.

Then there were fan subs. I wanted to look back at my childhood so I viewed the fan subs by CSCentrl. I remembered a lot of them from Youtube and that's where I also viewed from raw Super Sentai after my short break from Tokusatsu. Trying to watch newer stuff from Tokusatsu felt "harder" than watching newer Korean, Japanese or Taiwanese TV drama. But I had to keep an open mind and right now, it's a struggle for me to keep an open mind from my rather inflexible, rigid mindset that wants to be the super traditionalist. Even if Super Sentai doesn't always get better all the time but there's always a lesson to learn on what to do and what not to do. Sometimes, the struggle will be long before progress is eventually achieved.

Fortunately, Grown Ups In Spandex has provided better fan subs than what I originally acquired. Now I can rewatch both shows with good subtitles and the original language at the same time.

Final thoughts on the 30 years of Kamen Rider Black, Maskman and Metalder

Not to mention, I feel that there's always Super Sentai actors who were all 80s babies like myself. My favorite special mention is Tori Matsuzaka over every other 80s baby. Maybe, just maybe he watched Maskman as a kid without dreaming he'd grow up to play a red ranger also named Takeru. Maybe, just maybe Masahiro Inoue (who just got married to a half-American, half-Japanese girl this year) watched Kamen Rider Black without dreaming he'd meet Tetsuo Kurata in the flesh as Kamen Rider Decade. Then we have Super Sentai moving forward and the Gokaiger cast actually met Kazunori Inaba last 2011 though some of them were 90s babies but Ryota Ozawa was born in 1988 the year of Liveman.


Takeru II must be thinking it's been 30 years since Takeru I became a red ranger

I just had a thought what a conversation might be like if Matsuzaka went to Miso Icchi Ramen and met his sempai or senior. Matsuzaka may mention to Inaba that it's been 30 years since Maskman aired and it's only been eight years since Shinkenger aired. Maybe, just maybe Matsuzaka will tell Inaba that it's been some time. They might talk about how it was to be a red ranger and the struggles they had back in their day. They might even have a friendly sparring with each other. They might comment how time flew on them. Hopefully, both Takerus can have the time to meet each other to discuss. Oh, please include Inoue (no, not Toshiki Inoue) and Tetsuo Kurata to have a reunion in Billy the Kid Steakhouse! It may not mean much for a new generation of fans but it may mean a lot for older fans!

When I take a look back, I always feel that I'm growing old and time never waits for anybody. I'm not getting any younger thus my preferences tend to change more often than not. I feel that the Timerangers have run over me a lot. I believe that the the generation gap may just getting bigger and bigger. Parents who used to watch old school Super Sentai with their children may now be grandparents watching new school Super Sentai with their grandchildren. Children who used to watch old school Super Sentai with their parents may now be parents watching new school Super Sentai with their children. How time flies indeed and I'm feeling really old!

What are your thoughts on these three Tokusatsu series as they reach 30 years old this 2017?

What I Think Of Kyuranger Having An American Input

From the Den of Geek it's revealed that Kyuranger will have an American input. Here's what's being said from the same site:

The American side of production has hardly ever had a say with Toei, the producers of Sentai in Japan, in what the newest Super Sentai season would contain. That has now changed. Bandai America, the stateside arm of Bandai of Japan, has had a direct influence in the creation of the newest Sentai season, Uchu Sentai Kyuranger.

In the past, the American production didn't have much of a say with what Toei does. They were just given the rights to use the costumes and fight footage and it was up to the American production crew to make them work. I guess it didn't matter much to Toei because they were getting paid for both the use of costumes, licenses and profit shares. Whether Power Rangers succeeds or fails the American party must pay the royalty fees as part of the contractual agreement. 

Greg Mitchell, former senior director for marketing in Bandai America also stated, 

"We got brought in pretty early on and got to hear what the creative pitch for the show was, which was a space zodiac cosmos type of thing which we get excited about. (Bandai America) got to help at the conceptual stage to think about what could the zords be, what could the weaponry be, what would be the Ranger Key or Dino Charger?"

What's also cited by Mitchell is that Power Rangers' competition is not only Marvel (under Disney where storylines are getting derailed for no good reason) but also the new Star Wars series (also under Disney). With the arrival of "The Force Awakens" showed last December 17, 2015 (which was the year of Ninninger and next year the year of Zyuohger which has space bounty hunters for enemies) I guess that's why Kyuranger is space-themed. If you remember Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers also premiered on the same year that the first Jurassic Park movie appeared in the United States. I guess this is all part of the marketing gimmick.

The closing words of Den of Geek are as follows:

This is a bold new direction for both Sentai and Power Rangers. If the American side of production has even a small say in what’s to come, it could mean stronger entries in both franchises to come.

There's always been a lot of competition within Japanese pop culture. For Super Sentai and Kamen Rider there has been a lot of competition in Japan and it's not just Tokusatsu created by other Japanese companies but also the long running Pokemon franchise which airs at the same timeslot as Super Hero Time. There may also be some taste fatigue after Gokaiger which may contribute to the lower ratings since Go-Busters up to Zyuohger where it's said that it hit a new level of low. I believe this is the era where the old spark is running out and a new spark is needed for the Super Sentai series. A few changes may not be enough and maybe, just maybe this is going to be a drastic change that may give a new spark for Super Sentai. 

When it comes to innovation sometimes you need to see what doesn't work anymore and keep in mind that next year may either be better or worse depending on how things are managed or who's in charge of production. Not everything new will be easily received (ex. lack of compatibility can happen in newer stuff or new video game releases still need updates to fix certain glitches) or will immediately be better as some new stuff still need to be improved before real progress happens. It also involves an exchange of ideas between cultures. Remember that a lot of Japanese products are born from non-Japanese influence and a lot of stuff non-Japanese get to enjoy are a result of Japanese influence.

Having an American input may actually be helpful for Super Sentai. Toei used some American influences to create some of its properties like Jiban and Janperson are both based on the Robocop franchise, Winspector and Kamen Rider Drive have some ideas from Automan and Knight Rider , Kamen Rider Kuuga may have based the Grongi on the Yaujta from the Predator series, Kamen Rider Kiva and Kamen Rider Ghost may be indirectly inspired by Danny Phantom, and Dekaranger has some episodes based on American movies (Rocky series, Armageddon, Die Hard) to name a few. So I don't see any reason why an American input couldn't work in making the necessary changes to keep Super Sentai or Tokusatsu in general (Toei's or not) alive and kicking for a new generation of fans. 

What are your thoughts on Kyuranger as a Super Sentai having an American input? Would that be good or would that be bad for Super Sentai's new direction?