My Nostalgia Analysis Part 4: Dairanger (90s Sentai)

Gosei Sentai... Gosei Sentai... Dairanger!!!!  Well here's a series that I believe really packed a lot of nostalgia.  Here's what I think... and believe me this is a LOT which may even go back to Zyuranger considering Noboru Sugimura wrote this also.  Alpha Five goes "Ayayayay!  Zordon we're getting an overload!"


The Dairangers themselves are kinda a combination concepts of Bioman (the descendants thing and color coding), Changeman (dragon, griffin, pegasus and phoenix, okay Kazu is using kirin not mermaid he's a guy :P) and Maskman in terms of use of aura power and martial arts to battle.  There's a LOT of meditation here as well making this a real Maskman tribute, although this was bordered most on the supernatural mecha not purely technological mecha integrated with aura power.  I can say it was like taking the ideas of Bioman, Changeman and Maskman as well.  I just thought that Ryou was a hybrid of Red Mask and Change Dragon, Lin was probably based on Momoko.


Kou kinda reminded me of the younger Takeru/Red Mask being a troublemaker at the start and changing for the better.  As for the actor, Hisashi Sakai played as a younger Burai too and Jason David Frank would later wear a Dragonranger and later Kibaranger costume.  Hmmm why get a child for a sixth member?  Kou's pretty interesting though even if he's underaged.


Master Kaku frequently taught new techniques of meditation and martial arts to the Dairangers like Director Sugata did in Maskman.  However Master Kaku had a darker secret than Sugata ever did.


Somehow one can notice some minor similarities like the cockpit at the chest, the blue and yellow mecha form the legs (with obvious differences) and Ryuseioh is much bigger than the rest of the Kiden Beasts just as the Tyranosaurus was bigger than the rest of the dinosaurs.  Also the Firebird and Pteradactyl were both flying and controlled by the pink ranger of their shows.


Dragon Caesar and Won Tiger could combine with the other mecha to become a powerful robot.  In the case of Dragon Caesar it could only combine with Mammoth, Sabertooth Tiger and Triceratops while Won Tiger used Daimugen's armor parts.


King Brachion and Daimugen were mecha lost during the war against their specific foes and were necessary to form the ultimate combination.


The Gorma were most likely a more vicious version of the Big Three in Bioman.  Shaddam was the most cruel of three in dealing with opponents a la Mason as both turned against the masters but the latter succeeded where the former failed (but I dare say in terms of depravity he is closer to Radiguet) as he never even cared about his sons Kou and Akomaru at all.  The fake Gara used deception and disguises in battle more often times than not (but she had no female bodyguard, however like Jarmin she DID create her own in the form of Wraith Gara).  Zaidos like Monster relied on brute strength most of the time, though at one point he manipulated Jin Matoba deceptively, both he and Monster did sometimes use disguises too.


Fantasy Leader listed Radiguet and Shaddam in his list of most cruel villains.  I agree. Shaddam for me is the show's biggest bastard, also kinda the type who refuses to die by creating his own new body of clay to outlive his date of death or whatever.  Both were power hungry maniacs who overthrew their masters to take over, also they were rivals with the red rangers of their respective series.  Both grew continuously insane and had an intense rivalry with the red rangers of their series.  I just thought Shaddam is what Mason should have been in Bioman as well.


Okay call me funny but I just thought of it that Kujaku's costume was a recycled one of Dr. Mazenda. :P  Strangely enough,Akiku Kurusu played the clay Gara and the real Gara while she previously was Dr. Mazenda.  Hey did Dr. Mazenda worship Kujaku before she joined Volt?!  For Kujaku, I think she like Kirika in Turboranger (note that it's the same actress) who is vengeance consumed and resentful.


Akomaru himself was small but terrible.  He was kinda like Tran, playful yet cruel and dangerous.  Seriously I don't want to be near this kid!  If he faced the Jetmen, I don't know what Ryu will have to say about him.  Also like Tran, he was mocked because of his age and yet he did show some lethal attacks against the others.


For some reason, Mikiko Miki was casted as Kou's and Akomaru's mother.  Like Aya Odagiri, she was a kind and caring character even if both can be stern.


The Gorma Emperor!  Well not only was he acted by Munemaru Kouda who previously played Dr. Man in Bioman but like Dr. Man he had a schemer behind him wanting to take over.  Dr. Man did succeed in dealing with Mason (and reprogrammed Mason to be loyal to him), Gorma XV wasn't successful in dealing with Shaddam nor was he ready for any betrayal.  Okay the rest of him is kinda new being a highly insane creature.  Like Dr. Man, Gorma XV had a triumvirate to serve him and carry out his operations while he operated mostly in the headquarters.  Both also had their own fortresses invaded by the respective rangers they were fighting against.  Both also scared children as well although Dr. Man had more display of authority than the Gorma Emperor.


Jin Matoba was not only acted by Takumi Hirose but he seldomly reminded me of Tranza in being a suave villain.  However he was an honorable one than the former.  What reminds me of Tranza is the prosthetic arm and the rivalry with the red ranger.  Read more here.


The monsters in Dairanger though they were volunteers of Gorma, the fact they were based on inanimate objects would remind me of the Jigens in Jetman.  Hmmm I wonder why the Vyram didn't create a tofu jigen, a pachinko jigen, a telephone jigen to name a few?  LOL!


The Cotporos kinda remind me of the Grinams and Unglers.  The Grinams in the sense they are pretty skilled and the Unglers, well because they get beaten by a martial arts team! :P  These guys are just creepy, real competent warriors that might be a lot harder for the Zyurangers to defeat.  No exploding at once when chests are hit!!!!  I could compare them also to the mechaclones because they were frequently disguised as humans to help in any Gorma operation.