Gekiranger: Another Very Chinese Themed Sentai!

If Dairanger wasn't enough, Gekiranger is another series that is very Chinese inspired. Like Dairanger, its basis are on chi power, martial arts but they use real-life animals, not mythical ones. Yet the whole season is also very Chinese-inspired in terms of theme, martial arts and concepts. The whole show seems to run also on Chinese mythological concepts.


Gekiranger like Dairanger, has the concept of positive and negative energy. Gen Juken and Rin Juken are like the Daos and Gorma but in a different way. Both schools are like the harmony of the Yin-Yang sign of Taoist philosophy. Both sides must achieve that balance or Tao with each other. The rivalry of Jan and Rio is one that shows the battle of positive energy and negative energy. Yet both energies are needed to turn around the cycle.


Miki Masaki who is the head of SCRTC is a master of jaguar fist herself. The entire organization is dedicated to the use of Chinese martial arts. Master Sha Fu's name may be derived from "Shifu" which is a word for master. He is a Chinese martial arts instructor himself.


The Fist Saints are tributes to the martial arts legends. Each Fist Saint is an expert in the field of Chinese martial arts. But not only that they are named after martial arts legends. Bat Li is Jet Li, Sharkie Chan is Jackie Chan, Gorie Yen is Donnie Yen, Bion Biao is Yuen Biao, Michelle Peng is Michelle Yeoh and Elehung Gambo is Sammo Hung. All of them challenge using different techniques. Gekiranger's movie even took place in Hong Kong.


One may also consider the styles that the Fist Saints taught. While these weapons aren't Chinese exclusive but the influence can be seen in Chinese movies. We have the Chinese style meteor hammer, the Chinese steel fans and the Chinese broadsword all introduced into Gekiranger. The Geki Claws are also included in Chinese martial arts. The newer Gekibeasts incorporate the styles into the mecha combination.


Gekiranger itself had many arcs divided like in Wuxia films thanks to the enemy organization. First they faced against the Five Venom Fists. Then they faced against the Flying Fists which is divided into land, sea and air. Then they face the Machine Soldiers. The factions provided by the Rin Juken use a special type of martial arts. Most of them are based from Wuxia style fighting both real techniques and fake ones. I'm no expert in martial arts so I have to do more research on the matter.


The Ririnshi or the monsters of the group in Gekiranger are all martial arts users. They are using several martial arts based on animals like the Gekirangers. Sometimes in order to defeat a monster, the Gekiranger must learn a new Chinese martial arts technique to defeat them. All of them are Chinese martial arts users.


One may consider the specialization of each sub-group. The Five Venom Fists have their own martial arts based on the animals like thousand hits (centipede), hit and run (gecko), dances and kicks (scorpion), iron body defense (toad) and the use of sickles at deadly accuracy (snake). The Flying Fist represents earth, sea and sky. The Machine Soldiers were the next group of baddies, made of four mechanical baddies with adept martial arts skills.


Long arrives in the second half of Gekiranger where he secretly manipulates everyone. He is a five headed dragon working in perfect union and Tao. Having manipulated the events before Gekiranger, he may represent the idea of the evil behind everything. In the show, he is the evil behind everything. The fact he cannot be killed may represent the truth about negative energy. While you can contain it, you cannot destroy it. Long is probably negative energy himself like Grandienne was in Gogo V.


Plus the reconciliation of both Gen Juken and Rin Juken into one school can be compared to the Taoist philosophy of Yin and Yang. When that happens, Long's defeat is when the balance of Yin and Yang happens. Both the spirits of Rio and Mele teach the primary Gekirangers the technique that will seal Long away as far as Gekiranger's continuity is concerned.