My Comparison Of Super Sentai Crossovers and Power Rangers Crossovers
Super Sentai and Power Rangers both had crossovers for certain seasons. Some Super Sentai seasons had no crossovers, others had crossovers. Some Power Rangers had no crossover. I'll talk about the similarities and differences of the crossovers between both genres.
I. Super Sentai vs. Super Sentai crossovers
A Super Sentai vs. Super Sentai crossover event usually ends up as a post-series special. Seldom, the writers try to make it look like they take place in the same continuity (ex. Gingaman vs. Megaranger) but most of the time, like Ohranger vs. Kakuranger, insert events that don't happen within the continuity of the shows involved. In the case of Gokaiger, it's a season long crossover.
Goranger and JAKQ was the first crossover but back then, Sentai was just called Sentai. Goranger and JAKQ were only added into the "Super Sentai" list during the year 1995 as part of the series. In Timeranger's post-series special (which was not in the show's continuity), you may notice how Goranger and JAKQ were added. The plot of JAKQ vs. Goranger involved the Big Four which were remnants of Black Cross and CRIME. Iron Claw also returned as the crossover's main villain.
When the title "Super" was added to Sentai starting with Battle Fever J (note that Goranger and JAKQ were retroactively added later on), there was hardly any crossover. However Denziman's villain Queen Hedrian was later brought into Sun Vulcan. Strangely, there was no Sun Vulcan/Denziman crossover. The Super Sentai crossovers looked like they were shelved until later.
The short clip known as "Super Sentai World" was added. The Kakurangers teamed up with the Fivemen, Jetmen, Zyurangers and Dairangers to battle the VS Movie villain Zaigan. The whole crossover may have officially created the VS Universe. The film was only for nine minutes. It was shown in the amusement parks. It was first released on August 4, 1994. In Power Rangers we have Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers also using footage from Dairanger and Kakuranger mixed along with their original footage.
Just to explain, Ohranger vs. Kakuranger became a crossover which didn't happen in-show. If you observe carefully the movie is out of continuity with both Ohranger and Kakuranger. Emperor Bacchushund and Prince Buldont were both having a contest but wait, you see Ohblocker and Tackle Boy later on? Both Ohblocker and Tackle Boy appeared after Bacchushund was defeated. Most of the time, Super Sentai crossovers would add in elements that were very out of continuity. Ohranger vs. Kakuranger's footage was used in Power Rangers Zeo as an in-series plot rather than a non-continuity event. You may want to observe how many Super Sentai crossovers deal with events that don't happen within the shows' continuities.
What about Gokaiger? Gokaiger had all the 34 previous Super Sentai series in it. It looked like all the Super Sentai sereis belonged to one timeline. However, there is really no timeline. Here's what Fantasy Leader had to say in a very old post of minewhich I hope will help establish the fact that THERE IS NO SENTAI TIMELINE:
Also, I really don't see why you're confused about the timeline. There's NO Sentai timeline. In fact, the Legend War should be proof of that. I'm certain Gokaiger is it's own continuity, just like the previous 34 seasons. We've had different things happen to the dinosaurs in Zyu, Aba, and Bouken. Plus, we have deceased characters like Black Condor, Dragon Ranger, Time Fire, and AbareKiller fighting in the Legend War. There's just no way that all 35 seasons are connected.
Another comment which I'm taking that specific part, still by Fantasy Leader:
Each Sentai show is separate. There's really no need to try and forcefully mash them all together into one continuity. Heck, we could even go as far and say that Sentai, Metal Heroes, and Kamen Rider are all in one continuity. But we don't. And it's much better that way. Each sentai season wasn't made with the thought of them being in a single timeline. If they were all in one timeline, then that pretty much wrecks all 35 stories. Like, Ohranger took place in 1999, yet in the Timeranger special, they say it took place in 1995. That's just not possible.
I understand that it would be cool if all sentai was in one timeline. But it causes too many problems, and it's already been established many times that each season is on their own.
I would also like to state the Captain Obvious that if Super Sentai had a timeline, Japan would be dead by now! Try to fit them all together, you'll get nothing but contradictions to each of the show's continuity. I also agree that the events on how the time of dinosaurs ended in Zyuranger, Abaranger, Boukenger and may I add, Go-onger and Kyoryuger all happen very differently right? Zyuranger's dinosaurs were extinct no thanks to Bandora. Abaranger has a meteorite crash causing Earth to get split into two. Boukenger had the Hyde Gene consume the dinosaurs to their deaths. Go-onger had Horonderthal responsible for the dinosaur deaths. Kyoryuger had the ice age. Tell me, how can they be harmonized?
Speaking of Timeranger, one may want to take note that the Timeranger special was out-of-continuity with the series itself, just like episode zero of Turboranger. The post-series special was just meant to show the audience of the previous Super Sentai series that came before Timeranger, not establish a timeline for Super Sentai. Okay, Ohranger can be retconned back to 1995 instead of 1999 but still, several events would have prevented an actual Super Sentai timeline from actually happening.
For Gokaiger, one may bring up Jetman episode 28 that it was written by Toshiki Inoue to say, "Hey Sentai is one timeline and none of the events in Jetman contradicted that episode." when there is no timeline. A writer himself may purposely write stuff that's out of the continuity. Yes, Gai Yuki is dead but that's been established and unless you saw the Jetman Encylopedia, you may have argued that he lived even when he's really dead (I was in the losing side for a LONG TIME). Remember that a crossover can blend in continuity and non-continuity elements depending on the writers and producers involved. Gokaiger had actually kept dead rangers dead but you cannot really harmonize the events of the Super Sentai series into one timeline when you check out the stories in each and every one.
Gokaiger can be viewed as a Super Robot Wars type of season. If you ever played any of the Super Robot Wars series, notice how many Super Robot series are crammed into one massive crossover and how each series is subjected to out-of-continuity events. For example, certain characters die way differently than they did in the show they were taken from. That is, it's better to view Gokaiger to be part of the VS Continuity and all shows have their own continuity.
II. Power Rangers vs. Power Rangers crossovers
While Zeo had a crossover with the Alien Rangers (Alien Rangers was just a mini-series than an official series), the practice would continue post-Zordon era. Lost Galaxy itself had a crossover with Power Rangers in Space but unlike Gingaman vs. Megaranger, it was part of Lost Galaxy's episode count. Gingaman vs. Megaranger did not occur within the Gingaman series. Power Rangers itself tried to establish itself as one timeline though later events would end up in contradiction with each other.
Gaoranger vs. Super Sentai and Boukenger vs. Super Sentai didn't happen within their respective shows' episode count. "Forever Red" in Wild Force was a one episode team-up. Operation Overdrive's "Once A Ranger" happened as a two-parter like most Power Rangers to Power Rangers team-ups. For a time during the Disney era, there were no crossover episodes for Mystic Force, Jungle Fury and RPM. Power Rangers Samurai did attempt to do its own crossover with RPM but it was a terrible, terrible crossover.
I can still nitpick on Power Rangers Megaforce all over and over again. I could really point out the flaw of why making one timeline for all your shows may end up doing more harm than good in the long run. Try to observe that Gosei would awaken if aliens landed on Earth or even the introduction. Come on, why didn't Gosei awaken when every other previous Power Rangers foe landed, right? In Super Sentai with having most shows independent from each other which explains events far easier than usual. In Bioman, the Bio Robo would only awaken if the Earth is in danger and in Changeman, the Earth Force would only awaken if the Earth was in danger... having them in separate continuities help explain why they didn't happen earlier.
III. Saban's "Friend In Need" and Later Super Sentai/Kamen Rider Crossovers
MMPR did try the Saban's Masked Rider crossover with Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers. Toei had the crossovers on stage (but it did mix other heroes), Saban's idea soon became an unofficial Super Sentai/Kamen Rider crossover. It was part of the episode counts of Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers. Ugh, as much as I hate to rewatch this awful crossover, I still want to credit it for its existence.
Later I had to endure the horrid Super Hero Taisen movie(written by Shoji Yonemura aka Patrick Star)and I might say, some fans were heavily displeased by it. Fortunately the movie doesn't fit into any continuity whatsoever or we're all screwed up! The second Super Hero Taisen was tolerable but still, I'd hate to rewatch both films unless I'm too die hard on Super Sentai or Kamen Rider. Later, more Super Sentai vs. Kamen Rider crossovers ended up as movies instead of taking place within the series. ToQGer/Gaim and Ninninger/Drive were both specials... neither crossover ever took place in the actual continuities of ToQGer, Gaim, Ninninger or Drive.
The Ninninger/Kamen Rider Drive TV movie also showed how Super Sentai and Kamen Rider didn't belong to one universe. The Ninningers ended up in the world of Kamen Rider Drive causing some "continuity problems" to the show. Even the Super Hero Taisen line, "Super Sentai and Kamen Riders cannot coexist." was already a hint that both shows are their own continuity and the awful movie was just a huge crossover.
Updated on: June 17, 2015
I. Super Sentai vs. Super Sentai crossovers
A Super Sentai vs. Super Sentai crossover event usually ends up as a post-series special. Seldom, the writers try to make it look like they take place in the same continuity (ex. Gingaman vs. Megaranger) but most of the time, like Ohranger vs. Kakuranger, insert events that don't happen within the continuity of the shows involved. In the case of Gokaiger, it's a season long crossover.
Goranger and JAKQ was the first crossover but back then, Sentai was just called Sentai. Goranger and JAKQ were only added into the "Super Sentai" list during the year 1995 as part of the series. In Timeranger's post-series special (which was not in the show's continuity), you may notice how Goranger and JAKQ were added. The plot of JAKQ vs. Goranger involved the Big Four which were remnants of Black Cross and CRIME. Iron Claw also returned as the crossover's main villain.
When the title "Super" was added to Sentai starting with Battle Fever J (note that Goranger and JAKQ were retroactively added later on), there was hardly any crossover. However Denziman's villain Queen Hedrian was later brought into Sun Vulcan. Strangely, there was no Sun Vulcan/Denziman crossover. The Super Sentai crossovers looked like they were shelved until later.
The short clip known as "Super Sentai World" was added. The Kakurangers teamed up with the Fivemen, Jetmen, Zyurangers and Dairangers to battle the VS Movie villain Zaigan. The whole crossover may have officially created the VS Universe. The film was only for nine minutes. It was shown in the amusement parks. It was first released on August 4, 1994. In Power Rangers we have Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers also using footage from Dairanger and Kakuranger mixed along with their original footage.
Just to explain, Ohranger vs. Kakuranger became a crossover which didn't happen in-show. If you observe carefully the movie is out of continuity with both Ohranger and Kakuranger. Emperor Bacchushund and Prince Buldont were both having a contest but wait, you see Ohblocker and Tackle Boy later on? Both Ohblocker and Tackle Boy appeared after Bacchushund was defeated. Most of the time, Super Sentai crossovers would add in elements that were very out of continuity. Ohranger vs. Kakuranger's footage was used in Power Rangers Zeo as an in-series plot rather than a non-continuity event. You may want to observe how many Super Sentai crossovers deal with events that don't happen within the shows' continuities.
What about Gokaiger? Gokaiger had all the 34 previous Super Sentai series in it. It looked like all the Super Sentai sereis belonged to one timeline. However, there is really no timeline. Here's what Fantasy Leader had to say in a very old post of minewhich I hope will help establish the fact that THERE IS NO SENTAI TIMELINE:
Also, I really don't see why you're confused about the timeline. There's NO Sentai timeline. In fact, the Legend War should be proof of that. I'm certain Gokaiger is it's own continuity, just like the previous 34 seasons. We've had different things happen to the dinosaurs in Zyu, Aba, and Bouken. Plus, we have deceased characters like Black Condor, Dragon Ranger, Time Fire, and AbareKiller fighting in the Legend War. There's just no way that all 35 seasons are connected.
Another comment which I'm taking that specific part, still by Fantasy Leader:
Each Sentai show is separate. There's really no need to try and forcefully mash them all together into one continuity. Heck, we could even go as far and say that Sentai, Metal Heroes, and Kamen Rider are all in one continuity. But we don't. And it's much better that way. Each sentai season wasn't made with the thought of them being in a single timeline. If they were all in one timeline, then that pretty much wrecks all 35 stories. Like, Ohranger took place in 1999, yet in the Timeranger special, they say it took place in 1995. That's just not possible.
I understand that it would be cool if all sentai was in one timeline. But it causes too many problems, and it's already been established many times that each season is on their own.
I would also like to state the Captain Obvious that if Super Sentai had a timeline, Japan would be dead by now! Try to fit them all together, you'll get nothing but contradictions to each of the show's continuity. I also agree that the events on how the time of dinosaurs ended in Zyuranger, Abaranger, Boukenger and may I add, Go-onger and Kyoryuger all happen very differently right? Zyuranger's dinosaurs were extinct no thanks to Bandora. Abaranger has a meteorite crash causing Earth to get split into two. Boukenger had the Hyde Gene consume the dinosaurs to their deaths. Go-onger had Horonderthal responsible for the dinosaur deaths. Kyoryuger had the ice age. Tell me, how can they be harmonized?
Speaking of Timeranger, one may want to take note that the Timeranger special was out-of-continuity with the series itself, just like episode zero of Turboranger. The post-series special was just meant to show the audience of the previous Super Sentai series that came before Timeranger, not establish a timeline for Super Sentai. Okay, Ohranger can be retconned back to 1995 instead of 1999 but still, several events would have prevented an actual Super Sentai timeline from actually happening.
For Gokaiger, one may bring up Jetman episode 28 that it was written by Toshiki Inoue to say, "Hey Sentai is one timeline and none of the events in Jetman contradicted that episode." when there is no timeline. A writer himself may purposely write stuff that's out of the continuity. Yes, Gai Yuki is dead but that's been established and unless you saw the Jetman Encylopedia, you may have argued that he lived even when he's really dead (I was in the losing side for a LONG TIME). Remember that a crossover can blend in continuity and non-continuity elements depending on the writers and producers involved. Gokaiger had actually kept dead rangers dead but you cannot really harmonize the events of the Super Sentai series into one timeline when you check out the stories in each and every one.
Gokaiger can be viewed as a Super Robot Wars type of season. If you ever played any of the Super Robot Wars series, notice how many Super Robot series are crammed into one massive crossover and how each series is subjected to out-of-continuity events. For example, certain characters die way differently than they did in the show they were taken from. That is, it's better to view Gokaiger to be part of the VS Continuity and all shows have their own continuity.
II. Power Rangers vs. Power Rangers crossovers
While Zeo had a crossover with the Alien Rangers (Alien Rangers was just a mini-series than an official series), the practice would continue post-Zordon era. Lost Galaxy itself had a crossover with Power Rangers in Space but unlike Gingaman vs. Megaranger, it was part of Lost Galaxy's episode count. Gingaman vs. Megaranger did not occur within the Gingaman series. Power Rangers itself tried to establish itself as one timeline though later events would end up in contradiction with each other.
Gaoranger vs. Super Sentai and Boukenger vs. Super Sentai didn't happen within their respective shows' episode count. "Forever Red" in Wild Force was a one episode team-up. Operation Overdrive's "Once A Ranger" happened as a two-parter like most Power Rangers to Power Rangers team-ups. For a time during the Disney era, there were no crossover episodes for Mystic Force, Jungle Fury and RPM. Power Rangers Samurai did attempt to do its own crossover with RPM but it was a terrible, terrible crossover.
I can still nitpick on Power Rangers Megaforce all over and over again. I could really point out the flaw of why making one timeline for all your shows may end up doing more harm than good in the long run. Try to observe that Gosei would awaken if aliens landed on Earth or even the introduction. Come on, why didn't Gosei awaken when every other previous Power Rangers foe landed, right? In Super Sentai with having most shows independent from each other which explains events far easier than usual. In Bioman, the Bio Robo would only awaken if the Earth is in danger and in Changeman, the Earth Force would only awaken if the Earth was in danger... having them in separate continuities help explain why they didn't happen earlier.
III. Saban's "Friend In Need" and Later Super Sentai/Kamen Rider Crossovers
MMPR did try the Saban's Masked Rider crossover with Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers. Toei had the crossovers on stage (but it did mix other heroes), Saban's idea soon became an unofficial Super Sentai/Kamen Rider crossover. It was part of the episode counts of Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers. Ugh, as much as I hate to rewatch this awful crossover, I still want to credit it for its existence.
Fourteen years later, Kamen Rider Decade ended up creating the story of nine Alternate Reality Kamen Rider Worlds. The World of Shinkenger as a world without Kamen Riders which caused problems when Decade entered into that particular world. Glimpses of the Kamen Rider Decade characters were in some episodes of Shinkenger (episodes 20-21) and the crossover happened in Kamen Rider Decade episodes 24-25. Unlike the Friend in Need crossover from MMPR, the Kamen Rider Decade cast arrives into the World of Shinkenger which was a world without Kamen Riders. It was a way better crossover than "A Friend In Need".
Later I had to endure the horrid Super Hero Taisen movie(written by Shoji Yonemura aka Patrick Star)and I might say, some fans were heavily displeased by it. Fortunately the movie doesn't fit into any continuity whatsoever or we're all screwed up! The second Super Hero Taisen was tolerable but still, I'd hate to rewatch both films unless I'm too die hard on Super Sentai or Kamen Rider. Later, more Super Sentai vs. Kamen Rider crossovers ended up as movies instead of taking place within the series. ToQGer/Gaim and Ninninger/Drive were both specials... neither crossover ever took place in the actual continuities of ToQGer, Gaim, Ninninger or Drive.
The Ninninger/Kamen Rider Drive TV movie also showed how Super Sentai and Kamen Rider didn't belong to one universe. The Ninningers ended up in the world of Kamen Rider Drive causing some "continuity problems" to the show. Even the Super Hero Taisen line, "Super Sentai and Kamen Riders cannot coexist." was already a hint that both shows are their own continuity and the awful movie was just a huge crossover.
Updated on: June 17, 2015
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