I've Got Extreme Favoritism For Mirai Sentai Timeranger

Back then, I was just relying on various opinions on others or just read summaries, I pretended to be an expert in Tokusatsu by just doing so -- it led to me writing something that's an old shame by now! I just remembered how some time ago -- I read some extensive Timeranger summaries then started watching some now-taken down, super-bad quality videos with bad subs on Youtube. Later, I watched it when TV-Nihon and Over-Time raced towards time to finish it -- which Over-Time won't get it because Shout! Factory is releasing Timeranger on DVD soon this year. Now it's time to think about it that while Shogo is doing some Time Force related posts -- I would like to confess that I'm actually guilty of extreme favoritism for Timeranger. The series just blew my mind off with the whole idea that fate is the main villain of the series.

Here's the reality. I tend to get defensive (on the inside) whenever somebody states that they personally find Time Force better than Timeranger. I may not be able or can't come up with really good reasons for me (at my level) to choose Timeranger over Time Force. I could only think of stupid reasons like, "Duh it's Super Sentai!", "It's got blood, alcohol, gun shots -- all that Power Rangers couldn't have because of sissy TV-Y7-FV censors!" or at times because I find Yuuri prettier than Jen (which is outright stupid). I'm tempted to lash it out against them for no good reason at all. If I could think of some reasons or something I didn't like about Time Force -- it'd be the whole love triangle across time which really, REALLY sounds disgusting to my taste. I dunno how weird or disgusting it feels when you've found out your distant grandpa or ancestor ended up stealing your woman while you were supposedly dead? I just can' swallow that idea. Other than that, I don't want to immediately dismiss anything good (or bad) that some people say about Time Force and Timeranger even when I dislike Power Rangers regardless of Toei's involvement in making the series.

I don't know if this should even be a valid reason for me to like Timeranger. Timeranger is trying some new formulas in writing. The rangers' real aim has been more about trying to fight cruel fate than to save the world. Some examples are how Tatsuya wants to prove his father wrong, Yuuri tries to continue in her deceased father's footsteps after she saw her family die when she was a child, Ayase must face his illness that could kill him sooner or later, Domon must wrestle through time and Sion is the last of his kind. The villains are more focused on making money than taking over the world. What I also like is the nice U-turn that we're given with Don Dolnero. Don Dolnero looks stupid but he's actually pretty cunning and badass. Heck, the first episode is visually unbelievable how Don Dolnero masterminded such a dangerous getaway scheme. It shows looks can be deceiving as some of Timeranger's alien criminals don't look dangerous, some look goofy but some could cause so much damage or have been charged with so many offenses.

Time Force isn't the only show that got affected by my extreme favoritism for Timeranger as my personal opinion on other Super Sentai seasons get affected too. I want to think it over and over how I ended up praising Timeranger's rather "weird creative direction and innovative thinking". I even think that Timeranger tends to compete in my head for my favorite Super Sentai. Shinkenger was once my favorite among Yasuko Kobayashi's works until I saw more of Timeranger. After seeing Timeranger, I even wonder if Jetman (which was said to be darker and edgier than its predecessors which IMO isn't true) is still my top personal favorite now? I even think that darker and edgier can be overrated -- while I do consider Timeranger to be darker and edgier than most of its predecessors but don't you think there's better shows even before it? Some may even say that it pales to Jetman which I beg to disagree.

In the end, I just think about it. I enjoy Timeranger as one of my favorite Super Sentai series. I watch it, I enjoy it and I still do. But right now, I still think I want to see time travel get updated and upgraded. I hope that one day, Toei could improve Timeranger's idea with an actual time travel theme Super Sentai -- not just four people from the future traveling to the past but rather a Super Sentai team that travels to different time periods for several episodes. Hmmmm... what do you think?