Sean Akizuki's Super Sentai Blog

Super Sentai is practically Toei's LONGEST-running show, ending its broadcast yesterday. Yes, the No. 1 Sentai Gozyuger finale happened. It happened after  Super Sentai had a series of "reboots" , not relying on Nostalgia Goggles ( which sadly happened with Power Rangers more often than not ), and every step of the way was to keep the series fresher than usual. Of course, there would be a LIMIT to how long creative thinking goes. Innovation keeps a product living longer. It made me think of how Super Sentai managed to go on from the 2000s and the 2010s, but FAILED to complete the cycle in the 2020s as we're having Gavan Infinity instead. I remember asking myself, "How long CAN Super Sentai last in the 2010s? Perhaps until 40?" It was because we've had significant milestones. I felt that its 30th anniversary Gougou Sentai Boukenger was more of an Easter Egg hunt and acknowledgement. That would be five years after Hyajakku Sentai Gaoranger . There was no...

I once thought that Universe Heroes was a renaming of the Super Sentai franchise, but I later realized it was a hiatus . Instead, since last year, it was announced that Universe Heroes is taking over the Super Sentai franchise since last year. Even the very way No. 1 Sentai Gozyuger  may have had a dead giveaway. Megazord Graveyard at the beginning was just the beginning. Celebrating Super Sentai's 50th birthday instead of the 50th entry? Those were crazy signs that I felt weren't  I already thought that the  Super Sentai franchise needed a break ever since the end of Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger. The post- Gokaiger era had its creative direction's ups and downs . It was a rollercoaster ride for me (but I never rode a rollercoaster, weak stomach) when I was critical about Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger after Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters . It took me some time to appreciate Ressha Sentai ToQGer given that I had an overload . The series had its ups and downs. In fact, I even remember...

This is one post I couldn't write immediately. It's hard for me NOT to connect the GREED and No. 1 Sentai Gozyuger . Next year should've been the 50th Super Sentai series. What may have NEVER surprised me was that there would be no Super Sentai series in line -- or the first time from 1979 up to 2025! After all, there was a ONE-YEAR hiatus between Dengekitai JAKQ (which rushed everything in just 35 episodes and Battle Fever J (where Super Sentai became the annual tradition). I'm still watching Gozyuger,  but there's a nagging thought -- there wouldn't be Super Sentai next year. I wouldn't be surprised if there's a clearance sale for some Super Sentai items now to recover from losses! At first, I thought that  Universe Heroes  was merely a rebranding. However, I had a mixture of relief and anxiety.   Instead, we're getting  Project RED: Super Space Sheriff Gavan Infinity . Instead, Universe Heroes is a new franchise! This reminds me of what went on wh...

People can say that I'm against innovation or Draconian. Innovation is wonderful but it can also be mismanaged. As Toei plans to either go on hiatus or perhaps close the book on Super Sentai (I prefer to believe the hiatus, and hopefully Japan will have a population boom once the old gens like myself, inevitably leave this world) -- Super Sentai may start anew! Now, I'd like to look into the latest episode which introduces Sumino Ichikawa's new form -- acted by Kohaku Shida ! There were other alternatives that could've and SHOULD'VE been considered. IMHO the most logical step was to turn Oto Ichikawa into the new Gozyu Unicorn! Maya Imamori's DISMISSAL (instead of work suspension) felt super unfair IMHO . Instead, the "new solution" was to keep Sumiko BUT give a magical explanation after Kohaku replaced Maya. It all feels WTF as it replaces the more serious Sumino with the more mischievous Kohaku. The approach just feels way too OUT OF PLACE IMHO.  Thi...

  Yawn! Bored? I can't be sure. I was thinking about how No. 1 Sentai Gozyuger was overshadowed by Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger for two years . Right now, I have decided to write this post for fun. It's no secret that I've compared both Kamen Rider Saber and later King-Ohger  to Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog . I looked into the show and thought about how Mystic Knights failed (and it was a huge, ambitious project) vs. how King-Ohger (25 years later) managed to fix things. In fact, it seems Toei had seldom made "pseudo-sequels" for Saban Entertainment sometime later . Now, it's time to dig into the essay... I. The technological era (the 1990s) mismatched the ambition of the  Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog There were some criticisms about Power Rangers being lazy or that Saban should create his own show. There are times I ride with that since I don't like Power Rangers . However, anyone who understands the basics of international marketing WOULD AVOID  talking like...

It's no secret that I've lost my fervor for No. 1 Sentai Gozyuger despite its innovative thinking. I was looking forward to what it could do -- such as how the Tega Sword concept, the Battle Royale theme, etc. could work out in Super Sentai . However, late last month, it was the news that Super Sentai would any any time soon . Other reports say Super Sentai might be rebranded as Universe Heroes or Universe Heroes would be a totally different franchise. In my case, I'm actually OPEN to see what Universe Heroes could do after Gozyuger ends. Now, I'd like to address one problem -- THE GREED!   Let's do a bit of a history lesson. Super Sentai anniversaries are usually celebrated by ENTRY NUMBER . What's also interesting to see is how Super Sentai seems to honor Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers' anniversary every decade since 1993 . That means there are some festival seasons and some "basic palate cleanser seasons" like last year's Bakuage Sentai B...