Sean Akizuki's Super Sentai Blog

Chevalier... the herald towards death and the coolest Zone subordinate. He was actually the first recruit of the Silver Imperial Army Zone by Vulgyre and he was out there committing murders. When he heard of the struggle between the Zone and Fiveman, he decided to show up and he did sing "Hero" by Kai Band (an 80s song). His introduction was cool singing a popular pop song hoping to ensnare the Earth. He had better instrumentals than the Kai Band ever had. What's funny is that how did he learn that song?! Since when did aliens ever become a fan of Kai Band? So don't expect to hear the song in the Fiveman OST. An introduction to him was when he introduced himself as the first field commander of Zone. He however for some reason left to operate in some regions of the Universe to conquer other planets. His most infamous technique had to be the use of singing to counter the Fivemen. What's even funnier is that when he enlarges Cricket Jin (without a Gorlin) he ...

I think Riki Honoo and Haruna Morikawa actually are sort of a couple in Turboranger. Why? Well I'd like to start with some few details. Riki Honoo does have feelings for Haruna Morikawa but the two seem galaxies apart. While Haruna Morikawa is almost "miss perfect", Riki Honoo is a low-grades, ADHD person. When the Sigh Boma attacked young girls in episode 12, the two were having a hard time controlling their feelings for each other. Also, the whole scenario had them blushing and laughing during the whole trap scheme. It was obvious they had feelings for each other. Another perfect instance of the two being hinted is when in episode 31 the whole school was teasing them about each other which led to Riki Honoo's secret admirer (at first) Sayoko (Kirika) to get jealous. The next episode afterwards, Riki Honoo shows genuine concern when Haruna Morikawa falls down. He does show concern especially during the time when Haruna Morikawa put herself at too much r...

Actually Super Sentai had a few exceptional rangers who possessed certain abilities that didn't make them very human even when out of suit. These are: Gou Shirou/Red One (Bioman)- Unlike the other Biomen, he received extraordinary ability to talk to animals. This ability proved useful in many situations. Lin/Houou Ranger (Dairanger)- She was the only one who had the ability to sense chi even out of suit. Kakeru Shishi/Gao Red (Gaoranger)- He had the ability to communicate with animals much like Red One in Bioman. Shirogane/Gao Silver (Gaoranger)- He had the ability to feel the spirits within people and detect Org disturbances from the winds. Yukito Sanjou/Abare Blue- He could detect any defects and weak spots even out of suit. Marika "Jasmine" Reimon/Deka Yellow- She had extra sensory perceptions born within her. She wears gloves because her hands involuntarily activates them. It's more of a gift-curse type of thing she has. Natsuki/Lilina/Bouken Yellow (Boukenger...

Here are the following mecha from Tatsunuko's Gatchaman that inspired future sentai. After all, it seems that Gatchaman inspired the late Shotarou Ishinomori (of Kamen Rider fame) to create Goranger. The Eagle Sharp in Gatchaman II seemingly inspired the Variblune fortress in Goranger seeing the looked alike. The Gatcha-3 in Gatchaman F inspired later designs like the Patgyro in Dekaranger and the Green Hover in Gogo V. But its design was also used in the Metal Hero series B-Fighter in the form of the Reddle Hover. The Gatcha-4 in Gatchaman F seems to have inspired Variblune. The Gatcha-5 in Gatchaman F inspired the making animal-based mecha eventually taken into Go-Onger's mecha. The New God Phoenix in Gatchaman II was an inpisration of the Icarus Haken as well as the Jet Garuda. Gatcha Spartan in Gatchaman F has the idea of five vehicles combining into one ship was first used in Jetman and later Timeranger. Pictures taken from: http://www.chronicsite.com/gatchaman/mechs.htm...

Super Sentai also got notorious for using crucifixion as well. Crucifixion is a method of punishment for the worst criminals in the ancient world. Although Japan is hardly into Western influence, still east meets west. What's interesting is that in Japanese history, there was the execution by haritsuke which a victim was bound to the cross prior to being finished. In Super Sentai, there were failed haritsukes that occured. Here are some of them: JAKQ had this crucifixion scene where Jack, Ace, King and Queen were supposed to be executed but a fake missile saved them. In Bioman episode 28, Dr. Man designed these crosses to be their gravesites which would slowly kill them in agony which was a course of action to punish the Big Three for treason. In Maskman episode "Prince Igam's A Woman", it was during this episode when Akira became Fencer Unas and Igam had them set on crosses, symbolizing death before Igam's true person was revealed before many. The Je...

If Changeman had its own "Ego the Living Planet" in the person of Star King Bazoo , Fiveman seems to have used Galactus another Marvel villain to design the well-hidden Vulgyre which was frequently known in the persona of "Empress Meadow" which we never found out was merely a simulation he created until the series was closing to the finale. Whether or not he and Bazoo fought before is entirely up for fans to speculate. The Zone Empire has been conquering and destroying life while it seems that the crew itself had been promised their home planets' sparing or their lives (similar to the Gozma of Changeman) in exchange for their services. While using the guise of Empress Meadow who was a woman he wanted to recruit but refused, he fooled a lot of people into serving him. The fact is after he demoted Garoa was his secret beginning to leak out. How? Well Garoa found some unusual energy in their battleship in episode 42 when "Meadow" appeared in red form....

Ryuon of Boukenger served as one of the darkest and most bloodthirsty characters in history. He had a dark secret which wasn't known but all viewers can see is his desire to get and control whatever "Precious" he can for him to reanimate the world as he saw fit. He first appeared in the second episode of Boukenger and fell into an uneasy alliance with the final nemesis Gaja (in case you forgot, Boukenger has more than one faction involved) or even with the Questers at times. He and Satoru/Bouken Red developed a conflicting side for each other as opposites as adventurers. He pursued power which Satoru/Bouken Red didn't. He was one who believed in strength ruled all as he let his own genetic monstrosities fight each other and the survivor become the chosen Great Evil Dragon. On the first encounter, Bouken Red left a scar on him which he considered was a curse. He revealed his own selfish motives when he decided to use Raja to find the Aqua Crystal which I believe ...

Maybe Kiros would be one of the most classic villains that laced the 80s sentai, one that would inspire many other villains who was an enemy of both sides just like Bio Hunter Silver in Bioman. But he had dark motives- was it to rule the world? Not really. He had something else. He was sort of the "dark adventurer" concept which was ported WAY LATER in Boukenger. Kiros was my favorite Maskman villain because of him being able to defeat the Shot Bomber when he first appeared with that rather cool technique known as the Crescent Screw which he developed to survive the Whirling Hell where hew as trapped before while trying to capture Ial. I kind of find him perverse when he gazed upon a bathing Ial (that scene was cut in other countries) and decided he must have her as his bride, which he looked only upon the temporal.  But strangely enough he could have had flirted with Momoko but he didn't, his eyes were somewhat fixed on Ial. He frequently angered the Tube's ...

I think Banban Akaza/Dek Red is one of the red rangers that deserve a spotlight. After all, he's been hated by a good number of sentai fans who kind of liked the traditional sentai heroes over the ones that were rash like Riki Honoo/Red Turbo in Turboranger and Takeru/Red Mask in Maskman but like them, he also proved to be a reliable leader in the long run. His beginnings are as a space police who was motivated to fight crime when he saw a young boy die at the hands of an Alienizer. Nobody would have expected he would be the red ranger of the Dekaranger team, not especially Hoji Tomasu who grew to dislike him due to their differences. Hoji Tomasu was more serious (and rarely had a sense of humor) while he himself was more light-hearted, overzealous and rash which led to serious problems between the two because he was at times not serious with the mission. The thing is he and Jasmine seemed to be hinted together whenever Jasmine called him "Ban-Chan" but why the writ...

The scuds were a typical fodder in super sentai. Without them, there would be lesser fight scenes. I think most of them die during missions but rarely exploded, they simply died in an ordinary way or retreated and died another time. However some died with one hit and it wasn't Saban that introduced such a concept with Lord Zedd's putties. The following scuds were sometimes killed in one hit: The regular mechaclones in Bioman- These were probably the first enemy scuds that could be killed in one hit. While understandable with higher attacks, however by cracking the masks open with a punch done by the Biomen in-suit which can render them useless as ALL that fuel they run on will pour out. Some of the Hidrers of Changeman sometimes died from a simple wound done at their tubes which they deflated like balloons. Also their chests were their weak spots which if hit right, they can also deflate. The Changemen at times took advantage of their weaknesses too which at times resulte...

Dryer Jigen will probably be the most memorable good monster since MOST of them usually ended up dead for treason against their respective evil organizations. One before him namely Trash Jigen was killed by Maria for betrayal. But what's amazing is that he lived through to tell the tale. Somehow the writers wanted him to live or what. Well here's his backstory. He was created by Tran to help conquer the Earth but he wasn't very useful due to his intelligence though he is very powerful. Since the rise of the bio jigens, he felt useless and decided to prove himself by challenging the Jetmen but his good heart always came in between the battle like when he helped an old lady or when a puppy licked him. Angered by his own good self, he ended up daydreaming where he got serious and defeated the Jetmen's Jet Icarus, only to find out it wasn't real. He awakened and tried one more time by kidnapping two girls but they ended up having a "free makeover" which t...

Tomato King is one of the kaijin I think that deserves another spotlight. Why? Well having this kind of monster may have inspired the monsters of Kakuranger and Shinkenger which involved plenty of psychological warfare. Well he's one that was created from the very imagination of Raita Ooshi/Yellow Owl from Tranza in an attempt to destroy the Jetmen through the use of fear which would render one of their members powerless and it feeds on fear. He's kind of unique because he's probably the only sentai kaijin that the Jetmen couldn't defeat by ordinary means. It was after all a battle of WITS and as long as Yellow Owl feared it, it became more and more powerful. The Jetmen discover that this opponent was based on Yellow Owl's childhood fear of the legendary Tomato King which turned everybody's heads into tomatoes and it was created through some unknown lifeforce seemingly unique only to Jetman. The Jetmen tried to destroy him with the Smashbomber but Yellow Ow...

My picks for the best final battles for Super Sentai: Changeman - Well it seems Changeman despite being in the 80s has the best finale. Why? No other teams has dared to challenge an entire sentient planet and destroy it with only one robot, risking death and emerging victorious. Go-onger - For a funny series, Go-onger's finale was way awesome and serious. I mean, the world was nearing its end during the final battle. Fiveman - I think the whole fight against an enemy where even your strongest combination doesn't work is something and they risk being killed upon entering into it. Megaranger - They took the risk to defeat Dr. Hinelar's final form without causing serious damage to the city at the risk of their lives. Ohranger - The final battle was too intense. I mean, all hope seemed lost but they emerged victorious after that fight. Magiranger - The whole final battle where the Ozu family plus the brother-in-law use their magic to defeat a giant N-Ma without ...

Turborangers had two rather interesting (or to some not so interesting) villains known as the hanyo or Nagare Bouma, a concept that was integrated later into future sentai series. Both of them had their own backgrounds. Yamimaru started off as a pest that fought both sides and had no real purpose or aim but to cause trouble. He later decided to trick Zimba into final battle so he could later defeat the Turbo Robo hoping to gain a position in Ragorn's empire as he plotted to take over. He took advantage of Sayoko's misery and convinced her to become Kirika and the two became a pest that was seemingly greater than that of the deceased three generals. Actually only Kirika had a major plothole between them- was she born thousands of years ago or was she born in the present day? There seems to be no answers but its presumed she was put under suspended animation to slow her aging (a concept integrated into Natsuki) and was raised by skull monsters. She didn't have much of a ...

It seems Turboranger was the series with a lot of goofs and plotholes (but I'd watch this series over Carranger anyday) like: The number of times the Turborangers lost their powers and regained them is TOO MUCH of a torture. In episode 7, Zimba's past is one of mystery. So I wonder who the princess was? In episode 12, why did Ragorn hit his trusted adviser Rehda after being told that Ruffian Bouma is a traitor? In episode 13, Zimba is too calm with Zulten teasing him about Jarmin while Jarmin overreacts. I wonder. In episode 20, Zimba could easily kill Sumo Bouma yet he couldn't easily kill the Turborangers. In episode 27, the issue of Bell Chime Bouma's torture seemed to shock both Rehda and Zimba perhaps it was because they were outbested. In episode 28, the Turborangers easily defeated Zimba yet he could defeat the Turbo Robo. In episode 32, the Mirror Bouma was easily defeated by a GT Crash but it needed the Super Turbo Robo to defeat it. The same ...

Sorry for the poor picture quality (I just took a shot of this from Youtube using print screen) but I kind of was thinking the two of them deserve to be posted for their romantic encounters. It's evident that the two are somewhat in love but they were short-lived. Zimba was more of a tragic zombie who was rejected by a princess despite the fact he saved her. Jarmin however has no back story behind her sadistic behavior. But yet the two seem to get along which in fact, Zimba was somewhat impressed by Jarmin's attempts to swallow love from young girls but both of them denied whatever feelings they had in episode 12 which he grinned after Zulten got whipped. When Zimba fought, it was sort of like he frequently approached Jarmin and did everything to impress her as well which is received well. It can be evident that when Zimba was punished, Jarmin pleaded for his release in episode 18 which he later repaid with his life in episode 28 which resulted to his death. Upon his death...

Maskman presented one of the most unique "classics" that aside from an emperor who turns out be just a monster of the week type of character, I think Igam deserves another spotlight. She had begun her role as a "he" (well if you look closely, it's obvious Igam is a lady) and some people wonder why. In fact, while the Maskmen and most characters aren't aware, some of the viewers knew of her true identity as CLEARLY seen in flashbacks. She started to rival Red Mask for the sole reason that her twin sister fell in love with him thus "smring" the Igam name. The whole issue of the show was that she kept her identity secret while she was served by her underling Fumin who frequently dealt with female warriors. She also had become rivals with Baraba which some fans assume that she must have secretly liked him and wanted to shed her disguise as a man. She also showed some concern for her sister that despite being a traitor, she didn't want Ial to e...

I think Takeru/Red Mask is sort of the "tragic red ranger" in a way. Before the invasion, he had fallen in love with a mysterious girl who he only knew as Mio without knowing who she really was. He also had been able to rescue a woman and her child and was spotted by Sugata and he was made the red ranger as the first to be spotted (shortly after X-1 Mask the prototype disappeared). He also kind of had a mutual understanding with the female yellow ranger Haruka/Yellow Mask (a formula taken from Bioman later ported to Dekaranger) but there was NOTHING between them in the romantic sense.  He also had his professional interaction with Momoko but only in that angle, they barely had screen interaction. He was frequently searching for Mio wondering where he is that at first, it nearly spelled his demise.  In fact, it came in between his training to unleash the Aura power.  What happened was that, Commander Sugata temporarily took away the pendant given to him by Mio so he ...