Posts

Showing posts from June, 2009

Shaddam's Ambition Knew No Bounds

Image
Shaddam, one of the most interesting villains in sentai history. What was his purpose really? The fact is he is the head of the Gorma Triumvirate who had long planned to overthrow his master the Gorma Emperor from the Chamber of Command. He was in fact a scheming and manipulative villain who would do anything to conquer the world and shape it as he saw it.  He was also pretty much sadistic that nothing meant to him except power to the point he would harm anyone including his own family to achieve his goals. His battle with the Dairangers was certainly falling out of favor especially when the Gorma Emperor returned in episode 20 displeased by their performance. However cunning as he was, he was able to appease his emperor's wrath and the Emperor chose him to carry out the task to make sure that the Won Tiger would never be conceived over the latter's right hand man, Tenpou.  It was also discovered that he by a Daos woman (acted by yours truly Mikoko Miki who acted as Je

Kibaranger: The Child Ranger

Image
Honestly I think Dairanger as great as a series it was the one that introduced a child member of the team namely Kou who became the Kibaranger. It's really a shocker for those who watched Power Rangers' second season that Kibaranger is actually a child! Okay let's move on. He was the son of Shaddam and a Daos woman thus giving him a curse on the other half. He was born with an evil twin brother named Akomaru. While he was growing up, he realized he had a talking sword, the ability to henshin and he frequently abused his powers. He hid his identity but was later exposed. He first appeared at the same time the Gorma Emperor resurfaced to reclaim the glory of the fallen Gorma Empire. His supposed baptism purified him from the Gorma powers he had. What's his deal? So here it is- soon enough he ended up living with Rin/Houo Ranger and even fell in love with her. He had perverse tendencies which never get unpunished. He also had to struggle with his evil twin Akoma

Destroyed Mecha

Image
Actually in some super sentai series, some of their mecha were really destroyed either in the middle of the series or towards the final battle. This is where destruction goes too far that if a crossover happens, I believe a second mecha was built to replace the destroyed one. Again, Power Rangers didn't start the trend of destroyed mecha, Super Sentai did although Saban's era of Power Rangers took it TOO FAR in MMPR. The Flashmen lost Flashking before the final battle. Eventually they lost Flash Titan too before finishing off the final foe Dr. Lee Keflen after the main villain was defeated. The Fivemen lost the Magmabase during the final battle against Vulgyre. Only Super Five Robo remained as Earth's last hope. The Jetmen's mecha were damaged badly after the final battle with Radiguet- apparently Jet Garuda can't be repaired assuming the parts needed are Dimensian. Tetraboy was severely dismantled by Radiguet. The Carrangers lost their mecha in the final battle

An Older Ryosuke Sakomoto Picture

Image
Eventually some people do fade away. Here's a rather older picture of Ryosuke Sakomoto. Whatever he's doing lately that I don't know.

Dekaranger Team Analysis

Image
I think for 2000s sentai, the Dekarangers are kind of unique in a way or cliche in another. The thing is Dekaranger succeeded where JAKQ failed. Here's what I think about them: The relationship between Banban Akaza/Deka Red and Hoji Tomasu/Deka Blue is a really big what if Guy Yuki were Red Hawk and Ryu Tendo were Black Condor scenario for me. I've done an analysis on Red Hawk and Black Condor and I think the two are a reverse. Deka Red is more of a happy go lucky, somewhat arrogant guy like Black Condor and Deka Blue is a professional and also tragic guy like Red Hawk... quite a reverse. (Note: I might do an analysis on them too) Banban Akaza/Deka Red- As a leader, he is more hyped than Riki Honoo/Red Turbo of Turboranger when it comes to his ADHD. He's not very well-liked by most red ranger fans due to his rather rash behavior and he's not very typical as a sentai leader. He's the type you don't expect to appear as a leader. For more info, c

Boukenger Villain Analysis

Image
Boukenger seems to be inspired by Jetman when it came to villain plots. While the Vyram competed among themselves, so did the Negative Syndicate and they form various small factions that compete with each other for absolute power. At times, they team up as well but betray each other. The High Priest Gaja- He is the apparently lone survivor when Gordom sank into the sea and he is apparently immortal. He was laid to sleep before but he was awakened when the Boukengers were in search for the Gordom Heart. I think he is a milder version of Tranza, both being psychics and having one arm made from inorganic materials.  Appearance-wise, he does somehow resemble Black Cross Fuehrer as well. Ryuon- He is a man who genetically altered himself to become a monster via his extreme hatred of humamnity. He also has traits of Radiguet like how several times his battles with Bouken Red marked on him- his first being inflicted with a fatal wound which he remembers, him considering his blood "

Sentai Android Assistants

Image
Super Sentai had robot assistants. The idea got ported for Power Rangers' Alpha Five (but he didn't exist in Zyuranger). I'd like to display them: IC the Denjidog may look like a real dog but he's actually a robot from the Denji Star. The concept was also ported into the Metal Hero series Metalder. Peebo is the first humanoid one. He's a cross between Kamen Rider and C3Po. He was more of an assistant than a commander. His personality IMO would later be used for Alpha Five in Power Rangers. He's been able to cry when Mika Koizumi died in episode 10. There was MAC from Flashman who assisted the Flashmen. Colon was the first action oriented android assistant. She's also the first female assistant. Arthur G6 is the Hoshikawa family guardian. He also becomes a cannon when needed. Gogo V had Mint a cheery and child-like assistant android. He worked as an analysis android. There is also Robota from Timeranger. Timeranger also had Tak

Sentai Girl Power

Image
Actually there has also been "girl power" in Super Sentai. While the series started with only one female to work as the brains, later Super Sentai series started to add more than one female. One may be different than the other but they work together. Here are the female duos of Super Sentai: Chodenshi Bioman began the classic yellow and pink team up. Mika Koizumi and Hikaru Katsuragi began as a team. When Mika Koizumi died, Jun Yabuki took over as Hikaru Katsuragi's new constant companion. Both Mika Koizumi and Jun Yabuki were the tough girls of the team. Chageman had Sakaya Nagisa and Mai Tsubasa who could go into air and spin back to back. It was in here that Mai Tsubasa was portrayed as a tougher than usual pink ranger.

Jetman Song: Kokoro Wa Tamago Translation

Image
For non-Japanese speaking fans, I think this entry will satisfy you for what the ending song really means: If you love her Whisper a wish to the wind If you miss her She’ll see those clouds If you find yourself alone Then quietly close your eyes If you get lonely And make a promise in your dreams Your heart is an egg, a little egg If you warm it until tomorrow It could become a bird, it could become a cloud If you love her If you fall out with her Why don’t you whisper “I’m sorry” to the wind? If your heart is too embarrassed Write a letter to the clouds If you’ve forgotten your energy Then quietly grit your teeth If tears start Then smile in your dreams Your heart is an egg, a mysterious egg If you warm it until tomorrow You’ll get your energy back, you’ll get your smile back If you love her Review: Strangely the song isn't very much of an action-or

Sentai Pistols

Image
Super Sentai later had pistols in the addition. There were no guns for them until... The first rangers to use guns were the Biomen which also had a sword and short sword mode. Blue Turbo's special weapon was the J Gun which can be combined with the Turbo Laser (the same type of guns for everyone) into the amazing rifle. Later, Deka Red also had that same type of weapon. The Jetmen had two sets of guns which can combine into the Smashbomber Rifle which was temporarily used when the Jet Striker was temporarily unavailable during the fight with Glue Cockroach (who glued its wheels). Some of the later Super Sentai didn't have guns. They were Timeranger, Gaoranger and Magiranger. The Timerangers instead used giant cannons which they put together like in Flashman. The Gaorangers had no projectile based weapons either. Same for Magiranger too.