Sean Akizuki's Super Sentai Blog

I was reading from Shougo B'Stard's blog on Toshiki Inoue and what he thought.  So here's what I personally thought.  The guy had his ups and downs.  So far, he has gone with darker and edgier then going to lighter and softer.  Let's try to think about how he really was in the Tokusatsu genre. During the Hirohisa Soda days, he was a sub-writer for Flashman, Maskman (don't forget he wrote the X-1 Mask episode), Liveman, Turboranger and Fiveman.  In some of these series, Kunio Fuji was also a secondary writer but never got the headwriting job.  I would say that he was known for writing tragic stuff, going to the darker and edgier which he later overdid when he was in Kamen Rider Faiz.  Then after that, he wrote Chojin Sentai Jetman.  Shortly after Fiveman, he became the head writer of Jetman with some help from Naruhisa Arakawa who also wrote that rather silly Dryer Jigen episode.  So Jetman was basically his only headwriting job in Super ...

Knowing Yasuko Kobayashi is writing Tokkyuger, it's a good news/bad news scenario for me. Now looking at how she writes Super Sentai and Kamen Rider, you should get an idea of what to expect... but note not all of them appear in all her seasons. The problem is though she tends to rely too much on the producer or two, like Toshiki Inoue she has the tendency to recycle from Soda and even from herself and Toshiki Inoue. Like Toshiki Inoue who she's worked with for some time either her as the head writer or him as the head writer, one might want to notice the blending in of past works (I would say she seems to love Hirohisa Soda's works) and blends them with their own twists. In the case of Fantasy Leader's favorite Super Sentai, Gingaman , she had Takatera as her producer. You can read from that link why he likes it so much. She seems to have much character development most of the time though I can only talk more about Shinkenger's character development since I ha...

Yasuko Kobayashi whose writing style usually goes from really good, entertaining or passable you have to admit that she might still be a great talent to the Tokusatsu genre though I think she should really try writing J-Drama or any fantasy related series.  So far, I think she is still better than her frequent tandem partner Toshiki Inoue.  So far we know her writings are Seijuu Sentai Gingaman (perhaps her best work), Mirai Sentai Timeranger (perhaps another masterpiece and I guess Judd Lynn the head writer of Lost Galaxy and Time Force was probably a fan of her works), Kamen Rider Ryuki, Kamen Rider OOO, Samurai Sentai Shinkenger and Pretty Guardian Sailormoon.  She had also served as a sub-writer for Megaranger and Boukenger (now only IF she were the head writer, the series might be better) where she wrote pretty decent episodes. Yasuko Kobayashi will be working together with producer Takaaki Utsunomiya which makes me think he was the producer of both Shinkenger an...

Well it will be a few days and it will be New Year soon.  Now for what to expect for 2014... First we have Ressha Sentai Tokyuger which leaves me some bad impression.  I hope this one will get a good writer/producer tandem to which imo, I really wish Naruhisa Arakawa will make a return to becoming the headwriter.  For me, the design looks really bad for my taste but I hope it will have a good story and execution. Meanwhile I wish Power Rangers Super Megaforce will air ASAP and not delay any further.  At this point, is the Toei Ltd./Nickelodeon/Saban Brands agreement having some problems as of late?  I guess Toei should arrange Power Rangers to be aired somewhere else instead of Nickelodeon. Meanwhile, I might do some comparisons of Super Sentai to Power Rangers while maintaining the truth that Power Rangers isn't fake.  Again, when Kenji Ohba said it was recreated, it DOES NOT mean that Power Rangers was illegally reproduced.  I mean Disney re...

Well in Shinkenger episodes 42-43 the focus wasn't entirely Christmas but we have Genta wanting to share the spirit of Christmas in Shinkenger. So here we have the grand plot... Akumaro has had focused on a linear attack that is, he attacked in places forming a line hoping to unleash Hell on Earth. Can the Shinkengers save Christmas for everyone? Well here Genta was going to bring a Christmas tree. It's a mystery though how Daigoyou was able to bring the tree all the way to Genta's shop. He also had some serious moments in this episode when he realizes that they must beat Akumaro which they do. I thought the plot of Akumaro to bring Hell on Earth is one of the best plots in Super Sentai and how karmic it was when his own deception led him to being slashed by Juzo with the Uramasa. He was destroyed in a rather flashy final battle against the Samuraihaoh which he nearly defeated it it wasn't for the Kyoryu Origami. After the episode ended, we are treated to the ...

Well here's my greetings for Christmas 2013.  Now it's time for these groups to greet... The Kyoryugers (well I feel this show is not my type)... The Power Rangers Megaforce also presented their own clip show with Robo Knight having been shipped to Africa by mistake.  Nice clip show. From Kamen Rider Gaim the current Kamen Rider this year. Play safe and be cool!  Say no to fan wars!

For me what makes most Super Sentai Christmas specials really better than the occasional Power Rangers Christmas specials is that there is really the fight before Christmas. I mean, well Christmas comes even without the presents but you don't want the villains spoiling that special day everybody looks forward to right? Now here's what was Gobusters episodes 43-44... It's a two-parter arc. Hiromu decides to become "Santa Claus" here. So they are preparing a party for children who have no families. How nice. I thought that there was some nice comedic touch for a series that has depressed me to certain degrees. This is where the Messiah Virus could end up destroying the world if he wasn't stopped. It was 13 years ago on Christmas that the virus was born and nearly destroyed the world. 13 years later, it did return and started another ravaging attack. It was a great arc but for me, killing Messiah here instead of making him the final villain got me pretty mix...

In Super Sentai, Christmas specials were done during Dairanger, Kakuranger, Carranger, Megaranger, GogoV, Timeranger, Gaoranger, Hurricanger, Abaranger, Dekaranger, Magiranger, Boukenger, Gekiranger, Go-onger, Gokaiger and Gobusters. Now for the analysis... but please note that according to Toei, most Super Sentai series take place in their own continuity and there is the VS. Continuity to which Gokaiger exists. Santa Claus made his first appearance in Go-onger. Go-onger transferred his setting from the North Pole to a Braneworld known as Christmas World rather than the traditional North Pole or in way past, he was located in Europe. Actually Christmas World didn't appear again until Shinkenger vs. Go-onger. My thoughts is that the people of this world have the season every day, are required by law to dress up in their red suits and use "Merry Christmas" as a daily greeting rather than a seasonal greeting. Now for its possible inspiration... Apparently the inspirati...

Forget about "For the Evulz" which is my typical thought of why villains do what they do.  Now for some motivations on why they do evil.  Well I used to think that it was their dream to be "evvviiiiiiiilllll" until I started looking at these various reasons. Imperial expansion.  Some villains in Super Sentai seek conquests to expand their empires.  Some of them seek power for their rule, others were set on Earth but seek to dominate the entire planet. Interplanetary empires are like Gozma, Mess, Zone and Zangyack.  The Vyram conquered various worlds and so did the Gaiarc to expand itself. Greed can become a motivation.  Aside from trying to escape life cryogenic freezing, Dolnero's motive of ruling over the 21st century is to expand his own network of wealth. Deep disgust for humanity can be a reason why some villains do their horrid acts.  Vyram for example was always focusing its attacks to wipe out humans because they think humans are stupi...

There's always a matter of opinion of people whatever they like better. In fact, I guess some people who read my blog constantly are probably still liking Power Rangers more or equal to Super Sentai. I'll just share my moments of Power Rangers and Super Sentai which will include me revealing my biases.  Relax, no PR bashing here unlike them unfair haters who constantly whine and defend one to be better by unethical means.  Moving on... here's my confessed biases: I would admit my liking Super Sentai over Power Rangers tends to be ridden with cultural preference.  After reading what UkiyaSeed wrote why Power Rangers isn't fake, I do agree with him on cultural preferences being the reason why Power Rangers exist.  Being pretty much Asian and descended from Hokkien and Cantonese lineage and due to cultural upbringing, I end usually preferring mostly Asian shows over American shows no questions asked about that.  So pretty much, I like Power Rangers to a certain...

Well forget about the Bioman English Dub! It's not accurate and true to Hirohisa Soda's story aside from the name changes. In short, the dubbers may not even be paying attention to important details! Now here's what's been fed into the minds who watched it including myself: There was a lot of inaccurate translations like for example the title "The Mysterious Giant Robot" is quickly changed into the title "Appointment with Destiny" which really deviates from the ORIGINAL TITLE that Hirohisa Soda gave it. Now for some really goofy dialogue and awkward changes: I could start with the whole mistranslation of two part arc concerning Joy who was renamed as Star Boy. In the original, I was pretty shocked to realize the fact that Dr. Man didn't understand the language of the Planet Bio. Nobody could understand at first what Joy was relaying. In the English dub, Joy ends up talking about Gear. How can he even know about Gear? He was dead 500 years a...

It can't be denied that Toshiki Inoue had worked with Yasuko Kobayashi with Timeranger as a secondary writer, he worked with Yasuko Kobayashi in Kamen Rider Agito (she wrote episode 28) and well he was also the secondary writer of Kamen Rider Ryuki where he introduced that very useless Megumi character but at the same time, managed to keep the conflict going.  Now looking at the setting of Shinkenger happened after Kamen Rider Kiva when Inoue (and Kobayashi) both jumped from darker and edgier stuff to attempt the lighter and softer.  So here's what I think he might actually do if he ever had any chance to co-write Shinkenger: I guess poor Genta will become his target for his type of humor.  I mean, just watch episodes 29-30 of Kamen Rider Blade and we have that stupid cooking battle (that kind of episode could have worked better in Kamen Rider OOO or Kamen Rider Kiva, both lighter series than in the darker and edgier series like Blade) but it could work well in Shinke...

Well it's no secret I'm 28, going 29 and still a single guy who is looking for a girlfriend.  Hee hee, well I would like to make some confessions as a 28 year old guy and somewhat still in Super Sentai.  Okay it's not as weird as Nobuo Akagi since I'm not an all Super Sentai guy nor do I intend to buy Super Sentai toys either, I watch Chinese entertainment more than I do with Japanese entertainment yet it can't be denied, I haven't completely outgrown Super Sentai!  Now for some things I'd like to confess... Okay I don't call any Anime character "my waifu" in such a way nor do I really get too focused on otaku activities, in fact I'm more of a Chinese movie or series enthusiast but I can't deny I still have a soft spot for Toku.  I will confess the honest fact that I seldom go into a toy store even at my age not to buy toys but to feel young or two, I seldom buy toys for display but mostly I don't. Also I enter the toy stores and...

Character development is one important thing you cannot forget in Super Sentai.  They can either be a background story or progressive events or a combination of both.  Here are my reasons why character development is important: It's always necessary to let a protagonist character who starts out pretty bad to improve to add drama to the show.  As I have learned in my writing flaws, letting a character not improve either for the sake of laughs or just plain lazy writing makes a story boring or redundant.  Take for example compare the development of characters like characters like Gai Yuki.  I just thought it's fun to see them develop.  Not having them develop can result to disasters like Kusaka in Kamen Rider Faiz who remains as a douche throughout the series which is very painful to watch unlike Gai Yuki who becomes a nice guy as the series goes by. Character development helps make hero vs. villain rivalry interesting than when it started.  Some o...