Them Tsundere, Head Bitch In Charge Pink Rangers!

Super Sentai usually creates likable characters for most of its run. But there are times Super Sentai has its flaws of creating characters that aren't likable. Some of them can be overly idiotic, whiny or just plain cold or super cold. I guess it's all part of trying to create some "badly needed conflict" with the show. This time, I'd talk about these two pink rangers who I noticed are indeed... head bitches in charge. These are namely Yuuri from Timeranger and Sakura from Boukenger. They may be eye candy but they're not as sweet as they look. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Remember, spoilers ahead so read at your own risk!


Yuuri/Time Pink

I'm personally a fan of Timeranger's writing over Power Rangers Time Force's writing but I do agree with what some fans have to say about the former's weaknesses. Timeranger has a lot of good writing and it's not your typical Super Sentai. It's simply the Magnum Opus or the Kamen Rider Agito of Yasuko Kobayashi's tenure as head writer. But I could agree with that its cast can be that cold and perhaps unlikable to some people. Yuuri herself is presented to be a very tsundere character who also grabs the scene as a Head Bitch in Charge.

Her backstory started out that she saw her whole family killed by Hitman Mad Blast, a criminal hired by Don Dolnero. This traumatized her and I guess due to her folks not helping her cope up, she became a cold bitch. The long-term trauma may be more of a burden than Jen had in Time Force seeing Alex "die" before her eyes. This resulting in her growing up pretty cold and distant. During the first episode, it's easy to simply say WTF to a lot of her actions. From coldly ignoring Domon when they first met (he tried to ask her out) and how she was towards Tatsuya, I just felt like it's just uncalled for. In later episodes, she slapped Tatsuya after he hugged her when he was worried about her. Like WTF... I'm wondering what Kobayashi ate when she wrote that scene?!

I wonder is her being cold part of the "badly needed necessary conflict" or is it part of attempting something new for characters to see if they worked? I think it's both. Yuuri's conflict with the group is that she must choose between her personal feelings (her desire to turn Dolnero in to avenge her family) vs. her duty as a copy. She nearly killed Hitman Mad Blast and the mere thought of seeing him made her blood boil. Towards the finale, she nearly harmed the whole team in her quest to get Dolnero. She threw a fit of rage when she saw Dolnero die as her purpose in life to arrest the latter is gone. I wish Tatsuya slapped her face to get her back to her senses.

So what's with her being cold in Timeranger? I guess it's all been intended to be like that. Timeranger was meant to be dark and edgy. Maybe, it's not as dark and edgy as Dairanger but I think it's darker and edgier than Jetman. Again, Rin in Dairanger is pretty sweet compared to Yuuri. I guess it's all about trying a new formula. A lot of Sentai pinks knew how to fight but they were usually sweet. But no, not Yuuri. She's just not sweet which is a nice break from the usual trend. But she just got too cold.


Sakura Nishihori/Bouken Pink

I'm a fan of Sakura herself but there are weaknesses in the writing that need to be addressed. She's almost the perfect woman. She's a Mary Sue for Super Sentai. She's attractive (to some anyway), she can fight and she's gotten too much of the spotlight. She's second-in-command even if her team number is five and not number two. Even team bad boy Masumi Inou is scared of her even if it seems he has a crush on her in earlier episodes. Maybe Shou Hayate and Gai Yuki may think twice before they think about trying to woo her in any non-canon crossovers.

Yasuko Kobayashi was actually involved as a major contributor for Boukenger as she wrote episodes 12, 15-16, 23-24, 31-32, 35-36 and 39-40. It's in episode 31 we see why Sakura's the way she is. Kobayashi wrote her in as the sole heiress of the Nishihori financial group and she joined the army to find purpose. It's shades of Jetman's Kaori but with with a modern twist. She was trained to be unemotional. If Boukenger and Timeranger belonged to the same continuity, maybe she may have been pre-arranged to marry Tatsuya Asami. All these may contribute the way she is. I guess that's why Masumi sort of had a crush on her but was afraid of her. I wonder if Gai Yuki would still be intimidated by her gutsy character.

I guess her head bitch in charge attitude was given because she's the almost perfect lady. She's pretty, she can fight and she's almost everything I could want in a girl. In episode 12 (which was written by Kobayashi) also showed her bossy attitude towards the others. Drawing out that rifle and shooting like crazy is probably one of the best scenes in Boukenger. Almost every episode makes Sakura "too perfect" and the hard girl to catch. So I guess that explains why she's that high strung.

I feel like Sakura's a little bit more balanced on the cold side though. She's shown earlier signs of defrosting over Yuuri. Earlier on, she's shown that she could actually smile or be sweet. Although she got angry over Eiji's injury done by the Questers, she doesn't get as reckless as Yuuri does. She hasn't slapped anyone either. Did Jen from Time Force having a little more balanced with the tsundere side inspire Sakura's personality? Maybe, maybe not and it's probably just a huge coincidence since the two are their own characters.