A Case Of Direct Sequels VS. Not So Direct Sequels


As Zyuonger vs. Ninninger is the latest Super Sentai VS. movie until the next one comes, I want to take a huge rewind to think about what I call as direct sequels vs. not so direct sequels. There's something that I wrote before about the concept of a Super Sentai timeline which may have been an afterthought after some time. A lot of events between series tend to contradict each other. These events are like how dinosaurs got extinct in Super Sentai, that certain events happen only when the Earth is in grave danger or how certain events in crossover movies make the movies just impossible to fit in both series involved in some cases (ex. Ohranger vs. Kakuranger). It seems to be that after Kamen Rider Decade and Gokaiger most Super Sentai series now take place in the VS. Movies Continuity. Even JAKQ vs. Goranger showed that the heroes were in one continuity though they weren't included in the list of "Super Sentai" series. Both Goranger and JAKQ were only included during the 90s and were honored as such in Timeranger's post-series clip show.

All hail the power of retroactive continuities anyone?


The downside and upside of having direct sequels

As I've watching Solbrain subbed by Sailor Otaku (also called Weeaboo Shogun) and saw through Kamen Rider Stronger, remembered Kamen Rider Black RX and watched Sun Vulcan some months ago they were direct sequels. Kamen Rider Black RX is the sequel of Kamen Rider Black, Solbrain is the sequel of Winspector and Sun Vulcan is in some way the sequel of Denziman. Let's talk about the downside with direct sequels first.

It can be fun to have direct sequels but it can also be disadvantageous if you're trying to access through older series. Sometimes, you need to watch the previous series before you can fully understand the sequel. Watching Solbrain before Winspector and watching Kamen Rider Black RX before Kamen Rider Black may or may not lead to confusion. My reason is Solbrain is so tightly knit to Winspector as a sequel that not watching the previous installment may confuse you. Black RX may not be that tightly knit to Black (ex. it annoys me that Kyoko and Katsumi were soon conveniently ignored or how Shadow Moon's return wasn't handled properly) but still you need to watch Kamen Rider Black. It also reminds me of how Kamen Rider V3 was so tightly knit towards the first Kamen Rider that you may need to sit through the first installment to understand how events unfolded.

I've seen very little of the first Kamen Rider and Kamen Rider V3 but I could talk about the progressive storyline with almost every Kamen Rider during the Showa era. Every Kamen Rider passes the torch and the concept of the Great Leader was somewhat explored for almost the entirety of the Showa Era except for a few Riders that didn't directly fight him. Kamen Rider V3 showed how remnants of Shocker ended up forming Destron or later Showa era episodes showed how evil never dies. The Great Leader seems to be a metaphor of that as he's shown to have been using either decoys or may actually be a malevolent spirit. If Grand Lord Crisis were the Great Leader he said he'd return one day as long as evil exists. The Heisei era of Kamen Rider has a more different approach and the Great Leader has only appeared as an iconic butt monkey in the VS. Movies.

I could also talk about the advantage of having direct sequels. It's sort of like a direct passing the torch moment. We've been seeing red rangers passing torches to the next red rangers for some time in Super Sentai. But there's one thing about the direct sequel that I could like about them. I felt Black RX's recycling Tetsuo Kurata was a downside so I'll talk about Solbrain and Winspector as an example. The cast of Winspector graduated and Captain Masaki mentioned he was making a new organization to save the heart and the brain of human beings. Solbrain then starts taking where Winspector left behind. It gives a good storyline a potential to evolve but it may also give a good storyline a potential to devolve when it's overextended. It's good to improve a storyline but it can also deteriorate along the way.

Perhaps the best advice for this style of writing is use with caution. I guess Toei's used this sparingly because they prefer the second alternative which is...


The advantage and disadvantage of not-so-direct sequels

I'm thinking about the not-so-direct sequels such as the anniversary seasons. Okay, maybe this time Toei's already made the Super Hero Taisen Universe as one. Zyuohger had the Gokaigers return for the 2000th episode celebration which is also five years after Gokaiger. Gokaiger's two part crossover with Zyuohger was pretty much a break from the tradition of VS. Movies. Gokaiger was pretty much the huge anniversary season that a lot of Super Sentai fans may have dreamed of.  Boukenger and Gaoranger featured movies where past Super Sentai alumni returned though none of the events happened within the series. VS. Movies don't happen within the series. The beauty with them is that with them not being direct sequels means you can choose to watch which series you want to watch first in any order.

Gokaiger is more of a not so direct sequel to all 34 Super Sentai series before it. The Legend War in the beginning shows you all Super Sentai series before it. Did you really need to watch everything from Goranger up to Goseiger to understand it? If you're an older fan it's a nostalgic review. The children may view it as an introduction to their elders' Super Sentai. Sure there are Super Sentai seniors reprising their roles but they may either be viewed as nostalgic flashbacks or introductions to their respective series. But nobody needed to watch Goranger up to Goseiger to fully understand Gokaiger. The way the teacher explained Gokaiger at the beginning felt more like a history lesson. While watching Gokaiger may not give you everything you need to know about its predecessors but you didn't need to watch them to avoid being confused with the series' events.

Ninninger featured guest stars from other series such as Sasuke/Ninja Red, Yousuke/Hurricane Red and Toha Yamaji/Jiraiya. Ninninger may have been intended to be part of the VS. Series universe instead of being standalone like Kakuranger and Hurricanger. Did you need to watch Kakuranger, Hurricanger or Jiraiya before watching Ninninger? Much of Ninninger's events aren't even tightly knit to them. The events of Ninninger weren't dependent on Kakuranger's or Hurricanger's plotline. Did the Jakanja or Youkai even interact with the Kibaoni Corps? Nothing was hinted otherwise some plot like finding the remains of Jakanja and Youkai to turn them into monsters could have been added. The Kibaoni Corps may have had little or no history with the predecessors of the Hurricangers and the Kakurangers. The beauty of it is that you may have seen Ninninger or Hurricanger first but you can watch all three ninja shows in any order you please.

Did you even need to watch a lot of old school Super Sentai to understand all the new school ones? Even if there were two or three (or soon possibly more) Super Sentai series that repeats a motif from some decade or some years ago doesn't automatically mean it's a sequel. Right now you didn't even need to watch Gaoranger to understand the events of Zyuohger. You didn't need to watch Maskman and Dairanger to understand the events in Gekiranger. You didn't need to watch Turboranger to understand the events in Carranger and Go-onger. You didn't need to watch Zyuranger and Abaranger to further understand the events in Kyoryuger because the three of them operate very differently in terms of plot and execution. That's just a few examples of same motif but carries on an entirely different story to watch. You can still watch them in any order you wish. IMO, this provides more flexibility in the writing than to rely on the previous season. On the other hand, it's also nice to try and explore a storyline further.

On the other hand, I thought about it that there could have been cooler concepts to be explored if there were more direct sequels. Sun Vulcan certainly gave a little more depth to Queen Hedrian though the Denzimen didn't appear. I gave thought on ideas like what if Ohranger were written as something directly linked to Bioman like making the Baranoia Empire the very heart of the Anti-Bio Alliance, what if Mondo Tatsumi were once friends with Professor Hoshikawa from Fiveman, what if Carranger were directly linked to Turboranger, what if Hurricanger were directly linked to Liveman... those were some storylines that could have been pursued. Instead, most Super Sentai end up indirectly linked. As much as Gokaiger and Decade now several shows together but there seems to be more fun when you watch the latest season/s without having to watch previous shows to understand the basic plots. I couldn't imagine if I had to watch all 34 Super Sentai series just to understand Gokaiger's events!

Meanwhile, I've decided that I'll write one long post as a Zyuohger update as soon as show ends. Just wait for a crammed post sometime next month.

Comments

  1. What do you mean Sun Vulcan is sort of a direct sequel to Denziman. It is a sequel as Queen Hedorian is brought back to life and aids Black Satan to defeat Sun Vulcan so she ties in the series.

    P.S. Mobile Sheriff Jiban is connected to Global Ninja War Jiraiya as Manabu Yamaji(future Tiger Ranger Boi) appears in a episode to lend our hero a helping hand.

    Also to add, when Black was writing. It was to have its own continuity. But RX's declining ratings forced writers to add his ten predecessors to now keep it in the same family.
    Shin, ZO, J almost kept it within the contained universe but ZO and J partnered minus a meeting story and Decade connect them together.

    The 80s of TOEI had a lot of matching series such as Sharivan+ZX+Dynaman, Bioman+Byclosser+Shaider, and Flashman+Spielban.

    They finally went there with Gavan. He worked good with Gokaigers, GoBusters and now Dekaranger.

    Overall it is time for crossover and these are TOEI's property and there are great stories to be had.

    The great example of a disaster was that cluster fuck of a mover Super Hero Taisen 1. No plot, no point.

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    1. "The great example of a disaster was that cluster fuck of a mover Super Hero Taisen 1. No plot, no point."

      I agree. That movie is still so bad I wish it never existed. The premise was interesting it turned out to be pretty bad.

      IMO, Super Hero Taisen should have just been made into a video game instead of a movie. A movie is not big enough for such an ambitious concept!

      "What do you mean Sun Vulcan is sort of a direct sequel to Denziman. It is a sequel as Queen Hedorian is brought back to life and aids Black Satan to defeat Sun Vulcan so she ties in the series."

      BTW when I said sort of direct sequel, I would really say this. True Hedrian was brought back but why wasn't there a crossover with Denziman at all? That kinda bugged me until now.

      For Black RX, declining ratings was a real issue. Not even keeping it in the same family saved it. But I still think that the series is not as horrible as others think it is. Want something really horrible? Saban's Mashed Rider (which looks like an illegal reproduction instead of a legit one) is one good example.

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    2. Super Hero Taisen is a ambitious idea with little to no effort done and sad to say, the actors in those genre did very little to even save the movie. It was just a giant Battle Royale game to get all the fans cumming and it didn't even come close to it especially with Diend being a cunning yet straight thinking anti hero becoming a vendictive villain was a bad case of writing. The later movies where a bigger improvement with better story. Whether it's the sequel or the Kamen Rider Wars is the absolute secret is to have 20 characters that can be part of the story and whoever can be added as action so be it. The KR Wars had magic moment such as Faiz vs. X from being humble friends and into enemies. That was magic!!!
      I don't want to talk too much of those movies as they are a much bigger improvement the the Taisen 1 and figured out on how to write them!!!!

      Also to add on Metal Hero connections. The Rescue Command series such as Winspector and Solbrain, those two are very connected with Hiroshi Miyauchi as the commanding officer and the two teams met. Enter Exceedraft, when the series was in production. It was meant to be a standalone series but they couldn't help it and thank god added it as part of the continuity with Captain Misaki appearing in the final 2 episode.
      In 1996 TOEI execs decided to integrate Jan Person, Blue Swat with B-Fighter and that was pandemonium. Jiban should have been included with the law enforcement vs. monster threat.

      Speaking of the idea of Tetsuo Kurata returning as a Rider once again in a new incarnation. That is brilliant and never been done as the closest concept was Ryoma Kagawa returning the next series with a new battle suit of Night Fire.

      Yes Saban's Masked Rider is so conveluted that is best forgotten.
      Fun fact: that KR Black RX was meant to be added for VR Trooper(Very Repulsive Trippers).
      JB Reese was to loose his Spielban powers for Black RX and Steele would get the power of Juspion. Fortunately or unfortunately, Juspion has too much alien and Japanese actors too close to to the SFX action and RX would have its' dreadful incarnation on FOX and Shaider would be used until the series final stand in its second season. I hope SHOUT!Factory release Metalder and Spielban!!!

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    3. I used to watch Saban's Mashed Rider and VR Trippers because I had nothing else to watch back then. But it's so awful that I don't want to see it again. Not especially after hearing about Metalder, Spielban and saw more of Black RX.

      Anyway, I was thinking about Exceedraft. Soon, we'll see Sailor Otaku sub it. Then after that there was also Janperson which ended up as a Japanese Robocop even if he's not formerly human.

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    4. VR Trippers was like eating roaches and rats because there was nothing to eat. I had to know what Metalder and Spielban was like and I had to go through Saban's hellish production to know what those TOEI masterpiece was. Somewhere down the line I had to spend money to get the real McCoy and it wasn't even the complete series!
      Mash Ripper, I saw Black and RX before that travesty. It's like you had filet minon and the same restaurant is offering you a plate of dog shit the following night.
      Those two series lasted but two and one season each. With Mashed Ripper being a complete ratings and toy sale disappointment. It would give satisfaction to us purist!!!!
      But unlike PR which can go forever as long as the Japanese counterpart has not yet decided to throw in the rainbow spandex. The three "innovating" Saban series such as VR Trippers, Big Bad Beetle Dorks, and Mashed Ripper. If they did get high ratings and the fans wanted more. Saban would be in a dead end because the original material only lasted that one season and it is expensive enough to import the materials. But to have TOEI to make more materials with the rare case of ZYU2 which is another story in your future blog. TOEI must gather Rainbow or PLEX to design new monster suits and the hero suits too. Hire JAC or JAE to do the action and stunt scenes and Nobuo Kojima's SFX team to do the model effects and that will be very expensive in which Saban only wants to make money not spend money!!!!!

      P.S. In 1983, it all started with Gavan and to Spielban it was just a Space Sheriff/ clone warrior series. Metalder is a Kikaider minus Shotaro Ishimori and Jiraiya is Akakage/ Transforming Ninja Arashi of the 80s.
      Then Jiban which is totally Robocop for Japanese tv and was a bit closer to the Paul Verhoeven hit. From 90-92 the Rescue Command was on but different and 1993 Jan Person is for justice but is a clone of Jiban and Robocop. 1994 Blue Swat came out with the concept from the American tv series SWAT and a little bit from sci fi series of the Invaders and the 1987 movie The Hidden! Finally 1995-1997 B-Fighter is a combination of Kamen Rider and the Space Sheriff series which would mark the final bout for the Metal Hero series!!!
      1989-1995 the law enforcement theme did indeed connected the shows and it all started with Jiban!

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    5. Speaking of Janperson, it's too obvious by his design he's based on Robocop. Not to mention, the villain Tatewaki was the show's version of Boddicker and Reiko Ayanokouji as that deranged Juliette Faxx from Robocop 2. I like Janperson more than Jiban. Jiban was sort of a hybrid of Robocop and the Space Sheriffs.

      Speaking of Saban, doesn't he remind you of these characters:

      1.) Cake Boss - Wants to get most of the medals for himself but does almost nothing as Kamen Rider OOO progresses?

      2.) Mr. Krabs from Spongebob. Wants to earn but not to spend.

      Beetle Dorks is a bad joke. Too bad we can't get B-Fighter subs yet. I saw B-Fighter raw before it was taken down and man was it miles better... even if I can't understand what was being said. But I can't appreciate a good show that's not in English without a decent translator to do subs.

      Mashed Ripper? Nice name there. That series is so "bootleg" in the sense that it's badly done. It was a legitimate production but it's still worth the garbage that is.

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    6. Tatewaki is more of a hybrid between Dick Jones and Nuke pusher Kane(Killing Machine/Bill Goldy).
      Janperson was also paying homage to Lethal Weapon with Gun Gibson/Mel Gibson and Danny Glover would be Jan Person.

      For me Saban is more like our current president Donald Trump and before he even ran for president his business practice and ego is what Saban is like. Get everything for nothing and talk about how much of a prolific genie I am!
      Yeah I see those two characters have the same trait as Saban.

      The Mashed Ripper's unpopularity is a merciful end thank god and they just could not use Black because it is too horror oriented with no space robots or mutants.

      Beetle Dork was milked even more with the use of the rest of the B-Fighters and Neo B-Fighters for the PR 10th anniversary special with all the reds. The "new exclusive villains" are from the Machine Empire Baranoia. Sorry to use actual Japanese titles for the butchered product that Saban has given to us but you get the picture.

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    7. Mashed Ripper was a real pain in the ass. Any Kamen Rider season I view to be horrible (ex. Decade) is what I'd call a 'sequel' to Mashed Ripper. Though Decade stands on its own and still did a lot of things better.

      Speaking of Saban, it's just funny how actor Takashi Ukaji looks like him.

      For Forever Red, I really look at it as cheap and stupid. Gaoranger vs. Super Sentai is better in its writing.

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    8. Forever Red worked only for pro PR fans and kids that grew up with it. They can enjoy it and I can look and laugh at it.

      You talk of the worse Kamen Rider season, I will get into that one.
      When KR returned to both the Japanese and the world. It has to return as the Metal Hero series came to a early end with Kabuto and Kabutak/Robotak is not what I call a Metal Hero series as serious drama, Tokusatsu action and Violence is not in.
      We can't make a cake without breaking and mixing eggs and Rider returned at the cost of a successful 14 year run comes to a end.
      Kuuga wasn't really what I called a real Rider series with the other successors as the Cyborg concept is removed and that was the core Shotaro Ishimori's ingredient that made a Rider series a Rider series.
      But Kuuga did have the atmospheric terror induced spine chiller and both the mystery and violence was in it as well. That is what made the 1970 series, X, Amazon and Black plus ZO a Kamen Rider show memorable.
      The other series from Agito-Kabuto; Kiva-W; Wizard had most and some of that feeling but not all. They are enjoyable and today Kamen Rider is straight up is just a Henshin Hero as most Japanese hero series is a Henshin Hero.

      Then with series such as OOO, Fourze, Gaim,Drive, Ghost and Ex-Aid. The title of Kamen Rider should not be included as it isn't even have that feel. With the exception of Drive, the series mentioned aren't something what I would say are a Kamen Rider that has changed my life or it is the most talked Rider series. But I have no choice but to add it as part of the myth that TOEI had created.

      I never knew what Saban looked like until 2013 when I googled him.
      He is just some Mediterranean looking Jew from Israel. He was just a simple Entrepreneur until Power Rangers and the quality of his product after that just get poorer and poorer.

      Saw the PR movie trailer, though it is both a reboot and nostalgia fandom. It looks good because the cheesy acting and scenario and the predictable editing is out. Cranston looks much more convincing as Zordon then David Fielding's blurred speech movement which is very annoying to look at. What do you think?

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    9. I don't care about the PR movie and so not watching it. For the Zordon, no comment.

      Anyway I admit I prefer most of the new school Kamen Rider over old school ones. Ironic that I tend to prefer most old school Sentai over new school Sentai at this point.

      But I think Kyuranger may be a huge leap for Sentai now. Hopefully it'll bring Sentai back on track.

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    10. Somewhere in your favors that was the case. From 2000-2001;2003-2005. Super Sentai was so predictable and short handed that the Rider series was my major priority in Entertainment!!!
      In 2000, I did enjoy Rider and Sentai but Kuuga was so dark and addictive that Timeranger was the least of my concern as the character factor with the villains was just too predictable and dull as I wanted to be scared and threatened by them.
      With all the flaws with the millennial Sentais I am now going to only say Hurricangers, Dekaranger, Boukengers, Shinkengers is when Sentai for me means something and I say thanks for the memories.
      In the rare case Gekiranger had 100% of my input because Den-On was so unbearable that most of my concentration is at the other series.

      Now as a long time Toku fan I still fallow all of it whether I like it or not especially the new characters and the gears these characters would get.

      Overall besides just the scripts making characters to be where they're at and give sense to certain things should be my factor in having the "Perfect" Sentai or Rider series.

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    11. Timeranger I like the series but I agree... villains are predictable and dull. I think they wanted to make an atypical Sentai were villains aren't the usual "take over the world" types. Typical Kobayashi's there's something else than the usual villains.

      I think the newer Kamen Riders tend to be better than the old ones. For Den-O, I think it gets pretty confusing due to all the time travel loops. I'd watch Timeranger over it.

      So what do you think are the flaws of millenial Sentai? IMO, there's always the tendency to have less plot and more toys. But I understand that toys are still needed to keep Super Sentai alive.

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  2. Sorry to not get back ASAP but here I am back and here is my list.
    I am not going to thoroughly direct every inch of the series of the Millennial series but to pay homage of the Roman Numeric V here are V(5) reasons why Millenial Sentai isn't what it use to be.

    5. Prop highlights- yeah if Fantasy leader heard this he would condone me as a one dimensional viewer. As a fan and to be a fan you must still have the kid in you and in your heart. Yes, I am a grown up and continue to act like one for better or worse but I like to enjoy myself.

    JAQK did it sort of but BFJ started it. Yes the fighting action is the flavor of these shows but to see the prop and weapons devised for both the entertainment and for Bandai marketing is a one of the highlights.
    Let's take the series such as Maskman, Liveman, Zyuranger, Boukengers etc. As much of a entertaining series those are for us the team are armed with their everyday holster weapon such as the gun that becomes a blade or the two blade that makes the gun and so on. And yes they have their own personal weapon which identifies who they are and what they can do.

    As great show they are and 1984 is when it gets much more advance. Changeman missed that highlight for not having the armaments, so did Jetman sadly. But with the rest of the Millennium series, with shows such as Dekaranger, Magiranger, Gekiranger,Gokaigers, GoBusters and currently ZyuOhgers which is at its last straw. Those great teams lack the plentiful arms that some of their predecessors and successors have to make a fight and drama colorful.
    4.Robots- one of the great moments in Super Sentai is the Robots. Started again with BFJ robots have been a Tokusatsu awe with their radical, innovative designs. A lot of the current robots that I am not going to bother to pick as we know what they are are now these big Cluster Fuck monstrosity that we both rely on saving the world and for us when we where young and our children will bring home to play. Of course to add in the bucks and ratings there is the secondary Robots, sets etc. More on that later.

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    1. Well you needed to take your time. Here's my reply to the matter:

      I think the problem of robots is that we tend to get a huge overload. But then again what's Sentai without toys? But too many mecha items can also mean deterioration of quality. It's a double edged sword if you ask me.

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  3. 3.Scripts- when our home girl Yusako Kobayashi is deemed to be both burnt out and suggest to take a long vacation from Tokusatsu. We have had some major duds and some of them ain't helping the future of Super Sentai or will prolong the franchise immortality on air. Of the classic writers that can and went. We are getting writers with questionable talents. A example of what I was left off of and the secondary robot factor. To sell the toy you must represent the item properly.
    It was done with Oh Rangers Red Puncher! They spent a three grand episode with that tied the build up of Red Puncher as a unstable vehicle, to mastering and getting full control of it to it becoming something that is a weapon of mass destruction. Though I don't own any of the toys I would be proud to have those toys.
    Now it's just throwing them in in the series and just have them there which MMPR do and still does. Its in there PERIOD!!!
    However there are still great introduction chapters with these robots in several series that are considered classics today.
    I am not naming what series are terrible but their ratings says it all on how bad the script is and who much fans "love" the series NOT.(Kyoryugers anybody).
    But to really get to the point, Characters are sometimes ignored, forgotten or just written to be artificial. Shows such as Bioman,Maskman, Liveman, Dai Rangers. We get a fresh assortment of their rich origins, personalities and what they are like whether they are lovable or complex. Some of these series now characters are almost one dimensional, have a lame if not predictable background or just there. No more love
    Which explains that scripts are still as good as they where in the 80s and you need to find them.

    2.Characters- this category should be connected to the Script category but it is also a standalone subject.
    It started in the 90s but is very prevalent in the millennium. Reds today are either silly/immature, young and insecure. The list are Kai Ozu, Arata, Hiromu Sakurada and Jan especially. They are not what I called legendary Reds nor will they be mine.
    It also doesn't stop with Red, the Bangai or 6th Warrior is t what they use to be. After GoBusters where you have the comical yet smart-ass hero who will have a tragic end and that did help the drama in the end for the series. We then get Utsusimemaru who had the traditional ancient warrior mentality that is a fish out of the water type hero then he is watered down into a cry baby and this is doesn't end with him as his successors does the same exact thing and Misao Mondou does this even more as a hero which is getting totally annoying.
    Also to add the villain roster which is the most important piece to any superhero show and gives the purpose of why our heroes exist. The trend of having a skeleton crew of 1 or two or they are just mostly comic reliefs does not make it a drama anymore. It works in Caaarrrrr RANGERS but after that I ask why even bother!

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    1. What I currently think:

      Scripts - I agree with you that scripts are horrible and Kyoryuger has low ratings. I admit that as much as I love the action scenes in Kyoryuger but I prefer Abaranger's writing.

      I agree there are times that post-Gokaiger series tend to lack depth and can get pretty predictable. I guess it's a combination of newbie writers having no idea on what to do or writers burning out. Yasuko Kobayashi was burning out during Go-Busters and hit super low during ToQGer. Good thing ToQGer still had that railway recognition award but I'm afraid that Sentai's competition with other shows was getting more intense. Ups and downs happen a lot.

      For characters, I tend to hate the whole immature or silly young red like those who mentioned. But not all of them belonged to bad scripts. I do like Go-Busters and Gekiranger.

      For the sixth rangers, I think Utsusemimaru was nothing special. He was just... there. I don't think he's a bad character but nothing special.

      Mondou Misao... he's the only character in Zyuohger that I can't stand watching. Wish they made him stop his being emo and he's becoming a running gag like Spongebob failing his driving exam. One lesson I learned in my writing is that letting one's characters improve is very important.

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    2. ToQgers is a unique and original concept but just missed the mark there.

      As a writer I would have written Misao Mondou as a Daigo like character(Dai Ranger). He is concern with the survival of life, the beauty of nature and a pacifist. He will throw down if he must and will continue to Master his skills in combat. He is skilled and mostly depends on his ZyuOh Rod but unlike Daigo, will Master his hand combat style Wolf Fist.
      Out is his constant eno crying which gets out of hand in most situation.

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    3. ToQGer I did like the idea so I gave it a shot. I tried to watch more episodes but it's just one good idea after the other running on worn out rails. Asking Yasuko Kobayashi to be its writer gave the results similar to Hirohisa Soda with Fiveman and Toshiki Inoue with Kamen Rider Kiva. I may reconsider my stance on ToQGer since I'm a Kobayashi fan like I did with Kiva and Fiveman.

      As for your idea with Misao, it's a pretty good idea. His characterization in Zyuohger makes him almost unnecessary and as if the core team could do without a sixth. That's just a bad turn for innovation isn't it?

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    4. Misao and the 6th Warrior dull factor. Tried in 1987 and started in 1992. Adding the outside addition was a surprise and a highlight and both ratings and Bandai profited these factors. Whether it is a matter of opinion or a majority there are good/dull Warriors and for me that trend started in 2010 with Gosei Knight.
      And 3 years later a trend of 6th Warrior that just sob and gets happy go lucky with unnecessary high energy(Star Ninger) with no common character development comes to play and ZyuOh the World is the latest if not the last I hope. Though he is a excellent designed hero, his name is redundant. Wouldn't a simple ZyuOh World be much more simple if not standard.
      Him and his undeveloped predecessors are only for the action and SFX scenes and the high hopes of boosting ratings and toy sales nothing more.
      GoGo V did do well with just 5 and after seeing LSR they should have the Titanium Ranger(Go Victory if he was TOEI property).
      ZyuOhgers almost did not really need Misao after his highlighted appearance as a villain. Final week of ZyuOhgers and is the sands of time passing by!

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    5. Yes Misao is the dull factor. As much as I don't like Kyoryuger but Utsusemimaru wasn't a whiny idiot. I would agree Gosei Knight is BORING but he's not like Misao.

      I wonder what was exactly in the minds of the writers and producers to make Misao the whiny guy while the rest are enthusiastic about their being Zyuohgers? Hopefully that mistake will never be repeated.

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  4. 1. Money or Ratings- this is the double edge sword for Japan's sake and Saban's influence.
    From the 80s until Sentai really hit it full throttle internationally beyond France, Brazil and other Asian territories.
    Sentai was Japan's pop culture, by Japan for Japan Which is the appeal f the series. Today is just a franchise, get it out there, Okay is the ratings UP, Alright how is the Toy Sale Bandai, ship to Saban Next. To see a trend and it is obvious, Cars, Ninjas and Dinosaurs repeated 3 Times!!!!! I smell a rat here and it is done for Saban on purpose it seems. Sure as a fan I will watch them as it is tradition of my life and there are a few entertainment moments for me but the watered down quality is linked to the fast make a quick big Buck and Next mentality.
    Now our current series has a major American input and that doesn't sound all that safe.



    Over all, it is a tradition that I started in 1994 after the painful viewing of many more Saban production to come. Super Sentai and Tokusatsu has changed my life with much more hope and has directed me into a much more better person before I saw Sentai. As a fan, good or bad. I will continue to see Sentai until the day I pass.

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    1. I personaly feel that money and ratings can be a double edged sword for both Toei and Saban "Cake Boss" Entertainment for some time. MMPR was supposed to end after 40 episodes but Toei and Saban decided it was "too big a hit" so they made Zyu2 footage adn the show overextended and then came the overly redundant Zordon era. It was a breath of fresh air that the Zordon era ended during the PR in Space era.

      For the cars, ninjas and dinosaurs three times I'd say it's theme overuse. Ninjas and dinosaurs could be used for Kamen Rider as new ideas. For Super Sentai they're overly used and I personally thought that while Hurricanger and Abaranger were steps up from Kakuranger and Zyuranger but Kyoryuger and Ninninger were steps down IMO. Having watched those series made me come to that conclusion based on their characterization.

      As for Saban, well don't expect any much quality from him considering his attitude of wanting to take most of the Core Medals (money) for himself.

      Saban's cheap mentality really bugs me. If Disney already did a bad job with how they carried out their era of Power Rangers, the second Saban era isn't doing any better either. While I respect the contracts between Toei and Saban but still... it doesn't change the fact that Power Rangers isn't my cup of tea or flavor of ice cream. I admit, the more I watch Super Sentai the more I just choose not to watch Power Rangers because I can't consider myself a fan.

      Sure, there are some stuff Power Rangers may have done better IMO but I still think Super Sentai is the superior franchise due to the show's writing, action scenes and pacing. Power Rangers tends to rush things in 32-40 episodes (Lost Galaxy had 45) which while the episode count may work for other Toku (ex. Kamen Rider, Metal Hero) but I think the late 40s to early 50s episode count works better for Super Sentai.

      Still, the demand for Power Rangers is there and Toei will always renew it with Saban as long as it's there. I don't like Power Rangers and I only watched Megafail for super stupid reasons (ex. eye candy) but I acknowledge how Japan and America are just culturally different.

      As for the upcoming Kyuranger, I want to see how a nine member Super Sentai will work. Hopefully, it will be a whole new different experience. No show is perfect but I enjoy most Super Sentai. Sure there are bad seasons but they're also expected.

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    2. Though Saban got Super Sentai back, he did continue to Milk out Shinkengers for approximately 3 years it seems and when he combined Goseigers with Gokaigers it really looked so phony. But even I am not a fan, I can see fading The Zyuranger suits for the Oh Rangers worked as there was enough time to work it in.

      Eye Candy- for me I only watched Car Ranger to see Radietta. I was hoping that her top would flip over for one of her perfect C-Cup to say Hi! If you could get pass Jan, Gekiranger is a cool series but to see and fall in love with Melee is why I watch and own Gekiranger!!!!

      For saban, I peep In Space for Cassie and the Yellow one.
      Cerina Vincent was unnoticeable in Lost Galaxy but seeing her in the nude and flaunting her assets in Not Another Teen Movie had me reconsider the actess!

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    3. Power Rangers Samurai is absolutely just plain horrible. No originality and just a stupid story end of story.

      I admit for Carranger my eye candy there is Natsumi Shinohara. I find her to be the prettiest girl in the show. It's not helping that her gutsy nature makes her more appealing.

      Power Rangers in Space didn't find the girls all that attractive. If I want to get some space old school I'd watch Changeman or Flashman. Watching Changeman and Flashman has made me think lower of PR in Space and PR Lost Galaxy though it's just apples and oranges.

      Cerina Vincent? I never found her all that pretty. I'd actually watch Flashman and Gingaman over Lost Galaxy.

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    4. where is your writing for latest episodes of Zyuohger...i'm waiting for your opinion about Zyuohger final arc...

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    5. @Muhammad Akram

      Just wait until Zyuohger is over by next week. Until then just wait for it.

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