My Shifting Opinions On Mirai Sentai Timeranger

It's no secret that Mirai Sentai Timeranger will be turning 20 years old, right? It's been 20 years since it aired in the year 2000. Now, it's time to consider it as what could be called an overly ambitious TV series. Some might call it to be an overly ambitious era from 1999 up to 2000 with GoGoFive and Timeranger.

Yasuko Kobayashi's work as a head writer in Super Sentai did leave some impact. One can consider that some fans think Shinkenger is her best work. Others have a different opinion by saying that it's Gingaman, Go-Busters, or ToQGer depending on the viewer. Until now, I do still feel Dryed Mangoez's ToQGer review is somewhat weird even when I appreciate him for defending Go-Busters. I still think about how I was that big on Shinkenger though my opinion about it changed over time. Timeranger just happens to be that show that also shook my opinion on Shinkenger. I still probably hold it in high regard among Kobayashi's works. So, I think about the whole series and how my opinion about it changes over time.

I have to admit that the cast of Timeranger isn't exactly the best that I've seen from Kobayashi's characters. I still tend to think Tatsuya can be quite a jerk. Yuuri herself can be a cold, unlikeable bitch on many occasions though it's explained by her trauma. Though I admit that it takes a lot of GUTS to write a pink ranger that's pretty much a stuck-up cold bitch like Yuuri. Ayase himself has the barely-there Osiris disease syndrome plot which would later be brought up again near the finale. Sion's fate as the last Hubbardian is an interesting concept. Domon though can be that stupid and I wonder what was Kobayashi thinking of the whole Domon-Honami having a child later on? Yet, one can't deny that Kobayashi herself may have been overly ambitious with how she dealt with the characters. The Timerangers are a pretty far cry from the more likable characters in Seijuu Sentai Gingaman. The characters can be pretty cold at times. The Gingamen were still more lively than The Timerangers. Though I admit that I'm somewhat of a fan of the whole Tatsuya x Yuuri affair or episodes that focus on them. However, I still think Tatsuya x Yuuri won't work well in real life in contrast to Takeru x Mako fan-shipping (and sorry but I think Takeru x Kotoha feels like Ryu x Ako in Jetman) in Shinkenger.

Timeranger was also trying to introduce law and order into Super Sentai. The 30th century presents a time protection agency to protect time itself. The very incident of Don Dolnero and the Londarz escaping is something. The Timerangers are stuck in the year 2000 to get all the criminals back before the alter time itself. What's more interesting is that Don Dolnero and his gang are more interested in amassing wealth like human gangsters than world domination. I have to admit that I find Don Dolnero to be just there at times. However, the tragic side story of Gien seems to be one that adds layers to the atypical villains. I wonder should the Londarz Family villains even be considered a new direction for Super Sentai villains? These guys also had some human qualities going on. Dolnero may be a crook but he would do anything to prevent conflict in his side. Though I feel Dolnero isn't as developed a villain as Gien was. Dolnero did get involved with Gien but it was the latter that got so much development. I felt that Ransik in Power Rangers Time Force had better development and entertainment value than Don Dolnero. Lila? Well, she's pretty much forgettable and I don't find her any less annoying than Nadira in Time Force.

Was the show really an instant classic as some may want it to be? I admit that I don't really like most shows after it due to the lack of seriousness and maturity. Yet, I hear that Timeranger clicked with older audiences but didn't work well with the children. The same also happened with Go-Busters another show that I like but not as much as Timeranger. I feel like maybe it's in the shadow of GoGoFive which has gotten more likable heroes and maybe more complex drama. Not to mention GoGoFive has cooler merchandise than Timeranger. Then you can have other contending factors and maybe even the late 80s to early 90s Super Sentai competing with it as a top masterpiece. Other shows such as Dengeki Sentai Changeman, Choshinsei Flashman, Hikari Sentai Maskman, Chojuu Sentai Liveman, Chojin Sentai Jetman, and Gosei Sentai Dairanger. It's easy to say that those shows are hard to beat classics. I like those shows better than Timeranger.

Then there are also times when new school Super Sentai can also shake what I think about Timeranger. Maybe, the most notorious shaker (at least for me) is Shinkenger when it comes to my favorite Kobayashi season. I could blame it on the fact that Shinkenger has more likable characters. I mean, I'd rather let Mako be blunt with me than Yuuri hit my face any day! Maybe, you can also have Dekaranger because I like its police drama cases better than what Timeranger presents. Dekaranger may not be as serious but I think that appeals better these days. Go-Busters also did try to invade my head once but failed. I may be a fan of Go-Busters but I think Timeranger is still better. I admit that Timeranger somehow contributes to why I don't consider ToQGer to be a top masterpiece as its staunch fans say it to be. I may personally enjoy newer Super Sentai but not as much as Super Sentai from the 1980s up to Go-Busters.

Pretty much, I'd still like to say that Timeranger is indeed what it is. I still think it's a great show with a good complex story. Right now, I don't know how high or low it ranks in my favorites but it'll remain a beloved Super Sentai series for me.