Sean Akizuki's Super Sentai Blog

It's time for the weekly Kiramager review. It's too early for me to say if Naruhisa Arakawa is burning out or if Kiramager will reboot Super Sentai for the Reiwa era. This week's episode is somewhat predictable and cliche in many ways.  The episode starts where Neanderthal Jamen (not shown) was defeated earlier. Yet they wonder why no new Jamen Beast has shown up just yet. Well, it does show up but only later. A new elaborate scheme is about to be hatched. The Kiramagers get alerted of a black Kiramai Stone which arrives.   The Kiramagers dispatch their mecha to investigate the situation. A black train with a face shows up. Something's not right according to Mashin Fire. It's the royal family vehicle, isn't it? Garza appears apparently being battered. I don't know if this should be very predictable that it is one of those many fake villain defections in fiction. In Super Sentai - we had that with Zazoriya in the Goggle V movie and Professor ...

Well, it looks like that Sailor Otaku is now back on track to subbing Tokosou Exceedraft after finishing the Shinkalion project. I just had a bit of a flashback in the 90s when I just watched shows even if I couldn't understand it - as long as it was a kiddie show or felt like it. I think it was Star TV Chinese Channel (and mind you, I couldn't understand it!) when I first saw Exceedraft. Exceedraft episode 10 is a very weird episode and may be painful to watch for some. Maybe, one can say it's still a weird show. Then again, how many times has the supernatural hit its predecessors Winspector and Solbrain? Those shows were sci-fi with the supernatural. In fact, Exceedraft would face off Iwao Daimon who turns out to be the Devil in human form. So, it shouldn't be surprising that Hayato gets stuck up in Groundhog Day. If you haven't heard of the movie then you may consider at least Googling about it. The movie is tedious to watch when a selfish reporter is forced t...

I think there's probably still some debate over which Super Sentai series (or maybe, even Kamen Rider series) would be Yasuko Kobayashi's Magnum Opus. Some may name it with Shinkenger (which I beg to disagree even if I'm a fan), maybe others would even say it's ToQGer, or others would probably name Gingaman or Go-Busters. Sure, these series I just mentioned have their merits in some way. ToQGer itself can also have an ambitious concept which I think will be further refined with Kiramager (hopefully). Go-Busters itself was an ambitious series that sought to return to darker and edgier roots but didn't bother to carry over the whole post-apocalyptic setting of Power Rangers RPM. Personally, Go-Busters' finale really that well-written as Yasuko Kobayashi (as well as Toshiki Inoue) aren't known for writing good finales either. Gingaman itself, well, I admit I just rode on Sentai Bandicoot's opinion a lot during that time. I was also part of the bandwagon o...

Okay, just for clarification before we begin writing the episode review. Vice here doesn't mean habitual sins. Rather, it's all about a device that is alternatively spelled as "vice". So, pretty much it's a gripping or clamping tool as shown in the picture above. Now, we're getting a bit of Naruhisa Arakawa throwing a bit of Dekaranger reference here! The episode starts with Shiguru the action star. Right now, I think Arakawa has made it rather INTENTIONAL to make him a serious character who may eventually tone down. I'd suggest trying to give Dekaranger a watch if you haven't. Both Hoji and Shiguru are pretty much in the trope of Jerk with a Heart of Gold and The Stoic in some way. Both blue rangers also have the flying mecha and the super-serious approach.  The new monster Vice Jamen shows up. When I heard the word "vice" - I almost thought he'd put people into self-destructive, lazy behavior like in past Tokusatsu where vi...

While it's been easy for me to do a comparison between Yasuko Kobayashi with either both Power Rangers head writer Judd Lynn  (due to him writing the Power Rangers versions) and with Toshiki Inoue  - I just want to write this wacky rant due to the latest circumstances. Six years ago, Kobayashi was assigned to be the head writer of Ressha Sentai ToQGer. Now, Arakawa's latest assignment (and maybe his burnout) would be Mashin Sentai Kiramager. If one can notice that both ToQGer and Kiramager have some things in common - color coding and IMAGINATION. Yes, the imagination power concept! Apparently, no color swapping for Kiramager (hopefully) while no one should ever deny that ToQGer itself is a contributor to its power of imagination. The recent Super Sentai still has me WTFed as to why Arakawa wasn't handed over ToQGer as his task ? Before that, we can consider the history of Toei's Tokusatsu with both of them. The 90s was such a platform for new writers not ever since...

Well, it's too early to determine where Naruhisa Arakawa stands, right? Granted, he did write some good episodes for Kyuranger, Lupinranger vs. Patranger - though his Ryusoulger episodes are meh. Though, it's too early to determine whether or not Kiramager will actually improve some stuff ToQGer started (imagination power) or will it be Arakawa's lowest? Now, it's time to for another Kiramager episode review. This new episode features the unlikely choice for a leader. Back in the Planet Crystal - whoever has the highest imagination power becomes the leader. Juru doesn't feel worthy to be a leader since he's a teenager and the rest are adults. Rui feels skeptical about Juru's appointment as their leader. That just reminds me of Gaoranger where Gaku wasn't too happy about Kakeru becoming the team leader. Meanwhile, Sena has something to do which gets in the way of her duties. Just then, a Goranger-esque monster appears. This one is called Rugby ...

Well, sorry for the late reviews due to the late release in subtitles. I always rely on subtitles since I'm not really Japanese! So, I don't know if I'm going to change the way I review things but here's a bit of me merging two episode reviews into one. I did it a bit with Gokaiger. Right now, I just want to slow things down, give Kiramager a lower bar (since I'm afraid Naruhisa Arakawa may be burned out already, and maybe take a break from Super Sentai whenever something new (or old) catches my interest.  The first episode introduces Planet Crystalia. I'm just reminded of the Planet Denzi from Denziman due to the gem theme. It's a bright crystal castle. Just then Dark Empire Yodoheim leads an attack. I think this is a rehash of the Shadow Line from ToQGer last 2014. Once again, I'm already back to my desire that Arakawa was the one writing ToQGer last 2014 instead of Yasuko Kobayashi. Fast forward. The Dark Empire Yodomheim begins its attack...