Kiramager 27: Dashing Speed Sena
Well, it's time for a Kiramager/Gekiranger episode. So, while it's really expected that Toei uses the multiverse format. Kyuranger episode 18 verifies the fact that most Super Sentai belongs to different realities just like the now-defuct Super Robot franchise by Toei. In this episode, both Miki and Natsume make a guest appearance as their characters - not as different characters. Though last we know, Kazue Itoh appeared in Shinkenger as Mako's mother and Sakina Kuwae guest-starred in Akibaranger's second season. What's also interesting is that this episode is written by Michiko Yokote of Gekiranger.
The beginning has Sena prepare for her speed test. Yup, as expected, SCRTC (pronounced as Scratch) is involved. Sena is doing some tests and yet she hasn't gotten any faster yet. It seems that most of the running scenes are done by actress Yume Shinjo by herself though I do feel a stunt double was used for the riskier parts.
So, SCRTC is Sena's sponsor? Like WTF? It just reminds me of five years ago - Ninninger apparently takes place in Gokaiger's continuity or the VS. Continuity. Consider that in-show - Ninninger itself has had guest appearances by Sasuke (Kakuranger) and Yousuke (Ninninger) as well as Sekai Ninja Jiraiya (where Yoshi Sudarso made a cameo as a random citizen and met the Ninningers off-screen).
So, SCRTC is now making a new device to gather real-time data for athletes. I'm wondering if Yume herself has an athletic background. They are now testing a new device for athletes.
Yodonna just reveals how much of a bitch she is. Well, it's creepy how Yodonna makes her creepy facial expressions. Granted, Nashiko Momotsuki was in GARO VS. Road as Shuka so you need to expect her creepy gestures. At this point, like Ahames, she's really bitchy. Then I'm also made to think of Trakeena from Lost Galaxy because of the darker costume and being a manipulative bitch's only constrained by censorship laws. I mean, Super Sentai hasn't been as brutal as it used to be since 2001, right?!
Super Glue Marssk shows up as the brother of a previous monster. What's with monsters and their siblings or a similar monster? You've got Zyuranger with two Dora Cockatrices and Megaranger with two Bat Nezires.
Stunt double or really Yume? I assume there's some wirework done here since the main cast don't really do the more dangerous stunts. Sure, they do their stunts but there are stunt doubles who do what's beyond their ability?
The stairs running thing would be VERY RISKY. I remembered one time I actually nearly fell down the stairs during a physical exercise. I bet there's a deleted scene of Yume running upward but was cut for time constraints.
What makes Yodonna really creepy is just how she loves to torture people. She manipulated Tametomo's feelings and now she wants to turn Sena into a human bomb. Also, remember when Yodonna turned her footsoldiers into disposables? Boy, I'd hate to have her attach bombs to the footsoldiers next like Trakeena did in Lost Galaxy. I just hope that she won't be decayed by the writers because she's really a cool villain.
Miki shows she's still one badass beautiful middle-aged woman. I could remember saying Miki was pretty in Gekiranger even if she's an old school character. Miki also shows her fighting style against Garza. I mean, how many Sentai mentors would actually dare go against the enemy without any superpower whatsoever? Well, Battle Fever J's Commander Tetsuzan did finish off High Priest Hedder by himself. Miki herself does hold off Garza allowing her daughter Natsume to escape.
Natsume also shows off her amazing stunts. I guess you can't just mess with Toku girls, right? Though, I'm still expressing my disappointments that Super Sentai action scenes aren't as good as they were during the 80s or 90s. Then again, I guess it's all about censorship laws. Remember there were also parental complaints in the past that led to the toning down or Kamen Rider Ryuki's infamous reset button.
It's also amazing how Sena manages to get the weird talk by SCRTC to disable the bomb. She goes to the tunnel where she can't be seen. Sena manages to get rid of the bomb that was temporarily glued to her. This leads the bitch Yodonna to get really angry.
It also turns out that Natsume has helped the Kiramagers defeat Super Glue Marrsk. This allowed Sena to lodge off the bomb. It takes a lot of creativity for rangers to beat the enemy and not just rely too much on Bandai merchandise. The Phoenix Arrow was disabled by getting stuck to a bike. Well, they defeated Super Glue Marrsk which allowed the glue to weaken and Sena to win.
The giant battle isn't so great. though, one thing interesting is that Kiramei Speeder develops a finishing move that helps them win the day.
Well, this episode is totally Kiramazing! It would've been nice to see the main GekiRangers, Rio and Mele return after they (sans the latter two) were defeated and disappeared in the Super Sentai Strongest Battle last year. But unfortunately, Mina Fukui (Ran Uzaki/GekiYellow), Manpei Takagi (Retsu Fukami/GekiBlue) and Riki Miura (Gou Fukami/GekiViolet) are already retired while Hiroki Suzuki (Jan Kandou/GekiRed) and Soutarou Yasuda (Ken Hisatsu/GekiChopper) are still active in the Japanese Entertainment Industry. As for Yuka Hirata, we last saw her character Mele in Uchuu Sentai KyuRanger Vs. Space Squad in 2018 when her resurrected spirit was killed by Space Ninja Demost of Sekai Ninja Sen Jiraiya while the former protected her fellow Green Heroine Hammie/Chameleon Green from harm. Master Sha-Fu's voice actor Ichirou Nagai died on January 27, 2014 and thus, he won't return here either.
ReplyDeleteNow, for the Super Sentai references: When I saw Sena running nonstop with her sporting gear saying, "If you stop running, you'll die of explosion! Ha ha ha!" (a reference to Tokkei Winspector and Blue Swat), it's like how Dime Knight Tribe Boi/TigerRanger was one of the victims of Dora Tortoise, who made him running non-stop until the yellow flowers stop the chaotic craze of stop and go and mixed with Jun Yabuki/Yellow Four II, who was unconscious after she saw Baroque Megas in shock so that Farrah replaced her headband with a more dangerous suicidal one. So, to prevent Sena Hayami/KiramaiGreen from becoming a suicidal human bomb (a BioMan reference), the Masaki mother and daughter tried everything to remove it until they succeeded in diffusing it or maybe exploded too far away. The GekiRanger allies of 2007 had faced the new enemy they never heard of: The Yodon Army of 2020 (Carantula, Garza, Yodonna et. al), which is more powerful than the Rinjuuken Akugata (which include Rio and Mele). About Garza protecting Yodonna from the GoKiramager attacks, it reminds me of how Gray protected Maria from the JetMan attacks until the introduction of the Jet Striker/Fire Bazooka that crashed them and Camera Dimension down. And the mecha fight? Well, Mashin Mach isn't the first non-Red Mecha to defeat the giant monster. Remember Gougou Vehicle No. 5 Marine in Boukenger? That's the one that defeated Prince with its finishing attack Marine Rocket Rider, which was almost a suicidal attack, but Sakura Nishihori/BoukenPink and her mecha survived. What's weird for me is that Miki and Natsume didn't tell the Kiramagers about the fate, the defeat and the disappearance of the GekiRangers (sans Rio and Mele) in the Super Sentai Strongest Battle, in which all of them were eliminated in the Round of 32. How I wished all of the GekiRangers (even in voice-only characters) will someday return in Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger in 2021 for some more references. After all, Mashin Sentai Kiramager is the second Super Sentai Series to have the Juuken Sentai GekiRanger tribute episode, after Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger Episode 7 of April 3, 2011 (The title was "Nikiniki! The Fencing Learning/Lesson"). The ending song is so intense and fun that I can't get my mind off Yume Shinjou's singing voice. How I wished she sing that song while running or driving a stock car or maybe playing a karuta card game ala music video J-Pop style! "Power of the beasts! Beast on!", but as for me, I can say this: "Power of the glitter! Shine on!" So, what's next? The return of Matsuri Tatsumi/GoPink to help Sayo Ooharu/KiramaiPink in Kiramager? Only time will tell about this. In the future, please discuss about the 45th Anniversary of the Super Sentai Series and Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger.