Weird Things About Super Sentai Footsoldiers That Add The Fun To Super Sentai

Super Sentai logic is always subjected to superhero logic, right? There's a lot of weird science going on. Most Super Sentai villains aren't really that smart either - most of their plans are meant to be incredibly absurd. Just think that the villains in the James Bond franchise ended up getting the honor of having the trope called Bond Villain Stupidity. The Super Sentai villains (or most Toku villains and superhero villains) are usually victims of such stupidity. Who can remember Cobra Commander in the G.I.Joe cartoon cook up really stupid plans or when Serpentor in the second season is even more stupid than his predecessor? Then we can notice also the trend that the low-tier henchmen or villain grunts in superhero shows can also be THAT STUPID too. Not to mention they also do get a lot of strange stuff that just don't make sense (and somehow cleverly written) just to keep Super Sentai going. I mean, aren't some stuff in Super Sentai supposed to NOT MAKE SENSE?

Now, I decided to get inspired by this article about the putties in Power Rangers. Then again, as much as I really don't like Power Rangers - I still won't call Super Sentai perfect either! I still feel this year's Zenkaiger isn't as shiny as last year's Kiramager hence why I watch it at a very irregular pace. I still feel KGokaiger is the best anniversary ever even after ten years it's been done. Though, I decided to make a rundown of stuff that NEVER made sense about them throughout almost every Super Sentai series.

I. Common problems with the footsoldiers

In some Super Sentai seasons, the footsoldiers easily overpower the newly recruited heroes only to become a joke in most out-of-suit fight scenes

I think one thing worth noticing in the Hirohisa Soda era is how the heroes are quickly overwhelmed by the enemy grunts in the first episode. Yes, it's because they're suitless and they haven't learned a thing or two about fighting. We see the grunts start to overpower the rangers in some seasons when they are yet to morph. The rangers morph and they even up the score. They beat up the grunts. However, a few weird things can happen for MANY EPISODES.

It's something that the main cast tends to do their own stunts as long as the stuntman isn't required. They have their training and coordination with their stuntmen. The stuntmen only take over when it requires really dangerous fight scenes. What's even funnier is that after the introductory arc - the footsoldiers just become a BIG JOKE most of the time. The heroes tend to beat some of the foot soldiers in the suitless fight scenes. Even more of a joke is that Super Sentai out-of-suit fight scenes since 2001 (20 years ago) have been toned down. This really makes it a running gag where these guys do get owned even before the mandatory morphed fight scene. 

The out-of-suit fights in Super Sentai seasons that deal with mechanical henchmen 

Some Super Sentai seasons do feature mechanical villain grunts - as in ROBOTIC grunts. The Deathdark of Goggle V, the New Empire Gear of Bioman, the Jimmers of Liveman, the Baro Soldiers of Ohranger, the Zenittos of Timeranger, the Banki of Go-Onger are some of the mechanical henchmen we can mention. Yes, they're made of MOSTLY METAL. Since it becomes SO MANDATORY for Super Sentai to have out-of-suit fight scenes then the heroes fight out-of-suit against metallic creatures. You can even see them PUNCH the mechanical minions and not get hurt? Kick them out of suit and not break the foot? I really tend to laugh at how we need to screw logic to get the mandatory out-of-suit fight scene. You can imagine just how that does NOT make sense.

In some entries, the footsoldiers seem to gain the ability to speak human when DISGUISED

It's no secret that some Super Sentai seasons feature the idea that the enemy footsoldiers can disguise themselves to infiltrate humanity. Some of them can't speak or speak in obviously non-human tones. Guess what? They can suddenly gain the ability to speak PERFECT JAPANESE and blend in completely. It's quite weird actually how this ability doesn't seem to be exploited by the villains that much. 

II. Now for some grunt groups that really stand out with weirdness going on... but I believe this isn't complete!

The Mecha Clones in Bioman

Rewatching Bioman makes me think does Doctor Man even deserve the title of world's greatest genius? There are times he develops good plans but he does have a lot and I mean A LOT of oversights. For example, the 14th episode really tells you Doctor Man failed to see making a computer that good that it will rebel and even learn human feelings. Doctor Man also failed to see in the 16th episode that he could've created a better diversion to make sure his Magma Bomb worked. Not to mention the 12th episode really breaks the fourth wall when Farrah comments, "That Mason is acting like this is a genius plan!" in regards to the Balloon Bomb operation. Doctor Man EVEN approves of Mason's half-brained project! Then we can think about how the Mecha Clones simply didn't make sense.

Early episodes can show the purpose of the Mecha Clones is for infiltration. They have the ability to do disguise. However, all it takes is for Green Two and Blue Three to use their electronic abilities AND the disguise is off. Doctor Man doesn't seem to notice that weakness and simply keeps at it. Doctor Man doesn't even bother to create a jamming signal that would mess up with the electronic abilities to make them more effective. Bioman episode 12 also has that weird moment a boy really LACKS COMMON SENSE and Green Two's mind was messed up in the process. Also, it was funny how Mason decided to simply replicate intruders than get rid of them. You can tell just how New Empire Gear's Doctor Man lacks common sense even if he did get even a few times.

What makes the whole disguise process really weird can be this. The disguise apparently allows them to do some normal human stuff. For example, the Prince (who was at first introduced as Doctor Man's son) even had a scar after Mason threw the rapier of Mettlzer towards him. Later, Prince is discovered to be nothing more than a specialized Mecha Clone. The 21st episode also features a Mecha Clone who's a photographer - he even FREAKING SMOKES a cigarette. What can be noticed is that they speak robotic when they're not in disguise but can speak human when disguised. What kind of weird science is that?

What also doesn't make sense is their GLARING weakness. Yes, I'm talking about their head. Crack open their facemasks and they're rendered useless. Doctor Man didn't seem to care at all about these obvious design flaws. I mean, Doctor Man could've created some of them that will explode. Doctor Man doesn't seem to learn from his mistakes except when the plot calls for it! Not to mention, Doctor Man didn't bother to make them better guns either. The Mecha Clones' guns just can't hurt the Biomen while morphed!

Midseason, Doctor Man finally decides to do some upgrading. Doctor Man does another rare moment of brilliance by taking advantage of the comet that would mess up with the Biomen's electronic abilities. Doctor Man starts to upgrade everyone. Both Messerbeast and Aquagaiger are too damaged to be reassembled. Now, Doctor Man decides to make significant upgrades. But wait - it's stupid how he doesn't only leave Farrah Cat out but also why doesn't he create better Mecha Clones too? He could've had created a bunch of newer, more powerful Mecha Clones that could've at least given him an edge!

The Hidrers of Changeman

I really find this to be another yet GLARING WEAKNESS. In episode two, we can see this one. The Hidrers are known as Star King Bazoo's soldiers. They have conquered much of the known space. Now, it's time to deal with them. It turns out that their glaring weakness is that tube. All that needs to be done is to SEVER that tube and these guys bleed steam and DIE. Yes, that's what the Changemen need to do to defeat these guys early on. 

Fortunately, this didn't become a running gag like the Z-Putties in the second season of Mighty Morphin'. Also, unlike the Z-Putties, there's no instance that a group of children could defeat them by throwing soccer balls. Also, I think it requires a very precise shot at those tubes and only a well-trained soldier like the Changemen could do so. Apparently, that time was when the Gozma took an inferior bunch of Hidrers to Earth and decided to get a better bunch later on. 

The Zorors in Flashman

Before the Sting Wingers in Lost Galaxy - we had the Zorors in Flashman as insectoid-themed footsoldiers. These guys have the ability to spit some corrosive acid that dissolved people. Okay, so why didn't the members of Mess actually think of using it against the Flashmen when they least expect it? Maybe, I could also mention that Great Doctor Lee Keflen didn't think of actually upgrading them midseason while he upgraded his other creations.

The Wulars in Turboranger 

The Wulars in Turboranger did have some interesting history - only to get shelved. I guess it's because Hirohisa Soda himself was already burnt out. 

In an earlier episode, it's also discovered that Dango Bouma was also among their mentors. The Wular captains Wu and Lar mention that Dango Bouma taught them the rolling ball technique -a technique that was NEVER used often. I mean, that rolling ball technique could've taken out the Turborangers or could've been utilized. I guess the Bouma's lack of common sense caused that technique to be DROPPED. 

In another earlier episode, we discover the Bouma have their very own chieftain, Wular Bouma. It turns out that the Wulars had their own technique that could potentially destroy the Turborangers. What makes it amazing is how Professor Rehda lacks common sense. Professor Rehda could've inspired the Wulars later to avenge their leader or to relearn the technique. Instead, the technique was fully abandoned and their leader Wular Bouma was never mentioned again after one episode.

The Batzlers in Fiveman

It's no secret that Fiveman nearly ended Super Sentai, right? Well, I still want to highlight that one episode that probably raised a lot of eyebrows. Episode 26 showed a very unusual event called Topsy-Turvy Day when all the Imperial Army of Zone decided to switch ranks. The Batzler soldiers took command of the Zone generals! I really felt it was still an entertaining episode nonetheless. 

The Golems in Zyuranger

Just because I don't like Power Rangers doesn't mean I won't point out some glaring flaws in Super Sentai. Personally, I think calling Zyuranger "solid gold" doesn't work as well when you start to realize it was really overshadowed by Jetman and Dairanger. Now, I decide to talk about the Golems who are called the Putty Patrollers in Mighty Morphin'.

The Golems and the Dora Monsters are made from THE SAME SOURCE. Yes, Priprican carefully crafts the same monster from the same material as the Golems. The Golems are really weaker than the monsters that are made from the same material and the same oven. Is it because Priprican spends more time designing the Dora Monster while Golems are made in numbers? I guess that explains that but still.

Midseason, Bandora decides to do that rare Super Sentai villain moment of common sense. Bandora decides to dig for Dokiita clay which creates Golems that split into two when they're defeated. The Zyurangers managed to get the Thunder Slingers and defeat them. Though Dora Franke has shown signs of being that hard to defeat. The weirdness though is that the writers in Zyuranger simply made the upgraded Golems be nearly just as useless as their predecessors. Just feels weird to me!

The Moebas in Zyuohger

This is one WEIRD REVELATION I think Zyuohger had as a series. The Moebas really didn't stand out or anything. However, the finale (spoilers alert) reveals that Ginis is actually a CLUMP OF MOEBAS? How do they even function as one singular mind anyway? I feel that probably is one of the most WTF moments in Super Sentai's long history!

The Indavers of Kyuranger

I guess one can say Kyuranger is a parody of sci-fi and not just Star Wars. Now, the Indavers (pun on invader) actually clone soldiers. It's probably in reference to the clone troopers from Star Wars. Now, this is where they do get weird. Why in the world would Don Armage decide to let them wear helmets that will restrict their speech? They tend to only speak "Gyoi gyoi!" and "Dabe dabe!" Now isn't that a really weird thing? It's not really even explained why Don Armage would do that. Emperor Palpatine in Star Wars didn't put that kind of feature on the helmets of Storm Troopers. I guess the helmets here are probably a reference to Dark Helmet's helmet. Dark Helmet could hardly breathe in his helmet - the opposite that Darth Vader's helmet is a breathing apparatus. 

____________

Missed any? Let me know!