When The First Megazord Takes A Little Longer Before It Saw Combat

I've been watching Donbrothers at an irregular pace so you may notice I no longer do episode reviews. I noticed that it's been eight episodes of Donbrothers and the first Megazord hasn't even combined it. It seems Don Momotaro is taking over the spot in the giant mecha battles in the past few episodes. Just note that I'm using the term Megazord even if the term wasn't applied to Super Sentai until Go-Busters when every mecha was called a Megazord. The term Megazord has been used in the Power Rangers fandom. I may not like Power Rangers but I'm still comfortable in calling the warriors "rangers" and mecha "zords".

Back then, I haven't seen much of older Super Sentai so I didn't notice the trend that much. Super Sentai had its first Megazord but it was under construction until episode five when it first saw combat. I was probably too used to seeing the Megazord appear a little earlier since Chodenshi Bioman (which was pretty weird by the Bio Robo would pick up the rangers-to-be) or how Hikari Sentai Maskman made Great Five appeared in the second episode. 

Chojin Sentai Jetman

Jetman started to show a more "realistic approach". Jetman didn't immediately show the Jet Ikarus until episode 6. A good portion of the early episodes got devoted to trying to explore an "unorthodox team" that randomly became heroes. I felt that I could relate to Gai Yuki in a way while falling for a girl who looks like Ako Hayasaka of all people. The team had to learn to fight together or Gai Yuki had to learn that he just can't escape his destiny. Fortunately, Toei Ltd. didn't have too much of the cast leaving problems such as what happened with Yuki Yajima in Bioman or how the three Boma generals were written off midseason in Kosoku Sentai Turboranger. 

Episodes 4-5 were devoted to the training of the Jetmen with the Jet Birds. Though I find it weird that most of them were able to fly the planes so easily while Kaori added some "realism". Gai Yuki may have been a runaway soldier so I'd easily accept that. However, we have Raita, Ako, and Kaori, who had to be trained to fight but why did they get the hang of the planes so easily is FUNNY. Ako herself is a high school student of all people. Later, Gai Yuki had to learn to adjust to the others so the Jet Ikarus can be formed. Gai Yuki did amend his errors and saved Ryu who was trapped inside the Apartment Jigen's digestive tract. 

Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger

I think Zyuranger will always remain to be one weird show to me. How in the world are the rangers given permission to control the body of Daizyujin who is a god? I guess it's all about partnership and that the Dinosaur God's powers have been limited after the battle with Dai Satan. The show does a poor job explaining the concept  - something that makes me think that Zyuranger isn't as solid gold as I thought it was even if I'd still watch it over Mighty Morphin'. 

I felt Toei Ltd. gave in to the greed when they decided to agree with Haim Saban to produce 25 sets known as the "Zyu2" footage. The Zyurangers introduced their Guardian Beasts early on. However, they didn't combine until episode six. The Zyurangers had to learn to be a team during the Daizyujin Arc. Dora Sphinx has been blowing off children and trapping them in trees. Geki had to get the Dino Crystals so they could combine into Daizyujin. I guess the Dino Crystals became a power limiter for Daizyujin so he could interact with the human world without overwhelming it with his actual power.

This also had me thinking about how Mighty Morphin' introduced the Dino Megazord in the first episode. However, the Dino Megazord was only able to defeat an enemy a few episodes later. I just find it to be rather messy writing on the part of Mighty Morphin'. Then again, I could also criticize Bioman for introducing the robot completely whole first before its components.  

Gosei Sentai Dairanger

I think another thing worth noting is how Dairanger dragged the mecha combination's introduction until episode 8. I was wondering what was the point? Then again we see how Dairanger had much less monsters of the week since some of them took at least two episodes before they were defeated. Some episodes didn't even have a monster of the week. 

I think it was something to delay the introduction of Dairenou. The mecha of the Dairangers were introduced slowly. The first mecha to appear was the Ryuuseioh then the others appeared in the next few episodes. Baron String was one of the weaker monsters so it was easy to get rid of him with Ryuuseioh. However, they needed to form Dairenou (which was the focus of episodes 7-8) to defeat the Archbishop Saw monster. 

This is where I find things a bit funny. Zyuranger was getting overshadowed not just once (with Jetman) but also twice. Dairanger dragged on quite a bit but ends up becoming more popular than Zyuranger. 

Choriki Sentai Ohranger 

Ninja Sentai Kakuranger made Muteki Daishogun see the modern-day battle in episode four. However, in Ohranger, the giant mecha battle isn't seen until episode seven with a two-parter arc. The two-partner had Chief Miura kidnapped by the Baranoia Empire. The mecha project was seen to be part of the UAOH's defense project. The two-partner was pretty good actually before Ohranger got hit by that sarin gas attack that year. I guess Ohranger going bloated with the merchandise was there to get more revenues due to lower-than-usual ratings. Though take note it was Chikyu Sentai Fiveman that nearly killed the franchise. 

Gekisou Sentai Carranger

Carranger ended up stirring up the rumor that it "saved" Super Sentai even if ratings weren't back to normal. Truth, it was Denji Sentai Megaranger that did it. It would be interesting that RV Robo didn't make its appearance until episode five of the series. Kosoku Sentai Turboranger quickly brought us the Turbo Robo. Not this show - it wanted to try the "realistic" approach even if it was an oddity goofball of a show. 

The plot was surrounded by Grotch trying to find the perfect Earth food that makes their minions grow. Grotch did get enlarged and the Carrangers dared to fight him but he shrank since the sweet potato jelly was EXPIRED. The Carrangers had to figure out how to combine the RV Robo which I think adds some dynamic. The Turborangers combined Turbo Robo with very little problem. I think Carranger deciding to let them struggle before getting their Megazord was an improvement. So, Carranger didn't only run over Power Rangers Turbo but also on Turboranger as well. I'm not too surprised that some people just hate Turboranger and praise Carranger too much. I like both shows but I think Carranger did improve on Turboranger in one way or another.

Seijuu Sentai Gingaman

It would be worth nothing that Denji Sentai Megaranger decided to let the teens use their mecha all too soon. However, not so with Gingaman which viewers had to wait until episode seven to see the Starbeasts combine into Gingai-Oh. It's pretty much like how Zyuranger did it with the Guardian Beasts. Granted, the Starbeasts are sentient too. Was it purely intentional to do so? 

It would be weird that Kyukyu Sentai GogoFive decided to introduce their family Megazord a little earlier than Chikyu Sentai Fiveman did... hmmm...

Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters

Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger took no delays to introduce its primary Megazord. However, not so with Go-Busters - the very series that decided to use the name in the series when it's supposedly a term for Power Rangers. The approach decided to go with combining the Go-Buster Oh in episode six. I guess it's because they wanted to cool the flames first after last year huh?

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What are your thoughts on these instances when the first Megazord took a little longer to see combat?