Sentai DVD Rambling: Which Hirohisa Soda Series Should Be Next For An Official DVD Release

Just hearing Chikyu Sentai Fiveman is on the next line is something. I always feel that Fiveman may never get into the same level as Chikyu Sentai GoGoFive. I want to pretend that some fans of Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue may want a Shout! Factory DVD release of Tokkei Winspector instead. Fiveman may have gotten its following but GoGoFive really beats it by MILES. I could go ahead and ignore Lightspeed Rescue while watching GoGoFive but NEVER Fiveman. Now, for the next possible pre-Zyuranger DVD release I'll prioritize Hirohisa Soda - a writer I feel got appreciated back then but ended up getting less appreciated because of other writers like Toshiki Inoue, Yasuko Kobayashi, and Junki Takegami. I

Kosoku Sentai Turboranger

I can't really be sure if this is a good idea. Gekisou Sentai Carranger ended up getting vindicated to the point some fans thought that Carranger "saved" Super Sentai. However, Choriki Sentai Ohranger and Carranger suffered from lower ratings until Denji Sentai Megaranger. Heck, I feel like Turboranger might get vindicated BUT it will still be less appreciated. Megaranger knew how to make teenagers more believable. Carranger knew how to run the development. Turboranger may not be the best cup of tea. Watching Kaiju No Kami's review made me LMAO at how he did raise a few points like how the Bouma were poor personifications of wickedness.

Though, Turboranger was when the trope "Recruit Teenagers with Attitude" preceded Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers. The whole premise may haven't been so welcome to fans, there was even the controversial midseason change, the arrival of two teenagers with an attitude problem, and that Turboranger suffered low ratings. Yup, I'm expecting Turboranger to get bashed hard because of Carranger. Carranger had more interesting characters and I might mention the Bowzock Trio were better personifications of Stupid Evil. Turboranger probably didn't know how to handle the Bouma Tribes yet. I even feel now that Bouma Professor Lehda was the biggest waste of the late Masashi Ishibashi until his final episode. 

I still feel there are many things that could be easily welcome by Power Rangers fans. Turboranger has Seelon recruit teenagers with attitude because the Bouma escaped after 20,000 years. I feel Seelon might be kinda dumb at least it was later explained WHY. Meanwhile, Mighty Morphin' felt it needed a little more explanation because their selection was nearly as random as those of Dai Senti Goggle V and Kagaku Sentai Dynaman. I still think the show is worth a watch even if you've watched Megaranger and Carranger. 

Hikari Sentai Maskman

Gosei Sentai Dairanger got its release. I dunno if Hasbro would want to release the much tamer Jyuken Sentai Gekiranger. I still remember how I could easily say Gekiranger lacks the violence that Dairanger and Maskman have. Yet, I don't see any reason why Maskman just can't be in the list. I feel it's time for people to see who I consider the better Takeru namely Maskman!Takeru. Shinkenger!Takeru is great, Tori Matsuzaka is still acting, and all that. However, I feel Maskman needs a little more love. It's the seed of both Dairanger in 1993 and Gekiranger in 2007. Gekiranger would be on the 20th anniversary of Maskman.

Maybe, I could go on and keep saying how Kazunori Inaba is the better red ranger. I still feel Matsuzaka's not that good and belonged to the generation of Super Sentai that's nearly TV-Y7-FV levels. I still felt that Rin Takanashi's acting as Mako Shiraishi was comparable to Amy Jo Johnson as Kimberly - gets it done but doesn't particularly stand out. Though, what's best talked about is the creative direction in both the WRITING and the MARTIAL ARTS. Maskman tried to be more serious, added a love story (though I prefer Chojin Sentai Jetman's love story), and the action choreography is that daring. These days, not too many Super Sentai cast members do that. These days, most out-of-suit Super Sentai fight scenes are what I'd say comparable to Power Rangers' TV-Y7-FV fight scenes. The only SLIGHT difference is that Super Sentai after the watering down still had the occasional alcohol, drug use, and the like to teach children it's not fun to do them. Other than that, I felt that Tyuyoshi Hasashi's fight scene in Dekaranger can be compared to Mike Chaturantabut's fight scene in Lightspeed Rescue - both limited by RAISED censorship!

What's with Maskman that I feel could be enjoyed? I could talk about the insane fight choreography that inspired Dairanger. One could talk about different expertise for each member. Maybe, one can talk about Aura Power. I think the villains are pretty much also that threatening. I still feel that Earth Emperor Zeba and Anagbas are better villains than Doukoku and Shitari. I feel that the dynamic rivalries between the heroes and villains are fun to watch. Maskman!Takeru doesn't only face General Baraba but also Thief Knight Kiros (who he gets into a messy love triangle with). 

Dengeki Sentai Changeman

The release of Megaranger may be pleasing but I think Changeman might be more welcome. I remembered how I watched Changeman and I couldn't stop bringing up Power Rangers in Space. Interestingly, Changeman was supposed to be a space series (evidenced by the rocketship) but ended up shifting to the military. Why the change happened was probably due to budget or because of of Space Warrior Juspion's being a space series. So, I guess Toei Ltd. didn't want to have a conflict. Yet, the rocketship still remained as they were fighting invaders from space. 

The dynamics of Changeman can be interesting. The beginning has really loads of cartoony humor but the tone shifts. Commander Ibuki seems harsh but he only does what he does because he knows his troops can take it. The soldiers in-training were about to quit. However, the United Alliance of Evil ahem Great Space League Gozma shows up and starts their initial attack. The Dark Specter ahem Star King Bazoo makes Earth his next target. The heroes begin their journey until the very end to defeat Gozma before it conquers Earth.

A reason why I can't stop bringing up Space would be the Gozma. Earlier, I called Star King Bazoo the Dark Specter. Maybe, one can view Captain Giluke as Darkonda as both seem to have no qualms sacrificing their own teammates. Both Space Pirate Booba and Princess Shiima of Amanga are similar to Ecliptor and Astronema. Maybe, one could imagine Gator as Elgar (Zelmonda in Carranger). Eventually, Ahames' arrival may remind some of Trakeena as both are manipulative bitches. I even wonder why the Gozma even used the Hydra soldiers who could easily be defeated if the Changemen cut the tubes? Hmmm... those guys were nearly as easily defeated as the Z-Putties of Lord Zedd.

Choshinsei Flashman

The release of Seijuu Sentai Gingaman was welcome. Though, there are always some Power Rangers fans who still feel Power Rangers Lost Galaxy is better. I dismiss the rumor that Lost Galaxy is more popular than Gingaman. However, I still think Flashman was really more popular than Maskman in Japan. My feeling is maybe my hunch is true. Granted, some people think Flashman is the best of Soda's series. I'll give them that and it's practically having its space theme. I even had a hard time not thinking about Lost Galaxy while watching Flashman!

The story is ambitious but it's still set on Earth. However, everything opens with five children raised in a distant lost galaxy where Planet Flash and its four moons are located. Planet Flash made me think of Mirinoi from Lost Galaxy. The rangers have been trained since childhood to fight the Reconstructive Empire Mess. The rangers escape to Earth via the Roundbase (which isn't round) and they have a weird-looking saucer-headed robot in Mag. Yup, Mag is practically another predecessor to Alpha Five. Even Kaiju No Kami made the comparison. Though, I think Peebo from Chodenshi Bioman was closer to Alpha Five than Mag was. The rangers also had their civilian superpowers as a result of their training. Though, there's the high cost of that which the show later brings up slowly.

Some of Mess' villains remind me of Lost Galaxy. I wanted to pretend Ra Deus was Scorpius while imagining Great Doctor Lee Keflen as Dr. Hinelar. Just imagine if Scorpius worked with Dr. Hinelar instead. Both Ra Deus and Scorpius are a huge mess of chaos. Mess' footsoldiers are practically the forerunners of the Stingwingers - they are INSECTOID foot soldiers! Sir Kaura arrives as a dangerous midseason villain who has a sense of honor. Villamax, unlike his hothead counterpart Sanbash, was an honorable foe. I felt like comparing Kaura and Villamax as both fell away from their employers and died redeeming themselves. 

Chojuu Sentai Liveman

The release of Ninpou Sentai Hurricanger (which is more serious than Power Rangers Ninja Storm) is one. I think Liveman in itself is another daring series from the Soda era. The formula of three plus two was added. Hurricanger was obviously a fusion of Kakuranger and Liveman. There are some references such as the massacre in the beginning. Hurricanger did the massacre at the beginning which was similar to Liveman. The three survivors become rangers. However, Hurricanger doesn't have a very dark atmosphere in contrast to what Liveman has to offer. 

The story sets with a yet more ambitious breakthrough. I guess one can say that the massacre is just one. Ninja Storm simply wrote them off as "disappeared" while they were killed in Hurricanger. The characters start off with their struggles after they graduate from Academia to fight off the Armed Brain Army Volt. Volt aims to corrupt the world with its evil super-science which some can be rather disturbing. The Livemen lost two of their friends in a massacre. The layers of drama are increased because three of their friends joined Volt for selfish reasons.

I still wanted to call Great Professor Bias as a darker version of Lothor and Guardnoid Gash as Zurgane. Both Gash and Zurgain's counterpart Sargain gave scores to the members of the Jashinka. Great Professor Bias' origins are unknown but he's known to be devious. Bias has no redeeming values whatsoever. I felt Bias' actions make you wonder if you'd shoot him even in his most helpless situations. Dr. Kemp, Dr. Mazenda, Dr. Obular (who later shows science without God is meaningless), and Dr. Ashura are all well-driven characters. I even say they're better written than the Evil Space Jajanja and Lothor's Army combined. They may not have much of an edge BUT their development has been more fun to watch. 

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What are your thoughts?