When Gavan Gets Dragged Into Super Sentai

 

Surprise, I did some Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters rewatching. I was in the closet about liking that show. Now, I'm going to say that I'm a fan of Go-Busters and I don't care anymore if a show's popular or not. I've marathoned up to the two-parter where Go-Busters had a team-up with the legendary Gavan. It would be important to know that it's actually Gavan's 40th anniversary this year. This reminds me of the time when I used to watch Gavan badly-dubbed in Tagalog as Sky Ranger Gavin on ABC-5. Now, it's time to take a memory lane to pay respect to one of the greatest old-school heroes.

Back in 1982, Gavan premiered alongside Dai Sentai Goggle V while Kamen Rider took yet another hiatus. The popularity of Gavan brought in two direct sequels with different new heroes namely Ucchu Seiju Sharivan and Ucchu Seijuu Shaider. There was no Internet back then so it was a big deal when I missed an episode of Gavan like I missed an episode of this and that. I remembered the Tagalog role call when he said, "I'm Sky Ranger Gavin, helper of the oppressed." However, that's a mouthful if you consider the Japanese role call only had him saying, "Space Sheriff Gavan!" Fortunately, there's the Internet now though Gavan is already getting a licensed release by Discotek.

In 1987, it's said that director Paul Verhoeven was inspired by Gavan's design (in part). Though it seems that Robocop may have also had inspiration from Kikaider or Robot Detective K. Then in 1989, Toei Ltd. released a loosely based Robocop hero known as Keido Keiji Jiban and created Tokosou Robo Janperson (who is fully mechanical but clearly inspired by Robocop) in 1994. Hmmm... I guess Gavan truly created a cycle. Though, the Metal Hero franchise ended up no longer around after Tetsuwan Tante Robotack ended up being that franchise killer. The finale title even hinted the end of the Metal Hero franchise. Though discontinued - the spirit still lived on especially in the Kamen Rider franchise. Ironically, Kenji Ohba did guest star in one episode of Kamen Rider BLACK RX - a failed experiment that somehow paved the way for new things 11 years later.

What would be interesting is that Ohba also guest-starred in both Ninpuu Sentai Hurricanger and Jyuken Sentai Gekiranger. 2002 was Gavan's 20th anniversary and 2007 was the 25th anniversary. Ohba appeared as one of Shurikenger's disguises. Later, he appeared as Dan's human form who's also Jan Kandou's FATHER. Oh, is the reference really there? Later, Gavan would get raised up whether it's the first Gavan or the second Gavan. 

The 30th anniversary of Gavan in 2012 made a return 

So, Gavan felt like it was about to become another memorial. Yet, I was surprised that Toei Ltd. finally decided to revive the childhood of some people in 2012. Yup, it was during the 30th anniversary when the name Gavan was going to hit. Not once but TWICE though there's a new Gavan now with Geki Jumonji while Retsu Ichijouji still remains relevant.

Until now, I still feel that I love Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger but hate it whenever fans say, "It's the best Super Sentai ever!" As said, watching Gokaiger doesn't make you an expert on the matter either. It's pretty much a review class or a glimpse. 2012 came in with Gavan getting into the scene. Though, it was two Gavans - the successor and the predecessor. Retsu's getting too old. It just reminded me of the time when a group of certain people mispresented what Ohba said about Power Rangers. Sure, I DISLIKE the franchise until now. Then again, I'm already infamous enough for also beating up certain entries of Super Sentai if I dislike them such as ZYUDEN SENTAI KYORYUGER and SHURIKEN SENTAI NINNINGER... RIGHT? Fortunately, some newer series are still worth a watch but I've had some issues with Kishinryu Sentai Ryusoulger and I didn't even enjoy Kikou Sentai Zenkaiger as much. 

We had the Gavan crossover with Gokaiger. It was also the scene where the Go-Busters made a cameo IN SUIT. Just a bit of a note - it's too obvious that most of the Super Sentai VS. Movies are anything but canon just like the Dragon Ball Z movies. In short, Darkness King Gill just can't be canon to Kyukyu Sentai GoGoFive and Zylpheeza is the true firstborn in canon. It's a plot that Retsu once saved Captain Marvelous as a child. The movie did also have Ohba's two other roles in Super Sentai show up to do a weird triple transformation. 

However, that wasn't the end as episodes 31-32 of Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters. I believe it was a promotion of the Ucchu Seiji Gavan movie which focuses on Gavan!Geki's role as the new Gavan. I rewatched it and I felt it was bad promotion IMHO. I guess I'll forever think that the Gavan episodes in Go-Busters and the guest role of Captain Chaku in Power Rangers Beast Morphers aren't good. I feel this is rather clunky as a way to introduce the new Gavan before the Messiah Cards arc. I still felt a crossover movie would've been better than two actual episodes. I feel this was somewhat later explained when a black hole happens. 

The movie premiered on October 20, 2012. It was later followed up by two more Space Sheriff movies. I wonder if Toei Ltd. decided to do this because of the damage that GMA-7 did with Zaido: Pulis Pangkalawakan which was a PRETTY TERRIBLE SERIES. GMA-7 has no excuse since they had been airing Heisei-era Kamen Rider shows such as Kamen Rider Kabuto. It was also at that time I wondered why Super Sentai no longer airs while Kamen Rider is still airing on television. 

The 35th anniversary of Gavan in 2017

What I failed to notice was the Uchhu Sentai Kyuranger episode where they met Gavan!Geki and Banban Akaza was most likely intentional. I tend to use this episode as a basis to dismiss the rumor that Power Rangers SPD became "more popular" than Tokosou Sentai Dekaranger in Japan. I still have my blatant extreme favoritism for Super Sentai and blatant dislike for Power Rangers overall. Now, moving on topic - I still felt that the whole tribute episode was a blatant Gavan tribute.

Sure, we don't see Gavan!Retsu but we see Gavan!Geki is in the episode. It was also in this episode that we discover "another universe". I'm just glad that Kyuranger didn't take the road to make it a "grand finale" of previous seasons like what Saban Entertainment did with Power Rangers in Space. I confess I didn't really think too much of Space while watching Denji Sentai Megaranger (its source material) but while watching Dengeki Sentai Changeman. I found the whole episode more of fanservice and promotion - no different than what Go-Busters did. Personally. I felt the Gavan crossovers may have been a weak spot in both Go-Busters and Kyuranger even if I do enjoy them.

Though, the Kyuranger episode seems to have explained an event five years earlier. Granted, Go-Busters is pretty much its own continuity. It must be that entering a black hole in the continuity of Gavan allowed the crossover in Go-Busters to happen. In this case, the Kyurangers were the ones absorbed by the black hole. Though, it seems another alternate continuity is here. Honestly, I still feel Dekaranger 10 Years After isn't canon but only serves to link to the crossover movies. Until now, I feel Jasmine marrying THAT KID is funny. I even wonder what Ayumi Kinoshita thinks about that even as she's a family woman now. 

It's no surprise that a crossover movie between Dekaranger and Gavan happened. That's why I ended up wanting to ask, "How many space-themed Toku from Toei have you watched?" I feel the movie has been a good throwback to childhood. Unlike the regular series, Dekaranger vs. Gavan didn't shy away from adding more violence presumably because it's not aimed toward the regular audience. Though, there's still a limit to how much gore is allowed but there's some blood. 

_____

Right now, I'm wondering what Toei Ltd. plans to do next. Will the actor Yuma Ishigaki show up in a future episode? I hope no Gavan crossovers this time. But I'd like to see Ohba and Yuma making a guest appearance. I'd like to see either one of them appear in the upcoming Kamen Rider Geats or be a guest star in Avatar Sentai Donbrothers. Though I feel that Toei needs to keep in mind that there's that generation gap between fans from several decades ago and it's already the 2020s.