Remembering Burai's Final Hours In Zyuranger's 30th Anniversary And In The Light Of A Recent Tragedy

The death of Jason David Frank (JDF) last November 20, 2022, really reminded me of Burai's death in Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger. Not surprisingly, Shiro Izumi (who's 61 by now) had given his condolences and called JDF "Dragon Ranger" instead of Green Ranger. Green Ranger is a very generic term and may be confused with Midoranger (Mido means green) from Himitsu Sentai Goranger or any of the spandex heroes in green. I heard it was suicide and five years ago - we also had Tatsuya Nomi of Gosei Sentai Dairanger die of suicide five years ago. I could accept Koji Naka's death by sickness but some deaths are so frustrating to read. I felt Nomi and JDF could've sought some help. I feel that JDF may have had the same issues with Baku Hatakeyama (the first Kiranger) who unfortunately also committed suicide. 

I may not like Power Rangers. It's obvious that I'm a Super Sentai snob in some way. It's the sense that I practically dislike the franchise. Yet, somehow, deep within me, I understand that if it wasn't for Power Rangers - the Western market wouldn't get the chance to check out what Toei Ltd. had to offer them. This is one of those moments that really reminded me of a crushing childhood moment - the death of Optimus Prime in Transformers: The Movie. This would be the death of Burai aka Dragon Ranger. Burai himself became so popular that some people say he's the reason why Zyuranger doesn't suck. I felt like talking about Burai's final moments due to the recent tragedy. I've watched some videos regarding Burai's death on Youtube and I'm not too surprised at such comments bringing up JDF's sudden demise. 

Remembering the Green Candle from my childhood

Back then, I remembered watching the Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers episodes regarding the Green Candle. It was that time when Super Sentai was still airing in the Philippines but ONLY FOR A FEW ENTRIES. I still find it weird until now as to why Kamen Rider airs in the Philippines but not Super Sentai. Amazingly, Power Rangers still airs in the Philippines while Kamen Rider airs. Kamen Rider has NEVER aired in the States! Besides, Kamen Rider has a lot of stuff that would never get past the TV-Y7-FV radar - something that's almost non-existent in the Philippines. A few edits here and it works. 

The two-parter had Rita Repulsa create the Green Candle. Granted, Rita was the one who created the Green Ranger (with the sixth power coin nonetheless which I think she stole). I NEVER realized that footage of Zyuranger was used until I grew up. The aim of the Green Candle was to simply rob the Green Ranger of his powers. It was also that episode that featured Cyclops (Dora Fake) who suspiciously looks like a modified Gorlin from Chikyu Sentai Fiveman. Yeah, Toei and its prop recycling might be proof of being cheap. I guess that's why Toei and Saban get along so well, right? Toei did also work alongside Hasbro as an animation studio too. That's why I mentioned Optimus Prime's death in that daring Transformers: The Movie film.

Tommy merely lost his powers like X-1 Mask did in that one-shot episode in Hikari Sentai Maskman. The solution was to pull off the Green Ranger powers and hand them over to Jason. Later, Tommy would return because the Zyu2 footage by Toei Ltd. included the Dragon Ranger footage. Eventually, the final Zyu2 footage had Burai die again (which was the Turban Shell episode). Tommy would later return as the White Ranger (using the Kibaranger costume from Dairanger - a feat that's not so different from Kotaro Minami becoming the hero in Kamen Rider BLACK's failed (but somehow vindicated) sequel BLACK RX and how Ryoma became Knight Fire in Solbrain. Coincidence or not? It can be a common trope used in several superhero shows.  

I could remember how I once erroneously used "Google" as a source. Google is a search engine. I did have that intense uncalled-for anger when I realized Mighty Morphin' was based on Zyuranger. Right now, I just simply accept Power Rangers as part of Toei but I don't have to accept everything Toei does. Heck, I still hate Machineman as a really awful show. There are some Super Sentai and Kamen Rider seasons that I dislike. My non-preference for Power Rangers should be no different, right? 

The green candle of Burai

I discovered Zyuranger and read some serious spoilers. Yeah, I used spoilers while writing that bad Super Sentai/Power Rangers fan fic which just had all the harsh criticism coming. I discovered that Burai actually DIED. It's no surprise really. I even heard Burai was supposed to be an X-1 Mask type of character but got too popular so he was given an extended arc. Yet, Burai was really scheduled to die. Burai ended up dying and I heard it was as painful as Optimus Prime's demise in the Great Toy Massacre. 

First, we had the Green with Evil arc. I remembered watching it raw then subbed all before Shout! Factory had a licensed release. I could say that Burai's evil laugh was truly too menacing for TV-Y7-FV standards. Neither Tommy nor Lord Zedd could sound that cold! I guess Tommy's Dr. Evil-style laugh was meant to fit with TV-Y7-FV. Such a laugh is common in children's TV. I still understand why people enjoyed the Dr. Evil-style laugh he had even if I didn't. It's also revealed there that Burai only has 30 hours to live. Burai ends up in his great redemption arc where he willingly gives up his evil ways. The whole story focused on Burai was considered a big step up from almost every previous episode! 

Later, we would have Burai's three-parter end. Yes, Burai was dying and it's one episode longer than "The Green Candle". Here, Burai sees a child named Kouta could die any time soon. Bandora also destroys the Lapseless Room HERSELF. Granted, Rita Repulsa was still relying on the late Soga Machiko's footage (who died at home) unlike later episodes where Carla Perez was used for the original footage. Interestingly, Machiko also re-dubbed her scenes in the Japanese dub. Burai couldn't be saved but the quest for the Water of Life wasn't in vain. Burai was able to do one last good deed before he entered the afterlife.

I couldn't help but feel Burai's smile. Burai was riding into the afterlife and saw the empty bench. True, it was a very sad way for Burai to go. Yet, Burai's heroism saved a child. However, I feel children were still crying like how some children cried over Optimus Prime's death. I did cry when Optimus Prime died. It was no different from me crying while watching The Land Before Time when Little Foot's mother died from her wounds. I heard there was even a postcard campaign to bring Burai back that Toei didn't respond to that. Later, Burai appeared as a ghost to assist the others in the finale. 

I guess Toei wanted to impart an important life lesson to the children. Sadly, it became a real-life lesson more than once, and not just with the most recent tragedy. I guess that's why Izumi gave his condolences regarding the tragedy. TBH, I hope that the Dairanger cast will offer their condolences too. They lost Nomi to suicide on May 18, 2017. JDF's closest friends are just as devastated as well. 

A really bizarre note as well that came into my head like a cyclone

There's also this alleged Power Rangers curse. Super Sentai seems to have a curse too even before Saban had a contract with Toei Ltd. I think about the curse of yellow as well. Goranger had two Kirangers. The second Kiranger Daigoro Kumano died causing the first Kiranger to return. It was because Hakateyama was having other activities. Who'd have thought that such a grim episode would somehow foreshadow the death of Hakateyama by suicide in real life? We also had Asao Kobayashi, another yellow ranger, who was RIGHTFULLY blacklisted for criminal activity. Hopefully, Austin St. John isn't guilty of the allegations (I still believe he's innocent until proven guilty) unlike that douchebag Shunsuke Takasugi (Kazuya of Kamen Rider Super-1). Takasugi might be apparently in jail by now for conning others. 

I think the events in 1984 were rather weird. The events that led to Mika's demise were due to some internal issues. Yuki Yajima, from what I heard, had issues with payroll (and it turns out, that Bioman was NOT her first acting role), and she quit because of it. Before that, Yajima was in Sharivan as Bell Helen while she had a few roles in other shows before Tokusatsu. I guess it was a bad move really. Yajima disappeared from the public eye. So Bioman episode 10 "Goodbye Yellow" also came to mind AGAIN. Thuy Trang died in a car accident on September 3, 2001. Just hearing of Trang's death years later after it happened was a total wreck. It reminds me of how I also discovered Kevin Smith had died too soon only years later after he died. Smith IMHO was the best actor to ever play Ares and he was practically the best villain actor in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. 

2013 was the 20th anniversary of the Power Rangers franchise based on year than the entry number. Strangely, Super Sentai seems to celebrate its anniversary based on both year and number like how Mirai Sentai Timeranger was a finale of sorts (and even acknowledged Goranger as the first) and followed by Hyajakuu Sentai Gaoranger as the 25th entry. 2003 and 2013 had two dinosaur Super Sentai seasons namely Bakuryu Sentai Abaranger and Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger (which I also dislike). Hikonin Sentai Akibaranger Season Two was in 2013 and it had a very bad ending What was the whole point of killing the Akibarangers anyway? Later, Mika's ghost appeared with both Abare Killer and Time Fire. "Circuit Unsure" of Power Rangers Time Force was dedicated to Trang's memory. Dino Thunder marked the return of Tommy as a ranger after some time. Now, JDF's also gone too soon too. I hated how Tommy is overhyped but JDF's death is something I never wished for! 

Sure, I could accept that Jun Tatara is gone at 89. Munemaru Koda was 77 battling a terminal illness to which he lost. Machiko was battling cancer and was considered an old person by then at 68. This also reminds me of the demise of another star during the pandemic. Osamu Sakuta died of cancer only in his early 60s. I really find rewatching Machineman to be rather painful (it's really THAT TERRIBLE IMHO). Still, Sakuta's death affected his friends and family. Masaki Tachi, the guy who played Count Radiguet in Chojin Sentai Jetman, was only in his 50s when he left the world after taking part in making one of the best villains ever. Also, Kamen Rider had some cast members gone too soon like Shigeru Araki of Kamen Rider Stronger. Kyoko Okada who was also in Stronger died at only 27 years old but it was of natural causes. Araki had every right to feel hurt as they were close friends. Miyuki Kanbe died of heart failure at only 24 years old. There are other Kamen Rider cast members who simply died too soon. Mana Kinjo from Kishinryu Sentai Ryusoulger passed away at only 24 years old from an unspecified illness. This also has me thinking of others like Seizo Kato, Takeshi Watabe, and Naya Goro are now all gone. Shotaro Ishimori was only 60 years old when he left the world in 1998. I only knew Ishinomori died a few years later after that. 

I really still felt bad thinking JDF was gone too soon even if I ended up disliking him. I'd accept it if any much older cast members were the ones who died. Things get unpredictable and JDF's death is no different. I'm still shocked that he chose to end his life. I say that the crew of Time Force did the right thing in giving Trang's tribute episode as "Circuit Unsure". It's because Trang's death was very unexpected. I'd say JDF's death still caught me by surprise though I had mixed feelings about it. Sure, I dislike Power Rangers but those hate posts are uncalled for. I angrily told people a few years back that I could care less if habitual rulebreakers would end their lives. Now, I even wonder if I ever did the right thing in shouting such a cruel statement in a fit of rage and immaturity. JDF may have made mistakes (Who hasn't?) and I really still feel upset as to why he, like Nomi and Hakateyama, made such a choice in despair. 

Condolences to the family of JDF as well as his friends. =(

Closing note: 

I wrote this in a really stressed-out state of mind so there are really plenty of mistakes here and there. So be mindful that there will be edits every now and then. TBH, JDF's sudden loss is still a loss. The children lost their father. His friends lost a friend. Sure, I dislike the guy for years to come (2010s) but I'm still upset over what happened. HE NEVER DESERVED SUCH A FATE EITHER.