King-Ohger 26: The First Half Closes Before A Second Half Begins (And Other Wacky Thoughts)

Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger is coming to a midseason finale. Boy, where do I even begin? This almost reminds me of what happened in Tensou Sentai Goseiger with the faction change (and ironically, it's 10 years after that disaster known as Power Rangers Megaforce). It also reminds me of how Kosoku Sentai Turboranger killed off the three main generals to replace them with the Nagare Bouma. This week features the end of the Bugnarok chapter and preparing for September's two-year time skip. It's almost like copying a trope from TV dramas where a midseason time jump happens. This also reminds me in Dragon Ball Z that a one-year gap happened between Raditz and the arrival of Vegeta and Nappa. It was also three years time jump between Mirai Trunks killing Mecha-Frieza and King Cold to the time when Cell arrives to wreck havoc on Earth. I feel Toei staff members and Saban staff members are eating popcorn and laughing somewhere. 

I just wonder how in the world did Desnarak VIII even survive an ULTRAZORD attack? It's not that he's not injured or anything. Desnarak VIII is slowly dying. It's revealed that eating Shugods can significantly cut the lifespan of a Bugnarok. The Bugnarok history starts to be unveiled. It would be sad if the Bugnarok ended up as cardboard as the Geddon Empire in Kamen Rider Amazon. Amazon never bothered to give background stories to either Geddon or the replacement namely Garanda Empire. Even worse, Amazon was forced to rush to just merely 24 episodes (due to excessive violence that's hilarious at the same time) making it MORE RUSHED than the Disney era Power Rangers series! 

Jeramie prepares the peace between Humankind and Bugnarok. Jeramie begs the five other kingdoms that the sixth kingdom be recognized. Jeramie is the king of in-between. Speaking of which, I'm also reminded of Wataru Kurenai's half-breed heritage in Kamen Rider Kiva. The difference was that Wataru's story is born out of adultery while Jeramie's was genuine love.

I guess Toei didn't spare a bit of a moment here. Jeramie wants to see what kingdom he will rule. What's with giving Rita a headache every now and then? I like the idea that Rita's pretty much her own character. However, Rita seems like the daughter of Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa. Rita still gets headaches but doesn't break into naggy rants like "mother dearest". I guess it's because August 28 remains as Toei's huge achievement in entering the American market. 

More history of the Bugnarok is found. Himeno starts to examine the DNA of Gemojim. Gemojim is somewhat of a phantom. Bugnarok and Human DNA are pretty close. I feel this is almost a reference to the Ashu in Gougou Sentai Boukenger. Human evolution has been played to serious levels of funny in Toku such as Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger with the Dino Humans or the Jashinka from Kagaku Sentai Dynaman. I feel not much of the Bugnarok is revealed. It also reveals that humanity teamed up with the Shugods while the Bugnarok became vengeful. Are the Desnarak Human Sub-Species or Our Humans Are Different? 

For the villain that Desnarak VIII is - he has morally shades of gray. Desnarak VIII couldn't even eat an unidentified Shugod. Humanity has done its wrongs when it came to the war. It will be elaborated further when Jeramie battles Desnarak VIII. 

Desnarak VIII requests that Jeramie finish him. However, Gira springs up and tries to mediate the conflict. Jeramie also requests Desnarak VIII to join him in the New Bugnarok Kingdom. Gira has a point of hatred between both sides. I guess this is an Easter Egg to Tossho Daimos and Chodenji Voltes V. Voltes V and Daimos didn't shy away from showing that not all of the aliens were bad. Daimos further highlighted it by adding General Miwa. Speaking of Miwa, I really am missing dethroned Racules. Apparently, Racules will be back because there's no hint yet that Masato Yano got his flowers. It seems Masato requested for a break due to Real Life Writes Plot. 

Kamejim shows up and reveals he's been some sort of puppet master. Given the updates, could Kamejim be the real mastermind behind the show's events or is he The Mole for the upcoming villain organization? I'm reminded of another villain named Brajira of the Messiah. Brajira kept siding with the three different factions in Goseiger. Brajira showed up with different incarnations just to fulfill his task. A giant Megazord fight happens and Kamejim is supposedly destroyed. 

After that, the land of the Bugnarok is officially recognized as the sixth kingdom. There was no applause as the wounds would take long to heal. This feels like a finale but not a finale. I think the purpose of the two-year time jump is because of this. The crew members want to give off-screen development that would see how humans and Bugnarok will get along. Jeramie needs some off-screen space to rule Bugnarok along with the five other rulers. I guess peace will be established and two years can prepare a lot. I even think Racules might be cooking up something or return as a neutrally-alighed villain. 

And we're getting a new set of villains and an upcoming guest role

What's really FUNNY is how Power Rangers Cosmic Fury is airing THIS month. Speaking of which, Power Rangers in Space was in 1998 and that would mean 25 years after that show! Is Toei celebrating that Space saved Power Rangers hence it's time to dance to the beat of "Money Money Money" by ABBA after that? That would explain why Toei had a good working relationship with Saban, even had an alliance with Disney (which makes bland remakes for quick cash), and Hasbro (which I believe the toy massacre Transformers movie) was done simply for MORE TOYS. Take note that Toei provided animation for Hasbro with both the 1980s animated versions of The Transformers and G.I. Joe. Toei would also later get Hasbro's blessing to create the Japanese-exclusive Takara Trilogy which Beast Wars doesn't acknowledge as part of the actual continuity. 

Updates reveal that Kamejim will be serving the Dugdead Dujardin - the lord of the galactic insects. I do feel that either Kamejim was The Mole sent by Dugdead or he will also manipulate Dugdead. I can't be certain about that. If so, I hope that Kamejim doesn't become another abused fanservice villain like Brajira has become in several crossover movies. Kamejim did after all murder the original Boshimar and impersonated the poor fellow. I wonder did Kamejim corrupt Racules as a child? Was Kamejim up to something when he even hid his disguise from Desnarak VIII? The other new villains are also Goma Rosalia, Hilbil Leech, and Minosgan Moth. I do suck at noting seiyuus and stuntmen so most of the names are pretty unfamiliar to me. The voice actors are:

• Dagdead Doujaldan (voiced by Mobile Suit Gundam SEED's Akira Ishida)
• Goma Rosalia, voiced by Kazuhiro Yamaji (Kamen Rider Blade, Mashin Sentai Kiramager)
• Hilbil Leech, voiced by Miyuki Sawashiro (Hunter × Hunter 2011, Lupin III)
• Minosogan Moth, voiced by Tomokazu Seki (Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger, Fate Series)

It can be a relief to think that some alumni are back. It'd be great to hear Emperor Yodon's voice actor again. Maybe, one can think that having a Gokaiger alumni who voiced the equipment and the Greatest Treasure in the Univere voice a villain. Ishida plays a good guy in Mobile Suit Gundam SEED (never saw it though). Ishida was also the voice of Fly Bae in Jyuken Sentai Gekiranger - a series I believe that got overappreciated overtime by Power Rangers fans. 

The new set of villains are still suit actors. I do feel disappointed that after Donbrothers had human-faced villains (with transformations) - we're back to having no human-faced villains again. I guess the audience these days like having rubber suit villains over human-faced ones huh? 

The recent updates also reveal the new enemy and the return of Daigo Kiryu as a guest character. Okay, bear with me since my dislike (though it's a watchable mess for me) for Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger is already well-known. I'm going to yell it out loud that Bakuryu Sentai Abaranger is always the better Dinosaur Sentai if not the BEST OF IT ALL. After watching Donbrothers vs. Zenkaiger - I think crossovers now can be easily explained by dimensional doors. It was done in the tongue twister crossover with Lupinranger vs. Patranger vs. Kyuranger. There's this Multiverse Format that can be used in several shows. Yes, Toei also copies several ideas from several American shows so it's fair enough they allow Power Rangers to exist. I even think of the Jimmy/Timmy Power Hour which crosses two INDEPENDENT SHOWS in a special. It's obvious Fairly Oddparents and Jimmy Neutron are two different settings. King-Ohger clearly operates in a different Universe. The Space Squad crossovers have been using portals to justify the crossovers. 

I don't find myself looking forward to Daigo's guest role because I dislike the show he's from. What if it's really meant to be some form of inside joke? So Kaku kinda looks like Yoshi Sudarso from Power Rangers Dino Charge - something that could create a huge joke. Yoshi visited Toei studios and was allowed to have a cameo in Shuriken Sentai Ninninger. I really wonder if Sudarso migh visit Toei Studios again for a better experience than 2015. Yoshi met the other cast of Kyoryuger as well but not the main cast. I guess Yoshi had fun in the studio. There's also the possibility of Toei still being grateful for Kyoryuger having given them the toy sales they needed because Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters had low toy sales. I blame a surplus of Gokaiger toys that may have caused people not to take interest in the Go-Busters toys. Plus, Go-Busters is pretty much Darker and Edgier so older fans like it. Sure, Go-Busters isn't near the levels of Mirai Sentai Timeranger but it's still too serious. Kyoryuger may be the fun show that Toei needed for revenues. 

I understand a lot of stuff. Some stuff I dislike are necessary to keep the cash rolling in. I don't like Power Rangers while I understand why it exists. Saban Entertainment was allowed to reimagine it for the American audiences because of cultural differences. Watching The Toys That Made Us on Netflix helped me understand why. I also don't like Kyoryuger but I guess Toei's grateful that it helpe them build up revenues. Meanwhile, Ninninger was practically low toy sales and low toy ratings which made me think that Super Sentai could either go on hiatus (something I wanted to happen) or even be canceled like other franchises Toei pulled the plug off. Super Sentai getting fresh new reboots every now and then might be the reason why it still goes on. The reboots happen and most Super Sentai entries are obviously self-contained and contain ZERO direct links to most past entries. 

I can be scared and excited at the same time. I still feel Daigo's return could potentially ruin the self-contained setting of Kyoryuger. I even felt that the Ucchu Keiji Gavan episodes in Go-Busters were so out-of-place. I just need to set a low bar while keeping an open mind. I guess that's how I'll be doing things from here on. Meanwhile, I'm actually excited to see how Kamen Rider Gotchard's first episode will turn out.