King-Ohger 50: Take Me Higher With The Ohsama Sentai

Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger had a high budget. It seems that the lack of monsters of the week in the second half was most likely cost-cutting, Toei-style. You know how Toei and Saban have been working together for some time. If I'm not wrong, Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog did have that budget cut after a huge budget was allocated. Maybe, the same happened to Kamen Rider Saber where most fights were very like action-themed soap operas. This finale does a lot of crazy stuff and I'm thrown back into the 1990s. 

The monarchs (and Racules) finally prepare to destroy Dugdead. For Racules, it means his redemption and the end of the curse of the Husty bloodline. Racules is good as out of the throne but he still participates one more time. The citizens' resolve to finally put Dugdead away for good is on!

Figuring out a substitute for Jeramie's treasure is easier said than done. Hmmmm I guess Zord fuel has been more efficient, right? However, they do need a container. I do find this research in the middle of war rather funny. I mean how much WiFi and the like can they have in this show? I guess superhero logic always calls for times to, "Just sit down and don't think too much!" 

Kamejim finally gets his comeuppance. Not only do Jeramie and Racules finally get even. It's nice to see Desnarak VIII finally drag Kamejim to the Underworld. This is just as satisfying as seeing Queen Bansheera getting her comeuppance at the hands of Diabolico. I kinda find it a very fitting punishment. I bet Yama (though I prefer to call him Hades) is waiting on the other side to sentence Kamejim to Tartarus. On the other side, it's funny to meet Grodie. The scene on the other side feels more like a scene straight out of Dragon Ball's version of the afterlife. I kinda wish the people gave a budget to give us their own version of Yama or Hades. I mean, give us a big scary ogre like Yama was in Dragon Ball! This scene just feels like a Looney Tunes instead.

My expectation of an Ultraman Tiga-type move happened. I'm not into Ultraman now but I can't deny the similarity. Okay, it walks into Spoiler Territory. Ultraman Tiga gets empowered by the world's children to destroy the darkness. In this case, Gira discovers that the final element is from within all of them. The civilians of Chikyu give their life force. Even better, a reference to the Spirit Bomb from Dragon Ball Z is made hence the picture on top. Okay, it's no secret that I feel the Buu Saga was a huge low point with too many toys. The scene was also done in Power Rangers Mystic Force. I think of Ultraman Tiga more than anything due to the dark atmosphere and the role Dugdead plays. Dugdead is pretty much like Ghatanozoa in some way. 

The Ultraman Tiga finale was well put. Ultraman Tiga had a situation where it was hopeless and the hope of the world's children was needed. In this case, Jeramie's jewel of eternal life is already gone. The people offer their life energies so Dugdead can finally be destroyed. The glimmer made me play Ultraman Tiga's opening theme. Sure, Ultraman is by Tsubaraya but some Toei alumni also had parts in Ultraman. If I'm not wrong we had Nao Nagasawa (who I wish played as Iroki but she's THAT BUSY as a mother, so I respect that) and Arisa Komiya in an Ultraman series too. 

The effect is like Ultraman Tiga too. After many grueling battles - it's time to give Dugdead the most humiliating defeat possible. Dugdead's now given a no-brainer defeat. It's only fair the monarchs finally get the last-minute Ultrazord to work. Dugdead finally gets defeated in his personal hyperspace. After the rather overpowered Megazord battle - the monarchs finally cancel out Dugdead's immortality. The monarchs SMASH DUGDEAD'S BRAIN! 

IMHO, I wish they curled him into a ball like Long in Jyuken Sentai Gekiranger. Maybe, Long's final fate isn't popular or plain underappreciated. So yeah, we have this rather karmic end for a very vile character. I wonder if there was a scene where Dugdead shows up in the World of the Dead. It'd be fun if the Dugdead and his generals all dropped into Hell via a trap door. Something like that was probably filmed BUT was cut out due to time constraints. 

After the end, the citizens meet back their monarchs. I just love how the darkness slowly fades in the rubble. I can't imagine how much was spent making this realistic destroyed city. The people of Chikyu finally celebrate with the heroes. It's not all the time we see a finale this big. Most finales in superhero shows tend to have a more personal battle - even in an apocalyptic finale. The monarchs getting powered up Ultraman Tiga style is a once-in-a-blue-moon type of scene. 

I'd like to give some comments. The final Megazord overpower combination was done by the power of the jewels' combined powers. I wonder if there was a plan to turn Gira into a real human at the end. Maybe a plot where Gira gets injured and the Founder's Crown works in a similar way as the Corona Aurora from Power Rangers Operation Overdrive? Again, it's another possible deleted scene. That plot could've worked if done right. The Founder's Crown and the other jewels did their job and the people's life energy made it possible. 

The finale has the monarchs meeting each other again. I just love how the monarchs do get into an argument. I think the demand for Trial by Combat could refer to a real-life event. I do feel Bandai probably overproduced a LOT and I meanA LOT of King-Ohger merchandise. Maybe, there's a surplus sale so we're probably going to need to call Geoffrey the Giraffe to help get rid of the surplus. 

More and more cultural exchange happens between the five kingdoms of Chikyu. I was worried that Racules would just get forgotten. Instead, Racules is actually serving time after he stood trial. Racules did get corrupted along the way while trying to get rid of Dugdead. It's almost like Captain Alex from Power Rangers Time Force turning himself in the finale IMHO.  Alex's letting Ransik rampage the 21st century during the finale is plain stupid. Racules also did something similar as well. Fortunately, Suzume is helping out Racules while I feel Jen dumping Alex was really understandable. 

The final episode has them getting ready for more adventures. Sure, there's no planned second season but there are still two crossovers. I wonder how King-Ohger will have its crossover with Doubutsu Sentai Donbrothers and a second one with Zyuden Senta Kyoryuger. Right now, I still am getting wary as some people may try to force the narrative that Super Sentai belongs to an expanded universe. I'd love to see it happen all over again with hilarious results. 

Next week, it will be the arrival of Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger. It's back to Modern Japan yet again. I still think maybe Super Sentai really is meant to take place in Modern Japan huh? What can you expect from a trope that places Tokyo at the center of the Universe? In my case, I think it's best to lower expectations as Toei did a very ambitious season. Boonboomber may be at a conservative budget and might not sell as many toys. 

What surprises me is that Super Sentai is going 48th with Boonboomger. Two more years and it'd be 50 years! Hopefully, Super Sentai will get another reboot treatment or go on hiatus for a while. A hiatus may help Toei think of newer ways to sell toys rather than depend too much on Super Senta. A franchise can get overexhausted. Fortunately, Toei hasn't put Super Sentai in that expanding universe timeline like Power Rangers. Newer fans can enjoy every new season WITHOUT needing to watch the old-school series. I've seen a lot of old-school series and not all of them aged well IMHO. Will the 50th be the last or what? I've even asked myself that question back in the 2000s and it went beyond 40. After Doubotsu Sentai Zyuohger - the series went forward anyway even if that show really got a tagline, "The history of Super Sentai, it's over!" Part of me wished it were true. 

After that, it seemed Super Sentai "ended" in 2017 and got rebooted for the nth time. But the last reboot we had was with Kikou Sentai Zenkaiger in 2020. In terms of this new reboot era - Boonboomger is merely the fourth entry of the Reiwa reboot era. 

Right now, I still plan to watch King-Ohger vs. Donbrothers though I'm still hesitant to watch King-Ohger vs. Kyoryuger. Meanwhile, I'm truly occupied by other stuff every now and then. With this blog as nothing more than a hobby - never get surprised it's going to power down for good!