Boonboomger 20 Made Me Think About Super Sentai Rangers With Civilian Love Interests, One Shot And Recurring Ones

I may not be doing episode reviews (so I could focus on other stuff). However, I felt like doing this episode because of the return of Norio in a semi-comedic episode. I guess there wouldn't be any more overly somber episodes like episodes 14-15 -- which were probably tributes to the late Yuka Motohashi. As I was watching this episode -- I realized that Norio was from episode 1. Yes, that same episode where Mira was almost forcibly wed and I think she's too young to be a bride. So much for that Lightspeed Rescue!

I never expected Norio to get into a future episode. Most possible love interests simply fizzle out and never get heard from again. One can talk about Canalo's long list of unrequited romances. One-shot love interests were a common trope during the Hirohisa Soda era. Mai in Dengeki Sentai Changeman fell for a scientist for one episode. Kenta in Hikari Sentai Maskman was pretty much into that. Kasumi in Chikyu Sentai Fiveman also had a one-shot love interest acted by Kazunori Inaba aka Maskman Takeru. The 1990s also added that when Rin from Gosei Sentai Dairanger had a one-shot love interest (actually a Gorma who grew to love her eventually) also acted Inaba. In the 2010s, Keiichiro even had a one-shot love interest that NEVER showed up again. That was the episode that made me ship Keiichiro and Tsukasa. That's why I felt a bummer when I realized Kazusa Okuyama didn't marry Kousei Yuki! 

However, there was a love interest that somehow had more than one appearance. Seijuu Sentai Gingaman gave Gouki a love interest in Suzuko. Yes, Suzuko may have not been in every episode but she became a running love interest. Mirai Sentai Timeranger gave Domon a recurring love interest in Homani. Yes, both of these series are written by Yasuko Kobayashi. Strangely, Kobayashi never created love interests in other Super Sentai she's worked with. Hikari Sentai Maskman gave Maskman Takeru his love interest Princess Ial/Mio who played an important plot. I was okay with Suzuko in Gingaman. However, I feel Honami was a weak spot for Timeranger.

Hopefully, Norio doesn't get shelved and forgotten. I feel there's much that could be done with Norio and Mira. Norio can serve the same kind of purpose as Suzuko in Gingaman -- a civilian love interest for a Sentai ranger. It's no longer the 1980s or 1990s were love interests can just be easily forgotten. I want to see Norio get more episodes.