Chikyu Sentai Fiveman: A Near-Franchise Killer That May Have Given Room For Several New Ideas (Spoilers)

 

I wrote how Kosoku Sentai Turboranger could've inspired Gekisou Sentai Carranger and Denji Sentai Megaranger. Chikyu Sentai Fiveman was a near Franchise Killer (and ratings started to tank with Turboranger). However, Fiveman ends up getting Vindicated by History as the years went by. In fact, a Shout! Factory DVD release didn't stop the official Super Sentai DVD release -- despite the fact the MUCH SUPERIOR Kyukyu Sentai GoGoFive came out first. I'd like to do a rundown on what Fiveman actually contributed to the franchise!

The theme that involves... FAMILY!

Intentional or not? I've seen Mahou Sentai Magiranger (though the youngest is the red ranger), Fiveman, and GoGoFive. All three series might be considered the SIBLING TRILOGY. Magiranger was in 2005 -- which might've been meant to give tribute to Fiveman's 15th anniversary. However, GoGoFive was in 1999. Mirai Sentai Timeranger mentioned both Fiveman and GoGoFive as sibling forces. However, Magiranger is practically in the bottom of my list of the three sibling shows. I still find Houka Ozu TOO ANNOYING, and the same might go for Kai Ozu.

Both Fiveman and GoGoFive have their DVDs now. Power Rangers fans seeing GoGoFive might've built a curiosity for Fiveman. Sidenote: Power Rangers fans may consider watching Tokkei Winspector if they haven't -- a show I keep saying has been better than GoGoFive. A sibling Super Sentai may not have worked the first time. However, GoGoFive managed to fix what Fiveman wasn't able to fix. Fiveman is a creative failure with potential. GoGoFive would figure out how to fix things (while I feel Matoi Tatsumi is TOO LOUD) and created a show with a LOT OF COOL MEGAZORDS! That's probably another reason why Timeranger didn't do well for the younger market! GoGoFive had a good plot and cool Zords -- something that could spell SUCCESS. 

Tensou Sentai Goseiger returned the twin siblings concept. The rest aren't related but not Agri and Moune. Agri and Moune aren't only twins but also share the same color coding as Fumiya Hoshikawa and Remi Hoshikawa. Funny enough, Ryohei Kobayashi married his co-star Ryo Narushima IRL even if they played as SIBLINGS. Well, they're not siblings IRL so it's not really an issue. Maybe, that's why there was no problem with making Jake Holland and Gia Moran a coupling (which was badly developed) in Power Rangers Megaforce. XP 

I might give credit to Shuriken Sentai Ninninger to a certain extent. Sure, I don't plan to ever rewatch the show. The show's just BEAUTIFULLY POINTLESS IMHO. However, I could give it some credit such as Victor and Monty from Power Rangers Ninja Steel make Takaharu look SMART. The idea of family (two siblings and three cousins) was still a creative attempt. But whatever, I'm really still harsh towards this show to a certain extent. 

The joke name becomes an official Super Sentai name... because reasons!

What amused me is that some names became official Super Sentai. Hikari Sentai Maskman had a Carrier Zord called the Turbo Ranger -- all before Kosoku Sentai Turboranger came in 1989. It would be funny that Fiveman had an Evil Sentai team (which was ALL MALE) called GINGA SENTAI GINGAMAN. The name Gingaman was later used in Seijuu Sentai Gingaman. I'm still baffled though why Toei gave the green light for the name Gingaman in Gingaman --  a show that's nature-oriented over space-oriented. I name Seijuuman or Starbeastman would've probably fit it better IMHO. So yeah, it's understandable that Power Rangers fans still give a higher score to Lost Galaxy. I'm fine with it as long as they don't propagate that now-disproven rumor! 

If only this joke was addressed in Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger. It's really that funny that the joke was never made. I mean, it'd be funny if the Gokaigers actually talked about it in an ANNIVERSARY SERIES. The idea was probably there, but was scrapped due to valid reasons. 

If only Toei will give its official word on this! XP 

The concept of Empress Meadow (and Galactic Beast Vulgyre) somehow worked in other series

I could remember some plain Nightmare Fuel in Fiveman. Somehow, I wish I saw the finale in Tagalog but on the other hand -- part of me is glad that I never did. I could remember getting scared of Empress Meadow whenever she spoke. Meadow had a booming voice and the Okubi personality is just scary. The fact Meadow could fire bolts of energy from ABOVE and had a TERRIFYINGLY HUGE PRESENCE made her a force to reckon with. However, all of that was somehow wasted IMHO when Meadow was revealed to be just an ILLUSION created by Galactic Beast Vulgyre. Even worse, I still feel the whole idea that a GIGANTIC monster such as Vulgyre would want Meadow for his bride -- to be like WTF TOEI?!

Vulgyre's concept was later copied into Bakuryu Sentai Abaranger in 2003. Abaranger's main villain Dezumozoryla was also another Nightmare Fuel villain. I'm somewhat mixed with how Meadow was done in Fiveman. Was she written off as an illusion because noe one had the slightest idea on what to do with her? Star King Bazoo's true form in Dengeki Sentai Changeman was that of a giant sentient planetoid -- something that got destroyed by invading its vital core. Meadow was linked to Vulgyre -- a giant living starship. The idea was somehow revisited a few times later before Abaranger came in. 

As a child, I remember watching Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers. I compared Lokar's appearance to Meadow. Both are giant floating heads. However, Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger presented Dai Satan as the Bigger Bad and the Ultimate Evil of the series. Sadly, the late Seizo Kato only made him have growls compared to how he voiced Bazoo and Vulgyre. However, I couldn't discount the fact that Lokar still scared me as a child. How in the world did Dai Satan's footage become Getting Crap Past the Radar?! I'm still laughing at how that even happened. Not to mention...

GoGoFive didn't only bring back the sibling Super Sentai. Grand B*tch Grandienne is just Pure Evil. I played the Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue video game -- all before I discovered more about Super Sentai. Queen Bansheera's image still reminded me of Meadow from Fiveman as much as the ranger suits! TV Tropes describes Grandienne as a Corrupted Character Copy of Empress Meadow. Grandienne's presence is pretty much an upgrade to Dai Satan. Dai Satan barely showed up. Grandienne showed up midseason, showed how she means business, could still cause MUCH DAMAGE even in her Body Horror form, and even ENVELOPED THE WHOLE EARTH in the finale! 

Watching GoGoFive's finale made me think what Meadow could've been. The producer Jun Hikasa may have revisited Fiveman and thought of how to deal with Grandienne. Grandienne's body was destroyed but she turns into a malevolent being of PURE EVIL ENERGY, Grandienne's disembodied spirit enveloped the WHOLE EARTH. It took a last-minute SUPER RISKY attack with the Max Victory Robo Black Version -- a Megazord that required PERFECET MENTAL SYNCRONIZATION or BUST. Grandienne's final attack still makes me wish Fiveman knew what to do with Meadow. However, I feel that Meadow's presence was a step towards this greater direction! 

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Despite its initial failures, despite me always trying to shove GoGoFive's superiority over Fiveman more often than not -- the show still deserves some credit. Right now, it reminds me that I was able to enjoy Kamen Rider BLACK RX -- a show that didn't do well initially but somehow became a testing ground for future Kamen Rider series' concepts.