Sean Akizuki's Super Sentai Blog

Gougou Sentai Boukenger would have a reunion this year, which is something. Yes, Super Sentai is on hiatus, but it can't be denied that somehow, it's still "in the memories". I thought Super Sentai was having a clearance sale , but it turns out that it wasn't. Yes, we're having Super Space Sheriff Gavan Infinity and it's going to be replaced with Kaikusetsu Omegahorn . I decided to think about how Boukenger was the 30th entry and how my views changed with this series over time. Granted, Super Sentai was just a hobby and blogging is just a hobby, you can't expect me not to shift opinions overtime or shift gears too fast! Personally, I feel Boukenger gets too much credit at times . Sure, I still enjoy it, but it's just that I don't think it's all that great after some time. Infamously, I once used Boukenger to bash out the already unpopular (and probably still is) Power Rangers Operation Overdrive . However, it's no secret that I later la...

  There are many terminologies commonly used in Power Rangers that I still welcome. Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters used the terms "It's Morphin' Time" and Megazords. As the anniversary of Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers approaches - Let's look at the past Ranger History lessons that Super Sentai did even before Saban Entertainment got its green light.  The first Ranger History lesson happened during Kosoku Sentai Turboranger's "first episode" Turboranger can be a very strange season and I can understand why some people don't like it. Kaiju No Kami's review pointed out how Denji Sentai Megaranger made Recruit Teenagers with Attitude WAY MORE BELIEVABLE. I'd still say Turboranger is still unfairly maligned and it deserves some credit for ACTUALLY TRYING NEW THINGS. Sure, the Bouma main characters are lame personifications of wickedness (as they are pretty much Stupid Evil and For the Evulz). I even want to agree with Kaiju No Kami that Emperor...

Jyuken Sentai Gekiranger hit its 10th anniversary last 2017 and it has its 15th anniversary this year. Not surprisingly, Gekiranger happened on the 20th anniversary of Hikari Sentai Maskman - the first attempt at a martial arts themed Super Sentai followed by Gosei Sentai Dairanger in 1993. I did write about how Ninpuu Sentai Hurricanger might be that failed attempt to introduce serious Super Sentai all over again . I guess Toei Ltd. may have some issues with how modern viewers tend to prefer Lighter and Softer over Darker and Edgier. I guess that's why some Power Rangers fans prefer the newer series.  It seems that Gekiranger may be on the list but wait... it's actually a contrasting sequel and a contrasting prequel. It had not one but TWO crossovers with a series that's more known for wacky antics. The first was with Gougou Sentai Boukenger (which I enjoy just how high these guys can get )   and the other is Engine Sentai Go-Onger  after it. I think the series was proba...

After watching Lupiranger vs. Patranger's first episode that I have my Boukenger hype all over again. But since it's Valentine's Day -- I decided to write this post on what Boukenger may have needed IMHO though some fans may disagree. So what's my latest view? I decided to rewatch some Jetman episodes that focused on the whole Gai loves Kaori but she loves Ryu and Ryu loves Rie scenario. But would such a similar scene work in Boukenger? I remembered a couple of times I did some Jetman/Boukenger comparisons -- such as comparing the rivalry of Satoru and Ryuon to Ryu and Radiguet or Satoru and Masumi have a Ryu vs. Gai rivalry minus the love triangles. So I thought wouldn't it be "fun" to throw Sakura into the picture? She's from a rich family and she joins the Boukengers to escape her boring life -- and I felt like she needed an episode where she has a snotty fiance that Masumi beats up. But that might only happen if Toshiki Inoue were one of its ma...

Super Sentai usually creates likable characters for most of its run. But there are times Super Sentai has its flaws of creating characters that aren't likable. Some of them can be overly idiotic, whiny or just plain cold or super cold. I guess it's all part of trying to create some "badly needed conflict" with the show. This time, I'd talk about these two pink rangers who I noticed are indeed... head bitches in charge. These are namely Yuuri from Timeranger and Sakura from Boukenger. They may be eye candy but they're not as sweet as they look. Don't say I didn't warn you. Remember, spoilers ahead so read at your own risk!

This year, the Moon Festival fell on this day of September 15, 2016. It's been ten years since Boukenger but I see no harm in actually bringing back Boukenger episode 13, "Phantom Thief Selene". The actress was played by Nana Yanagisawa who later on played Megumi Aso in Kamen Rider Kiva. Note that the episode didn't air during the Mid-Autumn of 2006. What's a bigger coincidence is that Super Sentai hit its  2,000th episode  on the week of the Midautumn Festival. Phantom Thief Selene was presented to be looking for the potion of immortality. It's also something that the Jaryuu wanted to get. After the episode's end, we see that Selene (who's named after the Greek goddess of the moon, Selene) may actually be Princess Kaguya herself. The immortality potion may have been derived from the Chinese version of the story. It's still better to treat Princess Kaguya and Chang Er as two different characters though. The story of Princess Kaguya does ha...

Considering that Misao Mondo/Zyuoh The World is an anniversary Super Sentai sixth ranger, I thought of writing this post concerning his predecessors. The appearance of yet another sixth ranger having the power of three in Zyuohger is no surprise to me at all! Misao is powered by three Zyumen and has a wolf, crocodile and rhino as part of his symbols. Let's take a look back at the others who have the power of three as well. Shirogane/Gao Silver (25th Anniversary) Gao Silver is the very first sixth ranger who gets a combining mecha instead of a regular non-combining mecha. This may be because Gaoranger is the start of the multi-gattai era and the may be the beginning of a new era of Super Sentai. The Gao Hunter is a combining robot composed of Gao Wolf, Gao Alligator and Gao Hammerhead. He's the very first sixth hero to have not one but three assigned mecha at once. Fair enough, the Gaorangers were getting more than one Gao Animal in their inventory so the sixth rang...

I was thinking of the anniversaries that happened. Turboranger celebrated 10 years of Super Sentai before it from Battle Fever J up to Liveman. Ohranger would later celebrate 20 years of Super Sentai when Goranger and JAKQ were later retroactively added into the list of Super Sentai seasons. Then Timeranger came in which I consider was a "finale" for a certain era of Super Sentai (which I don't know how to divide the eras yet) but it was the 24th Super Sentai season. Gaoranger became a new era opener. I'll also give some of my thoughts on the possible developments behind Zyuohger which is currently airing.  Super Sentai's  25th Anniversary: Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger Gaoranger was the beginning of a whole new era where most Super Sentai had more mecha and less action . Timeranger closed the era where Super Sentai could get that serious and a whole lot more action scenes. Not even Gekiranger or Go-Busters felt that serious as Liveman, Dairanger or Timeran...

So as a child who watched Maskman's crappy dub on IBC-13 way back in the 90s, I was always intrigued by the one-time ranger Ryo Asuka also known as X-1 Mask... so much after seeing Bioman's Magne Warrior episodes.  I always said, "Why couldn't X-1 Mask just stay for more than one episode?"  Back then, I also watched Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers while having no clue about Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger... but now it's time for me to speak as a grown-up 30 year old Super Sentai fan! Just in case you didn't know but I guess most Sentai fans know, Toshiki Inoue was the writer behind the X-1 Mask episode of Maskman.  It was sort of his experiment to attempt on an anti-hero who would oppose the red ranger.  X-1 Mask was an experimental Maskman who ran off without a word after his girlfriend died during a Tube attack.  So with Gai Yuki doing the stuff like X-1 Mask did before he fully becomes a Jetman like going to a bar, playing pool, getting a drink, going t...

As somebody who likes Boukenger but not as much, I thought these guys should have been in Boukenger: For Gaja, I thought the actor Hiroo Okata was just too stiff. For one, Gaja was too generic a villain for me compared to Ryuon, the Questers (as idiotic as they may be) and Yaiba.  Namely, I tend to blame the actor.  Hiroo Okata is just too stiff and I thought somebody else should have taken the role. Yoshinori Okamoto is another villain actor who came into mind.  I have learned from Shougo B'Stard that Yoshinori Okamoto was the actor for Gaja on the Boukenger stage show.  I mean, this guy could have made a much stronger Gaja for these reasons.  He was both the suit actor AND voice to Adjutant Buuba in Changeman.  Later he would be Bo Gardan in Flashman and Dr. Ashura in Liveman.  In Hurricanger, he later appeared to both be the suit actor and voice of Sargain and the season was full of Liveman references.  He was even the suit actor of Agent...

Now whether or not the Boukengers are alcoholics is still subject to opinion.  While most post-Timeranger Sentai usually fails to get me all that amazed, here was a rare moment in Boukenger that was really worth applauding.  The Boukengers have broken most of their transforming gadgets.  So what's there to it?  Sakura and Natsuki go on a real rampage with GUNS!  Hehehehehe!!!!!!!! Sakura arrives with a gun... and shows she's definitely not going to be easily taken down.  Plus she's not just eye candy!  I would admit those scenes were really breathtaking for me.    Fired up, both girls can show that they aren't ordinary girls.  On the other hand, handing Natsuki a rifle is equivalent to handing a kid a gun.  Now what in the world is Sakura thinking?  She must have gone drinking lots of liquor prior to this insane but badass scene! Well enough of the breathtaking view... let's move on to the real fight scene!

Another speculation I would like to create is on Natsuki.  Now as a person who still likes Boukenger to a certain extent even if they look like they are a group of drunks ... now I'd like to evaluate why is Natsuki a ditz.  Was it caused by suspended animation?  Or what?  Or did something happen? Now let's take a look at how suspended animation happens in Super Sentai and when it was used.... and we know later that Natsuki was placed in a suspended animation state that has slowed down her aging: It should be time to go and look back at Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger in the 90s.  Now the Zyurangers were placed in suspended animation for MILLIONS of years according to the script.  However none of them appears to be like Natsuki.  Heck, not even Dan is a real disaster compared to Natsuki. It's time to take a closer look at Natsuki vs. Zyurangers.  The Zyurangers were probably placed in suspended animation where time froze for that time... but still ...

After seeing the Akibaranger episode where Bouken Red appeared to the Akibarangers, at the same time, you see they were DEAD DRUNK.In that episode, the Boukengers drank some liquor (by accident) and were trapped in a dimension where their delusions started to become real. Now I was thinking while doing some Boukenger rewatching, it looks like the Boukengers are alcoholics, even if you don't see them drinking liquor. Now for a few things WORTH noticing that might prove that the Boukengers are a group of drunkards. This is just me thinking they are a group of drunkards: First I would like to point out what I failed to notice in Satoru/Bouken Red. Episode one shows him signs that he's not a sober individual. For example, he just RECKLESSLY drives in and scoops both Bouken Black and Bouken Yellow IGNORING their welfare. I was even thinking about it- NO SOBER RED RANGER WOULD EVER THREATEN TO DROP ANYONE OFF INTO THE LAVA PIT! To be honest, I was thinking he was probably high o...

In Super Sentai, what seems to be the norm is this.  We defeat enemy group, let's disband but let's keep in touch because our purpose of why the team was created, was finished.  For example, one can see that the Jetmen went separate ways, the Zyurangers left the Earth for Heaven, the Kakurangers gave up their henshin devices and so on.  In short, a Sentai team is usually destined to disband after the big bad is defeated.  However it doesn't seem to be the case for these series I'll mention in this post.  I got my idea from this Timeranger post in Henshin Justice . Dekaranger itself has the whole season fighting against Alienizers who threaten various planets and this time, some of them have arrived on earth.  The Dekarangers' main villain Abrella is what I'd call, more ruthless than Dolnero.  Like Timeranger, they were chasing alien villains who served as the monster of the week, though they deleted them instead of recapturing them.  Now we get...

Well it's time for Boukenger and we,, a really overrated series even I myself overrated it.  Made me really think that I enjoyed Sho Aikawa's being the head writer of Kamen Rider Blade which was a serious season vs. this lighter and softer season.  It was an adventure theme but let's just see... I thought that I kept rewinding this season sine I had lesser access to other Sentai (then again, I can't trust those crap dubs either)... now for the episode analysis: Sho Aikawa (main writer): 1-11, 17-20, 25-26, 29-30, 33, 47-49 (23 eps) Tasks 1-3 introduces us to the first three villain factions namely Gordom, Jaryuu and Dark Shadow.  In this episode, we get a glimpse of the characters' personalities though I failed to notice much of the character flaws most of the team are jerks.  So the beginning has Satoru wanting to drop Masumi into the lava?  WTH?  I just thought that we get a blur picture of how the villaisn will be. Task 4 has a focus on Satoru an...

So okay I do love (or like) these series but this is just me hypothesizing on stuff. Now let's think about these series that might be very overrated: Chodenshi Bioman was very popular among the Filipino audience when it was shown with its rather super cheesy, super duper inaccurate horrid dubbing XP. For one, a lot of Filipinos may have seen this as their first Super Sentai if they were born in the 80s to 90s. I do like this series but when I say I really like it that much, nah. What might be often overlooked was that Bioman had its own fair share of problems like the Beastnoid concept tends to get boring since as a kid, I really asked to why those guys never died no matter how many times they were hit! Overall, it's still an interesting season but there's more to Sentai than this. Chojin Sentai Jetman is probably very overrated and I'm in that boat of people who give it too much credit. I still personally think that this is the best Super Sentai season ever. It h...

Now here's another comparison.  Fans like myself assumed that Masumi Inou was an attempted remake on Gai Yuki.  Now for some comparisons. First, let's check out how the show shows them earlier on.  I would say that Ryu is still better than Satoru as a rival than Satoru is.  I mean, I really freaked out when Satoru was threatening to drop Masumi into the lava if he doesn't return which is nowhere near as honorable as Ryu's challenging Gai Yuki and keeping his word!  I mean, Ryu's honorable behavior is far more admirable to Gai Yuki.  I mean, you DO NOT threaten to drop a rebel ranger down the lava!  Ryu would give Satoru a lecture or two or maybe a spanking machine session for that!  For the beginning, I thought Gai Yuki's attempting to run away and later coming back was more interesting than that whole threat to throw Masumi into the lava thing or two, it's a lot more humane! Next, it's all about their relationship with their red leaders. ...