Sean Akizuki's Super Sentai Blog

People can say that I'm against innovation or Draconian. Innovation is wonderful but it can also be mismanaged. As Toei plans to either go on hiatus or perhaps close the book on Super Sentai (I prefer to believe the hiatus, and hopefully Japan will have a population boom once the old gens like myself, inevitably leave this world) -- Super Sentai may start anew! Now, I'd like to look into the latest episode which introduces Sumino Ichikawa's new form -- acted by Kohaku Shida ! There were other alternatives that could've and SHOULD'VE been considered. IMHO the most logical step was to turn Oto Ichikawa into the new Gozyu Unicorn! Maya Imamori's DISMISSAL (instead of work suspension) felt super unfair IMHO . Instead, the "new solution" was to keep Sumiko BUT give a magical explanation after Kohaku replaced Maya. It all feels WTF as it replaces the more serious Sumino with the more mischievous Kohaku. The approach just feels way too OUT OF PLACE IMHO.  Thi...

This week's episode has got to be a very messy comedy. Maybe, I'll call it a watchable mess of an episode. If I could actually bother to finish some shows like Kamen Rider BLACK RX , B-Fighter Kabuto , Kamen Rider Kabuto , and Kamen Rider Kiva then I don't find this episode a real challenge. Yes, it's kind of a mess but it's pretty watchable and entertaining. This episode manages to take the body swapping episodes of Chikyu Sentai Fiveman (where Fumiya and Remi got body-swapped), Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers (where Billy and Kimberly got their bodies swapped by a failed experiment), and Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger (where Doc and Luka got body-swapped). In this case, prepare for three times the mayhem! Dugdead Dujardin prepares for another game. He goes to his generals and punishes Kamejim for his previous failure. Now, it's time for the next one who I think is Gorma, not Goma. Okay, I could be wrong though. The new plan is to create a big mess to deal with the ...

Last year, we had that on/off pink rabbit (and this Chinese New Year will be the Year of the Rabbit). We have the plagiarist in a bunny suit calling itself Naoki Shiina . The rabbit could copy Haruka Kito PERFECTLY. That's just very funny especially when the Manga is so exactly done. If you haven't watched it then beware... SPOILERS! If not, read on if you either don't mind being spoiled (like me) or if you have seen it. As Donbrothers did wrap up its filming - the plot twist can be too predictable. I remembered some forums where people speculated the identity of the bunny. So, now it's time to think about what could be another writing tool namely time travel and alternate timelines. Yeah, it's a common trope, and Toei Ltd. has been copying tropes from Western comics and animation as well. I'm not even surprised at the turn of events that happened.  There had been wild guesses about the bunny suit. Some speculated it's another version of Donbrothers Haruka. ...

I'm more or less "caught up" with Avatar Sentai Donbrothers.  I've been the watching the series in very irregulat paces these days. Then again I no longer plan to do episode reviews as blogging is JUST A HOBBY. I realized a few things as 2022 ends. Toei Ltd. did hit the market big in 1993. I did write a post talking about that during Power Rangers' silver anniversary and the same year when Dimensions in Danger kicked in. This week has a very weird side plot where Haruka Kito takes driving lessons. Yup, her auntie who she lives with decided to enroll her to take driving lessons ASAP! Inoue is also known to revisit old scripts AND add a twist. Inoue was known to have written the X-1 Mask episode in  Hikari Sentai Maskman . It was a one-parter that provided a template for two characters - Burai and Gai Yuki. Though, Inoue didn't do much in  Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger . Later,  Inoue had two episodes in  Mirai Sentai Timeranger . Inoue juggled in between  Timeran...

Halloween may be over (and I wanted to write this post previously). However, due to the fact that well, there's no Kiddie Show Sunday this week  which I think is due to the sports event. I wonder how my younger self would react. It's the ongoing plot of Natsumi Kuromochi and Miho Kijino. Both are played by the same actress namely Momoko Arata. This is pretty much a lot of weird comic book plots copied. Yeah, we know how Tokusatsu does copy plots also from a lot of American pop culture references, right? Toshiki Inoue is a man regarded for his weird humor as well. Avatar Sentai Donbrothers is one show that doesn't have the older Inoue trademarks. Inoue, a man known for nightmare fuel, early on, would later attempt comedy and it was hit or miss. I seldom even wonder what if Inoue took part in writing Samurai Sentai Shinkenger or Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters . Sure, I'll forever consider Inoue's Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger that incredibly "cruel episode". However, I...

Super Sentai logic is always subjected to superhero logic, right? There's a lot of weird science going on. Most Super Sentai villains aren't really that smart either as  most of their plans are meant to be incredibly absurd . Just think that the villains in the James Bond franchise ended up getting the honor of having the trope called Bond Villain Stupidity. The Super Sentai villains (or most Toku villains and superhero villains) are usually carriers of such stupidity. Who can remember Cobra Commander in the G.I.Joe cartoon cook up really stupid plans or when Serpentor in the second season is even more stupid than his predecessor? Then we can notice also the trend that the low-tier henchmen or villain grunts in superhero shows can also be THAT STUPID too. Not to mention they also do get a lot of strange stuff that just don't make sense (and somehow cleverly written) just to keep Super Sentai going. I mean, aren't some stuff in Super Sentai supposed to NOT MAKE SENSE? N...

While rewatching Kosoku Sentai Turboranger - I thought that one thing I didn't notice was the flashback in its 40th episode. It's this flashback of Yamimaru with an infant Kirika and the two Skull Monsters that raised her in the 1970s. I just can't help but agree with Shogo B'Stard when he says the following in this  episode review : The really big problem for me. When Yamimaru is explaining the motivation behind his plan to the Turboranger, we're shown a clip of Yamimaru in old times, walking with bloodied feet. He's not alone, though, he's wandering the land with the skull monsters who raised Kirika, who have with them BABY KIRIKA! What fucking sense does this make? The skull monsters raised Kirika as a baby in the human world starting in the early '70s. So how and why and what are they doing walking the earth with Yamimaru? Also: Yamimaru didn't know shit about Kirika, even when she was appearing to him in prophetic dreams! He pretty much chanced ...

This week's Kiramager is what I'd call you were forced to write in a plot at a fast pace. Kiramager was affected by the Legacy Virus and I think Naruhisa Arakawa may really be burnt out. Regardless, like Ressha Sentai ToQGer , the imagination is still shining to a certain extent.  This is where things start to thicken up. Yodonna is angry that Carantula has met the emperor face to face. The Carantula that died was just a doppelganger. Meanwhile, it's the first time we hear Emperor Yodon. This reminds me of how Kamen Rider Black RX had it that Grand Lord Crisis was spoken of but never spoke until later. Maybe, some may remember how Kamen Rider Black had the Creation King of Gorgom spoken of but only speaking late in the series. Right now, I'm even comparing Yodonna to General Dasmader of Black RX . Yodonna executes her latest plan. Sena and Sayo are eating out but only for Yodonna to interrupt the meal. Is she really quite a bitch? Something revealed later will definitel...

This week's episode is really what I'd call not to be as good as other episodes. Okay, that's just what I think so don't get mad, okay? I really find this episode to be sort of weird. Is it me or is Naruhisa Arakawa (well, he's got Ayumi Shino co-writing here) really now burned out?  Kiramager does have its emphasis on taking ToQGer's imagination station to a whole new level. Shiguru is a swordsman so it's only normal he tries to use new techniques in relation to the sword. Have to admit that this scene can make anybody nervous. Meanwhile, news of a new sensation star named Princess Yodoni appears. Shigeru gets startled then pretends not to know her. Well, this episode does get weird with somebody's past getting unveiled. Also, the new sensation plays before sunrise. It turns out Princess Yodoni's music can hypnotize the people. Fortunately for the princess Mabushina couldn't be hurt by it due to her skin. This really has that cla...