Sean Akizuki's Super Sentai Blog

Last year,  King-Ohger's timeline was   linked with Kyoryuger . This year has ToQGer linked with Boonboomger . I'm getting ready for some people who still believe in the existence of the Super Sentai timeline.  One episode featured the Go-Onger guest episode, explaining that  Go-Onger was from another world . However, this episode links or proves that Boonboomger is in the same continuity as ToQGer . Watching ToQGer when I had taste fatigue from Super Sentai was why I didn't initially enjoy it .  This week's episode didn't have any open portals or anything. Instead, it really had it that Akira and Right Suzuki. Jun Shishon only showed up at the end of the episode. Shin Nagahama took the cake as the guest star. No mention of Shadow Line was made. The plot had some crazy train-themed monster called Senro Grumer. The people get forced to play choo-choo train against their will. Getting all the ToQGer cast together may be impossible -- given that some are ...

  Ressha Sentai ToQGer might be a show that's almost got no middle ground. Some try to defend it to be the best show ever. As an older Super Sentai fan - I'm actually more inclined to prefer most of the older series. Fortunately, there were some decent attempts to remain afloat after Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger . I'd probably still state that Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger was just plain annoying at first glance. Right now, I think Kyoryuger is actually a watchable mess  but it's rather biased. Just think how I find Kamen Rider BLACK RX and B-Fighter Kabuto to be watchable messy shows because the Saban adaptations straight out SUCK. Yeah, I really tried watching B-Fighter Metallix and it's WAY WORSE than the source material. With ToQGer  - I think the show's actually okay. Maybe, I'd say So Okay It's Average because it's almost similar to how Toshiki Inoue was with Kamen Rider Kiva  (and I enjoy that show), Hirohisa Soda with Chikyu Sentai Fiveman , and Junki T...

ToQGer seems to be that show where there's hardly any middle ground or is it? How do I expect to arrive at a middle ground or at least a more fair assessment of the show five years later? Personally, I still think about Fiveman and it being Hirohisa Soda's lowest point in his career. Fiveman could've ended Super Sentai if it wasn't for Jetman. Carranger didn't improve ratings either after Ohranger either but I enjoy its zany scripts. Heck, I'm even somebody who doesn't hate Go-Onger. But I do still like those shows to a certain extent so why can't I do the same for ToQGer? Besides, ToQGer is still way more watchable than Megafail (the most uninspired Power Rangers season to date) and Ninja Steel (or Ninja Sh*t if you want to get nastier). Kobayashi was already burnt out like Soda. What happened to her is no different than what happened to Soda with Fiveman or should I say Toshiki Inoue with Kamen Rider Kiva. So why can't I give the same allowance to...

I did some Akibaranger rewatching and I ended up coming up with a wild idea. So why didn't Toei set ToQGer as the 40th anniversary season instead of Zyuohger? The reason behind it is that ToQGer is powered by IMAGINATION which reminds me of Akibaranger's Delusion Power. All this may be possible if Naruhisa Arakawa were its main writer. All that Imagination Power in ToQGer could have been used more or less the same way as Akibaranger. In fact, I even think about improving that concept What if a bunch of children who became adults through their IMAGINATION ended up imagining Super Sentai Warriors in suit. Just imagine it if in the introductory arc we see Right imagine himself into meeting Red Hawk or the other Akibarangers discover the power of the previous Super Sentai. The opening scene could have them as children imagining they are Super Sentai warriors. Then newer train mecha would be based on past Super Sentai powers which they imagine these stuff into life as they batt...

Today is in commemoration of the day that Ressha Sentai ToQGer got its well-deserved award because of the Railroad Day which is held on October 15. It got its award on October 14, 2014 a day before the said day that year. I thought about how TV ratings may no longer be the most reliable gauge of popularity in the digital age considering the rise of Internet TV. Now I'd like to think about the charm of ToQGer and how it's still an important show. First, let's talk about the document given to ToQGer: Ressha Sentai ToQger, is one of the Super Sentai series that has aired on TV Asahi for nearly 40 years. This Sentai has been produced using a train motif! The award presented is aimed to familiarize and promote the railroad system to a wide ranger of people. We believe that the show is an excellent source of encouragement in the upbringing of future railroad fans. Yes, trains are a very important part of Japan. Celebrating Railroad Day should be maintained even after To...

I once thought that  Naruhisa Arakawa should've been Ressha Sentai ToQGer's head writer because of Akibaranger. Another writer worth mentioning is none other than Junki Takegami. So why would I mention him as an alternative? If you did some Super Sentai research for the late 90s up to late last decade it'd be obvious. On the other hand, for the sake of others who don't know why I could talk about it why I imagine him as its head writer. He was involved with not just one but two shows that were obviously public service announcements. In the year 1999 he was assigned to be Kyukyu Sentai GoGoFive's headwriter. In 2008 he was assigned as Engine Sentai Go-onger's headwriter. He's also the head writer of Denji Sentai Megaranger which might also help though I'd stick to the fact he's involved with GoGoFive and Go-onger for this post. GoGoFive, Go-onger and ToQGer may all be different themes but they have one thing in common: they promote safety rules a...

I don't have anything against lighter and softer Super Sentai as long as it's done well. Some of my favorite Super Sentai and Kamen Rider shows happen to exist in the world of teddy bears and rainbows like Kamen Rider Kiva. Ressha Sentai ToQGer also takes place in such a light environment. The show itself could have actually tried to become an official version of Akibaranger running for an entire season instead of a two season mini-series. I think Toei really wanted a season long Akibaranger and thus ToQGer was born. Good idea, good innovation. But in every step of innovation a brilliant idea can go down the drain if the wrong people are assigned to it. That's what I thought happened during ToQGer. I don't think the producer was a wrong choice. It doesn't necessarily have to be Jun Hikasa the producer of Akibaranger. The idea of trains was a brilliant idea. Takaaki Utsunomiya could've been kept as the head producer of the whole show. But I could start talkin...

While I did write why I'd watch Go-onger over Gobusters , but I figured out I'd watch Gobusters over ToQGer.  For me, ToQGer was really where Yasuko Kobayashi either burned out or... just gave up writing a better story.  Gobusters for me, I don't think I can hate it either although I have a low opinion on it.  Moving on.... The heroes While I was watching both sides of the coin, ToQGer felt more like it was too primarily focused on children but Gobusters at least tried to appeal with the older audience.  Gobusters was basically Yasuko Kobayashi trying to make her darkest work after she previously wrote the fun season of Shinkenger, she wanted to re-attempt into going back with darker, more serious stories.  Now I have nothing against fun seasons, but ToQGer for me failed to impress me as much as Go-onger.  At least Go-onger for me felt more like it had a plot going on along with it. So where do I think the Gobusters cast stands out against the ToQGer...

While watching ToQGer, I felt like the comedic execution of Zed was practically wrong, just wrong since it ruined the consistency behind Shadow Line's mission.  So how did I feel Zed should have been done?  Assuming ToQGer is meant to be a comedy series like Carranger or Go-onger (both series having fearsome big bads), I have some methods that could have worked out: Make him more or less like post-marriage Lord Zedd in a way which seemingly silly yet possesses a dangerous streak.  I will admit that I find post-marriage Lord Zedd better than before he got married considering he did a lot more damage than when he was still that temperamental fellow.  I would want to imagine Zed here as the son of Rita and Lord Zedd, misplaced and one day growing up wishing to restore his parents' legacy.  I would have him return in ToQGer, angry with Shadow Line that they haven't conquered the world with darkness and when he first arrives, he's disgusted with all the light and...

It's no secret that I do have my disappointment with ToQGer.  At this point, I would blame Toei's staff for not considering the writer of the series or they haven't looked back at every writer's strengths and weaknesses.  Knowing the right person to assign for writing a certain Super Sentai season can have great effects on the show. Yasuko Kobayashi for me just didn't make the cut here and it made her lackluster job as a writer for Tokumei Sentai Gobusters look like it was close to becoming a masterpiece!  While she was responsible for Seijuu Sentai Gingaman, Mirai Sentai Timeranger and Samurai Sentai Shinkenger, she was also responsible for Kamen Rider Ryuki, Kamen Rider Den-O (which she started dabbling with more comedy) and Kamen Rider OOO (which I enjoy).  Compared to Kamen Rider OOO, ToQGer really ran out of IMAGINATION, the supposed source of power for the show itself.  While she did good with Shinkenger (but it's not as good as Gingaman and Timeranger...

ToQGer really pales in comparison to Shinkenger regardless in my opinion... I would like to ramble on Shinkenger and ToQGer for these reasons. ToQGer had the same head writer (Yasuko Kobayashi) and producer (Takaaki Utsunomiya) but it resulted to something that I couldn't take. This may be very unpleasant so please bear with me. I would start my own talk about how Shinkenger succeeded and ToQGer failed. It may contain my biases considering Shinkenger is the very first Sentai I watched from start to end, head-written by Yasuko Kobayashi though as of late, my favorite work from her is Mirai Sentai Timeranger and second is Seijuu Sentai Gingaman. I will admit watching more Sentai shows, admitting I was pretending to be a know-it-all before and now admitting my fault is sort of like me re-educating myself as a writer and a person. So going on with this lengthy Sentai rambling this time around.... it's time to read my opinions. Understanding the staff behind Ressha Sentai ToQ...

So I'll be presenting my personal and final thoughts on ToQGer as a Super Sentai season. Okay it's been two episodes of Ninninger (which it's too early for me to judge the show) but I'll be giving my thoughts on ToQGer (and maybe I'll soon ramble on Yasuko Kobayashi as soon as I'm done with Gingaman so I hope the subs will d be done). Okay I can start with the characters. While they are not obnoxious and I can understand why they behave in a certain way. While they are not stiff like the Gobusters (a series I'd watch over ToQGer) or obnoxious like the Kyoryugers (makes dinosaurs glad they're dead), ToQGer offered some refreshing new characters. So they are powered by imagination in all their battles. Now I have nothing against that, I mean I do like Akibaranger. However the cast members here come nowhere close to the likability of Shinkenger. Shinkenger had a healthy balance of serious and fun tones as a lighter and softer show, I would say ToQGer fa...

ToQGer is having a V-Cinema which were however not the non-canon VS Movies.  Instead, we have a special that takes place after the series ends.  The series that had a V-Cinema prior to ToQGer where Timeranger, Shinkenger, Goseiger, Gobusters (which they met an alternate version of Gobusters), Hurricanger (10 years after) and Kyoryuger (where it happens 100 years later). What is amazing is that Timeranger, Shinkenger, and ToQGer are Super Sentai which were under Yasuko Kobayashi.  Too bad Gingaman didn't have a V-Cinema (coincidentally Saban also promised a movie for the cast of Lost Galaxy but screwed it up).  The V-Cinema started with Timeranger where this non-canon episode had them view the Super Sentai before Timeranger. Shinkenger's V-Cinema was a massive clip show... involving different scenarios.  The Shinkengers must overcome the illusions they are trapped in.  I thought it was a pretty silly V-Cinema which I usually don't rewatch in contrast to...

While watching Ressha Sentai ToQGer I just noticed that the series itself tends to push me to remember older Super Sentai.  While I would have been okay with a more Flashman-type plot inserted into it (Flashman is the only series to have children kidnapped and raised in space, I'd love to see it again).  However ToQGer is more prone to make you think of previous Kamen Riders? For some reason, I always looked at Right as Wataru 2.0 without a lover.  If I can compare Gingaman to Jetman and Timeranger to Agito, ToQGer feels mostly like Kiva mixed with Den-O and Wizard elements.  It's throwing back to Kamen Rider in some way. Like Kamen Rider Kiva, the whole show is horror-comedy based.  That is, you have the creatures of the dark but played for mostly comic purposes.  Like Kamen Rider Wizard, the ToQGers were tasked to drive out any negative feeling in towns occupied by the Shadow Line.  The Shadow Line were always harvest negative feelings and the ...

Here's Yasuko Kobayashi's different red rangers after I wrote about her different shades of pink rangers .  Now I'd share my opinion on them. Ryoma/Ginga Red- So I've seen at least 36 episodes of Gingaman (subbed) and I'm yet to bring in my overall critique.  However, he has given me some reasons to like him.  I like the plot where he is a stand-in red ranger, he does everything to fill in his supposedly dead brother's shoes and to do everything to uphold his duty as the current Ginga Red.  He has a strong sense of responsibility and wants to do everything to uphold honor.  I also like the idea where he wanted to return his powers to his brother Hyuga. Tatsuya Asami/Time Red- Yet another "stand-in red".  In the Year 3000, one of his descendants namely Ryuya was the Time Red of that era.  When Yuuri, Ayase, Domon and Sion came in they had no choice but to make him Time Red.  I enjoy his trying to fight destiny itself especially against his fa...

So I'll confess my relationship with ToQGer and the past few shows, whether it's Super Sentai or Power Rangers to an extent, Kamen Rider.  So I've read from Orends Range the opinions of Saban on ToQGer ... now I'll share my opinions why it's still watchable in spite of bad mecha design, I don't like the suits and BOOOOORING villains that Emperor Ed... I mean Emperor Zed (He's Emperor Zetto okay?!) is the Emperor of Lameness but it's still watchable overall even if it's not really my cup of tea, it's just like I eat certain types of food but don't really like it: While the ToQGer cast are nowhere near memorable as Shinkenger (Kobayashi's last masterpiece which suffered some issues ), we had Gobusters which was really stiff (but then again, still more watchable than Kyoryuger) followed by the obnoxious Kyoryugers (UGH).  I can count on the fact they are a breath of fresh air although they aren't anything special for me.  Sigh, too ...

Shinkenger and ToQGer (an ongoing series) are both having Takaaki Utsunomiya as its chief producer and Yasuko Kobayashi as its head writer.  Now here's some similarities between Shinkenger and ToQGer: The most obvious is the color coding.  For some reason except for Gobusters, Yasuko Kobayashi ends up getting assigned the colors red, green, blue, yellow and pink  when it comes to her being the main writer.  Also take note that Kobayashi was also a sub-writer for Megaranger, Gogo V and Boukenger. Both Mojikara and Imagination kind of work in a way.  The Shinkengers use their mojikara not only to master their elements but also to make certain things become real by using that power for combat or other purposes.  The ToQGers used their imagination powers to imagine certain things to life to assist them in combat. Both series had a crossover with the Kamen Rider series that aired alongside it.  Shinkenger aired in a two-partner crossover with Kamen...

Here's a plaque of appreciation for Yasuko Kobayashi's lighter series ToQGer.  Now I was thinking if I can enjoy Kiva, I can definitely enjoy ToQGer's comic moments.  Now check out this one from Hero Shock  to where I got the picture.  Meanwhile let's take a look back at the first safety Sentai, Gogo V which is a more serious season compared to the colorful season of ToQGer.   Gogo V was a rescue team while being the second Super Sentai to become sibling-based.  It was also Junki Takegami's second headwriting work and Yasuko Kobayashi was one of its major writers.  While Kobayashi was writing mostly serious stuff for Gingaman and Timeranger as head writer while she was a secondary writer for Gogo V... note that she also wrote Shinkenger which was more on the balanced side.  

I want to write my OPINION and critique on why I think both Shinkenger and ToQGer both had Super Sentai/Kamen Rider crossovers and most seasons didn't. For the failed Saban's Mashed Rider/MMPR crossover... it was possible to do because Saban intended the Black RX failed adaptation and localization to be part of the MMPR universe.  In fact, rumors even had it that Mashed Rider's finale was supposed to meet with the Power Rangers than ten senior Masked Riders (citation needed). Super Sentai and Kamen Rider were treated as two different continuities, heck even Super Sentai tends to be very self-contained for some time... and most crossovers are blatantly non-canon (ex. Ohranger vs. Kakuranger) over the less obvious ones (like Gekiranger vs. Boukenger, Shinkenger vs. Go-onger). Plots from Super Sentai and Kamen Rider tend to be more or less, pretty different and modus operandi of Heisei KR villains is much different than the convoluted but deadly schemes of Showa KR villains...