Sean Akizuki's Super Sentai Blog

  The recent death of Ichiro Mizuki at 74 came today. It turns out he died on December 6, 2022. The agency only announced it presumably out of respect for his family and friends. Right now, I just feel like I want to think about Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters and the short role he played. Also, he was Dr. Ben in Dimension Warrior Spielban . I couldn't help but remember the death of his character, Saburo Hazuki, who might be a tribute to the pen name, Saburo Yatsude.  Missions 35-36 are among the few times when Kento Shimoyama did a good job. Sure, I'll forever associate Shimoyama with the bad job he did with Shuriken Sentai Ninninger . Yeah, Ninninger is forever ONLY SLIGHTLY BETTER than that junk called Power Rangers Ninja Steel. Ninninger had its Ranger History lessons since it was the 40th birthday of Himitsu Sentai Goranger . I still think that Shimoyama managed to do Kamen Rider Zi-O better than Kamen Rider Decade . At least Zi-O managed to properly celebrate an anniversa...

From  that fool pretending to know everything about Sentai  to a person who now admits the truth of the series he's seen from start to end , I might do some writing on my personal thoughts on Super Sentai's acting quality which will include the main cast doing its action scenes. Now it's time for me to do a rather limited post based on my observation. Old school Super Sentai all the way to Timeranger The reality is that the more I watch old school Super Sentai, the harder it is for me to appreciate the newer ones . With my previously stated confession, aside from the writing and music, I would also bring up the acting of old school Super Sentai for me is better during the Showa era and 20th Century Heisei era which would be the Goranger up to Timeranger arc. If I want to talk about big time names and appearances in Tokusatsu during the Showa era and the 20th Century Heisei era, I could mention some of them. You might think of the short recurring appearances of Hirosh...

Well I decided to make this rather personal post on Super Sentai protagonist cast members I want to meet and why.  I am just basing the list below on my list of Super Sentai shows that I've watched from start to end as well as those I am currently watching. Akito Osuga for Bioman Considering he was my first favorite Sentai ranger, I think it'd be fair I'd pick him from Chodenshi Bioman.  Too bad that the very person I wanted to meet Munemaru Kouda has already died since I wanted to talk about Doctor Man's personality and how I can relate to it.  In the case of Osuga, I might really talk about a lot about my favorite Bioman, Blue Three!  I wish to also talk to him about his focus episodes especially the Prince Arc. Kazunori Inaba for Maskman For Maskman, no questions asked my favorite is Takeru/Red Mask.  I always wanted to try and meet the actor in person.  He appeared at the Henshin Con 2015 which I sadly didn't have the time to go to.  If ...

While it was too bad I couldn't go to the Henshin Con Launch Party 2015 even if I could afford the VIP ticket (PHP 2,500.00) to get to the party, food, drinks and of course meet and greet, I am still happy nonetheless for people who got to meet them.   People know by know that Takeru/Red Mask is my favorite in Maskman and Ken Hoshikawa/Five Blue is my favorite in Fiveman.  As a 90s kid (now 30 years old and still single), I would like to express my feelings here and for other who were able to be there.  For nostalgia, I remembered watching Maskman badly dubbed on IBC-13 (which sadly NEVER showed the finale) and Fiveman on ABC-5 before it became TV-5. The venue of the event was in One Espelade in the Mall of Asia in Manila.  Fortunately the event went on and no Filipino ultranationalist was able to cause trouble. Pictures were retrieved from here . Two of my favorites at the dinner table... too bad I wasn't there but lucky for the others! Returne...

Since today is November 1, 2014 based on Japan standard time, let's pay tribute to our dearly departed Super Sentai cast members: Baku Hatakeyama who played Daita Ooiwa in Goranger committed suicide.  He was born on June 18, 1944 and died on July 13, 1978 and he was only 34 years old. Chinoyosuke Azuma who played General Kurama Tetsuzan in Battle Fever J died on November 9, 2000.  He was 74 years old. Shin Kishida who played Daizaburo Arashiyama died of esophageal cancer on December 28, 1982.  He was only 47 years old. Munemaru Kouda aka Doctor Man and Gorma Emperor... died on July 9, 1998.  He was 74 years old.

So here's the reverse of the previous entry.  Now here are some I can name: Reiko Chiba is five years younger than Amy Jo Johnson. Eri Tanaka is one year younger than Tracy Lynn Cruz. Tetsuji Tamaya is two years younger than Philip Andrew. Haruka Suenaga is seven years younger than Rhoda Montemayor. Tyuyoshi Hayashi is one year younger than Chris Violette. Missed any?  Let me know!

Okay this isn't complete and I am open for constructive criticisms here to tell me about these, I just got them from Lavender Ranger's sites so don't really expect me to do this everything right. Yuuta Mochizuki is six years older than Austin St. John. Shiro Izumi was born in 1961 making him 31 years old in Zyuranger's time, Jason David Frank was only 20 years old that time. Seiju Umon is four years older than Walter Jones and nine years older than Johnny Yong Boscho. Too self-explanatory here with the actor Yoshihiro Masujima is an adult, Blake Foster was 11 years old that time. =P  Also Hisashi Sakai is four years older than Blake Foster. Kaneko Noboru is three years older than Rick Medina.  He was actually 27 years old that time during Gaoranger's filming.  Andrew Gray was 26 when he was cast in Megaforce. Nao Nagasawa is one year older than Sally Martin. Koichi Nishi is three years older than James Napier. Aiko Ito is four years older tha...

Well this is a 20 year reunion of sorts that has Keiichi Wada, Natsuki Takahashi, Ei Hamura, Tatsuya Nomi, Keisuke Tsuchiya and Hisashi Sakai.  I got this picture from Orends Range.  My thoughts?  Well it's been some time and time flew so fast like yesterday, both Hisashi Sakai and Blake Foster were still the child rangers they were in their respective shows and both are grown up as shown in this picture.  Just made me wonder who married who in Dairanger's cast... since I've heard Natsuki Takahashi is currently married I wish to see her family picture as well as the others.  Other than that, any 90s Sentai fan would LOVE this reunion.  Then again, in my celebrities blog I am so compelled to write about role analysis on the Dairangers maybe on Keiichi Wada or Natsuki Takahashi... but I really wish I could see pictures of their family lives =P

Despite the end of their series, it's a good thing to see their friendship last. =)

Here's another package gift for the holidays with Super Sentai gatherings...  While Kenta Sato does a thumbs up, Keichi Wada does a macho pose. Kenta Sato on a stage presentation of some of the red rangers. Keichi Wada and Ei Hamura with Riki Sato asking some questions.

There were some mysterious cast departures that happened and I will start to write about them... why did these actors leave the set?  While others had reasons revealed, these ones didn't.  Now let's get moving... and if anybody can answer them with valid sources, I might write an entry here to honor you. =) Diane Martin was eventually written off but not killed- the character was injured by Dracula Monster and left for the States. Igaana and Zazoriya were killed in episode 15 of Goggle V.  They were condemned to death by Deathmark in order to reorganize the Deathdark Empire.  Why they left I don't know. Mika Koizumi was written off in episode 10 while just completely in suit due to Yuki Yajima's sudden departure which still remains a mystery ranging from payroll to getting preggers to being fired. In Turboranger, it was done in three episodes straight.  In episode 28 we see Zimba volunteer to finish the Turborangers, in episode 29 we see Jarmin conde...

Time does fly fast and it's been a year since he made a guest appearance in Jetman as Gai Yuki's ghost, despite the fact he's more into J-Drama now (apparently that's what keeps most actors or actresses alive).  I guess nobody who's ever had ranked Jetman as one of the best or in my case, I'm among those who ranked it as the best Super Sentai could forget this awesome guy.  Cheers!

As Keiichi Wada makes an appearance next week on a Gai Ikari focused episode (I wish the focus episode was on Capt. Marvelous, why couldn't Gai Ikari meet Gai Yuuki?), it should be fun to see his older photos after Dairanger.  I say he's probably the most bad-ass Sentai red ranger actor yet that Jason David Frank would probably want to learn from him. I just wonder if he's married now and who his wife is if he never got married. Older and now more professional look... Despite him not getting any younger, he still displays some charisma. Hey Shinkengers who wants to challenge him?  I bet the Shinkenger class can learn a lot from him.  Oh, maybe the cast of PR Samurai should enroll in his classes too. With a lot of seniors... too bad I can't identify them all. Just on stage doing a trio Who's with him?  Can anybody comment? He hasn't lost his charm here.  He's got the wackiest shot here.  Only if he and Kenta Satou can show us their moves ag...