I talk about Super Sentai

As a kid I loved Power Rangers. In all actuality I don't believe I ever stopped loving power rangers it always had a special nostalgic place in my heart. I remember watching Mighty Morphin, Zeo, skipping turbo (I don't think my young brain could handle that crap season) and the last one I watched as a kid was In Space which had a fairly well done plot when it comes to Power Rangers seasons. As I grew older I would catch an old episode of MMPR here and there and I really didn't watch much of the other seasons because in my eyes and probably in the eyes of others that was the best season because of the nostalgic place it holds. Prior to the age where the internet was easily accessible to so many people, we had no way of knowing that Power Rangers was derived from this show in Japan called Super Sentai and especially no means of watching it over here. A couple years ago I was able to watch my first season of Super Sentai which was called Dairanger. Dairanger was where Mighty Morphin Power Rangers got their thunder zords and the white ranger from. When I watched Dairanger I saw elements of this show that were not transposed into the American adaptation of the series. One of the things in particular was a plot and sub plots that you could follow and get invested in as opposed to the I'm the bad guy here's a monster out of an arbitrary object. I'm not bashing power rangers in any way but as I progressed through the series I became more invested in what was unfolding. Another thing was with Power Rangers we get these guys dressed as monsters smashing up these towns, however in the Japanese counterpart you see the buildings crumbling and the citizens fleeing and one or two people trapped under rubble. Small touches but they add context and go a long way in gaining the interest of an older viewer. After finishing the season I kinda felt cheated from the product that we got stateside. After watching that season I went on to watch a season called Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger which happened to be their 35th anniversary season and I was absolutely amazed. The plot begins with a threat facing the earth which requires the 34 previous Super Sentai to gather and fight off. The aftermath of this is that in the fight all of them lose their powers and they are scattered throughout the galaxy. A space pirate gathers most of the keys through his ventures he amasses a crew. Their destination is Earth where they are told the greatest treasure in the universe lies. Concurrently, the evil forces that fought the previous 34 sentai have returned to take over the planet Earth as they have taken over and destroyed most of the planets in the galaxy. The forces attack and initially the pirates have no interest in protecting the planet or its people. Through their search for treasure they learn elements of humanity that give them insight on why both the planet and the people inhabiting it are worth protecting. I was amazed that they made the protagonist antiheroes because it was not something I was used to seeing in Power Rangers. It took the black and white of good guys vs. bad guys and added in a grey area. This season also features a plethora of cameo appearances of former Super Sentai members who initially are not ok with the new Super Sentai being Pirates and having their old powers. After they are around them long enough they realize that the pirates are actually genuine and trustworthy enough to hold on to their powers so that the crew can reach their goal. As they progressed towards their goal they ran into a sixth ranger and one of my favorite characters from the show. The sixth ranger is a super sentai fanboy who gains his powers risking his life to save someone. His knowledge of Super Sentai history becomes useful to the pirates and he eventually joins their cause and aids the crew to their ultimate goal. What makes him my favorite character beside him being a fanboy of super sentai is how his presence helps the crew gain further insight into humanity as well as his growth in understanding what it is to be a hero. There are several key points in the series in which he learns that not only is it the powers that make the hero but the will to fight and make a difference. Now that I have the summary out the way this season was so amazing. I mean it was the ultimate fan service season that provided a history into super sentai and it didn't use the formula that the good guys always win in the half hour slot. There are a few episodes that start in the middle of zord fights which helps add depth to the show and helps the viewer understand that there is more to their fight than what is shown in the time slot of their show. There are also episodes in which they lose showing their tenacity to fight to accomplish their dreams. There are also very well implemented subplots. So why have I spent this entire blog giving a synopsis of the two super sentai seasons I watched? Honestly because I felt like it. It's not directly related to my work but I am in a stage of rebuilding on many aspects. The series amazed me, enthralled me and inspired me. It avoided being super campy as opposed to the adaptation for audiences outside of Japan. (It was still campy but what can you expect from spandex and motorsycle helmets?) Gokaiger ended in 2012 and I still get hyped when I hear the theme song. So as an artist all I have to say is go out there, find your inspiration and follow your dreams.