If only I had time :( I get off work so late and between having a pregnant wife and a three year old son my time is strapped anymore. Luckily I can squeeze in an episode of Power Rangers with my son most days. We watched RPM and Jungle Fury like that recently.

Go with Zyu. Ninninger isn't that great.

I haven't actually heard a lot of people say they don't like Ninninger. What's wrong with it so far?

Either way yeah I think I'll go back and finish Zyuranger. I really need to watch some of the older sentais. The oldest one I've watched was Shinkenger :o

I think Ninninger is good if you just wanna watch a fun sentai.

Wasn't ToQger an "All fun" Sentai already, though?
Perhaps some viewers are a little burnt out?

The pacing feels a bit strange at times, the red ranger is insufferable at most times (more than freaking Daigo Kiryu at times), the villains are boring, and it's trying to be a super child friendly sentai just after Tokkyuger, which at least had some emotion behind it. That's all just my opinion, though, and it does have its good points- all the other rangers are pretty cool and the designs are decent enough.

Starninger is probably one of my favorite 6th members.
he's got a nice backstory and he's just a nice take on an American character.

Those all seem like valid points. I'm sure I'll end up watching it here soon. I can pretty much always find something to like about every sentai I watch and I'm sure that one won't be any different :D

Seconded. Zyuranger is awesome while Ninninger is less than stellar.

... how can you be burnt out from fun?

I don't get everyone's problem with Takaharu. Neither do I get why everyone was so annoyed by Daigo.
Also, I don't feel that Ninninger is trying to be child friendlier than anything that came after Go-Busters- and most of the stuff before Go-Busters.

That's the spirit! If you're into newer Sentai, Ninninger should be fun. I started with Magi, but I had the most fun with the era from Shinkenger onwards- which doesn't mean those before that are bad, but I find myself enjoying newer stuff a tad more.

So what? Do we need a super-amazing, innovative, stellar show every year? Can't we just be happy with something that's simply entertaining?

Seeing as how we haven't had a super amazing innovative stellar show since Gekiranger, no, we can't just have something that is simply entertaining. Plus, Ninninger isn't the least bit entertaining, it is boring as fuck. Almost as boring as Drive.

Both; I loved ZyuRanger and I love the hell out of NinNinger.

I thought Zyuranger was a little boring; fell into the child of the week motif way too quickly and at the sake of progressing the other interesting story lines they had going in the show. I feel some people like it since they can pick out MMPR stuff, but that is just my opinion.

I love Ninninger, but I also loved Kakuranger, Hurricaneger, and ninjas in general, so that is my bias. I think Ninninger is fun and bright and everything that little kids want to see. This is the era of super kid-friendly sentai shows; there were darker seasons and minimalists seasons and seasons that aimed towards a slightly older crowd, but now they are going after little kids. And since it is a Japanes kids' show, there is nothing wrong with that and I support it (my kids don't speak Japanese, but they love watching).

I love Zyu because it is just a great show, not because of MMPR. The stories are enjoyable, the main plot is complex, the development for most of the rangers and the subtle development for the villains is superb. The music is pleasing to the ears and the choreography is utterly fantastic. Not to mention the mech battles are quite enjoyable to watch too and they don't look like giant bricks walking on screen.

BTW, just because it is a kids show does not mean it has to be dumbed down. Kids are not stupid. They don't need everything to be sugar coated, bright, and happy go lucky 24/7 to enjoy it. A kid can watch Kakuranger and enjoy it just the same as Ninninger Kaku doesn't insult their intellects. Kaku treats kids like they are smart while Nin treats them like they are dumb.

I would argue that NinNinGer is more about entertainment than treating kids if they were dumb. Honestly I don't feel like my IQ drops any watching it unlike something like Teen Titans Go. Honestly I get a lot out of the story right now and I totally love the entire cast. I think there is a lot going on with the plot too. Just Takaharu acts a lot more than he thinks and screams a lot doesn't make this a dumb show not when all of them more than get past his flaws.

As always it all comes down to personal preference. We all watch these shows for various reasons. When I watch toku, sentai especially, I like how it makes me feel like a kid again. Don't have to think too hard, don't worry about anything; just watch color-themed heroes fight monsters with giant robots.

Ninninger isn't even 20 episodes in yet and if we are going to compare Nin to Kaku, then let's look at the first 20 episodes of Kaku; they were way dumber and more ridiculous than anything Nin has aired yet. Nine isn't dumbing anything down, nor is it treating the audience like they are stupid. It's a light-hearted show and light-heart sells right now. You are entitled to your opinion, but I do think that it is wrong.

I like Ninninger and Kakuranger a lot (Kaku is a top-three favorite series), but they both have their weaknesses. I think they're good shows to compare and contrast, beyond both being about ninjas. Specifically because Kaku was very goofy and comedic for its first chunk of episodes, just like Ninnin has been so far.

Comparing the first 18 episodes of each series, I'd argue that Kaku is actually goofier than Ninnin, although I think Kaku's sense of humor is smarter. Kaku's comedy is based on pointed social satire, whereas Ninnin's humor is pretty vapid and surface level. Since comedy is such a big emphasis in these episodes, I think Kaku's superiority here is pretty substantial.

But... Ninnin improves upon Kaku, at least in the first 18 episodes, in its approach to overarching plot and character development. The first hint of an overarching plot in Kaku doesn't emerge until Junior's arrival in episode 18, and the show doesn't start developing its lead characters in earnest until the mid-20s. Meanwhile, Ninnin shows us an overarching plot from episode one, and it builds 3 distinct, fully fleshed-out characters (Kasumi, Fuuka, and Yakumo), one of which is gunning for franchise-classic status (Kasumi, with her bubblegum-flavored ruthlessness). Even the characters I don't like (Kinji, I'm looking at you) or who are not particularly unique (Takaharu), I find hard to discount as under-developed compared to Kakuranger. Nagi is the obvious exception, but look at the first 18 of Kaku, and you'll find Sasuke, Saizou, and Seikai are equally bland.**

Do I expect Ninnin to reach the dramatic heights of Kakuranger's second half, which is some of the best sentai I've ever seen? Based on recent series (and based on the overarching plot already established, which is admittedly pretty freakin' bland), I have to say no, I don't. But I don't think it's fair to count it out quite yet. Whether one likes it or not, Ninninger has a lot going for it -- and I'm confident that there are interesting developments in store for the next 28+ episodes.

** Kaku's early episodes spend a lot of time developing the monsters of the week as actual characters, often at the expense of developing the heroes, which is something that makes it unique in the Sentai pantheon (as far as I've seen, at least). I readily admit that criticizing Kaku's sparse development of the heroes until later episodes may be missing the creators' point -- even though it still rings as problematic to me.

Keep in mind I haven't seen a TON of Sentai, and what I have seen is mostly older stuff, so maybe i've just been watching the wrong shows...but none of the Sentai i've seen has really been all that deep, or had that many interesting arcs. In fact, the story development is a bit more interesting than some other shows...

Actually, that brings up a point. Why is everybody comparing it to kakuranger? Is it just because it had a slow start, but ended up being everybody's favorite? I pick on this series a lot, but I got halfway through Megaranger and thought it was absolutely boring. I felt like almost nothing happened the whole time, except a new villain showing up. Ninninger DEFINITELY has a lot more going for it than that series. Even if it's not up to the standards of what people consider to be the best, it's certainly not bad.

The only reason I'm comparing it to Kaku is because it has ninjas and Youkai.

Even the first 20 episodes didn't treat it's audience like it was stupid.

Nin is dumbing a lot down. There have been 4 forced in mech battles that did not need to be there. There was the episode from last week that was just a total waste even by Ninninger standards. Then we have the villains that are doing nothing. There hasn't been a lick of development for the current boss dude and the anger management guy didn't have any development either. Oh yeah, and white and yellow have barely been developed either.

The only thing I can really say is that I agree, some mech battles feel forced. I don't like the "generic" giant monster battles, even though the monster has a cool design

Welp, at least Ninninger has the option to drop mech battles if they don't want to include them.
Remember how they had to do a mech battle in every single episode because the monsters growing big after defeat was part of the world building? Oh god, that was so annoying... it certaily ruined some very nice after fight-moments.

Well, downloaded all of Dairanger after the announcement that it'll get a retail release here.
I think I'll check it out some time this week and see if it holds my interest better than the last time I tried to watch it.

I've now completed DAIRANGER. Another one bites the dust!

Funny coincidence that I finish it up just as its US DVD release is announced. I'll definitely spend my money on the set to show my support of...

Another freaking fantastic 90s Sentai season!

Dairanger is one of the most consistently "good" sentai series I've seen, with reliable pacing, a twisty plot, and well-developed side characters. It doesn't quite reach the same sublime highs as Jetman or Kakuranger, my reigning top-two series, but on the flip side, it never descends to those series' lows.

Still, I'm always going to prefer series with high highs, even if they contain low lows. To me, the peaks justify the valleys. While I do love Dairanger, its consistent B+ quality doesn't appeal to me as much as the series that have moments of A+ material, even if we have to suffer a few C- patches to get there. Therefore, I don't think I can rank it higher than Jetman or Kakuranger -- or even Gokaiger, by current #3. It's strange to me that a series as enjoyable as Dairanger only ranks at #4 on my list of favorites -- but I suppose that that's just a testament to how good this show can be when it's firing on all cylinders.

The only downside of Dairanger that I can think of -- and I can see this being a bigger problem for a lot of people than it was for me -- is the limited character development of our main five. In a show with a less propulsive overarching story, I'd find that more problematic than I do here. But because almost every episode progresses one of the main plots, it's easier for me to forgive the heroes' unwavering adherence to strict archetypes. Also helping matters are some very well-developed supporting characters like Kukaju, Jin, Akomaru, Gara, The Three Gorma Stooges, and Doushi Kaku. I wish more attention was given to developing the leads, but that's not to say there weren't any fully fleshed-out characters in the mix.

---

Alright, now that Dairanger is in my rear view, it's time to look to the future.

The future of 199X, to be exact. That's right, I'm tackling the notoriously troubled OHRANGER next.

OHRANGER will be the first series I've watched with an outright negative consensus from fandom. I've seen the first 7 episodes, and I've gotta say...

They're pretty darn special! Ohranger's opening arc is... well, the word that springs to mind first is "hardcore." The show applies Sugimura's mad genius to a more traditional, 70s/80s-esque military-ops Sentai team, and so far the results are surprisingly dark. Seriously -- these episodes are just brutal, and that brutality is highlighted by stellar action direction and some of the franchise's best editing. The heroes come out the gate as ultra competent badasses to face the super ruthless Baranoia Empire. These villains are scumbags who are out for blood, and their goal is not world destruction, but rather the psychological and physical enslavement of all of mankind. The Baranoia -- even their mooks -- are terrifying. I mean -- in just 7 episodes, I've already seen a mind-controlled father torture his young son, a brainwashed young boy hold his brother at gun point (in what has to be the franchise's most disturbing instance of Cronenberg-ian body-horror), a big bad kill two of his own subordinates in an especially soul-crushing manner (he really hates love, y'all), and a near-Jiraiya-level-tragic backstory for the heroes' commander.

I know that things quickly change after the Sarin gas attacks -- which occurred during the writing of episodes 8 and 9 -- and that the show's tone shifts radically after that point. Even so, I can't wait to see how this troubled production plays out. If nothing else, I doubt it will be boring.

I'm the opposite. I thought Dai had some of the best character development for the rangers. Everyone had their own subplots that developed who they were. The reason Daigo had the most development though is because his sub arc started in episode 9 while everyone else's really kicked off in the late teens and early 20s. Even Kaku (my 2nd favorite) failed at developing Saito and Seizo. Another thing I love about Dai is how little filler there is and I believe it has the lowest number of actual Monsters of the Week in it.

Oh's first 8 episodes are great, but then it starts to throw in a lot of forced comedy afterwards that just does not fit. The show still has a lot of great moments, but the ranger cast is quite generic and it gets really boring. However, episode 32 is one of the best episodes in the series.

An argument could be made that the 5 main Dairangers are well-characterized up front, and I'd even agree with that. However, I find their character arcs a little lacking -- and the arc is what I'm referring to when I say "development." As in, they're pretty much the same at the beginning of the series as they are at the end.

I actually find this interesting because their steadiness as characters inspires the people around them to grow and change. As a direct result of their interaction with our steadfastly moral and consistent heroes, Kujaku, Jin, Akomaru, Gara, Master Kaku, and The Stooges all change and develop considerably over the course of the series.

Looking at the four Sugimura shows, I find this "unchanging hero" element to be a recurring pattern. None of his heroes change all that much, but their impact on the supporting characters is sizable (In Zyu, it's the Children of the Week and Burai who change, in Kaku it's the CoWs and the Yokai, and in Dai it's the recurring supporting cast). This is sort of like the character development found in a lot of different super hero stories. Batman, Superman, Doctor Who, Captain America, Thor... these guys don't change a lot in their stories, but rather, they act as catalysts for growth in their companions and the other people who enter their lives.

And that isn't a criticism, it's just an observation of Sugimura's style. I think it's a really effective approach to the material.

Yeah, the lack of filler is a HUGE plus for Dairanger. I can think of maybe 3 episodes that don't majorly advance one of the season-long plots. That's part of the reason the show is so propulsive -- there aren't any fillers to act as narrative roadblocks.

I got up through episode 9 last night, and boy-oh-boy, your observation is spot-on. That episode was soooooo broad and over-the-top compared to the awesome eight episodes that preceded it. I mean, I didn't hate it, but Juri was written so differently from previous episodes that I almost felt like I put on the wrong show. And the stupid comedic moments almost seemed like a "f-you" to the network for asking them to tone down the intensity (though that might just be my reading of things). I'm on board for the long haul, but this episode definitely validates the theory that massive changes occurred after the terrorist attacks.

See, even that I have to disagree with. They had to learn to work together as a team because no one really cared about being a ranger in the beginning. Hell, they spent more time arguing with each other in the Key monster episodes than working together. Plus, they still weren't fully a team until after they dealt with Ryo's dad and High Priest Saw.

What are some of your favorite episodes though? Mine are the drunken tofu one, the one with Father Gauss, the Jin premier episodes, and the one with the Oni's Golden Leg.

Kinda sounds like Jetman. To be honest though, I prefer shows where the team wants to work together. The in-fighting gets old (says the guy with the cause of all the in-fighting in Jetman as his avatar)

I enjoy a Sentai where the team wants to work together, but it's different to Jetman.
Mainly being that, aside from maybe Radiguet, it's what makes it special.

the entire feeling of Jetman is when you want to see the team be a team and when the team is finally a team you're like
http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pu...af2fd9655f.png

Yes, but not every team is going to get along immediately. They have to learn how to work together first, which I prefer. In fact, that might be why I do enjoy Jet-Kaku so much, they have to learn how to work as a team first.

Zyu didn't really need to learn, but that aspect of the show (actual team building) is awesome and I wish Toei would bring it back. Kyoryu could have had that, but instead everyone just admired and followed Daigo around

They do learn some humility after being defeated once or twice before really cohering as a team, but I kinda feel like all that stuff happens super early. Though I guess you can't really discount that as significant development.

So maybe the synthesis of our views is that most of their development is front-loaded, and they change very little after the first ten episodes.

I love all of the Jin episodes. Those are killer. Especially episode 27, where he demonstrates just how much of a monster he is by killing his sister -- and episode 35, where Ryou wears the special resistance suit made out of springs to get strong enough to fight him.

I also really love a lot of Kou's episodes, which I was expecting to dread. But I was consistently impressed by how they handled his arc -- nothing is made easy for him just because he's a kid. They really run that character through the emotional ringer and the writers never put on their"kid gloves" when handling his story. I particularly enjoyed episodes 18 (where we get the first glimpse of his mother branding him) and 22 (where Akomaru gets crushed to death by boulders... for the first time).

The last couple Kujaku episodes rank pretty highly too -- I was definitely moved by how they handled Kujaku and Gara's shared history.

And then the last ten episodes are non-stop awesome. I wasn't surprised by the reveal that Kaku is a Gorma, but I was legitimately surprised by how that played out. I never thought he actually betrayed the team, but the show did a good job of making me wonder what his motives were and what his endgame was.

Geez, that's a lot of favorite episodes, huh? :lol

Yeah, there are many other favorites of mine too, but those are my top favorites.

Kou is done absolutely well. Yes, you are right, they didn't put the kid gloves on, but he still felt like a kid as far as his character went. It wasn't like Justin in PRTurbo where he was written as if he was a teenager, which is why I have no problem accepting Kou as a ranger compared to Justin.

Right, and I loved that just because he's a kid doesn't mean he doesn't go through some painful, terrifying experiences. In fact, I think he experiences more emotional torture and heartache than anyone else on the show.

As for Justin... I haven't watched PR Turbo since it was originally on like 18 years ago, so I can't speak authoritatively. But from what I recall, he was clearly the product of a writing staff that didn't have much respect for kids' intelligence. I remember him as a collection of childish cliches wrapped up in one character, and as a kid, I did not respond positively to that character one bit.

Hey mina, what's Go-Onger like? Worth the watch?

Can I chime in on Go-Onger?

If you have seen RPM, expect it to be nothing like that. At all. RPM was serious and dark and Go-Onger is ultra goofy and fun. The eyes on the mechs make more sense (you'll see) and the story doesn't get serious until the last 4 or 5 episodes.

But the season is still a ton of fun and worth the watch. If you enjoyed RPM, I think you will also enjoy Go-Onger even though they are polar opposites.

If you're looking for light-hearted comedy and entertainment, Go-Onger is the thing to watch. If you want something dark and serious, this show might not be the right choice.

wahhh.. i am feeling kinda getting old.. maybe ill get to watch a sentai havin kou's age senshi in the future huhu

Eh... You do realize that most actors are already MUCH younger than the actor who played Kou and usually still in their early 20's?