Could be. I think it has more to do with the show bringing nothing new be it narrative or toys. Meanwhile the Metal Hero department was having a blast the same year with Winspector so there is that.

From what I understand, both shows actually tried to downplay the school stuff from the outset (especially Fiveman? Apparently the school barely ever appears at all), so it ~might~ not be a huge factor? I can totally see it being something where the kids at home would hear the premise without having seen an episode and immediately check out though.

"The new Sentai team is made up of teachers!"
"Gross!"
*watches Metal Heroes instead*

And Winspector was considered more compelling given its low budget status they switched focuses and made a henshin hero do rescue work mainly and had a more grounded approach whereas Fiveman was the same old.

Windspector was very good! Is there data for the ratings and popularity of the Metal Heroes series?

Not that I know of. BUT, it was the toku show of the year pretty much with the show being popular for its interesting take on the henshin hero genre like I said previously, and the giga streamer toy was very popular at the time.

Unpopular opinion here, but based on what I've seen I think I will actually like Fiveman when I get around to it! I get it's not to the level of some of the sentai around the same time, but Turboranger doesn't stand out to me that much either despite the cool songs and 80s sentai being cool so I don't see why Fiveman would particularly be seen as worse on that score. Likely in my bottom 3 shows currently are Go-onger,Goseiger and Kyoryuger although one or two may be unpopular views and retrospectively I wasn't impressed with GoGo5 either so as for actual tone and characters Fiveman actually looks pretty decent to me based on about 3 episodes!

As far as I can tell, most of Fiveman’s failings were due to the toys. Few people thought the designs were appealing and those who did buy them reported them falling apart easily (one person reported a Five Blaster crumbling apart and turning yellow despite not being opened for years). The designer for Jetman-Kakuranger admitted on Twitter earlier this year that prior to being a Bandai designer, he was a toy store employee and he took the designer job because he saw how unappealing Fiveman’s toys were to children. When he told his boss about his new job, the boss’s response was “Make sure you design something we can sell”.

That aside, the show itself isn’t too bad. It’s competently made, there are some decent plots, the actors pull off their roles and Carranger got lower ratings. Though they do devote two whole episodes to promoting a new power up that didn’t get a toy (the Super Five Ball and the Super Five Tector), so I can kind of see why some would be turned off.

That's pretty hilarious hahaha. Is there a link to the tweet?

Sadly no. I’ve forgotten what his username was and I doubt I retweeted it.

Only two episodes of ToQger left and I got to say, this show is far better than it had any right to being and while I wasn't too keen on the train theme but god damn, a lot of it was well-executed.

Update

Completed

Geki - Go Busters

Watching the final 7 episodes on Disks 11 and 12. Then I resume Kyo Ryu Ranger at Episode 15.

Power Rangers

Completed

Might Morphin - Super Ninja Steel

Delayed

Power Rangers Beast Morphers
Power Rangers Dino Fury

You have any thoughts on the series you're watching? :lol

Just finished ToQger. Now, it's onward to Shuriken Sentai Ninninger.

I've been watching Zyu (Beast) Ranger forward and admittedly I've switched
out of Power Rangers. I did happen to prefer the franchise over Power Rangers.

To Q could easily work for PR if they did what was done
for In Space and dropped the trains as primary.

Also Kyu Ranger is a strong series that could have worked for another In
Space type series.

Lu Pat is awesome and we could have done what we got
with Ninja Storm's 2 school deal and that could have
worked again for Lu Pat had it not gotten skipped.

Zyu Oh would have been strong for a Power Rangers series
since we'd gotten Wild Force. I hope Hasbro doesn't skip
Kira Mage. That would be outright stupid. I'd love
another magic themed series.

Welcome to my new cash-in, er I mean, partner, to Fish?s Sentai Tour?

Androzani’s Tsukai Detour

Yohohoi yohohoi, yohohoi hoi.

(Singing off key) Ore wa Rebyua, collab mot met eiga kara eiga e. (Okay I’ll stop)

So basically, when Fish gets to the part in Sentai’s history where yearly crossovers became a regular thing, I?ll be starting regular reviews of those crossovers (he’s still got to get through three more series). Though this is exclusively non-regular episodes and stuff that got a theatrical/video release. Today’s review will be a dry run by doing the first crossover between two Sentai (with a few cameos from other Ishinomori properties). So without further ado, let’s get started with…

JAKQ vs Gorenger

But first, since I don?t expect everyone to have seen the series being covered, we?ll start with an explanation of who the characters are. (This will be part of the regular thing)

Himitsu Sentai Gorenger: A group of agents made up of survivors from the destruction of EAGLE?s 5 branches.

Tsuyoshi Kaijo/Akarenger: A soldier for EAGLE (EArth Guard LEague), who was the sole survivor of the destruction of the Kaito base at the hands of Kurojuji Army?s Ōgon Kamen. He and EAGLE?s chief this gathered the survivors of EAGLE?s other branches into Himitsu Sentai Gorenger, Earth?s first Super Sentai warriors(in terms of chronicle. Choriki Sentai Ohranger?s KingRanger is the first in history).

Akira Shinmei/Aorenger: Gorenger's subleader. His personality leads the handling of the mecha and control of the machines with cool; he possesses the auto-controller of the invincible fortress Varidreen. Akira is the oldest member of the Gorenger team and fancies American cowboy outfits. He is a marksmanship instructor skilled in archery and mecha piloting. He has aspirations of being a racecar driver.

Daita Oiwa/Kirenger: A warrior of prided superhuman strength that originates from EAGLE's Kyushu branch. He loves curry rice and many times has eaten 6 large bowls of curry. He fights armed with the Ki Sticker, a staff that can change its tip with an ever-changing appearance. While adept in mechanics and mathematics, he has a very hard time solving simple word puzzles and riddles. Being a judo champion, Daita is very strong and tough. He has a voracious appetite and often orderes ?Omori? (big portions) of everything, especially curry rice, which is his favorite. He is said to have ten siblings.

Peggy Matsuyama/Momorenger: the daughter of a Swiss national and a Japanese woman. Has a strength of using bombs while being a female of kind personality. Whether its the ball-shaped bomb that is used for the special technique Gorenger Storm that is used by the five or the ball-shaped football used for the Gorenger Hurricane, both of which were items that were developed by Momo. Fashionable, she often wears go-go boots and short hip-hugging ?hot pants?

Kenji Asuka/Midorenger: Gorenger's youngest warrior. He has had failures due to overreacting in his behavior, but it matures him into being an adult warrior day by day. He defeats opponents with fast attacks that utilize lightness in battle. He is a happy-go-lucky teen, who can sometimes be a bit brash and temperamental.

JAKQ Dengekitai: A group assembled by ISSIS, converted into cyborgs running on various energy sources to combat the Crimnal Society CRIME.

Goro Sakurai/Spade Ace: A Japanese pentathlon athlete and Olympic Gold Medalist. Powered by atomic energy.

Ryu Higashi/Dia Jack: former boxing champion framed by greedy promoters for murder after he refused to rig a fight. He joined JAKQ in exchange for being bailed out by Joker. Powered by electric energy.

Karen Miyama/Heart Queen: A narcotics investigator who got injured and lost both her father and her arms in an assassination attempt by CRIME. She agreed to become a cyborg and JAKQ in order to gain back both her arms. Powered by magnetic energy.

Bunta Daichi/Clover King: An oceanographer fatally injured in a freak submarine accident, his body was kept frozen in stasis until he was resurrected as a cyborg to join JAKQ. Powered by gravitational energy. Has a fear of confined spaces as a result of his death.

Sokichi Bamba/Big One: An ISSIS officer who secretly helped Joker develop JAKQ. He later arrived to replace Joker as JAKQ's commander after Joker was called to head an international science conference. Like the other members of JAKQ, he is also a cyborg, powered by all 4 energies used by the main Jackers.

Allies:

Daisuke Kujirai/Joker: The leader of the ISSIS, he gives the JAKQ their orders and mission to defeat the CRIME Organization.

Hamster-kun: Joker?s cyborg pet hamster and an ally of the J.A.K.Q. team. His cybernetic enhancements grant him the capability of human speech and intelligence.

Tamasaburo Hime: an ISSIS member who was transferred from the Matsuyama Branch to the Tokyo Branch when Sokichi Banba replaced Joker as the new leader of J.A.K.Q.. He became a comic relief cook dressed in traditional bathing wear with only a bicycle for transportation and specializes in cooking instant ramen.

Villains:

Boss Iron Claw: The head of CRIME, a Diabolical Mastermind who seeks to found the biggest crime family in Tokyo, Japan and turn it into a city of crime.

Placement: After both series.

My opinions of both shows: I?m currently working my way through Gorenger and I like what I see so far. JAKQ is? certainly a very different show from other Sentai, so I?€™ll give it props for that. Though there is a lot of gratuitous murder and violence with little intentional comedy to balance it out? until the last 13 episodes, which I hear lost ratings as a result, meaning that the earlier tone must?ve appealed to someone.

And with all the pre-amble out the way, on with the review.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3masHeX...jpg&name=small

We open with a medley of these two songs as the opening credits.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=mQRXzDVM...tTeLU6FQeVOEHc

https://youtube.com/watch?v=YVomtyX1...DdHruJeUqKWxPY

The movie proper opens with Karen having the boys help her with shopping, which was the terms of her winning an earlier game of cards.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mY0YdX...jpg&name=small

This gets interrupted when a UFO appears in the sky above them, terrifying the crowd.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3masHgW...jpg&name=small

The 4 return to base, where Joker and Bamba update them on the situation.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mY0YmW...jpg&name=small

The Jackers then take off after the UFO in the Sky Ace (cue the theme song), but the pilot, CRIME’s Captain UFO (the guy with the Death Star hat. Seriously, what’s up with that?) outmanouvres them.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=8W_5FCgW...el6WjjMB7hE9k3

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mbfdbX...jpg&name=small

All of this then turns out to be a front for the other members of the silly hat club (seriously, does being a super villain require you to have a ridiculous hat?), Baron Iron Mask, General Sahara and Hell’s Fistfighter, to raid ISSIS branches for uranium (I’d ask why they have uranium just lying around, but then I remember Ace is nuclear powered).

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mbfhcX...jpg&name=small

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mcYAhW...jpg&name=small

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mbfgNW...jpg&name=small

Back at ISSIS headquarters, Bamba is able to identify the culprits from their ammunition (and maybe the fact that they didn’t really hide themselves that well).

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mZAhjX...jpg&name=small

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mdCJgX...jpg&name=small

From that, he and Joker have recognised this as the work of CRIME.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mdCJgX...jpg&name=small

Karen is confused, since she thought they destroyed Iron Claw (having fought and defeated his monster form in the series finale), but Joker puts paid to that idea.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mdCJ3W...jpg&name=small

He then reveals that CRIME has foreign branches that other heroes have been thwarting (which is an idea I personally love, since it makes the conflict look bigger than if they only attacked the one country where heroes live). In Africa, five powers come together as one…

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3md04EX...jpg&name=small

In Europe, reports are coming in of a red mask and a blue muffler…

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3md02KX...jpg&name=small

In Asia, an Android with electrical sparks flowin through his body is throwing dark robots (and instead of playing a sting from his theme tune, they instead go for Gorenger’s “cut to commercial” music)

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3md05XW...jpg&name=small

And in South America, a guy who became a demon for the sake of justice is handling that problem.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3md059W...jpg&name=small

As the Jackers express surprise that there are other heroes in this world (yeah, this is the first time, so I’ll let them off, but it’ll get slightly more annoying in later instalments). We then cut to CRIME’s island base, where we see several different kinds of mooks (in addition to the usual Crimers and the Zolders from Gorenger, there’re these guys).

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mfDDeX...jpg&name=small

In the meeting room, Captain UFO, Baron Iron Mask, General Sahara and Hell’s Fistfighter are called to attention by Iron Claw (you can tell he’s the boss because he has the silliest hat of all).

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mgBy2X...jpg&name=small

He then begins discussing what exactly they’re going to do with all that uranium they stole.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mfDD5X...jpg&name=small

But before he can go into more detail on why they need H-bombs (which I remind you are more powerful than the A-bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki), a spy is caught and pursued in a speedboat chase, before being killed. (Who is this guy? Who did he work for? How did he infiltrate CRIME’s island base mostly undetected? These are things I want to know)

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mgBzBW...jpg&name=small

The spy’s body washes up on store, where a mysterious woman with a camera takes pictures.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mg3xFX...jpg&name=small

The Jackers show up to investigate the corpse, Karen notices words written on his back (now how did he manage that?). But they can’t be read.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mhVM2W...jpg&name=small

Ace and Karen then notice the woman and this we get a car chase.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mg3zmW...jpg&name=small

When Jack and King show up, the woman surrenders and shows them her license.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mg3zyW...jpg&name=small

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3miG5gX...jpg&name=small

Jack then points out that they heard the Gorengers were in Africa, to which Peggy explains why she’s back in Tokyo.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3miG6FW...jpg&name=small

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3miG6uX...jpg&name=small

The pictures of the words on the corpse are taken back to JAKQ HQ, where Joker identifies it as a scytale code (I’ve no idea if that’s a real thing, but it sounds plausible).

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3miG7UW...jpg&name=small

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3miNP7X...jpg&name=small

The results… aren’t the most enlightening.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3miNQXX...jpg&name=small

But thanks to Hamster-kun, they realise that the numbers in the code are coordinates, allowing them to find CRIME’s base on a map.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3miNRvX...jpg&name=small

They thus make a plan to have Ace and Karen sneak onto the island inside a truck, while King runs a distraction.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mi4KRX...jpg&name=small

This successfully prevents the search team from doing their job (apparently intruders are more important than proper search conduct).

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mkl2TX...jpg&name=small

But this does give Ace and Karen a chance to ambush the driver and hijack the truck to sneak in.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mj9TPW...jpg&name=small

Once inside, they hide themselves where they can hear Iron Claw expositing his evil plan.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mi4LuX...jpg&name=small

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mlkcpW...jpg&name=small

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mlkcuW...jpg&name=small

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mlkczX...jpg&name=small

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mlkc5W...jpg&name=small

(The one flaw I can think of is… where in those seven countries will he drop those bombs? Because if CRIME plan to just drop them once they’re over the borders of those countries, it doesn’t paint a good picture of their intelligence, since it won’t cause much significant damage)

This then gets interrupted as heave caught ANOTHER spy (man, three break-ins in one day. CRIME security must be pretty lax). It’s Peggy, who snuck in to find out the plan (Great minds think alike).

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mmknEX...jpg&name=small

Ace and Karen reunite with Peggy and the former destroys the control panel (at least I think it’s the control panel) with a sub-machine gun (man, the 70s were hardcore).

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mmknHX...jpg&name=small

As Peggy changes into Momorenger (there’s no transformation sequence or phrase. She just turns around and stops in the suit), the three make their way outside, where they are surrounded by a massive army.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mmknPX...jpg&name=small

But Jack and King come to the rescue in Sky Ace, dropping down a container which scatters the enemy troops.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mmknSX...jpg&name=small

Ace and Karen enter the Strengthening Capsules, transforming into their suits.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mncDOX...jpg&name=small

As Captain UFO, Baron Iron Mask, General Sahara and Hell’s Fistfighter gather…

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mncDOW...jpg&name=small

The Jackers appear in suit and introduce themselves (this isn’t their role call. That comes later).

Ace: Spade Ace!

Jack: Dia Jack!

Karen: Heart Queen!

King: Clover King!

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mncDaX...jpg&name=small

Before a fight can begin in earnest, the ground troops are blasted down from above.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mobtrX...jpg&name=small

https://youtube.com/watch?v=9L-4amMM...NPy6SVRgvuCGPG

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mpbrKX...jpg&name=small

As Ace recognises the Varidreen (so he recognises Zenkaizer’s inspiration, but not the people piloting it?), said people piloting it appear and introduce themselves.

Kaijo: Akarenger!

Shinmei: Aorenger!

Oiwa: Kirenger!

Peggy: Momorenger!

Asuka: Midorenger!

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mpbrWX...jpg&name=small

(Note that Ao and Ki are voiced by their regular actors, Mido is voiced by stock dialogue and Aka is voiced by a guy doing a fairly good impersonation)

The two heroes stand side by side, before battle begins (that’s the extent of their interaction, I’m sorry).

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mpbrOX...jpg&name=small

https://youtube.com/watch?v=7F4ZOkkV...tJ5WRO5JnF734r

https://youtube.com/watch?v=FteELHSN...U4P7Izwk0M2jwT

And as a free for all breaks out (only King and Ki and Karen and Momo actually work together), the REAL JAKQ role call is done (as I the norm, in the midst of battle)

Ace: The blood of justice burns bright red inside me! My Atom Shot pierces through evil!

Jack: Raging electricity echoes through my sword! I will protect the blue Earth!

King: My heavy punch will make you howl. The green wind spins the hurricane.

Karen: A girl gives up tears at 18! A pink flower blooms on the battlefield!

Karen and Momo then cause their enemies to dance themselves into exhaustion, so Karen can use her Heart Cute: Jiryoku Power on them.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mpbrbX...jpg&name=small

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mpnRtX...jpg&name=small

Captain UFO, Baron Iron Mask, General Sahara and Hell’s Fistfighter join the fray, only to be defeated handily and cornered.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mpnR_W...jpg&name=small

But to turn things around for Crime Big 4 (finally, a name for this group), Iron Claw activates his spell card, Polymerisation, allowing him to use Captain UFO, Baron Iron Mask, General Sahara and Hell’s Fistfighter to fusion summon Four King Robo (note, not a giant robot. It also doesn’t particularly resemble any of the 4)

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mpnSHX...jpg&name=small

The Gorengers then executed the Gorenger Storm… which turns out to be useless, as Four King Robo has an industrial turbine installed that shreds it apart.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mpnSQX...jpg&name=small

The Jackers then perform the JAKQ Covack… which proves just as ineffective.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mpwvRX...jpg&name=small

As Iron Claw tries to rub his impending triumph in the hero’s faces, his hat gets snagged by a pair of bumbling fishermen.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mpwv6X...jpg&name=small

One of them then grabs Iron Claw’s erm, iron claw.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mpwwXX...jpg&name=small

He then throws off his disguise, revealing who he really is.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mpww8W...jpg&name=small

Bamba: JAKQ Dengekitai’s field commander, Soukichi Bamba. Big One!

He then transforms (offscreen, sadly, since there’s no stock footage) and does his pose.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mrIYNX...jpg&name=small

As the JAKQ theme kicks in, Big One gives them advice.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=MoXfpRa1...oCTNMgHylsotZK

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mrIXIX...jpg&name=small

So, the Gorengers perform the Gorenger Storm (don’t worry, they have a spare ball), only instead of throwing it at Four King Robo, they throw it to Spade Ace, with the JAKQ then assembling the Big Bomber and loading the ball alongside their usual ammo.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mrIXXW...jpg&name=small

As Four King Robo is vanquished, Iron Claw gets away in his UFO.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mrIXzW...jpg&name=small

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mrlnSX...jpg&name=small

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mrlnrX...jpg&name=small

But Big One then states that he’s not concerned and pulls out the control device for the UFO.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mrloWX...jpg&name=small

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3mrloGX...jpg&name=small

Big One then reveals he also swapped Iron Claw’s erm iron claw with a remote controlled duplicate.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3msNNiW...jpg&name=small

The movie ends with Big One using the claw to set off the bombs before they can be dropped, creating a massive funeral pyre for Iron Claw, as his ambitions of evil perish with him (yes, that is really where it ends).

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3maIx6X...jpg&name=small

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3msNN6W...jpg&name=small

Final thoughts: Okay, this movie isn’t the longest or the best. But it does some fairly competent fan service and does barely qualify for breaking my pet peeve that the crossover villain doesn’t have anything to do with the returning heroes by having the Zolders join with CRIME. But I wouldn’t necessarily call this a must watch if you’re a fan of Gorenger or JAKQ.

...hold up.

Is that where they got the idea from!?

Final 5 of Go Busters.

I liked this series actually.

Next to watch the rest of Aba and Bouken for the 2nd half of both. Then I'll be done with Aba - Go Busters.

As for Kira Mage I'm at the COVID break or will be in 2 episodes time.
Hopefully it will turn out decent.

I'm now up to episode 12 of Ninninger and I'm liking Star Ninger already. Great addition to the show's main cast.

When it comes to Ninninger it's a series I overall like (as with any Sentai I've watched) but that's focused on a couple particular elements in particular -- Starninger being one of them. Awesome sixth

I could go on all day about how much I love Kinji. Part of me always wants to see more sixths who politely fade into the background for big stretches or are more at odds with the main group... anything to make them feel distinctly "extra" really, but Starninger is such a perfect, beautiful example of how you can make them just another member of the family (literally in this case) and have the story be so much better for it. His arc is so core to the themes of that show and he brings out so much great in the other characters, whether it's something as silly as arguing English pronunciation with Yakumo, or as serious as Yoshitaka's failings as a mentor. Kinji very much "completes" Ninninger as a show.

I completely agree; though I'd be remiss to not mention my favourite part is his relationship with the main villain and how they parallel each other. The main villain is my favourite part of Ninninger (Kinji being the second favourite) and this is very much the cornerstone

Speaking of someone who has their qualms with Ninninger, I also only have good things to say about Shinji! He was my favourite part of the show, and as Fish says, his integration into the cast makes the message of the team work better. A good boi.

Just finished Go-Busters.

I think the series is good overall but the beginning for me is a bit weird,the series got so much better after Jin' appearance.
Honestly Jin is my one of most favorites Sixth Ranger,he is cool and funny but also mysterious.
Enter as a villain is so much better than Messiah or Escape who for me it's a bit underused.
Overall 8,1/10 for me.

Oh yeah, that selfie-taking burgerphone ninja cowboy. :lolol

That's the one!

I finished Go Busters on Tuesday so now I resume Kyo Ryu Ranger at
Episode 15. I have Kyo - Kira Mage Ranger on DVD (Mylasian release with English subs.)

~Fish's Zenkai Tour!~

Episode 15 – Choujin Sentai Jetman

https://i.imgur.com/XOPD1kw.png

(Is something a little different than usual here? Eh, I'm sure it's fine.)

Jetman was a revolution for Super Sentai that catapulted it back into the spotlight with its unparalleled quality. Jetman doesn't hold up all that well, and its successors have greatly improved on its innovations. Jetman is the legendary Toshiki Inoue's first amazing outing as main writer. Jetman is the highly overrated Toshiki Inoue's only amazing outing as main writer. Jetman is the show with Black Condor, who is so cool! Jetman is the show with Black Condor, who is so repugnant. And perhaps most of all, Jetman is a show with a title I only ever want to say as Jetto, Jetto, Jettoman!

Whatever Jetman means to you personally, there's no denying this much – Jetman is significant. It made huge waves, and I'm not just talking about the Birdonic kind!

The events surrounding Jetman's creation and success were quite probably the biggest thing to happen to the franchise since the franchise itself. Super Sentai was a reliable staple for Toei by 1991, but as I discussed talking about Fiveman, the "reliable" part of that statement had come into question by the end of that series. It either needed to do something big enough to make a splash all over again right away, or else end up sharing the same fate as Kamen Rider at the time, and become another big property Toei was happy to keep largely on a shelf as they waited for that "something big enough" to come along. I don't think it's redundant to stress here that Super Sentai has continued to go on uninterrupted for several decades since Jetman. It's something obvious that we all know, but it's one of those facts that's easy to take for granted.

Chief producer Takeyuki Suzuki certainly didn't have that luxury at the time. Having been in that position for every Sentai series back to Goggle-V, he had been working right alongside Hirohisa Soda to take the series to new heights, and with cancellation now a legitimate possibility, if not outright likely, he set about bringing in some fresh blood to give the next show the spice it needed to survive. Whether it was faith or desperation that led him to make the choice, Keita Amemiya and Toshiki Inoue would be the inexperienced rookies tasked with bringing the innovative flavor that was needed to put Super Sentai back on top. Considering how high the chances are of any toku fan having heard both of those names, I probably don't need to tell you how well this went over.

I mean, it's Jetman. I knew the gist of that story, and if you have even a decent amount of interest in Sentai, you probably did too. It was a very, very big deal. Inoue had a distaste for making toy commercials and a flair for the dramatic that appealed to the sensibilities of an adult audience of the era, who were eating up "trendy dramas" left and right. Combined with Amemiya's raw talent and unique vision as a director, Jetman would prove itself a massive hit, breaking with conventions left and right in favor of its emphasis on character and storytelling above all else. That picture up top is only there because there's no great group shot of everyone anywhere in the first episode, but that in of itself says so much. Look at those three. They're incomplete, and more than that, they're vulnerable. The humanity of this team was way more of a concern than making them look unfailingly cool, and I have to appreciate that risk.

It's a good premiere, if that needs saying. Something that legitimately does feel like a massive change from what had come before, and yet deeply familiar to me as a modern viewer of so many toku shows made in its wake. It certainly feels like an Inoue show, what with a tragic romance baked right into the origin story. There's a central premise to Jetman I've always adored the sound of, with Red Hawk being the only guy there who was supposed to be there; the lone traditional hero putting together a misfit team of amateurs to form what was intended to be an elite military unit, all while dealing with the shocking loss of his girlfriend when the bad guys attack in the middle of the procedure that was meant to imbue the both of them with the aforementioned "Birdonic Waves" that would give them their powers. As you'd expect from a master of melodrama like Inoue, nothing about Jetman comes off very stable, and this is all before mentioning the convoluted romantic arc that starts defining the show beyond this initial episode. (Parents wrote letters complaining!)

Despite all this, Jetman, at least here in the premiere anyway, still feels plenty aware of its true target audience, and the emphasis on drama isn't too far removed from what Soda was already doing to begin with. There's still a thrilling heroic action climax with explosions and a bird-themed plane, of course, and the ineptitude of the new recruits is as much a source of comedy as anything. Like, I don't wanna make this first episode sound like some huge artsy turn for the franchise – it's still Super Sentai at the end of the day, and that's not a complaint!

Definitely an intriguing start for a series I probably ought to mention I haven't seen at all prior to this? I'm only now realizing it might sound like I have a good amount of existing familiarity with Jetman, but that's all osmosis right there. It just lets you know how ubiquitous this show is. Jetman is something I'm sure I'm going to be happy to sit down and watch some day, but it's also something I've heard so much about I almost feel like I already have at times. It certainly seems like a show that earned its success, and it was fun finally giving it the slightest peek.

My biggest exposure to Jetman was the fanfic adaptation that used to be big way back when: Power Rangers Take Flight. The short version of my opinion on it being that it's overall good, but certainly gets up its own butt at times(especially during the last stretch of it). Based on the unavoidable osmosis I've gotten from Jetman, I feel as though my opinion on the source material would be much the same.

Go Busters marks the 13th series where I've watched start to finish for regular episodes. Oh will be my 14th series for the same.

After Ginga (Galaxy) Man - Aba and Bouken are completed I'll have watched
nearly all shows adapted for Power Rangers leaving Kyo Ryu , Ninja Ranger and Ryu Soul.

Science Ninja Team Gatchaman live action was awesome. A bit different from the source material but well-executed. Interesting how they made Jinpei a girl, gave Ken an ex-girlfriend who comes back as a villain, and robots? Whoo, that robot was awesome. :rock:

Do you have a set schedule for these things, or do you just upload as early as possible? Because in case you missed it, I’m planning to start my own tie-in to this (which already had a dry run with JAKQ vs Gorenger) and it might help me prepare when I upload.

Though, relevant to Jet,an, I’ve seen it twice and thought it had some good stuff. Though given how it’s become associated with a lot of fanfiction of dubious quality (Eiga Sentai Scanranger, Super Sentai vs Power Rangers), I can see why some people might be antsy about it.

After I finish the series adapted for Power Rangers I need to finish the 4 that
Saban and Hasbro skipped -

To Quger
Zyu Oh
Kyu Ranger
Lu Pat

Not a very strict one! I try to start them sometime after I finish writing about that week's Zenkaiger episode, I try to finish them before the next one airs, and they go up when they're done. "As early as possible" is about right.

I have finished Denjiman and begun Ohranger, which now means I have seen 4 shows in full of both the 80s and 90s and I've just got about 14 overall left to watch! I have to go for a semi-random order though because on an unrelated note when I was slowly watching every Eurovision Song Contest I found it was best to go by what I was in the mood for lol

I'm now up to episode 14 of Dynaman and man, this series is so damn fun.

Oh is completed and am watching the last 8 episodes.

Now it's on to Ginga (Galaxy) Man forward to finish Saban Era I.

Finished yet another set of episodes of Dynaman today. 32 down, 19 to go.

Just finished Dynaman today and it’s another Sentai series that’s a fun ride from start to finish and this marks my second Showa era Sentai series I managed to watch in its entirety with the first being Liveman. Definitely among my Top Favorite Sentai series on which I now have straight up Top Ten of. This may or may not change in the future since I still have several more seasons to go through. Hopefully, I can finally get back to finishing up on Ninninger especially since I ended up taking an unofficial break from it and I have 11 episodes left.

I'll be watching Oh (Episode 46 - 48) shortly to finish up my 14th series for regular Episodes. Then it will be
all episodes up to Time Ranger to finish Saban Era I. Ginga (Galaxy) Man is next this week to resume and
I'm on the Magna Defender's enrty episode.

I'm on the back half of Ninja Ranger myself and have gotten to the Galactic Ninjas so I'm curious to see how
this version is.

I started the 2nd half of Ryu Soul a few days ago and in #25 Red Ranger fought a Minisaur in the Net.

Also resuming Kyo Ryu this week. (Dino Charge) at #15. Go Busters completed.

Kyo Ryu - Kira Mage will be VIA Mylasian sets (Region Free with English Subs.) If this holds I'll be watching
Zen Kai Ranger in 2022.

The sets get released after the last week runs on TV Asahi. The English subs feel like a Power Rangers series
as far as the subbing goes. (Same with what I saw from the Shout Factory sets.)

I'm thinking that Ryu Soul will be my 15th series finished unless I complete either Time Ranger or Kyo Ryu first.

Kyo Ryu and Ryu Soul both have 48 and Time Ranger has 51.