Mashin Sentai Kiramager Episode 31- "Toys!" Discussion
 

The Kiramagers are attacked by a new Jamenshi with the power to change sizes.

I think you could give that title to any modern toku episode...

Well, this season is about the movie references for its titles, and there is a movie called “Toys” (a 90s film with Joan Cusick)

Edit: apparently, it’s a reference to the movie “The Geisha House”

Well, this episode marks the end of the Mashin Sentai Kiramager Music Festival with Kouji Shouei as Takamichi Crystalia/KiramaiSilver singing "Wonder Guardian Deity". That's 2 months of Mutliple Music Endings from Episode 23 last September 13, 2020 up until today (Episode 31). By next week, the "Kiraful Miracle Kiramager" Ending Song will be back.
On to the episode commentary: Did the Yodonheim Army pursued mother and son, who had the possession of the small Juuru Atsuta/KiramaiRed, Takamichi Crystalia/KiramaiSilver, the DX-sized Kiramaizin and Gigant Driller? Did the other Kiramagers meet them? How did the shrinking ones returned to normal and can fight the giant monsters again?
Well, shrinking mecha and humans to various small sizes are not new. In ZyuRanger, Dan/TriceraRanger and Boi/TigerRanger in a compact car were sucked in and miniaturized in a bottle by Fairy DonDon and Toshio, only to be restored to normal size when Mei/PteraRanger opened it, releasing the two inside the car. In KakuRanger, Sasuke was shrunk to the size of the palm and was placed in a gunpowder ball by Youkai Kasha, only to be rescued by the other KakuRangers before the explosions occurred. In GingaMan, Starbeast Gingat was shrunk to a Chibi size when the meteorite crashed on her and sealed her sacred power away until Saya/GingaPink destroyed it with Kiba Arrow when Sambash attempted to get it. Thus, Gingat was restored to its giant size. And finally, in Kyoryuger, Zyudenryuu Gabutyra himself had shrinked so that he can be with the other Kyoryugers in aiding the battle against the Deboth Army. When Deboth Monsters grow by Luckyulo, Gabutyra restored his giant size to join the fight with the other Zyudenryuus. Any other Super Sentai Series that have similar shrinking episodes aside from the others mentioned above?

When you really need to promote the toys you literally have them in an episode.

Speaking of I kinda wish one day we'll get an episode where a Megazord was shrunk to human size and we get to see them fighting on that size. Has it been done before though?

I appreciate that Takamichi's song was very Showa-esque, given that he is technically from that generation.

This could not possibly have been any more up my alley.

I mean, I'm all about the giant robots in Sentai, and while they may be a whole lot less giant in this case, just upfront, I appreciate having an episode that puts the main Machines so heavily in the spotlight. Mind you, Kiramager has been so good about giving them all their lines to say that there's never really been a moment where I thought they were desperately in need of more attention or anything, but still, it's nice. It's cool to have an episode dedicated to reminding us that those Q1 and Q2 toys are still important to the show.

...So important the toys are making special guest appearances, no less. I adore the hook to this plot; it's a pretty out-there idea for a Sentai episode, and yet, once again, it's also something I'm shocked hasn't really been done before. It's so delightfully transparent to make an episode of Kiramager literally starring the merch, with them even making it a point to barely touch up the DX toys, presenting them with all their hollow bits and metal pins plain to see. It's kind of a surreal experience, and that raw visual level is something I think the episode scores big on. It feels radically unlike your standard Sentai episode for big stretches, and that variety alone makes it super entertaining. Props to Hiroyuki Katou's direction on this one; it's very pleasant to look at throughout.

What the episode needed to really elevate it was a strong enough script to go along with it. You could make it one huge farce and it'd probably be amazing done right, but I was imagining a heartfelt tale about some sad kid being cheered up by Sentai toys, and I was not disappointed! Can't say I expected Arakawa to bust out the single mother dynamic again, but even 20 years after Kuuga, he hasn't lost that touch! Although this is obviously a bit of a fairly different take from that show. Continuing with the trend of Arakawa's episodes of Kiramager, the moral here kinda throws common consensus to the wind and tells kids they shouldn't be afraid to speak up for their own emotional needs when trying not to be a burden is making them unhappy in life – and that surprising level of sensitivity is exactly the Arakawa I know from Kuuga. I wouldn't have really guessed this specific direction is what the story here would be about going in, but I loved every second of it. It's perfectly in line with what a positive show Kiramager is, and in that spirit, allow to me to just reiterate what I already said: this episode rules, and this show is amazing.

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

Suddenly getting nostalgic because there you are, putting my thoughts into words!


This was a beautifully Sentai episode, and while I had an issue or two - is the mother maybe flipping out a bit too much by immediately demanding and shouting that her son hand over toys he found? Did that bug anyone else? - the core to all of this was so so nice. These are my favourite parts of moral episodes centered around kids; where it starts with the assumption that the kids are trying to do their best and do what they're told, and the issue is about what troubles that causes them and where their loved ones may be at fault too. I'm very very into talking to people to work out their issues instead of talking down at them and telling them they're selfish!

I think you deserve a lot of credit in this case, because that post was channeling a ton of thoughts that were a direct result of you suggesting Kuuga was sort of a show about mental health. That got me thinking about the purpose of the backwards morals I've been pointing out in Kiramager from early on, and it kinda hit me that the same thing is the case for this show.

I remember finding that second episode's plot such an odd choice watching it at first, with the way it was basically having your cake and eating it too, but looking back, it's perfect. The show's very first personal dilemma, the moment that lets Juuru prove himself as a leader, was telling Sena it's okay to put her own wants and needs over those of the team. It's such a bold message for a Sentai series to toss out there that early, and now I look back on it and think it was maybe just too smart for me to get right away.

Also, yes, the mom freaking out did strike me as a bit sudden.

This is maybe off-topic because I haven't been talking on the Kiramager threads much, but man, my jaw dropped when the moral of the Go Arrow episode was "we do have limits, and we shouldn't go beyond them". This is Sentai! Scratch that, this is Tokusatsu! An entire genre about throwing the middle finger to limits! And they said that!!!

This show is sooooooooo good

The episode was a glorified toy commercial wasn't it? Though I have to admit, it made me want those toys. So I guess it worked.

Absolutely charming episode. I love it when Sentai shows find a way to pull at your heartstrings amid all the action and flash. That's what keeps me coming back

By the way, is next week's episode being done by the Ultraman Z director ?

Missed opportunity to do a stop motion episode

So now that the character song arc is over (and if you ask me, I felt the show’s quality took a minor dip during it), who would you say had the best song out of the 8?

For me, I’m going to give it to Juru, since his is the only one I retained for any amount of time after the episode, but I’ll give second place to Muryo’s for being funny as hell.

Kiramai Gold all the way for me. :lolol

Showa guy showa song. Next week chuck in a dance ft the villains maybe they'll sing as well

Instead of another Toy Story movie we need a Toei Story :lolol.

I'm not a total fan of this season's series, but the writers and showrunners have found some insanely unique ways to take into consideration the health concerns and safety of everyone involved.

This is quite possibly the most creative approach I can think of. It has a script that keeps the actors to a minimum, the toys are on full display, complete with a kid actually showing imagination to play with them. And it's downright refreshing. It's why kids love all of the Ryan's Mystery stuff, and unboxing/desliming videos.

Because it's just plain play and not shoving your head in a PS5.

Something you half expect Sentai to have done years prior, and yet...

Finally saw it, and it's rather wild and a little disappointing simultaneously.

Pinch-In-Out Dagames is fairly unique unto itself in that it's a touchscreen monster! Given the look and title of the episode, it makes you wonder if it's an indictment on how phones and pads are now more important than actual toys and the imagination that comes with them. Just a thought, though.

One thing that did stick-out besides the Mother being a little whiney about odd toys is how the kid figured out the transformations. Why not form Sky Mage and Land Mage? How'd he figure out Gigant Driller's "mask"? Some think that it's pretty easy to figure these details out and kids are particularly smart with Sentai Mecha/Power Rangers Megazords, but it's still depicted a little too straightforward. Once he starts combining them, he isn't shown making a minor mistake.

When Kiramaizin runs off, I half expected a Mini-Mecha VS. Yodonna battle, but unfortunately they were too focused on Go-Arrow and summoning Oradin again cause they got to pitch Grateful Phoenix. That's part of why I felt disappointed, as there were things that would've been fun and semi-appropriate for the moment, but they were ignored.

It wasn't terrible by any stretch and definitely works as a standalone.

P.S.: Takamichi spends most of the time as a voice. Sure, they were running with the toy theme and it helps get around COVID, but still...

P.P.S.: What about the offscreen Jamen? They said it was an easy win!