Sentai Mecha Discussion: Jetman
 

Jet Icarus
https://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net...20130121191213
https://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net...20161109130916
https://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net...20161109131056
https://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net...20161109131406
https://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net...20161109130822
https://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net...20161109131134
For a mecha made out of jets, Jet Icarus looks kinda blocky. You would expect him to look more aerodynamic than other mechas given his theme, instead he has a lot of 90° degree angles which just doesn't look right. It's kind of a shame becuase Jet Icarus isn't all too bad. He's very balanced colour wise and the bird design on the chest looks pretty cool especially with how it spreads to his shoulders. Don't entirely care about the head though. Aside from the wings on the side, it doesn't really envoke a jet or bird theme.

Icarus Haken
https://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net...20111225094328
Unlike say Five Trailer from Fiveman which looked liked a design they came up with on the whim, Icarus Haken actually looks good and thematically fits with Jetman's bird and jet motif. While it is rather simple in design, it still works and is quite clean in its shape aside from abit of undercarriage from Jet Hawk.

Jet Garuda/Bird Garuda
https://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net...20111225093932
https://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net...20111225094059
Aside from one from one or two element, Jet Garuda is pretty alright. His overall shape and silhouette is quite nice. I especially like the rounded parts of his body like the limbs, gives him quite a diffefent look from Jet Icarus. Also pretty nice in the colours, going for mostly black with large areas of red and small hints yellow to break it up. The Bird Garuda mode is also cool but its pretty obvious that the entirety of the robot mode is hanging as the undercarriage. The head is where I start taking issues. As Bird Garuda, its fine; Helps add to the bird motif. As Jet Garuda however, its an interesting idea but ultimately it just looks plain ridiculous. The claw hands are also pushing it abit.

Great Icarus
https://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net...20111225093311
Probaly the best combination we had since Super Live Robo. Similarly to Super Live Robo, I like that you can see elements of both mechas. Helps to sell Great Icarus as a combination of the two. That being said, they probably could of change them a bit more as aside from the torso, the limbs look exactly like how they look on both mechas. As for the torso, while it's a bit busy in the design, the bird chest I think helps seal everything together. Still not impressed with the head. The trigular shape helmet just sort of looks dumb.

Hyper Haken
https://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net...20111225093053
A fairly simple combination but once again like Icarus Haken itself, it kinda works. The position of Bird Garuda's head in this combination gives the impression that it is suppose to be the bridge, which helps sell Hyper Haken as this massive airship.

Tetraboy
https://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net...20111225093510
http://supersentai.com/database/1991...etrabuster.jpg
I like Tetraboy. Solid colours, solid shape, just good looking all around. Compared to Titan Boy who is his most direct predecessor (according to Akibaranger anyway), Tetraboy is clearly the better looking mecha. Plus he is a Targetmaster. That's kinda awesome.

Next week, the one most are probably familiar with, Zyuranger.

Jet Garuda is probably the only mecha from Jetman that I'd call memorable or decent. Everything else is so bland and dull.

I have Jet Icarus and Jet Garuda DX mecha.

I felt Liner Boy from GoGo V has some of inspiration from Tetra Boy especially about similiarities fighting styles between Liner Boy and Tetra Boy

Tetra Boy displayed a level of energy that hadn't been explored in serious depth in Sentai Mecha. Many afterwards likely have an imprint of Tetra Boy's movements and speed and versatility; Ryuuseioh, Juushou Fighter, Ninjaman, Red Puncher, Tackle Boy, and others all have a sense of maneuverability which likely calls back to Tetra Boy.

My big issue with the Jetman mechs is that, while I think the designs are pretty cool, the implementation leaves a lot to be desired. Jetman is one of those shows where it seems like they got really lazy when it came to making the mech suits - everything is just a flat block with painted-on details. The suits look too much like what they are: a guy wearing a bunch of cardboard boxes.

I honestly don't know much about Jetman, but I'm down for any mecha that transformers into a four barreled bazooka of doom.

I think it is safe to say it is one of the Super Sentai classics out there. It is a very nice homage to Gatchaman aka G-Force or Battle Of The Planets, and one of Inoue's best works.

As for my thoughts on the bots, I love the individual jets for being distinct enough from each other and Icaros Haken actually works well. Jet Icaros, though a very standard combination, looks nice and fits the motif well. Hyper Haken feels like a battlecruiser of sorts in its shape and Tetra Boy is one of the most adorable bot ever in Super Sentai. It does not need to have googly eyes or talk in a squeaky voice and it kicks ass.

Jet Icarus is pretty cool by the 80s standards and they made it better in Timeranger,

Jet Icarus was released in 1991