[Mesnick]

Well, I've watched Gorenger. Don't let its age and length put you off: it's a wonderful series that has aged much better than its peers and even some of the 90s fare. It has captivating plots, large-scale action scenes, and likable characters. The main feature is that there's a real arms race between the Eagle and the Black Cross Army. Every innovation builds on previous developments, both their own and the enemy's. In my opinion, none of the subsequent shows have been able to replicate this effect. I also think it's worth noting that Gorenger isn't just the first Super Sentai. It's a show that creates Super Sentai as it airs. Therefore, it's constantly changing, making Gorenger far less repetitive than most Showa shows. Add to this the fact that the stuntmen were clearly new to working as a team and hadn't yet acquired the coherence typical of Super Sentai. So even when the characters repeat the same actions, it looks different. Although this reuse of footage makes it much easier to spot.
It's also funny that most of the repeated plots and monsters in the show itself appear relatively late. Needless to say, even the famous finisher, Gorenger Hurricane, isn't invented until the second half of the show. This makes me think about the similarities between Gorenger and MMPR.Both shows dragged on too long, but had they been shorter, they probably wouldn't have spawned such long-running franchises.
I also can't help but notice a funny detail. Apparently, due to the larger number of episodes, the typical promotional trip of the period was spread out over several episodes, giving the actors at least some semblance of a vacation. Apparently, Tarou's parents didn't let him go, so Gorenger found another child sidekick at the resort.
I also wanted to dispel one popular myth about Gorenger. In the descriptions, I often came across the statement that "after starting off dark, the show then becomes more vivid and ridiculous." This is not true.
There were plenty of tragic and funny episodes both at the beginning and the end. For example, the stories about Asuka's frame-up and Peggy's love take place right before the finale. I'd rather say that Gorenger's plots become increasingly fantastical over time. Which, incidentally, makes JAKQ a perfectly logical thematic continuation.
Of course, the show isn't without its flaws. It's too drawn-out, and despite what I said earlier, it can't completely avoid repetition. At times, the action is too naive, and at other times, it's simply driven by the logic of "because it's necessary for the plot." The fight choreography is in keeping with the spirit of its time, and the aforementioned lack of synchronicity sometimes makes the proceedings resemble a drunken brawl in fancy dress. I would also personally consider the true appearance of the F?hrer of the Black Cross a drawback, even though he did delight with his metamorphosis at the end. But the initially announced hidden figure with huge glowing eyes looked much more impressive, so the reveal is inevitably disappointing. Something more interesting could have been invented.
And yet, for me, the pros of Gorenger far outweigh the cons, so I confidently recommend everyone watch the show.

P.S. By the way, after watching Gorenger, I became even more convinced of my headcanon about Denziman as the first Super Sentai. Gorenger invented the show's formula and spent a long time refining it. JAKQ and Ninja Captor, a close relative of Super Sentai, tried to change that formula, with less than stellar results. Battle Fever added a giant robot and learned how to operate it. And Denziman begun working according to this complex and well-refined algorithm.