[Mesnick]

What does it mean to be first? The most obvious answer is that it is the opposite of being last. The first achieves success by bypassing all rivals. But how is this success measured? After all, it is different for everyone. The achievements that one person spent their entire life on may mean nothing to others. How can you compare a detective and a singer without any set criteria for evaluation? There are eight billion people in the world with different characters, values, and goals. It is simply impossible to clearly identify the first among them.
Well, then it is quite natural to name the first one who will fulfill his dream. After all, everyone chooses his own goal and the path to it. Thus, everyone can be the first. But how to be the first when you are the last? And how to fulfill a dream when you have no desires?
These are the questions that Sentai Gozyuger #1 suggests pondering. The show does this brightly, with drive, a lot of adventures, unexpected twists and colorful characters, whose charisma stands out even within the framework of a 50-year franchise.

I remember that Gozyuger immediately received a lot of compliments for the unusualness of the first episode. But I was not among those who praised the show. At that time, the story seemed to me like an overstuffed vinaigrette, where behind a bunch of bright tinsel they didn’t even have time to properly show the main characters. Well, I’ve rarely been so happy to be wrong. No, there's a lot of fluff in the show, but what saves it is that the writers clearly understand what story and idea they want to convey. And all the craziness and fan service only helps to reinforce the message without feeling boring or annoyingly repetitive. And yet the characters in the show are truly individuals who act according to their character, not plot devices. Perhaps the show can be criticized for not having a strong plot, but we should not forget that this is the last Super Sentai. Therefore, it should be like Super Sentai. Plus, it's better to watch your favorite episodes when you don't have to remember a bunch of events and plot twists that preceded them.
I think it's also worth mentioning the anniversary part of the show. Gozyuger celebrates the 50th anniversary of Super Sentai and the first break in the franchise's history. Therefore, the show is filled with Easter eggs and fan service. Mostly these are Red Ranger costumes, but there are also some mechs and familiar actors, including from other franchises.
All of this is pleasing to the eye of fans before the inevitable separation. It is worth noting that all of the Super Sentai of the Reiwa era have somehow recalled their predecessors. Zenkaiger and Donbrothers used costumes from previous shows, and King-Ohger and Boonboomger had nostalgic crossovers right in the shows themselves. Even Kiramager had an episode with guest stars and a bunch of Gekiranger references. So Gozyuger just continues that tradition. And the Universe Warriors stories do a great job of revealing the Gozyuger themselves, helping them grow and change for the better. Even if sometimes they draw attention to themselves, turning the main heroes into side characters.
Continuing on this theme, it's worth noting that Gozyuger also looks like a combination of their Reiwa senpai. Their gimmick is rings, i.e. round (Boonboomger) jewels (Kiramager). It's an anniversary show like Zenkaiger. It has a thousand-year-old sixth white ranger like in King-Ohger. And the scriptwriter's last name is Inoue like in Donbrothers. However, this is just my small observation, which should not be taken seriously.

I also want to talk about the characters. They are colorful, unusual, different. The situation makes them rivals, but despite the imposed competition, they become friends. And I especially like this, because it shows that good people will be able to get along despite any differences and even in adverse conditions. This is what makes Gozyuger so much better for me than other shows where characters rush headlong into a Battle Royale. But let's not get carried away, because I wanted to talk about the characters.
Hoeru (Gozyu Wolf) is our Red Ranger. The main character, although not a leader, is an outsider, unable to hold down any job. As a child, he and his brother were taken to the No-One world and upon returning, he could not find his place in ours. He has no desire, but Tag Sword still chooses him to participate in the Rings War. And so it's very interesting to watch Hoeru's changes, his relationship with the worst brother in history and how the lone wolf finds his pack. It's pretty obvious that he ends up getting all the rings, but it's even more interesting to finally hear his wish. The only right wish in this situation.

Rikuo (Gozyu Leon). Blue in Sentai is designed to complement Red. And with such a gloomy hero as Hoeru, it is not surprising that the stage star, who literally radiates charm, was chosen as Blue. He managed to find fans even among enemies. However, behind the mask of a flawless idol lies an insecurity that actually manifests itself much earlier than it is said out loud. The story with Rei is a good example of this. In any case, Rikuo and his songs brought a lot of positivity to the show.

Ryugi (Gozyu Tyranno). I think the current Yellow can rightly be considered the least fan-favorite among both the Gozyuger and the entire franchise. The reason for this is that he is very difficult to relate to. The most similar characters that come to mind are Saruhara from Donbrothers and Neon from Geats, but they are still much more understandable. But it's quite difficult to see a wealthy heir who gives up everything for the sake of religion in a positive light. But it's worth a try.
Ryugi is a character who is clearly aware of the injustice of the world and does not want to put up with it. Even though he occupies a sufficiently advantageous position so that a significant part of the problems does not affect him. He also understands that it is beyond the power of man to change the world and therefore turns to God. In this case, to Tega Sword. It is worth noting Ryugi's exceptional independence. He does not join any existing cult and in fact decides for himself how to worship the Tega Sword. Without even consulting the deity himself. So I understand why Ryugi might seem more alien and incomprehensible than an alien (another great find from the writers), but I think he still deserves respect and admiration.

Kinjiro (Gozyu Eagle). Every Super Sentai has its own heart. The one who holds the team together, taking care of others and helping them overcome adversity. In Gozyuger, this is Kinjiro. It's funny that in the Goranger, Midoranger was the youngest and least experienced of the team, while in the latest Sentai, the green color went to his complete opposite. And yet, he was still the youngest. Kinjiro is equally successful in making people laugh with his awkward combination of antiquity and modern trends, and in making them feel emotional with his longing for his lost youth and relationships with his family. Therefore, it is especially pleasing to realize that he has actually lived a wonderful life and continues to live it. And I also think that this role is shared by both actors, because even though the screen time of Joji was much smaller, he got some of the best moments. Both comedic and dramatic.

Sumino (Gozyu Unicorn). Not my favorite, but one of the most striking female characters in the franchise. Her combination of seriousness and fun, professionalism and failure, craving for luxury and very mundane activities is definitely captivating. And the whole story with the lost sister is disturbing and makes you worry. So it's especially sad that the show gave Sumino undeservedly little time. Maybe she wasn't deprived compared to the others (at least until she was replaced), but for such a bright, unusual character, you want more.
Of course, when talking about Sumino, one cannot ignore such an elephant as the replacement of the actress. On the eve of the finale of Gozyuger, the audience was shocked by two unpleasant pieces of news. And while the end of Super Sentai was rumored back in the days of Ryusoulger (and I'll boast that my prediction "they'll make it to 50 in any case" turned out to be true), the removal of Imamori from the role was truly unexpected. Well, at least for those who don't read Japanese forums. We've discussed this enough in the dedicated thread, so I can only correct my prediction. When we didn't know how Toei would solve this problem, I assumed that if Gozyuger got an anniversary movie, Sumino would definitely appear in it. Now that her role is played by two actresses, it's worth clarifying. I think we could very well see them both in 10 years. It's just that at some point Sumino-Shida will change into Sumino-Imamori and say, "The Tega Sword's spell has finally stopped working."
Another option: in a few years, a commercial will appear with Imamori, where she will say: “I’m back. And you know who else is coming back… SUPER SENTAI!” In any case, after her release, most of the public and celebrities supported her, so if she wanted, she has the opportunity to continue her acting career.
Also, this is the second year in a row that the Black Ranger is a former cop. That's definitely worth beating in a crossover.

Kumade (Gozyu Polar). The show's Sixth Senshi, a big fan of money, honey, and cold. You could say he fell into the typical trap for Sixes in Super Sentai: a flashy appearance and a quick slide into a background character. Unfortunately, this is a problem of the format, when filler episodes are written without a clear understanding of when exactly they will take place. And so Sixth has to be written into the plot in retrospect, where there is no place for him. Still, Kumade boasts a cool appearance, a cute plot about a new outfit, and a gorgeous ending, where even his humorous weakness for high temperatures took on new colors. And Kuma Bear is an incredibly cute character (although he is a murderer. But also an angel ��). So I'm glad Toei added he to the show.

I won't write much about the Tega family. I'll just say that if gods do exist, they're better be a family of robots with complicated relationships. And I'm really looking forward to seeing how Bundorio treats them to curry.
Bridan. The main villains of the show. The organization of Tega June, which seeks to create an ideal world. But to do this, they must first destroy the existing one. And it is the realization that in this world there is something they value that leads them all to correction and coexistence (although Fire Candle resisted to the last). There is much to be said about the charm of Bouquet, the charisma of the Fiery Candle, the relationship between Cake and Knife. But the moment that particularly struck me was Tag June's realization of his own imperfection and, consequently, the impossibility of creating a perfect world. There was something particularly dramatic and profound about it.
Calamity. The final villains of the show. Destructive forces in their purest form, and therefore, unlike Bridan, do not deserve sympathy. Mostly used for fight scenes and to show true evil. There's not much to say about them, except that they're the perfect choice for a cruel and ruthless enemy.
I also want to note that both Bridan and Calamity are essentially about destruction, but with very different goals. This reminds me of Gotchard, where both the Sisters and the Kings were dark reflections of the show's riders, but on different principles.

Of course, Gozyuger has its flaws. Despite all the show's efforts, it couldn't avoid the effect of repetition, there was clearly not enough plot for 49 episodes, and the scandal with Imamori greatly spoiled the audience's attitude towards the show. But at the same time, it's a series with a clear idea, great humor, well-thought-out lore, and vivid characters that the writer understands perfectly. That's why Akiko Inoue did an excellent job with her first show as head writer. I look forward to her further work in Kamen Rider, Project Red, other shows, and even in Super Sentai, when it returns sooner or later.
I want to note that I really want to call Akiko Inoue: "Inoue who loves happy endings", but I understand that this is not entirely fair. It is quite possible that Toei insisted on a positive ending for all drama shows so as not to upset the viewer at the farewell. Just imagine the impression of an ending like Jetman. Videos with the title: "This is how Super Sentai died" would then be released by the thousands. So I'll wait for Akiko-san's other works to better understand her attitude to the tragedy. But I can already say with confidence that I like her style.
To sum up, Gozyuger is a show that every fan of Super Sentai and tokusatsu in general should watch. And if it is someone's first time watching such a show, they will definitely not be disappointed. So Gozyuger is truly #1.

Goodbye, Gozyuger. See you later, Super Sentai. New, completely unknown worlds lie ahead, painted red. But for some reason they seem vaguely familiar and give off a strong 80s vibe…