[Matrixbeast]

Annnnnnnd done. Finished Kakuranger today.
For the finale, it was okay, but actually something of a letdown. The big climax occurred in the episode before, basically. This one was just pushing Daimaoh into a door...
But it wasn't bad. I do like that it changed things up, and the villain was wanting to be killed and the rangers had to be talked out of destroying him.
It's just a little disappointing that they didn't get a big final fight against Daimaoh and the possible climax against the Kunoichi Gang was nonexistent (It was kind of disappointing that there was no true final fight against the Kunoichi, villains who had been in the series longer than both Junior and Daimaoh).

Anyway, onto the series as a whole.
Wow, that series was awesome. When I first started Kakuranger, I was expecting a comedy before becoming a needless drama series during the last 20 episodes. Instead, I got a series that handled both the humor and the serious moments incredibly well, to my surprise. You could feel tension during the serious moments, and when the stakes were raised things actually got tense. The comedy, while admittedly not always hitting on it's mark (Which I'm willing to forgive, since it's a children's show in another language), didn't feel like it was intrusive as it was something present from the very start. While the later episodes did feel a little forced as breather episodes, they were still fun (To an extent).

Concerning the characters, the ones who got fleshed out were great. I loved Tsuruhime, Sasuke, and Jiraiya. Their episodes were always highlights and great watches. Tsuruhime's and Jiraiya's episodes tended to focus on their past, where we got to learn why they became the people they are now, and why they tended to be the most tense. While we didn't learn much of Sasuke's history, he had the most growth, going from a slack off and a jackass into a true warrior and hero. Unfortunately, much like almost every other Sentai, not all the characters get to grow, and that's where Seikai and Saizou fit in. While they did become more serious like Sasuke, it wasn't very gradual. As the series became more serious, their comedic elements only appeared on episodes centered around them, as because they were defined by their comedy, they basically just became extra swords in battle and that's it. It wasn't helped that they were almost always paired up, so they were constantly sharing the screen.

As for additional characters, there isn't much to talk about, which is rather strange, since these additional characters were a vital part of the series. Hakumenro was a big player, but he spent almost 10 episodes straight as nothing but set dressing (And no, I'm not referring to the part when he was turned to stone). Once his plan was revealed, he proceeded to spend time as literally nothing but part of the set. Taro and Jiro only really got three appearances, despite their disappearance playing into why Tsuruhime became how she is, and Bun...Yep. He existed too. Sandayuu really did die, sadly, not even getting to pull a force ghost or anything in the finale. It's unfortunate, since I really enjoyed him. The only other character of note I can remember is Jiraiya's former teacher, despite only appearing in the two parter, because of his integral part in his backstory as well as his tragic history as well.

In terms of design, Kakuranger has some of my favorites. The sleek, simple outfits fit the ninja theme perfectly, and watching them in action is always a plus. The mecha are also amazing to look at, despite going with a shogun theme rather than a ninja one. I loved Muteki Shogun's giant castle look and his huge, imposing design. But the personal favorite of mine was Kakure Daishogun, because he's awesome. Much closer to the ninja theme, it's sleek and thin, but considered the more powerful of the two, ironically. Tsubasamaru always had a great look to it, thanks to it's large wingspan and awesome combination. Ninjaman (Who I decided to list with the mecha, since his character is just a little kid playing grown up with a trait of getting angry when called a novice) has a nice design to him, too, though his Samuraiman form never wowed me, neither as a kid or now.
The yokai were hit and miss. While some MOTW looked amazing, others just looked like complete trash. I did like the idea of the yokai being modern day incarnations of the demons from traditional Japanese history (The one thing the narrator did that was useful was describe the yokai, but I'm not going to lie when I say that I couldn't stand that guy. Forcing his way into the episode mid fight sequence just to tell me that the trash yokai lives in trash? Thanks...I was so happy when he was finally cut from the series). However, the yokai that will forever stand out in design Gashadokuro, one of the best looking villains in the franchise.

Speaking of Gashadokuro, the villains were wonderful!
...Up to episode 31. One of my biggest complaints about Sentai is that far too many of the villains just sit on their throne and throw tantrums when their minions die. Prince Junior was amazing because he did far, far more than that, actively getting involved with plans and actively aiding minions (Well, not joining them in battle, but still, he'd help in some ways). He was energetic, too, so when he was in his fortress, he was doing far more than sitting around, like rocking out with his guitar or piano. One he was axed off, it was incredibly disappointing that his replacement, Daimaoh, was the exact kind of villain I couldn't stand. He wasn't terrible, but he was just such a massive step down from Junior...
However, while the leaders had their ups and downs, one group of villains were always great, the Flower Kunoichi Gang. While I'm disappointed that they didn't get an epic final showdown, their prolonged presence made it clear that they were far stronger than the generic MOTW format.

So, yeah. Kakuranger was an awesome series that, while I don't think is perfect for everyone, is definitely worth a watch.
I'd definitely rank it my 2nd favorite Sentai, behind Gekiranger.