[Kurona]

Dynaman is AWESOME.

I'm only three episodes in, but so far it's managed to capture me more than any other Showa toku I've watched to this point -- its first two episodes have an absolutely insane pace where you literally cannot blink for fear of losing anything, and that certainly sets a tone, but it's one of those things where I can't help but love it. It's something that would easily put off anyone else but I just couldn't help but fall in love with Rei Dynapink jump-flipping onto Hokuto Dynared's motorbike and telling him to drive not even moments after he's seen a giant crab bubble some civilians into the back of a truck, and all in the space of a few seconds. Might need to come with a warning that your brain'll be fried!

After it calms down though in episode 3, the themes really become clear and it's a lovely one I actually didn't expect. I didn't know what 'Kagaku' meant in their Sentai name and all I truly knew going in is that the outfits were sexy, they've got a kooky scientist dude as a commander and there's explosions everywhere! So I figured the latter part was the theme; just dynamic action everywhere! And while that sure does happen... 'Kagaku' means science, and that's where a really cool, unique part of this season kicks in. While it doesn't look like it at first, every member of the Dynamen are scientists; and they will use that skill to solve the monster gimmick of the week -- so, Episode 3's Bat Evolution uses gas that turns people into Salamander people (it's sentai, roll with it)? Usually the heroes of the show would just make it explode and everything's gone back to normal and the villains for some reason don't think to use it again -- again, it's Sentai, roll with it; but I think it's really cool that this season instead takes the approach of 'exploding the monster' not solving everything, and the Dynamen instead have to dissect the gas and come up with a countermeasure by the end of the episode.

Beyond that, it's a really good addition to the themes of the season. As with like half of Toku in existence, Dynaman is about dreams, and something our mentor Dr. Yumeno states is that he chose these people not just for their combat skills; but because they're people with large dreams working towards them that will inspire kids and create a world where those dreams are possible. From episode 2 every Dynaman has a stated scientific dream; from reducing pollution in motorbikes to talking to animals, and it's all lovely stuff that while simple, is in that very Showa toku vibe that carries a certain feeling with it. It's about what that all communicates to the kids at home and what that might inspire in them. Just a very nice show so far.

also the villains are called the evilution empire i've been waiting so so long for someone to do that very obvious pun