[Fish Sandwich]

~Fish's Zenkai Tour!~

Scroll Twenty-Six – Ninpuu Sentai Hurricaneger



One thing I know for sure about Hurricaneger is that the people who worked on the show must've been immensely fond of the experience. Even going to make this post, I found out the show's main director, Katsuya Watanabe, was so attached to it he actively turned down the chance to handle the first episodes of the following year's series just so he could handle the final episodes of this one. Hurricaneger is also notable for getting an anniversary V-Cinema made 10 years after the show, a trend which did not at all exist prior, and something that only happened because the cast and staff get together regularly enough that the thought of doing something like that just kind of came up in conversation one day, and then they actually went and did it. I may not be that familiar with Hurricane Blue not having seen the show, but I sure as heck already know Nao Nagasawa from the abundance of random roles she pops up playing in later Toei shows... not to mention the entire team's appearance in Gokaiger, which, even despite it being a smaller team to begin with, was a pretty notable occasion for that series.

I get the impression that among viewers, too, Hurricaneger is something of a cult classic, with plenty of devoted fans, even if it isn't quite as popular as some other Sentai out there. Not that I know for sure what I'm talking about here, mind you. Like I said, that's just my impression! I don't always hear about Hurricaneger, but whenever I do, it's generally spoken of rather fondly. It's always just seemed to me like this cool show that's also sort of hiding out of the spotlight a lot of the time, only making itself known when the moment is right? Kinda fits the ninja theme, when I put it like that!

And uh, yeah, first impressions here are pretty dang positive! The most telling thing I can say is that this is very much a case where I would've immediately started the next episode without hesitation, were it not for that defying the purpose of the tour. Truth be told, I sort of vaguely planned to watch Hurricaneger not too long after finishing Kakuranger, to keep that ninja vibe going, but I didn't end up feeling quite enough of a spark right then and there, I guess. Which is a shame, because I'm pretty sure I'm going to be all over this show whenever I do give it the time of day. Although part of the problem there is that Hurricaneger isn't the first show I've said that about...

Well, anyway, this was a pretty awesome premiere. A bit of trend (that's since been broken) which started with this show was following up an anniversary series with a smaller, three person team, and I've always been way into that idea of trimming down the cast to focus on a trio of characters who can hypothetically benefit from that reduced size by gaining deeper characterization and a more focused, fleshed out dynamic with one another than can easily be done with two extra people to worry about. I stress that this is all hypothetical, because there are certainly Sentai that can pull off developing six or so unique characters, and all of these post-anniversary shows with trios ended up with at least five heroes by the end anyway, but I do think, especially in the early stages of a series, when everything is being built up, it can be a real blessing to keep things so simple. (Plus, you know, it's the return of that classic Sun Vulcan land and sea and air combo that always works, complete with a distinctly Liveman flavored giant robot.)

While I obviously can't speak to how everything shakes out for Hurricaneger in the long run, it certainly seems to be setting itself up for success on that front, with a group composed of lovable underdogs – slacker students of the ninja arts who end up receiving their powers to fight off evil space ninjas(!) who attacked their school... for the sole reason that they were the only ones lazy enough to not bother showing up at all that day. But like, they've got potential too! Their teacher believes it, stern as he is! So it's like an accident and destiny at the same time, for this kind of mix that's the best of both worlds. There's a sense of urgency to the group's mission, and you get enough a sense for the youthful bond the three of them share that it's hard not to root for these goofballs to step up and save the day. The moment they actually receive their transformation devices really sums it all up. Their resolve is highlighted by a series of epic shots, zooming in on their determined faces before sweeping heroic movements of the camera perfectly capture the grandeur of their new status as Earth's protectors (Watanabe really gave this show his all)... and then they almost walk off before actually grabbing the things, because they were just so darn fired up they forgot.

It's great stuff, and the style of the following fight scene is impeccable. Do I even need to explain that ninjas are cool? It feels pretty obvious, but just in case, beyond the theatrical lighting of the roll call, you've got the team using all sorts of awesome ninja techniques you'd expect, plus all the awesome Sentai staples you'd expect, like a big bazooka to finish off the monster and everything. And then it all ends with an exciting cliffhanger as a bunch of the villains emerge menacingly out of the darkness from unsettling red smoke on a cliff overlooking the heroes. (Watanabe REALLY gave this show his all.) It shouldn't be too surprising that I was ready for more with an ending like that, and that's how I know Hurricaneger nailed its first outing. I'd say I can't wait to get around to finishing this one, but unfortunately for me, I'd be lying. Really though, I'm pretty sure that's my loss!