[Androzani84]

Dai Fukatsu! Fukushū Bōma!

Which is my fancy way of saying that, with the 20 Years movie incoming, the Hurricaneger thread is back in business, starting with?

Avataro Sentai Donbrothers meets Hurricaneger

And, as it?s a crossover, and if you don?t know anything about Hurricaneger, then what are you doing here?, I have to explain to you about the Donbrothers (in a more detailed fashion than the previous time I did so)

?Once upon this year, in a land somewhere out there? lived 4 companions and one Avataro.?

A man called Jin Momoi finds a baby inside a peach-shaped capsule whom he names Taro and raises. 21 years later, mysterious monsters called the Hitotsuki begin appearing when humans overcome with their inner desires are taken over by spirits infused with powers related to the Super Sentai from the past. Taro, and four other individuals selected by Jin; Shinichi Saruhara, a smart but eccentric young man, Haruka Kito, a high schooler manga artist, Tsubasa Inuzuka, a wanted fugitive, and Tsuyoshi Kijino, an ordinary salaryman begin fighting the Hitotsuki and saving their hosts as the Donbrothers. They are later joined by Jiro Momotani, who was also found in a capsule as a baby and raised in a rural area, and aspires to become a hero.

Also standing in their way are the Noto, elusive and ruthless individuals from a higher plane who stop the Hitotsuki by sealing their hosts in another dimension to kill them, unlike the Donbrothers who use their powers to rescue them, and the Juto, strange and powerful creatures who are a threat to both humans and the Noto. The Donbrothers also count on the secret help of Kaito Goshikida, the owner of the coffee shop Donbura who transforms into Zenkaizer Black.

Taro Momoi/Don Momotaro: A survivor of the Don Clan. Taro was found by Jin Momoi inside a peach-shaped capsule that floated to shore after exiting a portal from Ideon when he was just a baby. In his childhood, he was excellent at everything and always eager to help people do things correctly, but this goodwill became so intrusive that the neighbors organized a rally against him, although he did not realize that he was hated until everyone in the neighborhood left. During his birthdays, he would often celebrate alone with his foster father as none of the neighbors wanted to come to his party when invited. A happier moment was when he would make onigiri for Jin to take with him for his lunch before he headed off to work. Another sad moment in his childhood was during one summer when his pet beetle Gii flew out a window and never returned, upsetting Taro since he had no real friends and treasured Gii as the closest thing to one. Taro lives alone and works as a delivery man at Shirokuma Express, the employees of which tend to exploit his bluntness when gambling for portions in the company lunch breaks. He also fights against the Noto and Hitotsuki as Don Momotaro. Taro is young man who is incapable of lying and capable of living on his own after his foster father vanished. He also can do any kind of work, like cleaning, cooking, making rice-balls etc. As his regular self, he is cheery and generally well-mannered, though his tendency to be brutally honest often leaves him in situations where the favor is usually against him or annoys people to the point that they hate being around him. Unhelpful to those who meet him, Taro's form of giving advice is simply stating out what someone does wrong before performing the corresponding act in what he deems to be the right way, typically worsening any relationships he has with other people. Additionally, his comments are usually made without consideration of someone's feelings, which normally results in him angering others unintentionally. His honesty extends to how he views the world, seeing lying as wrong and even if the intent is for good reasons, the liar is masking a false truth and true words come directly from the heart, though a brief conversation with Sonoi later made him slightly loosen up to deception. Unlike his superhero persona, Taro hates fighting to the point he will never directly hit a person even if provoked. Despite his friendly disposition, Taro?s childhood has affected him negatively as he doesn?t know what true happiness is. His compulsory need to help others and make them happy is, in his own words, a way to understand the emotion itself since he is lonely. He also seems to dislike his birthday, as it serves as a constant reminder of his loneliness. As Don Momotaro, however, he undergoes a drastic personality change. Compared to his civilian identity, Don Momotaro is far more boisterous and jolly, often seeing every battle as a type of festival under an air of confidence, and can also be a bit unpredictable and eccentric. Earlier, he wildly attacked his team as a test of their combat skills and training, especially if he felt that they were holding him back in battle. After fighting against Chikyuuki, however, he has since stopped his wild training spree after his teammates' combat experience developed and they began working together more cohesively. However, it's implied that his Don Momotaro persona is merely a front on his behalf, as while his heroic nature is retained, he will usually drop his jolly self back to his Taro personality when things have gotten serious, such as facing honorable or powerful opponents, or when he strongly opposes those who crossed the line of killing anyone, regardless of whether they are innocent or bad people. While not in serious situations, he briefly retains his Taro persona while in his ranger form upon being teleported into battle before returning back to his jolly self, as seen when Taro is momentarily distracted from making delivery services during his battle against Kijino?s boss.
Haruka Kito/OniSister: Haruka is a high school student at Tsunokaku High School and aspiring manga artist who wrote First Love Hero. She lives in an apartment building called Grand Residence Fukuwauchi with her aunt, Yuriko Kito, who works as a detective. She originally was meant to receive a manga award for her work, but after she became OniSister, Haruka was accused of plagiarism and had her reputation ruined. As the youngest of the team, Haruka can be a bit childish at times, sometimes having fits if she is bored upset or frustrated. She also was, at first, hesitant to be a hero due to the fear and anxiety of witnessing monster attacks. She also has a bad temperament if something pushes her to her limits, her fury being able to terrify others into just avoiding upsetting her further through being submissive. She is also shown to be jealous of other young women if they possess qualities she doesn?t have. Despite this, Haruka can also be helpful and kind to her friends. At the later end of the show, Haruka gains her driver?s license, despite being a terrible driver who can only drive properly in reverse gear and recklessly speeds on the road when going forward. Aside from her skills as a manga artist, Haruka is athletic as she is seen jogging and using a bicycle. Her social life has been somewhat ruined by the misfortune effects of being a Donbrother as her classmates all now call her ?plagiarist? instead of by name and her love life has come crashing down as her seemingly dubious reputation forced her boyfriend to dump her at the behest of his mother.

Since Donbrothers isn?t over yet, I?ll reserve judgement on the overall product (though I am leaning very positively)

In terms of crew, this special is written by Shunito Nishi, whose one previous Tokusatsu credit was Kamen Rider Revice: Birth of Chimera (which I felt was average at best, but still better than the movie it led into) and directed by Kenshin Tanimoto, who seems to be a new guy to this business. So, with all of that said, on with the review.

We start with Haruka, once again, struggling for inspiration to create something original.



And then she gets interrupted by what she thinks is a customer? but is actually a group of MAGErappas. (Not MEGArappas, I mean, who would make such a stupid mistake?)



And then, as if to make things even crazier, a certain ninja shows up.



Yosuke: The clouds part, the sky rages??



A fight then breaks out inside Cafe Donbura, over a blue stone the Magerappas are safeguarding.



Eventually, Yosuke initiates that old favourite Chou Ninpo: Kage no Mai (which allows the director to have the cafe wrecked without actually showing any of the destruction)





Eventually, Haruka gets so annoyed, she disperses the screen (no really, it?s that kind of show).



The Magerappas get away with the stone as Nanami and Kouta arrive on the scene.



But, they don?t get a chance to leave, since they find an angry teenage waitress in their way.



Cue the title



Sure enough, a few minutes later, the three Hayate Ninjas are cleaning up the place (some things never change, I guess), much to Kouta?s chagrin.



Meanwhile, Haruka has calmed down and is now observing the three.



Seizing a chance for some inspiration, Haruka decides to get their story.



While Yosuke and Kouta are in no hurry to get interviewed by someone who was a glint in the postman?s eye when they saved the world, Nanami is a bit smarter about this.



And so, she and Kouta fill Haruka in on her basics of their story (to which I?m gonna hyperlink you to my relevant reviews.)


Their first battle with the Jakanja (which appears twice)

Senpuujin?s debut

The Kuroko-bots wiping people?s memories

Yosuke attacks Kirikirimaishi, before the Kasumi Bros appear and transform into the Gouraigers

Shurikenger enters in Tenkuujin

Shurikenger battles Sandaaru in Fire Mode

Shurikenger dies

And finally, The heroes destroy the Evil Will.

And why is their story now continuing, despite all their enemies being dead? Yosuke explains that Jakanja isn?t done yet.



These would be the Reverse Seven Spears, Aunja and Oi-Randa, with the blue orb being the Time Stone they need for their plan.



But by this point, Haruka doesn?t care. She?s too busy fantasising about her next manga, a Shoujo story about ninjas in a high school (no wonder she got accused of plagiarism)





Yosuke and the others react accordingly.



And then they get a call on their Hurricane Gyros? from a voice that?s way too young to be Oboro?s.



As Yosuke asks who this is, she gets annoyed.



(As in, the character who was in the cast reveals, but not in the synopsis. Meanwhile, Oi-Randa was in the synopsis, yet all we?ve seen of her is a silhouette and an eye. Hmmm)

Moeru informs the three that she?s located the Magerappas that stole the Time Stone, to which Haruka offers to join them in the fight. When they give the usual ?Its too dangerous? speech, she shows that she?s perfectly equipped for danger in the most straightforward and literal way.

And on top of a building, the lead Magerappa presents his prize to Aunja.



He then obliquely hints as to what he and Oi-Randa are up to (they have to leave some surprises for the movie. All we know is that it involves travelling through time to steal a Heaven Stone from a Princess in the Edo Era)



But then the Hurricanegers show up to rain on his parade, Shinobi Changing to fight his group of Magerappas.





Haruka, instead of fighting, is instead taking notes (let no crisis go to waste, I guess)



The fight then begins. And due to the budget being lower than your standard episode (and that?s saying something), the only technique we see any of them pull off is Kouta?s Chou Ninpo: Mai Jishi (which is easy to pull off if you have two HurricaneYellow suits)



And then, Taro appears in order to join the fun?



Though Haruka wishes he hadn?t.



After a few minutes of sword fighting, Taro is sufficiently impressed enough to ask Yosuke to join him in matri- er, I mean, as a companion.



But Yosuke isn?t interested.



And Aunja uses this argument as his chance to kill Yosuke.



Haruka comes out of hiding to mourn his death? only to realise he swapped out with a decoy at the last second.



Taro then takes this opportunity to do a combination attack with the Hurricanegers to finish off Aunja.









But they soon discover that they only destroyed another decoy.



The real Aunja then appears as a spirit to brag about their plan to go back in time 200 years and collect the Heaven Stone to combine it with the Time Stone, all for the sake of Oi-Randa.



As Nanami gets confused by that name, we get another silhouette of Oi-Randa.



Everyone starts feeling despondent, since they can?t do anything if Aunja manages to go back in time. But then Moeru?s voice speaks up.





Moeru explains that she and Oboro have invented a time travel system, and that the Gouraigers are waiting at the base for the main three to show up so they can use it.



Taro then tries to do his usual ?attack while their guard is down? schtick, only for Yosuke to reveal his guard is always up.



As the Hurricanegers say their goodbyes and leave, Haruka?s come up with an idea for a tragic romance shoujo manga about ninjas (I can see why her mangaka career failed to take off again)





Moeru takes that as a chance to introduce a friend of hers, before putting sunglasses on.



Huh? What am I doing here? What was I reviewing again? (Or in other words, don?t worry about how the hell this is meant to fit into Donbrothers. Hugh I wonder how they?ll do that for the Abaranger crossover that?s coming soon, since they had no such memory wiping facilities)



Haruka walks into work, once again, struggling for inspiration to create something original.



It then ends with her horrified to find the place was wrecked seemingly while she was out (oh the irony).





Final thoughts: Overall a little harmless fun that exists purely to develop hype for the movie. If I?m honest, it works better at this than Birth of Chimera, and while fairly new, both writer and director really brought their a-game to this.

Next time: They?re back, after 20 Years.