Shout! Factory
Before Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, there was Super Sentai! This original presentation consists of many series only a superfan of the Tokusatsu genre can make sense of. Not only do we have the (fill in this blank) type ranger titles, but also there’s Kamen Rider and Cyborg 009. They’re all part of the megaverse, a term I’d rather use than meta.
What’s offered started hitting Japanese airwaves in the mid-70s, and to know where everything crosses over means really remembering all that’s been broadcasted since. Thanks to Shout! Factory for providing me with the releases lately, and they’re definitely shows I’m proud to play for my young nieces and nephews in hopes they’ll become fellow otakus.
First, I’ll look at what’s released this week and work backwards:
This 28th entry in this specific series, and to jump into this world isn’t too hard. One aspect of this production that caught my attention is that it has a Patlabor vibe to it. That’s mostly because the mecha has a lot of enforcer lights on it. In general, other series in this subset of Super Sentai works include the fact the heroes are guardians, cowboys or a knightly order. As for whether they serve a higher order, the individualisation is what makes these similiarly named series unique.
Here, the team reports to an Anubian Chief, named Doggie Kruger. If that’s not amusing enough with its vague Ancient Egyptian connection (I have yet to find the instalments concerning his past), then perhaps following the exploits of the newly minted member of Special Police Dekaranger (S.P.D.) will. Akaza is made the leader of a recently formed five-person squad, and where the story goes from there means spending at least a month to appreciate all the content.
Here, this specialised cosmic police force has to do their best to stop Agent Abrella. He looks bat-like, and the fact he wears an Egyptian styled crown suggests some kind of connection with that old world. In this series, he’s part of a species known as Alienizer; although the term is very vague, perhaps some offshoot race occupied the past to become who we know as the gods. No reference has been made in the episodes I’ve seen, but I’ll keep on looking!
Release Date: Feb 14, 2023
Kamen Rider Ryuki
First Season is available
to stream online on Shout! Factory TV (free)
Kamen Rider Ryuki may well be a unique entry out of all the story arcs produced. This television show is essentially Highlander the TV Series with a tokusatsu spin and I’m loving the concept. The fact nobody said, “There can be only one!” is why I am looking carefully ahead rather than bingeing. I’m a sucker for series constructed memes and if none exists, I’ll have to make them from screenshots.
Only one hero may exist to protect the world. When Shinji Kido finds an Advent Card (アドベントカード, Adobento Kādo) that can turn the owner to a Kamen Rider, another soldier, namely Ren Akiyama, will challenge him to a fight to the death. These duels are why I’m really wanting to follow this series to the end.
Because of the various rivalries involved, I feel more invested in this work than other Kamen Rider series. And when more of the real world is used, the world feels more authentic. Some series don’t use exterior sets as much and I miss that.
To see the Kamen Riders in a civil war isn’t unique. When I thought it might be like Iron Man: Armour Wars, that’s because there’s no mention regarding how the armour was made, and the discourse about who can be a warrior for a common cause is light. Instead, it’s about the fall of the Knights of the Round Table (King Arthur) and why Camelot can’t exist in this metaverse.
Ultimately, most fans know the seasons are not meant to unite as a whole. Any information regarding the organisation is available on the Internet. But as for whether we’ll get a Shin Kamen Rider to explain the full developmental background of this clan like in Shin Ultraman, that has yet to happen.
I’ll be anxiously waiting for that day Toei announces such a project. Not everyone is well versed in the Super Sentai lore, and some big screen treatment to bring in new fans and remind us what this franchise is about can be cool! After half a century of countless television programs, some way to reignite interest in Japan and abroad is needed.
Release Date: February 7, 2023
Tokusatsu Promo Trailer for Kamen Rider
