TGIF and Happy Friday the 13th! Here we are again with another Fangirl Friday! This week I’m doing something that’s one part childhood nostalgia and one part full blown otaku… The Super Sentai Series!
For those of you unfamiliar with the Super Sentai series, here’s a brief overview… Super Sentai is the name of a long running Japanese superhero themed television series, following the exploits of the Super Sentai who protect the balance between good and evil. Teams members typically wear different colored suits and have a corresponding theme tied to their powers. Teams usually consists of five members, but there have been smaller teams.The Super Sentai use an arsenal of weapons to take down baddies, but what they are most known for are their giant Mecha, which they use to battle enemies, usually during their final showdowns! Oh yeah…and did I mention that the Super Sentai series is the inspiration for the Power Rangers? No, maybe I should have started off with that… Currently there are 40 different Super Sentai shows.
Mirai Sentai Timeranger is the twenty-fourth Super Sentai series, originally released between 2000 and 2001. This show starts in the year 3000, when Time travel has been fully developed as a common technological advancement. In order to prevent its abuse, the Time Police were formed to regulate it. Many criminal organizations seek to use time travel for personal gain. During the show crime boss Don Dorneiro steals the tech and flees to the year 2000. Time Police Captain, Ryuya sends four newly graduated cadets after him but, before they can leave their captain turns on them. The team escapes and sets out to complete their mission as planned, but upon reaching the 21st century, their ship crashes leaving them stranded in the year 2000. In order to complete their mission the four cadets recruit Tatsuya, a carefree 21st century guy as their fifth member. Together they foil the plans of Doneiro and his gang, while the cadets become acclimated to their new time.
This is probably one of the most serious Sentai shows as it deals with some complex issues regarding time, fate, and one’s ability to control their future. Tatsuya is the most optimistic of the group as he fights to carve out a future that he can be proud of. While the four cadets view the future as an inevitability, with individuals having little control over the course of their futures. There is a unique back and forth between the characters from the present and the future, and I really enjoyed watching everyone grow over the course of the story. I loved all of the Timerangers, as they each had their own separate issues and story arcs which highlighted their growth over the course of the series. The characters with the greatest growth over the series are Tatsuya (Time Red) and Yuri (Time Pink). Yuri becomes less detached and pessimistic about the future as the story progresses, and Tatsuya becomes much more serious and contemplative about his role on the team and in the future. Unfortunately this show has a rather bittersweet ending, but it so perfectly wraps up the events of the show that I can’t help but love it. I highly recommend the Super Sentai series, especially Timeranger, it is one of the best!
I think the show’s tagline sums the show up perfectly, so for now I’ll leave you with that!
“Even if we can’t change the future, we can change tomorrow.”
So have you watched any of the other Super Sentai series? Which is your favorite? Let me know in the comments section or Ask Me anonymously on my Tumblr! As always Thank You for reading!
I prefer those costumes over the Power Ranger movie armor.