Super Sentai

src: news.tokunation.com

The Super Sentai Series (??????????, S?p? Sentai Shir?zu) is a Japanese superhero team franchise of TV series produced by Toei Co., Ltd., Toei Agency and Bandai, and aired by TV Asahi ("Sentai" is the Japanese word for "task force" or "fighting squadron"). The shows are of the tokusatsu genre, featuring live action characters and colorful special effects, and are aimed at children. Super Sentai is one of the most prominent tokusatsu franchises in Japan, and airs alongside the Kamen Rider series in the Super Hero Time programming block on Sunday mornings. Outside Japan, the Super Sentai Series is best known as the source material for the Power Rangers franchise.

Video Super Sentai

Series overview

Super Sentai Series

In every Super Sentai Series, the protagonists are a team of people who, using either wrist-worn or hand-held devices, transform into superheroes and gain superpowers - color-coded uniforms, signature weapons, sidearms, and fighting skills - in order to battle a group of evil beings that threaten to take over the Earth. In a typical episode, the heroes thwart the enemies' plans and defeat an army of enemy soldiers and the monster of the week before an enlarged version of the monster confronts them, only to be defeated again when the heroes fight it with their mecha. Each Super Sentai Series is set in its own fictional universe, and various TV, video and film specials feature a team-up between one or more teams.

The series was created by Shotaro Ishinomori, known for his previous works Kamen Rider and Cyborg 009. He developed the first two Super Sentai series Himitsu Sentai Gorenger, which ran from 1975 to 1977, and J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai, released in 1977. Toei Company put the franchise on hiatus in 1978, collaborating with Marvel Comics to produce a live action Spider-Man series, which added giant robots to the concept of tokusatsu shows. This was carried over to Toei and Marvel's next show, Battle Fever J, released in 1979, and the giant robot concept was used throughout the Super Sentai Series from then on.

Power Rangers

In 1993, American production company Saban Entertainment adapted 1992's Ky?ry? Sentai Zyuranger into Mighty Morphin Power Rangers for the Fox Kids programming block, combining the original Japanese action footage with new footage featuring American actors for the story sequences. Since then, nearly every Super Sentai series that followed became a new season of Power Rangers. Some countries, such as France, Brazil, Thailand, and the Philippines, switched from broadcasting Super Sentai to Power Rangers. In 2002, Saban sold the Power Rangers franchise to Disney's Buena Vista division, who owned it until 2010, broadcasting Power Rangers on ABC Kids, ABC Family Channel, Jetix, and Toon Disney. In May 2010, Saban bought the franchise back from Disney, moving the show to the Nickelodeon network for 2011.

Maps Super Sentai

Productions

Main series

The following is a list of the Super Sentai Series and their years of broadcast:

Himitsu Sentai Gorenger (1975-1977); first series in the franchise and first series to be produced during the Sh?wa period.
J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai (1977)
Battle Fever J (1979-1980)
Denshi Sentai Denziman (1980-1981)
Taiyo Sentai Sun Vulcan (1981-1982)
Dai Sentai Goggle-V (1982-1983)
Kagaku Sentai Dynaman (1983-1984)
Choudenshi Bioman (1984-1985)
Dengeki Sentai Changeman (1985-1986)
Choushinsei Flashman (1986-1987)
Hikari Sentai Maskman (1987-1988)
Choujuu Sentai Liveman (1988-1989); last series to be produced during the Sh?wa period.
Kousoku Sentai Turboranger (1989-1990); first series to be produced during the Heisei period.
Chikyu Sentai Fiveman (1990-1991)
Ch?jin Sentai Jetman (1991-1992)
Ky?ry? Sentai Zyuranger (1992-1993); later adapted into Mighty Morphin Power Rangers for American audiences, starting the Power Rangers franchise.
Gosei Sentai Dairanger (1993-1994)
Ninja Sentai Kakuranger (1994-1995)
Chouriki Sentai Ohranger (1995-1996)
Gekisou Sentai Carranger (1996-1997)
Denji Sentai Megaranger (1997-1998)
Seijuu Sentai Gingaman (1998-1999)
Kyuukyuu Sentai GoGoFive (1999-2000)
Mirai Sentai Timeranger (2000-2001)
Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger (2001-2002)
Ninpuu Sentai Hurricaneger (2002-2003)
Bakury? Sentai Abaranger (2003-2004)
Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger (2004-2005)
Mahou Sentai Magiranger (2005-2006)
GoGo Sentai Boukenger (2006-2007)
Juken Sentai Gekiranger (2007-2008)
Engine Sentai Go-onger (2008-2009)
Samurai Sentai Shinkenger (2009-2010)
Tensou Sentai Goseiger (2010-2011)
Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger (2011-2012)
Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters (2012-2013)
Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger (2013-2014)
Ressha Sentai ToQger (2014-2015)
Shuriken Sentai Ninninger (2015-2016)
Doubutsu Sentai Zyuohger (2016-2017)
Uchu Sentai Kyuranger (2017-2018)
Kaitou Sentai Lupinranger VS Keisatsu Sentai Patranger (2018-2019); last series to be produced during the Heisei period.

Theatrical releases

1975: Himitsu Sentai Gorenger
1975: Himitsu Sentai Gorenger: The Blue Fortress
1976: Himitsu Sentai Gorenger: The Red Death Match
1976: Himitsu Sentai Gorenger: The Bomb Hurricane
1976: Himitsu Sentai Gorenger: Fire Mountain's Final Explosion
1977: J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai
1978: J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai vs. Gorenger
1979: Battle Fever J
1980: Denshi Sentai Denziman
1981: Taiyo Sentai Sun Vulcan
1982: Dai Sentai Goggle-V
1983: Kagaku Sentai Dynaman
1984: Choudenshi Bioman
1985: Dengeki Sentai Changeman
1985: Dengeki Sentai Changeman: Shuttle Base! Crisis!
1986: Choushinsei Flashman
1987: Choushinsei Flashman: Big Rally! Titan Boy!!
1987: Hikari Sentai Maskman
1989: Kousoku Sentai Turboranger
1993: Gosei Sentai Dairanger
1994: Ninja Sentai Kakuranger
1994: Super Sentai World
1994: Toei Hero Daishug?
1995: Chouriki Sentai Ohranger
2001: Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger: The Fire Mountain Roars
2002: Ninpuu Sentai Hurricaneger: Shushutto The Movie
2003: Bakury? Sentai Abaranger DELUXE: Abare Summer is Freezing Cold!
2004: Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger The Movie: Full Blast Action
2005: Mahou Sentai Magiranger The Movie: Bride of Infershia ~Maagi Magi Giruma Jinga~
2006: GoGo Sentai Boukenger The Movie: The Greatest Precious
2007: Juken Sentai Gekiranger: Nei-Nei! Hou-Hou! Hong Kong Decisive Battle
2008: Engine Sentai Go-onger: Boom Boom! Bang Bang! Gekij?Bang!!
2009: Engine Sentai Go-onger vs. Gekiranger
2009: Samurai Sentai Shinkenger the Movie: The Fateful War
2010: Samurai Sentai Shinkenger vs. Go-onger: GinmakuBang!!
2010: Tensou Sentai Goseiger: Epic on the Movie
2011: Tensou Sentai Goseiger vs. Shinkenger: Epic on Ginmaku
2011: Gokaiger Goseiger Super Sentai 199 Hero Great Battle
2011: Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger the Movie: The Flying Ghost Ship
2012: Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger vs. Space Sheriff Gavan: The Movie
2012: Kamen Rider × Super Sentai: Super Hero Taisen
2012: Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters the Movie: Protect the Tokyo Enetower!
2013: Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters vs. Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger: The Movie
2013: Kamen Rider × Super Sentai × Space Sheriff: Super Hero Taisen Z
2013: Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger: Gaburincho of Music
2014: Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger vs. Go-Busters: The Great Dinosaur Battle! Farewell Our Eternal Friends
2014: Heisei Riders vs. Sh?wa Riders: Kamen Rider Taisen feat. Super Sentai
2014: Ressha Sentai ToQger the Movie: Galaxy Line S.O.S.
2015: Ressha Sentai ToQger vs. Kyoryuger: The Movie
2015: Super Hero Taisen GP: Kamen Rider 3
2015: Shuriken Sentai Ninninger the Movie: The Dinosaur Lord's Splendid Ninja Scroll!
2016: Shuriken Sentai Ninninger vs. ToQger the Movie: Ninja in Wonderland
2016: Doubutsu Sentai Zyuohger the Movie: The Exciting Circus Panic!
2017: Doubutsu Sentai Zyuohger vs. Ninninger the Movie: Super Sentai's Message from the Future
2017: Kamen Rider × Super Sentai: Ultra Super Hero Taisen
2017: Uchu Sentai Kyuranger the Movie: Gase Indaver Strikes Back

V-Cinema releases

1996: Ch?riki Sentai Ohranger: Ohré vs. Kakuranger
1997: Gekisou Sentai Carranger vs. Ohranger
1998: Denji Sentai Megaranger vs. Carranger
1999: Seijuu Sentai Gingaman vs. Megaranger
1999: Kyuukyuu Sentai GoGoFive: Sudden Shock! A New Warrior!
2000: Kyuukyuu Sentai GoGoFive vs. Gingaman
2001: Mirai Sentai Timeranger vs. GoGoFive
2001: Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger vs. Super Sentai
2003: Ninpuu Sentai Hurricaneger vs. Gaoranger
2004: Bakury? Sentai Abaranger vs. Hurricaneger
2005: Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger vs. Abaranger
2006: Mahou Sentai Magiranger vs. Dekaranger
2007: GoGo Sentai Boukenger vs. Super Sentai
2008: Juken Sentai Gekiranger vs. Boukenger
2010: Samurai Sentai Shinkenger Returns
2011: Tensou Sentai Goseiger Returns
2013: Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters Returns vs. D?butsu Sentai Go-Busters
2013: Ninpuu Sentai Hurricaneger: 10 Years After
2014: Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger: 100 Years After
2015: Ressha Sentai ToQger Returns
2015: Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger: 10 Years After
2016: Shuriken Sentai Ninninger Returns
2017: Doubutsu Sentai Zyuohger Returns: Give Me Your Life! Earth Champion Tournament
2017: Space Squad: Uchuu Keiji Gavan vs. Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger
2017: Uchu Sentai Kyuranger: Episode of Stinger
2018: Uchu Sentai Kyuranger vs. Space Squad
2018: Engine Sentai Go-Onger: 10 Years Grand Prix

Televi Magazine releases

The following releases were on Super Video or Special DVD:

1992: Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger Dino Video
1994: Ninja Sentai Kakuranger Super Video: The Hidden Scroll
1995: Ch?riki Sentai Ohranger Member Notebook
1996: Gekisou Sentai Carranger Super Video
1997: Denji Sentai Megaranger Super Video: You Can Be One Too! A Mega Hero
1998: Seijuu Sentai Gingaman Super Video: The Secret Fruit of Wisdom
1999: Kyuukyuu Sentai GoGoFive: Five Lessons of Rescue Spirits
2000: Mirai Sentai Timeranger Super Video: All the Strongest Hero Secrets
2001: Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger Super Video: Showdown! Gaoranger vs. GaoSilver
2002: Ninpuu Sentai Hurricaneger Super Video: Super Ninja vs Super Kuroko
2003: Bakury? Sentai Abaranger Super Video: All Bakuryuu Roaring Laughter Battle
2004: Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger Super Video: Super-Special Technique Showdown! DekaRed vs. DekaBreak
2005: Mahou Sentai Magiranger Special DVD: Great Presentation! The Super Magic of the Gold Grip Phone ~Goru Gooru Goo Goo~
2007: Juken Sentai Gekiranger Special DVD: Gyun-Gyun! Fist Sage Great Athletic Meet
2008: Engine Sentai Go-Onger Special DVD: It's a Seminar! Everyone GO-ON!!
2009: Samurai Sentai Shinkenger Special DVD: The Light Samurai's Surprise Transformation
2010: Tensou Sentai Goseiger Special DVD: Gotcha?Miracle! Total Gathering Collection
2011: Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger Special DVD: Let's Do This Goldenly! Roughly! 36 Round Gokai Change!!
2012: Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters vs. Beet Buster vs. J
2013: Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger: It's Here! Armed On Midsummer Festival!!
2014: Ressha Sentai ToQger: Farewell, Ticket! The Wasteland Super ToQ Battle!
2015: Shuriken Sentai Ninninger: Aka Ninger vs. Star Ninger Hundred Nin Battle!

Rumor: Super Sentai Patoranger And Lupinranger Crossover Details ...

src: media.comicbook.com

Distribution

Although the Super Sentai Series originated in Japan, various Sentai series have been imported and dubbed in other languages for broadcast in several other countries.

Europe

Bioman, Flashman, Maskman, Liveman, Turboranger, Fiveman, and Jetman were broadcast in France in the 1980s and early 1990s, with Maskman and Liveman marketed as Bioman 2 and Bioman 3, respectively. Additionally, Liveman, Turboranger, and Jetman were broadcast in Spain and Portugal. Denziman, Goggle-V, Sun Vulcan and Battle Fever J were broadcast in Italy. In addition, some episodes of Bioman and Turboranger were released on VHS in Greece. By the early 1990s, the Sentai broadcasts were replaced by Power Rangers and remains until this day.

Asia

Various Sentai series were broadcast in Malaysia starting with Hikari Sentai Maskman during the 1990s, dubbed in English and later in Malay. Almost all Super Sentai shows were broadcast in Thailand since the 1980s, a year following their Japanese debut. They were exclusively broadcast on Channel 9 from the late 1980s to early 1990s until Power Rangers replaced Ky?ry? Sentai Zyuranger in the mid-1990s. Since then, the series have appeared on various channels.

In Vietnam, most of the Super Sentai series were fansubed into Vietnamese and posted on public internet sites. Phuong Nam Film licensed Vietnamese distribution of Super Sentai series, starting with Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger in 2003, which was the best-selling series in the country at that time. As of 2016, Phuong Nam Film continue to release the series a year or two after their Japanese premieres.

Philippines

J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai was the first Sentai series to be shown in the Philippines in the late 1970s. Choudenshi Bioman (the last tokusatsu dubbed in English on Philippine television) and Hikari Sentai Maskman (the first Super Sentai Series dubbed in Filipino on IBC) were broadcast in the Philippines in the 1980s. Choudenshi Bioman was so popular that many people from that generation came to associate all the Super Sentai series as continuations of it, and Hikari Sentai Maskman was marketed as Bioman 2 Maskman on local TV. During the early 1990s, some other series were shown, such as Kousoku Sentai Turboranger, Chikyu Sentai Fiveman and Ch?jin Sentai Jetman which became the last Sentai series to broadcast on ABC5 in 1994. Dai Sentai Goggle-V was also Aired on RPN 9 in 1998 every Sunday morning. From 1995 to 1999 and 2004 to 2015, ABS-CBN aired the American-produced Power Rangers.

South Korea

Super Sentai has been broadcast in South Korea, dubbed in Korean. The first such series was Choushinsei Flashman which aired as Jigu Bangwidae Flash Man (Earth Defence Squadron Flashman), released in video format in 1989 by the Daeyung Panda video company followed by Hikari Sentai Maskman and Chodenshi Bioman. Throughout the 1990s, Dai Sentai Goggle Five, Dengeki Sentai Changeman, Choujuu Sentai Liveman, Kousoku Sentai Turboranger were also released in video format. Recently, Tooniverse (formerly Orion Cartoon Network), JEI-TV (Jaeneung Television), Champ TV/Anione TV (Daewon Broadcasting), Cartoon Network South Korea, and Nickelodeon South Korea have broadcast Super Sentai series a year following their original Japanese broadcast, but have changed the titles to "Power Rangers". Recently, the TV program have broadcast Bakuryuu Sentai Abaranger, Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger, Mahou Sentai Magiranger, GoGo Sentai Boukenger, Juken Sentai Gekiranger, Engine Sentai Go-onger, Tensou Sentai Goseiger, Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger, Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters, Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger, and Ressha Sentai ToQger under the titles of Power Rangers Dino Thunder, Power Rangers S.P.D., Power Rangers Magic Force, Power Rangers Treasure Force, Power Rangers Wild Spirits, Power Rangers Engine Force, Power Rangers Jungle Force, Power Rangers Miracle Force, Power Rangers Captain Force, Power Rangers Go Busters, Power Rangers Dino Force, and Power Rangers Train Force, respectively. The Super Sentai series is expected to continue in South Korea with a dub of Shuriken Sentai Ninninger, which will be known as Power Rangers Ninja Force. Furthermore, Power Rangers Dino Force has the South Korea-exclusive sequel called Power Rangers Dino Force Brave.

Latin America

Choushinsei Flashman and Choujuu Sentai Liveman were broadcast in Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru in the early 1990s, and as reruns in the early 2000s. Flashman arrived with Spanish dubbing done in Brazil and Liveman in Venezuela.

Dengeki Sentai Changeman, Flashman, Maskman and Goggle V were broadcast in Brazil. The first season to air was Changeman in 1988, on the TV Manchete channel (now RedeTV), and caused a tremendous impact in its time, considered a cult classic.

In the early 1990s, the Sentai broadcasts in Latin America were replaced by Power Rangers.

United States

After Honolulu, Hawaii's KIKU-TV had success with Android Kikaider (called Kikaida) and Kamen Rider V3 in the 1970s, multiple Super Sentai series, including Himitsu Sentai Gorenger and Battle Fever J, were brought to the Hawaiian market, broadcast in Japanese with English subtitles by JN Productions. In 1985, Marvel Comics produced a pilot for an American adaptation of a Super Sentai series, but the show was rejected by the major US TV networks. In 1986, Saban Productions produced a pilot for an American adaptation of Choudenshi Bioman titled Bio Man. In 1987, some episodes of Kagaku Sentai Dynaman were dubbed and aired as a parody on the USA Network television show Night Flight.

On 25 July 2014, Shout! Factory announced that they would release Ky?ry? Sentai Zyuranger on DVD in the United States. Since then, Shout! has become the official distributor of Super Sentai DVDs in North America.

src: pbs.twimg.com

Parody and homage

The Super Sentai Series has been parodied and emulated in various ways throughout the world. The term "Sentai" is also occasionally used to describe shows with premises similar to the Super Sentai Series.

Dai-Nippon

Gainax produced a Japanese fan film called Patriotic Squadron Great Japan (???????, Aikoku Sentai Dai-Nippon) in 1982 as a homage to the Super Sentai franchise.

Sport Ranger

The Thai TV series Sport Ranger, another homage to Super Sentai, aired in 2006.

France Five

Jushi Sentai France Five (later known as Shin Kenjushi France Five) is a French online mini-series that was released in six installments from 2000 to 2013. The series was so popular in Japan that Akira Kushida recorded its second opening theme.

Sailor Moon

Naoko Takeuchi used the Super Sentai Series as inspiration for the creation of the Sailor Soldiers in Sailor Moon.

Sparanger

As part of the Omoikkiri Ii!! TV television program, a series of features was produced on various spas and onsen around Japan titled Bihada Sentai Sparanger (????SPA?????, Bihada Sentai Suparenj?, Handsome Muscle Spring Corps Sparanger). This featured tokusatsu and drama actors Takashi Hagino (Changéríon of Choukou Senshi Changéríon and Kamen Rider Ouja of Kamen Rider Ryuki) as Spa Red (SPA???, Supa Reddo), Kento Handa (Kamen Rider Faiz of Kamen Rider 555) as Spa Blue (SPA???, Supa Bur?), Kengo Ohkuchi (Emperor Z of Ressha Sentai ToQger) as Spa Green (SPA????, Supa Gur?n), Masashi Mikami (Bouken Blue in GoGo Sentai Boukenger) as Spa Yellow (SPA????, Supa Ier?), and Kohei Murakami (Kamen Rider Kaixa in Kamen Rider 555) as Spa Murasaki (SPA????(?), Supa Murasaki, "purple" or "violet" in Japanese, a running joke would involve people referring to him as Spa Purple).

EA's Rock

In 2013, Gainax produced EA's Rock (???????, E?zu Rokku), a 13-episode miniseries of live-action shorts which parodied the Super Sentai Series. The series' characters are all former members of a fighting group called Sensation Warriors Gokan Five (???????????, Kankaku Senshi Gokan Faibu, "gokan" is Japanese for the "five senses"). EA's Rock is broadcast on the T?meihan Net 6 Japanese Association of Independent Television Stations as well as Nico Nico Douga.

Akibaranger

Unofficial Sentai Akibaranger (?????????????, Hik?nin Sentai Akibarenj?) is a Toei-produced parody series that premiered in April 2012 on BS Asahi and Tokyo MX. Akibaranger is made for adult fans who were fans of the Super Sentai Series as children. The story features three otaku who live in the Akihabara district of Tokyo who receive technology from a scientist to fight an evil threat that at first only exists in their delusions, but eventually starts materializing itself in the real world. Like Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger, Akibaranger features guest appearances by veteran Super Sentai actors (as themselves rather than their characters), and voice actors and musicians who have worked in anime and tokusatsu. A second season aired in April 2013.

Super Sentai Trademark Reveals A Two-Team Season