This very Concise History or Notes of Super Sentai is mainly taken from old Wikipedia article about Super Sentai. The old article gives us brief description of each show in one paragraph, but the current version of article just trimmed this paragraph off. I also take several notes from powerrangers.wikia.com to find interesting facts.
Whenever I can, I added one or two trivias to let us reminded to the series. So, here it is, A Very Concise History of Super Sentai once published in Wikipedia.
This compilation will divided into three parts:
Part 1 - Gorenger to Fiveman (14 titles)
Part 2 - Jetman to Dekaranger (14 titles)
Part 3 - Magiranger to Kyoryuger (10 titles + Akibaranger)
this is part 1
Himitsu Sentai Gorenger (
秘密戦隊ゴレンジャー Himitsu Sentai Gorenjā):
Year 1975–1977 and developed by Shotaro Ishinomori, the very first super sentai team. The motif is spies and technologies. When transform the team shout "Go!" and their homebase organization is called
EAGLE. They fight against a secret terrorist monster force called The Black Cross Army.
- The longest running series with 84 episodes
- Colors : Red, Blue, Yellow, Pink and Green.
J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai (ジャッカー電撃隊 Jakkā Dengekitai):
Year 1977, a unique series with motif of playing card — Jack, Ace, King and Queen — and the first series to have white color as team leader, Big One. The homebase organization is also called
ISSIS and the villain is called Criminal Organization Crime.
- Due to low ratings, the series was canceled after 35 episodes - making it the shortest-running Super Sentai.
- The first to had a versus movie J.A.K.Q. vs Gorenger. This use of a crossover would not happen again until 1995, and to be continued ever since.
- Actor that played Big One is the same with Blue Gorenger / AoRanger , the first actor reprising role of ranger.
- The only series that technically had four members as active rangers.
- Colors: Red, Blue, Pink, Green, White stripped
Battle Fever J (
バトルフィーバーJ Batoru Fībā Jei):
Year 1979, motif is national countries (Japan, Soviet Union, Kenya, French and United States) which is also based on Earth's continent. Home base organization is
National Defence Ministry, villain is EGOS. This is also a co-production between Toei and Marvel Comic. Thus the character is most unique super sentai design ever, featured characters resembling Captain America and Miss America.
- Also using world dance motif
- Battle Fever J also featured the first giant robot, an idea carried over from the Spider-Man production. From then on, the series' official name came to be
Super Sentai.
- the first series to feature a team cannon formed from the members' individual weapons.
- the second but most notable super sentai actor reprising role as core member, Kenji Ohba as Black ranger (Battle Kenya) and then appeared again in Denjiman. Later Shiro Izumi who played Pegasus Blue (in Changeman) will also play Burai / Dragon Ranger in Zyuranger, but in Zyuranger he is an extra ranger.
- once upon a time, Toei counted the Super Sentai franchise only start from Battle Fever J, before adding Gorenger and J.A.K.Q in the future.
- Colors: Red, Blue, Pink, Green, Black
Denshi Sentai Denziman (
電子戦隊デンジマン Denshi Sentai Denjiman):
Year in 1980, this was the first series completely produced by Toei. No strong motif in Denjiman, but the heroes all connected to
Space Planet Denji. No formal organization, villain is called Vader Clan.
- The first series to have a transforming giant robot
- the first to introduce a personal transformation device in this case, each member wore a special ring.
- the first to use helmets with translucent materials for visors
- the only super sentai series to shared same actor as main core member
- Colors: Red, Blue, Yellow, Pink, Green , which is the same combination back to Gorenger.
Taiyo Sentai Sun Vulcan (
太陽戦隊サンバルカン Taiyō Sentai San Barukan):
Year 1981, this series served as a direct sequel to Denziman, with Machiko Soga's Queen Hedrian character returning. The motif of this series is based on basic elements: air, land and sea. Home base organization is
Guardian of World Peace (GWP), villain is Black Magma
- the first to use full animal motif, although Battle Fever J also had character with animal design.
- the first combining robot to be used, a trend that continues throughout the Super Sentai Series.
- the first series to use a transformation bracelet - a device that would be standard in majority of the Super Sentai franchise.
- the first to use three member team, and the only three active rangers.
- Sun Vulcan was also the only series to have all male member.
- earliest series to use domestic building as their homebase camouflage (a restaurant and safari park)
- the only series with Red ranger replacement in the middle of series. Vul Eagle II was the one appeared in the next super sentai franchise, as in Gaoranger vs Super Sentai.
- Colors: Red, Yellow, Blue
Dai Sentai Goggle-V (
大戦隊ゴーグルファイブ Dai Sentai Gōguru Faibu):
Year 1982. Motif is based on gemstones, ancient civilizations and rhythmic gymnastics. Home base organization is
Future Science Laboratory, villain is Dark Science Deathdark.
- the first series that started the tradition of the main cast members shouting the team name on the opening title.
- each ranger to be assisted by Comboyputter, a boy / girl who stand by with computer
- the first series to literally use the number "V" / five in the team's name
- colors: Red, Black, Blue, Yellow, Pink
Kagaku Sentai Dynaman (
科学戦隊ダイナマン Kagaku Sentai Dainaman):
Year 1983. Motif is science. Home base organization is
Yumeno Invention Center, a private Earth's defend organization that use a playground as headquarter. Villain is Jashinka Empires.
- the first series to use "spandex" costumes for the heroes and was the first series to remove the scarves from the costume (a tradition carried over from Ishinomori's Kamen Rider Series).
- Several episodes of Dynaman were comically dubbed into English and aired during the USA Network's 1987 Night Flight programming block.
- also use Baseball theme for its uniform
- the name is choose because of the many explosion in the series, "Dyna-mite"
- the last sentai to strickly use Red, Blue, Yellow as male ranger, not to be used again until Turboranger
- Colors: Red, Black, Blue, Yellow, Pink
Choudenshi Bioman (
超電子バイオマン Chōdenshi Baioman):
Year 1984. Motif is loosely a super bionic skill, Red is Radar / Navigational skill, Green is the ability to see through deception, Blue had super hearing, Yellow had photographic skill and Pink is simply a Laser Beam. No formal organization, villain is New Empire Gear.
- the first series to feature two heroines on the team
- the first to feature a helping robot to aid the heroes.
- The show was also the last to have a change in team members mid-season, with yellow replacement.
- The first to use Yellow as female ranger
- Colors: Red, Green, Blue, Yellow, Pink
Dengeki Sentai Changeman (
電撃戦隊チェンジマン Dengeki Sentai Chenjiman):
Year 1985, motif is based on legendary creatures in European traditions mixed with a military theme. Homebase organization is
Earth Defence Force against villain The Great Star League Gozma. Changeman revived the use of the team cannon, which became the final weapon of later Super Sentai groups.
- the second series to entirely based on animal theme
- the first to use White as female ranger color, then the second five team without a yellow color, after J.A.K.Q.
- Pegasus Blue actor Shiro Izumi will later play in Zyuranger as extra ranger, Burai / DragonRanger.
new update
- the last series not to have Yellow color, until Kyoryuger in 2013
- Colors: Red, Green, Blue, Pink, White
Choushinsei Flashman (
超新星フラッシュマン Chōshinsei Furasshuman):
Year 1986. Motif is based on light and refractions, and also colored crystal from different planets. No formal Earth defence organization, villain is Mess.
- the first series to add a second giant robot for the team to fight with.
- this is one of four series to not have a title 'Sentai' in the team name, as with Battle Fever J, J.A.K.Q, and Choudenshi Bioman.
- the first sentai to have all member not born on Planet Earth, to be repeated later only in Gokaiger 2011.
- the first sentai not to revealed the ranger's last name
- Colors: Red, Blue, Green, Yellow, Pink
red-white-sentai.blogspot.com
Hikari Sentai Maskman (
光戦隊マスクマン Hikari Sentai Masukuman):
Year 1987. Motif is based on martial arts and Ch'i aura powers. No formal Earth defending organization, Maskman was trained by Commander Sugata to counter villains Underground Empire Tube.
- the first with an individual mecha piloted by each member of the team.
- The series also featured the first sixth warrior, appearing for only one episode.
- the first series to use non technological power as the 'explanation' to its super power.
- Colors: Red, Black, Blue, Yellow, Pink and Green as sixth warrior
Choujuu Sentai Liveman (
超獣戦隊ライブマン Chōjū Sentai Raibuman):
Year 1988. Motif is based on animals. The first to had started as a trio like Sun Vulcan, then expanded into a five member mid-season — a practice that continued in some later series. Home base organization is Academia, villain is Volt.
- the first Super Sentai series to have a female blue warrior
- one of first series to had seen the background story of how one of villain character evolved (Doctor Kemp)
- the first animal-based mecha as well as the first combination of two individual robots into a single powerful robot.
- Liveman was celebrated as the tenth anniversary to the series, Gorenger and J.A.K.Q. were still not counted as part of Super Sentai at that time
- Colors: Red, Blue, Yellow and later Green and Black
Kousoku Sentai Turboranger (
高速戦隊ターボレンジャー Kōsoku Sentai Tāborenjā):
Year 1989. Motif is based on automobiles. Turboranger is simply a Fairy skilled personality and villain group is called Boma Tribe. This was the 10th anniversary series (by Toei's official count until Goranger & J.A.K.Q. were re-included), Turboranger featured an anniversary crossover with the previous teams.
- the first to feature all high school student as rangers
- the first series to have a command base to be combined with the other giant robots to create a very powerful robot.
- the series that lack of traditional super sentai role call after the transformation, both as individual call or as a team. This become a problem in the Gaoranger vs Super Sentai movie, as every past red ranger were giving a footage of role call. Turboranger's role call in this movie is simply a new shoot.
new update
- the first series to produce in Japan's Heisei era. This is after Emperor Akihito in throne. All previous sentai was under Emperor Hirohito, thus called Showa era.
- Colors: Red, Black, Blue, Yellow, Pink
Chikyu Sentai Fiveman (
地球戦隊ファイブマン Chikyū Sentai Faibuman):
Year 1990. Motif is based on world martial arts and academic subjects: (science, athletics, language, music and mathematics), as each member poses as a school teacher. This series featured both an antagonistic team of villainous counterparts. They are defending Earth from villain group Zone empire
- the first to have the entire team consist of family siblings.
- the first to have
a team power upgrade armor.
- one of the earliest series to have a comedy elements in majority of its show
- Colors: Red, Black, Blue, Yellow, Pink
red-white-sentai.blogspot.com
continue to
PART 2
Part 3 -
Magiranger to Kyoryuger
Total 37 Super Sentai + 1 Unofficial per 2013
I compiled these articles in quite a rush, so if there are corrections please give in "comments" below. Not all details necessary included here, but interesting facts are welcome. Article compiled from Wikipedia and Powerranger Wikia.
