This very concise notes and also history 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)
read part 1
Chōjin Sentai Jetman (
鳥人戦隊ジェットマン Chōjin Sentai Jettoman):
Year 1991. Motif is based on various birds, an homage to the anime and manga Science Ninja Team Gatchaman. Home base organization is
Skyforce and villains is Vyram.
- the first to feature a marriage of two members of the team and overall a series with strong romance theme
- the first to have 3rd level giant robo
- Jetman have a manga epilogue that introduced a new member.
- the first to have core member killed
- the first and only sentai team that literally can fly
- the first to have a female mentor
red-white-sentai.blogspot.com
- the first five member sentai to not have pink color, to be repeated again in Gaoranger and Go-onger
- the last super sentai without western conversion, aka Power Ranger counterpart.
- Colors: Red, Black, Blue, Yellow, White
Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger (
恐竜戦隊ジュウレンジャー Kyōryū Sentai Jūrenjā):
Year 1992. Motif is based on dinosaurs and mega fauna. Ranger's team is lead by the
Guardian Beast and villains is by Bandora the Witch.
- the first regular sixth team member
- the first seven mecha combination.
- the first Super Sentai adapted into Mighty Morphin Power Rangers for American audiences, beginning the Power Rangers franchise.
- Witch Bandora , the evil queen is the first main villain not to be killed in the end, she was only sealed by Zyuranger. Along with Zonnette, Lila (Timeranger) and Lamie (Zyuranger), they are villains minion that not killed in the end.
new update
- the first series to have a mystical supreme leader, as opposed to a living person or technology.
- Colors: Red, Black, Blue, Yellow, Pink and Green as sixth ranger
Gosei Sentai Dairanger (
五星戦隊ダイレンジャー Gosei Sentai Dairenjā):
Year 1993. Motif is based on Kung fu and traditional Chinese mythological creatures. Rangers are powered with 'chi' as descendent of Dai tribe and to fight villains group Dorma.
- the first to have child member, but when transformed, to have adult body, called Kibaranger
- the only super sentai after Power Ranger franchise that did not used for its costume. Power Ranger Season 2 in fact continued using Zyuranger costume. However, Kibaranger costume was used.
- Colors: Red, Blue, Yellow, Green, Pink and White
Ninja Sentai Kakuranger (忍者戦隊カクレンジャー Ninja Sentai Kakurenjā):
Year 1994. Motif is based on ninjas and one loosely based on the classic Journey to the West. Five descendant of ninjas to fight villain group
Youkai. As another anniversary series, the crossover "Super Sentai World" movie was produced featuring characters from Fiveman, Jetman, Zyuranger, Dairanger and Kakuranger.
- the first female acting as leader
- the first five-piece secondary robot.
- the first sixth ranger that not using variant of main costume. Instead sixth ranger, Ninjaman, is different design, costume and theme wise.When angry Ninjaman turn into Samuraiman in giant form.
- Ninjaman also the first full sixth member to not have human form
- the first to use anime-style character flash to add in effect when the ranger do an attack
- the first series to not have all five member appeared physically right from episode 1. The full team only appear in episode 3.
- Footage used in Power Ranger Season 3 and Alien Ranger
- Colors: Red, Blue, Yellow, Black, White and Ninjaman colored as Gold Blue
Chōriki Sentai Ohranger (
超力戦隊オーレンジャー Chōriki Sentai Ōrenjā):
Year 1995. Motif is based on geometric shapes. The series back to formal organization theme, named
UAOH to fight villain Baranoia of Pangaea ancient civilization.
- Ohranger began the annual VS Series movie releases with Chōriki Sentai Ohranger vs. Kakuranger.
- Only in Ohranger season that the first two show, Gorenger and J.A.K.Q, acknowledged as part of Super Sentai franchise by Toei.
- The return of military theme super sentai
- Ohranger marked a very low rating in Japan and almost put the franchise into cancellation, only the next Carranger managed to pulled up the popularity, thus saving the whole series from dismissed by Toei.
-
Footage used in
Power Ranger Zeo
- Colors: Red, Green, Blue, Yellow, Pink and Black
Gekisou Sentai Carranger (
激走戦隊カーレンジャー Gekisō Sentai Kārenjā):
Year 1996. Motif is based on automobiles, serving as a parody of Turboranger and the Super Sentai Series as a whole. The ranger is gathered in the shop called
Pegasus, their auto repair center. Villain is called Space Bosozoku Bowzock.
- the first full parody of Super Sentai, the series try to lower the seriousness of previous Ohranger with comedy elements, but actually gone too extreme.
- the first loosely connection between Super Sentai and Space Sheriff franchise, as the sixth and seventh ranger , Signalman and VRV Ranger is designed as Space Sheriff, rather than as Super Sentai.
- the first to have villain member attracted seriously to the rangers
- the first sentai, known, to openly cast adult actress to play, as a villain. Later there will be more.
-
Footage used in
Power Ranger Turbo
- Colors; Red, Blue, Green, Yellow, Pink and Signalman colored as Silver and VRV Master as Black.
Denji Sentai Megaranger (
電磁戦隊メガレンジャー Denji Sentai Megarenjā):
Year 1997. Motif is based on electronics devices, video gaming and space travel, with several elements of similar to Bioman. Homebase organization is called
INET, villains is Nejiranger.
- the first silver-colored hero
- the first using cell phone based transformation by Mega Silver's Keitaizer, which would be standard in many later Super Sentai titles.
- the return of school students as ranger member
- Footage used in Power Ranger In Space, and due to its all high school member making this the closest resembling of its Power Ranger counter parts.
- Colors: Red, Black, Blue, Yellow, Pink and Silver
red-white-sentai.blogspot.com
Seijuu Sentai Gingaman (
星獣戦隊ギンガマン Seijū Sentai Gingaman):
Year 1998. Motif is based on classical elements (Fire, Earth, Water, Thunder, Flower) and bestial animals. Gingaman team stayed in
Ginga Forest fighting villains called Space Pirate Barban.
- the first two additional combining robots in addition to the primary robot used by the Gingaman.
- the last show to use "-man" for the name
- earliest sentai to use exterior place as their working head quarter, as opposed to a building.
- Footage used in Power Ranger Lost Galaxy
- Colors: Red, Green, Blue, Yellow, Pink and Black
Kyuukyuu Sentai GoGo-V (
救急戦隊ゴーゴーファイブ Kyūkyū Sentai GōGō Faibu):
Year 1999. Motif is based on emergency services, fire fighter, paramedic, helicopter pilot and police man. The Tatsumi family to fight against villains Psyma family organization called Calamity Demon Family.
- This was the first series since Jetman to only feature five heroes. Additional heroes appear in one of its movie but not in regular episodes.
- the return of all siblings theme after Fiveman
- the sentai's name Gogo-V can be read as 555, Japan's emergency called number
- Footage used in Power Ranger Lightspeed Rescue
- Colors: Red, Blue, Green, Yellow, Pink
Mirai Sentai Timeranger (
未来戦隊タイムレンジャー Mirai Sentai Taimurenjā):
Year 2000. Motif is based on time travel (four of the five main heroes are police officers from the year 3000). Home base organization is
The Time Protection Deparment, villains is from Londerz Family led by prisoner Don Dolnero.
- the first series to feature the sixth hero in Red color.
- The direct-to-video Timeranger Special features the Timerangers taking a time-travel tour to all of the past Super Sentai series.
- the first to use colorful visor, repeated again in Go-busters
- the second series to have female ranger as leader (Pink)
- Footage used in Power Ranger Time Force
- Colors: Red, Pink, Blue, Yellow, Green and Red
Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger (
百獣戦隊ガオレンジャー Hyakujū Sentai Gaorenjā):
Year 2001. Motif is based on wild animals. No formal protagonist organization, villains is called Demon Tribe Org. Gaoranger also served as the 25th Anniversary series, featuring the Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger vs. Super Sentai crossover movie.
- the first series to utilize multiple possible mecha combinations from a planned total of one-hundred mecha (only 22 were utilized in the series run).
- the first to begin tradition of a film adaptation as a double bill with that year's Kamen Rider Series film.
- the first to have sixth ranger mentioned in opening credit
- the first to begin traditional 5 year anniversary and to have a movie with summoned past Super Sentai member
- Gaoranger once got all member killed but later revived
- the first to use cellphone tranformation device for all members
- the second series to use Kanji character flash in their attack, after Kakuranger
- Footage used in Power Ranger Wild Force
- Colors: Red, Yellow, Blue, Black, White and Silver
Ninpuu Sentai Hurricaneger (
忍風戦隊ハリケンジャー Ninpū Sentai Harikenjā):
Year 2002. Motif is based on ninjutsu with elemental powers, combining elements from Kakuranger and Liveman. They formed the official
Hurricaneger ninja school to fight villains Universal Ninja Group Jakanja.
- the first three pieces ranger since Liveman as starting member
- the first to have rival ranger team, Gouraiger team with insect-themed powers, but later joined together
- the free ranger agent Shurikenger, making this counted as sixth ranger, the second to have member without human form, actually Shurikenger can disguised into several human form through-out the series.
- as announced on April 2013, Hurricaneger will has a new V-Cinema movie. This is to celebrated their 10th anniversary of the series. All original casts are reprising their roles. To be released on August 2013. The title is "
Ninpuu Sentai Hurricanger: 10 YEARS AFTER"
- the first to use of smaller mecha that serve as weapons for the teams' robots.
- the first season since Gorenger whose name ends with "-ger" but not "-ranger".
- Footage used in Power Ranger Ninja Storm
- Colors: Red, Blue, Yellow, then Red and Blue, and Green
Bakuryū Sentai Abaranger (
爆竜戦隊アバレンジャー Bakuryū Sentai Abarenjā):
Year 2003. Motif is based on dinosaurs (as with Zyuranger). Abaranger are to fight villains group Evolians.
- the first series to present an alternate transformation for one of its members (Aba Red into Abare Max),
- the return only four core member in majority of the show, before a White color ranger join in. The first since J.A.K.Q.
- the first to have the allies mecha able to talk
- the first to have a parody extra member, as seventh member by AbarePink
- introducing Abaranger's home head quarter, which is a curry shop, the place to be a refered many times in the future show
-
Footage used in
Power Ranger Dino Thunder
- Colors: Red, Blue, Yellow, Black and White
Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger (
特捜戦隊デカレンジャー Tokusō Sentai Dekarenjā):
Year 2004. Motif is based on a police/detective theme with its ranger fighting extraterrestrial criminals. Home base organization is
Special Police Dekarangers and to fight random villains from outer space.
- the first semi-regular seventh hero (Deka Master)
- the first to have theoretically unlimited number of ranger as Special Police Dekaranger (similar to Time Ranger). And three additional heroines who appear once each throughout the series: Deka Swan (episode 36), Deka Bright (episode 40), and Deka Gold (Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger The Movie: Full Blast Action)
- thus the first series to have the most number of rangers, up to ten (Deka)
- this series started the tradition of a "passing the torch" segment after the ending credits of the series finale: the red warrior of the series that has just ended interacts with the red warrior of the upcoming series.
- the first series to have no organized villains, as the monster of the week is fighting in his own act, only loosely control by master villain, Agent Abrella
- the second Sentai series where the female ranger's uniforms do not have skirts, since Fiveman.
- the first series to feature more than one female on a core team since Denji Sentai Megaranger.
- The opening sequence is different with every episode, with the villain(s) for each episodes previewed in opening sequences
- the first to have all member upgraded suit
-
Footage used in
Power Ranger SPD
- Colors: Red, Blue, Green, Yellow, Pink, sixth is White (Deka Break), Black (Deka Master). Then White (Deka Swan), Gold (Deka Gold) and White/Silver (Deka Bright)
red-white-sentai.blogspot.com
Continue to
PART 3
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.
