#checks out the original power rangers and kamen rider and super sentai in general.

[roughentumble]

also i think it'd be fun if some of the nogitsune rubbed off on stiles. not in a "he's dark and evil now" way but in a "an incomprehensible old spirit beamed its thoughts directly into his head" way, like maybe now he has a latent understanding of japanese, because that's what the nogitsune thought in. and he wasnt privy to its thoughts most of the time, and Understanding what was said was kind of just, forced into his brain, but the latent comprehension is still there. the nogitsune never told him the rules of go, but he still plays like a champ when the pieces dont make him break out into a cold sweat, because he simply Understood the rules. something about its presence forced the knowledge into the subconcious of his brain

he cant write or read japanese, and he's semi-crap at speaking it, but rough comprehension comes innately.

he should have knowledge with no source, further proof that for a while he was not himself and he was not in control

[hidengifs]

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(Still a Work in Progress)

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* - "housekeeping" is just general text posts, usually deleted, while "ask" is specifically ask posts

Tagging Notes

Content Warnings

Content warnings such as flashing lights and blood will be tagged as one tag (ie: #cw flashing). Block these tags if you would like to not see specific content.

Series Tagging

Each series is tagged with the full title (#kamen rider build) and just the last part of the title* (#build).

Hyphenated names are tagged both hyphenated and spaced in each of the above ways (#ex aid / #ex-aid, etc.)

Zero-One is also tagged #01

Character Tagging

Check out the Character Directory to see how I tag characters with multiple spellings.

I try my best to include tags for both (first/last) and (last/first) name formats for Japanese series. However, for some sets with a lot of characters, it’s more likely tagged with the (last/first) name format.

For characters with no last name, the character is tagged with just their name (#woz) & their name with the series* (#woz zi-o)

The 3 Roimudes from Drive also get “roimude” attached to their name (#heart/brain/medic roimude)

This will be updated as I make GIFs for more series!

Divider Sources: [1] [2]

[crackedlemonade]

Ineffective Villains Part 2: Lord Zedd

So one thing that generally stands out to me is poorly written villains, whether it's a character like Mugetsu in the Square Enix game The Bouncer or the subject of today Lord Zedd from Power Rangers. I think it's because the stories and characters we view when we're young have a strong influence on the morality that we develop as humans and villains who are just evil for the sake of it really don't help distinguish the moral or ethical lines between good and evil. I think Japanese series that I have watched such as Kamen Rider or Super Sentai do better jobs with their season progression and character development to illustrate that point.

So exactly what do I think is wrong with Lord Zedd? Honestly, a lot of things and hopefully I can break down a couple of key points today. The first point is there's really no reason for the character to exist in the way the show was written. Power Rangers starts with Rita being trapped in a trash can that's opened in space and upon her escape she lets loose with her evil powers out of revenge for being trapped. While I wish there was more story to it, the motivation makes sense. Lord Zedd on the other hand just shows up saying she's failing at taking over Earth and he's gonna do it now and traps her in the same Trash can but he can't throw for crap because the trash can ends up on Earth and Rita ends up escaping. So not only is he bad at trapping people, it's not like Rita's revenge is on a time line. From a narrative perspective, her being freed from the dumpster was a random event and Earth seemingly wasn't sought after prior to Rita's resurgence.

On a production side it made sense because the monsters of the week were coming from Gosei Sentai Dairanger and weren't made out of clay like in Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger. The Characters Finster, Squatt, Baboo, Goldar, Scorpina and Rita no longer had Japanese footage to use. So they had to create a villain that could make monsters that meshed with the Dairanger footage. But the solution was just thrown together instead of happening in a way that makes sense from a story telling stand point. I checked out the episode "The Mutiny part 1" and Zedd's first line was 'you failed to complete the duty assigned to you.' Who assigned her to do what? What was her timeline? Why weren't evil forces attacking the Earth in the 10,000 years she was trapped in the dumpster? It comes off as a random incident the way the prior episodes played out.

Another thing that bothered me about Lord Zedd was that while he was cool looking, what he is as well as his origins are never explained. Is he a dude that was skinned alive and wears the metal parts of his outfit to sustain his life? Where did he come from? What's his purpose? On top of that he doesn't do anything different from Rita. If anything he does Rita's stuff but worse. Rita creeping on the rangers from a telescope? Lord Zedd don't even gotta get up, he just creeps on them from his throne. Nah son, get up and get some steps in. Like at least Rita had reasons to walk around her moon base and her top minions had purpose. Lord Zedd literally just turned the object closest to the Power Rangers into a Monster. So there really wasn't a point for the characters of Squatt, Baboo and Finster to even be allowed to stay on the Moon Base. On top of that he made putties that were easier to destroy because they had a bullseye on their chest that destroyed them. From a psychological standpoint, turning random objects into monsters could cause the Rangers to develop PTSD but that didn't even happen. Lord Zedd literally did the bare minimum to mix up Rita's methods.

Rita had an organization, her monsters had tasks to do and roles to fill. When Lord Zedd comes along he just handles everything but keeps Rita's minions around for reasons that are never explained instead of bringing in his own generals. Goldar I understand, the moment Zedd showed up Goldar jumped ship. I don't understand why Squatt, Baboo and Finster were left to just linger about until Rita came back and drugged Lord Zedd into marrying her. Which is another strike against Lord Zedd's effectiveness as a villain.

I will also point out that my critical thoughts on this should not change your enjoyment of the show if you still watch Power Rangers from time to time. If I do continue analyzing elements of Power Rangers I will avoid making direct comparisons to Super Sentai because for the most part I think it's an apples to oranges comparison. Power Rangers is an adaptation to Super Sentai so it's allowed to have creative license even if it wasn't written to tell a continuous story. Ultimately both series are 20 + minute toy commercials and they create for their intended audiences which I am not a part of.

[aion-rsa]

Tokusatsu Streaming Guide: Where to Watch Kamen Rider, Ultraman, and More

https://ift.tt/2VR6eGr

Ten years ago a fan of Tokusatsu (Japanese special effects shows, mostly superheroes) could have never imagined the access we’d have to these programs today. Back then official releases of anything outside of the American adaptations, particularly Power Rangers, seemed like a far off dream. However in the past few years especially there’s been a slow trickle of Toku shows becoming available to stream in North America. 

In the last few months though that trickle became a waterfall as several new services have quickly become mainstays, finally allowing Toku fandom to finally enjoy their favorite shows legally. This also allows more casual fans a chance to experience these shows for the first time and that’s who this guide is mostly for. If you’re curious about the wider world of Tokusatsu and need a place to start, this guide should cover your bases for the many kinds of Toku series out there.

Just as a note, we are only discussing shows that are legally available. This also isn’t a comprehensive list. Many of the streaming services mentioned below have multiple Toku series available, we’re just picking a small sample. With that in mind, let’s dive into this ocean of Toku, shall we?

Kamen Rider (1971) 

Available on TokuSHOUTsu (Shout Factory TV/tubi/Pluto)

The release that shocked and delighted Toku fans, the original series in the long running Kamen Rider franchise may be old but that doesn’t detract from its enjoyment. This is Toku in its purest form. Incredible fights, trippy special effects, bizarre monsters, and a strikingly bleak backstory for the main character.

Hongo Takeshi is kidnapped by the evil Shocker and transformed against his will into a cyborg. Worrying if his humanity is intact, Hongo still fights for justice as Kamen Rider. It may seem simplistic in our modern age of superheroes but there’s something enduringly appealing about Hongo’s quest to stop evil despite the wrongs that were inflicted on him. 

Plus, come on, you can’t beat those trumpets that come in for damn near every music number. Highly recommend if you’re down for old school heroics or just want to enjoy some trippy 70’s TV.

Zyuranger (1992)

Available on TokuSHOUTsu (Shout Factory TV/tubi/Pluto)

Many people reading this are no doubt aware of Power Rangers, especially the original Mighty Morphin series. If you want to rock your world, you gotta check out the Super Sentai series Zyuranger. It’s as far from MMPR as you can imagine, with a team of dinosaur-evolved humans from 170 million years ago brought into the present day. 

Read more

TV

Power Rangers and How It Adapted From Super Sentai

By Shamus Kelley

TV

TokuSHOUTsu: Kamen Rider, Ultraman, and Super Sentai Coming to Streaming

By Shamus Kelley

The differences between it and MMPR will be the main draw for most and as you watch the series you’ll be impressed just how much the producers of Power Rangers were able to take this footage and remold it for America.

Ultraman Mebius 

Available on TOKU

You can’t do a list about Tokusatsu without giving love to one of the big three, Ultraman. While the franchise’s original series sadly isn’t streaming (but you’ll be able to soon), you can’t go wrong with the 40th anniversary season Ultraman Mebius. Following the adventures of the rookie Mebius, the Ultra comes to Earth and joins up with the attack team (hilariously out of context) named GUYS. Mebius, GUYS, and even a few characters from past Ultraman series, fight off giant monsters attacking Earth.

Read more

TV

The Challenge of Bringing Ultraman to America

By Shamus Kelley

Comics

Marvel Reveals Ultraman Details

By Shamus Kelley

Both a great introduction for new fans and rewarding for long time Ultra fans, Mebius is a fantastic show to jump headfirst into the hero that’s larger than life.

Garo 

Available on HiDive

If you want something off the beaten path of the big three Tokusatsu franchises, Garo might be right up your alley. Feeling a bit darker than other Toku (and not just because much of the action taking place at night or in darker spaces), the series follows Makai Knight Kouga Saezima attempting to protect humanity against the evil “Horrors.” Along the way though he encounters Kaoru, who is set to die in 100 days, and he sets out to try and save her.

Everything from the look of the series to the designs of the Garo suit feel different from Sentai, Kamen Rider, and Ultraman and if you aren’t feeling the more traditional vibe of those series Garo might be right up your alley. It’s also the first in a very long and surprising franchise so if you like it, there’s a lot more to get into.

Space Sheriff Gavan

Available on Toei Tokusatsu World Official

The first of the not as often remembered Metal Heroes franchise (although some of the series in it were adapted into VR Troopers and Beetleborgs), Gavan stands out for just how wild it is from the jump. Sure there’s the story about Don Horror (wonder if he’s a bad guy!) trying to destroy Earth and Retsu Ichijouji (Gavan) being sent out to stop him but that’s all icing on the cake. 

Read more

TV

American Tokusatsu Shows: VR Troopers

By Shamus Kelley

TV

American Tokusatsu Shows: Big Bad Beetleborgs

By Shamus Kelley

Metal Heroes have a reputation for bonkers visuals along with great action and Gavan delivers in spades. From the opening seconds of the first episode we’re greeted with Gavan standing atop a robot dragon standing against a gloriously lush background of outer space. Lead actor Kenji Ohba is also stunning in his action scenes and he puts even the superheroes of today to shame with just how good he is in these hand-to-hand fights.

Love action? Love weirdness? Want to be cool and not go with the obvious choices? Gavan might be for you!

Android Kikaider

Available on Toei Tokusatsu World

An absolute smash hit in Hawaii that’s still talked about to this day, Kikaider is more classic ’70s Toku action if Kamen Rider wasn’t enough for you. Following the heroics of robot Jiro against the (obviously) evil DARK, the main draw of the series is not just the delightfully over the top action but also the compelling conflict between Kikaider and evil robot Hakaider. 

We should also mention that while the first two episodes of all series on Toei Tokusatsu World are subtitled, further episodes that will be uploaded won’t have them and it’s being left up to fans to subtitle the rest. Even without subtitles though, Kikaider’s action should more than keep your attention.

Dynaman (Night Flight Dub)

Available on Night Flight Plus

Easily the strangest entry on this list, Night Flight’s Dynaman isn’t just the seventh entry in the Super Sentai series. Oh no, it’s a little known dub of the show that aired on USA Network’s Night Flight program in the ’80s. It’s a gag dub through and through and mostly relies on pop culture jokes and (and we’re being generous here) outdated humor. 

Still, it’s a peek into one of the earliest examples of Toku being brought to America on a large scale. For that alone it’s worth checking out, especially for those interested in the history of Toku in America and exploring the “what if” of imagining this getting popular instead of Power Rangers.

Gridman The Hyper Agent

Available on TOKU

Bold proclamation to make, but Gridman has the absolute best design of any Tokusatsu hero ever. It takes what worked well enough for Ultraman but added extra detail in all the right places to create a truly iconic look for a hero. 

Gridman follows three hip computer kids (Naoto, Ippei, and Yuka) whose videogame superhero is taken over by the interdimensional Gridman who then combines with Naoto. The computer hero fights against the digital monsters of the evil Kahn Digifer in some of the best looking fights of all the series we’ve mentioned. Some shows might have better action overall but the look of the computerized world of Gridman can’t be beat.

Read more

TV

American Tokusatsu Shows: Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad

By Shamus Kelley

TV

SSSS. GRIDMAN Episode 1 Review: Awakening

By Shamus Kelley

The show may look familiar to some American fans as its footage was used in Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad. Gridaman also experienced a revival in the form of the SSSS.GRIDMAN anime, which redid some of the concepts of the original series with a few easter eggs to Syber-Squad for very hardcore fans.

Special Rescue Exceedraft

Available on Toei Tokusatsu World Official

Look, I’m going to be real with you. I’ve only seen the first two episodes of Exceedraft. I have no idea if the whole series is good. What I can tell you though is that the first episode is straight up the most batshit wild episode of any Toku I’ve ever seen. It’s like if someone took the plot of Speed and said: 

“Aha, let’s do this but condense it down to 20 minutes, add in some shiny superheroes, and make it way more intense.” Also, the title of the episode is “The Kindergarten Bus of Death.” Just watch it. If you watch nothing else on this list, watch this episode. It’s Toku on, well, speed and it’s fantastic.

Jetman

Available on TokuSHOUTsu (Shout Factory TV/tubi/Pluto)

What if Super Sentai, but a soap opera? It’s not that Tokusatsu had never had soap opera elements before or after this series, but Jetman took that idea to a level that’s still being talked about today. When Red Ranger Ryuu’s partner is killed in an attack by the (say it with us now) evil Vyram, the powerful “Birdonic Waves” are unleashed on four unsuspecting civilians. Ryuu recruits them and they become the Jetman team.

With strong characterization from the start, Jetman stands out by jumping into the romance between team members as Ryuu struggles with his growing attraction to White Ranger Kaori. It’s standard soap opera stuff, with a love triangle thrown in for good measure (which would have been better if Kaori was given more agency), but if you love those tropes then Jetman might be the series for you.

As we said earlier, this is only a small sampling of some of the shows available on streaming sites in North America. What are some of your favorite Tokusatsu series that are available to watch and which ones do you hope are picked up in the future?

The post Tokusatsu Streaming Guide: Where to Watch Kamen Rider, Ultraman, and More appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/323lmEt

[recentanimenews]

A Complete Beginner’s Guide to Kamen Rider

For fans all across Japan, Sunday mornings have long been Kamen Rider and Super Sentai time. The latter is well known to Western fans thanks to the Saban Entertainment version of the show, which took the original’s monster fight scenes and cut them with footage of American actors and released it in the U.S. as Power Rangers.

Kamen Rider received the same Saban treatment and was released in the states as Masked Rider (1995–1997), but for whatever reason, the adventures of the grasshopper-looking, super-strong, super-fast superhero never really caught on the way the Rangers did. This may soon change, though, thanks to streaming services like VRV, which is bringing the Kamen Rider shows to Western audiences. But after being out of the loop for five decades, newcomers to the series will rightfully have a lot of questions before deciding whether to give Kamen Rider a go or not. We will attempt to answer some of them.

  Who Is Kamen Rider?

    Well, that’s the thing, there isn’t just one Kamen Rider. There are currently 128 of them spread across 31 shows and a dozen or so movies, some of which crossover in significant ways while others are mostly stand-alone productions. However, while most Riders are unconnected to each other, they all share certain similarities. Near every Kamen Rider is a human endowed with amazing powers via one of your typical superhero origins: some are cyborgs, some wear power suits, some are magic users, one is technically a zombie resurrected by “Earth Spirits.” Stuff like that.

  The main Riders’ job is to save the Earth from threats that include everything from terrorist organizations to aliens, time-travelers, or ghosts. They also do this while wearing armor costumes and helmets equipped with bug-like eyes, with the overall insect theme being something of the characters’ most recognizable feature. Except during Kamen Rider Amazon when the show briefly experimented with a lizard motif. It thankfully didn’t last long.

    This is actually where the genius of the character’s vague name really comes through. By going with a name as generic as “Masked Rider” (the literal meaning of “Kamen Rider”) the show doesn’t restrict itself to any particular theme, tone, or setting. As long as you have a character that is masked and maybe occasionally rides a motorcycle, you have yourself a genuine Kamen Rider experience.

  How Did it All Begin?

    The first Kamen Rider debuted in 1971 and told the story of Takeshi Hongo, a brilliant biochemist and motorcycle enthusiast who gets kidnapped by the evil organization Shocker and turned into a cyborg soldier. Before they have the chance to brainwash him into becoming a mindless killing machine, though, Takeshi escapes and starts trying to dismantle Shocker as the masked superhero Kamen Rider.

  Another thing you should know about the character is that he was also wind-powered. Yeah, all his super strength, speed, and agility were all activated via a turbine in his “Typhoon Belt” which Takeshi needed to kickstart with a gust of wind, usually from riding his bike. Hey, they needed to justify the “Rider” part of the character’s identity somehow. The first series might appear a bit goofy (we didn’t even get to the part where Takeshi is supposed to have an IQ of 600), but there’s a kind of endearing quality to it. Those who love older sci-fi shows like the original Doctor Who or Star Trek are sure to get the same vibe from the original Kamen Rider.

It was also this incarnation that introduced the idea of having different Riders in the same show, which allowed the franchise to grow so much over the years, but the original’s legacy was never forgotten. For example, the newest Rider, from Kamen Rider Zero-One (2019-), sports a distinct grasshopper theme that’s a tribute to the Hongo character. Although his powers come from something much more realistic than the wind. He actually gets his weapon arsenal from an orbiting satellite where he also uploaded and enhanced his mind to learn how to become Kamen Rider Zero-One in seconds. See? Much more believable.

  So Where Should I Start?

    The first five Kamen Rider shows (Kamen Rider, V3, X, Amazon, and Stronger) are kind of a package deal. They have a lot of references to each other and are all tied together by the mentor character of Tobei Tachibana. Thematically, Amazon is the only odd one out of the entire group because of its inclusion of magic and its storylines. But besides that, the first five shows are almost one continuous story about the rise and fall of Shocker and all the revival evil organizations that came after it like Destron or the awesomely-named Black Satan. So a good place to start is actually at the very beginning with the original Kamen Rider, and if you don’t like it, there are a few other places you can try.

  Kamen Rider Black (1987–1988) was an early attempt to wipe the slate clean and introduce a Rider that didn’t come with homework. This series once again features a cyborg character, only this one battled a mysterious cult commanded by an “ultimate evil” called the Creation King, perfecting the mix of fantasy and sci-fi that would come to define many later Kamen Rider shows. The sequel series, however, once again veered into a shared Rider universe and might seem too convoluted for casual viewers. Fortunately, once we get into the Heisei era (1989–2019) Riders, things do calm down a little bit.

  Starting with Kamen Rider Kuuga (2000–2001), most shows can be enjoyed as stand-alone productions, even if they do have nods to previous incarnations and a crossover or two in the movies. Which Heisei Kamen Rider show to go with really depends on what you are into because most of them are about its One Thing — a main theme that inspires the look of the Rider, its enemies, the storyline, everything. You like cars? Then Kamen Rider Drive is just the show for you.

    You like Japanese mythology? You’ll love Kamen Rider Hibiki. In the mood for time-traveling trains? Check out Kamen Rider Den-O. Into spaceflight and rockets? All 48 episodes of Kamen Rider Fourze are waiting for you. Do you, for whatever reason, want to see Kamen Rider with a Fruit Samurai theme? Then the universe loves you because it has allowed Kamen Rider Gaim to exist. Whatever you’re into, there’s a chance that there’s a Rider show out there especially for you, and the vast majority of them can be enjoyed straight out of the box. So do some Googling, pick a show, and see why Japan has been in love with these masked superheroes for half a century.

  Do you love Kamen Rider? Which series is your favorite and why? Which show would you recommend to newcomers to the show? Let us know in the comment section!

  Cezary writes words on the internet. You should follow him on Twitter.

Do you love writing? Do you love anime? If you have an idea for a features story, pitch it to Crunchyroll Features!

By: news+feed@crunchyroll.com

[himitsusentaiblog]

Top 10 sentai suits design.

This one is one I’ve been thinking about for a while since I got it in my inbox. There are a lot of possible answers to this but I wanted to hold off until I caught up on some others and give it a bit of thought. Now that I’ve had the time, here we go!

10. Ryu Commander from Uchuu Sentai Kyuranger

This is going to be the most recent entry on the list and places this low because of that.  That said, I love this look.  I have always been a sucker for the long coat look on tokusatsu heroes going back to at least Shinken Red’s Super Mode and Kamen Rider Wizard, both designs I adore.

When you add violet, which is my favorite recent edition color, to the mix, you have a suit that REALLY hits my sweet spots for awesomeness. Plus, you make it dragon-themed and that just pushes it over the line to being one of the ten best ever.

9. Dragon Ranger from Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger

Sticking with Dragons and extra Rangers for a moment I can’t let Burai’s hero outfit go by without adding it to the list.  He started the trend of taking the look of the original heroic suits and adding to them (in his case the chest protector and added gold bands) to the design to make the sixth hero’s outfit something really special. His is also just a great take on the general Zyuranger costume theme and his shade of green is particularly appealing to the eyes, vibrant and rich but not pastel or too dark.

8. Starninger from Shuriken Sentai Ninninger

I am not the biggest fan of the series Shuriken Sentai Ninninger but I am a fan of Starninger, especially his ridiculous outfit.  This may be because I live in Texas and am an American and Starninger’s cowboy rock star outfit is exactly what I expect the rest of the world to think of when they come up with a Texan hero.  Built in cowboy hat?  Check!  Lone Star faceplate? Check! Faux fringe on the faux poncho?  Check and check!  I also love the balance between gold, blue black and red with the gold being primary and everything else used as accent.  It’s a great look and I can’t help but love it!

7. Heart Queen from J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai

One design element of Sentai costumes I don’t think gets used enough are capes.  I love them but more about that later.  Of call the old-school pink heroines, I think Heart Queen has the best costume.  I love the sash across the shoulder to the hip that meets up with her belt, I love the yellow cape that gives a nice color contrast with the rest of her costume, I love the heart-emblem faceplate on the helmet and I really love the four colored triangles on the shoulder.  Each one represents a member of the team and functions as an anchor point for the cape.  Love that design element and I love designs that run diagonally across like that sash/utility harness.

6. Kyoryu Violet 2 from Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger

Two of my personal favorite design elements come into play here, the across the chest diagonal design and the color violet.  I really like the Kyoryuger costume designs and somehow, I like the new ones from the South Korean/Japanese co-production Power Rangers Dino Force Brave/Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger Brave even more with their addition of white accents for the helmets and areas on the uniforms.  However, none of those are violet so I ruled them out. This is a nice design and I really like the helmet with the dinosaur teeth and raised areas for eyes plus the little fins on the lower side to suggest the flippers of a plesiosaur. That little armored shoulder bit suggesting a dinosaur eye just completes the look

5. Vul Eagle from Taiyo Sentai Sun Vulcan

If you can’t have a cape, I saw go with a scarf.  Yes, it’s more well known as a Kamen Rider costume flourish but I think it works for Sentai as well. Vul Eagle makes this list because I love how simple and iconic his costume is. The white and red color balance is great.  His yellow sun disc stands out on his chest and looks great.  But what really does it for me is his helmet.  The design might be kind of simple but I love the look of it with the huge golden eagle in the front and the yellow accents around the visor suggesting wings.  It’s a really great look.

4. Dekared from Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger

This is another costume I like for the helmet design. That’s not the only reason but it’s one of the first.  I like the police lights on the side of the helmet, I like the way the visor narrows in the middle and sweeps up dramatically to the back.  The visor shape reminds me of the headlights on a Nissan 350Z (which came out about the same time). The other thing I really like about this costume is the way the number designation is done with it being integrated into the left side of the costume and leaving one arm red and the other arm black,  I have a thing for asymmetric costume designs and this one is just fantastic.

3. Gokai Green from Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger

I really, really like the outfits from Gokaiger.  They pirate theme mixed with a Sentai costume really works with the flared boots, hat-like helmets, high collars and colored coat over a black undersuit just creates a unique look that I really, really think is one of the best designs in the last 10 years. So, why Gokai Green?  I like Green. It’s a good color when done right and Doc’s heroic costume is just the right shade of green to strike my fancy.

2. Akaranger from Himitsu Sentai Goranger

This may seem a pretty easy choice and it was for two reasons. 1) It’s the original Red Hero outfit and set the standard for what Sentai heroes look like. 2) It has my favorite design element of all time for a Sentai costume, that short cape. I love the way capes of that length move in battle and how easy they are to flourish dramatically without having them get in the way or drag like a long cape would. I also just love his thigh holster and high collar.  It’s a classy look that’s really passed the test of time.

1. MagiRed from Mahou Sentai Magiranger

Once more with the capes!  I love capes on Sentai outfits as I just said and I think the capes on the Magiranger outfits are just perfect.  I’m going to go with their original, non-powered up forms because I just think the outfits are better before the added on bits and changes.  The lines are clean and sleek, the material is nicer than the simple cloth used on Akaranger above and the helmet design works much better for me.  In short, good costume design is Magic!