Carranger is not funny

[Black Fang]

I saw Kakuranger raw and was at this point more amused than I am so far (and of course this may change) with Carranger.

Generally speaking, the point of parody writing isn't necessarily laugh-a-minute lulz, too. It's to point out how something commonplace or widely accepted is actually pretty ridiculous, then draw humor from that. I laughed at Carranger's opening episodes and laughed much more at what came later, but maybe its comedy style that you don't like as much.

I get the humor in the first few episodes I've seen. The whole premise of the show is silly: legendary car constellations bestowing heroes with super powers. Not animals or ancient junk. Cars.

Actually what I found funny in the first episode wasn't simply the fact that the heroes tried to hide in the garage, but that they looked like a bunch of cowering mice doing it. Giga Formula coming with a manual is obvious. The Speeder Machines too, now that I think about it, must be part of the joke too. How glorious can superheroes in go-carts be?

For all their ridiculousness (Not always in a good way, but I guess that's also part of the joke so I can forgive it) design-wise I like the Bowzock more than I thought I would. The BB Saloon setting (where so many villains are gathered in one place on a regular basis) is what does it, it's quite atypical for Sentai. Plus they do have a Balban-esque streak to them in their nature.

So yes, I do find humor in Carranger. Just so far not laugh-out-loud stuff, which could admittedly have more to do with me or the subs more than the show itself. But it's certainly not a grating type of silly, to mention your point about how toku's humor doesn't translate well. Deka's or Magi's or Go-On's attempts to be silly I didn't find tolerable. Richard Brown and Genta weren't funny. Carranger's style isn't like that though.

 

[Fantasy Leader]

Yeah. Carranger isn't constant LOL every minute, like most people say. Seems like it's got about the same amount of LOL as other toku with more humor like Dai, Kaku, Aba, Deka and Magi. But Carranger is a parody, and so the writing tends to revolve around that. Plus, it's downright ridiculous. Like the Car Magic.

Also, like Lynxara said, comedy is very diverse. There are different types of comedy and whatever kind of comedy is funny, is going to depend on the person. I'm not too much of an expert, so I'm not sure how to compare Carranger to other comedy toku, like Go-onger, Den-O, or Ninja Storm.

 

[Geord]

I'm early into Carranger myself, but I really enjoy just how outright of a parody it is of the entire Sentai concept. I think it takes some serious balls to balantly make fun of your own product and at the same time make it entertaining. I mean for me, no matter how serious a Sentai gets, they're all incredibly ridiculous by nature. I think it's cool how Carranger accepts it's ridiculouslessness and runs with it.

I laughed pretty hard in episode 2 when they had to read the manual before using their weapons.

 

[Dr Kain]

I'm not disliking the show, or else I would have dropped it. Do the real laughs come later, or is this all there is and misconceptions are flying about?

Uh... the rangers complaining about their salaries? Green losing his henshin device? Doppu playing dead? Red Racer's mech talking? The garage owner and his knock outs? The instruction manuals for the ranger weapons and mechs? Have you seen the the sailor senshi girl yet?

Wait, I thought Harorangers stopped subbing the show after like episode 9???

CarRanger is like AbaRanger. Definitely nothing like Go-Onger or Den-O.

 

[Chikara]

CarRanger is like AbaRanger.

Ironically, I'm watching both and enjoying every minute.

Carranger is funny if you really look at it. The show kind of reminds of the comedic sketch shows I used to watch. Even the attack names sound funny. "Hyper Hairpin Lick" What?! LOL! The villians' motives are off as well, sending RR RiRi to make people insincere. It's just something different and a break from all the seriousness of the other Sentai.

I know this isn't the board to talk about the Power Rangers, but the action footage from Carranger did not look right in the show being Saban took a serious approach that season. The footage was too wacky for it in my opinion.

 

[FangJokerXtreme]

Wait, I thought Harorangers stopped subbing the show after like episode 9???

Actually, they stopped at episode 13 as of now. They're not dropping the show, but they don't know when they'll pick it back up.

 

[Pixelphile]

Uh... the rangers complaining about their salaries? Green losing his henshin device? Doppu playing dead? Red Racer's mech talking? The garage owner and his knock outs? The instruction manuals for the ranger weapons and mechs? Have you seen the the sailor senshi girl yet?

CarRanger is like AbaRanger. Definitely nothing like Go-Onger or Den-O.

This.

Carranger is... it's comedy, but it doesn't play exclusively to one type. There's some wit here, some slapstick there, some mispronunciations and misunderstandings here and there. It starts with giggles, then turns into bellylaughs (especially when Signalman shows up), then just goes into "downright charming" cruise control mode. At least that's how the experience was for me. Unlike Den-O, it's not slapstick 24/7, and unlike Go-Onger, none of the comedy is overtly retarded.

There's also a lot of comedy that just went with the times better. A joke about trying to protect the earth when you're a guy that works minimum wage is timeless. Having to read the instruction booklet that came with your brand new blaster? Comedic evil rangers? That stuff was cray-zeh back in 1996, but hell, let's face it; Ninja Storm and RPM have deconstructed sentai six ways from Sunday by now.

If you haven't seen it, the Carranger vs. Ohranger movie is a great display of Car's comedy approach clashing with Oh's traditional sentai approach.

And seconding Kou in that, as glad as I am that Harorangers even did sub as much of Car as they did (and i really wish they'd get back to it), the old Ctenosaur subs did a far better job of getting its comedy across in its translation and text.

I wish there were more of those out there. And that they were in something better than 2x 2 resolution.

So, yeah, I think my point is... Carranger as a series is probably one of Toei's best comedic works, IMO. But you really do just have to watch it all the way through, otherwise you'll just be left with giggles. Eventually it should just click... but if you're at, oh, the halfway point and still don't see it, then, eh. S'cool, it happens. There's always Den-O. :laugh:

 

[KamenRiderSentai]

Speaking of Carranger... did Toei have permission to use the Transformers (specifically the Autobots) logo? Starting from episode 37 onwards (when Exhaus appeared in the show)....