charlesatan
Lurker
My problem with the thread started is that in reality, there are two questions being asked.
The first is the existence/prominence of the Red Ranger. As others have pointed out, it's been the tradition that the Red Ranger is the figurehead of the team (even if he isn't necessarily the leader--he could be the "heart" of the team, catalyst of the team, etc.). Why is tradition important? Because it's important to Japan's viewers and because it's the tried-and-tested method of profit. (For example, as much as I'd want to watch a Kamen Rider or Sentai show with a female lead, it's unlikely that it will happen anytime soon or that it wouldn't be met with resistance.)
You can view it from a business standpoint: only the minority would object if the current Sentai formula stays the same. How would people react if there was suddenly a Sentai team without a Red Ranger? It'd be controversial at the very least--it could temporarily boost sales but it could also alienate current Sentai fans. And at the end of the day, Red Rangers are the most iconic of the Sentai formula.
The second question deals with story/narrative, although there is also an assumption: that the Red Ranger hogs the spotlight. I don't feel--at least based from the Sentai shows that I've watched--that this is true. If you notice, one of the formulas of Sentai is that each episode/mini-story arc will focus on one or two of the characters (this is easier to identify in Dekarangers as at the end of the episode, you'll get the Girls in Trouble song whenever DekaYellow or DekaPink gets the limelight).
What is existent, however, is that the Red Ranger is usually part of the "premise plot" (a detailed reason why it's important can be read at http://johnaugust.com/archives/2011/premise-pilots). In Maskman for example, it's Red Mask who has the love interest with the frozen princess (who was sent by their enemies as an agent). In DekaRangers, DekaRed "completes" the team and enables them to use DekaRobo.
The problem with Sentai shows is that it has a huge cast (usually five main characters + supporting cast) so it's difficult to craft a story without using a premise plot, and centering it on one of the characters is the easiest (and at that point, you might as well attach it to the most iconic of your cast). There are other premise plots formulas, such as Hurricanger, which isn't centered on any specific individual (entire Ninja faction gets wiped out by aliens, leaves it in the hands of the three students). But the advantage of a character-driven premise plot is that it easily gives ample characterization to one of the characters, especially when you have just one season to highlight a huge cast (i.e. more episodes to focus on the other characters).
One of my favorite Toku shows is Justirisers and it was able to give everyone ample character development and one of the reasons this was able to do so, aside from good writing in general, is due to the fact that the team only has 3 main characters (plus supporting cast). It's still Red Ranger-centric (he's the first character introduced, final form is based on his character, etc.) but everyone is given ample limelight.
One of the storytelling problems with Sentai is that, again, it has a large cast of characters so giving everyone justice is difficult.
There is also the issue of chronology; if one starts the season with a Red Ranger-centric episode and ends it with a Red Ranger-centric episode, it might give the impression that the season is solely focused on the Red Ranger, when that's not necessarily the case.
The first is the existence/prominence of the Red Ranger. As others have pointed out, it's been the tradition that the Red Ranger is the figurehead of the team (even if he isn't necessarily the leader--he could be the "heart" of the team, catalyst of the team, etc.). Why is tradition important? Because it's important to Japan's viewers and because it's the tried-and-tested method of profit. (For example, as much as I'd want to watch a Kamen Rider or Sentai show with a female lead, it's unlikely that it will happen anytime soon or that it wouldn't be met with resistance.)
You can view it from a business standpoint: only the minority would object if the current Sentai formula stays the same. How would people react if there was suddenly a Sentai team without a Red Ranger? It'd be controversial at the very least--it could temporarily boost sales but it could also alienate current Sentai fans. And at the end of the day, Red Rangers are the most iconic of the Sentai formula.
The second question deals with story/narrative, although there is also an assumption: that the Red Ranger hogs the spotlight. I don't feel--at least based from the Sentai shows that I've watched--that this is true. If you notice, one of the formulas of Sentai is that each episode/mini-story arc will focus on one or two of the characters (this is easier to identify in Dekarangers as at the end of the episode, you'll get the Girls in Trouble song whenever DekaYellow or DekaPink gets the limelight).
What is existent, however, is that the Red Ranger is usually part of the "premise plot" (a detailed reason why it's important can be read at http://johnaugust.com/archives/2011/premise-pilots). In Maskman for example, it's Red Mask who has the love interest with the frozen princess (who was sent by their enemies as an agent). In DekaRangers, DekaRed "completes" the team and enables them to use DekaRobo.
The problem with Sentai shows is that it has a huge cast (usually five main characters + supporting cast) so it's difficult to craft a story without using a premise plot, and centering it on one of the characters is the easiest (and at that point, you might as well attach it to the most iconic of your cast). There are other premise plots formulas, such as Hurricanger, which isn't centered on any specific individual (entire Ninja faction gets wiped out by aliens, leaves it in the hands of the three students). But the advantage of a character-driven premise plot is that it easily gives ample characterization to one of the characters, especially when you have just one season to highlight a huge cast (i.e. more episodes to focus on the other characters).
One of my favorite Toku shows is Justirisers and it was able to give everyone ample character development and one of the reasons this was able to do so, aside from good writing in general, is due to the fact that the team only has 3 main characters (plus supporting cast). It's still Red Ranger-centric (he's the first character introduced, final form is based on his character, etc.) but everyone is given ample limelight.
One of the storytelling problems with Sentai is that, again, it has a large cast of characters so giving everyone justice is difficult.
There is also the issue of chronology; if one starts the season with a Red Ranger-centric episode and ends it with a Red Ranger-centric episode, it might give the impression that the season is solely focused on the Red Ranger, when that's not necessarily the case.
