D
Dr Kain
Guest
When I first watched KakuRanger several years ago, I thought the first half of the series was average at best, while the episodes in the second half were incredible. However, after buying the REgion 2 DVDs last Sept and rewatching the series I came to find that the entire series is amazing. It does have its really terrible episodes (such as the food Youkai that makes Seikai grow and the one with the narrator following the Hana Ninja Team), but the series itself is such a strong addition to Sentai. The rangers, despite their terrible fashion sense, are strong warriors who truly deserve to be rangers. Sasuke really brings out the best of what a red ranger should be like, while Jaraiya is my favorite ranger. He truly shines in the episodes that feature his sensei, which were just down right mind blowing every time you see them. You really got a sense of his emotions in those episodes. Not to mention the story arc where the rangers had to go their seperate ways to find the scrolls to call on Kakure Dai Shogun.
Of course, who can forget the monsters of the series. From the interesting take on Japanese mythology to the bad ass of Gashu Skull, there never was a dull moment when he was around. He was insane, his designs for both his human and Youkai forms were top notch, and his personality was just so sadistic. Then you have the Hana Ninja Team, which really helped to break up the monotony of every episode having the rangers fight another monster, with the one where they are chasing down Sasuke as he is trying to protect a kid being their highlight for me. On the downside, I did not feel Daimaoh was as good of a villian as Gashu Skull mostly because his design was just way too bulky. He really brought a different shade of leadership to the villians, but his costume really limited what he could do. Still, he was a mastermind whereas Gashu Skull usually got his hands dirty, so it made for an interesting contract. Lastly, who can forget Hakumenrou, who really brought a new dimension to the father aspect that was done for two episodes in DaiRanger. It was tragic and bad ass all at the same time.
Of course, how can I talk about a Sentai without talking about the mechs? I'm going to say that Kakeru Dai Shogun is my favorite in the show, and it is a shame that he shows up during the last half of the show, but it definitely made the mech battles feel fresh. Muteki Dai Shogun was a great set of mecha as well, as were the Beast Fighters that were nearly identical to the individual mechs of Muteki Dai Shogun. It is still strange that they are gods, but I feel it works a lot better than the dinosaur gods in ZyuRanger. Ninjaman was an interesting mech/character as well, as he never got annoying, for he never overstayed his welcome, while also being introduced when necessary. There are times when Sentai series introduce a new character way too early, or in opposition, way too late, but the time they introduced him felt right.
The story itself is strange because the second half of the series is so completely different from the first half. Most of the first half were more individualized stories that developed the cast and pertained a more silly sense of aura around them, while the second half was dark, depressing, and showed that not everything was fun and games. It was more story driven, which I also think helped the show stand out from other series, especially at the time. Even though it came first, the first half gives me a CarRanger vibe while the second half gives me a DaiRanger one.
Overall, I definitely think KakuRanger highlights some of the best Sentai has to offer, and it is my second favorite series. Most of the episodes are extremely rewatchable and you actually felt like the rangers were in danger every now and then. I give KakuRanger a 4.5/5 stars and hope that if you haven't seen it yet, you definitely check out the series. If you have seen it though, what are your thoughts?
Of course, who can forget the monsters of the series. From the interesting take on Japanese mythology to the bad ass of Gashu Skull, there never was a dull moment when he was around. He was insane, his designs for both his human and Youkai forms were top notch, and his personality was just so sadistic. Then you have the Hana Ninja Team, which really helped to break up the monotony of every episode having the rangers fight another monster, with the one where they are chasing down Sasuke as he is trying to protect a kid being their highlight for me. On the downside, I did not feel Daimaoh was as good of a villian as Gashu Skull mostly because his design was just way too bulky. He really brought a different shade of leadership to the villians, but his costume really limited what he could do. Still, he was a mastermind whereas Gashu Skull usually got his hands dirty, so it made for an interesting contract. Lastly, who can forget Hakumenrou, who really brought a new dimension to the father aspect that was done for two episodes in DaiRanger. It was tragic and bad ass all at the same time.
Of course, how can I talk about a Sentai without talking about the mechs? I'm going to say that Kakeru Dai Shogun is my favorite in the show, and it is a shame that he shows up during the last half of the show, but it definitely made the mech battles feel fresh. Muteki Dai Shogun was a great set of mecha as well, as were the Beast Fighters that were nearly identical to the individual mechs of Muteki Dai Shogun. It is still strange that they are gods, but I feel it works a lot better than the dinosaur gods in ZyuRanger. Ninjaman was an interesting mech/character as well, as he never got annoying, for he never overstayed his welcome, while also being introduced when necessary. There are times when Sentai series introduce a new character way too early, or in opposition, way too late, but the time they introduced him felt right.
The story itself is strange because the second half of the series is so completely different from the first half. Most of the first half were more individualized stories that developed the cast and pertained a more silly sense of aura around them, while the second half was dark, depressing, and showed that not everything was fun and games. It was more story driven, which I also think helped the show stand out from other series, especially at the time. Even though it came first, the first half gives me a CarRanger vibe while the second half gives me a DaiRanger one.
Overall, I definitely think KakuRanger highlights some of the best Sentai has to offer, and it is my second favorite series. Most of the episodes are extremely rewatchable and you actually felt like the rangers were in danger every now and then. I give KakuRanger a 4.5/5 stars and hope that if you haven't seen it yet, you definitely check out the series. If you have seen it though, what are your thoughts?
