(Red) Senshi and being a "leader"

[kuroihikari]

One thing I really liked when Gokaiger started was that we were finally back to a Super Sentai where the red one actually feels like a leader.

This is part of the reason why I had a hard time finishing Magiranger and have put off Goonger and Goseiger for awhile. I find it sort of unbelievable that the person who leads them around in battle is a near-immature goof-off outside. Dekaranger and Gekiranger had the same problem but Banban became awesome during the last quarter of the series, and Jan had a sort-of-believable rivalry with Rio, with Rio doing most of the work.

For the same reason, it's why I could feel Takeru and the rest of the team's heartbreak when Kaoru was introduced, and also the sense of desperation when Satoru was gone.

How about you guys? How does the character of the "red ranger" affect your viewing of the series?

On a side note, I have this slight peeve with team members who are characterized as being the best in fighting, but the actual fighting shows the red senshi getting all the good parts anyway (I'm looking at you, Landick siblings).

 

[lazycoconut]

I will never understand this attitude that Red Rangers have to fit a conventional hero mode, or that they must be MANLY-MAN "alpha male" types and no other character role will do. TimeRed, GaoRed, AbaRed, GoseiRed, Red Hawk, MegaRed and many others weren't macho tough guys, but were still awesome

 

[zenieth]

pretty sure that's not at all what he is saying.

 

[NateRiver]

I will never understand this attitude that Red Rangers have to fit a conventional hero mode, or that they must be MANLY-MAN "alpha male" types and no other character role will do. TimeRed, GaoRed, AbaRed, GoseiRed, Red Hawk, MegaRed and many others weren't macho tough guys, but were still awesome

:laugh:

 

[lazycoconut]

GoseiRed is worth more than any BoukenRed, ShinkenRed, GokaiRed, or any other swaggering tough-guy wannabe in Sentai. That act is just so tired and overdone

pretty sure that's not at all what he is saying.

That's pretty much the sum of how he defines a "leader" above

 

[kuroihikari]

I will never understand this attitude that Red Rangers have to fit a conventional hero mode, or that they must be MANLY-MAN "alpha male" types and no other character role will do. TimeRed, GaoRed, AbaRed, GoseiRed, Red Hawk, MegaRed and many others weren't macho tough guys, but were still awesome

GoseiRed wasn't near awesome at all. The only part of him that was good was that he had insight that nobody else had. The times he wasn't using that insight he was annoying as heck. GaoRed and Abared maybe.

Besides, I'm not talking a single 'conventional hero mode' here. BoukenRed and ShinkenRed have entirely different motivations and leadership styles, for example.


EDIT: Or could this opinion be a gender thing? Just like shounen and shoujo.

 

[urugoji]

I will never understand this attitude that Red Rangers have to fit a conventional hero mode, or that they must be MANLY-MAN "alpha male" types and no other character role will do. TimeRed, GaoRed, AbaRed, GoseiRed, Red Hawk, MegaRed and many others weren't macho tough guys, but were still awesome

I agree with this. For me, it's not so much that the Red has to be tough and macho, but he should have the strongest morals and values, or at least a character that the other team members can look to for trust and inspiration.

 

[lazycoconut]

GoseiRed wasn't near awesome at all. The only part of him that was good was that he had insight that nobody else had. The times he wasn't using that insight he was annoying as heck. GaoRed and Abared maybe.

Why was he "annoying"? Just because he doesn't fit the standard Red Ranger image?

Besides, I'm not talking a single 'conventional hero mode' here. BoukenRed and ShinkenRed have entirely different motivations and leadership styles, for example.

Why are they popular in fandom? Because they both represent (albeit taking a different approach to it) the role of the chest-beating "alpha male" stereotype that fanboys want to be, and thus praise because they think that by gushing over the character enough they can become like him

 

[zenieth]

Pretty much isn't. I doubt he has a problem with a goof ball red. He has a problem with a red that is supposed to be the leader and only ever shows any hint of it in the monster of the week fight.

 

[lazycoconut]

Pretty much isn't. I doubt he has a problem with a goof ball red. He has a problem with a red that is supposed to be the leader and only ever shows any hint of it in the monster of the week fight.

The Red Ranger is not always the leader, though. Four series have had a leader that wasn't Red. Some of them have no leader at all. He may be the protagonist/main hero but he doesn't always have to be in charge