Themes of Kamen Rider & Super Sentai

[Lynxara]

"Megaranger -> Fourze"

so somehow fourze is connected to video games? but really the only thing that megaranger has to do with space is it's power rangers adaptation, as megaranger as a whole is video game and electronic device themed.

I've been watching a lot of Megaranger lately, so I'll go to bat on this one. Megaranger and Fourze are incredibly similar shows. Not just obvious stuff like the high school setting, either. They're written in a similar style, the tone's very similar, the core theme of young people needing to move the world forward into the future is similar, there's even similar villain backstory involving Kubota and Hinelar.

Megaranger has a bit more space footage than people give it credit for. too. Remember, their robot is a space station that orbits Earth. Kubota hangs out up there pretty much all the time, and the characters go up to visit him from time to time. I think you shortchange Megaranger to say it's video game themed, although there is a motif for that. But overall, Megaranger is technology themed.

Similar to Fourze, Megaranger is a show about how there's all this cool new technology that young people will be able to use to do amazing things. Megaranger was video games, the Internet, cell phones, cameras, PCs, TVs-- technologies going through rapid growth and change at the time. (Remember, the HDTV standard was invented in the 90s, even if it took about a decade for it to become consumer technology.)

There's a few other, more subtle things, too. Fourze's drill-tipped Rider kick is maybe the most memorable thing about him; Mega Red's weapon is a drill saber. The school the Megaranger kids go to is stuffed with quirky student background characters that episodes are built around, a technique Fourze exploited to try and keep the parade of Switchers and supporting characters interesting. Overall, I feel like Mega easily could've inspired Fourze directly.

 

[HurricaneDragon]

While I agree with you that the shows are similar, that doesn't mean they use the same themes, which is the subject of the thread. I would definitely say Megaranger is Fourze of the 90s, but that's how the shows are, not what themes and such they have.

 

[Lynxara]

Well, I guess it depends on what you mean by theme. In the literary sense, the two shows are very similar, perhaps too much for it to be coincidental. If you mean more in the sense of motif, what their toys/gimmicks look like, then they don't have much in common besides being tech-based in a shiny, futuristic sort of way.

 

[HenshinSlayer]

If super sentai did a vampire monster theme, it'd rival Kiva. It has to be a Darkstalkers & Castlevania-like theme.

The leader of the rangers would be a dhampir while a Dracula-based character is the main boss-villain. Their mentor would be a monster slayer based on Van Helsing & the Belmont clan.

Too bad Kiva was a disappointment. It would've been better, if it was like a horror-action-thriller show. But who are we kidding! It looks like its up to the rangers to take over the theme.

 

[sgtrudolfs]

:hmm:...Interesting. That explains more on the fight scene between Decade as Ryuki and Gokai Red as Geki Red.

Thanks.




I see. Does that also apply to the theme of Kamen Rider OOO?

yea, kuuga and ooo had similar theme

both were ancient power, and has ancient user
but both ancient user dead, replaced with nowadays user

not to mention ancient kuuga seals the grongi just like ancient ooo seals the greeed
(though ooo isn't that old to be called ancient)