Hi
everyone! I should confess something to all!
Since I have begin to see my
third Super Sentai serie, I doubt about which is my favourite.
Gokaiger got one development and tribute component that I love,
Liveman/Bioman is pure nostalgic pleasure, that the 35th anniversary
pirate series did it too... but then I was going to see Kakuranger.
Liveman was not adapted like Power Rangers on the west 'cause that
serie was before that, and Gokaiger was but i couldn't see any of
that because it's about half year. Kakuranger, that is about Ninjas,
it was freely adapted or (mostly reforged) like one of the last
Zordon's Era seasons of Power Ranger, the last that I saw when i was
a kid. But it didn't seem anything like the original...
I
stop reviewing to tell you that the adaptation between Power
Ranger/Super sentai had to treat with heavey differences: every
season is a different series with different actors and different
characters (with continuity and one same universe). That thing was
made on Power rangers, seasons after, with the problems with actors
badly changed on mid seasons and so on. They took the ninja concepts
and the giant robots fights, nothing more, until we met the Alien
Rangers (their American versions), but like one group of allies of
the first Ranger team.
I
like very much Ninja Sentai Kakuranger, but I know that is very Japanese, to much to be easily westernized (but Shinkenger/PR Samurai demostrated that could be made recently, and Hurricanger/PR Ninja Storm just the same before). That is one of her more
unique traits. I explain you the story, that began hundred of years
before our heroic group. During Warring States period, the youkais
(mythical and folklore creatures from Japan; tricksters, demons and
ogres and all that) abused of their black sorcery to torment the
people, and the most famous Lengendary Ninjas united to fight them,
then they won on the last moment and they warded their youki powers
forever, inhibiting their worst tricks never more. Hundreds of year
after, indeed, the last heirs of that 5 heroes (Sarutobi and Jiraiya
between them included; and with all the costume/super suit and giant
robot, they adapted better that myths than Naruto...), they are
scattered and they are unfamiliar about their heirloom and history,
three of them are 90's Japanese punks/chavs and rather yokel too. So
much bumpkin they are, than two of them are tricked by a kappa to set
loose all the youki, and since then they begin their journey to
battle the wicked youkai.
The characters are, in order
of appearance, the next: first we met the Announcer, one old perv man
than break the fourth wall to explain the origin about the youkai,
the Kakuranger powers and to make absurd puns (sadly, he didn't appear
after the middle of the season and when the serie got serious, except
on one Xmas special); after that we met Saizou (Ninja Blue) and
Sasuke (Ninja Red), two friends something paupers and punks, that
prove to be Ninja descendants, Sasuke became one of stronger
Kakuranger (he is the red but not the leader indeed) and he is the most
disposed and Saizo more endearing; the strange Sandayou helps then at
first, one old sevant and shinobi ever knowing more than others about
everything; and after him, we met Tsurihime (Ninja White), the most
learned ninja and powerfull at first, being the heir of her clan
secrets (and some preppy), the only woman but the competent leader,
some rarity female sentai member against the perennial girly pink
members of other series; after her we met Seikai (Ninja Yelllow), the
slackerest slacker from all the slackers, womanizer and greedy for
food, but he amends his ways and learn to self sacrifice and effort
against his gluttony; and to complete the group, Jiraiya (Ninja
Black), descendant of the frog/toad mystic and American Japanese, who
at first talked all in english, and he is one lone and enthusiastic
hero, too much enthusiastic and lone rider sometimes. After that We
met Tsurihime's father, but specially the sixth member, not human or
not entirelly human, Ninjaman, voiced by the same actor than
Djando/Bon Clay/Franky on One Piece. After him, there are youkais...
During a third of the serie
or almost, there are not a great evil leader or great evil
organization. The youkais are all the supernatural creatures, and now with their returned powers, they search or well proceeding with his
traditiona behaviour (eating kids, charming and trick humans,
vengeance, eating kids, cursing, eating kids and people in general,
and yes, they like eating kids very much, after all, they are folk
and faerie tale monsters and ogres) or adapting to modern times (to
be famous like TV celebs, to regain his dignity, to found a family,
to marry, to be free...). And to get that, they will use their
powers, that include to use the boosted youki with human hatred to
become giants. Yes friends! Before to be totally defeated or to fight
against the Kakuranger, they grow at will, they are clever!. The
first recurrent villain (after one youkai evil scientific) is Prince
Junior, one Gashadokuro, big bad guy heir and Japanese punk singer in
his human form, that decides to lead the youkai to take over the
world. But his father proves to be one douchebag, but he follow the
plan to take over the world, the terrifying Lord Daimaoh (Hell Lord,
not based on any real youkai). There are some good youkais, but they have issues (sometimes you feel about them, more than with some
humans, this taxi driver was one pedofile after all...). Other thing,
most of the monsters got an human form and identity, but some odd,
than they use regular life, hidden from the Kakuranger (i suppose
from other monster hunters and exorcists, in the time when their
powes were banished; i imagine, they got some simple glamour or
illusion powers). Seeing take off the disguise is very funny, i love
their dance...
Kakuranger is maybe one
extremely classical serie, but at same time got pretty different
things form other Super Sentai series, things than that never got,
it's a rara avis. There are just one girl on the group, but she is
not pink and she is the team leader, after this serie the next put
again two girls (yellow and pink), but no other until recent times
got one female leader (until Gekiranger and Shinkenger, indeed). The monster are really independents, they are
living and self-awareness creatures, not just ramping week monsters,
they spend their time on more than just destroying, but partly that
is one part of their natures, and on others the sorrow to be
powerless (or other parts) have changed to wicked, or one of the few
times than the monsters are inspired by another source at least, with
two monsters at the last episodes and the foot soldier or Dorodoro,
and of course; I love folklore and myths around the world! They have
Ninja and Sentai paraphernalia, weapons and stuff; just great to make
Merchandising with all of that. Their giant robots are Summoning and
other Ninja techniques about to change or control of shape or
spiritual beings, and their beast shaped vehicules are got very after
in the serie (and is clearer the reason to the black member got one
frog, again part of Jiraiya's myth). It's goofy, cheap and shoddy,
but at same time, I can see many work and impudence, so I can only
recommend see this serie to you...
It's so, I liked so much.
That kind of fun, one great no so guilty pleasure, that is so bad
that is great. If you want, let's sear for it on Internet or DVDs on
some place (It's ot all up loaded,and not all their movies, but grat
part of them, again.) Very soon more things, from your friend and
cyber neighbor Mario. Shinpo/Smoke Bomb! [Spanish Version Here]