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Super Sentai

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Super Sentai
The official logo of the Super Sentai series introduced in 2000 during the run of Mirai Sentai Timeranger
Created bySaburo Yatsude
Shotaro Ishinomori
Original workHimitsu Sentai Gorenger
OwnerToei Company
Years1975–present
Films and television
Television seriesSee below
Games
TraditionalRangers Strike
Video game(s)Super Sentai Battle: Dice-O
Audio
Original musicProject.R
Miscellaneous
Toy(s)S.H. Figuarts
Soul of Chogokin
Super Robot Chogokin

The Super Sentai Series (スーパー戦隊シリーズ, Sūpā Sentai Shirīzu) is a Japanese superhero team metaseries and media franchise consisting of television series and films produced by Toei Company and Bandai, and aired by TV Asahi. The shows are of the tokusatsu genre, featuring live action characters and colorful special effects, and are aimed at children. Super Sentai airs alongside the Kamen Rider series in the Super Hero Time programming block on Sunday mornings.

Series overview

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In every Super Sentai series, the protagonists are a team of people who – using either wrist-worn or hand-held devices – transform into superheroes and gain superpowers – color-coded uniforms, signature weapons, sidearms, and fighting skills – to battle a group of otherworldly supervillains that threaten to take over the Earth. In a typical episode, the heroes thwart the enemies' plans and defeat an army of enemy soldiers and the monster of the week before an enlarged version of the monster confronts them, only to be defeated again when the heroes fight it with their mecha. Each Sentai series is set in its own unique fictional universe; various TV, video, and film specials feature a team-up among two or more teams.

The first two Super Sentai series were created by Shotaro Ishinomori, then known for the 1971–1973 Kamen Rider TV series and the long-running manga Cyborg 009. He developed Himitsu Sentai Gorenger, which ran from 1975 to 1977, and J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai, released in 1977. Toei Company put the franchise on hiatus in 1978, collaborating with Marvel Comics to produce a live-action Spider-Man series, which added giant robots to the concept of tokusatsu shows. The giant robot concept was carried over to Toei and Marvel's next show, Battle Fever J, released in 1979, and was then used throughout the Super Sentai series. The next two series Denshi Sentai Denjiman and Taiyo Sentai Sun Vulcan had Marvel Comics copyrights and co-productions, despite no influence. Subsequently, the remainder of the series has been solely produced by Toei Company.

Productions

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Main series

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The following is a list of the Super Sentai series and their years of broadcast:

No. Title Episodes Originally aired Motifs
First aired Last aired
Showa era
1 Himitsu Sentai Gorenger 84 5 April 1975 26 March 1977 Espionage/stars/rainbow/Cassiopeia
2 J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai 35 9 April 1977 24 December 1977 Playing cards/universal forces
3 Battle Fever J 52 3 February 1979 26 January 1980 Nations/dance techniques/marvel heroes (comic book heroes)
4 Denshi Sentai Denjiman 51 2 February 1980 31 January 1981 Alien computer/electricity/punch boxing/shapes
5 Taiyo Sentai Sun Vulcan 50 7 February 1981 30 January 1982 Sun/animals/military divisions
6 Dai Sentai Goggle-V 50 6 February 1982 20 January 1983 Gymnastics/jewels
7 Kagaku Sentai Dynaman 51 5 February 1983 28 January 1984 Scientists/explosions/baseball players
8 Choudenshi Bioman 51 4 February 1984 26 January 1985 Bio Particles/technology
9 Dengeki Sentai Changeman 55 2 February 1985 22 February 1986 Military/Western mythological creatures/Animals
10 Choushinsei Flashman 50 1 March 1986 21 February 1987 Flash system planets/prisms
11 Hikari Sentai Maskman 51 28 February 1987 20 February 1988 Martial arts/Ki/light/shapes/technology
12 Choujyu Sentai Liveman 49 27 February 1988 18 February 1989 Animals
Heisei era
13 Kousoku Sentai Turboranger 50 + 1 sp. 4 March 1989 23 February 1990 High school students (Youthful)/vehicles
14 Chikyu Sentai Fiveman 48 2 March 1990 8 February 1991 Teachers/school subjects
15 Chōjin Sentai Jetman 51 15 February 1991 14 February 1992 Birds/military
16 Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger 50 21 February 1992 12 February 1993 Dinosaurs and primitive animals/tribal nobility
17 Gosei Sentai Dairanger 50 19 February 1993 11 February 1994 Chinese martial arts/Qi/Eastern mythological creatures/Elements
18 Ninja Sentai Kakuranger 53 18 February 1994 24 February 1995 Ninjas/animals/shapes/elements
19 Chouriki Sentai Ohranger 48 3 March 1995 23 February 1996 Military/shapes/ancient civilizations/Animals
20 Gekisou Sentai Carranger 48 1 March 1996 7 February 1997 Vehicles/racing/Traffic Safety
21 Denji Sentai Megaranger 51 14 February 1997 15 February 1998 Dental message/electronic devices/game
22 Seijuu Sentai Gingaman 50 22 February 1998 14 February 1999 Seiju/elements/tribe/animals
23 Kyuukyuu Sentai GoGoFive 50 21 February 1999 6 February 2000 Rescue services
24 Mirai Sentai Timeranger 50 + 1 sp. 13 February 2000 4 February 2001 Time travel/clock and clock hands
25 Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger 51 18 February 2001 10 February 2002 Animals/nature
26 Ninpu Sentai Hurricanger 51 17 February 2002 9 February 2003 * Ninjas/3 Types of Animals/Wind elements
  • Ninjas/Beetles/Lightning & Thunder Elements/Rival School
  • Ninja/Star/Shuriken/Baseball Batter/Swallow/Sky
27 Bakuryū Sentai Abaranger 50 16 February 2003 8 February 2004 Dinosaurs
28 Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger 50 15 February 2004 6 February 2005 Police officers/numbers/vehicles
29 Mahō Sentai Magiranger 49 13 February 2005 12 February 2006 Magicians/mythical creatures/elements/courage
30 GoGo Sentai Boukenger 49 19 February 2006 11 February 2007 Treasure hunters/vehicles/adventurers
31 Juken Sentai Gekiranger 49 18 February 2007 10 February 2008 Chinese martial arts/Qi/animals
32 Engine Sentai Go-onger 50 17 February 2008 8 February 2009 Engine (vehicle-animal hybrids)/racing/drive/number
33 Samurai Sentai Shinkenger 49 15 February 2009 7 February 2010 Samurai/Kanji/animals/Japanese nobility
34 Tensou Sentai Goseiger 50 14 February 2010 6 February 2011 Angels/animals/playing cards
35 Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger 51 13 February 2011 19 February 2012 Pirates/Super Sentai
36 Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters 50 26 February 2012 10 February 2013 Special ops spy/animals/Enetron/sunglasses
37 Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger 48 17 February 2013 9 February 2014 Dinosaurs/weaponry/Samba
38 Ressha Sentai ToQger 47 16 February 2014 15 February 2015 Trains/imagination/rainbow/numbers
39 Shuriken Sentai Ninninger 47 22 February 2015 7 February 2016 Ninjas/weather/animals and vehicles
40 Doubutsu Sentai Zyuohger 48 14 February 2016 5 February 2017 Animals/champion/elements/cubes
41 Uchu Sentai Kyuranger 48 12 February 2017 4 February 2018 Space/saviors/constellations and celestial objects/astronaut
42 Kaitou Sentai Lupinranger VS Keisatsu Sentai Patranger 51 11 February 2018 10 February 2019 Versus/Cops and Robbers
— Super Sentai Strongest Battle 4 February 17, 2019 March 10, 2019 N/A
43 Kishiryu Sentai Ryusoulger 48 17 March 2019 1 March 2020 Dinosaurs/knights
Reiwa era
44 Mashin Sentai Kiramager 45 + 5 sp. 8 March 2020 28 February 2021 Gemstones/vehicles
45 Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger 49 7 March 2021 27 February 2022[1] Machines/Super Sentai
46 Avataro Sentai Donbrothers 50 6 March 2022[1] 26 February 2023 Momotarō/Avatar/Party/Vigilantes/Super Sentai/Virtual Reality/Cyberspace
47 Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger 50 5 March 2023 25 February 2024 Arthropods/Royalty
48 Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger 50 3 March 2024 2025 Vehicles/Customization/Racing
49 No.1 Sentai Gozyuger[2] TBA 2025 2026

Theatrical releases

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V-Cinema releases

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Distribution and overseas adaptations

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Although the Super Sentai series originated in Japan, various Sentai series have been imported and dubbed in other languages for broadcast in several other countries.

United States

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Main article: Power Rangers
Official Super Sentai logo for the North American DVDs by Shout! Factory

After Honolulu's KIKU-TV had success with Android Kikaider (marketed as Kikaida) and Kamen Rider V3 in the 1970s, multiple Super Sentai series, including Himitsu Sentai Gorenger and Battle Fever J, were brought to the Hawaiian market, broadcast in Japanese with English subtitles by JN Productions.[citation needed] In 1985, Marvel Comics produced a pilot for an American adaptation of Super Sentai, but the show was rejected by the major US TV networks.[3] In 1986, Saban Productions produced a pilot for an American adaptation of Choudenshi Bioman titled Bio Man.[4][5] In 1987, some episodes of Kagaku Sentai Dynaman were dubbed and aired as a parody on the USA Network television show Night Flight.[6]

In 1993, American production company Saban Entertainment adapted 1992's Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger into Mighty Morphin Power Rangers for the Fox Kids programming block, combining the original Japanese action footage with new footage featuring American actors for the story sequences. Since then, nearly every Super Sentai series that followed became a new season of Power Rangers. In 2002, Saban sold the Power Rangers franchise to Disney's Buena Vista division,[7] who owned it until 2010, broadcasting Power Rangers on ABC Kids, ABC Family, Jetix, and Toon Disney.[citation needed] On 12 May 2010, Saban bought the franchise back from Disney, moving the show to the Nickelodeon network for 2011 with Power Rangers Samurai.[8]

On 25 July 2014, Shout! Factory announced that they would release Zyuranger on DVD in the United States.[9] They have since been the official distributor of Super Sentai in North America, and as of 2024 have released all subsequent series up to Dekaranger, plus Jetman and Fiveman. Shout! also provides episodes on demand via Shout! TV since 2016.[10] Super Sentai episodes are also available to watch on the free streaming service, Tubi.

On 1 May 2018, toy company Hasbro announced they had acquired the Power Rangers franchise from Saban Capital Group for $522 million.[11]

South Korea

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Super Sentai has been broadcast in South Korea, dubbed in Korean. The first such series was Choushinsei Flashman which aired as Jigu Bangwidae Flash Man (Earth Defence Squadron Flashman), released in video format in 1989 by the Daeyung Panda video company; this was followed by Hikari Sentai Maskman and Chodenshi Bioman. Throughout the 1990s, Dai Sentai Goggle Five, Dengeki Sentai Changeman, Choujyu Sentai Liveman, and Kousoku Sentai Turboranger were also released in video format. In the 2000s and early 2010s, Tooniverse (formerly Orion Cartoon Network), JEI-TV (Jaeneung Television), Champ TV/Anione TV (Daewon Broadcasting), Cartoon Network South Korea, and Nickelodeon South Korea have broadcast Super Sentai series a year following their original Japanese broadcast, but have changed the titles to "Power Rangers".[12][13][14]

Merchandise

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As of March 2021, Bandai Namco has sold 30.89 million Super Sentai shape-changing model robots since 1979.[15]

Bandai Namco Super Sentai (Power Rangers) retail sales
Fiscal period Net sales Notes Ref
April 2002 to December 2005 ¥108.9 billion Bandai sales [16]
April 2006 to March 2007 ¥10.1 billion Toy sales [17]
April 2007 to March 2012 ¥102.4 billion [18][19][20]
April 2002 to March 2012 ¥221.4 billion ($2,775 million)
April 2012 to March 2013 ¥20.8 billion ($261 million) [20]
April 2013 to March 2014 ¥25.3 billion ($259 million) [21]
April 2014 to December 2020 ¥103.3 billion ($1,002 million) [22][23]
April 2002 to December 2020 ¥370.8 billion ($4.298 billion)
Super Sentai licensed merchandise in Japan
Year Retail sales Ref
2003 ¥24 billion [24]
2008 ¥37.28 billion [25]
2010 ¥24.58 billion [26]
2012 ¥40.96 billion [27]
2013 ¥37.99 billion [28]
2014 ¥39.21 billion [29]
2003 to 2014 ¥204.02 billion+ ($2.349 billion+)
Power Rangers licensed merchandise
Year(s) Retail sales Ref
1993 to 1999 $6 billion [30]
2005 $112 million [31]
2006 $131 million [31]
2012 $300 million [32]
2013 $333 million
2014 $326 million [33]
2015 $330 million [34]
2016 $361 million
2017 $548 million [35]
2018 $281 million [36]
1993 to 2018 $8.722 billion+

References

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  1. ^ a b "暴太郎戦隊ドンブラザーズ". Toei Company. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  2. ^ https://x.com/trademark_bot/status/1852004581091525018
  3. ^ Carvell, Tim; McGowan, Joe (28 October 1996). "Showdown In Toontown Children's Television, Once a Sleepy Business, Is Becoming as Hotly Competitive as the Grownup Variety. Turner, Fox, and Disney Are Trying to Topple Viacom's Nickelodeon—But How's a TV Mogul to Know What Kids Really Want?". CNN. Fortune. Archived from the original on 21 April 2010. Retrieved 29 May 2010.
  4. ^ Bates, James (12 August 1986). "Kidd Stuff : A Crop of New Shows Sprouts From Saban Firm's TV Success". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 4 May 2011. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  5. ^ Bruck, Connie (10 May 2010). "The Influencer – An entertainment mogul sets his sights on foreign policy". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on 19 September 2017. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
  6. ^ Kotzer, Zack (25 May 2017). "Life in Anime Hell". NOW. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  7. ^ "News Corp. and Haim Saban Reach Agreement to Sell Fox Family Worldwide to Disney for $5.3 Billion". Saban. 23 July 2001. Archived from the original on 2 February 2009. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  8. ^ Littleton, Cynthia (12 May 2010). "Saban re-acquires rights to 'Rangers'". Variety. Archived from the original on 18 April 2013. Retrieved 12 May 2010.
  9. ^ Shout Factory [@ShoutFactory] (25 July 2014). "Last for Brian: And Super Sentai Zyuranger #PowerRangers" (Tweet). Retrieved 24 January 2018 – via Twitter.
  10. ^ "Super Sentai On Demand". ShoutFactoryTV. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  11. ^ Hipes, Patrick (1 May 2018). "Hasbro Acquires 'Power Rangers' Brand In $522M Deal". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  12. ^ "파워레인저". 파워레인저. Wayback Machine. Archived from the original on 16 July 2007. Retrieved 5 August 2007.
  13. ^ "파워레인저 S.P.D." 파워레인저 S.P.D. Wayback Machine. Archived from the original on 9 August 2007. Retrieved 5 August 2007.
  14. ^ "파워레인저 트레인포스". 파워레인저 트레인포스. Wayback Machine. Archived from the original on 8 July 2015. Retrieved 7 July 2011.
  15. ^ Fact Book 2021. Bandai Namco Group. 2021. pp. 3–6. Retrieved 2 October 2021.
  16. ^ "Financial Highlights for the Nine Months ended December 31, 2005". Bandai Namco Holdings. 23 February 2006. p. 4. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  17. ^ "Financial Highlights for the Fiscal Year Ended March 2007". Bandai Namco Holdings. 9 May 2007. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  18. ^ "Financial Highlights for the Fiscal Year Ended March 2008". Bandai Namco Holdings. 8 May 2008. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  19. ^ "Financial Highlights for the Fiscal Year Ended March 2011". Bandai Namco Holdings. 10 May 2011. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
  20. ^ a b "Financial Highlights for the Fiscal Year Ended March 2013". Bandai Namco Holdings. 9 May 2013. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  21. ^ "Financial Highlights for the Fiscal Year Ended March 2015". Bandai Namco Holdings. 8 May 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  22. ^ "Financial Statements". Bandai Namco Holdings. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  23. ^ "Historical currency converter with official exchange rates (103,300 JPY to USD)". fxtop.com. 31 December 2020. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  24. ^ Market Share in Japan. Yano Research Institute. 2005. p. 18. Retrieved 12 February 2021. 9 | Combat Force Series | 240
  25. ^ "Japan's Character Products Market in 2008". Licensing Industry Merchandiser's Association. Character Databank (CharaBiz). 2010. Archived from the original on 8 September 2018. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  26. ^ コンテンツ2次利用市場（ライセンス市場）に係る 競争環境及び海外市場動向実態調査 (PDF) (in Japanese). Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). 2011. pp. 22–23. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 April 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  27. ^ "慶應義塾大学学術情報リポジトリ（KOARA）". KeiO Associated Repository of Academic Resources (in Japanese). Keio University: 8–9. 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  28. ^ CharaBiz DATA 2014(13) (in Japanese). Character Databank, Ltd. 2014. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  29. ^ CharaBiz DATA 2015⑭ (in Japanese). Character Databank, Ltd. 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  30. ^ Kerry, Dollan (26 November 2001). "Beyond Power Rangers". Forbes. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  31. ^ a b State of the Toy Industry – Annual 2006 Data. The NPD Group. 3 April 2007. pp. 55–8. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  32. ^ "44 entertainment/character properties reach $100 m in sales of licensed merchandise". The Licensing Letter. The Free Library. 3 November 2014. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  33. ^ "42 entertainment character properties reach $100 million in sales of licensed merchandise; "Frozen" debuts at No. 6". The Licensing Letter. The Free Library. 1 December 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  34. ^ "Retail Sales of Licensed Merchandise Based on $100 Million+ Entertainment/Character Properties". The Licensing Letter. November 2017. Archived from the original on 2 February 2018. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  35. ^ "Retail Sales of Licensed Merchandise Based on $100 Million+ Entertainment/Character Properties". The Licensing Letter. 23 July 2018. Archived from the original on 9 May 2019. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  36. ^ "Retail Sales of Licensed Merchandise Based on $100 Million+ Entertainment/Character Properties". The Licensing Letter. 18 November 2019. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
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