The shows are of the tokusatsu genre, featuring live action characters and colorful special effects, and are aimed at children. The Super Sentai Series is one of the most prominent tokusatsu productions in Japan, alongside the Ultra Series and the Kamen Rider Series, which it currently airs alongside in the Super Hero Time programming block on Sundays. Outside Japan, the Super Sentai Series is best known as the source material for the Power Rangers franchise.
Publication Information
- HomeWorld : World of Super Sentai
- Japanese :
- Version Of Reality : Another Ranger's/Alternate Reality World (A.R. Worlds)
- Season : Super Sentai
- Main View : Full Super Sentai Series
In every Super Sentai Series, the protagonists are a team of people who transform ("henshin") into superheroes and gain superpowers (color-coded uniforms, personal weapons, sidearms and martial arts skills) in order to battle a group of evil beings that threaten to take over the Earth. In every episode, the heroes thwart the enemies plans and defeats an army of enemy soldiers and the "monster of the week", and in one last effort to defeat the heroes, an enlarged version of the monster appears to confront them, only to be defeated again when the heroes call for their "mecha" (huge robotic machines that can combine to form one or more giant robots) to fight it. While each Super Sentai Series is set in its own fictional universe, various TV, video and film specials feature a team-up between one or more teams.
The first Super Sentai Series, Himitsu Sentai Gorenger, was created by Shotaro Ishinomori (creator of Kamen Rider and Cyborg 009) in 1975. He did not create any further Sentai Series after his second, J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai, wasn't well received. Following J.A.K.Q., Toei Company, which produced Gorenger, chose to work with Marvel Comics to produce a live action adaptation of Spider-Man (1978), which included the first giant robot in a Toei superhero show. This concept was used in Toei and Marvel's next project Battle Fever J (1979), which was deemed the first "Super" Sentai Series; Gorenger and J.A.K.Q. were retroactively added to the Super Sentai canon in 1995 in order to note Chōriki Sentai Ohranger as the 20th anniversary series.[citation needed] The production of Denshi Sentai Denziman in 1980 was the first Super Sentai Series produced solely by Toei and the first to be written by the collective penname of "Saburo Yatsude". The term sentai is also occasionally used to describe shows with similar premises such as Voltron[citation needed] and the magical girl team in Sailor Moon, as Naoko Takeuchi used Sentai ideas as inspiration in the creation of the Sailor Soldiers.
Power Rangers
In 1993, American production company Saban Entertainment turned 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 (with a few exceptions) became a new Americanized season of Power Rangers; most countries also switched from Super Sentai to Power Rangers, such as France, Brazil, Thailand, and the Philippines. In 2002, Saban sold the rights to broadcasting of Power Rangers to Disney's Buena Vista Entertainment, who handled the franchise until 2010, broadcasting on ABC Kids, ABC Family Channel, Jetix, and Toon Disney. In 2010, Saban bought back the rights to Power Rangers and moved the show to the Nickelodeon network for 2011.
TV series
- Himitsu Sentai Gorenger (1975–1977)
- J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai (1977)
- Battle Fever J (1979–1980)
- Denshi Sentai Denziman (1980–1981)
- Taiyo Sentai Sun Vulcan (1981–1982)
- Dai Sentai Goggle-V (1982–1983)
- Kagaku Sentai Dynaman (1983–1984)
- Choudenshi Bioman (1984–1985)
- Dengeki Sentai Changeman (1985–1986)
- Choushinsei Flashman (1986–1987)
- Hikari Sentai Maskman (1987–1988)
- Choujuu Sentai Liveman (1988–1989)
- Kousoku Sentai Turboranger (1989–1990)
- Chikyu Sentai Fiveman (1990–1991)
- Chōjin Sentai Jetman (1991–1992)
- Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger (1992–1993)
- Was later adapted into Mighty Morphin Power Rangers for American audiences, beginning the Power Rangers franchise.
- Gosei Sentai Dairanger (1993–1994)
- Ninja Sentai Kakuranger (1994–1995)
- Chōriki Sentai Ohranger (1995–1996)
- Gekisou Sentai Carranger (1996–1997)
- Denji Sentai Megaranger (1997–1998)
- Seijuu Sentai Gingaman (1998–1999)
- Kyuukyuu Sentai GoGoFive (1999–2000)
- Mirai Sentai Timeranger (2000–2001)
- Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger (2001–2002)
- Ninpuu Sentai Hurricaneger (2002–2003)
- Bakuryū Sentai Abaranger (2003–2004)
- Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger (2004–2005)
- Mahou Sentai Magiranger (2005–2006)
- GoGo Sentai Boukenger (2006–2007)
- Juken Sentai Gekiranger (2007–2008)
- Engine Sentai Go-onger (2008–2009)
- Samurai Sentai Shinkenger (2009–2010)
- Tensou Sentai Goseiger (2010–2011)
- Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger (2011–2012)
- Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters (2012–2013)
- Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger (2013–2014)
- Ressha Sentai ToQger (2014–2015)
- Shuriken Sentai Ninninger (2015–2016)
- Doubutsu Sentai Zyuohger (2016)
Theatrical
- 1975: Himitsu Sentai Gorenger
- 1975: Himitsu Sentai Gorenger: The Blue Fortress
- 1976: Himitsu Sentai Gorenger: The Red Death Match
- 1976: Himitsu Sentai Gorenger: The Bomb Hurricane
- 1976: Himitsu Sentai Gorenger: Fire Mountain's Final Explosion
- 1977: J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai
- 1978: J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai vs. Gorenger
- 1979: Battle Fever J
- 1980: Denshi Sentai Denziman
- 1981: Taiyo Sentai Sun Vulcan
- 1982: Dai Sentai Goggle-V
- 1983: Kagaku Sentai Dynaman
- 1984: Choudenshi Bioman
- 1985: Dengeki Sentai Changeman
- 1985: Dengeki Sentai Changeman: Shuttle Base! Crisis!
- 1986: Choushinsei Flashman
- 1987: Choushinsei Flashman: Big Rally! Titan Boy!!
- 1987: Hikari Sentai Maskman
- 1989: Kousoku Sentai Turboranger
- 1993: Gosei Sentai Dairanger
- 1994: Ninja Sentai Kakuranger
- 1994: Super Sentai World
- 1994: Toei Hero Daishugō
- 1995: Chōriki Sentai Ohranger
- 2001: Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger: The Fire Mountain Roars
- 2002: Ninpuu Sentai Hurricaneger: Shushutto The Movie
- 2003: Bakuryū Sentai Abaranger DELUXE: Abare Summer is Freezing Cold!
- 2004: Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger The Movie: Full Blast Action
- 2005: Mahou Sentai Magiranger The Movie: Bride of Infershia ~Maagi Magi Giruma Jinga~
- 2006: GoGo Sentai Boukenger The Movie: The Greatest Precious
- 2007: Juken Sentai Gekiranger: Nei-Nei! Hou-Hou! Hong Kong Decisive Battle
- 2008: Engine Sentai Go-onger: Boom Boom! Bang Bang! GekijōBang!!
- 2009: Engine Sentai Go-onger vs. Gekiranger
- 2009: Samurai Sentai Shinkenger the Movie: The Fateful War
- 2010: Samurai Sentai Shinkenger vs. Go-onger: GinmakuBang!!
- 2010: Tensou Sentai Goseiger: Epic on the Movie
- 2011: Tensou Sentai Goseiger vs. Shinkenger: Epic on Ginmaku
- 2011: Gokaiger Goseiger Super Sentai 199 Hero Great Battle
- 2011: Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger the Movie: The Flying Ghost Ship
- 2012: Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger vs. Space Sheriff Gavan: The Movie
- 2012: Kamen Rider × Super Sentai: Super Hero Taisen
- 2012: Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters the Movie: Protect the Tokyo Enetower!
- 2013: Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters vs. Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger: The Movie
- 2013: Kamen Rider × Super Sentai × Space Sheriff: Super Hero Taisen Z
- 2013: Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger: Gaburincho of Music
- 2014: Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger vs. Go-Busters: The Great Dinosaur Battle! Farewell Our Eternal Friends
- 2014: Heisei Riders vs. Shōwa Riders: Kamen Rider Taisen feat. Super Sentai
- 2014: Ressha Sentai ToQger the Movie: Galaxy Line S.O.S.
- 2015: Ressha Sentai ToQger vs. Kyoryuger: The Movie
- 2015: Super Hero Taisen GP: Kamen Rider 3
- 2015: Shuriken Sentai Ninninger the Movie: The Dinosaur Lord's Splendid Ninja Scroll!
- 2016: Shuriken Sentai Ninninger vs. ToQger the Movie: Ninja in Wonderland
V-Cinema
- 1996: Chōriki Sentai Ohranger: Ohré vs. Kakuranger
- 1997: Gekisou Sentai Carranger vs. Ohranger
- 1998: Denji Sentai Megaranger vs. Carranger
- 1999: Seijuu Sentai Gingaman vs. Megaranger
- 1999: Kyuukyuu Sentai GoGoFive: Sudden Shock! A New Warrior!
- 2000: Kyuukyuu Sentai GoGoFive vs. Gingaman
- 2001: Mirai Sentai Timeranger vs. GoGoFive
- 2001: Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger vs. Super Sentai
- 2003: Ninpuu Sentai Hurricaneger vs. Gaoranger
- 2004: Bakuryū Sentai Abaranger vs. Hurricaneger
- 2005: Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger vs. Abaranger
- 2006: Mahou Sentai Magiranger vs. Dekaranger
- 2007: GoGo Sentai Boukenger vs. Super Sentai
- 2008: Juken Sentai Gekiranger vs. Boukenger
- 2010: Samurai Sentai Shinkenger Returns
- 2011: Tensou Sentai Goseiger Returns
- 2013: Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters Returns vs. Dōbutsu Sentai Go-Busters
- 2013: Ninpuu Sentai Hurricaneger: 10 Years After
- 2014: Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger : 100 Years After
- 2015: Ressha Sentai ToQger Returns
- 2015: Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger : 10 Years After
- 2016: Shuriken Sentai Ninninger Returns
Televi / Magazine / Super Video / Special DVD
- 1992: Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger Dino Video
- 1994: Ninja Sentai Kakuranger Super Video: The Hidden Scroll
- 1995: Chōriki Sentai Ohranger Member Notebook
- 1996: Gekisou Sentai Carranger Super Video
- 1997: Denji Sentai Megaranger Super Video: You Can Be One Too! A Mega Hero
- 1998: Seijuu Sentai Gingaman Super Video: The Secret Fruit of Wisdom
- 1999: Kyuukyuu Sentai GoGoFive: Five Lessons of Rescue Spirits
- 2000: Mirai Sentai Timeranger Super Video: All the Strongest Hero Secrets
- 2001: Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger Super Video: Showdown! Gaoranger vs. GaoSilver
- 2002: Ninpuu Sentai Hurricaneger Super Video: Super Ninja vs Super Kuroko
- 2003: Bakuryū Sentai Abaranger Super Video: All Bakuryuu Roaring Laughter Battle
- 2004: Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger Super Video: Super-Special Technique Showdown! DekaRed vs. DekaBreak
- 2005: Mahou Sentai Magiranger Special DVD: Great Presentation! The Super Magic of the Gold Grip Phone ~Goru Gooru Goo Goo~
- 2007: Juken Sentai Gekiranger Special DVD: Gyun-Gyun! Fist Sage Great Athletic Meet
- 2008: Engine Sentai Go-Onger Special DVD: It's a Seminar! Everyone GO-ON!!
- 2009: Samurai Sentai Shinkenger Special DVD: The Light Samurai's Surprise Transformation
- 2010: Tensou Sentai Goseiger Special DVD: Gotcha☆Miracle! Total Gathering Collection
- 2011: Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger Special DVD: Let's Do This Goldenly! Roughly! 36 Round Gokai Change!!
- 2012: Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters vs. Beet Buster vs. J
- 2013: Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger: It's Here! Armed On Midsummer Festival!!
- 2014: Ressha Sentai ToQger: Farewell, Ticket! The Wasteland Super ToQ Battle!
- 2015: Shuriken Sentai Ninninger: Aka Ninger vs. Star Ninger Hundred Nin Battle!
