You know here this reference is from, it's from the 1984 Super Sentai Series Chodenshi Bioman. Super Sentai is the tokusatsu franchise that inspired Power Rangers. What is tokusatsu? Find out in the first blog of Toku month on.... Well... Here.
Tokusatsu... Japanese for special effects. Tokusatsu can be traced back tho the early days of Japanese theater, but Toku didn't get big until the 50's with a face that's chances are any dumb american is familiar with...
What I have here is a series promos for a little something known as GodzillaBash '94. Yep one of the biggest Tokusatsu series around the world, Let alone Japan is the King of the Monsters himself...
GODZILLA!!!!
Started in 1954, Gojira was the original tokusatsu, spawning other monsters like Rodan, Mothra, and Gamera. This was the start of the DaiKaiju monster genre. It refers to any giant monster movie made in Japan. It has radioactive dinosaurs, giant aliens, and some of the funniest looking monster I've ever seen. Godzilla starred in 28 films not counting american adaptatations, TV Shows, and non-Toho crossovers. Godzilla was and still might be the most reconized tok figure in the world, which brings us someone just as famous if he was more popular in the US...
This is the intergalactic giant hero from outer space:
ULTRAMAN!!!!
Awwwww Yeah!!!!! One of the original founders of the superhero genre in tokusatsu, Ultraman was fighting Daikaiju like Godzilla was. Hayate gains a transformation device known as the beta capsule and becomes... wel... you know. Debuting in 1966 by Eiji Tsubaraya, This was Japan's answer to Superman. If that's the case, why wasn't it as successful as Power Rangers ever was. That's the bad news, to a certain degree... it kind of sort of didn't. Despite many dubs of Ultraman series (Yes, including that GOD AWFUL TIGA DUB FROM 4KIDS!!!!!) and adaptations (like Towards the Future and The Adventure Begins), it never really caught on like Star Wars did for the US, And Doctor Who did for the UK. It was only really successful in Japan and parts of Europe. Despite this Ultraman Was an ass kicking super hero from another planet, who helped pave the way for Tokusatsu on TV. This was the precursor to the henshin hero genre, which was nailed in...
EDIT: Gekko Kamen was the first toku on TV, not Ultraman, but Gekko Kamen didn't have the same nation wide appeal or lasting relevance as the growing hero did (Which I used as the example here). Thanks for Kelleth1989 on twitter for pointing this out.
If you don't know who this is and you're into tokusatsu kill yourself now because this is this is...
KAMEN RIDER!!!!
The one and only motorcycle riding transforming grasshopper men. Debuting in 1971 this was the original henshin hero. This was orignal going to be an adaptation of Shotaro Ishinomori's manga "The Skull Man", but it turned into a more kid friendly version of his manga. Takeshi Honga goes against Enemy organization Shocker and thier many monsters. He's later joined by fellow rouge shocker member Hayato Ichimonji, and they kick ass and chew bubble gum together. it went on for over 40 years with interpretations with themes like More Grasshoppers, Lizards, Beetles, Flying riders, Robot bugs, Dragons, Greek letters, Playing cards, Legendary Oni, Vampires, Two people becoming one, Chimeras, Football heads, Magicians, and so much more than I can name or even comprehend. The KR franchise had a short hiatus between 1989 and 2000 when the more armored heisei era rider came in. If it's just as popular as Super Sentai/Power Rangers, why isn't that the case for the U S of A. Well it's because The adaptations never really Succeeded here. Let me put it this way, One was better than the other (vhjvkyhivkyhi.... Masked Rider sucked. :(), but neither of which got anywhere. It's still on TV today known as Kamen Rider Wizard. This was Ishinomori's first Big TV HIT!!!!! The second was...
What I have here are the intro songs for Bioman, Maskman, Liveman, and Jetman. Those are part of a bigger franchise known as...
SUPER SENTAI!!!!
Started in 1975 it had 5 different colored warriors (usually joined by a 6th) facing against and evil organization, MONSTER OF THE WEEK STYLE!!! Then the monster grows big and they send in their giant mecha and slashes it STRAIGHT TO HELL!!!!!! The original Sentai was known as Himitsu Sentai Goranger. As the franchise went on it added elements likde Giant Robots, and extra rangers. Like Kamen Rider, Super Sentai is in it's 36th series to date, Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters. This series inspired POWER RANGERS!!!! Back in the early 90's Saban was planning to make Power Rangers with either Sun Vulcan, Bioman, Jetman, or Zyuranger. they chose Zyuranger because of Jurassic Park and that was the origin of MIGHTY MORPHIN' POWER RANGERS!!!!! Needless to say, It became MORPHENOMINAL!!!!! Yep, Power Rangers deserves a history blog on it's own, Or you could just watch Linkara's History of Power Rangers (Seriously, Google it if you haven't already). The last of the big four is...
These were the Metallic Warriors of the future...
METAL HEROES!!!!
This was one of the most overlooked genres of tokusatsu that deserves more attention. These heroes had more armor and Have probably to coolest costume designs this side of tokusatsu. Starting in 1982, Uchuu Keiji Gavan, Uchuu Keiji Sharivan in 1983, and Uchuu Keiji Shaider in 1984 were based more on technology and space. It lasted for an impressive 17 series before being canceled in 1999. This had 2 adaptations VR Troopers, and Big Bad BeetleBorgs, Neither Of which were considered anyone's best Work. Besides BeetleBorgs could have ben the 3rd (for Juukou B-Fighter) and 4th (For B-Fighter Kabuto) seasons of VR Troopers, at least it would be better than what we got. This wasn't just popular in Japan but in places like France, Brazil, The Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
CLOSING COMMENTS:
Well that wasn't all the henshin hero goodness you're going to get. There is Anime and Manga Like Bio Booster Armour Guyver and Sailor Moon (Two of my Favorites) fall into this category. Ironically Sailor Moon had a Tokusatsu Adaptation known as Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon. (Speaking of, WHEN'S FUNIMATION GOING TO RELEASE SAILOR MOON ALREADY!!!!) If that wasn't weird enough, there's a toku adaptation of Spider man, I'M NOT MAKING THIS UP!!!! ALRIGHT TOKU ROLL CALL!!!
KIKAIDER, INAZUMAN, KAIKETSU ZUBAT, ROBOT DETECTIVE, HENSHIN NINJA ARASHI, SEIUN KAMEN MACHINEMAN, GIANT ROBO, CHOUKOU SENSHI CHANGERION, SEVEN STAR FIGHTING GOD GUYFERD, CHOUSESHIN SERIES, TOMICA HERO RECUE FORCE, GARO, AND MODERATOR'S MOM...
WA WAA OH WAA WA!!!
I'M DEAD!!!!!
SIGNAL LOST!
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