This is another huge compilation of 40 seasons of Super Sentai. Zyuohger had a series of animal motifs involved. Since it's an anniversary season, there's always the tendency to, "Hey let's fly all the way back to 2006 to 1996 to 1986 to 1976." depending on the producers if they felt like there was a whole load of ideas that they felt needed to be modernized. Now it's time to focus on the rangers themselves.
Yamato Kazakiri and them sword fighting red rangers with bird motifs
So Yamato's the sixth red ranger with an eagle motif AND fighting with a sword at the same time. I feel like he's a combination of Kakeru Shishi/Gao Red and Gaku Washio/Gao Yellow. All the while, we can't forget the previous red rangers with bird motifs.
Takayuki Hiba/Vul Eagle II
While the first Vul Eagle namel Ryuusuke Oowashi left the set due to the actor's singing career, he had the more badass Takayuki Hiba take over. Although Sun Vulcan didn't have animal mecha yet because it's the bumpy early days of innovation, the theme was getting started. Takayuki displayed much of his amazing swordplay with his katana. He was able to turn the Vul Stick into a katana allowing him to do a lot of amazing stunts. He's the start of the tradition of those red rangers fighting with swords. For a long time, the eagle motif got buried but was brought back by Zyuohger.
Yuusuke Amemiya/Red Falcon
He's got the wings of the falcon and the falcon blade really works wonders. He's the second red ranger to have the honor of fighting against a Yutaka Hirose portrayed villain in Dr. Kemp. The first one was with Jin/Red Flash against Ley Wanda.
Ryu Tendo/Red Hawk
The leader of the the bird motif Jetman team. Don't mess around with Ryu! I always felt that his rivalry with Count Radiguet is one of the most intense rivalries as they literally cross swords. He's also got the honor of crossing swords against Yutaka Hirose when Tran became Tranza. It's amazing how this guy manages to pull himself out of a lot of situations. I felt like why in the world did they give him a hawk motif instead of an eagle similar to that of Ken Washio in Gatchaman if they could give the rest the same animals as their Gatchaman counterparts?
The leader of the the bird motif Jetman team. Don't mess around with Ryu! I always felt that his rivalry with Count Radiguet is one of the most intense rivalries as they literally cross swords. He's also got the honor of crossing swords against Yutaka Hirose when Tran became Tranza. It's amazing how this guy manages to pull himself out of a lot of situations. I felt like why in the world did they give him a hawk motif instead of an eagle similar to that of Ken Washio in Gatchaman if they could give the rest the same animals as their Gatchaman counterparts?
Yousuke Shiina/Hurricane Red
Hurricanger is basically Liveman x Kakuranger. Liveman with the three plus two (then plus one was its own) formula while having Kakuranger's ninja motif. Yousuke Shiina's motif is the hawk. IMO, he's nowhere near as good as Yuusuke or Ryu Tendo. I guess it's because Hurricanger already belongs to the post-Gaoranger era where the innovation focused on merchandise over giving badass action scenes. I still feel like the Liveman trio should've appeared instead of the Hurricanger trio.
Sosoke Esumi/Go-on Red
Okay Go-onger has the racing car motifs but Sosuke's buddy Speedor is a cross between a falcon and a race car. Plus, like the Turbo GT in Turboranger it could fly in combat. I feel like his passion and determination works like Ban from Dekaranger in some way. Both are idiots but I tend to like them among my favorite Super Sentai red rangers. I feel like his Road Saber's one weird sword that I wouldn't want to add to a collection of swords.
Okay Go-onger has the racing car motifs but Sosuke's buddy Speedor is a cross between a falcon and a race car. Plus, like the Turbo GT in Turboranger it could fly in combat. I feel like his passion and determination works like Ban from Dekaranger in some way. Both are idiots but I tend to like them among my favorite Super Sentai red rangers. I feel like his Road Saber's one weird sword that I wouldn't want to add to a collection of swords.
Tusk and the elephants... the shortest list is here for someone with a long nose!
What in the world was Takaaki Utsunomiya (the producer) or the others thinking in making Zyuoh Elephant green instead of black? So why didn't Tusk get the colored black? A minor nitpick from me!
Mammothranger/Goushi
He's the first one and for a long time, the only one with an elephant as a main motif. While I don't deny that the elephant motif was used during Gaoranger but none of the Gaorangers had that as a motif. Goushi himself appears to be the first and only with that motif until Ninninger. Gaoranger ad Ninninger did have an elephant as part of its mecha but none of the Gaorangers and Ninningers ever had it as a main motif either.
Leo and them yellow rangers with wild cat motifs... ROAR!
Leo's a lion in yellow but he's got other predecessors to look up to. So where can he look better to improve his growl and claws? Here are they.
Sun Vulcan had Asao as the first panther-themed ranger. As far as concerned, I don't even find myself liking Sun Vulcan that much from the old school list. But he's the start of yellows with a wild cat motif.
Jou Ohara/Yellow Lion
Well, here's a huge improvement in the late 80s with Yellow Lion. From all of Liveman's mecha, I felt his was the most well-designed, a predecessor for later animal mecha. It's one of the few rough stages for mecha innovation. I was glad he reappeared in Gokaiger as a guest though it would be better of the whole Liveman trio was there.
Boi/Tiger Ranger
He's a warrior from the Daimu Tribe and a real tough warrior. He's got the daggers working and he's managed to refine the wild cat fighting style. The daggers may have complemented him for his wild beast motif.
Kouta Bitou/Hurricane Yellow
Okay I haven't seen Hurricanger that much but I feel like he's not as good as Joe Ohara. He's still badass with that hammer though.
Sela and them blue rangers affiliated with water animals
It's been five female blue rangers with Megumi Misaki, Ako Hayasaka, Nanami Nono, Urara Ozu and presently Sela. But I chose to focus on those who are closer to her with water animals. Okay, we've got water sportsmen like Yousuke Shima (who I love to compare Chad Lee in Lightspeed Rescue too because both are great martial artists), Ryuta Nanbara and in extension Ken Hoshikawa. But let's focus on water animals shall we aside from those affiliated with water.
Kinya Samejima/Vul Shark
The first blue ranger to be affiliated with water and the shark serves as the right motif. Having him as a water sportsman may have helped model a lot of blue rangers for Hirohisa Soda who entered next year as Goggle V's headwriter.
Megumi Misaki/Blue Dolphin
The first female blue ranger, no questions asked. Back then, I thought it was Ako who had that honor but when I discovered about Liveman's existence, I really wasn't too surprised about her existence either.
Kai Samezu/Gao Blue
Nanami Nono/Hurricane Blue
As much as I like Nao Nagasawa as an actress and she's done a lot of great stunts but she's so overrated. Like is it me or does eye candy tend to make you overrate a fan favorite while it won't save a bad show? IMO, Megumi Misaki is a better character than her.
Amu and them white tigers before her
Kou/Kibaranger
The first white ranger with a tiger motif and he's only nine years old. Riki/Kingranger probably entered puberty already unlike this guy. So he does gain a little height to help him in his battle. His motif the Byakko is the legendary white tiger of the four protector gods Suzaku (phoenix), Seiryuu (dragon) and Genbu (turtle) which all four were existent in Dairanger's mecha.
Sae Taiga/Gao White
Perhaps the closest character that Amu is a tribute to. Sae appears as the first female warrior with the white tiger motif. She's a martial arts student and another young character. On the other hand, she and Amu don't have much in common except they're both female warriors in white carrying a tiger motif. Oh, don't forget Amu's a white tiger Zyuman and Sae's human.
Misao Mondo and guilt ridden sixth rangers
The latest member is guilt-ridden because of the three dead Zyumen used to power him up. Now it's time to focus on the guilt-ridden ones before him. There are other sixth rangers but not all of them can be compared to him. What's funny is that all the ones I'll be discussing are my favorites from their respective shows.
Burai/Dragon Ranger
When Burai was first released, he was willingly green with evil. He had that really badass evil laugh when he first appeared. He threw in a lot of bad deeds at his own free will, temporarily joined forces with Bandora in order to grab power for himself. His own repentance of everything he did during his introductory arc after his battle with his brother Geki caused the Hellfriede Sword. This was just the beginning.
Shirogane/Gao Silver
The closest similarity from past rangers I can draw to Misao is Shirogane. Shirogane did something absolutely dangerous by using the Demon Wolf Mask. As a result, Shirogane merged with Rouki in both body and soul. He was hesitant to join the Gaorangers all because of the bad things he did under Rouki's influence. He did get better early on though. His guilt was so great he felt like he alone should vanquish Rouki once and for all.
Eiji Takaoka/Bouken Silver
He was also pretty hesitant to join the Boukengers because he's half-Ashu. When his staff broke, he was already at the risk of becoming a monster. He didn't want them near him because he might harm them. He learned to fight it all by himself. I felt it was interesting to have somebody like Yamimaru and Kirika become a sixth ranger instead of a game-changing villain.
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