I believe this is the first actual space-themed Sentai series for a while now as in taking place in literal space. Gokaiger takes place in space when in flashbacks, using the same technique as One Piece.
So far as I know the current generation of Super Sentai, there is at least two series that are influenced or shouting out to One Piece. One Piece is the DB of our current generation after all and to this day, it maintained the passion and well-written status. While Naruto's first part has a lot of passion that includes well-written that I can barely see in Part 2 where I can see a war between mangaka and editors, Bleach's passion only falls through when it comes to the cool stuff and the writing just continues to fall in a way that at first doesn't seem much but just falls down the drain the passing arc.
I'm sorry about that. I couldn't help but compare the former Big Three. Seriously, I think My Hero Academia took one of the spots but I can't remember the last one of the current trio. While Haikyuu is still popular and maintained the writing with the current arc at Springs Nationals, I don't think it is one of the Big Three. Haikyuu is certainly popular with the sports manga with KnB out of the running due to its ending.
I'm getting off-topic.
It has an interesting premise with most of the rangers being aliens. Gokaiger only has one human among them as a ranger. While the staple of bad guys taking over and the good guys popping up to save and protect, it takes it up to eleven. This time, the universe was taken over including Earth and the Empire growing and growing.
Hopefully, unlike Gokaiger's enemy aliens, these guys are tough as nails and actually earn the title of the Conqueror of the Universe. Gokaiger's best villain will always be Basco, the most interesting of all the villains.
The first episode was rushed but they got the essentials out. Hell, in the first episode, they have two new rangers and the next episode was not as rushed. The second episode was better paced with the two new rangers being partners.
We have a female green ranger now!
The rangers this time around are based on star constellations, befitting its space theme. It's interesting to see they expanded beyond the normal pool of constellations.
I also liked the references to other media, particularly Star Trek. One ranger is basically a Spock reference.
The suits are bulky and don't look good aesthetically. The helmets are cool but not so much the upper half of the suit. It just looks bulky and doesn't allow much mobility. The colors didn't mesh well either, having too much of the actual ranger color and not enough black/white. I think it was supposed to be an astronaut-looking uniform.
The transformation trinket is bulky too. While I pretty much prefer unique or less bulky transformation trinkets (In PGSM, the transformation trinkets are bracelets and as much as I loathe Jungle Fury's morphers, they're unique even if I can break them...or lose them), I understand that a point of Super Sentai was to sell toys. But it doesn't look good in my opinion.
Why not make any morphers? I am glad that the cellphone morphers, while popular, is not in this one. I prefer unique ones like the Goseiger rangers or the bracelets from PGSM. I understand the transformation trinkets were to make toys. I get it. But parents and kids are not rich like the one-percenters.
Now I have a feeling that Saban will adapt Kyuranger into PR for the next season. I mean they can now pick whatever season to adapt and Kyuranger is right up their alley for adaptation.
Edit: So I heard the latest will be a Gobusters adaptation... Holy Godoka! I didn't expect that adaptation. I know that Saban is free to adapt whatever they choose now but choosing to adapt Gobusters is surprising.
Now having two ranger teams on the same show isn't exactly new. Toei had done before.
Although, this will be the first sentai team that will be phantom thief themed. I want to see how they will go about it. Will they go all out with the phantom thieves with the media before
I am interested to see how they are going to take this premise. Phantom thieves in Japanese media tends to be romantic; just look at the shortlived Kaitou Kid and the radical Persona 5. Yes, even P5 where even the titular thieves questioned the morality of their actions, they are still romantic figures that the world only knew one guy is the leader of the Phantom Thieves of Heart. Whether they actually believe it or not is a different thing entirely.
The point seemed to be a rivalry between the teams. From what I kept getting, the two teams seemed to focus on each other more than the monsters they are fighting against. These guys seemed to be adult rangers rather than teens.
The basic plot was released. I just wonder how much they are going to go with it. They could go all out with the two teams actually teaming up. Since there are two red rangers, there'll be conflict about how they run the team or because they are leaders fighting for whatever they think it is right.
I think justice would play a theme in this one. It's pretty obvious. Even Detective Conan has that though not in large amounts.
From the little sneaks, the morphers are bulky. I get the point is to sell toys but too bulky. You would think phantom thieves would have less than noticeable morphers. Phantom Thieves in Japanese media do tend to be flashy while keeping covert actions well to do. Even in Persona 5, we do see these guys do flashy stuff such as send a calling card with no evidence of DNA everywhere and make a huge announcement in every radio waves in Japan. Seriously, the disguises Kaitou Kid took up is ridiculous. I would think a much better morpher could be a pen or a ring, something that connects to the thievery in general. At least, the Sailor Moon transformation trinkets tend to sneak under the radar with pens, broaches, and whatnot. Miraculous Ladybug has earrings, rings, combs, and others I can't remember right now but at least they don't stick out like a sore thumb like a bulky gun. I consider the gun morphers cool if well-designed. In P5, the point of transformation was the apps/worlds. Look at SPD/Dekaranger, they used police IDs or in a form of at least. It's a decent morpher and convenient for a police-themed team. The Patoranger has gun-like morphers that are fitting but still too large.
I think I heard the Lupinranger's morphers were supposed to be safecracking or in the look of that is. Regardless, it's still bulky. I wish I don't have to say that word but still...bulky is the morphers this season.
More thought went into the suits though. The Lupinrangers definitely has the phantom thief image going for them with the tie, cape, and top hat imagery; the black does mesh well with the colors with the inside of the cape being white. The Patorangers has the police imagery with the badge on top of their helmets (seriously, the helmets are basically placements of the usual top hat/police cap) and the upper suit looking like one of those uniforms; however, it has too much color and little white to complete it. It's straightforward and simple.
I get the point is to have them foils with the opposite of everything. However, with foils, you understand it is like a mirror. However, it will be difficult for them to get their acts together. I don't see the phantom thieves in this series not dropping their thievery anytime soon. Seriously, I can see them getting a friendly rivalry later on with the final episode being a bookend with the two teams this time teasing each other while the phantom thieves escape with their prize.
I really wonder if Saban can really tackle something like this if they chose to adapt it. Americans have a different view on phantom thieves after all as opposed to the romantic phantom thieves in Japanese media. It would be nice to see Saban try their damnest at this because of well phantom thieves as a ranger team in the PR canon. This is the first phantom thief-themed sentai team in history so I want to see how Saban does this one. I really want to see it adapted here in America.
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