So it's October, and the moment of truth is upon us, what will the theme and motif be for the 39th Super Sentai series. There's one rumor that it might be bird themed, ala Jetman, but then again, this is when all sorts of rumors pop up. Who knows what it will be. But while we are waiting for the verdict, here's what I'd love to see that hasn't been done yet.
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
Toku Rant II: Why Do People Like Mako So Much? EDIT
So, when I went back and read this post I realized that I sound like a total social justice warrior idiot, which I'm not. I wrote this post a while back, and didn't publish it until last week. And sometimes when you go back and read something you wrote, you realize you made a mistake, like when you go through your old clothes and can't believe you wore some of that stuff. So I decided to edit my post, but my opinion stays the same: I don't like Mako. And remember, this is an editorial, so a lot of it is my own opinion. It's not fact.
Okay, I'm going to get something off my chest. Ready? I'm probably going to piss a lot of you off, just to warn you (Sean Akizuki and FireandHeaven27, I'm looking at you). Okay. (Takes Deep Breath). Remember in my last post, I said I didn't like the Boukengers? Well, there's another sentai character who I really hate: Mako aka Shinken Pink.
As with Sakura from Boukenger I don't hate the actress, I hate the character. Granted, a lot of the reasons why I don't like Mako is because of the fan response to the actress. They think she's the hottest thing ever, when really, she isn't as hot as they think she is--and this is coming from someone who is attracted to women as well as men. You want a beautiful sentai actress, look at Sayako Hagiwara, the actress who played DynaPink, or Ayumi Kinoshita, the actress who played DekaYellow.
Mako has done some of the meanest things ever, at least in my opinion. In addition to saying "she likes men she can fix," she dropped Shinken Blue like a hot potato as soon as he was "fixed." Also, for those of you who think that she's "good" for Takeru, that she is compatible with him, she would probably drop him as soon as he's "fixed." As well, when you look at their interactions, they seem to have a negative affect on Takeru: when you look at the episode where Takeru pushed her (which was actually kind of awesome, but remember, I'm biased). Takeru was practically catatonic in the next episodes--in fact, it was KOTOHA who got Takeru out of his funk. Hell, in the Lord Butler episode, even the narrator acknowledges that Kotoha holds a torch for Takeru. Why do people want to see Mako, who is, as FireandHeaven27 ironically says "a nosy bitch" together with someone who clearly enjoys his privacy?
But I'm not the only one who doesn't like Mako. According to susurro, a commentor on a blog post glorifying Mako:
Feminism is about choice. You can choose your own career, your own future. Mako wants to be a wife and mother, it's what she's passionate about. And I'm pretty sure she'd be a good wife and mother. Now, Shinkenger had two other female characters who some fans either ignore, blast, or hate. First you have Kotoha, who is a freakin powerhouse. She isn't weak, at all, and she had to grow up really fast. She's awkward off the battlefield, though, and constantly suffers from crises of confidence which mirror Takeru's. She can be shy, but she overcomes it. Throughout these series, she comes of age, becomes stronger off of the battlefield, starts to deal with her feelings for Takeru, and finally acknowledges that she is the real Shinkenyellow and not a stand-in. It seems she enjoys being a samurai, though, as it's what she's good at. In my opinion, and this is my bias, as I like strong, daring, female characters who break social norms: she's a better positive role model than Mako. But fans refer to her as weak, or "junior", or "cute", or "inexperienced," and the little sister, or the other girl. And they ignore her.
And then there's Kaoru. Kaoru kicks ass. And people instantly hated her when she declared that she wants to fight, and that she will be ShinkenRed from now on. But people forget the reason why she wanted to reclaim her position: she was tired of hiding, she was tired of being the princess being protected, and she was tired of probably living with that asshole Tanba. She wanted to fight. I know, Takeru and the team took it extremely hard, but she didn't know this was going to happen. And they also forget that she constantly hits him with her fan for being an asshole. And at the end, she pulls an extremely ballsy move by adopting Takeru. She's an amazing fighter, made an amazing entrance, and is a pleasure to see whenever she returns in the vs. movie and in Gokaiger. And she was a nice princess, she wasn't a spoiled brat.
So Kotoha is a young woman who is coming of age and is becoming stronger and ballsier, yet has a lot of flaws which makes her a more fleshed-out and real character, and Kaoru is a freaking warrior princess in a kimono. But NOOOOO they aren't the beloved characters. It's Mako. Why? Because Mako wants to be a Yamato Nadeshiko--a traditional Japanese women, a housewife, a mother, subservient. At the time, I guess male viewers were getting tired of seeing women take charge in sentai, male viewers were getting tired of seeing women either reject them, emasculate them, or hold superior positions to them, and when they saw a woman who's dream was to take the big step backwards, they couldn't help but fall in love with her.
And it's not only that: they see Mako as perfect--A woman whose only flaw on the surface seems to be her bad cooking (she has a flaw as well: obsession and fixation, but none of the Mako lovers seem to acknowledge it). Mako's whole character song is about being a freaking bride and housewife. Kotoha's character song however, is called "Bushido Girl." See the difference?
Now, why do female fans, in particular a certain group of female fans worship Mako so much to a point where it is an obsession? Maybe it's because they believe she's "perfect." And they want to be as "perfect" as her. And they would want to be like Kotoha because she's so awkward or like Kaoru because she's such a meanie. Or maybe because they have a crush on Takeru's actor and would rather see Mako as their surrogate.
Another factor is being a lemming. Remember in my shipping mistakes article where I said one of the biggest mistakes is being a lemming--assuming that because a non-canon ship is "popular" or considered the "fan preferred shipping " on TV tropes (which is usually added by just one troper), or that has vocal fans, is the most popular/canon ship. The same can be applied to characters as well.
A lot of new sentai fans who aren't familiar with the shows might look at other blogs for info, particularly well-known blogs that appear on the top of your google search, and believe that said "sentai expert" is objective, and believes his or her opinion to be true. So if a popular blogger who acts as if they are speaking for the rest of the fandom shills a character they like, the new fan might believe it to be the truth, which is sadly the case with Mako. I'm not saying that new fans aren't smart, but sometimes they assume that if someone is seemingly well-versed in sentai, then they are telling the truth.
The most important thing to remember is that Shinkenger is one of the best sentai ensemble series. A lot of people will dismiss the rest of the characters as annoying or comedic relief or "mean" sans Takeru and Mako. This is partly because of the example above, and another reason is that a popular blogger refers to Shinkenger as a tribute to the popular manga Rurouni Kenshin, and even based off of it, which like Shinkenger, is about samurais. Kenshin has both a male and female lead which said blogger believed Takeru and Mako to be based off of. However, if one actually reads the premise and character summaries to Rurouni Kenshin, they'd see that it is far different from Shinkenger. It's like saying Hurricanger is a tribute to Naruto. (Hell, the only manga that was incorporated into a sentai season would be One Piece as Gokaiger, mainly with the character archetypes, but Gokaiger was it's own series too). But because said popular bloggers assertions, along with someone (probably said blogger) writing it on TV Tropes some people come to believe it to be so. And therefore they forget that Shinkenger is an ensemble series.
I've stated how important Kotoha and Kaoru were for the series. Ryuu (I suck at spelling his name) will be blasted for being over-the-top and annoying or comedic relief. Okay, he can't help the over-the-top part. He's a kabuki actor. Even his pose is a kabuki pose. Kabuki can be over-the-top at times. Ryuu acts like a kabuki actor. And he is loyal. Really loyal. So loyal that you'd want him as your best friend or even as your boyfriend or partner. I've never seen a character that loyal before. And he kicks ass and is an amazing dancer.
Chiaki's journey is humbling. He learns about humility, he learns about being part of a team. He learns how to use his inexperience, his playfulness, his bravery, his unconventional way of looking at the world to his advantage. And he kicks ass. As well, I like his relationship with Kotoha. He acts like a protective older brother to her. A lot of people see it as romance, I see it as a guy who is protecting the youngest member of the team, who doesn't need protection, and as someone who owes it to her for being kind of a jerk to her.
Genta is extremely loyal as well, matching Ryuu's. He's creative like Chiaki. Sure he's a little too enthusiastic, but this guy loves being a samurai! He takes actual joy out of it. And he brings some positiveness to the team and allows Takeru to start to open up. Plus, he had to learn how to do modjikara (I'm spelling it wrong, I know) on his own, without having the ability, and was able to create his own henshin device. Yeah, he can be a little shrill but he's more than just "comedic relief."
Each character is the hero and heroine of the series. Remember that. Shinkenger did what sentai is at it's best: an ensemble series.
The more and more I think about it Yasuko Kobayashi is one of my favorite sentai writers, someone who I will go to the ends of the Earth to defend. She wrote Kamen Rider Den-O, my favorite Kamen Rider series. She is great with twists, suspense, characters, and yes, storytelling. And as someone who is studying to be a television writer, and is a woman, she's kind of a hero for me--especially in Japan, where the system is still patriarchal. In one article I read, women are forgoing marriage because people expect them to stop working (and some women still need to make a living) and be a full-time mom.
So those of you who know about my love of Yasuko Kobayashi might bring up the fact that Mako is her creation, so I need to like her. Well, some of my favorite writers have created characters that I've hated. Matthew Weiner, the creator of one of my favorite TV series Mad Men created the frigid unsympathetic bitch known as Betty Draper (later Francis).
At first you feel sympathy for Betty, her husband is cheating on her, and she has some issues of her own. But then, by season three, you lose all sympathy for her and are totally okay with the fact her husband is cheating on her, and Weiner wants you to be sympathetic towards her, so does her actress January Jones. Betty is a horrible mother to Sally, her and Don's oldest daughter who around that time was, like, nine. Betty is unpleasant period. You hate her more in season 4, and then kind of stop hating her in season five, and season six, because she undergoes a redemption--although she still is a crappy mother.
Ron D Moore wrote Battlestar Galactica, one of the best sci-fi series that proves that sci-fi isn't outdated, and can be used to explain modern issues and philosophy, especially on TV. It's an awesome show. With tons of awesome characters. Except one. Cally. A nebbish deckhand who, actually I can't tell you too much because it will spoil too much. But watch Battlestar Galactica, because it's awesome.
I guess Yasuko wanted to show how women have a choice and balance out the motivation, or maybe she wanted to comment on how conservative values affect Japanese women, or maybe there was pressure from executives. But I still like her. She's made some other mistakes (Go-busters), but not every Sentai series is flawless, and not every writer is flawless. They sometimes have a bad season.
So why do people like Mako: because of looks, self-insertion, the fact she wants to be a wife and mother, and the swaying of a few vocal fans of her.
I can't really give any advice, to most of those fans, but to the new sentai fans: a popular blogger's opinion isn't set in stone, and my opinion isn't set in stone. Watch the series yourself and making your own opinions. You may like Mako or hate her.
Well, that's my post. I know, it's an extremely unpopular opinion, but sometimes, it's okay to have an opinion that's different than what some people believe to be the fandom consensus. So, go ahead, hate on me. But you Mako lovers have expressed why you love her so much. I have as much a right to discuss why I dislike her. But, hey, at least she's just a character. And I treat her like a character.
Okay, I'm going to get something off my chest. Ready? I'm probably going to piss a lot of you off, just to warn you (Sean Akizuki and FireandHeaven27, I'm looking at you). Okay. (Takes Deep Breath). Remember in my last post, I said I didn't like the Boukengers? Well, there's another sentai character who I really hate: Mako aka Shinken Pink.
As with Sakura from Boukenger I don't hate the actress, I hate the character. Granted, a lot of the reasons why I don't like Mako is because of the fan response to the actress. They think she's the hottest thing ever, when really, she isn't as hot as they think she is--and this is coming from someone who is attracted to women as well as men. You want a beautiful sentai actress, look at Sayako Hagiwara, the actress who played DynaPink, or Ayumi Kinoshita, the actress who played DekaYellow.
Mako has done some of the meanest things ever, at least in my opinion. In addition to saying "she likes men she can fix," she dropped Shinken Blue like a hot potato as soon as he was "fixed." Also, for those of you who think that she's "good" for Takeru, that she is compatible with him, she would probably drop him as soon as he's "fixed." As well, when you look at their interactions, they seem to have a negative affect on Takeru: when you look at the episode where Takeru pushed her (which was actually kind of awesome, but remember, I'm biased). Takeru was practically catatonic in the next episodes--in fact, it was KOTOHA who got Takeru out of his funk. Hell, in the Lord Butler episode, even the narrator acknowledges that Kotoha holds a torch for Takeru. Why do people want to see Mako, who is, as FireandHeaven27 ironically says "a nosy bitch" together with someone who clearly enjoys his privacy?
But I'm not the only one who doesn't like Mako. According to susurro, a commentor on a blog post glorifying Mako:
"Also, Mako isn't as perfect as you keep saying here. Almost her only appeal as a character was her looks. If she weren't played by an attractive actress would people care how "badass" she was or want to see her get together with Takeru? No. She was only ever nice to Takeru, not the rest of her teammates - she was horrible to Ryuunosuke, hit Chiaki, ignored Genta and dismissed Kotoha when Kotoha was worried about Takeru. A tokusatsu hero is supposed to be someone exemplary, a role model to the audience - not someone who's really a horrible person but the fandom worships them just because they're 'hot.'"
But because Mako's "hot" isn't the only reason why the fandom likes her: particularly the male fandom.
The idea occurred to me in my Genres in Television class. My professor asked us if there was anything on television today that could be considered "trash." My hand immediately shot up and said "Two and a Half Men," and everyone agreed with me. He asked the class why people watch it, then, as for a while, it was one of the highest rated shows. One of my other classmates replied "Because it's misogynistic, it has misogynistic humor. It makes men feel comfortable." Now, not all men are sexist pigs, but some of them are, and some would wish they could go back to the glory days--they do all the work, the wife greets them at home with a martini and a warm meal waiting, and doesn't complain about the fact she has no life outside being a baby-maker/mother/prisoner her own home whose only way out is bridge with the girls and going to the grocery store. Not now when women are more empowered, are making decisions not to have children and have the ability to control their bodies, wearing pants and suits, are going to colleges and using their degrees and are advancing more and more, and hold the same positions as men, and can be their bosses even.
The fact that you have a female character who wants to be a wife and mother, might entice some male viewers.
The fact that you have a female character who wants to be a wife and mother, might entice some male viewers.
Feminism is about choice. You can choose your own career, your own future. Mako wants to be a wife and mother, it's what she's passionate about. And I'm pretty sure she'd be a good wife and mother. Now, Shinkenger had two other female characters who some fans either ignore, blast, or hate. First you have Kotoha, who is a freakin powerhouse. She isn't weak, at all, and she had to grow up really fast. She's awkward off the battlefield, though, and constantly suffers from crises of confidence which mirror Takeru's. She can be shy, but she overcomes it. Throughout these series, she comes of age, becomes stronger off of the battlefield, starts to deal with her feelings for Takeru, and finally acknowledges that she is the real Shinkenyellow and not a stand-in. It seems she enjoys being a samurai, though, as it's what she's good at. In my opinion, and this is my bias, as I like strong, daring, female characters who break social norms: she's a better positive role model than Mako. But fans refer to her as weak, or "junior", or "cute", or "inexperienced," and the little sister, or the other girl. And they ignore her.
And then there's Kaoru. Kaoru kicks ass. And people instantly hated her when she declared that she wants to fight, and that she will be ShinkenRed from now on. But people forget the reason why she wanted to reclaim her position: she was tired of hiding, she was tired of being the princess being protected, and she was tired of probably living with that asshole Tanba. She wanted to fight. I know, Takeru and the team took it extremely hard, but she didn't know this was going to happen. And they also forget that she constantly hits him with her fan for being an asshole. And at the end, she pulls an extremely ballsy move by adopting Takeru. She's an amazing fighter, made an amazing entrance, and is a pleasure to see whenever she returns in the vs. movie and in Gokaiger. And she was a nice princess, she wasn't a spoiled brat.
So Kotoha is a young woman who is coming of age and is becoming stronger and ballsier, yet has a lot of flaws which makes her a more fleshed-out and real character, and Kaoru is a freaking warrior princess in a kimono. But NOOOOO they aren't the beloved characters. It's Mako. Why? Because Mako wants to be a Yamato Nadeshiko--a traditional Japanese women, a housewife, a mother, subservient. At the time, I guess male viewers were getting tired of seeing women take charge in sentai, male viewers were getting tired of seeing women either reject them, emasculate them, or hold superior positions to them, and when they saw a woman who's dream was to take the big step backwards, they couldn't help but fall in love with her.
And it's not only that: they see Mako as perfect--A woman whose only flaw on the surface seems to be her bad cooking (she has a flaw as well: obsession and fixation, but none of the Mako lovers seem to acknowledge it). Mako's whole character song is about being a freaking bride and housewife. Kotoha's character song however, is called "Bushido Girl." See the difference?
Now, why do female fans, in particular a certain group of female fans worship Mako so much to a point where it is an obsession? Maybe it's because they believe she's "perfect." And they want to be as "perfect" as her. And they would want to be like Kotoha because she's so awkward or like Kaoru because she's such a meanie. Or maybe because they have a crush on Takeru's actor and would rather see Mako as their surrogate.
Another factor is being a lemming. Remember in my shipping mistakes article where I said one of the biggest mistakes is being a lemming--assuming that because a non-canon ship is "popular" or considered the "fan preferred shipping " on TV tropes (which is usually added by just one troper), or that has vocal fans, is the most popular/canon ship. The same can be applied to characters as well.
A lot of new sentai fans who aren't familiar with the shows might look at other blogs for info, particularly well-known blogs that appear on the top of your google search, and believe that said "sentai expert" is objective, and believes his or her opinion to be true. So if a popular blogger who acts as if they are speaking for the rest of the fandom shills a character they like, the new fan might believe it to be the truth, which is sadly the case with Mako. I'm not saying that new fans aren't smart, but sometimes they assume that if someone is seemingly well-versed in sentai, then they are telling the truth.
The most important thing to remember is that Shinkenger is one of the best sentai ensemble series. A lot of people will dismiss the rest of the characters as annoying or comedic relief or "mean" sans Takeru and Mako. This is partly because of the example above, and another reason is that a popular blogger refers to Shinkenger as a tribute to the popular manga Rurouni Kenshin, and even based off of it, which like Shinkenger, is about samurais. Kenshin has both a male and female lead which said blogger believed Takeru and Mako to be based off of. However, if one actually reads the premise and character summaries to Rurouni Kenshin, they'd see that it is far different from Shinkenger. It's like saying Hurricanger is a tribute to Naruto. (Hell, the only manga that was incorporated into a sentai season would be One Piece as Gokaiger, mainly with the character archetypes, but Gokaiger was it's own series too). But because said popular bloggers assertions, along with someone (probably said blogger) writing it on TV Tropes some people come to believe it to be so. And therefore they forget that Shinkenger is an ensemble series.
I've stated how important Kotoha and Kaoru were for the series. Ryuu (I suck at spelling his name) will be blasted for being over-the-top and annoying or comedic relief. Okay, he can't help the over-the-top part. He's a kabuki actor. Even his pose is a kabuki pose. Kabuki can be over-the-top at times. Ryuu acts like a kabuki actor. And he is loyal. Really loyal. So loyal that you'd want him as your best friend or even as your boyfriend or partner. I've never seen a character that loyal before. And he kicks ass and is an amazing dancer.
Chiaki's journey is humbling. He learns about humility, he learns about being part of a team. He learns how to use his inexperience, his playfulness, his bravery, his unconventional way of looking at the world to his advantage. And he kicks ass. As well, I like his relationship with Kotoha. He acts like a protective older brother to her. A lot of people see it as romance, I see it as a guy who is protecting the youngest member of the team, who doesn't need protection, and as someone who owes it to her for being kind of a jerk to her.
Genta is extremely loyal as well, matching Ryuu's. He's creative like Chiaki. Sure he's a little too enthusiastic, but this guy loves being a samurai! He takes actual joy out of it. And he brings some positiveness to the team and allows Takeru to start to open up. Plus, he had to learn how to do modjikara (I'm spelling it wrong, I know) on his own, without having the ability, and was able to create his own henshin device. Yeah, he can be a little shrill but he's more than just "comedic relief."
Each character is the hero and heroine of the series. Remember that. Shinkenger did what sentai is at it's best: an ensemble series.
The more and more I think about it Yasuko Kobayashi is one of my favorite sentai writers, someone who I will go to the ends of the Earth to defend. She wrote Kamen Rider Den-O, my favorite Kamen Rider series. She is great with twists, suspense, characters, and yes, storytelling. And as someone who is studying to be a television writer, and is a woman, she's kind of a hero for me--especially in Japan, where the system is still patriarchal. In one article I read, women are forgoing marriage because people expect them to stop working (and some women still need to make a living) and be a full-time mom.
So those of you who know about my love of Yasuko Kobayashi might bring up the fact that Mako is her creation, so I need to like her. Well, some of my favorite writers have created characters that I've hated. Matthew Weiner, the creator of one of my favorite TV series Mad Men created the frigid unsympathetic bitch known as Betty Draper (later Francis).
At first you feel sympathy for Betty, her husband is cheating on her, and she has some issues of her own. But then, by season three, you lose all sympathy for her and are totally okay with the fact her husband is cheating on her, and Weiner wants you to be sympathetic towards her, so does her actress January Jones. Betty is a horrible mother to Sally, her and Don's oldest daughter who around that time was, like, nine. Betty is unpleasant period. You hate her more in season 4, and then kind of stop hating her in season five, and season six, because she undergoes a redemption--although she still is a crappy mother.
Ron D Moore wrote Battlestar Galactica, one of the best sci-fi series that proves that sci-fi isn't outdated, and can be used to explain modern issues and philosophy, especially on TV. It's an awesome show. With tons of awesome characters. Except one. Cally. A nebbish deckhand who, actually I can't tell you too much because it will spoil too much. But watch Battlestar Galactica, because it's awesome.
I guess Yasuko wanted to show how women have a choice and balance out the motivation, or maybe she wanted to comment on how conservative values affect Japanese women, or maybe there was pressure from executives. But I still like her. She's made some other mistakes (Go-busters), but not every Sentai series is flawless, and not every writer is flawless. They sometimes have a bad season.
So why do people like Mako: because of looks, self-insertion, the fact she wants to be a wife and mother, and the swaying of a few vocal fans of her.
I can't really give any advice, to most of those fans, but to the new sentai fans: a popular blogger's opinion isn't set in stone, and my opinion isn't set in stone. Watch the series yourself and making your own opinions. You may like Mako or hate her.
Well, that's my post. I know, it's an extremely unpopular opinion, but sometimes, it's okay to have an opinion that's different than what some people believe to be the fandom consensus. So, go ahead, hate on me. But you Mako lovers have expressed why you love her so much. I have as much a right to discuss why I dislike her. But, hey, at least she's just a character. And I treat her like a character.
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Behind The Helmet: My Interview with Jason Chan
I admit it: I enjoy some of the Power Rangers series. And Ninja Storm is among my favorites. And my love for toku, and this blog wouldn't exist without Ninja Storm.
When I was in high school, my senior year, I was flipping through channels and came upon a re-run of Ninja Storm. And I immediately liked it. It had me at the line: "What, you've never seen a chick in blue spandex walk on water before?" It didn't take itself seriously, it was a fun, entertaining series. And one of my favorite rangers on that show was Cam, who started out as the disgruntled techie, and then became the Green Samurai Ranger through an amazing journey.
As some of you know, I've been going to grad school in Singapore for the past few years, and Jason Chan, who played Cam currently lives and works here. I had the pleasure of meeting him for coffee, and interviewing him.
Here's the audio. I haven't used iMovie in a while, so it probably looks bad but it sounds good.
We talked about the audition process, stunt mishaps, guinea pig wrangling, elements, spandex.
Also, Jason has a production company in Singapore as well. Check it out:
http://bananamanafilms.com/
All and all, it was a fun interview, and Jason is an awesome person!
EDIT: Here is Jason's instagram. Be sure to follow him: @jasonchankk
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Toku Rant I: The Boukengers are Jerks
Ah, Boukenger, one of the most overrated sentai series ever. Where do I begin:
1. There are too many mecha, and they are all BOOORING. I mean, in Gaoranger, we had a lot of mecha, but each mecha combination in Gaoranger was different and they had personality.
2. Way too many villains.
3. The alum cameos do nothing for the children watching the show. In Gokaiger, the former sentai warriors appeared, showing that super sentai is a series that has been going on for a long time, and that no matter how old you are, you can still fight and be a superhero. The children knew "hey, that guy who is my dad's age played OhRed. That's really cool." I guess the alum cameos in Boukenger are supposed to be a wink to the older fans, but first off, they are too subtle. You can't recognize the sentai actors--especially GaoBlue, considering his was a dragon abomination most of the time. Secondly, Super Sentai airs at 7:30 on Sunday morning. Kids are fine waking up early to watch their favorite show, but teenagers and adults want to sleep in.
4. The monster designs are supposed to be another "subtle" wink, as they are supposed to be homages to sentai mecha. But I can't tell that clusterf!ck monster A is a tribute to BioRobo. And the kids aren't obviously going to get it.
5. Gaoranger vs. Super Sentai>Boukenger vs. Super Sentai. I mean, in Gaoranger vs. Super Sentai, they got some recent actors, all who played lovable character who you'd want to see again (gentle giant Gouki, spunky cell phone addict Miku, and hellfire calcium-obsessed Daimon) and then they get Red F!cking Falcon, who does this amazing scene with GaoYellow, and BIG ONE who is in his 60s, and still kicks ass, and somehow gets cooler and likeable because he's older. Boukenger didn't even dig deep enough, and only got recent actors. Granted, AbareBlack is cool, but still.
6. The forced Red/Pink romance. I hate BoukenPink. The actress is okay, I don't hate her. I hate the character. She is a Mary Sue. And looking back at all of the female sentai characters, she is the only one I could think of that is a Mary Sue. She's a perfect fighter, she's the subleader of the team, she's smart, and every guy on the team wants to bang her, and she gets red in the end. It's so forced and thrown in. Most of you guys know I hate Red and Pink shipping (because it's lazy, amongst other reasons), and it's like the writers wanted to give me the middle finger before I even got into sentai (although I doubt they know me). So yeah, let's throw it in last minute. BoukenPink is soooo perfect but she has one flaw: she loves red. But he doesn't notice. Gollie Jee Wilickers! What's a girl to do?
But no, those all pale in comparison to this realization I had:
So, originally it was Satoru, Souta, and Sakura who were on the team. Then they hire Masumi and Natsuki. Now, I can understand Masumi, I mean, he's a treasure thief or whatever, but Natsuki. I know Masumi found Natsuki who was trapped under a rock or something, but she has no skills.
In fact, Natsuki shouldn't be on the team. She should be in a hospital, for rehabilitation as she's been unconscious for 3000 or so years! You know how when astronauts come back to earth, they need to do some physical therapy because they are adjusting to the increase in gravity, well, what Natsuki endured is more than a few years in zero gravity. She should be undergoing the process the Timerangers went through in the first episode of Time Ranger, when they had to watch 20th history really fast and absorb it all in before travelling to the past.
And because Natsuki didn't get any help, she is a trainwreck. And that's when I realized the real reason she was on the team: so they could feel better about themselves. And so they could look good in comparison to her. And that just makes them even more horrible people. Natsuki has nothing to offer the team despite the fact she gets random psychic visions sometimes--but she shouldn't be fighting. Satoru is all like "she has the soul of an adventurer" or something in the first episode--no, she doesn't, Satoru is really saying "hey, if we screw up, at least we aren't like her." At least she's a scapegoat.
And because of that, the Boukengers are horrible people.
Monday, January 7, 2013
A Gokaiger Fan Fic Challenge
Remember when you were watching Gokaiger, and you thought "Dang, I wish they did a tribute episode to (insert series here)."
Well, here's your chance to make that happen. Here is a list of the series they didn't cover, and whose heroes appeared as floating heads saying "here, take my power," or the ones who appeared after it (like Satoru from Boukenger, and still did a tribute episode)
Goranger
JAKQ
Denjiman
Sun Vulcan
Goggle V
Dynaman
Bioman
Changeman
Flashman
Maskman
Turboranger
Fiveman
Zyuuranger
Basically, my challenge is is to write the tribute episode that never was. I know some of my readers are fanfic writers, and we all have different styles. So it's basically this: chose a series (or two) and write through story format (you don't have to write a teleplay) a standard tribute episode for Gokaiger. This is our chance to be creative.
Here are some ground rules
1. The author must have written fanfics or stories in the past.
2. The author must have both familiarity with Gokaiger and the series they have chosen. No OOC-ness, and no BSing your way through it.
3. Remember the formula of each tribute episode, and use it as a cornerstone to help you write the fic.
4. If there's going to be pairing, canon-pairings only.
5. Fics must be in English, or translated to English. No gratuitous Japanese unless it's necessary.
6. First come, first serve. Comment on which series you want to do.
7. There's no deadline, it's a fun little challenge. And publish it on your blog, fanfiction.net, or your livejournal or whatever.
8. Remember to write with your own style.
9. Feel free to spread the word.
And before we start--DIBS ON JAKQ AND FIVEMAN!
Well, here's your chance to make that happen. Here is a list of the series they didn't cover, and whose heroes appeared as floating heads saying "here, take my power," or the ones who appeared after it (like Satoru from Boukenger, and still did a tribute episode)
Goranger
JAKQ
Denjiman
Sun Vulcan
Goggle V
Dynaman
Bioman
Changeman
Flashman
Maskman
Turboranger
Fiveman
Zyuuranger
Basically, my challenge is is to write the tribute episode that never was. I know some of my readers are fanfic writers, and we all have different styles. So it's basically this: chose a series (or two) and write through story format (you don't have to write a teleplay) a standard tribute episode for Gokaiger. This is our chance to be creative.
Here are some ground rules
1. The author must have written fanfics or stories in the past.
2. The author must have both familiarity with Gokaiger and the series they have chosen. No OOC-ness, and no BSing your way through it.
3. Remember the formula of each tribute episode, and use it as a cornerstone to help you write the fic.
4. If there's going to be pairing, canon-pairings only.
5. Fics must be in English, or translated to English. No gratuitous Japanese unless it's necessary.
6. First come, first serve. Comment on which series you want to do.
7. There's no deadline, it's a fun little challenge. And publish it on your blog, fanfiction.net, or your livejournal or whatever.
8. Remember to write with your own style.
9. Feel free to spread the word.
And before we start--DIBS ON JAKQ AND FIVEMAN!
Thursday, December 27, 2012
A Holiday Surprise
Hello my dear readers.
I've had a busy year. I graduated from undergrad with a BFA in Theatre Studies, and I'm currently pursuing my MFA in Dramatic Writing at NYU Tisch Asia, and it's been really busy. The good news is that I'm enjoying it, and my writing has improved. I'm learning lots of new skills, and I'm meeting a bunch of awesome filmmakers, writers, animators, and producers from all around the world.
And I figured that I owed you guys a little treat for whatever holiday you celebrate this time of year.
I've had a busy year. I graduated from undergrad with a BFA in Theatre Studies, and I'm currently pursuing my MFA in Dramatic Writing at NYU Tisch Asia, and it's been really busy. The good news is that I'm enjoying it, and my writing has improved. I'm learning lots of new skills, and I'm meeting a bunch of awesome filmmakers, writers, animators, and producers from all around the world.
And I figured that I owed you guys a little treat for whatever holiday you celebrate this time of year.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
First Annual Super Sentai Awards
I know, it's not award season yet, but I've been wanting to do this post for a while.
So I created some unique awards for some sentai characters. They each go to one male and one female. Enjoy!
Mei/Ptera Ranger and Sion/Time Green
Mei is known for changing her hairstyle every other episode, and Sion's hair is a weird color not because he's an alien, but because he loves dying it, and we see many different colors throughout the season, which Sion rocks.
So I created some unique awards for some sentai characters. They each go to one male and one female. Enjoy!
Best Hair
For me, it's one thing to have good hair, it's another thing to be creative with your hair, and look good doing it, so the winners are.....Mei/Ptera Ranger and Sion/Time Green
Mei is known for changing her hairstyle every other episode, and Sion's hair is a weird color not because he's an alien, but because he loves dying it, and we see many different colors throughout the season, which Sion rocks.
Best Footwear
I'm not a footwear person. I wear white socks, because they're easy to wash, and ordinary shoes. I have these Doc Martins with roses on them that I like, but I don't have them with me. But some people have extremely good taste in socks and shoes and are creative with it. You can tell a lot about a person by the shoes they wear, as it makes them a fun and unique individual. So the winners are...
Rei/DynaPink and Gai/GokaiSilver
When I watched the first episode of Dynaman, the first thing I noticed was Rei's socks, I don't know why... but she had these white socks with these pom-poms on the side, and they matched her wardrobe nicely. Fellow blogger Fantasy Leader and I were watching Gai's debut episode together (well, not physically together, but we were chatting via facebook), and I'm like "dude has great shoes and socks" and Fantasy Leader was like "totally." Gai has these silver shoes and these colorful socks that say a lot about his personality. Both of these winners not only have good taste in footwear, but they are good at kicking the villains' asses with them.
Best Bod
I know, I sound like a pig, but hey, Super Sentai has tons of eye candy. And all of them (well, most of them) are in great shape. But we don't really see that many revealing scenes. And as well, these two winners don't have to flaunt their bodies by showing them off constantly. You'll be surprised who these winners are. And the winners are...
Natsumi/Yellow Racer and Shirogane/GaoSilver
Natsumi is mostly seen in her not so revealing, baggy mechanics uniform, and for a while, Youko was the sole Carranger hottie (also Naoki too). But then, Youko and Natsumi went shopping and tried on swimsuits, and Natsumi tried on a bikini, and looked amazing in it, and Youko was extremely surprised, as she had never seen Natsumi in this light before. So surprised that she lost self-confidence and thought she herself was overweight. Before Shirogane made his formal appearance, Kakeru recalled, along the same time Rouki appeared, that he saw a man bathing naked in the river. That man, as we see in the flashback was Shirogane, and man, he left a great first impression. Although Gaku remarked in English "Dangerous and Strange!" the rest of us were thinking "Droool..."
James Dean Award
James Dean played the quintessential bad boy/anti-hero in the 1950s, before dying an untimely death. What really makes a sentai season interesting is if there are members on the team who aren't good-doers, and have a different set of morals. Rebels. These bad girls and bad boys add a juiciness to the team dynamics. And the winners are...
Luka/GokaiYellow and Gai/Black Condor
Okay, Gai's here, duh. I mean, he smokes, gambles (and cheats), rides a motorcycle, drinks, fights with his leader, yet somehow has a sense of justice and saves the day all while being a badass. This isn't what your usual sentai hero will do, but Gai pulls it off. Same with Luka. Although most of the Gokaigers aren't exactly heroes (cough, cough, Marvelous, cough cough, Joe, cough cough, Luka), Luka doesn't behave like your typical girl. Despite now having a home, and food, and clothing, Luka is still greedy, and still steals. She never changes, which is kind of refreshing. Like Gai, she gambles and cheats, has money as her top priority, and I'm pretty sure Don and Gai (Gokaiger's Gai, not Jetman Gai) are afraid of her, and she even joked about turning Marvelous in for his bounty. But hey, Marvelous accepts her, the rest of the team accepts her, and the fans love her because of it.
So, that's all there is for now. I hope to write more soon!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)