Tamashii Nations Plans to Release Zyuranger / Power Rangers Figuarts Next Year

That's right, it appears that Tamashii Nations will be fulfilling the wishes of countless Sentai fans next year by releasing a series of S.H. Figuarts for the popular Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger series.

"Tamashii Nations met with Saban Brands during San Diego Comic Con 2012 to lay plans down to make SDCC 2013 the Year of the Power Rangers Fan! If you were wondering why S.H. Figuarts has not tackled Zyuranger yet… this is why. They want to make the release of ZyuRanger a big one next year for Mighty Morphin Power Ranger fans and are even working out the details of how to hook us up with a couple Comic Con Exclusives.

There was a distinct lack of Power Ranger, Super Sentai, and Kamen Riders on display this year at SDCC as they wanted to focus more on their new anime and video game figure releases coming down the pipe. Next year, expect the tokusatsu display to return in force as well as announcements for more S.H. Figuarts from Power Ranger seasons that the fandom knows very well. Keep an eye on Tamashii Nation’s Facebook Page for upcoming details and polls that will allow the fans to help choose which Power Ranger season might get the next S.H. Figuart treatment."


So now fans of both Zyuranger and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers will get the chance to add some fantastic figures to their collection. Personally I can't wait for them to come out, and I get the feeling my wallet is going to hate me by the time they are all released!

So how do you feel about this news, and which Super Sentai series would you like to see recieve the Figuarts treatment?


*Credit to Henshin Justice for the info*

Hikonin Sentai Akibaranger Episode 11 - The Next Generation Heralds a Pain-Free, Down to Earth Warrior - Review / Thoughts

Apologies for such a late review of Akibaranger episode 11, unfortunately the subs came out very late this week and this is the first chance I have had to get it watched and reviewed. More importantly however is what the episode was actually like, and I can confirm that it was worth the wait.

This episode was just brilliant from start to finish, in typical Akibaranger fashion it dealt with all the problems at hand in no time, and was also damn funny in doing so. In this episode the fourth wall was completely shattered, and it was hilarious. Seeing Akagi grabbing the writing near the end of the episode for example was unexpected but fantastic.

And not that there is anything wrong with Akagi's replacement, but I was delighted to see him back and as crazy as always, It was classic watching as he tried to explain to everyone else that he thought they are all trapped in a TV show named Hikonin Sentai Akibaranger, and that some powerful force was manipulating everything in both their world and the one outside of it.

Basically as I said, pretty much constant fourth wall breaking which was brilliant, and very very funny. I honestly can't fault this episode, it had everything that makes me love the series in it, and has made me so damn sad thinking that there is only one more episode left of this amazing series. Definitely be sure to go and watch this episode, and then go and watch it again while you wait for the next one to come out (hopefully within the next few days) so you don't suffer any withdrawal symptoms!

Hikonin Sentai Akibaranger Episode 7 - Fly, Itassher, Break Past The Limits! - Review / Thoughts

While Akibaranger episode 7 was good, I must admit to having kind of mixed feelings. After last week's shocking reveal, I was looking forward to seeing what Malshina and her lackeys were going to be up to and how it would affect the real world.

While it did look promising for a while with her tricking the Akibarangers in to entering a delusion and then kidnapping Hakase, the end result was pretty disappointing, as was the villain of the week.

I mean, it was still enjoyable. Akagi alone would make this show watchable if I am honest, he is so damn funny and likeable that you can't help but enjoy watching him. I guess one thing that made it seem worse to me was that this week was also Yumeria's worst of the series, her particular role this week being my least favourite.

But it was still pretty cool seeing Malshina in the real world, and if this has been done to set up future episodes, then I have no problem with it. This episode was all pretty much about establishing Malshina's presence in the real world, while also explaining how she was created in the first place. Of course it was also nice since this has put the Akibarangers one step closer to achieving their goal of becoming an official Sentai team.

For what this episode was and for what it set out to do, it was perfectly fine and did a pretty good job. For me personally, I certainly enjoyed it to some extent, but with the lack of humour in this episode and not so much as a glimpse of a guest appearance from any of the previous Sentai members, I guess it just didn't live up to the hype I had built up in my mind (you could almost say it was my own delusion....ok, I will get my coat)

But yes, a decent enough episode that I am sure plenty of people will have enjoyed as much as the others, though I am hoping now things have been established we can see something special next time.

Hikonin Sentai Akibaranger Episode 6 - Take Flight Leader! The Painful Trap of Deluded Photography - Review / Thoughts

After the rather depressing tone at the end of the last episode, I was unsure what to expect from Akibaranger episode 6. This time it moved away from sadness though, although it certainly did get very interesting at the end.

Before I go in to that though, I have to give a mention to the appearance of Red Hawk from Jetman. Admittedly I haven't watched Jetman (yet anyway), but I do love the theme and the designs etc so was really glad to see him make an appeance. He came in near the end and gave Akagi the power to fly so that he could chase after and destroy this week's villain, who just happened to be flying away himself.

It just seemed really cool and awesome seeing Akagi soaring through the sky to destroy the monster, all the while the Jetman theme playing in the background.

On to the interesting point from the end, it seems like Malshina is now able to leave the world of delusions, and can now appear in reality as well. This is a really interesting development, as now it's not just the 3 making themselves look silly by entering in to these delusions, but instead could perhaps actually have to save the real world.

Obviously more will be explained in the next episode, but I thought that it was one heck of an ending, and has certainly got me excited for the next episode!

On a different note, it was pretty funny seeing Akagi getting all excited while visiting the studios where the Sentai series are filmed. As usual he was being a huge fanboy and getting really worked up even over just pieces of scenery that were used in a couple of the series. I really liked Yumeria in this episode too, I like the way she changes outfit and character each week as it's a good way to keep her fresh without becoming annoying.

Speaking of which, I am sure a lot of fans were annoyed by Akagi rushing in at the start and spoiling the Yuri scene which Yumeria was having filmed to give her inspiration haha.

But yes, this was another fine episode for Akibaranger, and the ending has certainly left me wanting more. I can't wait to see just what happens next!

Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger - Series Review

For those unaware, Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger is the 35th Super Sentai series, and as such, was used as part of that celebration. To incorporate the old with the new, it was done in the excellent fashion of having the current team (Gokaiger) using and looking for the powers of the old Sentai teams, and even interacting with former members.

I absolutely loved the series, I might as well say that right now. I went in to it briefly in my about section at the top of the page, and to sum it up again, Gokaiger was the first Sentai series I ever watched, with no previous knowledge of Sentai other than it was what Power Rangers was always adapated from.

I actually thought about watching some Super Sentai for a while, but was never sure where to start. Then one day I asked that question on Twitter, and was recommended Gokaiger by someone there who told me how it was the absolute best way to get in to Sentai, and told me the basic premise of the show. I was certainly interested enough to give it a try, and so I went and started getting some episodes downloaded to watch.

I honestly had no idea what to expect, but the series blew me away in terms of quality. Having been used to the incredibly corny plots and acting from the Power Rangers cast for all those years in my youth, it was so refreshing to see that in a Sentai series, they don't just aim at young kids, they make it enjoyable for you regardless of age. That's one of the many great things about Gokaiger in particular - there really is something for everyone.

For the kids who watch the show, it has the typical Sentai story of the good guys fighting the villains and having all these amazing powers and mecha etc, and for the older audience, it's still enjoyable as it is far more mature than what most people would be used to from watching Power Rangers. I know so far this post has made it sound like I hate Power Rangers and want to run it down, but that's not my intention at all, it's just that Sentai outdoes it all the way.

I can easily picture a young kid watching this with his/her father or even grandfather, and the kid will love it for the reasons I listed above, and where this is a celebration of the 35 Super Sentai series, there are plenty of nods (and even episodes) focused on the older Super Sentai teams, so the father/grandfather could watch it and probably get a really nice feeling of nostalgia seeing the Sentai teams who they grew up with.

Even with that aside, I couldn't help but just fall in love with Gokaiger as a whole. I do love the fact they can transform in to the older teams and use their powers, the Ranger Keys are a nice idea (and probably pretty lucrative on the merchandising front haha) and the series itself has taught me a lot about past Super Sentai. Before I probably couldn't have told you more than a couple of the series names to be perfectly honest, but thanks to Gokaiger (and of course the awesome ED that runs down all the teams certainly helped) I know them all, even down to the suits.

The cast are brilliant, as are the characters. It's impossible not to like the leader - Captain Marvelous (aka Gokai Red) - and all the Gokaigers have a certain charm and charisma about them. They work brilliantly together and it really does show, and as for the characters themselves, where they all have differing personalities you are sure to take a liking to at least one of them. I do want to give a particular mention to Marvelous though, as he really is the strongest team leader I have ever seen. He has charisma oozing out of him and definitely has that "cool" factor too. I don't care if you're a kid or a grown man, I can guarantee that anyone who watches this series will wish they could be like Captain Marvelous.

I don't just want to make you think everything good is Marvelous though, as all the Gokaigers are brilliant. Everyone from the former princess Ahim to the silly Hakase are great in their own way, and can be really funny or play things for the emotion with no trouble. The villains are also quite good, though (without wanting to spoil anything) Basco is easily my favourite, and he is definitely one of the standout things in the series, with his rivalry with Captain Marvelous being very enjoyable and always leaving you wanting to see more as we find out more about the characters and their past.

I have wrote all this and I honestly don't even feel like I have scratched the surface, so my best advice is to just go and watch the series and see for yourself, as I can guarantee that you won't be disappointed. I know a few people (myself included) who had never seen so much as 1 second of proper Sentai, but after watching Gokaiger became hooked.

This series is special, there is no other word for it. The heroes, the villains, the story and the references to the older series all make this special. Whether you are brand new to Super Sentai or a series veteran, there is something in Gokaiger for everyone to enjoy, and almost every episode was fantastic to the point where I could easily sit through an entire afternoon just watching episode after episode, because it really had that indescribable thing about it that made a connection somewhere deep inside.

Do yourself a favour and watch this series, it will be some of the best 25 minutes (per episode) you could possibly spend watching a show.

Hikonin Sentai Akibaranger Episode 5 - Our Pain ☆ Yellow Mama - Review / Thoughts

Although this wasn't as good as the previous episode (which would have been hard to live up to in all honesty), Akibaranger continues to be thoroughly enjoyable and also hilarious here in episode 5.

Though what started out as something funny and what appeared to be a comedic episode, by the end the tone had changed considerably, and to be honest I felt really bad for Yumeria. I am not going to go too much in to it because it would ruin the episode for anyone who is yet to watch it, but just be aware that it does shift a fair bit at the end.

Moving along, for the most part the episode was really funny. Akagi actually gets to go in to a girl's bedroom (Yumeria's), after she had announced that her mother would be coming over, and Akagi and Mitsuki go to her apartment to get things cleaned up. Akagi makes a big deal out of it and again says it's a pattern from the other Sentai series, with the mother coming to visit and trying to get their daughter to stop risking their lives and instead get married to someone. The two standout moments of the bedroom part being Akagi getting upset thinking about how his mother threw away his old Sentai toys without regard, and how only the day before she threw away a Dakimakura similar to the one he is hugging in the picture above.

Of course Yumeria's bedroom is full of Otaku stuff, and the other really funny part came when Akagi opening the door of a cupboard to hide things in, only to come face to face with Yumeria's Yaoi collection!

When Yumeria's mother does show up, Akagi's fears about her thoughts on the weird ways of Yumeria were soon put at ease when she shows up at the apartment in the same cosplay as Yumeria herself is wearing. We find out that in the past she was a famous cosplayer, and that Yumeria actually got a lot of her interests etc from being around her mother.

The villain of the week is the same one who was essentially trying to, erm, rape Akagi earlier in the series. Initially it's only Akagi and Mitsuki fighting him since Yumeria was celebrating her birthday with her mother somewhere else, but eventually she joins the battle too, though is quickly beaten pretty badly. As luck would have it though, her mother appears in the delusion, and borrowing the Moe morpher, becomes Akibayellow herself and actually does really well at fighting. At the end, she gives it back to Yumeria so she can finish things off, which of course she does.

As I said earlier, I won't go any further or else it would spoil the ending of the episode, but it was pretty sad. Actually, I guess bittersweet is a perfect term here for it.

The earlier parts of the episode did what Akibaranger does best, and that's present the crazy and silly Otaku ways of Akagi and the Akibarangers in a hilarious manner, and it really never does fail to make me laugh. Akagi himself is simply hilarious, and Yumeria is also funny, while at the same time very cute too.

There is a lot to like about Akibaranger, and this episode is certainly no exception. I am now curious as to what the next episode will hold, as admittedly the ending kind of surprised me since until that point pretty much everything in the series had / has been played for laughs. Overall another great episode though, and I highly recommend checking this series out if you haven't already.

Hikonin Sentai Akibaranger Episode 4 - A Forbidden Delusion Brings With It The Pain of Blue Corruption - Review / Thoughts

I might as well come right out and say it - Episode 4 of Akibaranger was brilliant and probably the best yet. It was really funny as always, plus it featured a lot of cosplaying, what more could a man ask for?

Really though, this was some great stuff. Since Aoyagi was going away somewhere for training (that was outside of Akihabara), she made it clear that in her absence she didn't want Akagi or Moegi having any delusions. When they tried to argue, she soon intimidated them in to agreeing.

Then both Moegi and Akagi spend their time trying to control their delusions. Whenever there is the slightest hint of suspicion or trouble, Akagi nearly deludes himself in to thinking that he is needed, but just manages to stop himself from having the full-on delusion that would involve him changing in to Akibared.

Meanwhile, poor Moegi decides that to take her mind off of having the delusions, she will spend the next couple of days giving in to her dirtier side (for lack of a better term). She enters a book store for a signing and waits in the queue. She has a Yaoi book with her, as does everyone else in the store, but she eventually has to run out of the store empty handed when she begins letting her fantasies / delusions take over.

She later also bumps in to a pervert in an alley, and for a moment thinks about possibly changing in to Akibayellow to fight him off. Then though she realises that she can't treat him as one of the Akibaranger enemies, and so just manages to run away. She bumps in to Akagi not long after, and they decide to spend some time together since they guess that keeping their delusions under control will be easier when they are not by themselves.

Then we get to see Akagi go cosplay shopping with Moegi, with her asking him his opinions on the various outfits she was trying on. It doesn't take long though before Akagi starts fantasising about Moegi wearing a lot of different cosplay outfits, including some really revealing ones. And of course, as you can see above, also some of the villains from the older Sentai series.

The whole thing is just really funny to be honest, and of course Moegi does look very nice in some of the cosplay she is wearing. There is still a bit more that happened (including the weekly monster fight), but I will leave that out for you to see for yourself if you decide to watch the episode.

It's hilarious watching poor Moegi and Akagi trying to stop themselves from going in to delusions, with Akagi even commenting on how unfair it was trying to stop an Otaku from being deluded. Akagi and Moegi were of course the two mainly featured characters in this episode, and they worked brilliantly together.

It also helps that they are my two favourite Akibarangers anyway, but I would be genuinely surprised if anyone didn't enjoy this regardless of who their favourite(s) is / are. This is probably my favourite episode so far, it was really funny and the cosplay segment was more than welcome in my book. If you like great shows, then Akibaranger is definitely a must watch.

Hikonin Sentai Akibaranger Episode 3 - The Pain! Drunken Superhero Adventure! - Review / Thoughts

So as we move on to week 3 (and episode 3) of Akibaranger, it's good to see things still going along so well. As well as just being genuinely amusing, I am sure it will also be of interest to Sentai fans also for the brief cameo appearances from some of the official Sentai members of the past.

While last week's episode was also pretty awesome, after seeing this episode I will say it's the weakest of the 3 so far shown, but that really just goes to show the quality of the series so far, as I have had plenty of laughs from all 3 episodes. But yes, more about this actual episode now haha.

This episode was pretty damn crazy and odd I have to admit. The monster of the week was obsessed with trying to basically rape poor Akagi, and throughout the episode it was also all about Akagi and Moegi getting drunk on Sake so that they would be more deluded which would increase their powers for their fights.

It was pretty funny seeing them all drunk like that, and to begin with it does actually work in Akagi's favour and he even makes Boukenred appear dressed oddly for his first delusion. Later when they are in a delusion fighting the monster, where Moegi is also drunk, it apparently interferes with the delusion and that's why her fantasies were being projected in to the battle (ie; why the monster is being so dominant and of course trying to force himself on to Akagi).

Obviously the monster doesn't actually rape Akagi haha, he is luckily saved by Aoyagi a few times throughout the episode (since she was the only one of the 3 not to get drunk since she's underage). We still have no idea how or why Akagi is able to get official Sentai members to appear in his delusions, though since they are delusions it makes sense since he is obviously a big Sentai fanboy.

But yes, the episode was very funny throughout yet again. Akagi is still my favourite character, but Moegi is really good too. Whenever she uses her deep voice it's hilarious, and I really like her costume changes as well. Aoyama is ok too, she's my least favourite of the Akibarangers, but then again she is supposed to be the more serious and sensible member, so it makes sense that she isn't OTT like the other two members.

Akibaranger does a really good job of making you laugh, and I can definitely picture a fair few people who will not only like, but also will sympathise with Akagi who has big dreams but at the same time has absolutely no luck in achieving them. Akibaranger is supposed to be about the comedy aspects while also being much more risque with the material shown (hence the repeated warning for good boys and girls not to watch it), and it does a brilliant job of blending the two without ever becoming annoying or overly silly.

It's only 3 episodes in, but I have thoroughly enjoyed Akibaranger thus far, and is definitely one of the highlights of the week as far as TV shows go.

Hikonin Sentai Akibaranger Episode 2 - The Activation of a Bizarrely Decorated Vehicle Summons a Full Blast of Red Delusion - Review / Thoughts

As those of you who read my previous review will know, I had a lot of praise and good things to say about episode 1 of Akibaranger, and while not quite as enjoyable as that, episode 2 was still a lot of fun.

This episode focuses a lot on Akagi (aka Akibared), who, when he finds out that they are not really Sentai heroes but are really just having delusions of fighting the villains etc, decides that it's a waste of time and that he doesn't want to do it anymore.

Despite Akagi walking away, Moegi and Mizuki continue to be Akibarangers, as Mizuki thinks it's a good way of practicing her martial art skills even if it is fake, while Moegi just agrees to keep doing it because she thinks it's really fun. Later, they both take on the newest villain created to cause trouble, this time by using his powers to remove other people's clothes. Despite their best efforts however, they both take a beating from the monster, despite him triggering his flag that would usually be the sign he was about to lose.

They realise that they need Akagi back, and so the doctor decides to get someone to dress as one of his heroes - Dekared - to convince him. Akagi is moping about and is just about to throw his morpher in to a river, when all of a sudden he notices Dekared across the street from him. Akagi follows him, and eventually, after taking a drop kick from the guy to "bring him back to his senses" like Dekared actually did to his real partner in the Dekaranger series, Akagi decides that he will continue to be Akibared afterall after being inspired by the actions of a former red Sentai hero like Dekared.

We also get to see the new mecha for the Akibarangers in this episode, which is a car with some Aoi-Tan decals on it. The car looks pretty awesome, and it of course transforms in to a robot much like the official Sentai teams would. However, they don't get to use it because it runs away from them as soon as they get near the enemy as apparently "they aren't deluded enough yet". The Akibarangers end up taking on the monster anyway, but even with Akibared now involved are having a tough time of it. Luckily for them though, Dekared appears and helps them defeat the monster.

The only thing is, the person who pretended to be Dekared earlier was still in the cafe, so it wasn't him or anyone they actually knew for it to be a setup, so the doctor is naturally wondering just what on earth happened and what is real and what isn't now after seeing Dekared appear from nowhere like that.

This was another fun episode, albeit not quite as much as the first episode. Moegi (Akiba Yellow) always makes me laugh with the way she adds "nya" on to loads of words, and when the cat ears fell off and she started talking in the deep voice it was hilarious.

Akagi is definitely my favourite character at the moment though, his fanboy ways and reactions are always awesome and often hilarious, and so it's always good when he's on screen. I don't know what's going to end up happening with all the delusion stuff, as it does seem pretty silly for none of it to be real, but at the same time that's kind of what the show is aiming for, so it would definitely fit with it.

While there weren't as many laughs as the first episode, by normal standards this was pretty hilarious and it was a really fun way to spend 24 minutes or so. Judging from the next episode preview that looks like it has the potential to be really funny too, so Akibaranger overall has so far definitely delivered when it comes to the comedy aspect it's trying to get across all the time.

Hikonin Sentai Akibaranger Episode 1 – Pain is Power – Review / Thoughts

For this post as you can see, I am reviewing the first episode of the new Super Sentai series – Hikonin Sentai Akibaranger.

I have actually been looking forward to this for a while now, pretty much ever since I saw a short 30 second clip a month or two back someone showed me. For those unaware, Hikonin Sentai Akibaranger (translated as Unofficial Squadron Akibaranger) is the latest in the long line of Super Sentai shows. However, as the name suggests, Akibaranger isn’t considered a true Sentai series, so it is not technically classed as what would have been the 37th series.


But yes, after waiting a long time for this to come out (and again having to wait for the good folks over at Over-Time to sub it), Akibaranger is finally here, and I can say that it was awesome. This unofficial Sentai series is focused around the 3 new heroes, dubbed Akibarangers, with Akibared (Akagi Nobuo) in particular being an Otaku. Akagi loves Super Sentai, and at the same time loves the Anime character Aoi-Tan.  The picture at the top is one example of this, where Akagi is initially excited when he notices a rare Sentai mecha for sale in a shop window. Despite the ridiculous price, he goes in to purchase it, only to see his beloved Aoi-Tan at the front of the store as part of an advertisement for her new movie coming out. In the end, Akagi resists buying the Sentai merchandise and apologises to them, and then, well, you can see the quote above haha.

Anyway, this first episode unsurprisingly is about him and two other people becoming super heroes by gaining the Akibaranger powers. The episode is hilarious from start to finish, and I think whether you’re an Otaku yourself, or indeed just a huge Sentai fan, you will love it too. Super Sentai obviously doesn’t make much sense and has numerous tropes, and it’s hilarious seeing super fan Akagi telling his two fellow Akibarangers all about them as the episode progresses. An example being at the end when they defeat the monster by using their blasters, but when the other two Akibarangers are about to walk away, Akagi tells them that it’s not over yet, as it’s a rule in Sentai that whenever you first defeat a monster, they have to come back in giant form so you can battle them in your mecha.

It’s all very funny and I really like the way this series pokes fun at itself and the other Sentai series, with Akagi himself doing a great job of pulling it off while remaining likeable. The other two Akibarangers are Mizuki Aoyagi (Akiba Blue) and Yumeria Moegi (Akiba Yellow). While they have at least some knowledge of the old Sentai teams, they certainly don’t have the same enthusiasm for it as Akagi does, and it’s pretty amusing watching him telling them about the old teams and trying to get them to strike poses and act like a regular Sentai team would.

There are plenty of hilarious moments throughout, and as I said, for both Otaku and Sentai fans there is definitely a lot here to like and to keep you happy. I still don’t really feel as if I have scratched the surface on this, but it truly is best you just watch for yourself so that you can enjoy and appreciate it for yourself, as words can’t really describe why it’s so great, it’s something each individual needs to experience for themselves.

Overall I think this was a brilliant start to Akibaranger, full of hilarious moments and never afraid to make fun of itself. If the rest of the series keeps to this standard, it truly will be a must watch series.