| Super Sentai | |
| Creator: | Shotaro Ishinomori |
| Origin: | Himitsu Sentai Gorenger |
| Owner: | Toei Company |
| Years: | 1975–present |
| Tv: | See below |
| Games: | Rangers Strike |
| Vgs: | |
| Music: | Project.R |
| Toys: | S.H. Figuarts Soul of Chogokin Super Robot Chogokin |
The is a Japanese superhero team metaseries and media franchise consisting of television series and films produced by Toei Company and Bandai, and aired by TV Asahi. The shows are of the tokusatsu genre, featuring live action characters and colorful special effects, and are aimed at children. Super Sentai airs alongside the Kamen Rider series in the Super Hero Time programming block on Sunday mornings.
In every Super Sentai series, the protagonists are a team of people who – using either wrist-worn or hand-held devices – transform into superheroes and gain superpowers – color-coded uniforms, signature weapons, sidearms, and fighting skills – to battle a group of otherworldly supervillains that threaten to take over the Earth. In a typical episode, the heroes thwart the enemies' plans and defeat an army of enemy soldiers and the monster of the week before an enlarged version of the monster confronts them, only to be defeated once again when the heroes fight it with their mecha. Each Sentai series is set in its own unique fictional universe; various TV, video, and film specials feature a team-up among two or more teams.
The first two Super Sentai series were created by Shotaro Ishinomori, then known for the 1971–1973 Kamen Rider TV series and the long-running manga Cyborg 009. He developed Himitsu Sentai Gorenger, which ran from 1975 to 1977, and J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai, released in 1977. Toei Company put the franchise on hiatus in 1978, collaborating with Marvel Comics to produce a live-action Spider-Man series, which added giant robots to the concept of tokusatsu shows. The giant robot concept was carried over to Toei and Marvel's next show, Battle Fever J, released in 1979, and was then used throughout the Super Sentai series. The next two series Denshi Sentai Denjiman and Taiyo Sentai Sun Vulcan had Marvel Comics copyrights and co-productions, despite no influence. Subsequently, the remainder of the series has been solely produced by Toei Company.
The following is a list of the Super Sentai series and their years of broadcast:
| No. | Title | Episodes | Originally aired | Motifs | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First aired | Last aired | |||||
| Showa era | ||||||
| 1 | Himitsu Sentai Gorenger | 84 | 5 April 1975 | 26 March 1977 | Espionage/stars/rainbow/Cassiopeia | |
| 2 | J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai | 35 | 9 April 1977 | 24 December 1977 | Playing cards/universal forces | |
| 3 | Battle Fever J | 52 | 3 February 1979 | 26 January 1980 | Nations/dance techniques/marvel heroes (comic book heroes) | |
| 4 | Denshi Sentai Denjiman | 51 | 2 February 1980 | 31 January 1981 | Alien computer/electricity/punch boxing/shapes | |
| 5 | Taiyo Sentai Sun Vulcan | 50 | 7 February 1981 | 30 January 1982 | Sun/animals/military divisions | |
| 6 | Dai Sentai Goggle-V | 50 | 6 February 1982 | 20 January 1983 | Gymnastics/jewels | |
| 7 | Kagaku Sentai Dynaman | 51 | 5 February 1983 | 28 January 1984 | Scientists/explosions/baseball players | |
| 8 | Choudenshi Bioman | 51 | 4 February 1984 | 26 January 1985 | Bio Particles/technology | |
| 9 | Dengeki Sentai Changeman | 55 | 2 February 1985 | 22 February 1986 | Military/Western mythological creatures/Animals | |
| 10 | Choushinsei Flashman | 50 | 1 March 1986 | 21 February 1987 | Flash system planets/prisms | |
| 11 | Hikari Sentai Maskman | 51 | 28 February 1987 | 20 February 1988 | Martial arts/Ki/light/shapes/technology | |
| 12 | Choujyu Sentai Liveman | 49 | 27 February 1988 | 18 February 1989 | Animals | |
| Heisei era | ||||||
| 13 | Kousoku Sentai Turboranger | 50 + 1 sp. | 4 March 1989 | 23 February 1990 | High school students (Youthful)/vehicles | |
| 14 | Chikyu Sentai Fiveman | 48 | 2 March 1990 | 8 February 1991 | Teachers/school subjects | |
| 15 | Chōjin Sentai Jetman | 51 | 15 February 1991 | 14 February 1992 | Birds/military | |
| 16 | Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger | 50 | 21 February 1992 | 12 February 1993 | Dinosaurs and primitive animals/tribal nobility | |
| 17 | Gosei Sentai Dairanger | 50 | 19 February 1993 | 11 February 1994 | Chinese martial arts/Qi/Eastern mythological creatures/Elements | |
| 18 | Ninja Sentai Kakuranger | 53 | 18 February 1994 | 24 February 1995 | Ninjas/animals/shapes/elements | |
| 19 | Chouriki Sentai Ohranger | 48 | 3 March 1995 | 23 February 1996 | Military/shapes/ancient civilizations/Animals | |
| 20 | Gekisou Sentai Carranger | 48 | 1 March 1996 | 7 February 1997 | Vehicles/racing/Traffic Safety | |
| 21 | Denji Sentai Megaranger | 51 | 14 February 1997 | 15 February 1998 | High school students/Digital devices/game | |
| 22 | Seijuu Sentai Gingaman | 50 | 22 February 1998 | 14 February 1999 | Seiju/elements/tribe/animals | |
| 23 | Kyuukyuu Sentai GoGoFive | 50 | 21 February 1999 | 6 February 2000 | Rescue services | |
| 24 | Mirai Sentai Timeranger | 50 + 1 sp. | 13 February 2000 | 4 February 2001 | Time travel/clock and clock hands | |
| 25 | Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger | 51 | 18 February 2001 | 10 February 2002 | Animals/nature | |
| 26 | Ninpu Sentai Hurricanger | 51 | 17 February 2002 | 9 February 2003 |
| |
| 27 | Bakuryū Sentai Abaranger | 50 | 16 February 2003 | 8 February 2004 | Dinosaurs | |
| 28 | Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger | 50 | 15 February 2004 | 6 February 2005 | Police officers/numbers/vehicles | |
| 29 | Mahō Sentai Magiranger | 49 | 13 February 2005 | 12 February 2006 | Magicians/mythical creatures/elements/courage | |
| 30 | GoGo Sentai Boukenger | 49 | 19 February 2006 | 11 February 2007 | Treasure hunters/vehicles/adventurers | |
| 31 | Juken Sentai Gekiranger | 49 | 18 February 2007 | 10 February 2008 | Chinese martial arts/Qi/animals | |
| 32 | Engine Sentai Go-onger | 50 | 17 February 2008 | 8 February 2009 | Engine (vehicle-animal hybrids)/racing/drive/number | |
| 33 | Samurai Sentai Shinkenger | 49 | 15 February 2009 | 7 February 2010 | Samurai/Kanji/animals/Japanese nobility | |
| 34 | Tensou Sentai Goseiger | 50 | 14 February 2010 | 6 February 2011 | Angels/animals/playing cards | |
| 35 | Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger | 51 | 13 February 2011 | 19 February 2012 | Pirates/Super Sentai | |
| 36 | Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters | 50 | 26 February 2012 | 10 February 2013 | Special ops spy/animals/Enetron/sunglasses | |
| 37 | Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger | 48 | 17 February 2013 | 9 February 2014 | Dinosaurs/weaponry/Samba | |
| 38 | Ressha Sentai ToQger | 47 | 16 February 2014 | 15 February 2015 | Trains/imagination/rainbow/numbers | |
| 39 | Shuriken Sentai Ninninger | 47 | 22 February 2015 | 7 February 2016 | Ninjas/weather/animals and vehicles | |
| 40 | Doubutsu Sentai Zyuohger | 48 | 14 February 2016 | 5 February 2017 | Animals/champion/elements/cubes | |
| 41 | Uchu Sentai Kyuranger | 48 | 12 February 2017 | 4 February 2018 | Space/saviors/constellations and celestial objects/astronaut | |
| 42 | Kaitou Sentai Lupinranger VS Keisatsu Sentai Patranger | 51 | 11 February 2018 | 10 February 2019 | Versus/Cops and Robbers | |
| — | Super Sentai Strongest Battle | 4 | February 17, 2019 | March 10, 2019 | N/A | |
| 43 | Kishiryu Sentai Ryusoulger | 48 | 17 March 2019 | 1 March 2020 | Dinosaurs/knights | |
| Reiwa era | ||||||
| 44 | Mashin Sentai Kiramager | 45 + 5 sp. | 8 March 2020 | 28 February 2021 | Gemstones/vehicles | |
| 45 | Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger | 49 | 7 March 2021 | 27 February 2022[1] | Machines/Super Sentai | |
| 46 | Avataro Sentai Donbrothers | 50 | 6 March 2022 | 26 February 2023 | Momotarō/Avatar/Party/Vigilantes/Super Sentai/Virtual Reality/Cyberspace | |
| 47 | Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger | 50 | 5 March 2023 | 25 February 2024 | Arthropods/Royalty | |
| 48 | Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger | 50 | 3 March 2024 | 2025 | Vehicles/Customization/Racing | |
| 49 | No.1 Sentai Gozyuger[2] | TBA | 2025 | 2026 | ||
Although the Super Sentai series originated in Japan, various Sentai series have been imported and dubbed in other languages for broadcast in several other countries.
See main article: Power Rangers.
After Honolulu's KIKU-TV had success with Android Kikaider (marketed as Kikaida) and Kamen Rider V3 in the 1970s, multiple Super Sentai series, including Himitsu Sentai Gorenger and Battle Fever J, were brought to the Hawaiian market, broadcast in Japanese with English subtitles by JN Productions. In 1985, Marvel Comics produced a pilot for an American adaptation of Super Sentai, but the show was rejected by the major US TV networks.[3] In 1986, Saban Productions produced a pilot for an American adaptation of Choudenshi Bioman titled Bio Man.[4] [5] In 1987, some episodes of Kagaku Sentai Dynaman were dubbed and aired as a parody on the USA Network television show Night Flight.[6]
In 1993, American production company Saban Entertainment adapted 1992's Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger into Mighty Morphin Power Rangers for the Fox Kids programming block, combining the original Japanese action footage with new footage featuring American actors for the story sequences. Since then, nearly every Super Sentai series that followed became a new season of Power Rangers. In 2002, Saban sold the Power Rangers franchise to Disney's Buena Vista division,[7] who owned it until 2010, broadcasting Power Rangers on ABC Kids, ABC Family, Jetix, and Toon Disney. On 12 May 2010, Saban bought the franchise back from Disney, moving the show to the Nickelodeon network for 2011 with Power Rangers Samurai.[8]
On 25 July 2014, Shout! Factory announced that they would release Zyuranger on DVD in the United States.[9] They have since been the official distributor of Super Sentai in North America, and as of 2024 have released all subsequent series up to Dekaranger, plus Jetman and Fiveman. Shout! also provides episodes on demand via Shout! TV since 2016.[10] Super Sentai episodes are also available to watch on the free streaming service, Tubi.
On 1 May 2018, toy company Hasbro announced they had acquired the Power Rangers franchise from Saban Capital Group for $522 million.[11]
Super Sentai has been broadcast in South Korea, dubbed in Korean. The first such series was Choushinsei Flashman which aired as Jigu Bangwidae Flash Man (Earth Defence Squadron Flashman), released in video format in 1989 by the Daeyung Panda video company; this was followed by Hikari Sentai Maskman and Chodenshi Bioman. Throughout the 1990s, Dai Sentai Goggle Five, Dengeki Sentai Changeman, Choujyu Sentai Liveman, and Kousoku Sentai Turboranger were also released in video format. In the 2000s and early 2010s, Tooniverse (formerly Orion Cartoon Network), JEI-TV (Jaeneung Television), Champ TV/Anione TV (Daewon Broadcasting), Cartoon Network South Korea, and Nickelodeon South Korea have broadcast Super Sentai series a year following their original Japanese broadcast, but have changed the titles to "Power Rangers".[12] [13] [14]
, Bandai Namco has sold Super Sentai shape-changing model robots since 1979.[15]
| to December 2005 | Bandai sales | [16] | ||
| to March 2007 | Toy sales | [17] | ||
| to March 2012 | [18] [19] [20] | |||
| April 2002 to | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| to March 2013 | ||||
| to March 2014 | [21] | |||
| to December 2020 | [22] [23] | |||
| April 2002 to December 2020 |
| 2003 | [24] | ||
| 2008 | [25] | ||
| 2010 | [26] | ||
| 2012 | [27] | ||
| 2013 | [28] | ||
| 2014 | [29] | ||
| 2003 to 2014 | + (+) |
|---|
| 1993 to 1999 | $6 billion | [30] | |
| 2005 | [31] | ||
| 2006 | $131 million | ||
| 2012 | $300 million | [32] | |
| 2013 | $333 million | ||
| 2014 | $326 million | [33] | |
| 2015 | $330 million | [34] | |
| 2016 | $361 million | ||
| 2017 | $548 million | [35] | |
| 2018 | $281 million | [36] | |
| 1993 to 2018 | + |
|---|