Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger Explained
is a Japanese tokusatsu television series and the sixteenth installment in the long-running Super Sentai metaseries of superhero programs. Produced by Toei and Bandai, it aired on TV Asahi from February 21, 1992 to February 12, 1993, with a total of 50 episodes replacing Chōjin Sentai Jetman and was replaced by Gosei Sentai Dairanger. It was the first Sentai series to have a regular Sixth Ranger, and the first to introduce the concept of sentient, living mecha, a theme that has been used frequently in the franchise ever since. It was also the first Sentai series to be adapted into an installment of the American Power Rangers series. Footage from all 50 episodes was extensively used for the first season of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. The core Zyuranger costumes were used in all three seasons of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and were used as the original Power Rangers costumes while the Dragon Ranger costume was adapted into the Green Ranger's costume and was used throughout Season 1 and in early Season 2.[1] The title Toei gives this series for international distribution is Galaxy Rangers.[2]
Cast members from the series reprised their roles for the 2014 film, .
At the 2014 San Diego Comic-Con, Shout! Factory announced that they would be releasing the entire Zyuranger series with English subtitles on DVD in North America.[3] On February 17, 2015, Super Sentai Zyuranger: The Complete Series was released on DVD in North America.[4] This is the first Super Sentai series to be released in North America. In addition on January 23, 2016, Shout Factory streamed the series on their website.[5]
Plot
Five young warriors from an ancient civilization of are awakened during the present day after 170 million years of suspended animation when their sworn enemy, Bandora the Witch, is inadvertently released from her magical container on Planet Nemesis by two astronauts. The five warriors, the Zyurangers, must summon the power of mechanical-looking deities known as Guardian Beasts, each modeled after a different prehistoric beast, in order to protect mankind from Bandora's evil forces. A sixth warrior, Burai the Dragon Ranger, later becomes involved with the conflict between the Zyurangers and Bandora's forces.
Cast
, played as
- Satoshi:
- Satoshi's friends:,,
- Narrator:
Voice actors
- , Dokiita Golems, Dora Cockatrice, Dora Cockatrice 2, Dora Silkis:
- (30, 31 & 47-50):
- ,, :
- , Dora Narcissus:
- Dora Franke, Zombie Franke, Satan Franke:
- Dora Goldhorn:
Songs
- Opening theme
- Lyrics: Gōji Tsuno & Reo Rinozuka
- Composition: Gōji Tsuno
- Arrangement: Kenji Yamamoto
- Artist: Kenta Satō
- Ending theme
- Lyrics & Composition: Gōji Tsuno
- Arrangement: Kenji Yamamoto
- Artist:
- Mecha themes
- "Daizyuzin No Uta" (大獣神のうた "Daizyuzin's Song")
- "Dragon Caesar No Uta" (ドラゴンシーザーのうた Doragon Shīzā no uta, "Dragon Caesar's Song")
- Insert themes
- "Kibou No Tsurugi" (希望の剣 Kibō No Tsurugi, "Sword of Hope")
- Artist: Tomomi Hiraishi (平石豊 茂美 Hiraishi Tomomi)
- "Tyrannoranger ~Akaki Yuushi~" (ティラノレンジャー・「赤き勇姿」 Tiranorenjā "Akaki Yūshi", "Tyrannoranger -The Crimson Hero-")
- Artist: Tomomi Hiraishi (平石豊 茂美 Hiraishi Tomomi)
- "Yumemiru Otome No Chikara Kobu" (夢見る乙女の力こぶ "The Strength of a Dreaming Maiden")
- Artist: Sayuri Saito (斉藤 小百合 Saitō Sayuri)
- "Shippo Piki Piki" (しっぽ Piki Piki)
- Artist: Kenta Satou (佐藤 健太 Satō Kenta)
- "Pop Up Night" (ポップアップナイト Poppu Appu Naito)
- Artist: Takeshi Ike (池 毅 Ike Takeshi)
- Character theme
- "Dolla! ~Majo Bandora Theme~" (Dolla!~魔女バンドーラのテーマ~ Dora! !Majo Bandōra no Tēma~, "Dolla! ~Witch Bandora's Theme~")
- Artist: Bandora / Machiko Soga (曽我町子 Soga Machiko)
International broadcast and home video
- In its home country of Japan, this was the next series in the franchise to be given a full home video release after the success of Chōjin Sentai Jetman. It was released on VHS (both Sale/Rental) from April 1993 until February 1994 and spread across 11 volumes. The first seven volumes contain four episodes each. Volumes 8 and 9 contain 5 episodes, and the final two volumes contain 6 episodes. It was also released on Laserdisc from November 25, 1993 until January 25, 1994, as it was cancelled after two volumes were released, with each having four episodes. From September 21, 2010 until January 21, 2011, the series was released on DVD for the first time spreading through five volumes, with each one containing ten episodes each. On November 9, 2022, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the series' premiere, a collection set to spread through two volumes was released with the both volumes having 25 episodes.
- International distribution towards all future Super Sentai seasons would be limited to a few neighboring Asian regions starting with this series since then, as most regions around the world would receive foreign language dubs of the U.S.' adaptation based on this series, which was Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Although, Japan did release the first 100 episodes of the Power Rangers adaptation dubbed, but despite high ratings the rest was not dubbed. South Korea only aired a dub of the first season due to the belief that the attention span of Korean kids was too short to keep up with a multiseason show. Thailand, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia and The Philippines also aired the Power Rangers adaptation dubbed in their languages as well.
- In Thailand, four different Thai dubs have been confirmed to exist for Zyuranger. The original Thai dub was licensed by Toon Town Entertainment for Channel 9 (now MCOT HD), a second dub was licensed by Video Square, A third dub was released around 2006/2007 by Cartoon Inter Company Limited for VCD release and spread across 26 VCDs, and a fourth dub was released by the Cartoon Club Channel for YouTube.
- In Hong Kong, the series aired as Dinosaur Team (恐龙战队, Kǒnglóng Zhànduì) with a Cantonese Chinese dub on TVB Jade on July 9, 1994 until July 1, 1995, with all 50 episodes dubbed. The Cantonese dub of the Power Rangers adaptation would be released as New Dinosaur Team (新恐龙战队, Xin Kǒnglóng Zhànduì).
- In Indonesia, Zyuranger did not air at all. But its U.S. adaptation Mighty Morphin Power Rangers did air with an Indonesian dub in its place. However, the next series Dairanger would air afterwards with a dub there, under "Star Ranger." (Not to be confused with the English title for Gorenger's release in the Philippines).
- In the Philippines, despite switching to the Power Rangers airing on ABS-CBN, it was reported that Zyuranger aired on ABC 5 (now TV5) from 1997 to 1998 and on IBC-13 from 2000 to 2001 with a Tagalog dub.
- In North America, the series was released on DVD by Shout! Factory presented with the original Japanese audio with English subtitles on February 17, 2015. This was the very first Super Sentai series to get an official release in its unadapted Power Rangers form.
Video game
A Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger video game was released for the Nintendo Famicom by Angel (a subsidiary of Bandai) on November 6, 1992. It is a side-scrolling action game in which the player takes control of a different Zyuranger in each of the game's five stages. The game includes two difficulty settings and a password feature.
The player begins the game as Boi in the first stage, followed by Mei, Dan, Goushi, and Geki in subsequent stages. Each Zyuranger begins his or her stage wielding the standard Ranger Gun, which can be replaced with the character's corresponding Legendary Weapon by finding the entrance to Barza's room in each stage. Each stage also contains ten scattered coins which will replenish the player's life gauge completely when fully collected, as well as display a still of the character's mecha and its specifications. At the end of each stage, the player will confront one of the main villains from the show. The villains faced are Pleprechuan, Bukbak, Totpat, Grifforzer and Bandora herself.
Between stages, the player will be challenged to one of three possible minigames by Burai the Dragonranger. These consist of a trivia game where Bandora will ask the player a question related to the TV series, a Pong-style game between Daizyuzin and the Dragon Caesar, and a hot potato-style game between Gōryūzin and Lamie. These minigames are also accessible from the main menu and can be played with a second player.
The series itself is also included in the Mobile game Super Robot Wars X-Ω as a limited-time event, making it the first Tokusatsu series to debut in a Super Robot Wars game.[6]
External links
Notes and References
- News: Watanabe . Teresa . Just Say It's the 'Power' Source : Pop culture: For two decades, Toei Studios of Japan has churned out versions of those ubiquitous Power Rangers-- and as long there are kids, they'll keep right on going. . August 22, 2010 . . March 9, 1995 . October 23, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101023084513/http://articles.latimes.com/1995-03-09/news/ls-40804_1_power-ranger . live .
- Web site: Library -- English Titles -- TOEI TV Website . 2007-12-28 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090119211925/http://tvarc.toei.co.jp/tv/library/series-title.html . 2009-01-19 .
- Web site: Dent . Mike . Shout Factory Announces Release Of Zyuranger . The Tokusatsu Network . July 25, 2014 . July 26, 2014 . July 26, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140726075401/http://tokusatsunetwork.com/2014/07/25/shout-factory-announces-release-of-zyuranger/ . live .
- Web site: San Diego Comic Con - Brian Ward announces Zyuranger DVDS - YouTube . . 2019-09-28 . 2020-02-25 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200225042021/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMLlWlPgkU8&gl=US&hl=en . live .
- Web site: ShoutFactoryTV : Watch full episodes of Super Sentai Zyuranger . ShoutFactoryTV . April 15, 2019 . March 31, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190331045100/http://www.shoutfactorytv.com/series/super-sentai-zyuranger . live .
- Web site: Sherman . Jennifer . Power Rangers' Original Megazord Joins Super Robot Wars X-Ω . . April 15, 2019 . en . April 25, 2017 . May 9, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190509015559/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2017-04-25/power-rangers-original-megazord-joins-super-robot-wars-x/.115268 . live .
