#gorenger

Happy 78th Birthday, Naoya Makoto-san!!

Akarenger (Shotaro Ishinomori Manga Version)

SPOILER FREE REVIEW:

Ah yes, the granddaddy of them all. Gorenger is a fascinating watch. Not because it’s perfect, but because it’s the beginning of everything.

You can absolutely see why it became so popular. The energy is there, the ideas are there, and there’s a certain charm to how earnest and creative it is. It throws a lot at the wall: spy elements, disguises, bizarre monsters. And when it hits, it really hits. Episode 83 is probably one of my standouts (Peggy absolutely stole the show there, queen behavior), and moments like that remind you why this series mattered so much. She and Daita were definitely my favorites with Yoko (007) coming in close (and I wish she had stayed until the end!).

At the same time… it’s a long, very episodic show, and you feel it. Once you lock into the formula, it becomes predictable. Literally, you can see the structure of each episode coming from a mile away. That makes it harder to binge, especially compared to modern Sentai with stronger ongoing narratives.

The action also evolves as it goes, which is interesting to watch. You can genuinely feel the shift when stunt work improves thanks to JAC (Japan Action Club). It’s like the show slowly learns how to be itself in real time.

That said, the finale doesn’t quite land the way you’d hope. For such a historically important series, it feels a bit underwhelming. It wasn't bad, just not the grand send-off I was expecting expect after such a long run. But then again, it was the 70s, what can you do?

Overall, Gorenger is less about tight storytelling and more about legacy. It’s the blueprint. The foundation. You’re watching history being built in real time, even if that history is a little rough around the edges.

Do I respect it? Absolutely. Do I love parts of it? For sure. Was it easy to sit through all the way? …eh.