Despite my complete confusion at how a Pirate Sentai fail to commit any piracy in their lives, I like Gokaiger. It shows a lot for what a tribute series can be with the right structuring and when you have enough main characters to be able to confidently know you’ll find someone with a free spot in their schedule. It’s a thing that’s harder to replicate in say Kamen Rider where past series typically had a more limited cast.
The issue with a tribute show can be that I primarily care when it’s a sentai I know. If I haven’t seen the show, I’m less excited about the appearances there and the impact. I can’t imagine what it’s like to watch the Timeranger episodes without having already seen Timeranger.
It did, however, work as a fantastic advertisement for other sentai and I now have a long list of what to watch.
Gokaiger does a very good job in creating a cast that is that toeing on “we don’t care about saving others”, while making them in no way cruel or unlikeable characters. They clearly do care, it just happens they’re pirates with their own goals.
Anyway, stand out of this series was Basco for being a spicy pepper monster with no redeeming qualities.
It's wild to see how many ways people are capable of interpretting Marvelous.
Marvelous is a very big personality character and while he does seem like an oddball, his red traits show through. I like having just a straight-up treasure hunter character though. Many appeal and just fun to watch.
Me unable to put down Joe's connections with Sid ever.
Joe is a good balance for Marvelous on the team, just to help reign him in while also agreeing with Marvelous's core ideals.
It just happens the stand-out thing for me was his relationship with Sid.
Luka is perfect. Absolutely hates rich people glorifying poverty as being "humble" and "connected". She was poor, now she will steal all the money and treasure she wants.
Also she used switching bodies with Doc as an opportunity to get girls' numbers.
Doc is a very good boy and only barely passing as a pirate. He's just taken over as cook, technician, and everyone's mother.
Ahim is very sweet and determined and good. Her princess status is very clear but it's not like she's flaunting any authority over others. She's well trained as an ambassador for Famille and does a great job of representing them as well as giving hope to any from her planet who may remain.
Gai was a really necessary element for this show. He made it a lot quicker to hone them in on what sentai they needed to meet. Also him being a complete fanboy wanting everyone's signatures was everything I needed from him.
He's also that big Samurai Flamenco energy of clearly wanting to be a hero so badly and just puts himself out into the world to do good regardless of the power he has. Followed by becoming reliant on the power he gains until he remembers he never needed it before.
Overall, Gokaiger is a fantastic series that I’ll recommend watching if you’ve seen Timeranger. Everything about it is very likeable.
Also it heavily misrepresented Hurricaneger; how dare you suggest they have brains.
