Goodbye, 2012. Hello, 2013!
Due to the holidays last year, I wasn't able to make a special year end blog post that highlights my favorite tokusatsu titles for 2011. Thankfully, I have enough spare time to make one right now so let's get started! Take note, this list of mine is just my own personal opinion, if you hated my favorites, it only means that we don’t have the same taste.
5. Kamen Rider Wizard
Sure, the suit designs looked great, the Wizard Ring gimmick is awesome but the problem with the series is its villains. I mean, for at least 16 episodes now, they weren't able to make a new Phantom! But hey, it's still the first 16 episodes of the series and anything can happen once Kamen Rider Beast is in the picture! Also, there is something with Wiseman that is bothering me for the past few weeks now. Why he let Koyomi have the sapphire magic stone and laugh like a maniac about creating more despair with it? Guess we will have to wait and see how this pans out next year!
4. Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger
So why top 4 in the list? Simply because most of the best bits of the series aired in the previous year and all that is left are how the series wrapped up and the VS Gavan movie. The series ended up brilliantly and how I wish that it lasted for another 3 episodes since hey, they weren't able to make a proper tribute episode or arc for 80's Super Sentai teams!
As for the movie, aside they were able to explain why we have a Gavan crossover instead of the more logical Goranger crossover (4 of the original 5 Goranger casts are still alive), it's a really interesting crossover that I would like to talk about someday.
3. Kamen Rider Fourze
Kamen Rider Fourze is one spectacular Rider series, but the 48-episode length, the slow and dragging middle and the Horoscope boss rush are the reasons why the show is at the top 3 of my list. The fights are really great, especially in all episodes directed by Koichi Sakamoto while as for the writing, it ranges from amazing to mediocre as some questions were left unanswered after the series aired its final episode.
2. Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters
The reason why Go-Busters is top 2 on my list is because the show gave me this 80's-early 90's Super Sentai vibe in it... and I seriously love that era of Super Sentai! Giving this show a more realistic feel is something that I really liked about this show. Heck, if there is one thing that I can easily complain about this show aside from Messiah and Escape being not interesting villains is the lack of focus episodes of the guys working behind the scenes aka the maintenance crew and the ones in-charge in operations. Also, we have Enter whose character growth is one of the key factors that I like about this show.
1. Unofficial Sentai Akibaranger
For starters, it's an unofficial Super Sentai series made by the company responsible for making official Super Sentai series. Second, it's a comedy-action series featuring three otakus becoming heroes... in their heads and third, it's like the closest thing we have for a post-Super Sentai 35th anniversary celebration as it also poked fun with the production of a Super Sentai series! Also, Akibaranger season 2, when?!
Special Mentions
- Choujin Sentai Jetman - Took me over or almost 15 years just to finish this show, which is part of my childhood. The wait of seeing this show properly subbed is worth it.
- Kyoryuu Sentai Zyuranger - For starters, this is a completely different show from Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers and this show is quite a ride! The best part about this show? It can easily go from light-hearted to serious with ease as the transition between those two feels more natural. Same with Jetman, it's worth waiting to see this show fully subbed at last.
