Henshin Grid

Friday, January 22, 2010

More Goseiger pics: Pre-February

Transliteration may not be correct, spelling might be off; Left to Right: Suisei No Furedoran, Daiou Monsu Doreiku, Riyuusei no Derefuta and the henchmen are called Machiyuu Heibiib.

UPDATED 1/23/2010

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Super Sentai Theme Songs (OP & ED) -- 2001-2009

Unlike the Power Ranger opening themes, Super Sentai actually releases about 4 to 5 soundtracks that year with their opening and closing themes included. Lately, opening themes have been on the top of the music charts, namely Go-Onger, which has spun-off into different versions of the Ending theme. Note: There has been Power Ranger soundtracks but only a few. The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers song from the second season and movie did receive airplay thanks to Simon Cowell, out of all people.

Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger
"Gaorangers Hoero!!" ("Gaorangers Roar!!")
Lyrics: Nagae Kuwabara
Composition & Arrangement: Kōtarō Nakagawa
Artist: Yukio Yamagata

"Gaorangers Hoero!! (All Cast Version)" -- Movie opening
Lyrics: Nagae Kuwabara
Composition & Arrangement: Kōtarō Nakagawa
Artist: The Gaorangers

Ending themes
"Healin' You"
Lyrics: Nagae Kuwabara
Composition & Arrangement: Keiichi Oku
Artist: Salia

"Ōzora e no Kaidan" (The Stairway to Heaven) -- Finale ending
Lyrics: Chieko Suzaki
Composition & Arrangement: Kōichirō Kameyama
Artist: The Gaorangers

Ninpuu Sentai Hurricanger

"Hurricanegers Sanjō!" ("Here are the Hurricanegers!")

Lyrics: Neko Oikawa
Composition & Arrangement: Takeshi Ike
Artist: Hideaki Takatori
Hideaki Takatori is a Japanese singer, songwriter, and composer from Tokyo, known for his contributions to the anison genre (Music for Anime). He has also done music for Sonic-X and Transformers: Armada.

Ending theme
"Ima, Kaze no Naka de" ( "Now, Inside the Wind")
Lyrics & Composition: Hideaki Takatori
Artist: Hironobu Kageyama

Bakuryuu Sentai Abaranger (2003)

Lyrics: Yumi Yoshimoto
Composition: Takafumi Iwasaki
Artist: Masaaki Endoh
Masaaki Endoh is a Japanese singer/songwriter who is prominent in the area of soundtracks for Anime and Tokusatsu productions.

Ending theme
"We are the ONE ~Bokura wa Hitotsu~"
Lyrics: Yumi Yoshimoto
Composition: Yasuo Kosugi
Artist: Akira Kushida

Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger (2004)
Lyrics: Yumi Yoshimoto
Composition: Ayumi Miyazaki
Artist: Psychic Lover
Psychic Lover is a J-pop band consisting of vocalist YOFFY (Yoshiyuki Wada) and guitarist IMAJO (Tatsuhiro Imajo). Originally consisting of six members, YOFFY and IMAJO are the only two who remained for their rise to fame. Much of their work has been featured as opening and closing themes of Japanese television series and Anime.

Ending themes
"Midnight Dekaranger"
Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
Composition: Hideaki Takatori
Artist: Isao Sasaki
Isao Sasaki is a Japanese seiyū, actor, and vocalist, has also done themes for Himitsu Sentai Goranger, J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai, Choujinki Metalder, the movie Kamen Rider ZO and Kyojuu Tokusou Juspion.

"girls in trouble! DEKARANGER
Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
Composition: Yūmao
Artist: Ayumi Kinoshita & Mika Kikuchi with the Dekaren Boys

Mahou Sentai Magiranger (2005)
Lyrics: Yūho Iwasato
Composition: Takafumi Iwasaki
Arrangement: Seiichi Kyōda
Artist: Takafumi Iwasaki

Ending theme
"Jumon Kōrin ~ Magical Force" and "The Spell Advent ~ Magical Force"
Lyrics: Yūho Iwasato
Composition: YOFFY
Arrangement: Psychic Lover & Kenichirō Ōishi
Artist: Sister MAYO

GoGo Sentai Boukenger (2006)
Lyrics: Yūho Iwasato
Composition: Nobuo Yamada
Artist: NoB
Nobuo Yamada who performs under the name NoB is a Japanese singer and the former lead singer of the band Make-Up.

Ending theme
"Bōkensha ON THE ROAD"
Lyrics: Yūho Iwasato
Composition: YOFFY
Arrangement: Psychic Lover & Kenichirō Ōishi
Artist: Psychic Lover

Juken Sentai Gekiranger (2007)
Lyrics: Neko Oikawa
Composition: Takafumi Iwasaki
Artist: Takayoshi Tanimoto with Young Fresh on chorus
Takayoshi is 34 and Tanimoto performed "Dragon Soul" the opening and "Yeah! Break! Care! Break!" the ending theme songs for Dragon Ball Kai, the revised and reanimated version of the anime series Dragon Ball Z.

Ending theme "Tao"
Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
Artist: Ichirou Mizuki with Young Fresh (Chorus)

Character songs including "Susume no Susume" performed by Jan Kandou (GekiRed)/Hiroki Suzuki; "Run" performed by Ran Uzaki (GekiYellow)/Mina Fukui; "Just make it out!" performed by Retsu Fukami (GekiBlue)/Manpei Takagi; "Wandering Wolf" performed by Gou Fukami (GekiViolet)/Riki Miura; "Sōiu Koto mo, Aru Daro yo" ("That's it for Me") performed by Ken Hisatsu (GekiChopper)/Sotaro; "Chigireta Hane" ("The Torn Feather") performed by Mele/Yuka Hirata; "Kuroki Kodō ~Yuruginai Omoi~" ("Dark Pulse ~Unwavering Desire~") performed by Rio/Hirofumi Araki.

Engine Sentai Go-onger (2008)
Lyrics: Mike Sugiyama
Arrangement: Project. R (Keinichiro Ōishi & Takafumi Iwasaki)
Artist: Hideyuki Takahashi, Project.R
Project.R includes Hideaki Takatori, Mayumi Gojo, Takayoshi Tanimoto, Sister MAYO, and Kenichiro Ōish. For Engine Sentai Go-onger, Columbia has taken various popular vocalists of anime songs and brought them together in a group called Project.R (the "R" stands for "Ranger"). The opening and ending themes as well as the insert songs are all performed by individual members or a subset of members of Project.R. The only performers of the songs who are not members of Project.R are the singers of the robots' theme songs: Shinichi Ishihara, MoJo, Akira Kushida, and Takayuki Miyauchi.

There is 9 versions of the ending theme. "Engine First Rap -Type Normal-" by Project.R;
"Engine Second Rap -TURBO CUSTOM-" by Project. R with the Engine Kids; "Engine Eco Rap -Recycle Custom-" by the Engine Kids with Project. R; "Engine Formation Rap -GekijōBang! Custom-" by Project. R, with Engine the Kids; "G3 Princess Rap ~PRETTY LOVE♡Limited~" (G3～PRETTY LOVE♡Limited～ Jī Surī Purinsesu Rappu ~Puriti Rabu Rimiteddo~?) by "G3 Princess" ( Saki Rōyama [Rina Aizawa], Miu Sutō [Yumi Sugimoto], Kegalesia [Nao Oikawa]); "Engine Third Rap -AERO-Dynamic CUSTOM-" by Project.R with the Engine Kids; "Engine Final Rap -Type Evolution-" by Project.R with the Engine Kids; "G5 Prince Rap ~Bombaye★Limited" by G5 Prince (Sōsuke Esumi [Yasuhisa Furuhara], Renn Kōsaka [Shinwa Kataoka], Hant Jō [Masahiro Usui], Gunpei Ishihara [Kenji Ebisawa], Hiroto Sutō [Hidenori Tokuyama]) with Bomper (Akiko Nakagawa); and "Engine Winning Run -Type Formula-" by Project.R with Engine Kids

Samurai Sentai Shinkenger (2009)

Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
Arrangement: Project.R (Kenichiro Ōishi & Psychic Lover)
Artist: Psychic Lover (Project.R)
Psychic Lover is a J-pop band consisting of vocalist YOFFY (Yoshiyuki Wada) and guitarist IMAJO (Tatsuhiro Imajo). Originally consisting of six members, YOFFY and IMAJO are the only two who remained for their rise to fame. Much of their work has been featured as opening and closing themes of Japanese television series and Anime. "Dreaming 24/7, Shinkenger" by Hideaki Takatori (Project.R) is the ending theme.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Poll Results: Different Drum, Pudgy Pig & MMPR Revision

Was Kimberly less of a ditz wen you found out she knows sign language in "A Different Drum"?
Yes -- 60 of 82
No -- 22 of 82

Shouldn't the 'Revisionists' make the Silver Kimberly back to pink in "A Different Drum"?
Obviously -- 73 of 88
Doesn't Matter -- 15 of 88

You still like Pudgy Pig?
Yes -- 41 of 88
He has his Charms -- 27 of 88
Never Liked Him -- 15 votes
Not Anymore -- 5

Do you like the new changes in MMPR 2010?
183 of 307 votes -- They are horrible! It is like altering Michelangelo's David
69 of 307 -- They are okay
39 -- Don't Care
16 votes -- Love them

Monday, January 18, 2010

Eka Derville plays love slave in Sparactus: Blood and Sand

UPDATED 10/13/15
Brennan Mejia (Tyler Navarro/Red Dino Charge Ranger) played Oliver in Kaboom (2010). Eka Derville plays another gay character, now on FOX's extremely popular "Empire."

Eka Derville (Scott Truman of Power Rangers RPM) plays the character of Pietros, slave boy to Barca, they don't particularly describe Pietros because he is not a main character.

Here is how the network describes the character of Barca:
A big, hulking brute of a man, an esteemed gladiator and also Batiatus’s bodyguard and sometimes hit man, Barca is second only to Crixus at the ludus. Though possessed of a temper and an imposing stature, he tempers this with the tenderness he shows his collection of birds and Pietros, a slave boy. He is free of guile, loyal to Batiatus but secretly pines to gain his freedom.

So, basically Eka Darville plays same-sex orientated character Pietros. As a gay man, I am glad that Starz is being historically correct with the gay characters in this era, where other movies and shows like "Rome," Troy, and 300 have avoided male same-sex interaction. And also kudos to them to have a dark skinned character in this sort of relationship as well. I am sure many immature PR fans are going to make fun of this, but Eka Derville is technically not a Power Ranger anymore and this show is coming partially a month after Power Rangers RPM ended. Others have mentioned on how Rose McIver is in The Lovely Bones.

Plenty of Power Ranger actors have played gay characters (I think mostly men), and I am not talking about Austin St. John and the rumor of that he was supposedly in a pornographic film. He wasn't, by the way, it was a look-a-like. I am talking about Chris Violette (Sky of SPD), who had a quick scene in "Queer as Folk" as a gay gym member--before Power Rangers; Matt Austin (Bridge of SPD) was also in an episode of "Queer as Folk" (as a gay hustler) & bi-sexual Merrick in Denied (2004)--both before Power Rangers; Jeffrey Parazzo (Trent of Dino Thunder) also was in "Queer As Folk" (not sure sexuality) briefly--before PR and drug-addicted gay hustler Flex in Sugar (2004); Phillip Jeanmarie (Max of Wild Force) played a character that had to play a gay character in an actor workshop in the webseries "Workshop"--after PR; and Danny Slavin (Leo of Lost Galaxy) was in a gay-orientated short film Boy Next Door as an object of affection--before PR.

Jack Guzman (Danny of Wild Force) played a bartender at a gay bar in Cold Case; Archie Kao (Kai of Lost Galaxy) played a gay character in Purpose (2002)--after PR; Samuell Benta (Will of Overdrive) played a 'homophobic' rapper in Hotel Babylon in which he had a 'past' with the gay protagonist; and Kevin Kleinberg (Trip of Time Force) had the starring role in the film Ethan Mao (2004), which tells the story of a gay teen who is thrown out of his family's home. As for other American Tokusatsu, T.J. Roberts (Dex/Saban's Masked Rider) briefly played gay activist Dennis Peron in Milk. As for Super Sentai, Yasuka Saitoh (Masumi of Boukenger) and Hidenori Tokuyama (Hiroto of Go-Onger) played lovers in the film Ai no kotodama. So 5 Power Ranger actors have played confirmed gay characters and 10 (Including Emma L./Kira of Dino Thunder in "The L Word") have been on gay-theme projects.
Thank you to
After The Power for the information.

Sally Martin (Tori of Ninja Storm) and Holly Shanahan (Camille of Jungle Fury) made out in an episode of "Welcome to Paradise."

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Wacky Theories: Disney Resort and MMPR

Attention: This is just a wacky theory, I am not saying I actually believe this to be true nor to be taken as such. THIS WAS DONE BEFORE SABAN BOUGHT PR BACK.

There is a lot of wacky absurd theories out there in the PR Fandom to why MMPR has been re-run this year in 2010, that Shinkenger is not 'adaptable' but we will see or maybe we will never know. I have come up with one theory and it is delightfully preposterous.

A more logical choice to re-air MMPR would be for the 20th anniversary in 2013. If they were going to re-air MMPR in 2013, then in the Disney parks parade, the MMPR Ranger would be blue, not red because the time to replace the Red Ranger at the Disney Parks is this year. There is a pattern going on with the Disney Park Rangers. Dino Thunder White was replaced with RPM Green and the next to be replace would be Red SPD, so it would have be a Red Ranger. So if Shinkenger was adapted, then ShinkenRed (for lack of a PR name) would be Red, Mystic Pink would be replaced by Gosei Pink and Goseiger would have been the 2011 series. Then whatever Gokaiger be adapted into PR, its Yellow Ranger would replace Operation Yellow. Blue Jungle Fury would be replaced by MMPR Blue Ranger. And in this freaky wacky theory, 'Disney' would have liked to have the MMPR Red Ranger lead the parade. But of course, they could have just changed the tradition. Pretty crazy theory right?

Now, this is one realistic theory how things could turn out this year now that MMPR is airing in 2010: MMPR Red could replace SPD Red in March or Spring 2010. If they do adapt Shinkenger in 2011, then Shinken Pink would replace Mystic Pink, Gosei Yellow would replace Operation Overdrive Yellow in 2012 and whatever was next would replace Jungle Fury Blue.

Or if they will show all three MMPR Seasons, they can have Red, then Green in 2011, and then White in 2012. Or maybe Red, White in 2011 and then Pink in 2012. Who knows. It is just a wacky theory, a foolish speculation.