Super Sentai actors who have done Adult Films

This may be old news to older Super Sentai fans but new to younger fans that some Super Sentai actors have done adult films (porn). Yes, an porn actor doing a children's show isn't as much of a big deal in Japan as it is here. It is taboo but done anyway, it just isn't mentioned or frowned upon. Porn is frowned upon by the older generation, but actors are not discriminated against by producers over there as much as they are here. It's complicated and different.

Rika Nanase (Zonnette of Carranger)
I do not know if she still does adult films but she certainly did before 1996.

Asami Jo (Shibolena of Megaranger)
Shibolena was the villainess in Megaranger. Asami Jo did adult films before Megaranger and continues doing adult films afterward.

Kei Mizutani (Shelinda of Gingaman)
I remember she was at an American event and Jake Speed (who used to have a Super Sentai scan page back in 1998) had her sign a Gingaman photo and she was surprised Americans knew who she was.

Tetsuji Tamayama (Shirogane of Gaoranger)
One of the rare male heroes to have done an adult film. He filmed it before he filmed Gaoranger but it came out after Gaoranger ended. I personally saw the film, it was more about story than anything. He only got shirtless and the sex scenes were short. I never knew the name in English and the tape belonged to a friend.

Nao Oikawa (Kegaleshia of Go-Onger)
Nao Oikawa is a former adult film star, being a Super Sentai villainess in a long time to be one.

Yumi Sugimoto (Miu/Go-On Silver)
She currently is in a Playboy magazine issue (in Japan), but not nude. This has stirred rumors she is doing porn.

Man Candy for Housewives

Many have noticed this or have complained, on the hot men in Super Sentai and Power Rangers. It is curious to me that people don't complain enough about the girls in short shorts. I have heard the complaint once or twice, but not as much about hot men. Anyway in Super Sentai and Kamen Rider, it has become a common occurrence to have good looking men or bishōnen (beautiful men). Producers have said they have good-looking men because of housewives who watch the shows with their children.

Above is Tetsuji Tamayama, who played Gao Silver. He had more fans that were mothers than anything. I remember a friend telling me she saw a crowd of women around him at a fan event. Who was also man candy was Yūjirō Shirakawa (Kabuto Raijer). Azusa Yamamoto (Furabijou) married him. Other Rangers after that, I believe weren't so striking, but more into the look of popular culture. Many of the men have an androgynous look, which many American fans either make fun for looking like women or...., no, that's it. Many male main characters in Super Sentai have taken off their shirt, sometimes just in process of the plot (few seconds) or gratuitously, but rarely just gratuitously.

Danny Slavin (Leo) infamously took off his shirt in Power Rangers Lost Galaxy. Many fans found this gratuitous and ridiculous since he transformed after he ripped off his shirt. I personally like it and I am proud to say that. Roll your eyes if you want. Other male Rangers that have been shirtless include Jason (various episodes), Tommy (in "Gun Ho" and "White Light Part 1"), Cole, and recently Ziggy.

Many others rangers have been in tanktops but not completely bare. Except of course of the Titanium Ranger, Rhett Fisher as Ryan Mitchell on Lightspeed Rescue. Ryan got an evil tattoo on his back that was slowly moving and killing him and we could also see his chest. Most of the male Power Rangers have been handsome, most likely for teenage girls and housewives, but never has it been stated like it has been by Super Sentai producers that this is their intention.

I think the most obvious intent to attract the female audience in American Tokusatsu would be in Kamen Rider Dragon Knight. The majority of the cast are steaming hot! Or maybe it wasn't intentional and the casting director has incredibly good taste. It may be no surprise that most of the actors have done daytime drams (soap operas), where attractiveness is one of the requirements. I just found whole topic interesting to mention.

Why do Gay fans like Power Rangers/Tokusatsu (in General)?

It might be a surprise to some people to find out there are many LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) fans there are in the 'Power Rangers fandom.' I am a gay man and we are like anyone else. Singling out the LGBT community may not be a good thing to some people, but I thought it would interesting to highlight the positives that the LGBT fans see in Power Rangers and in Tokusatsu in general. I think the reason that attracts LGBT fans to Tokusatsu is the same thing that attracts LGBT people to superheroes. I feel that superheroes in general provide queer people (yes we use that term) with fantasy and an escape, like everybody else. But LGBT identify with keeping a deep dark secret, for example like how superheroes have secret identities in order to protect their love ones from their enemies, queer people keep their sexual orientation or gender transition a secret in order to avoid abandonment from their family or societal rejection.

The Super Sentai and Power Ranger heroes being in bright colorful uniforms is also another incentive to gay fans. (We like bright colors--the rainbow flag is a gay symbol because each color stood for something, but also its often misunderstood like us.) And what do the LGBT community that are not fans think about Power Rangers? Pretty much the same thing everybody else thinks, some don't know it is still around, some don't even know it is from Japan. So same as the mainstream culture. But the LGBT people I can get into Sentai, understand it and like it. Gay people are most attracted to camp. Camp and Gay go hand and hand, heighten drama is ideal. Camp is deliberately exaggerated and theatrical in style, typically for humorous. Many PR fans get insulted when told that Power Rangers is campy. Most people think of the 60's Batman as the number one example of Camp. But Camp comes in different levels. You got to admit that most of the monsters are campy in a way. And the majority of situations in the first few seasons of PR were slightly campy (turning to footballs, bricks and balls anyone?)

Here are a few of my favorite things:
1. Tight Spandex
Let's be honest, come on, we have all thought of it. All superheroes have a tight suit, especially the major ones--Superman and Spider-Man, etc.


2. Attractive Cast
The girls and boys are both equally attractive in each cast. Not everyone in every cast, but eye candy is always appealing.


3. Cool and Interesting Designs
I think everyone likes the designs of zords, suits, monsters and such, but it also attracts LGBT fans. Yes, it is a stereotype that gay people like fashion, but eh, what can I say? The monsters bring a certain heighten sense of camp that is both self-aware and an inside joke. The puns in Super Sentai are not done to be cool but have a keen sense of irony and innuendo.

4. Changing and Secret Identities
As I mention before, LGBT fans can identify with having a secret identity. Also 'changing' is a interesting factor. Transgender people are transitioning from one gender to another. The Power Rangers 'morph.'

Tokusatsu Super Heronies #2: Generalworks

There are some super heronies I can find to discuss, there are so many that haven't been discussed or scanned online. I don't know much about these series. I will be covering more as soon as I get info on them.

Rosetta: The Masked Angel (1998)
A tokusatsu drama that aired from July to September 1998 on TV Tokyo. It featured the adventures of a young girl named Asuka who follows in her father's footsteps as Rosetta to battle evil monsters called Duats.

Sennen Ookoku San Jyushi Vanny Knights (1999)

Three girls transformed into bunny-inspired warriors, there was pink, orange and navy. Their outfits were white but their eye visors and underskirts were different colors. The navy one had black tights under her white skirt. Watch it online on YouTube, while it lasts of course.

Its funny, I always saw pictures of this movie on Japanhero but thought it was one lone female. If it wasn't for the great uploader to put the video up, I would have never known.

Jikuu Keisatsu (Chrono Police Wecker) (2001)

3 episodes were made by the producers (Generalworks) of Rosetta: The Masked Angel and Vanny Knights. The original Jikuu Keisatsu Wecker was initially released on DVD on June 21, 2001. It was followed by Jikuu Keisatsu Wecker D-02, which aired from January to March in 2002. They just wore the white outfits you see above.

Note: Photo below was screen-captured by my site partner Mike Bastian.

Wecker Signa (2007)
The third installment, it is the only one where the girls are actually suited up with helmets. Their colors were pink, orange, and purple. A black one also joined them. They made toys of both their regular gorms and armored forms. The blue one was a guy. The girl in the light blue outfit doesn't transform.
Check out their official website (Japanese)
[Click for larger image]

Tokusatsu Super Heronies #1: Zen Pictures

There are some super heronies I can find to discuss, there are so many that haven't been discussed or scanned online. I don't know much about these series. I will be covering more as soon as I get info on them.

The following are all from Zen Pictures:

Ninjya Special Investigate Justy Wind (2007)

Four school girls became ninja warriors. Their colors were blue, red, white, and navy. This one from Zen Pictures.

Idol Squadron (2007)
Their colors were basic red, yellow and blue.

Special Unit Bionic Force (2007)
They all had symbols. Red, Blue, Pink and Green.

Meteor Rangers Cosmic Five (2007)

After a strange meteor falls to Earth, five girls sneak into the National Science Laboratory to get it. The meteor came with an alien villain and gave them armor. They combined into one warrior to save the day. Aqua, White, Red, Pink, and Yellow.

Fi-Buster (2008)

Don't know much about this one. They had the basic sentai colors of red, blue, green, pink and yellow.

Burst Ranger (2008)
This is kind of embarrassing. Their main power was concentrated on their breasts. There is a lot of tokusatsu like this, with scantly clad women---some I saw in a friend's old tape but didn't copy, this was a long time ago. I believe this one was not for children.

Idol Force (2009)
Three heronies, one female villain, all their helmets were the same. A team of Pink, Cyan and Yellow.

There are many other you can see from Zen Pictures

Non-Red Ranger Leaders

UPDATED AUGUST 28, 2009 8:30PM EST

Super Sentai
Soukichi Banba/Big One
I forgot him, well, I didn't forget him, I was just not sure if he took leadership when he joined the team. He was a big show off and memorable character.

Tsuruhime/NinjaWhite
The first female leader in Super Sentai ever. She was the first non-Red ranger leader in a long time (about in 15 years). She was a stronger leader than Ninja Red. The Red Ranger was still the focus in merchandise and promos. Obviously, people don't want a female leading a team in a boys line. A producer has said in an interview that it is because of stores wouldn't sell toys for boys with a female leader because they don't think boys will want it.

Kouichirou Endou/Mega Black
While some do not consider him the leader, others do consider him the team leader at the beginning. He was not the protagonist. He was more stable than Mega Red.

Yuuri/Time Pink
Yuuri is the second female leader and the first Pink Ranger leader. She was tough as nails and has a underlined romance with Time Red.

Doggy Kruger/Deka Master
Called 'boss' in Dekaranger, he was strict, stern but fun and furry. He also had feelings for Swan but wasn't up for admitting it.

Ran Uzaki/Geki Yellow
While many don't agree that she was the leader. But Master ShaFu did call her 'captain' of the Gekiranger. So some people think that means she was captain in charge of getting new members. But she did lead the team. The others always ask her for her approval or input. When the GekiRinTohja was formed on the show, she was in the center of the image with the five of them. I wouldn't consider Jan (Geki Red) the leader, he was surely the protagonist but not the leader. Many fans were angry when Ran didn't get enough episodes or focus, fighting for the heronie.



Power Rangers
Tommy Oliver/White Ranger
Initially he was not meant to be the leader (realistic sounding rumors that the decision was made when the actors playing Jason, Trini, and Zack were fired), but all fans were happy at the time for him to be the leader. He is the only male human leader not to be a Red Ranger.
Note: Above photo was scanned by my site partner Mike Bastian.

Delphine/White Aquitar Ranger
The first female leader in Power Rangers and the second White Ranger leader. I think she was a good leader.
Note: Above photo was scanned by my site partner Mike Bastian.

Jen/Pink Time Force Ranger
Jen has an emotional story, as she was a cop who was engaged and her fiance died and then she fell in love with her dead fiance's ancestor and then found out her fiance was not dead and broke up the engagement. She was the second female leader but the first female leader in a long series, as the Aquitar Rangers were only part of a mini-series.

Doggie Cruger/Shadow Ranger
Spelled differently than his Japanese counterpart and more reptilian, he was a bit childish and had anger issues. He was the first Power Ranger to ever be married, but was not the last. Jack was indeed the leader of the B-Squad and Charlie of the A-Squad but Doggie was in charge of them. He was indeed the last non-Red leader in Power Rangers history.

~ Lavender Ranger