Otaku Sentai!
As I'm sure a lot of people know, there's a show called Super Sentai which started way back in 1975 and is just about to start it's 36th year. You should at least know it from the Western adaptation; Power Rangers from 1993-onwards.
2012 is the year of Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters, which starts airing next week, but in a very, very bizarre turn, we're actually getting TWO different Sentai teams this year. This spin-off team?...
Hikonin Sentai Akibaranger. Yes, they are the Sentai team of otaku protecting Akihabara. This isn't like any other Sentai aimed at kids, this is specifically aimed at the grown-up audience (hell, it will air at 1:30am) for reasonings which will be clear below. Here's the description of the show:
The main characters are three dwellers of the depths of the enthusiast gathering computer district, who inadvertently discovered the wicked existence threatening their town. Armed with the super equipment developed by the achingly beautiful and brilliant professor, they set out to destroy evil and protect their Holy Land of Akiba... Or that's the pretense, anyway.
Adding some new blood and abandoning the taboos and restrictions of the sentai genre, this is a forbidden reverse Sentai series meant for the adult core group. So, good kids, stay away from this show. Got it?
Our cast of Rangers is made up of these three lovely people.
Nobuo Akagi / AkibaRed: A boy with a very shy personality and is a hardcore otaku. Probably DT (DouTei. A virgin.)
He will be played by (Masato Wada):
Mizuki Aoyagi / AkibaBlue: The small-breasted ojousama school girl with a hime haircut.
She will be played by (Kyoko Hinami)
Moegi Yumeria / AkibaYellow: Our fanged, well-endowed cosplayer, donning a yellow wig, nekomimi and cat claws.
She will be played by (Karin Ogino)
As for other characters? The Akibaranger need some backup at their Sentai maid café base, and also someone to fight against, right?
Professor Hiroyo (Maya Uchida): Sexy older sister type. Loves pranks and wears glasses.
Marushina (Honoka (AV actress)): The big, bad villian of the show.
But every Sentai team has to have some kind of gear to fight evil with, right? Akibaranger is of course no different.
Their main piece of gear is this. A figure. Yes, a figure. Not only does it allow them to henshin into the Akibaranger, but...
...It also transforms into a gun for a weapon, called the MMZ-01 - the Moe Moe Zukyuun.
But how will our heroes get around to thwaught evil? Well, that's a pretty simple answer if you think about it...
...An itasha-ized car. What else?! It's very aptly called the Machine Itasha.
Hey, naughty little green censorship dude...
The Akibaranger will also have some kind of mecha, which is of right now, a mystery. Judging by the silhouette however, it looks like it may be a transformation of their car.
An event to introduce the Hikonin Sentai Akibaranger will take place in Akihabara this March 31st to April 1st. Event goers will have an exclusive chance to see the first episode of the series (strictly be no under 15 year olds allowed). In addition, whoever is attending the prescreening of Akibaranger at Tamashii Features will receive a "secret gift".
Hikonin Sentai Akibaranger premieres this April 6th on BS Asahi at 1:30am (every Friday) and April 9th on Tokyo MX at 1:00am (every Monday).
There's got to be some kind of merchandise though, right? Of course. All we know of right now is that the team will be receiving a team of S.H.Figuarts at some point, as you can see above. Will we be getting more merch? I would be very surprised if we didn't.
Just what are Toei upto with this idea? Who knows. One thing that I do know however is that I'm pumped for this. I might even be more pumped for it than I am for the real, main Sentai show this year. A second Sentai show airing at the same time? A Sentai show aimed specifically at adults? You're crazy, Toei.
I'll definitely be watching it, but will you?
LoL! This is an interesting turn. I'm not big on the sentai all the time because they get corny fast, but have to see how this one looks XD