Ninja Sentai Kakuranger
Ninja Sentai Kakuranger (忍者戦隊カクレンジャー, Ninja Sentai Kakurenjā)[Note 1][Note 2] is a Japanese tokusatsu television series. It was Toei Company Limited's eighteenth production of the Super Sentai metaseries. The name given to this series by Toei for international distribution is Ninja Rangers.[1]
| Ninja Sentai Kakuranger | |
|---|---|
 The title card for Ninja Sentai Kakuranger. | |
| Genre | Tokusatsu Superhero fiction Comedy |
| Created by | Toei |
| Developed by | Noboru Sugimura |
| Directed by | Yoshiaki Kobayashi |
| Starring | Teruaki Ogawa Satomi Hirose Hiroshi Tsuchida Shu Kawai Kane Kosugi |
| Narrated by | Sanyutei Enjo |
| Opening theme | "Secret Kakuranger" by Tu Chee Chen |
| Ending theme | "Ninja! Matenrou Kids" by Tu Chee Chen |
| Composer(s) | Eiji Kawamura |
| Country of origin | Japan |
| Original language(s) | Japanese |
| No. of episodes | 53 |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Atsushi Kaji Takeyuki Suzuki Shigenori Takadera Kōichi Yada Susumu Yoshikawa |
| Running time | approx. 25 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Toei |
| Distributor | Shout! Factory |
| Release | |
| Original network | TV Asahi |
| Original release | February 18, 1994 – February 24, 1995 |
| Chronology | |
| Preceded by | Gosei Sentai Dairanger |
| Followed by | Chouriki Sentai Ohranger |
Action footage from the series was used in the third season of Mighty Morphin Alien Rangers. The core Kakuranger costumes were used in Mighty Morphin Alien Rangers. In January 2016, Shout! Factory announced that they would release "Ninja Sentai Kakuranger: The Complete Series" on DVD in North America. Kakuranger was released on DVD in North America on May 17, 2016. This is the third Super Sentai Series to be released in North America.[2][3] In addition on May 22, 2017, Shout! streamed the series on their website.[4]
Plot
Four hundred years ago, the ninja and the Youkai had a great war. The legendary Sarutobi Sasuke and four other ninjas sealed the Youkai Commander Nurarihyon and all his Youkai's energies away in a cave protected by the "Seal Door". In the present, one of the few remaining Youkai, Kappa, tricks Sarutobi Sasuke and Kirigakure Saizo's descendants, Saizou and Sasuke, into releasing the Youkai by opening the "Seal Door". Now these two, joined by three other descendants of great ninjas, become the Kakuranger to fight the reinvigorated Youkai with the aid of the Sanshinshou. However, the Kakurangers have their work cut out for them as the Youkai are slowly being united under one banner.
Characters
Kakurangers
Each member is named after a legendary ninja and master of the Hidden Style Ninjutsu (Kakureryū Ninjutsu).
- Sasuke/Ninja Red (サスケ/ニンジャレッド, Sasuke/Ninja Reddo)
- 26 years old, descendant of Sarutobi Sasuke.
- Tsuruhime/Ninja White (鶴姫/ニンジャホワイト, Tsuruhime/Ninja Howaito)
- 15 years old (16 during Part II of the series), the twenty-fourth protector of the Seal Door and the first female leader of a Sentai.
- Saizou/Ninja Blue (サイゾウ/ニンジャブルー, Saizō/Ninja Burū)
- 22 years old, descendant of Kirigakure Saizo.
- Seikai/Ninja Yellow (セイカイ/ニンジャイエロー, Seikai/Ninja Ierō)
- 24 years old, descendant of Miyoshi Seikai.
- Jiraiya/Ninja Black (ジライヤ/ニンジャブラック, Jiraiya/Ninja Burakku)
- 20 years old, descendant of Jiraiya.
- Ninjaman (ニンジャマン, Ninjaman, 36-50, 52 & 53)
- The pupil of the Sanshinshou, who was trapped within a blue pot as punishment a millennium ago for allowing himself to be fooled by Daimaou to attack the humans.
Youkai Army Corps
The Youkai Army Corps (妖怪軍団, Yōkai Gundan, Apparition Army Corps) were sealed away 400 years ago by the Kakurangers' ancestors and have now changed their forms in order to keep up with the times. Most Youkai have a human form and use the Ninja Arts themselves. When defeated, they summon lightning made of human despair and misery to strike them, causing them to grow into giants.
Episodes
| No. | Title | Director | Writer | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "We Are Ninja" "Ninja de Gozaru" (忍者でござる) | Yoshiaki Kobayashi | Noboru Sugimura | February 18, 1994 |
| 2 | "A Dangerous Lady" "Abunai Obasan" (危ないオバサン) | Yoshiaki Kobayashi | Noboru Sugimura | February 25, 1994 |
| 3 | "American Ninja" "Amerikan Ninja" (アメリカン忍者) | Taro Sakamoto | Noboru Sugimura | March 4, 1994 |
| 4 | "The Youkai Policeman" "Yōkai Porisuman" (妖怪ポリスマン) | Taro Sakamoto | Noboru Sugimura | March 11, 1994 |
| 5 | "The Uneven Strange Games" "Dekoboko Chin Gēmā" (凸凹珍ゲーマー) | Takeshi Ogasawara | Noboru Sugimura | March 18, 1994 |
| 6 | "The Eyeball Prince!" "Medama no Ōjisama!" (目玉の王子様!) | Takeshi Ogasawara | Noboru Sugimura | March 25, 1994 |
| 7 | "The Huge One" "Koitsa Dekai" (こいつぁデカい) | Katsuya Watanabe | Naruhisa Arakawa | April 1, 1994 |
| 8 | "The Bakeneko's Shop!!" "Bakeneko Shoppu!!" (化猫ショップ!!) | Katsuya Watanabe | Susumu Takaku | April 8, 1994 |
| 9 | "Hidden Camera Live" "Dokkiri Namachūkei" (ドッキリ生中継) | Taro Sakamoto | Noboru Sugimura | April 15, 1994 |
| 10 | "Konakijiji: A Cry-Baby Goblin" "Konakijiji ja" (子泣き爺いぢゃ) | Taro Sakamoto | Susumu Takaku | April 22, 1994 |
| 11 | "Rags are the Best!!" "Boro Koso Saikō!" (ボロこそ最高!!) | Takeshi Ogasawara | Susumu Takaku | April 29, 1994 |
| 12 | "They Came Forth!! New Beast Generals" "Detaa!! Shin Jūshō" (出たァ!! 新獣将) | Takeshi Ogasawara | Noboru Sugimura | May 6, 1994 |
| 13 | "Fight Off The Bad Luck" "Buttobase Fukō" (ブッとばせ不幸) | Shohei Tojo | Hirohisa Soda | May 13, 1994 |
| 14 | "I'm the Young Noble!!" "Ore wa Kikōshi da!!" (俺は貴公子だ!!) | Shohei Tojo | Noboru Sugimura | May 20, 1994 |
| 15 | "Argh!! Awesome Guys" "Gē!! Sugoi Yatsu" (げえッ!! 凄い奴) | Taro Sakamoto | Noboru Sugimura | May 27, 1994 |
| 16 | "The Red Monkey's Oni Extermination" "Aka-zaru no Oni Taiji" (赤猿の鬼退治) | Taro Sakamoto | Noboru Sugimura | June 3, 1994 |
| 17 | "The Demon Sword and Underwear" "Maken to Pantsu!!" (魔剣とパンツ!!) | Katsuya Watanabe | Hirohisa Soda | June 10, 1994 |
| 18 | "Hello, Mushroom-kun" "Harō Kinoko-kun" (ハローきのこ君) | Katsuya Watanabe | Noboru Sugimura | June 17, 1994 |
| 19 | "The Hellish Trap in Darkness!!" "Kurayami no Jigoku Wana!!" (暗闇の地獄罠!!) | Takeshi Ogasawara | Noboru Sugimura | June 24, 1994 |
| 20 | "The Flowery Kunoichi-Gumi!!" "Hana no Kunoichi Gumi" (花のくノ一組!!) | Takeshi Ogasawara | Noboru Sugimura | July 1, 1994 |
| 21 | "Monkey See, Monkey Does Finishing Move" "Saru Mane Hissatsu-waza" (サルマネ必殺技) | Shohei Tojo | Hirohisa Soda | July 8, 1994 |
| 22 | "I'll Make You Laugh" "Waratte Itadakimasu" (笑って頂きます) | Shohei Tojo | Hirohisa Soda | July 15, 1994 |
| 23 | "Blitzkrieg!! The Strange White Bird" "Dengeki!! Shiroi Kaichō" (電撃!! 白い怪鳥) | Katsuya Watanabe | Noboru Sugimura | July 22, 1994 |
| 24 | "Ah, It's All Over" "Aa Ikkan no Owari" (あァ一巻の終り) | Katsuya Watanabe | Noboru Sugimura | July 29, 1994 |
| 25 | "A New Departure" "Aratanaru Tabidachi!!" (新たなる | Taro Sakamoto | Noboru Sugimura | August 5, 1994 |
| 26 | "The Tsuruhime Family's Super Secret" "Tsuruhime-ke no Chō Himitsu" (鶴姫家の超秘密) | Taro Sakamoto | Noboru Sugimura | August 12, 1994 |
| 27 | "The End of the Mighty Shogun" "Muteki Shōgun no Saigo" (無敵将軍の最期) | Shohei Tojo | Hirohisa Soda | August 19, 1994 |
| 28 | "A Super Big Figure Coming to Japan!!" "Chō Ōmono - Rainichi!!" (超大物・来日!!) | Shohei Tojo | Noboru Sugimura | August 26, 1994 |
| 29 | "History's First Super Battle" "Shijō Hatsu no Sūpā Batoru" (史上初の | Shohei Tojo | Noboru Sugimura | September 2, 1994 |
| 30 | "Reunion With a Traitorous Father" "Saikai Uragiri no Chichi" (再会 裏切りの父) | Takeshi Ogasawara | Noboru Sugimura | September 9, 1994 |
| 31 | "Behold!! A New Shogun" "Mita ka!! Shin Shōgun" (見たか!! 新将軍) | Takeshi Ogasawara | Noboru Sugimura | September 16, 1994 |
| 32 | "Don't Lick Me, Face Thief" "Namen na Kao Dorobō" (ナメんな顔泥棒) | Katsuya Watanabe | Susumu Takaku | September 23, 1994 |
| 33 | "The Village Of Amanojaku" "Amanojaku Mura" (あまのじゃく村) | Hiroshi Butsuda | Kunio Fujii | September 30, 1994 |
| 34 | "The Bride's Sandy Hell!!" "Hanayome Suna Jigoku!!" (花嫁砂地獄!!) | Hiroshi Butsuda | Hirohisa Soda | October 7, 1994 |
| 35 | "The Three Punishment Sisters" "Oshioki San Shisutāzu" (おしおき三 | Katsuya Watanabe | Naruhisa Arakawa | October 14, 1994 |
| 36 | "The Hooligan Ninja!!" "Abarenbō Ninja!!" (暴れん坊忍者!!) | Katsuya Watanabe | Noboru Sugimura | October 21, 1994 |
| 37 | "Karakasa Dance Queen" "Karakasa Dansu Kuīn" (唐傘ダンス | Taro Sakamoto | Noboru Sugimura | October 28, 1994 |
| 38 | "Mooo... A Repulsive Cow" "Moo~- Iya na Ushi" (モオ～ッ嫌な牛) | Taro Sakamoto | Hirohisa Soda | November 4, 1994 |
| 39 | "It's a Special Compilation!!" "Tokubetsu Hen Dayo!!" (特別編だよっ!!) | Shohei Tojo | Noboru Sugimura | November 11, 1994 |
| 40 | "The Heisei Fox Battle" "Heisei Kitsune-gassen" (平成キツネ合戦) | Shohei Tojo | Susumu Takaku | November 18, 1994 |
| 41 | "The Stray Ghost" "Hagure Gōsuto" (はぐれゴースト) | Takeshi Ogasawara | Hirohisa Soda | November 25, 1994 |
| 42 | "The Plundered Ninja Power" "Gōdatsu Ninja Pawā" (強奪忍者パワー) | Takeshi Ogasawara | Noboru Sugimura | December 2, 1994 |
| 43 | "The Last Day of the Three God Generals" "Sanshinshō Saigo no Hi" (三神将最期の日) | Katsuya Watanabe | Noboru Sugimura | December 9, 1994 |
| 44 | "The Wound-Filled Great Reversal" "Kizu Darake Dai Gyakuten" (傷だらけ大逆転) | Katsuya Watanabe | Noboru Sugimura | December 16, 1994 |
| 45 | "The Hasty Santa" "Awatenbō Santa" (慌てん坊サンタ) | Yoshiaki Kobayashi | Hirohisa Soda | December 23, 1994 |
| 46 | "The New Year's Manga Hell" "Shinshun Manga Jigoku" (新春まんが地獄) | Yoshiaki Kobayashi | Hirohisa Soda | January 6, 1995 |
| 47 | "The 100-Burst Human Fireworks" "Ningen Hanabi Hyaku Renpatsu" (人間花火百連発) | Takeshi Ogasawara | Susumu Takaku | January 13, 1995 |
| 48 | "The Great Snow Woman's Snowball Fight" "Ō Yukionna no Yukigassen" (大雪女の雪合戦) | Takeshi Ogasawara | Hirohisa Soda | January 20, 1995 |
| 49 | "Suddenly!! Poor" "Totsuzen!! Binbō" (突然!! ビンボー) | Katsuya Watanabe | Hirohisa Soda | January 27, 1995 |
| 50 | "Special Selection!! The Youkai Inn" "Tokusen!! Yōkai no Yado" (特選!! 妖怪の宿) | Katsuya Watanabe | Noboru Sugimura | February 3, 1995 |
| 51 | "Hero Elimination" "Hīrō Shikkaku" ( | Katsuya Watanabe | Noboru Sugimura | February 10, 1995 |
| 52 | "Finale!! Father and Daughter" "Daidan'en!! Chichi to Ko" (大団円!! 父と | Taro Sakamoto | Noboru Sugimura | February 17, 1995 |
| Final | "Sealing!!" "Fūin!!" (封印!!) | Taro Sakamoto | Noboru Sugimura | February 24, 1995 |
Movie
The movie version of Ninja Sentai Kakuranger, directed by Shōhei Tōjō and written by Noboru Sugimura, premiered in Japan on April 16, 1994, at Toei Super Hero Fair '94. It was originally shown as a triple feature alongside Kamen Rider J and the feature film version of Blue SWAT. The villains in the movie consisted of the One-Eyed Brothers and Ōnyūdō. The movie was filmed between Episodes 7 and 8, but is actually set between episodes 8 and 9.
Crossovers
The Kakuranger team was the main focus in the 1994 3D featurette Super Sentai World, which features them teaming up with the four previous Super Sentai teams (Fiveman, Jetman, Zyuranger, and Dairanger).
A second crossover film was released in the form of Chōriki Sentai Ohranger: Olé vs. Kakuranger (超力戦隊オーレンジャー オーレVSカクレンジャー), a 1996 direct-to-video movie which features the Kakurangers working together with the Ohrangers to defeat a common adversary.
Cast
- Sasuke (サスケ, Sasuke)/Red Saruder (voice)/Battle Saruder (voice): Teruaki Ogawa (小川 輝晃, Ogawa Teruaki)
- Tsuruhime (鶴姫, Tsuruhime)/White Kark (voice)/Battle Kark (voice): Satomi Hirose (広瀬 仁美, Hirose Satomi)
- Saizou (サイゾウ, Saizō)/Blue Logan (voice)/Battle Logan (voice): Hiroshi Tsuchida (土田 大, Tsuchida Hiroshi)
- Seikai (セイカイ, Seikai)/Yellow Kumard (voice)/Battle Kumard (voice): Shu Kawai (河合 秀, Kawai Shū)
- Jiraiya (ジライヤ, Jiraiya)/Black Gammer (voice)/Battle Gammer (voice): Kane Kosugi (ケイン・コスギ, Kein Kosugi)
- Ninjaman (ニンジャマン, Ninjaman, voice): Kazuki Yao (矢尾 一樹, Yao Kazuki)
- Sandayu Momochi (百地三太夫, Momochi Sandayū): Akira Sakamoto
- Taro (太郎, Tarō): Daisuke Tsuchiya (土屋 大輔, Tsuchiya Daisuke)
- Jiro (次郎, Jirō): Keisuke Tsuchiya (土屋 圭輔, Tsuchiya Keisuke)
- Junior: Kenichi Endō (遠藤 憲一, Endō Ken'ichi)
- Daimaou (大魔王, Daimaō, voice): Hidekatsu Shibata (柴田 秀勝, Shibata Hidekatsu)
- Ninja Gattai Muteki Shogun (忍者合体無敵将軍, Ninja Gattai Muteki Shōgun, voice): Tomoyuki Horita (堀田 智之, Horita Tomoyuki)
- Goshin Gattai Kakure Daishogun (五神合体隠大将軍, Goshin Gattai Kakure Daishōgun, voice), Seinin Beast Tsubasamaru (聖忍獣ツバサマル, Seininjū Tsubasamaru, voice): Dai Matsumoto (松本 大, Matsumoto Dai)
- Kōshakushi (講釈師): Sanyūtei Enjō (三遊亭 圓丈)
Songs
- Opening theme
- "Secret Kakuranger" (シークレット カクレンジャー, Shikuretto Kakurenjā)
- Lyrics: Hanadaiko Fuyumori (冬杜 花代子, Fuyumori Hanadaiko)
- Composition: Takashi Tsushimi (都志見 隆, Tsushimi Takeshi)
- Arrangement: Kenji Yamamoto
- Artist: Tu Chee Chen (トゥー・チー・チェン, Tū Chī Chen)
- Takashi Tsushimi performed under the name "Tu Chee Chen", which is the Japanese approximation of his surname as read in Mandarin Chinese: Dōu Zhì Jiàn.
- Ending theme
- "Ninja Skyscraper Kids" (ニンジャ！摩天楼キッズ, Ninja! Mantenrō Kizzu)
- Lyrics: Hanadaiko Fuyamori
- Composition: Takeshi Tsushimi
- Arrangement: Kenji Yamamoto
- Artist: Tu Chee Chen
Notes
- Literally translated as Ninja Squad Kakuranger.
- Kakurangers translates as "Hidden Rangers".
References
- "Library -- English Titles -- TOEI TV Website". Archived from the original on 2009-01-19. Retrieved 2007-12-28.
- Kelley, Shamus (January 23, 2016). "Super Sentai Kakuranger Coming to DVD". denofgeek.us. Retrieved January 24, 2016.
- "Ninja Sentai Kakuranger: The Complete Series - DVD - Shout! Factory". www.shoutfactory.com.
- "ShoutFactoryTV : Watch full episodes of Ninja Sentai Kakuranger".
External links
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