Super Star God: The Chouseishin Series Thread

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Super Star God: The Chouseishin Series Thread

Post by LegendZilla »

Hello once again, LegendZilla here. Today I'd like to discuss Toho's initially successful but ultimately short-lived attempt to capitalize on Toei's Super Sentai series (best known in the west as Power Rangers), The Chouseishin (Super-Star God) franchise. For those of you who don't already know, the series was helmed by non other than The Heisei-era SFX director Koichi Kawakita himself. I am currently half-way through the first entry, Gransazers, but there's unfortunately been a pretty massive gap between times I actually do decide to continue binge-watching the series online. Mostly because life gets in the way. From what I've watched so far, I rather enjoy this series.

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For those of you lucky to watch all 3 series in their entirety, which entry is your favorite? What are you favorite episodes, characters, mecha ect? Also, do you think this franchise deserves a chance at revival? If so, what motifs do you think they should cover? Or do you think it should just remain a relic of the early 2000's? Fill me in as to what you think.
Last edited by LegendZilla on Mon May 09, 2022 7:09 pm, edited 11 times in total.

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Re: The Chouseishin Series Thread

Post by MechaGoji Bro7503 »

From what I understand, some Maser weaponry appears in this, correct?
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Re: The Chouseishin Series Thread

Post by GodzillavsRayquaza »

I have only watched Gransazers, but I quite enjoyed it and I will likely watch Justirisers at some point soon. Fun cast of characters and entertaining action scenes, with writing that while most of the time is a fun sort of cheesy does occasionally have rather poignant moments.

MechaGoji Bro7503 wrote: Mon Aug 16, 2021 10:30 am From what I understand, some Maser weaponry appears in this, correct?
Yes, according to Wikizilla, Maser Cannons make an appearance in Justirisers.
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Re: The Chouseishin Series Thread

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MechaGoji Bro7503 wrote: Mon Aug 16, 2021 10:30 am From what I understand, some Maser weaponry appears in this, correct?
Yes, in the early version of the Gransazers intro.

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Re: The Chouseishin Series Thread

Post by Arbok »

I enjoy Gransazers quite a bit. Thought it was a solid show, even if the middle episodes were a bit hit and miss (when they go the self-contained story route). The best era of the show are the first 24 episodes, although the two parter afterwards that introduces Type-05 GS Assist Robot Youhi is quite enjoyable too.

Justirisers is an okay show, I didn't really gel with it as much although design wise it was better.

For Sazer-X... I lost interest in the series after the movie. I didn't really care for the main characters from this show, which also made me realize why I enjoyed Gransazers as much as I did was because it actually had a rather large cast of main characters that had some good interactions between them. The Sazer-X crew was super streamlined and a little more juvenile in their characterization.
MechaGoji Bro7503 wrote: Mon Aug 16, 2021 10:30 am From what I understand, some Maser weaponry appears in this, correct?
Masers appear and the Gotengo as probably the most noteworthy machinery. Episode 8 also features Hiroshi Koizumi reprising his role as Professor Chujo, although he never mentions Mothra during the episode.
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Re: The Chouseishin Series Thread

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Arbok wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 7:28 pm I enjoy Gransazers quite a bit. Thought it was a solid show, even if the middle episodes were a bit hit and miss (when they go the self-contained story route). The best era of the show are the first 24 episodes, although the two parter afterwards that introduces Type-05 GS Assist Robot Youhi is quite enjoyable too.

Justirisers is an okay show, I didn't really gel with it as much although design wise it was better.

For Sazer-X... I lost interest in the series after the movie. I didn't really care for the main characters from this show, which also made me realize why I enjoyed Gransazers as much as I did was because it actually had a rather large cast of main characters that had some good interactions between them. The Sazer-X crew was super streamlined and a little more juvenile in their characterization.
I have to give you a massive high five for that, because that's practically how I feel about the trilogy as a whole (and high fives to everyone else who watched Gransazers, y'all cool in my book). While the middle portion is hit and miss (though Ep. 30 is probably one of my favorites), the first 24 and the last 10-ish (from Bosquito and beyond) are all worthwhile. Justirisers is eh, mixed at first, but I'd say gets better once they replace the central antagonist. But Sazer-X... I don't see myself going back to that, with only the first 12 eps. and the movie under my belt.
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Re: Super Star God: The Chouseishin Series Thread

Post by Bigdog »

I find it a shame they didn't stick with a similar aesthetic from the first two series or invest in it more to give Super Sentai a run for its money. I was seriously interested in any American adaptation mostly because of more affordable merchandise back then, because it had a much different feel, and because if it did well, that would've forced Disney to compete and lead to more Sazer series being made.

I've never really watched the show per se, and tend to not really think about it since Toho gave up on the franchise like Takaratomy stopped making their shows. It's pretty unfortunate that there's only two studios and three franchises instead of a more diverse and competitive market.

I know Justirisers is possibly in the G x MG continuity, which is interesting, but how is Gransazers?

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Re: Super Star God: The Chouseishin Series Thread

Post by darthzilla99 »

It's too bad it didn't turn into a franchise. I liked the aesthetics and it had nice hybrid blend of super sentai and toho kaiju. Plus this series does prove Koichi Kawakita could film melee fights if he really wanted to. Sure there's still his signature beams but it was balanced. I think Sazer-x tried too hard to stoop to sentai levels of juvenileness and that killed imo. They should have aimed something more closer to the way Ultra shows portray their human casts. Also these shows were made during a time when Japan was burned out with Kaiju and Tokusatsu.
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Re: Super Star God: The Chouseishin Series Thread

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Bigdog wrote: Wed Sep 22, 2021 5:35 pm I know Justirisers is possibly in the G x MG continuity, which is interesting, but how is Gransazers?
wair what

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Re: Super Star God: The Chouseishin Series Thread

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Bigdog wrote: Wed Sep 22, 2021 5:35 pm I know Justirisers is possibly in the G x MG continuity, which is interesting, but how is Gransazers?
I think you have that swapped; Chujo appears in Gransazers, not Justirisers. And while no acknowledgement is made concerning his connections to OG Mothra or the Kiryu saga, it's a reference for fans to get. ;)

Doubly fun fact - In the Singapore English Dub (yes, that's a thing), the whale-like Ultra Star God Leviathan is referred to as "a golden Godzilla". This is a blatant mistranslation because the kanji / katakana for "metal(lic)" and "whale" are similar to "golden Godzilla".
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Re: Super Star God: The Chouseishin Series Thread

Post by UltimateDitto »

Gransazers was pretty cool!
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Re: Super Star God: The Chouseishin Series Thread

Post by mikelcho »

I take it that these three TV series and their respective films were never released in the U.S., subtitled or otherwise, nor are they likely to be.

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Re: Super Star God: The Chouseishin Series Thread

Post by LegendZilla »

mikelcho wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 6:42 pm I take it that these three TV series and their respective films were never released in the U.S., subtitled or otherwise, nor are they likely to be.
I've heard rumors somewhere that Mill Creek may try to license the series. That was a while ago, so we best take it with a grain of salt.

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Re: Super Star God: The Chouseishin Series Thread

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LegendZilla wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 6:45 pm
mikelcho wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 6:42 pm I take it that these three TV series and their respective films were never released in the U.S., subtitled or otherwise, nor are they likely to be.
I've heard rumors somewhere that Mill Creek may try to license the series. That was a while ago, so we'd best take it with a grain of salt.
Very interesting. I hope it turns out to be true.

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Re: Super Star God: The Chouseishin Series Thread

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KaijuX wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 5:34 am
Bigdog wrote: Wed Sep 22, 2021 5:35 pm I know Justirisers is possibly in the G x MG continuity, which is interesting, but how is Gransazers?
I think you have that swapped; Chujo appears in Gransazers, not Justirisers. And while no acknowledgement is made concerning his connections to OG Mothra or the Kiryu saga, it's a reference for fans to get. ;)

Doubly fun fact - In the Singapore English Dub (yes, that's a thing), the whale-like Ultra Star God Leviathan is referred to as "a golden Godzilla". This is a blatant mistranslation because the kanji / katakana for "metal(lic)" and "whale" are similar to "golden Godzilla".
When I was little and discovered the Sazer franchise, it was that mecha that looked like MechaGodzilla that gave me the impression.
This.
https://tokusatsu.fandom.com/wiki/Riseross

It made me wonder they recycled Kiryu's plans in-universe to make their own robot. Mind you I knew practically nothing about the franchise other than it looked like Power Rangers and their takes on giant robots were different. I'm no stranger to dubs either. I had some early memories with Ultraman and Ultraseven, but I didn't remember much of it when 4Kids did Tiga. I thought it was the dumbest crap ever like the 2003 Astro Boy. I guess it happens like that because everything newer is inspired by those series. Plus it doesn't help that Osamu Tezuka's manga is extremely dry and lacking.

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Re: Super Star God: The Chouseishin Series Thread

Post by Cryptid_Liker »

mikelcho wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 6:42 pm I take it that these three TV series and their respective films were never released in the U.S., subtitled or otherwise, nor are they likely to be.
I've heard Justirisers was dubbed and aired on FOX.

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Re: Super Star God: The Chouseishin Series Thread

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Cryptid_Liker wrote: Sat Oct 09, 2021 5:53 am
mikelcho wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 6:42 pm I take it that these three TV series and their respective films were never released in the U.S., subtitled or otherwise, nor are they likely to be.
I've heard Justirisers was dubbed and aired on FOX.
That's very interesting.

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