The Lupinrangers
Welcome to Tokusatsu Gesundheit, where today we’re talking about the latest entry in the Super Sentai franchise (I promise I’ll leave Toei alone for the next post), Kaitou Sentai Lupinranger VS Keisatsu Sentai Patranger.
Plot Rundown
Over a lifetime of pilfering, gentleman thief Arsène Lupin gathered quite the array of powerful artifacts that have become known as The Lupin Collection. The collection was stolen just over a year ago by the Interdimensional Crime Group Gangler and is powering a contest amongst its members to decide who their next leader shall be, at the cost of civilian lives. Kogure, the butler to Lupin’s descendants, has used the remaining pieces of the collection to empower three young people as the Lupinrangers, a squad of phantom thieves dedicated to stealing the collection back from the Gangler.
The Patrangers
Meanwhile, Global Special Police Organization has also formed a task force to deal with the Gangler…the Lupin Collection powered Patrangers.
Brief Background
The show airs, as usual, alongside Kamen Rider Build as part of the Super Hero Time block. It’s the first Super Sentai series to star two distinct teams of rangers, the first to pit two distinct teams of rangers against each other for any length of time without one being villainous, and the first to have six rangers right off the bat (even Kyuranger took a couple of episodes to gather the original nine).
Where is the best place to sell collectibles online?
Highlights
- The Patrangers commanding officer is Commander Hilltop. In an unusual move for a Tokusatsu series, he’s African-American (the actor is from Seattle originally). Having watched seven years with only the most occasional guest shots by non-Japanese actors, it’s a little odd to see one as a regular.
- Despite the teams being at odds with each other, they both need GoodStriker (a sentient piece from the Lupin Collection) to create their respective combined mecha. Little dude’s playing both sides, and is likely a key to how the GSPO got Lupin collection gear.
The Lupinrangers: a cosplayer’s dream.
- The Lupinrangers mecha can be used, in their shrunken-down transformation trinket forms, to crack safes. Handy tool for thieves.
Review
We’re only three episodes in, but things so far have been interesting. The series has a novel premise (something difficult for a forty year old franchise to muster) and has fully formed the gimmicks of each ranger team. My only criticism so far would be that it has really been the Lupinrangers’ show so far, but there are going to be forty some odd more episodes before we’re through.
Come Back Next Week for a New Installment of Strange Times & Places!
