Gotta love a reunion movie.
Welcome to Tokusatsu Gesundheit, where I am incredibly excited that the second entry in the Space Squad V-Cinema series, Uchu Sentai Kyuranger vs. Space Squad, has been released!
Plot Rundown
In “our” dimension, Space Squad commander Space Sheriff Gavan has dispatched Space Sheriff Shaider and a brand new World Ninja Jiraiya to bring in one of Genmaku’s Apostles, Space Ninja Demost. They have him overpowered, but Demost escapes through a dimensional rift. Shaider gives pursuit, but the rift closes before Jiraiya can do likewise.
Shaider and Jiraiya
Four years after the events of Kyuranger (and therefore after the first Space Squad flick, since they crossed over), their dimension is at peace. Phoenix Soldier, now president of the Galactic Federation, unveils a potentially life-saving new invention – the artificial Neo-Kyutama. They are stolen by Hammy, his former Kyuranger teammate, leading the massive team to split down the middle as some side with Hammy and other try to bring her to justice.
The Space Sheriffs will have to help the other dimensional Super Sentai through their little tiff if they’re gonna get to the bottom of this relates to Demost and Genmaku
Brief Background
This continues the Space Squad series of direct-to-video movies, which is as a kind of All-Star Squadron style team-up between the Super Sentai teams and the Metal Heroes.
Highlights
- There’s a lot of unmorphed drama in this one, allowing the actors to really stretch their legs.
- Demost uses the Neo-Kyutama to resurrect four fan-favorite villains (all of whom have a human form and a monster form) from Super Sentai. This is used to great effect, as one of those villains had a nice heel-face turn at the end of their season – between them and Hammy, there are two good guys embedded among the baddies.
- This movie introduces a new Jiraiya, as the actor who portrayed the new Space Sheriff Sharivan in previous movies has retired from acting. Though not a Space Sheriff (in Japan), the World Ninja does keep the team’s color scheme consistent.
Review
This is 90% a Kyuranger movie, which suits me just fine since Kyuranger is easily one of the best seasons since I started watching Sentai. Teaming them up with the Space Squad allowed them to have a reunion movie that didn’t undo or lessen their hard won happy ending, as it’s an enemy from outside their circumstances (and not a remnant of Jark Matter) that brings them bak together.
That said, I will be very happy if the more Metal Heroes focused entry teased by the post-credits scene comes to pass.
Come Back Next Week for a New Installment of Strange Times & Places!
