Welcome to Tokusatsu Gesundheit, where this week we’re watching a movie crossing over two different types of space cop – Space Squad: Uchuu Keiji Gavan vs. Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger!
Plot Rundown
Geki Jumonji, AKA Space Sheriff Gavan Type G, is investigating a new intergalactic crime syndicate called Genmaku. Geki partner Shelly is seemingly killed during a battle with Mad Gallant, one of Genmaku’s 12 Apostles, and Geki is rescued by Special Police Dekaranger’s elite Fire Squad. Removed from the case for his recklessness, Geki teams up with the SPD’s primary Ranger unit to solve the case without his superiors knowing – but can a hothead like him really be a team player?
Brief Background
Space Squad is a V-Cinema series that continues the revived Space Sheriff series and brings back the Dekaranger team after a fairly popular anniversary special. It’s a nifty concept blending concepts from various Metal Heroes shows as well as Super Sentai, and I sincerely hope that it gets more installments.
Highlights
- One of the monsters the heroes do battle with is Kuronen. He’s from the planet Berg. His power is to transform his hand into a gun in a bit of slightly Cronenbergian body-horror. This is the greatest reference ever made in a Japanese superhero movie.
- Unlike a lot of flicks tying in to Super Sentai, it 100% respects the continuity set forth by previous instalments of Dekaranger. This includes the Red Ranger leaving the team to lead Fire Squad (an all Red Ranger SWAT Team) and two characters getting engaged. For a franchise that usually runs on Simpsons-esque continuity between seasons, that’s really cool.
- The ending of the movie implied basically that every space-themed sentai and almost every Metal Hero is part of the newly-formed Space Squad, a super-awesome idea if ever there was one.
Review
While nothing Earth shaking, this flick proves a worthy addition to the revived Gavan mythos and served as a fun if unforgiving introduction to the characters of Dekaranger. It is definitely worth checking out.
Come Back Next Week for a New Installment of Strange Times & Places
