Sentai (
Japanese: 戦隊), the Japanese word for
task force, is most commonly used for classifying the
super hero television shows produced by
Toei and aired by
TV Asahi. The shows are
Tokusatsu, featuring live action characters and special effects. This series is one of the prominent
tokusatsu productions from Japan, along with
Ultraman,
Kamen Rider, and
Metal Heroes.
In most of the series, five people gain special powers, wear colored outfits and usually wield giant mobile weapons that can assemble into a giant robot, in order to battle powerful beings from other planets and/or dimensions (often one monster that becomes giant per episode). Sentai series with the giant robot element are specifically known as Super Sentai.
The first Sentai series, Himitsu Sentai Goranger, was created by the late Shotaro Ishinomori, creator of Kamen Rider and Cyborg 009 in 1975. He left the project after the second series: JAKQ Dengekitai.
The third Sentai series, Battle Fever J (1979), is also the first Super Sentai show. Many others appeared afterwards, including the 1992's Kyōryū Sentai Jū Ranger, which was later Americanized to become the first season of Power Rangers (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers), followed by many sequels each of which based on a new Sentai show.
The term sentai is also occasionally used to describe shows with similar premises (such as Voltron or even the magical girl team in Sailormoon).
The series
- 1975 - Himitsu Sentai Goranger (Secret Task Force Goranger) - The first Sentai. Super-technology spy team against a secret terrorist monster force.
- 1977 - JAKQ Dengekitai (JAKQ Lightning Strike Squad) - First with four initial members, with the fifth member joining later. Team of cyborgs based on a playing card motif.
- 1979 - Battle Fever J - The first "Super" Sentai, first to have a giant robot (Battle Fever Robo) and based on a national country motif.
- 1980 - Denshi Sentai Denjiman (Electronic Task Force Denjiman)- First to have a transforming giant robot, first to have "goggle" masks (as opposed to visors with small holes drilled in them).
- 1981 - Taiyō Sentai Sun Vulcan (Solar Task Force Sun Vulcan) - First with only three members representing land, sea, and air; first all-male team, first to have a combining robot (2 units forming into 1).
- 1982 - Dai Sentai Goggle Five (Great Task Force Goggle Five)--Sentai team based on jewels of ancient civilizations.
- 1983 - Kagaku Sentai Dynaman (Science Task Force Dynaman)
- 1984 - Chō Denshi Bioman (Super Electron Bioman) - First to wear spandex, first to have two females, one of them perishing mid-way through the series and replaced with another female member.
- 1985 - Dengeki Sentai Changeman (Blitzkrieg Task Force Changeman) - First to have a female in white. Team motif based on mythological animals.
- 1986 - Chōshinsei Flashman (Supernova Flashman) - First to have a second robot. Team motif based on colored crystals.
- 1987 - Hikari Sentai Maskman (Shining Task Force Maskman)- First to have a sixth team member (One episode only), first to have a five piece robot. Team motif based on different martial arts skills.
- 1988 - Chōjū Sentai Liveman (Super Beast Task Force Liveman) - First to have a female in blue, first to have two members join later, first to have all the giant robots in the series form into a single powerful robot. Team motif based on falcon, lion, dolphin, bison, and rhino.
- 1989 - Kōsoku Sentai Turbo Ranger (High Speed Task Force Turbo Ranger) - The 10th anniversary series (by Toei's official count until Goranger & JAKQ were re-included). Team motif based on vehicles.
- 1990 - Chikyū Sentai Fiveman (Earth Task Force Fiveman) - First to have a sibling team based on 5 subjects (science, athletics, language, music, nature).
- 1991 - Chōjin Sentai Jetman (Avian Task Force Jetman)- Team motif based on various birds, this series brought intense drama to the Sentai franchise.
- 1992 - Kyōryū Sentai Zyu-Ranger (Dinosaur Task Force Beast Ranger) - First to have an American series based on it, first to have a regular sixth team member.
- 1993 - Gosei Sentai Dairanger (Five Star Task Force Generational Ranger)- Team motif based on Chinese mythological animals and martial arts spanning generations of combatants fighting over centuries.
- 1994 - Ninja Sentai Kaku Ranger (Ninja Task Force Hidden Ranger) - First to have a female leader and first to have sixth member not resemble the regular five.
- 1995 - Chōriki Sentai Oh Ranger (Super Strength Task Force King Ranger)- Team motif based on the five symbols of ESP recognition and ancient mystical techonology.
- 1996 - Gekisō Sentai Car Ranger (Extreme Racing Task Force Car Ranger) - Yet another car-oriented Sentai team.
- 1997 - Denji Sentai Mega Ranger (Electromagnetic Task Force Mega Ranger)- Team motif based on various electronic equipment.
- 1998 - Seijū Sentai Gingaman (Star Beast Task Force Galaxyman)- Team motif based on benevolent creatures that aided mankind through the centuries.
- 1999 - Kyūkyū Sentai GoGo-V (Rescue Task Force Go-Go Five) - 2nd sibling team of Sentai, this time based on various rescue services (hazardous rescue, firefighting, helicopter pilot, police officer, and medic) for added realism in the show.
- 2000 - Mirai Sentai Time Ranger (Future Task Force Time Ranger)- First to have the sixth team member's costume color the same as a regular team member (Red), second Sentai series to have a female leader. Team motif based on time-lost police officers from the 30th century teaming with a modern day member.
- 2001 - Hyaku Jū Sentai Gao Ranger (Hundred Beast Task Force Growl Ranger) - The 25th anniversary Sentai team based on too many animals.
- 2002 - Ninpū Sentai Hurricanger (Ninja Art Task Force Hurricane Ranger)- Originally a team of three, later included a rival clan ninja duo to the team as well as an independent ninja warrior with no real identity other than his uniform name to make 6 full members.
- 2003 - Bakuryū Sentai Abaranger (Blast Dinosaur Task Force Rampage Ranger)-- Yet more dinosaurs.
- 2004 - Tokusō Sentai Deka Ranger (Special Investigation Task Force Detective Ranger) - First to have a regular seventh team member, team motif based on an intergalactic police force division stationed on Earth to handle extraterrestrial criminals that enter Earth illegally.
- 2005 - Mahou Sentai Magiranger (Magical Task Force Magic Ranger) - 3rd sibling team of Sentai, Harry Potter-like Sentai series.
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