2020/04/10

The CD Collection--Mashin Sentai Kiramager Shudaika Limited Edition [Amazon Japan]


It's that time of year, huh? I've had my copy of the Kiramager Theme Song CD single for a couple of days now and have been trying to soak it in. No, I haven't seen any of the show. I don't think I'll be checking out. So this whole thing is new to me.

As usual I pre-ordered my CD Single from Amazon Japan, which includes some kind of pre-order exclusive extra to make it worth claiming your copy early. I went with the Limited Edition for reasons that were much more obvious in the past. Uhh...keep reading and you'll see why.

Anyway...let's check it out!


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Mashin Sentai Kiramager Shudaika Limited Edition
COCC-17755
2020.04.08

01. Mashin Sentai Kiramager / Yohei Onishi

The very, very, very boring opening theme song to Kiramager. I don't hate it, but I can't point out anything that differentiates it from the cookie-cutter mold of Super Sentai songs for the past ten years. What would it take for Toei to go in a new direction and stop living in 200X? Actually, that's not even fair. They've regressed to a level of blandness that exists outside of time and space.

The singer, Yohei Onishi isn't bad. I can't say I'm too familiar with his work as he's done a handful of tracks since Ninninger that I probably haven't paid much attention to.

It isn't terrible, but I really wish Sentai theme songs would stop being so booooooring.

02. Kiraful Miracle Kiramager / Takashi Deguchi

You know what...? I dig this one. The singer, Takashi Deguchi, is pretty weak but the song itself really isn't all that bad. It's a catchy dance beat, albeit a mild one. I get a very, very, very faint feeling of Liveman's Ashita ni ikiru ze! for some reason. I don't know why that feeling is there, but it is.

I think the thing that I admire the most about this ending theme song is that it is refreshingly straight-forward. No cutesy singer. No themed elements. It's just a song. I dig it.


03. Mashin Sentai Kiramager [Original Karaoke]

04. Kiraful Miracle Kiramager [Original Karaoke]


Limited Edition BONUS 

Complete waste of time.

Official listings tend not to give much in the way of details ahead of release, but usually mention that some kind of toy extra will be included. Yeah...no such info here. I never really bothered to check up on the listing closer to release and just ended up waiting to see what arrived at my door upon release.

Are you ready for it?


Yeah, it's a water-proof mini poster with the TV size theme song lyrics that's meant to be placed near the bathtub. That's it. I suppose you could say that the clean CD case slipcover is a bonus as well, but holy hell this is sad. They couldn't even give us the full-size lyrics.....

Pre-order BONUS

This is usually some kind of paper-good that is thrown in to entice people to claim their copy before release. Sometimes it's a neat mini poster or something, but this year they went ALL OUT.


Yes, a card. It was lazily taped to the outer wrapping.


Boooooooooooooooooo.

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Honestly, I don't hate the theme songs. They're really not bad even if the opening theme song is bland as could possibly be. Without going back and listening to them, I remember hating the Ryusoulger theme songs pretty bad. The words "Sister" and "Mayo" have suddenly popped in my head for some reason. Maybe I'm just hungry, though my sibling is more of the brother variety...

The CD contents could have been a little more substantial, however. In years past we usually get a mecha theme song and fight song tossed in to make the slightly elevated price tag of theentire soundtrack and theme song to that Super Sentai Tournament Fighter Edition Turbo hooplah thown in. It was well, well, WELL, worth the money even if the Ryusoulger themes sucked. It almost seemed desperate, but it was definitely one of the better theme song singles to ever get released purely in terms of abundance of content.


Limited Edition more worthwhile. Last year we got the


The Kiramager Limited Edition Bonus is pathetic. I don't know much about the show, but for years we've been getting some solid trinkets thrown in. Remember the Samba Shaker thrown in with the Kyoryuger CD Single? The Go-Onger Engine Soul? The Gokaiger Ranger Key? The Ryusoulger Ranger Key? Bandai dropping a dime's worth of plastic into the CDs really made the 300 yen increase in price over the regular edition along with the enhanced CD content from Columbia.

Could it be that the current pandemic has stemmed some of the content? Likely, I'd say... In fact, I feel like I should be cutting this CD some slack for that reason. Until you once again look at the prices. A 320 yen difference is unreasonable given the lack of difference between releases.

Overall, I don't hate the theme songs, but this whole Limited Edition situation is complete crap. It really wouldn't have taken much more to make this a worthwhile purchase...but for now I'm just going to recommend skipping the Limited and just go for the Regular edition if you must. Unless, of course, you really want to sing the theme song in the shower.


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For better or worse, I've taken a look at yet another Super Sentai Theme Song Single. Be sure to check out my CD Collection page for more reviews and music topics.

Stay safe and keep in touch!

-CC

Previously...

Kishiryu Sentai Ryusoulger Shudaika Limited Edition
Uchuu Keiji Shaider Song Collection
Kosoku Sentai Turboranger Song Collection
Kakuranger Ball!!!

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