2021/09/30

Toy Story: Pladera Kamen Rider J Set

It's been awhile since I've done one of these Toy Story posts, so I may as well share a recent victory that has me feeling triumphant. Yes, even though I haven't made a Youtube video in a long time I *still* keep the collection going strong. I feel a little weird having to clarify that, but I do have the occasional "Why did you stop collecting?" rather than the more accurate "Why did you stop making videos?". 

I am happy to report that the collection still rages on! I do get some new stuff, but my list of old stuff to buy is admittedly tiny. Think about it... I have every Sentai Henshin Item since Goggle Five, a full set of ALL 1990s Sentai mecha boxed, damn near every Kakuranger toy, tons of weapons, and most 90s vehicle sets. What's left to get from the past? 

The answer *was* three things...and now it's two.

Until last month I was missing one of the more rare items from the 90s...the Kamen Rider J Pladera set.

This set includes J Crosser, Kamen Rider J *AND* his Henshin Belt Buckle thing. The inclusion of the Buckle cements this as a necessity among Henshin Belt collectors and the figure and bike make it critical to the Pladera collectors. This...did not bode well for me.

I guess I can go back and talk about why I wanted this set in my collection.

I am a huge fan of 1994 in general. Kakuranger is my favorite Super Sentai and Blue SWAT, well, it isn't my favorite Metal Hero, but I love it's toy line immensely. Ever since 2005 or so I've had my sights set on getting a full set of Pladera heroes from 1994. I managed to get the Kakuranger set early on. The Blue SWAT set came a bit later in one fell swoop for cheap. The one I searched for aggressively this entire time, Kamen Rider J, remained elusive.

I would come across some loose sets minus the Buckle, but no...I was determined to get the full set. Either I would miss out on good ones, or I would find some expensive sets that would end up getting purchased anyway.

Yeah, as much stuff as I managed to get...including a flippin' Masking Brace and it was Kamen Rider J's set that managed to elude me.

All of that changed last month...

I went shopping and the stars finally lined up. I found a Kamen Rider J Pladera set. Boxed. Complete. Reasonably priced. This is the one that was meant to be...I just happened to be looking at a site that was off the beaten path that evening.

It wouldn't be a toy story without a snag, though, would it?

The seller absolutely would not sell the set outside of Japan under any circumstances. It wasn't even that they didn't want to ship it outside of Japan...they didn't want the item to leave Japan at all. There are middleman services, but these can be sniffed out fairly easily (especially if they make purchases under accounts listed under their company name).

So I had to make some pretty desperate emails to get this purchased pronto. Seemingly everyone I contacted for help was on vacation that week so I had to dive even deeper in. I haven't had a rush like this in a long time, so it was partially fun...but mostly frayed nerves.

The problem with sending out ALL of the feelers was that when I woke up in the morning and saw that the item was sold, I didn't know if it was mine. Much later in the day I got a quick reply.

"Oh. Yeah, I got it for you."

It turns out the incredible person who secured it was moving at the time. They happened to check their phone on the way to the charger, made the quick purchase, plugged it in, and kept moving until they passed out and forgot all about their wonderful deed.

The important thing is that I finally got it! For a better price than I imagined! Complete!

Fast forward and I have the set in my mitts. It's one of those weird situations where it was such an easy find that I feel almost stupid for not being able to make it happen sooner. It just never lined up for me, though.

The set itself is pretty damn cool. It has everything you can want from Kamen Rider J considering it was a standalone movie with not much in the way of things to make toys of.

J Crosser is actually cooler than I was expecting. I love the coloring and detail...which is something I never really picked up in photos. 

Kamen Rider J is a great figure...it's more or less a standard Pladera-style figure but the antennae are better quality than I was expecting after owning Kamen Rider Black RX in the past.

The Henshin Buckle, or J Spirit, is alright. Maybe a tad too chrome for me. The design feels more than coincidental considering Yuta Mochizuki's run as Geki in Zyuranger. Kinda backwards from how Kamen Rider ZO was packed full of Metal Hero guys only for Ko Domon to go on to become one himself a year later in Blue SWAT.

Speaking of Blue SWAT and Kakuranger...I guess I have to get a photo with the whole gang together someday. I'd need a ton of space for the photo, but I imagine it'll be quite the vision.

Thanks for the read of my ramble. I have a page of more Toy Stories if you're interested in some of my weirder toy stories.

Bye for now!

-CC

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Kamen Rider Shin -- Designed to Fail (Also Shin Kamen Rider 2023)


I'm late to the party on this one, but I have to say that the sorry condition of the recent appearance of Kamen Rider Shin isn't too surprising. As I documented in my previous post, I've been going through my book collection lately to see what kind of weird bits of trivia I can share with the class. I stumbled upon something MAJOR in one book that I haven't seen shared anywhere online, but I may save that for a future project. Or never. I'm tired of my discoveries being ripped off by clout-chasing nobodies.

Right...back to Shin.

One my books has some utterly gorgeous photography of Shin. Any book on Shin has sections showing the Making-Of for some of the effects, but few really have these great photos of the guy by himself. This one has some great poses and whatnot and one thing kinda stuck out big time...


...a ripped crotch. 

Way back when this movie was made they were having a hard time with the durability of the poor guy's suit. When you make your Kamen Rider in the style of a monster of the week I guess you shouldn't expect longevity. With Shin's suit complexity it isn't something that can be whipped up like a Sentai suit. Shin is an incredibly detailed and tastefully painted costume. It's also completely made of foam so it isn't as taut as it used to be and it's surface has cracked open quite a bit. This isn't an easy suit to replicate and we don't see Shin often...so it's sad to say that this is the way it is. Poor guy.


I thought this post was worth sharing since I kinda feel bad for Shin and his awesome, yet unfortunate design. It was a hard suit to replicate as a figure let alone a full new suit for what will only be a brief appearance. 

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If I can end on an up note, I did see the Shin Kamen Rider trailer that was released *today* and...I love what they did for the trailer. 

The suit looks great, but Cyclone looks like a bastard weirdo with it's Porsche-esque headlight things happening. It's neat that both versions were represented in the trailer. 



Hmmm. 

Anyway...I think it'll be a fun watch, but I can't say my expectations are too high.

Catch you later!

-CC

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2021/08/30

The Mystery of Kamen Rider J's Helmet

This post is somewhat born out of frustration. I've always known what color Kamen Rider J is. He is green with green and teal accents. The End.

...

But no, I am here to tell you that there is apparently a difference in Kamen Rider J's suit depending on his size. Also...his Jumbo size has a name other than Jumbo? This is upsetting considering I'm 28 years into not knowing what the hell color Kamen Rider ZO's suit is. Is he Green? Blue? Navy? It's something that seems entirely contingent on lighting and who is printing the image. I've learned to live with that. This whole thing with Kamen Rider J is a different story.

The offending publication is here...


I own tons and tons of books on the 90s Rider movies (and Hakaider). Most of them just have the same info over and over again. This one in particular has some beautiful photos, but ultimately runs out of steam and just recaps ZO and Shin. The point of interest lays in this little blurb...


Yes, those helmets are clearly different. The caption merely claims that Kamen Rider J has a slightly different color when he is Jumbo Size, Let's take a closer look...


The antennae are kinda floppy in this one and, while it is likely due to the aggressive flash, the vent is almost white. The greens in the stripe are also a little more distinct. The eyes are also slotted with a clear lens overlay.


The helmet here is a little more refined with full eyes, a deeper metallic look to the vent, and rigid antennae.

This really made me examine the photos in the rest of the book to see if this was consistent at all. 


We're off to a bad start. Maybe the darker vent isn't present here, but the antennae are pretty rigid.


This is the Jumbo version and...how about that? The vent is darker, but this is clearly the stunt helmet since the clasps are on the side and the eyes are slotted and lensed.


Jumbo J again and...wait. This is clearly a hero helmet since the eyes are lit up, but the antennae are floppy and...transparent?? What's going on!? At least the vent is still dark.


Normal J here and...this is a stunt helmet with the lighter vent. His crystal/belt isn't jeweled like it is in the bike photo above. I guess they couldn't be bothered for this stunt suit?

I guess you catch the drift. The J suit has the usual differences between stunt and hero suits, but also some weird variations between normal size and jumbo. This is something that Bandai never acknowledged in the SHFiguarts of Kamen Rider J. 

Oh yeah...there is also this...


What the heck is Kamen Rider J J Power MAX? The caption talks about J's power. I kinda feel like this was a lazy little addition, but on the surface it looked to me like they're trying to give J's Jumbo form this name. I mean, if he has a new helmet...why not??

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That's it for this post. I know this was a strange little topic, but when I posted the image to twitter it seemed like everyone shared in my confusion. I dig little things like this.

OH! I also have yet another Kamen Rider J topic coming up in September. I don't even like Kamen Rider J! Regardless, I have a new post coming up about the guy. I may have some more book posts coming up soon as I explore them a little more closely when I have some spare time.

See ya soon!

-CC

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2021/08/01

Song Collection: Dengeki Sentai Changeman


It's the third and final part of my review of 1985 Tokusatsu Song Collections. I previously listened to the short Kyodai Ken Bycrosser Song Collection and the Kyojuu Tokusou Juspion Song Collection. It only makes sense that I am finishing this with a listen to the flashpig flagship series.

The Changeman Song Collection kinda gave us a new sound and introduced us to a young man by the name of Hironobu Kageyama. Hmmm...

I briefly gave this a listen in my copy of the Dengeki Sentai Changeman Complete Song Collection in the past if you wanna look back to that.


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01. Dengeki Sentai Changeman / KAGE

I really like this theme song, but it has always felt a little sloppy to me. Maybe "inconsistent" is the better word... You get these heavy guitars and horns and then they suddenly drop out with Hironobu Kageyama left alone with a piano...while also maintaining the tempo. Think of Blue SWAT's TRUE DREAM. That feels like a more coherent song to me.

THAT SAID...this is a pretty rad theme. Maybe it isn't my favorite, but it is a lot of energy and a lot of fun.

02. Kagayake! Changeman / KAGE, Koorogi '73, Shines

This song is confused. So many "Flash!"es.

Ehhh...it's fun uplifting song. I can't fault it for that. That said, I don't really seek this one out too often. Unlike that Turboranger song that spells out "T-U-R-B-O P-O-(dub)-E-R", this song nails the spelling of "C-H-A-N-G-E-M-A-N" perfectly.

03. Soldier Dragon ~ Yuusha no Michi~ / KAGE

This is the ultimate Red theme song in my opinion. Kageyama's vocals are just on point and the music is perfection. It kinda has the feel of the classier song, but the bass is what really steers everything along. This is a regular song in my rotation. It's just the greatest.

04. Fight! Changerobo / KAGE


"Ehh...this one is just *good*.

Kageyama's vocals are just so drown out for some reason. The music is really good, but when it levels off for the vocals it just kinda sounds like Kageyama is like five meters away from the microphone. I guess if it didn't oscillate between bland and awesome I'd have more fond memories.

Maybe with some better mixing this one would have been better."

05. LOVE FOREVER / Naomi Miyanaga

Another fantastic song. This one is more mature and features the raspy vocals of Naomi Miyanaga. It's hard to describe this smooth, smooth track...but it's far more entertaining that anything on the song collections of the surrounding Sentai series. 

06. WE CAN CHANGE / Japan Echo Singers, Koorogi '73

Yet another wonderful jam. This is one of those rare songs with Koorogi '73 that hits it out of the park. Sure it's led primarily by the Japan Echo Singers, but when you see Koorogi '73 in the credits, it's usually a warning more than a welcome. 

Yeah, this song is a classic. It's catchy and it's just all around well-constructed. 

07. GREAT PASSION ~Jonetsu no arashi~ / KAGE

Oh yeah, back to the Sentai songs.

Weird intro aside, this one is kinda boring. I don't think Kageyama was great for this one...he sounds kinda lost on everything except the "Oh! Great Passion!". This is one I don't give much play to. It isn't bad, it just doesn't really know what it wants to be.

I also swear that Kageyama is trying to disguise his voice...

08. Mermaid & Phoenix / Naomi Miyanaga

Another great song by Naomi Miyanaga. I have to edge out LOVE FOREVER...barely. This track is damn near as good. The same awesome vocals, but this one is a bit more localized to Super Sentai as it's the dual theme for Change Mermaid and Change Phoenix. 

Seriously great song. I tend to forget about it only because it doesn't feel like a Sentai song at all, but it's really good. 

09. Earth Force, shukumei no hoshi / KAGE

This one is alright. It's one I tend to skip. It's kinda rockabilly-ish at times before just going on to be a low-key rock song. I like it, but it isn't all that memorable. Kageyama at least feels appropriate this time around. This is more tailored to his skill.

10. NEVER STOP Changeman / KAGE

The series ending theme song. Yeah, I'm kinda lukewarm on this one. I know it has it's fans and is pretty memorable. I just never got into it thanks to the incorrect synth tone. Kageyema sings his damn heart out...and I feel like he was probably the most comfortable on this track out of everything he did for Changeman.

11. Wakasa de Changeman / KAGE

Changeman was missing some action songs, so a single was released later on with two new action tracks. This is my favorite of the two, for sure. It's a wall of synthetic sounds, an energetic Kageyama, and a random horn for filler. It all comes together in this frantic collision. 

12. Pinchi wa Chance da, Changeman / KAGE

Once the weird intro is out of the way, this song is like a weird, haunted roller coaster of an action song. I kinda like this one, but the fake drums bug me more than usual. The backing vocals are also kinda...wrong. The energy is 100% right, though!

The title is perfect, by the way.

13. Dengeki Sentai Changeman [Original Karaoke]

14. Soldier Dragon ~ Yuusha no Michi~ [Original Karaoke]

15. Fight! Changerobo [Instrumental-Karaoke]

16. WE CAN CHANGE [Original Karaoke]

17. GREAT PASSION ~Jonetsu no arashi~ [Instrumental-Karaoke]

18. Mermaid & Phoenix [Original Karaoke]

19. NEVER STOP Changeman [Original Karaoke]

20. Wakasa de Changeman [Original Karaoke]

21. Pinchi wa Chance da, Changeman [Original Karaoke]

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OVERALL: This song collection's greatest strengths are it's more mature songs. The Change Dragon and Mermaid/Phoenix themes are excellent. There are also legit wonderful songs in LOVE FOREVER and WE CAN CHANGE. Something is to be said when the weaker songs in the collection include the theme songs. 

For a first-timer, Kageyama did a wonderful job carrying an entire song collection. Sure he had been a rocker for the better part of a decade, but the switch to anison is like getting a job at a cog factory after working in one that made widgets. There is a bit of shakiness, but he definitely had a fan looking out for him at Toei/Columbia. 

Definitely check this song collection out. It's not my favorite, but it has some songs that transcend the genre and legitimately rock.

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That's is for my look at the Tokusatsu Song Collections of 1985. Check out my music collection page for me, but be sure to check out my Kyodai Ken Bycrosser and Kyojuu Tokusou Juspion Song Collection reviews!

-CC



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2021/07/31

Song Collection: Kyojuu Tokusou Juspion

Welcome to part two of my trio of posts on the Tokusatsu Song Collections of 1985. I previously listened to the mini song collection from Kyodai Ken Bycrosser. Now we're going to dig into the Metal Hero series of the year--Kyojuu Tokusou Juspion. Of the three, this is the only one that has received and official release in the US, so check it out.

I briefly talked about these songs in my listen to Superhero Chronicle Metal Hero Shudaika Sonyuuka Daizenshuu I, which you can breeze through if you'd like.

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01. Ore ga Seigi da! Juspion / Ai Takano

Naturally this is the series theme song. I'm gonna be completely honest...I only half like this theme song. As a song itself, it's really not good at all. In context of the series...it definitely works better. I can watch the opening video and it just works better. As I'm listening to it for this review...I'm just bored with it. This is nothing new, I've never really been hot on this.

The upside is Ai Takano. He does some fine work selling this song through his voice. It just has more to do with it being a burnt-out Michiaki Watanabe tune.

02. Powerful Fighter Juspion / Akira Kushida

Some great singing from a great singer over more Watanabe lameness. I don't feel bad about not being a fan of Watanabe. It's bizarre that he's 95 years old as of this writing and still composing Zenkaiger, the current Super Sentai. He was out of ideas in 1985...

This song is alright. It has a nice splash of BGM thrown in, but it feels like it's more out of convenience. Akira Kushida really couldn't do wrong in this era...and mercifully he's around for a quarter of the tracks.

03. Itsuno hi heiwa ga / BOBBY

I like this one. It's funky little upbeat track that was strangely completely missing from the series. Some Watanabe deja vu creeps in with the music, though. This sounds like a warmed over Sharivan song. 

I like the vocals by BOBBY...who seems to barely exist outside of this song. 

04. Kyojuu tachi yo / Space Minstrels

This is one of the worst Metal Hero songs out there. It isn't bad in an entertaining way. It's just so anonymously bland. It goes nowhere and accomplishes nothing. Snore...this takes ballads to a new level of unconsciousness. 

05. Ginga no Tarzan / Akira Kushida

Another Kushida jam. This may be my favorite of the bunch. It's a bit disco, but it also has a great pulse...which is refreshing after the last song. Kushida does his usual greatness, but the music isn't really derivative of anything else for a change. This one is good.

06. I'm Juspion / Henry

The "English Version" of the opening theme song. I love the accent and forcefulness, but the lyrics are definitely questionable. "You know you are boy. I know you are young". 

Yeah...an eyebrow is definitely raised.

It's fun in that this is the earlier English version I can think of. There have been many since...

07. A Wolf in Space / Henry

...and then there's the "English Version" of the ending theme song. Like the previous track, this is the same song with new lyrics. It's also just as silly.

08. Neppuu yaro Juspion / Ai Takano

Ugh. This song kinda exemplifies what I really dislike about Watanabe. His work was great and he is a legend, but he was stubborn as all hell. This song is so dated in 1985. One of the reasons I really wanted to give Bycrosser it's own review was because those songs managed to be modern and crisp without being too flashy. Watanabe was doing flashy and dated. 

This song is just blaaand. Takano sounds like he's singing from a shower. It's the same issue a lot of Hironobu Kageyama songs had in the era...which leads me to believe he was recording in the same place.

09. Ryuusei no Senshi / Ai Takano

This one is pretty decent. It kinda copies the vibe of what was going on in a lot of Changeman songs. It's upbeat and devoid of the dated cheese that a lot of other songs here suffer from.

10. Cho wakusei sentou bokan Daileon / Akira Kushida

This is the mecha song of the series. It's pretty generic...if you've heard one Watanabe mecha theme, you've pretty much heard them all. It's good, but nothing revolutionary.

11. Mabushii aitsu / Akira Kushida, Columbia Yurikago-kai

Dated, but good. I like the intro and Kushida's soothing vocals. This is before he had to lay the gruff on in every song he did. The brats come in for a nice assist as well. It's kinda refreshing to hear a nice soft song to bring this thing home.

12. Ginga ookami Juspion / Ai Takano

The series ending song. Just like the opening theme song, this one isn't that great. The drum machine that ruined a lot of decent songs of the era is present and in full-fucking-force. By far the coolest thing about this song is the title, but it all falls apart there.

Ehh...yeah. 

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OVERALL: I know I have very unkind words for the composer of this series, but I think his work on Juspion, Spielban, and Jiban is where the dam officially burst. The years since have been better since he is working purely on nostalgia. This wasn't the case after the Space Sheriff series ended. Listening to this song collection (and music collection) is listening to someone who is tired, out of ideas, and refuses to change.

I probably listen to this song collection the least out of all of the Metal Hero song collections. I have always had a particular disdain for it...more so than the B-Fighter Kabuto mess.

Anyway, no...I can't recommend this one. It's helpful that it lives on a set with five better series song collections.

---------------

That was my blistering review of the Juspion song collection. Check out my music collection page and also my reviews of Kyodai Ken Bycrosser and Dengeki Sentai Changeman song collections.

-CC

PREVIOUSLY...

Song Collection: Kyodai Ken Bycrosser
Song Collection: Dengeki Sentai Changeman
A Huge Discovery in Time for 25 Years of Gekisou Sentai Carranger!
CCLemon99 Magazine Issue 9
Can you still find a deal in 2021?
The Toei Situation

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Song Collection: Kyodai Ken Bycrosser

Hello there! I am doing something a little fun to end July and kick off August. By some weird happenstance I've completely neglected to post song collection reviews from any of the three Tokusatsu series from 1985. This wasn't an intentional slight against the fine people of Brazil or this guy, it just never happened.

So to correct that I will kick things off with the shortest song collections of the bunch--Kyodai Ken Bycrosser. The dipshits at Netflix would have you believe that this is a Super Sentai series, but it isn't. This is a Shotaro Ishinomori series independent of any real genre. Henshin Hero is so...vague. Anyway, I briefly listened to these songs in my review of Tokusatsu Hero Shudaika sonyuu uta taizenshuu III if you want to check that out.

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01. Tatakae! Bycrosser / Gentaro Takahashi

I really like this theme song. It kinda feels like an upbeat precursor to Chojinki Metalder's opening theme song, but it has some nice modern splashes to keep it modern. The obligatory guitar part is fun, but a smidge on the modest side. You remember the guitars of the Bioman theme...but not here.

The vocals are a smidge obscured, in my opinion. Singer Gentaro Takashi is something of an odd choice. He was definitely a Columbia player as he is largely known for his singing on the Columbia cover of Mach Go!Go!Go! from 1967. Outside of that...from what I have heard he was something of a crooner back in the day. Check out his group's cover of Del Shannon's Runaway from 1962. Fun, right? But soooo random that he ended up doing the theme songs to Bycrosser.

Yeah, so I dig this theme song. It's one I listen to often.

02. Ore to omae wa Bycrosser / Makoto Fujiwara

OK, so I really like this one. It's probably my favorite IN song of the year. For starters, the singer is Makoto Fujiwara in his first of two Tokusatsu songs. It may be strange that I'm gushing over a guy who has only ever done two Tokusatsu songs, but his is responsible for one of the finest anime theme songs of all time. The opening theme song to Macross is just...perfection. 

He brings the same energy here and turns in a great action song for Bycrosser. It's very similar to the Macross theme...minus the badass orchestra and catchy lyric. It's still a great song.

03. Go Go! Ken Roader / Makoto Fujiwara

The second of two Makoto Fujiwara Tokusatsu songs. This one isn't as good, but it's still a great little action diddy. I would say it's a smidge catchier at least...and as far as songs that name drop series toys equipment, this one keeps it pretty fresh. Remember that Action Fantasy song in Maskman that blandly mentions all the gear? Yeah...this isn't that.

04. Sonona mo Kyodai Ken Bycrosser / Gentaro Takahashi

The companion ending song to the series is also sung by Gentaro Takahashi. It's a more mellow version of the opening theme more or less. This may be sacrilege, but I think it's the best ending theme song of the year. I really like the wavy synth. It makes it pretty memorable to me.

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OVERALL: I know this song collection is a shorty, but it's significant enough to give it a post. On one hand, I really wish there was more songs...but on the other it's brevity steers it away from any mistakes like a badly sung duet by the brothers. 

My hopes for this series is to get a full remastered release with Karaoke, Music Collection, the works. Columbia has been dusting off a lot of gems from the archive lately and Cinema-Kan has been there along the way as well. The sad truth is that unlike Machineman, Bycrosser's music was handled by Tokuma...which has since folded. Who knows who has the rights...but Columbia releasing these songs on CD for the first time in the early 2000s was a promising start. A company like Cinema-Kan would be perfect for this...just saying. They did a wonderful job on their Ultraman Powered and Gridman releases. 

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That's it for Bycrosser! Be sure to check out my music collection page and also my Kyojuu Tokusou Juspion and Dengeki Sentai Changeman Song Collection reviews!

-CC

PREVIOUSLY...

Song Collection: Kyojuu Tokusou Juspion
Song Collection: Dengeki Sentai Changeman
A Huge Discovery in Time for 25 Years of Gekisou Sentai Carranger!
CCLemon99 Magazine Issue 9
Can you still find a deal in 2021?
The Toei Situation

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2021/06/30

A Huge Discovery in Time for 25 Years of Gekisou Sentai Carranger!

Earlier in the year I mentioned in my posts regarding the anniversary years of Ultraman/Kamen Rider and Super Sentai that 2021 is something of a huge party. The biggest thing for me to celebrate is the 25th Anniversary of Gekisou Sentai Carranger! I can understand if someone isn't a fan of my favorite Super Sentai, Kakuranger, but if anyone speaks ill of my precious Carranger...words will be had. 

OK, maybe not. 

I can say for certainty that Carranger is undeniably one of the most detailed and well-produced entries in the Super Sentai catalog. I wrote a three-part series of posts re-examining the series back when Shout! Factory released the DVD set in 2017. Here it is if you want to catch up...


Gekisou! Accel Changer! Carranger Part 1 of 3

Pegasus & Uchuu Bosozoku Bowzock ~Carranger Part 2 of 3~

Triple Top 7! ~Carranger Part 3 of 3~

If you follow me on Twitter you'll know that I like to post random gems as I revisit my massive book collection. I kinda enjoy more obscure books, but I recently decided to look for a couple of year books. These tend to be *very* expensive (Good luck finding an undamaged copy of Zyuranger's book sub-$80) and are only...adequate. They are good, don't get me wrong, but I wish that they were like twice as big with more uninterrupted photos. They're fine, but I like the more obscure stuff.

Since I love Carranger so much, I made that one a top priority for my bookshelf. When I finally looked through it, my detailed eye spotted something that sent me to ebay...IMMEDIATELY.

Are you ready?

In one of the pages showing off the Carranger gear, we get out *only* still shot of keychains that we see hanging from the Carranger's Accel Key component of their Henshin Item, the Accel Changer. Being a huge fan of all-things with four wheels, I honed in on Kyosuke's key in particular. His individual keychain is that of the quintessential lightweight British roadster, the Austin-Healey Sprite!

The book kinda goofs by calling it a "Supercar". While it is a super car, it certainly is no Supercar. The Sprite was manufactured from 1958-1971 as a lightweight, no-frills motoring experience. It's a tiny car...no lie, it's sister car is the MG Midget. Early cars put out 46 horsepower while the latest cars topped out at 65hp. 

This is weirdly a perfect choice of car to represent Kyosuke and his love of "open car" driving. The gang at Pegasus dreamt of (and eventually succeeded in) building their own car, which was a thinly veiled Lotus Elise (lightweight, British sportscar...and very new at the time of airing). Throughout the series there was a rotating cast of British sportscars in the background of Pegasus. It's pretty clear that they filmed in an active auto shop during off-hours since wrangling foreign cars weekly for set dressing would have minimal payoff.

The genuine love of cars the series conveyed is something that I deeply appreciated...and something that I think went largely unnoticed. It goes from the cars seen and driven in the series to the keychain in Kyosuke's pocket.

Once I did make the sighting I went right over to ebay and looked up Austin-Healey Sprite keychains. There were several varieties...some were missing the "SPRITE" text underneath the seal, some were formatted different. I found one seller that had a near-exact copy of the keychain shown in the book.

So I bought one.

Just kidding, I bought several.


That's not even all of them. The seller was likely SO confused...

Let's not ignore the fact that the Sprite is a rad little car. It lost it's cute face as time went on, but it offers the kinda of stripped down driving that interests me more than high-horsepower madness. It's easy to make power...it's a challenge to actually use it.

To finally see Kyosuke's key in detail was like finding a lost birthday card with a crisp $20 note in it. It's been around this entire time, but it feels so much sweeter now than it would have been if it was something I noticed in 1996.

Anyway, I hope this little discovery inspires some of you to check out the wheels in the background when you view the series again. They're pretty special when you consider your average Kei car in Japan looks like a washing machine with wheels.

Kurukuru Kurumagic! Happy 25th Anniversary to Caaaaaa~ranger!

-CC


Previously.....


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